Dreams of an Absolution

"Get away from me, just get away from me

This isn't going to be easy, but I don't need you

Believe me, you got a piece of me, but it's just a little piece of me

And I don't need anyone"

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


Dreams of an Absolution

Chapter 4

XxXxX

Sedusa slid from the single wooden chair she was reclined in. Blossom tensed, just managing to will herself to stay rooted in place. With a nervous swallow, she rubbed her wrist and glared at Buttercup. Their fearless leader looked just as horrified as her sisters. As the seductress stalked closer, her eyes glowed brighter. Blossom clenched her fists. There was no mistaking that light...

"What's wrong? You girls don't sound so brave now..." Sedusa stopped, but her hair kept moving, writhing with the same unnatural life it had always seemed to possess. Somehow, it seemed different, truly alive this time. Blossom kept her eyes on Sedusa, but elbowed Buttercup as hard as she could. Buttercup hissed and rubbed her arm, but wisely kept her scowl aimed at the villainess.

"The game is over, Sedusa! You're coming with us, no more robberies!" Sedusa giggled. The sound was a high-pitched hiss, snake-like and monstrous. Blossom shivered and instinctively shifted into a fighting stance. If she had correctly identified the glow in Sedusa's eyes-and there was no doubt that she had-it wouldn't make much difference. In her current state...she was just going to get in the way.

"Oh no, girls. The game is just getting started," She grinned, revealing sharp fangs. She clenched her fists; Blossom stared at her claws, gleaming in the dull light. Bubbles took a step back and raised her mitts.

"W-What do you mean?" Buttercup stepped forward and glared. A shift, so subtle that only the girls themselves could feel it, passed through the air. Buttercup was powering up...Blossom grit her teeth. It wasn't enough. Sedusa could regularly give them trouble in their weakened states, now though...

"Enough talk! Hand over the science thingie and come to jail quietly!" Sedusa narrowed her eyes. Blossom's eyes widened.

"Look out!" It took every ounce of her strength, but she just barely managed to tackle Buttercup and Bubbles away from the green glow that erupted from Sedusa's eyes. Turning, Blossom couldn't find any visible change in the stone floor, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

"Don't let that attack hit you!" Buttercup growled and the three scattered, avoiding another green blast. It collided with a pipe in the wall and bounced off, nearly hitting Bubbles. Thankfully, she managed to duck just in time. Sedusa grinned and shook her head, snickering as her hair snapped angrily.

"My, my, even near impotent you still manage to be such a thorn, don't you, Blossom?" Buttercup shot forward, throwing a punch at Sedusa. A lock of her hair shot out and snatched Buttercup, hurtling her across the chamber, into a control panel. Buttercup bounced off and landed, sparks in her wake. She quickly dodged a blast of green light. Blossom hung back, but Bubbles shot forward. She dodged a strand of hair, only to be caught by a vicious open-handed strike. To the girls' shock, Bubbles was sent careening through a solid stone wall.

"Woah! H-How did you do that?!" Sedusa licked her fingers and turned to Buttercup with a sneer; though she turned, she made certain that she could see Blossom from the corner of her eye.

"You haven't noticed anything...different? I'm sort of a big deal now...no more weak little thief. No, Buttercup...I'm a monster now!" Like a dam breaking, Sedusa rushed forward and swung wildly at Buttercup. Any blows that missed tore apart whatever they hit, be it concrete or steel. The blows that hit, however, rocked Buttercup's world. It wasn't long before she was forced to retreat and regroup with her sisters.

"What the...how is she this strong? Sedusa doesn't have super strength!" Bubbles whimpered and rubbed her cheek. There were three long claw marks running the length of her cheek, slowly bleeding. Blossom spared only a passing glance at her sisters.

"She...somehow, she has Chemical X in her. I don't know how she got it but...it's making her much stronger," Sedusa laughed and clapped, advancing on them once again, emphasizing the sway of her hips with long, slow strides.

"How very clever! Oh, leave it up to Blossom to figure it out! Yes...I have been given a rather generous dose of Chemical X...and not that trash your father likes to call Chemical X. No, what I'm pumping is the real deal...the good stuff!" The girls gasped. Blossom looked at Bubbles and Buttercup; she could almost see the severity of the situation setting in on them.

"R-Real Chemic...you mean...h-how?! There isn't any more!" Buttercup shouted, suddenly distraught. Even Blossom was shocked at just how angry Buttercup looked.

"That is my little secret, girls...now let's try this again, shall we?" Blossom wanted to shout scramble. She wanted to give some kind of order, but all that came out was a strangled gasp as Sedusa knocked her aside, sending her crashing through the metal stairs. Blossom groaned and wiped away a trickle of blood. Dizzy though she was, she could hear the fight taking place behind her. Bubbles was hit, then Buttercup must have made a mad dash because soon the two screamed and crashed into the wall near her. Blossom climbed to her feet and spun around, panting and glaring at her wrist.

'I could help so much more if I could just-' Her trail of thought cut off, she sharply flew to the side to avoid a slash from Sedusa's hair. To her horror, Blossom came face to face with a wall of green light. Something rammed into her side and knocked her away.

"Stay focused! I can't keep saving you, you know!" Buttercup barked, rushing at Sedusa again. Blossom glared at her and climbed to her feet again. It was no use, the amount of power her sisters were using just couldn't keep up with this new monster Sedusa. She managed to bat them away time after time. Rushing forward, Blossom blew a wave of ice breath at Sedusa. She screamed and threw her hands over her face. The girls stood back, staring at the giant block of ice and trying to catch their breaths.

"D-Did we get her?" Bubbles asked. Blossom glowered; she had stopped Sedusa, they had just gotten themselves knocked around. Before any argument could take place, the ice block shattered and a rather irate Sedusa started toward the Powerpuff Girls once again.

"Th-Th-That w-w-wasn't...f-f-funny..." Sedusa shook her head and took a deep breath, "You know girls...you haven't even tried out my new power!" The girls took to the air as a wave of green light shot beneath them. Sedusa snarled and fired back at them. This time, the girls weren't so lucky. The edge of the green light brushed against the end of Bubbles' pigtail...instantly turning it to stone. Bubbles screamed, her hair suddenly heavier, and held it up in shock.

"M-My hair!" Sedusa cackled and grinned.

"How do you like it? I think it's fitting, don't you?" Bubbles was overcome with a look of rage, one that went unheeded. More bursts of green light forced the girls back into the Water Treatment Plant, the lights still out save for the trail leading to the thief-turned-monster.

"How in the world did she get Chemical X!? How in the world is she this strong?!" Buttercup shouted. Blossom whipped around and glared at her.

"Why in the world are you holding back!? If you two started TRYING you could beat her easily!" Buttercup growled and jabbed Blossom in the shoulder, nearly knocking her to the ground.

"Because we aren't supposed to! The Professor said we wouldn't need to use that much power again!" Blossom rubbed her shoulder and growled. Footsteps interrupted the coming argument, as did Bubbles' sudden yelp.

"Look out!" Without thinking, the two scrambled. The blow that had been aimed at them tore the ground open, leaving behind a small crater. They heard a gasp and all eyes turned to the newcomer. Sedusa froze, her vicious demeanor fading. The Powerpuff Girls were just as stunned to see their old teacher staring at the thief with the same expression.

"A...Abby?" Ms. Keane asked, her voice just barely a whisper. Sedusa swallowed and took a step back, her hair writhing.

"C-Cassie? W-What are you doing here?" Ms. Keane stumbled through the dark room. Bubbles shrieked.

"No Ms. Keane! Stay away from her!" Blossom looked back and forth between them, her eyes wide. Had they met? When could they have possibly known each other? Maybe from school...to everyone's shock, Ms. Keane lightly touched Sedusa's cheek. The taller woman hissed and pulled back.

"Abby what happened to you?" Sedusa smirked and ran a hand shamelessly across her bare chest. Blossom inched closer, trading a glance with her sisters. Whatever was going on, it was at least providing a distraction they could really use.

"Nothing that concerns you, Cassie. I...why are you here?" Ms. Keane narrowed her eyes, snatching Sedusa's wrist when she tried to retreat again. The girls tensed up, expecting the villainess to lash out. To their shock, she stayed where she was.

"I was worried...about the girls and about you," That did it, Sedusa jerked her arm away from Ms. Keane. She swallowed, her hair snapping at the air wildly.

"I'm not a child anymore! I don't need you looking after me! Especially..." Sedusa's eyes began to glow bright green again, "Especially now! I don't need you! I don't need James! I don't need Sara!" It was Ms. Keane's turn to back away, Sedusa's hair was snapping haphazardly, indiscriminately. The look on her face, it was a kind of hurt that the girls had never seen on her before. It was oddly familiar. Ms. Keane sighed and rubbed her arm.

"Abby, don't do this..." Sedusa flinched and looked away. There was a look of intensity on her face...she almost looked like she was in pain. The light coming from her eyes suddenly became brighter. Blossom perked up; she swore she heard a switch somewhere. She completely forgot about the sound and stared in awe at Sedusa. She had become encased in a bright green glow. Sedusa snarled and slashed at the floor. It tore open and she fell through it, falling into the sewers below the plant. The four ran to the hole and stared at it. The light was quickly fading.

"Girls you have to find her! Please, before she gets hurt!" Ms. Keane grabbed Buttercup and Blossom's hands. Blossom looked down at the hole, while Bubbles asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Ms. Keane...how do you know Sedusa?" Ms. Keane wiped her eyes, it was only now that the girls realized she was crying.

"...She's my little sister! Sedusa...please, just save her! I promise I'll explain better later, but she needs you now!" Blossom gasped, staring at Ms. Keane in horror. Sedusa...was Ms. Keane's sister? How was that even possible?! What...what could have possibly happened to turn her into...into the person she was now? Buttercup's voice broke her train of thought.

"Right! C'mon let's get her!" Blossom grabbed Ms. Keane's arm.

"Ms. Keane! Please, take this off me! I can't fight her like this!" Unfortunately, she was met with two pairs of sad eyes, and one pair of angry eyes.

"No way! We can't trust you!" Blossom spun and faced Buttercup, on the verge of hitting her. So close...so very close to lashing out. It would feel so wonderful, so just hit her one more time. Just one more time...

"Blossom, I'm sorry, but Professor Utonium says you have to wear that for now. Don't worry, your sisters will be with you," Blossom glared at Ms. Keane, but nodded obediently and followed her sisters down the hole. It seemed to go for miles, deeper than the stairs, down into the wreckage of the old Townsville sewer system. Buttercup looked around, gritting her teeth.

"Okay...okay! We'll split up! If you see her, scream!" Bubbles nodded and flew off on her own.

"You're trying to get me hurt...you're jealous that I'm a better leader than you'll ever be! Aren't you!?"

"I'm not jealous of you! I would never be jealous of a f...of someone who betrayed us the way you did!"

"You know I can't fight her! I can barely fight at all now! You just can't deal with me being smarter and stronger than you!"

"I am not jealous of you!!" The scream hung in the air...echoing off the stone sewer walls. By the time it faded, the two had parted ways, Blossom flying as fast as she could. She didn't even care if she found Sedusa, she just wanted distance between Buttercup and herself. She flew fast, turning randomly, not even realizing just how dark it was getting until she came to an abrupt halt in a pitch black chamber. Blossom panted and looked around. Her eyes started to glow until-

"Ah, ah, ah...don't do that...you'll ruin the moment," Blossom stopped breathing, and quickly shut off her X-Ray vision. Sedusa giggled, a wicked hiss. Her voice sounded even more monstrous...Blossom could hear something slithering in the darkness around her.

"S-Sedusa show yourself...I'm...I'm here to take you in!" Blossom whispered. Her throat was dry...she could barely hear over her heart pounding in her chest. Sedusa giggled again; Blossom spun around, hearing something slither behind her.

"You were supposed to scream...why didn't you?" Blossom took a step back and gave a breathless scream-little more than a harsh gasp-when she ran into something...something big. There was a frantic slither above her and another laugh.

"I...I can...I don't need..."

"That's right...you don't need Buttercup...you don't need Bubbles either...I would have never believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes..." Blossom swallowed and turned toward the voice. At the same time something brushed against her side.

"What do you mean? S-saw what?"

"Why...I saw the face of God...an evil...evil God...so beautiful...and oh so very powerful," Blossom's heart stopped and her blood ran cold. She stared wide-eyed into the darkness.

"G-God..."

"You...dearest Blossom...you are a god, aren't you?"

"I...they said...it was just..." Blossom went rigid. Lithe, sharp fingers trailed up her arms. Hot breath blew against her neck.

"Where is he? Where is your god now?"

"I haven't...haven't seen him since...since that day...Buttercup...I think she..." Blossom's lips trembled, a tear trickling down her cheek. Soft hands rubbed her arms, a gentle voice shushing her.

"There, there...you have to be strong...you see, you may not realize it. But, Blossom...there are some people...who...believed in you," Blossom started to speak, but a breathy laugh cut her off, "No...not Powerpuff Blossom...some people believed in...that Blossom," Her mouth fell open. She trembled, her knees knocking together as Sedusa's warm lips touched her neck.

"I believe in you...even now...so please, just let me go. No one will ever have to know. I certainly won't tell on you...just let me...disappear..." Blossom whimpered as Sedusa's lips gently tickled her ear. Her tongue flicked across Blossom's cold skin, "My...Goddesssssss..." Blossom clenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth.

"I...I can't just let you go..."

XxXxX

Blossom groaned and stared dizzily up at the ceiling. Light now flooded the water treatment plant. She could vaguely hear Buttercup ranting and cursing that Sedusa got away...she could also hear someone crying. Her first instinct was to think of Bubbles, but it was actually Ms. Keane. Blossom winced and sat up, grabbing her chest. Three bloody claw marks ran across her body...they were still bleeding.

"Blossom!" Ms. Keane knelt down next to her, helping her sit up. Blossom hissed and held her chest, climbing to her feet. Buttercup stopped complaining to the Chief of Police and turned to her sister. The fire in Blossom's eyes...it was enough to chill Buttercup, even now. Blossom took a few weak steps forward and jabbed Buttercup in the shoulder.

"You...this is your fault...I told you...I told you I can't fight like this! I can't k-keep up with supervillains anymore and it's all YOUR FAULT!" Blossom crumbled, a few tears trickling down her cheeks. She pulled away from Ms. Keane and Professor Utonium-she hadn't even noticed the latter arrive, and left the group. She had one thought on her mind...she wanted her bed, her safe, warm bed and she wanted her secret doll. That was the only way to see him anymore...and she wanted to sleep for a very, very long time.