Dreams of an Absolution

"I remember me...

And all the little things that make up a memory

Like, she said she loved to watch me sleep

Like, she said: 'It's the breathing,

It's the breathing in and out and in and...'

Have you seen me lately?"

Have You Seen Me Lately? (Counting Crows "Recovering the Satellites")


Dreams of an Absolution

The Serpent Pt. 2

Blossom stormed down the street, her eyes narrowed, her gaze faced forward. She could have acknowledged the stares she received, but she didn't. She could have heard the whispers sent her way, but she didn't. Left arm hanging lame at her side, Blossom was oblivious to the world around her, except for a growing sensation of completion. A warm feeling that slid through the shadows, traveling just a step behind her, latched tightly onto the breadth of her shadow. She finally came to a rest at a crosswalk, turning to greet the unannounced presence.

"Hey..." She whispered, her voice rough and sharp. Uka-sensei blinked, stopping beside her while the two waited on the crossing signal. He crossed his arms and stared at her, horns longer than usual, eyes hotter than normal. Blossom stared back at him, her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised.

"Does something trouble you, Blossom? You seem...different from last night," Uka-sensei murmured, shuffling forward when the crossing signal changed. Blossom shrugged and lowered her head, falling into step behind him. She crossed her arms, staring at the filthy pavement through the river of red hair that fell over her face.

"I'm just trying to figure things out, Aku," Uka-sensei paused next to her. She could feel his gaze, but continued walking. Uka-sensei quickly fell into step behind her when a car blared its horn nearby. Faintly, Blossom heard the crosswalk signal change again.

"What has you stumped, child? Perhaps, I can be of assistance," He offered, his hand softly grazing her hair, brushing it away from her face. Blossom smirked and shook her head, looking up at him. Despite herself, she couldn't hide the faint pink blush on her cheeks.

"Maybe you can..." She chuckled and looked down, shaking her head, "Then again...maybe you'll just make things worse...it's partially your fault," she stated. He wasn't following her as she started walking aimlessly once more. Blossom kept her head down, again observing each step she took with agonizing intensity. Uka-sensei caught up with her before she turned the corner.

"What do you mean? What has Aku done to you?" He was almost growling...she'd insulted him, she noted with a sigh. Blossom shook her head and looked up at him, wearing the same distant, droll expression.

"Do you know who I am?" Uka-sensei froze in his place, staring at her with red eyes wide. The two stood like that for the longest time, before Uka-sensei broke the stare-down.

"Ah...so...this is the issue that troubles you so," Blossom laughed coldly while the two resumed their stroll. His fingers brushed her hair again, tucking it behind her.

"Shouldn't you know that? Don't you watch my little 'talks' with Dr. Elise?" Uka-sensei sighed, and put his hands in his pockets.

"At first, I did. However...for reasons I cannot explain, perhaps pertaining to this strange, new muscle you've given me, I could no longer bear to look after you claimed to want absolute secrecy," He explained, rubbing his chest and wincing several times. Blossom stared at him, then promptly sat down on a bus bench. Uka-sensei sat down next to her, crossing his legs and staring at her expectantly.

"...That means a lot to me, thank you," she whispered. Blossom laughed and shook her head, looking up into Uka-sensei's bewildered expression, "To be honest...I thought you would be the last person to respect my privacy," Uka-sensei smirked and lowered his head.

"I did not say it was an easy change to make," The two laughed and fell into comfortable silence. Blossom rolled her head back and stared up at the clouds. She furrowed her brow and sighed. Uka-sensei's fingers slipped over hers. Blossom looked over at him and couldn't help smiling. Uka-sensei leaned closer, lowering his voice, speaking in his true voice.

"Has Aku helped you in any way, Blossom?" Blossom slowly nodded, looking down at her lap. As his inky black fingers slipped around her tiny mitt, she clutched his hand with all her might. Uka-sensei smiled and sat up straight. Blossom could have responded to the new murmurs passing through the streets, but she didn't. She could have returned the glares she now received, but she didn't. She could have accepted her answer...but she didn't.

The last trickle of summer sun blasted down on the two as one bus, two buses, three buses came and went without claiming the odd couple. Blossom kept her eyes closed, her head tilted up to the sky. Uka-sensei gently rubbed her mitt with his thumb, while his fierce red gaze never left her face. The wind fluttered by, pulling a few brightly colored leaves from the decorative little trees nearby. The leaves fluttered across the street, only to be pulled undertow by a passing vehicle. Somewhere in the neighborhood, a dog was barking relentlessly.

Blossom took a deep breath and sighed, lowered her head and opening her eyes. Uka-sensei stared expectantly, as she softly broke the silence.

"I overheard Bubbles talking to Buttercup the other night," Uka-sensei raised his eyebrow and gently pulled her closer. At first, she resisted. But, with just one more nudge, she slid closer, now resting against his side. She could have cared what the people watching thought, but, frankly, she didn't.

"Is that so? The Blue Child seems to avoid speech in your presence..." He mused, obviously expecting an answer. Blossom nodded, unfortunately lacking one.

"Yeah...she was afraid, Aku. She's been talking to him again," Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes. He needn't ask who Blossom meant, they both already knew the culprit.

"Does she conspire against you? You have done nothing-" Blossom giggled and shook her head, smirking.

"No, Uka-sensei, Bubbles wasn't conspiring against me. At least, I hope not. I haven't done anything to conspire against yet," They both laughed, though she could tell Uka-sensei was quite truly relieved to hear the news. Blossom took a deep breath and sighed before continuing, "No...she wasn't conspiring against me. But she's afraid. He's got her terrified," she murmured, resting her chin on her free mitt. Uka-sensei gave her hand a gentle squeeze, leaning closer.

"Then what?" He asked. Blossom narrowed her eyes and returned the squeeze.

"Octi told Bubbles that soon...something very bad is going to happen," She said, looking up at Uka-sensei knowingly. He nodded, lowering his head. His horns were longer, she could see a second pair sprouting from the back of his neck. If she looked just right, she could see the steam rising up from his eyebrows.

"Is that so?" Blossom nodded and Uka-sensei continued, "I see..." Conversation dwindled as the silence between the two grew louder. Soon, they had returned to their own person brooding, though accompanying each other in spirit. Blossom's mind was racing, trying to track down just how it would happen. Would she be the culprit? Of course not, she had no intention of causing trouble. Maybe Aku? No, he wouldn't try anything that might endanger her. What, then, could he possibly know?

A seventh bus stopped in front of the two. The driver blared his horn, glaring at them and gesturing rudely. Blossom hopped off the bench, suddenly, and climbed onto the bus. Uka-sensei slid to his feet and followed behind, paying both their tolls with a vicious little sneer.

"Damned monsters..." They overheard while shuffling towards the back. The driver took off while the two were still on their feet, but, much to a good portion of the passengers' chagrin, the two were unaffected by the sudden movement. Blossom was amused to notice a seat suddenly open up. Without giving the frightened little man a second glance, she flopped down in the seat and stared at the passing city. Uka-sensei slid into the seat beside her and soon she felt his claws lightly brush her arm. Blossom smiled, accepting the not-so-subtle hand hold.

The bus zoomed through city streets, around sharp corners, and toward the less savory part of town. Blossom spotted a few shadily dressed characters sporting a now familiar symbol: members of the enlarged Gangreen Gang. Blossom slowly shook her head, now staring at her hand, held tightly in Uka-sensei's grasp.

"Does something trouble you?" Uka-sensei asked, yet again. Blossom narrowed her eyes, and turned her glare on him. Uka-sensei swallowed and sat up straight. Odd, he normally didn't react that way around her. Blossom snorted and lowered her head.

"Do you know who I am?" She whispered, clutching his hand tighter. She imagined she could hurt him, imagined she was strong enough to truly reciprocate his feelings. Strong enough to really express her frustration. Uka-sensei cleared his throat and faced forward. When he spoke, his voice had lost its disguise.

"I've already given you the answer I believe to be true," he said, falling silent the moment the words trailed from his lips. Blossom narrowed her eyes, turning to look at his face. He wouldn't face her, he'd stopped blinking. Blossom lowered her head and closed her eyes. The bus crossed over a hill, a bit too fast. A lot of the passengers screamed or shouted when suddenly thrown into the air. Through the haze of confusion and dissatisfaction, Blossom heard a faint sound in the distance. Tightening her focus, she heard it just a bit more clearly.

"You hear the call?" Blossom nodded and the two stood up. The driver seemed to notice, he suddenly slammed on his breaks. Again, the pair were unaffected as they walked to the front of the bus. Blossom got to the bottom step, waiting to get off, but the driver hadn't opened the door. The buzzing had stopped, that meant the call had been answered. Rolling her eyes and sneering, Blossom smashed the door off completely and hopped off the bus. Uka-sensei stepped out behind her, fixing his jacket and watching his pupil float into the air. Blossom turned around and faced him, her hands on her hips.

"What you said before...did you really mean it?" She asked. Uka-sensei nodded, catching her hand as she started to leave.

"Every word of it, child," Blossom paused, then turned and took off into the sky. Her sisters were going to need her, she could already feel it. Today was the day bad things were going to happen.

XxXxX

"What's going on?" Blossom slowed down, floating several feet from her sisters. Buttercup's frenzy stopped abruptly, seeing her sister again. She raced forward, grabbing her good hand tightly, breathing a sigh of relief.

"There you are..." Blossom just rolled her eyes and glanced at Bubbles. Her sister was staring at her with wide, strange eyes. Bubbles gasped and covered her mouth; Blossom just shook her head and rolled her eyes again. She jerked her arm away from Buttercup, turning her sister's head to look her in the eye.

"What's the trouble, Leader Girl?" She nearly spat the words, but Buttercup seemed to not notice. Buttercup nodded, and the three flew off across the sky. Blossom noticed the destination: smoke was rising from the hospital near the clinic where she had just been with Dr. Elise.

"Someone's decided to shoot up the hospital, great. And they called me crazy," Buttercup and Bubbles both balked and stared at Blossom, who gave no indication of having seen them. Quite the opposite, she sped up—as much as she could—and laughed. "Why am I surprised? I must have forgotten that this is Townsville," She sighed and shook her head, sneering at her sisters.

"Well? Are you coming? Let's roll," Blossom shot forward, with Bubbles and Buttercup close behind. Buttercup quickly over took her, taking the place in the center of their formation.

"Blossom stay behind me! This could be dangerous!" she ordered. At least, she tried to order, but Blossom could tell that it was more of a request. A request? No, Buttercup was begging. If not with her words, with her eyes. Blossom smirked as the three burst through the front doors.

"I'll do my best," she murmured, snarling when she looked at her bracelet. Even mundane situations like hospital shootings were made dangerous by her situation. Blossom snorted and started forward with more bravado than a one-armed first grader deserved. Buttercup ran to catch up with her, tugging on her good arm again.

"Hold it! It's not a shooting! The doctor said it was a giant snake!" Blossom paused and raised her eyebrow.

"Sedusa...why in the world would she trash a hospital?" she asked out loud, to no one in particular. Buttercup shrugged and held Blossom's hand tightly, keeping her close as the three ascended the stairs to the second floor. Bubbles brought up the rear, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of a back attack. Blossom glowered as she peered around the corner of the second floor wing. Sedusa wasn't one for random destruction. She had a purpose, but what was it? After last time, the three had been near inseparable, she couldn't actually expect...

"Look!" Bubbles pointed ahead of them, rushing forward to check out the blaring TV sitting on in the nearest patient's room. The patient himself had been turned to stone—an old codger with a broken hip—and was frozen forever screaming helplessly. Blossom circled the room, feeling the claw marks, eying the burn marks on the walls. She narrowed her eyes and stopped breathing. She could hear it...slithering...she could feel the very faint, faded heat of breath nearby.

"What was that?" Buttercup whispered, peering out the door. Something exploded outside the room. Buttercup shoved Blossom back in the corner and ran to the door.

"Okay, Blossom stay here! Bubbles and I will check this out!" Before either sister could protest, Buttercup was gone. Bubbles glanced back at Blossom, who groaned and waved her mitt.

"Go! Before she gets hurt!" Bubbles swallowed nervously and nodded, running after Buttercup. The moment she passed through the door, Blossom felt hot breath on the back of her neck. She stood perfectly still, keeping her senses focused on that writhing tail. She wasn't about to let herself be caught again.

"My, my...you're so smart, how long have you known I was here?" Sedusa breathed into her ear. Blossom shuddered and clenched her fists, walking casually toward the door, she paused in the middle of the room. She didn't dare turn around to face her. As long as she kept her eyes forward, she knew where the snake was.

"The moment I walked in the room. The claw marks and the burns were fresh. You need to try harder to fool me," She spat, keeping her voice low. She couldn't risk getting Buttercup in a worried frenzy. Whatever they'd gone after needed to be dealt with.

"So smart...I've always admired that, you know. You always saw through me, every...time...didn't you?" Blossom shivered again, tensing when the monster's talons lightly trailed down her back. They could tear her to ribbons if their owner desired.

"Who are you working with? You aren't smart enough to do this yourself," Sedusa laughed, rising up on her tail, looming over Blossom. The Powerpuff girl still kept facing forward. She tightened her good fist and closed her eyes. The snake breathed a very high pitch, soft, just a breath away from inaudible.

"So mouthy...what's gotten into you today? You're not yourself, Sweetie," Blossom clenched her eyes tighter. Sedusa was a bit to the left, but she was preparing to swing to the right.

"I'm not the problem, why does everyone think that?" Just as she suspected, she felt the snake's breath on her right side.

"That's right...you're the perfect little girl aren't you?" Blossom just sneered. She wasn't about to play this freak's game. She finally opened her eyes, facing forward without blinking.

"What are you after?" Blossom demanded. Sedusa giggled and shifted position again. She stroked Blossom's long hair, her nails sliding through it smoothly. Blossom swallowed and lowered her head. The monster wasn't going to get to her.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about you...my Goddesssss," She hissed. Blossom shivered.

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe," Blossom retorted dryly. She took the slightest of seconds to listen for her sisters. They were on their way back. In that time, she lost the snake, who suddenly appeared in front of her. Blossom jumped back, swinging her hand out. Sedusa screeched as a wave of lightning blasted her out into the hallway. Sedusa reared up, glaring at Blossom who just smirked in return as sparks rose up from her mitt. Sedusa's eyes began to glow green. Her assault was ended prematurely by a swirling green and blue drill. Bubbles and Buttercup split up, the former rushing in to check on the third sister, while the latter devolved into a fury she hadn't felt before.

"Get away from her!" Sedusa barely managed to avoid the blow, which took out the floor beneath both of them. Unfortunately for the snake, Buttercup could fly. Blossom casually walked to the door of the room, eying the shockingly even battle taking place in the lobby below. She turned to find Bubbles staring at her again. Blossom narrowed her eyes.

"Bubbles, can I ask you a question?" Bubbles gasped again, her hands flying over her mouth. Blossom remained steadfast, taking a step toward her sister. "What did Octi tell you? What's going to happen?" Bubbles' eyes went wide and her face turned sheet white. Blossom narrowed her eyes and took another step closer. Bubbles' legs seemed to have failed her, she couldn't move. Blossom sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Did he tell you, yes or no?" Blossom asked, getting fed up with the lack of response. Bubbles swallowed and slowly shook her head. "I thought so..." Blossom muttered, turning away from her. The two could hear the fight escalating, heading outside. Blossom took a step outside the room and turned to Bubbles.

"Come on, we have to go help her," Bubbles nodded silently, and the two flew back into the fray.

XxXxX

"I had her! I had her and she got away! I don't even know how!" Buttercup screamed, stomping into the Powerpuff Girls' suburban home. Bubbles practically fled the scene of the crime and had beat the two home. Ms. Keane looked up, waving happily as the last remaining members of the family crossed the threshold. Blossom smiled, spotting Ms. Keane, but her smile faded as she turned back to Buttercup. She caught her still raging sister.

"Buttercup, I need to ask you something important," Buttercup froze and turned to Blossom.

"Yeah, anything...what is it?" Blossom glanced at the kitchen, spotting Bubbles, then turned to Buttercup.

"What did Octi tell her," Buttercup laughed out loud, shaking her head.

"You don't take that seriously do you?" Blossom shrugged, frowning. Buttercup just shook her head again and crossed her arms, "She says he told her something bad is going to happen...I don't buy it. Bad things always happen in Townsville, how is this any different?" Blossom shrugged, brushing by Buttercup to head upstairs to her room.

"I was different," She retorted. She could have waited to see her family's reaction, but she didn't.