Nemeses Nevermore (Chapter 7: Bloody and Broken)

Bubbles threw her pillow up to the ceiling and let it fall on top of her for the two-hundredth twenty-fifth time. She really didn't feel like playing around with her stuffed animals today. Not even Octi.

It wasn't that she was bored. It just seemed incredibly wrong to have fun when her sibling was nowhere to be found.

She knew Buttercup felt the same. Actually, worse. When Buttercup had returned on the day when Bubbles had failed on passing out the missing posters, she had come back crying. And Bubbles, who had rarely seen the brunette weep, felt fearful to the core. Something really terrible must have happened to make her sister cry. She'd attempted numerous times to get an answer out of Buttercup on what happened.

But all attempts had been unsuccessful. Buttercup wouldn't say a single word to her, and would only stare back at Bubbles with a crestfallen face whenever any talk about Blossom was brought up.

She did notice one thing, though. The usually persistent Buttercup that Bubbles had known didn't go out to look for Blossom anymore.

Now, as she threw her pillow up in the air again, Bubbles saw her sister, on the floor, curled up into a ball of depression. She wondered what Buttercup was thinking.

And what she was hiding.

Taking a deep breath, she called out, "Buttercup!" The brunette turned to the blonde just in time to see the pillow smothering her blue eyes.

"Yeah?"

Bubbles threw the pillow, but this time, off the bed. "What really happened on that day while you were out?"

Buttercup grumbled and tucked her head into her arms. "I don't wanna go over this again."

"But if you don't let me know, it might not let us know if we're closer to Blossom or not."

Trying to hide the notion that Bubbles had struck home right there, Buttercup muttered, "Don't talk to me."

"Aw, please?" Bubbles floated by next to her sister. "You can hit me in the face after you tell me, if you feel like it."

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Can you just not bother me right now? I told you, I don't feel like talking about it."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Buttercup, glad to have a distraction to help her avoid the situation, zoomed out the bedroom and went downstairs. Right at the front door, though, she hesitated. Who would want to visit them at this moment? Were they coming for help? But they couldn't help, not in the current situation. Still, to come straight to the doorstep of the Powerpuff Girls' house. . . it must be really important.

Buttercup opened the door, and gasped as she saw who was standing before her.

"BLOSSOM!" she cried, tackling downwards.

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"You know, you really didn't have to threaten that nurse just to get me a crutch."

"Shut up," Brick muttered as he slowly set down Blossom at the Powerpuffs' front porch. "Boomer and Butch are mad at me enough for even tryin' that stunt again."

After landing, Blossom had trouble standing with a crutch that dug into her armpit. She wobbled. . . and almost fell over. Brick caught her in time.

"Next thing you sissy's gonna tell me is that you don't feel like walking right now."

"No, no, I'm fine," Blossom protested, and slowly made her way to the door. She raised a bandaged hand and (with Brick's help) managed to reach the doorbell.

She stopped.

"Hey," Brick grumbled. "Are you gonna ring it, or are you gonna stay on my shoulders?"

Blossom sighed. "You know," she said hesitantly, "I think you should get out of here. If they see you h—"

"Right now, I can fly, unlike you," he spat. "Jus' ring it and I'll bail."

Blossom nodded and finally rested her hand on the button.

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"You're OK!" Buttercup squealed with glee as she hugged her sister in a tight embrace. "You're alive!"

"Easy, Buttercup," Blossom chuckled. "I'll get crushed again if you hug me like that!"

Laughing, Buttercup released her. . . and gasped in horror. "Oh my god. . . what happened to you? You look—"

"Bloody and broken with a lame limb?" Blossom shrugged. "I am."

Buttercup stared before starting, "Well. . . the Professor can probably take care of all that. Come on in!" Without waiting, she yanked Blossom in, crutch and all.

Brick had been hiding in a bush. He'd seen the exchange between the two. And he had been gritting his teeth all along; it took him all his willpower to not suddenly jump out and attack Buttercup. He had not felt like seeing this sort of a fuss being made in front of him.

He didn't know why, but. . . somehow, he was being affected by such soft sights.

He knew he was going out of control.

Brick just stayed silent as he listened to the cheers erupting from the Powerpuff household. Jumping out of the bush, he folded his arms and took flight, utterly disgusted. Why did these sissies always have to make a huge fuss out of everything?

Would he do the same if Boomer or Butch suddenly went missing then came back one day?

Would he care?

Would they care?

Ever?

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Blossom laid down in her place in the bed, feeling tired.

"Are you OK now?" Bubbles chirped up.

"I'm fine, thanks," the redhead replied. "The Professor's medicine was actually quite effective!"

"Good thing, too," Buttercup said as she landed next to them. "'Cause when you're all better, we can go around and kick monster butt again!"

Blossom chuckled. "I'd like that."

The Professor cracked open the door, smiling at the sight of seeing his three daughters together once again. "Alright, girls," he called out. "Time for bed."

The girls slipped under their covers and giggled as the Professor came in and kissed each of them on the head.

He sighed and looked back as he turned off the lights. Closing the door, he thought of all the possible lengths Blossom might have gone through to return.

But all would be well, now that the trio was united again. Blossom was back.

Even if she was broken and bloody with a lame limb.