Dreams of an Absolution

"And he says

All I want is for you to have

a life you love and live.

Take from me all I have to give

Because you are in my heart"

The Man Who Would be Santa (Vertical Horizon "Running on Ice")

Dreams of an Absolution

Chapter 56

It was a dark night, colder than usual, in the city of Townsville. While most of the city slept, a few brave souls toiled the hours away, struggling to find some solution to the growing darkness pervading their once fair city. Two such men, Officers Perez and Schmitt, were working the late shift, holed up in the shabby, worn down building acting as the Townsville police station.

The senior of the two had made a name for himself. Perez, the sole survivor of the massacre that took place in the old Townsville police station and one-time partner to the crooked cop who tried to kill the Powerpuff Girls, had grown much older, faster than he ever thought possible. Once upon a time, he was a wide-eyed rookie who just wanted to protect his city. In the wake of the Devil Blossom incident, Sedusa's attack, and the November riots, he found it harder and harder to even remember the wide-eyed optimism he once cherished.

He swore he'd never be jaded like Brokowski. He'd never let himself grow cold to the plight of those who expected him to protect them. Once upon a time, he swore that, even if he couldn't change the world, he wouldn't let the world change him.

Perez sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. That was a long time ago, and he was too young to be too old for this shit.

The room they were tucked away in was a dank, cold room. Four walls, all of them covered in grime despite the best efforts of the force to try to clean it up. There was a two way mirror, but it was only really good for seeing the table. The corners were always drenched in shadows, eager to crawl toward the center. They were chased away, if only just, by a single light overhead.

The young man they'd apprehended, a kid no more than sixteen years old with greasy black hair and a pierced eyebrow, continued to glare at them. His blank, almost soulless expression was beginning to wear on the officers' nerves. What was he doing stalking the streets this late? That was at the forefront of Perez's thoughts. He was going to get to the bottom of this. Someway, somehow, he was going to make a difference. He was going to solve this riddle.

So why hadn't the kid run when they pulled up? Why hadn't he blinked in the last ten minutes?

"We don't want any trouble, but you have to understand our position," Perez explained with a pleading gesture. He sighed, retracting the hand he'd offered the kid. Of course he wasn't going to take it. Kids these days didn't get friendly gestures. Kids these days had grown up faster than they should have. They couldn't trust anyone.

The kid was smart, Perez mused with a kind of begrudging respect.

His partner wasn't about to let this brat get the better of them. Schmitt slammed his fist on the desk, leaning down until the kid could smell the curry on his breath, "Look here, punk. Do you know what's going on? Do you have any clue how many people are disappearing? You think you're tough, huh? You think you can take the world, right?" Schmitt laughed without the hint of a smile on his face.

"You're full of shit you little fuck. You know that? You're full of shit," Before Perez could stop him, Schmitt smacked the kid in the head and stalked around to his other side, accidentally hitting the light above the table with an angry swing. Hissing, he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He glanced up, just a glance, to see the disapproval on his partner's face. That did it, Schmitt thought, his resolve dented.

Perez cleared his throat. This was their first lead. The kid knew something, he had to know something. A kid didn't just wander the streets these days. A kid didn't just have a tattoo of...that name on his arm.

He cleared his throat, "We only want your cooperation, then you're free to go. Listen, don't let my partner get to you. He's just...taking all this pretty hard. He lost some good friends in Citysville. We've all lost some...some good men and women. You understand, right?" he held his hands out again, desperate to get this kid to understand.

That word, that name on his arm. It was blacker than the night outside, outlined by some kind of eerie red ink that almost seemed to glow. It was just a word, a name. But it was a name that Perez would never forget. A name the world should never forget.

The kid finally moved, a snide grin that vanished whenever the light, now swaying back and forth, back and forth, drifted away from him. It was almost sickening to watch. He'd seen a lot of sickening things, Perez wasn't going to look away now, much as he wished he could.

"You're such...idiots…" the kid muttered, holding back a dark chuckle. Schmitt whipped around, tearing his sunglasses off his face, glaring at the brat. His eyes were red, tired, draped with dark circles. The kid glanced toward him; the grin on his face grew and he laughed out loud.

Schmitt would have hit him again, would have pulled his pistol and beat the little shit, but Perez caught him by the arm and pulled him away. He was a tough man, but he knew better than to mess with his partner. "You little bastard, what are you saying? Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?!" Schmitt snarled, tearing his arm away from the senior officer.

Picking up Schmitt's sunglasses, Perez sighed and stuffed them into his jacket pocket, "You're not in trouble, yet. Listen, we're not the bad guys here. We're trying to beat the bad guys, but we need your help," Perez sat back down, resting his forehead on his clasped hands, "Just...tell us about the tattoo. Tell us what you were doing around that building,"

The kid sighed, a shaky, nervous sound, his fingers gently touching his tattoo. Touching that monster's name. The look on his face, it was look of reverence, of adoration...excitement. The kid chuckled again, clutching his arm tightly, "You can't stop it. You can't stop what we're doing. What we're going to change!" The kid looked up. Now his eyes were wild and the grin on his face looked as if it could split his cheeks.

"You can't stop it! You can't stop him! You can't stop her!" The kid sat back, covering his face in his hands as he laughed, "Idiots! You're all idiots if you think anyone can stop him! If you think you can stop her! Idiots! All of you are just idiots!" His voice cracked when he doubled over laughing.

Perez wasn't fast enough to stop Schmitt from grabbing the kid by his shirt and jerking him to his feet. Even with the officer snarling in his face, the kid kept laughing. Schmitt threw him back down, nearly knocking him to the ground, "You're the idiot here! You think this is a game? Who are you working for? Who're you following? What the fuck is going on!?" He demanded, backhanding the kid again.

"Schmitt, outside," Perez hissed, grabbing his partner's shoulder and directing him away from the room. He shoved the Citysville transplant out the door, but, before he could leave himself, the kid spoke up. Perez looked back.

There was blood streaming from his nose, half his face red from the blow. And, still, the kid was grinning from ear to ear, "You can't stop him this time, Officer Perez," He seemed so sure of himself. So confident in...that thing. Perez shivered; he almost believed it.

"And you can't stop her."

Perez's eyes widened; his throat suddenly felt like a desert. He couldn't bring himself to look at the kid. He couldn't stop shivering; the room was suddenly freezing. Taking a quick breath, Perez slammed the door shut and stopped to check on the kid through the two-way mirror.

He was still laughing, staring at the table, letting the blood drip down his face.

After the officers left, the kid continued to stare at the table. His giggles died down, his hand went for his tattoo again. The word, that holy word, that heavenly name, burned to the touch. It reminded him of his master, the immortal god of who would soon rule this and every other world. Soon, soon these idiots would all see the true face of god. Soon, this would all be put to rest. The master couldn't fail, the mistress couldn't fall.

The kid looked up. The light passed over the table, driving away the shadows. He suddenly noticed it sitting there. Sleepy yellow eyes, half-lidded. The light faded and the shadows came back.

The kid's breathing picked up. The light passed over the table, driving away the shadows. The little one was bigger now. Its same vapid, dead expression bored into his brain. He could almost hear its voice. The light faded and the shadows came back.

The kid began to cry, his chair screeching as it scooted across the cold metal floor. The light passed over the table, driving away the shadows. The little one was right in front of him now, at the edge of the table. Its gaze burned him. Its maddening voice filled up his thoughts and chased away any happiness he'd known before. The light faded and the shadows came back.

The kid screamed. A vicious thud shook the room. A loud crash and the sound of cracking glass followed. There was another scream and a sickening crunch. The light passed over the table, driving away the shadows. The kid was clawing at the window, drawing blood scratches with every swipe of his broken fingers. His voice cracked; his gums bled. The doll was at the other end of the table now. He could hear his voice. He could feel his gaze penetrating his soul. The light vanished, the light bulb popping, and the shadows consumed the room.

There was another scream, and the sound of shattering glass. Then, a soft gurgling followed by a hideous thump. The station went dead silent.

XxXxX

"Miss, miss, miss, miss, c'mon Batter, miss, miss, miss…"

The boy narrowed his green eyes and turned to glare at the catcher. Another pair of green eyes looked up at him, an overly cheery grin on her face. The boy turned and spat, bringing his bat up and glaring at the pitcher. The catcher snickered and nodded to her sister.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, Batter, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, you can't hit this, miss, miss, Batter, miss, c'mon," Her stupid chanting burrowed into his brain. The boy snarled, roaring when he swung with all his strength, tearing up a tuft of grass in front of him.

"Strike Three! You're done, Sucker!" The catcher called, chucking the ball back to the pitcher.

The batter screamed and threw his bat down, raising his fist. The catcher laughed, dodging the sloppy punch.

The batter snarled, "Will you shut UP? Do you EVER shut UP? Batter, batter, batter, SHUT UP!" Butch yelled, taking another swing at her. He caught her in the shoulder and Buttercup fell back on her butt, still laughing, holding her belly and rolling around.

"Don't, don't," Buttercup struggled to tease between laughs, "don't blame me you can't hit the broadside of a barn!" She screamed, laughing even more when he pinned her to the ground and rained an angry tantrum of blows against her raised arms.

"Alright! Alright! Knock it off, guys. Boomer still hasn't gotten a chance to bat!" The pitcher called. Blossom sighed, adjusting her ball cap, straightening her ponytail. She glanced over at Boomer and gestured toward the fighting pair. He shrugged and marched over to them. As soon as he touched Butch, his brother spun around, taking a swing at him. The blow slid passed the blond Rowdyruff boy's face.

"Hey, watch it!" Boomer whined, shoving Butch's shoulder and throwing him to the ground a few feet away. His face turned red and he glanced back at Blossom. Now she, Bubbles, and Brick were all laughing. Boomer stared at Blossom, his heart beating faster. He chuckled, scratching his head, making his messy hair even messier. "Sorry, don't know your own strength, huh, Butch?"

Butch stood up, spitting grass out of his mouth, "It's your strength, dummy!" He shook his head, turning to his favorite of the three sisters. Butch groaned and began to blush when he noticed Bubbles laughing. "Just freaking bat already, Boomer!" Butch huffed, stomping back to the sidelines. Brick snickered; Butch just glared at him, cheeks hotter still.

Buttercup, still chuckling, took Boomer's offered hand, thanking him and slapping him on the back as she returned to her spot. She whistled, impressed when Boomer stepped on the bat, flinging it up and catching it with the kind of grace no one expected from the blue Rowdyruff.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Buttercup cleared her throat, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, Batter, Batter, Batter, miss, miss, miss," she began to muttered, prodding Boomer whenever he started to get ready. She just smirked when he blushed and glared at her.

"You can do it, Boomer! Hit it out of the park! You got this!" Bubbles shrieked, bouncing around somewhere between first and second base.

Blossom smirked, tightening her grip on the baseball, "Whose team are you on, Bubbles?"

"I'm on everyone's team!" Bubbles exclaimed.

Butch snorted and Brick laughed, "You're just saying that because you got Princess Ice Breath to cheat for you!" the Rowdyruff leader jeered.

"I'm not cheating, Brick," Blossom mumbled, "I'm just better than you at baseball,"

"Yeah right! We promised no powers and you're totally using yours! C'mon, Super Villain, where's your honor? Huh? You got any left in that bow of yours?" He shouted. Despite his words, there was a shockingly jovial smirk on the Rowdyruff's face.

"Yeah, Blossom! Don't cheat, cheater!" Bubbles teased, blowing a raspberry at her big sister.

"We're winning, Bubbles! Stop complaining!" Buttercup shouted before returning to her taunting. Her jeers and comments fell on deaf ears though.

Boomer's eyes were locked with Blossom's. As far as he was concerned, there was no one else around. The Powerpuff girl narrowed her eyes, tilting her head. There was a cocky little smile on her lips; he loved that smile. His cheeks flushed and his heart began to race. He nodded, accepting her challenge.

Blossom giggled and shook her head, throwing the ball up and catching it. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. She opened one eye. Boomer got ready, raising his bat. Was that electricity around him, she wondered? Blossom grinned, a faint pink light rising up from her eyes. If he wanted to play, they were going to play.

The pitcher leaned over, tightening her grip on the ball. The batter narrowed his eyes.

The park shook when the ball left her hand. The ground split apart and grass flew into the air, bursting into flames when they were hit by the electricity sparking off the ball. Before any of the others could react, the batter slid his foot forward. For just a moment, his arms turned black as night. He swung, trying to match her force with his strength.

The ball, and the bat, were vaporized. The explosion was enough to throw Buttercup off her feet, sending her tumbling backward. The only evidence there had ever been a bat, or a ball, was the crescent scar in the earth in front of the blue-eyed Rowdyruff boy.

Blossom laughed, clapping as she approached him, "Good swing! I didn't think you'd hit it!" she teased, messing with Boomer's hair. The little boy just blushed and laughed, scratching his head sheepishly. The air rang with a supersonic scream and suddenly Bubbles was in front of him.

"Boomer, that was so cool! How did you hit it? I didn't even see her throw it! You're awesome!" Bubbles cheered, grabbing his hands and bouncing up and down.

Their celebration ended abruptly when the two turned and saw the other two Rowdyruffs. Their arms crossed, their eyes narrowed, the two glared at their tow-headed brother. Then…

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" they exclaimed together, tackling Boomer away from the cheering Powerpuff girl. The three rolled around, wrestling on the ground, shouting Boomer's praises for being the ruff that beat the Ice Witch.

Blossom shook her head, helping Buttercup to her feet. The two stood like that for a second, Buttercup keeping a tight hold on Blossom's hand. She grinned, she seemed so happy lately, and nodded. Her big sister sighed and nodded, slipping her arm around the tomboy's shoulders and giving her a soft hug.

She was okay. Buttercup was alright.

"So...um, awesome as that was...that was the only bat and the only ball," Brick pointed out as the cheering settled down. Blossom took a seat on the nearest bench, stretching and yawning. When she brought her arms down, one slipped around Buttercup, the other around Boomer, both already on either side of her.

"Well…" she mused, scrunching her nose and staring at the sky. She tilted her head, listening for a second. That...Blossom smiled and shrugged, "Let's call it a draw. That was obviously a home run, we can pick this up again later," she offered.

The others were satisfied. Brick and Butch dragged Boomer off to celebrate their come from behind draw. Buttercup raced after them, eager to remind them that they just got lucky. That left Blossom and Bubbles alone, walking across the park.

Blossom crossed her arms tight across her chest, keeping her gaze on her feet.

Bubbles, meanwhile, kept her hands folded behind her back and her gaze on anything except her sister. Eventually, though, the silence became too much to bare and finally, one of them relented.

"Bubbles, listen, I'm sorry. About...yesterday," Blossom apologized, yet again. It seemed like every conversation the two had since their fight began with Blossom saying she was sorry.

The blonde Powerpuff shook her head, a smile slowly reaching her lips, "It's okay, Blossom. I forgave you, remember? I hope...you forgive me…" she gasped when she was suddenly tugged from the ground and pulled into a warm hug.

"Of course I forgive you," Blossom whispered.

The little Powerpuff only hesitated for a second before wrapping her arms around Blossom's neck and returning the embrace. She giggled when Blossom kissed her on the cheek and continued to carry her across the park.

Bubbles blushed, stealing a glance at the look on her sister's face. Blossom was smiling, not a fake smile like before, but a real, honest smile. Bubbles swallowed the nervous lump in her throat and laid her head on Blossom's shoulder. Blossom laid her head against Bubbles'. The two kept after the others, but neither made any move to separate.

"Hey, Blossom?"

"Hm?"

"Um, where's Aku today?"

Blossom giggled. She was wondering how long it would take someone to ask, "Aku had some things to work on. He was really, really disappointed that he couldn't make it," she explained.

Bubbles giggled, "Really?"

"Oh, yes he was!" Blossom exclaimed, "I thought he was actually going to cry!" she cleared her throat, doing her best Aku impression, "What!? How can you plan such an event without considering Aku's prior appointments?! Do you not love Aku? Do you wish to exclude Aku from such jovial interactions?" The two laughed.

"Hehehe! That sounds just like him! Aw...well, we should do something for Aku, then! I mean, I don't want him to feel bad that he missed out…" Bubbles trailed off, her heart stuttering in her chest. Her mouth grew dry and suddenly, she wished she could get away.

"Aw, Bubbles, you're so sweet," Blossom kissed her forehead, "I'll let Aku know, he loves playing with you and Buttercup,"

As soon as Blossom's lips touched her, Bubbles' worries melted away with a happy sigh. She nuzzled Blossom's neck and giggled again, "I like Aku, too! He's a big, scary monster, but...he's such…"

Blossom grinned, "A goof ball?" she offered.

Bubbles squealed, "Yes! A big, goofy, funny goof ball!"

The two laughed again. Blossom glanced up at the sky, scrunching her nose and tilting her head. "We should leave now if we want to be there when they land," she mused out loud.

Bubbles shrieked and flew out of her arms, grabbing Blossom's hand, "Really? It's time? Already?"

"That's right!" Blossom beamed, "They should be landing in an hour! Let's get the others!" The two hurried off to catch up with their friends. Today was the day their parents came home from their honeymoon!

XxXxX

"So we'll wait for them down here...hm, the flight looks like it's still on schedule, so they should be landing in less than an hour," Abigail explained, staring up at the flight board. She quickly pulled out the email she'd received from her sister to verify the flight number. The girls were more anxious than ever to see the pair, so she just had to make sure they weren't going to miss them!

Abigail looked up, suddenly confused. The hold that had been on her hand a few moments ago was gone, and so was the chattering around her, "Kids?" she peered around the terminal. They were gone! She quickly muffled a nervous shriek, taking off towards the security line. "Hey, hey, what are you doing? We can't…" she trailed off when Bubbles snatched her hand again and laughed.

"It's okay Aunt Abby, Blossom said they'll let us through," the little girl explained.

Abigail ran her hand through her hair, the long strands snapping nervously at the air, "I'm not so sure, Bubbles. Sweetie, everyone is really…" her words failed her again when she saw the security agent step aside to let Blossom through. The kids quickly fell in line behind her, Bubbles dragging Abigail along for the ride. As she passed by the security guard, the two made eye contact.

The guard nodded; Abigail's eyes widened. Slowly a smile spread across her lips. With a little laugh, she patted the guard on the arm and quickly hurried to keep pace with her niece.

Of course, Blossom would have thought this through. She felt ashamed that she'd ever doubted.

The airport was busier than usual. The seven struggled to stay together as the crowd pushed and pulled them to and fro. Blossom led the way, arms crossed over her chest, a small smile on her lips while she listened to the others chat just a few steps behind.

Buttercup and Brick were excited to tell Cassandra about the new game they'd come up with that the whole playground wanted in on. Bubbles was gushing to Abigail about a painting she'd made for their parents. Every so often, Butch would chime in to just make sure the girls' aunt knew the painting was awesome. Boomer was quiet, he'd been especially quiet lately, and following along behind Blossom diligently.

The oldest puff slipped her arm around his shoulders and gave him a little squeeze, "How're you holding up? You look tired," she pointed out.

Boomer blushed and scratched his head, "Yeah...little bit, um, hey." He glanced back at the others then peeked up at Blossom, "Sorry 'bout earlier. Y'know...I uh...I guess I used too much." His cheeks grew redder still when Blossom ruffled his hair and gave him a pat on the head.

"You did fine, I don't think anyone else noticed." She couldn't help feeling a little protective of the little boy, especially after what she'd done to him. She knew how rough it was to adjust, she was honestly impressed he was doing as well as he was. She certainly hadn't handled the transformation with so much...restraint.

Blossom cleared her throat, glancing back at their entourage, "Are you sure you feel alright?"

Boomer nodded, a little too quickly. There was a jolt in his step; the normally absent-minded Rowdyruff seemed a little too focused. He seemed a bit too energetic, "Yeah," he replied, licking his lips and looking up at her. He quickly blushed and looked away, a smile fighting to get through his forced calm, "Yeah, yeah I feel fine. Um...maybe a little…" Boomer closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

There it was, Blossom thought with a knowing smirk.

He opened his eyes, electricity crackled along his skin. Not enough to grab attention, but enough to tell her everything she needed to know.

"You wanna fight someone, don't you? Just...let go, smash something,"

Boomer snickered and grinned, "Yeah, yeah I just...I feel so…"

"Free?"

Boomer's grin darkened; his eyes became filled with an intense navy glow. Before he could reply, their conversation was interrupted by Abigail pointing out that they'd reached the gate. The Powerpuff leader gave him another pat on the head before wandering over to the window. She tilted her head, peering up at the sky.

The flight was right on track, maybe even a little early, if she judged the distance just right. She sighed, her expression softening. She'd really missed them, so much more than she had expected to. Even with all the changes in their family, in their lives, in her, she still missed them so much. Would they recognize her now? She'd grown even more since they left. By now, she was probably about the same height as her mom…

Blossom sighed, a watery smile fighting its way to her face. She couldn't wait to see her mom and dad…

"Wh-what's going on? What is that?!" Blossom snapped out of her thoughts, hearing Buttercup's cry. She looked up; her eyes widened.

There was a blinding flash and three blue streaks appeared in the air. As soon as Buttercup's cry left her lips, the streaks suddenly shot through the plane carrying James and Cassandra Utonium.

Her head started to fill up with red fog. Her fists clenched and her heart started to race. It was starting to snow inside the Townsville International Airport. She could vaguely hear her aunt screaming, she could hear Buttercup cursing and a Rowdyruff boy, maybe Butch, yelling something.

Blossom turned, "Abby, get to air control, get every plane off the runway, get everyone away from here and tell them we're taking over the landings. Bubbles, Buttercup, get up there and catch Mom and Dad's plane. Brick, Butch, Boomer, every other plane up there is coming down, pull them out of the air, get the passengers to safety. I'm going to k…" Blossom tilted her head, fighting back the snarl on her lips. Fighting to keep her eyes from catching fire.

"I'll handle the Ultratuff Girls,"

"Blossom!" The Powerpuff Leader turned, her resolve hitching when she felt her little sister's mitts tugging at her hand. "Don't kill them, please...I know you're angry, so am I, just don't kill them! It's not their fault!" Bubbles pleaded.

"Just save Mom and Dad," she spat back. Before Bubbles could protest her hushed response, Blossom shot through the glass and into the air like a missile.

XxXxX

The three Ultratuff Girls regrouped after finishing their attack, heaving the torn wings of the plane away. The Messiah had instructed them to make sure to tear it to bits, but...Bright growled, holding her head. As soon as they'd shot through the metal, she'd heard the screams inside. Maybe they were wicked, evil, awful people, but they sounded so scared.

Beauty must have felt the same way, she realized, as the quiet sister had called them back after the first strike. Now, she just held her hands over her mouth, staring at the plane as it fell through the air.

Bliss...Bliss hadn't said a word since they arrived. Her arms hung limp at her sides as she stared wide-eyed at their handiwork. She bit her lip, her eyes welling up, "They...they were screaming," she mumbled, quickly bringing her hands to her mouth. "They're all...they're going to get...g-get h-hurt because we…"

"We did what the Messiah told us!" Bright exclaimed, shouting a little louder than she meant to. She swallowed, turning to face her sisters, "Th-they're...they're evil, and we're good! We...we're doing the right thing!" Somehow, she wasn't sure about her own explanation.

"Maybe…" Beauty mumbled. It made sense, the plane had the Devil's creator on it. If they didn't k...take care of him, he could make more devils. And the Messiah did tell them that some people would get hurt to save the world. But, it would only be bad people, right?

Heroes didn't hurt good people, only monsters.

Right?

Bright gasped; a streak of blue and a streak of green suddenly tore through the sky, moving so fast they could hear the air screaming. They collided with the falling plane and began to slow its fall. The newborn puff's heart fluttered and it felt like butterflies filling her tummy. That had to be the Powerpuff Girls! They came to save the plane...wait, but they needed to make sure the plane crashed!

The Ultratuff leader turned to her sisters, "Okay, um...okay, so we need...we should go fight them, right?" Her answer didn't come out as confident as she had hoped. She looked at Bliss, then at Beauty. Surely the quiet girl would tell her she was right. Beauty always knew the right thing to do, so if she said to fight, they should fight, right?

The Messiah would want them to fight, to make sure those people d...d...d…

"They're gonna save them…" Bliss muttered.

"Yes, they are." The Ultratuff Girls screamed and spun around to face her. The Devil herself glared at them, arms crossed over her chest, eyes narrowed. She was visibly shaking, they could hear her teeth grinding, "Because that's what they do. They're heroes and they save people," she explained.

Bright's lips twitched and her chest clenched, "Th-that's a l-lie, they...they're monsters like you! You're...you're the bad guys! We, we…" she lost her nerve and turned away from Blossom, watching as the other Powerpuff girls struggled to clean up the mess they'd made.

"We're heroes…" Bliss whispered.

"You just attacked a plane full of people," Blossom was approaching. The little girls backed away, but none made a move to attack her, "People with friends, families, hopes and dreams. Do you know how many people were on that flight? One hundred and twenty people. You just sentenced over a hundred people to die. And why?" Blossom dug her fingers into her arms; her eyes began to burn. The air around them was quickly filling with snowflakes. "To hurt me? You would kill a hundred people just because you hate me? And…" she laughed, a bitter, harsh laugh, "You say I'm the monster?"

"You are a monster!" Bright screamed, finally turning back to her.

She was crying. They all were, their faces red with shame.

"You're right, I am a monster. The worst this world will ever know," Blossom gestured back toward the ground, "But, you know what? I'm still going to make sure that plane is safe. That every single person walks away from what you've done. I'm a monster, but I'm trying to save these people. What does that make you?"

"We're heroes! We're going to save the world! The Messiah is going to make all the pain and hate and anger and suffering stop and we're his angels who are going to save everyone!" Bliss screamed, her voice so shrill Blossom had to thank a lifetime of living with Bubbles to even be able to make out her words.

"They...they were bad. The Messiah said they were bad, so they were…" Beauty tried explaining.

Blossom was just feet away from them now. The red fog was getting thicker with every excuse they gave. But, in the back of her mind, she could still see Bubbles' face, hear her pleas. And maybe it was that plea that kept the anger at bay. She wanted to hate these little girls, but she couldn't.

Maybe it was how similar their logic was…

The Powerpuff Girl sighed, finally uncrossing her arms and brushing her hair away from her face, "You don't have to be this. Dick doesn't care about you, he's just using you to do his dirty work. This is wrong, and you know it. That's why none of you can stop crying. You're too much like your moth-"

"We're nothing like you!" Bright screamed, shooting forward and taking a mighty swing at Blossom's face. The blow slid through the air, the target already behind her. Bright swung around, throwing powerful kick, one that Blossom batted aside effortlessly. "We're not monsters! We're not evil! We're nothing like you!"

She brought her fists down at Blossom only to miss again. Spinning around, Bright took a deep breath and screamed, the sound tearing the sky apart and shattering glass thousands of feet below.

Blossom screamed back, her own Sonic Scream matching Bright's, creating a deafening boom in the air. She leaned back, dodging a sloppy attack from Bliss then batting aside a heat ray from Beauty, one that would have hit her own sister.

"We're not bad girls! We're good girls! We are good girls! We are!" Bliss wailed, throwing faster and harder punches and kicks, none of them able to break through Blossom's defenses. She was joined by Bright and then by Beauty.

Blossom frowned, catching one of Bliss's punches and using the momentum to throw her into her sisters, knocking the three away from her. Her fingers twitched, her fists clenched and her chest hitched. The red fog was getting thicker, but Bubbles' plea kept ringing through her ears. She had to keep it at bay.

They weren't at fault. They weren't wrong.

"I believe you." When she spoke, her words brought the younger girls to a halt. Faces stained with tears, eyes red and puffy...it was a look she'd seen too many times in her own sister's face. A look she'd caused too many times.

"What?" Beauty asked, her voice small and weak.

Blossom glanced back toward the ground. Her sisters had managed to stop the plane from crashing. Now they were working to get the passengers out safely. She sighed with relief, the red fog finally clearing up.

"I don't think you're bad girls," Blossom confessed. "I think you want to be good, but you don't know what good is because you don't have anyone to teach you. No...no that's not right," Blossom shook her head, "You have the wrong person teaching you."

"H-how would you know?" Beauty bit her lip, rubbing her eyes angrily, "How do you know what good is? You're...you're…"

"I'm the Devil," Blossom finished for her. Beauty nodded and Blossom laughed softly, "Because I have people around me who show me every day what good is. I have something you don't...someone who taught me right from wrong. Whatever choices I've made, whatever I've become, it's my decision. I chose to evil. I chose to become a monster. You...you're being lied to, you aren't even being given a choice,"

"What do you mean? The Messiah tells us what's good and what's bad! That's why he's the Messiah! He knows! And if we follow him, that makes us good!" Beauty shouted back. For the first time, Bright refused to chime in.

"Dick is using you,"

"He made us to be good! That makes us good!"

Blossom had somehow managed to get closer to them. She hesitated, afraid to ruin this opportunity. Shaking her head, she reached out, touching Beauty's cheek. The Ultratuff girl looked away, lips quivering. "Just because he made you, it doesn't mean he can control you. Look at what happened here. He told you to do something, but after doing it, you knew it was wrong, "she narrowed her eyes, "You knew it was bad,"

"But, but he's our maker! Why would he lie to us?" Beauty moaned, still not pulling away from Blossom's touch.

The Powerpuff girl looked at the other two. They were staring at her. In them she could see confusion, unease, and...desperation. They wanted to know the answer. They needed to know they were good. They were too much like their mother.

"He lies to you because he doesn't love you. He sees you as tools, not daughters," Blossom pulled away from Beauty, crossing her arms and closing her eyes, "He's your maker, but he's not your father."

Bliss finally spoke up, in a watery, cracked voice, "What's the difference?"

Blossom swallowed, feeling her chest hitch, "A father is...someone who loves you, despite everything you've done. Even if you disappoint him, he's always proud of you. Even if you hurt him, he forgives you. When you're scared he…" she trailed off, bringing her hand up to her mouth.

She'd never told anyone...but they needed to know.

"When I was younger," the Ultratuff Girls perked up, "I was afraid of thunderstorms. Even now, I don't sleep well when it's thundering. It's silly and I always felt so, so embarrassed that just a little thunder would wake me up. I... " Blossom swallowed again, "One night, it was awful. It was so bad, there was no way I could sleep. I went to my dad's room. He was asleep...I didn't want to wake him, but before I could leave, he asked me what was wrong."

"I told him I was afraid, I told him I couldn't sleep. He let me sleep with him that night, promising he would put me back in bed once I fell asleep. But," Blossom clenched her fists, "I didn't want my sisters to know. I didn't want anyone to know, I didn't want anyone to make fun of me! And he...he promised he wouldn't tell anyone. He told me that just because I was scared...it wasn't something to be ashamed of," Blossom laughed, turning back to the Ultratuff Girls.

Now she was crying.

"He never told anyone. He still hasn't because he loves me. He loves...me...every part of me. The part of me that makes him proud. The part of me that disappoints him. The part of me that was a hero. The part of me that is evil. He loves me."

Beauty swallowed. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Bright sniffled and rubbed her eyes, glancing up at Blossom, "Even...when you're bad? Even if...if you don't do things right?"

"Even then...because that's what love is. Accepting someone, flaws and everything. Professor James Utonium loves me because I'm his daughter and I love him because he's my father," Blossom reached out again, resting her hand on Bright's head. The little girl flinched, but some part of her chose to lean into the touch.

"Your maker doesn't love you, but that doesn't make you bad girls," Blossom tried to explain.

Beauty swallowed, "W-why are...wh-why-why are you t-t-telling us this? You...you're the...you're…"

"Because I love my sister," Blossom replied, without hesitation. "I love her more than I could ever hate Dick. Even if I hurt her, even if I make her cry...I love her, and I will...I promised I wouldn't hurt you,"

Bright looked up, confused, "Why?"

"Because she loves you,"

Those words hung in the air. The Ultratuff Girls stared at Blossom; Blossom gazed back, a soft smile on her lips. Bright slipped away from Blossom's touch; the Powerpuff girl's arm fell to her side. The Ultratuff leader's face scrunched up, becoming a glare. It quickly faded and her lips began to quiver. She clenched her eyes shut, more tears pooling at the corners of her eyes.

Without another word, the three of them flew away. Blossom sighed and then turned to return to the runway. To greet her Mom and Dad.

XxXxX

It was later, much later, that night before Cassandra finally managed to slip into her oldest daughter's room. It had been a hectic, super heroic day filled with tears and laughter, hellos and goodbyes. Now that the night was finally winding down, she felt it was as good a time as any to finally get some alone time with the redhead. She had seemed uneasy most of the day, refusing to give them too many details about her fight with the Ultratuff Girls.

"Hey, Honey, is it okay if I come in?" Cassandra asked, keeping her voice low. She wanted to avoid getting anyone else involved. She knew how secretive Blossom could be at times. She beamed when her daughter nodded, and quietly closed the door behind her. She joined Blossom, taking a seat at the foot of her bed. They sat like that, in silence, for some time. Cassandra smiled; she'd grown even more in just the week they'd been gone.

"I'm glad you had fun on your trip," Blossom spoke up, suddenly.

Her mother giggled softly and nodded, "Yes, it was a very exciting week. I can't lie though, I am so happy to be home. I really did miss you girls every single day," she gave Blossom's leg a pat and a loving squeeze, "It's not the same without you around."

Blossom sat up, a small smile on her lips. She peered up at Cassandra, then slid over to sit beside her, resting her head on her mother's shoulder. Her little act of affection was greeted eagerly; Cassandra pulling her into a warm hug and kissing her head.

Whatever she'd been mulling over, she seemed to have come to an answer as she slid to her feet and walked to the mirror, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I promised I would tell you everything," Blossom pointed out.

Cassandra's heartbeat quickened, her mouth grew a little dry, "That's...that's right. But, Blossom, I know it's been a busy day, you don't need t-t...to…"

The air in the room grew colder. Blossom's skin suddenly turned pitch black and six horns rise up from her head like a crown. Her shirt tore as six tendrils erupted from her back, writhing like strange living wings. She turned to face her mother and opened her eyes, revealing two burning pink fires. When she laughed, Cassandra could see that her teeth were now fangs.

"Maybe...maybe I don't, but I want to," she explained, turning away from her mother, "I want to be honest with you. I want to show you...me," the word popped from her lips. She flinched when she felt a pair of soft hands touch her arm. She turned back to Cassandra.

Her mother was smiling, a look of utter adoration in her eyes. She pulled Blossom into her arms, hugging her as tight as she could. She shuddered when Blossom's arms slid around her waist and a pair of her tendrils wrapped around her to pull her closer.

Cassandra pulled back, caressing Blossom's face. Blossom's face, not some mask forced on her by anyone else. No, despite the transformation, she could still see it was Blossom. In fact, she realized, this was the first time she'd ever seen her daughter so clearly.

"This...this is what," Cassandra tried to speak, but the words were so hard to find. She was filled up with butterflies and sunshine; she could hardly stop smiling long enough to talk, "This is what you found...in Japan."

Blossom nodded, holding the hand still touching her face, nuzzling it softly, "My true self...horns and all," she joked, laughing softly.

Cassandra laughed, a little too loud, and pulled her into another hug.

"Now I understand," she began, lightly shushing Blossom when she started to interrupt, "You're so beautiful, Blossom…" It was overwhelming, to finally see her the way Aku did. To finally know the secret Blossom had hidden away, the self that the world feared so much. This was her Blossom, her star student, her oldest daughter.

Blossom blushed, "Mom…"

Cassandra pulled back, holding her at arms length. The smile on her face became too much and she pulled Blossom into another hug. "Thank you for trusting me,"

The monster's arms slid around her and pulled her mom into a tighter embrace. Equal parts love and desperation, "Thank you…for...for everything. I know I scared you, and I've made you worry, but thank you. Thank you for trusting me, for believing in me. And...for accepting me," Blossom laughed, finally pulling away from her, pacing her room, staring at her feet.

"I love you, Blossom," Cassandra interrupted, taking a seat on the edge of the bed once again.

Blossom chuckled, "I know...I love you too. And that's...why I want to tell you...everything,"

Cassandra swallowed the excited lump in her throat. Her mouth had gone dry again.

"I want you to be honest with me," Blossom continued, "If anything I tell you scares you, tell me. If you disagree with me, let me know. If you don't approve, that's fine. However you feel, I'll still love you and I'll accept your feelings because you've accepted me. So please...please just…"

"Tell me," Cassandra interrupted her again, "Tell me everything,"

Blossom took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She'd never told anyone outside of those who served them. She'd never really thought about what she'd say. How could she say it? She'd spent her entire life fighting people who said something so similar. She shook her head.

No, this was different.

"Aku and I are going to take over this world,"

Cassandra laughed softly, "I expected as much...why, though?"

"At first, it was because I was angry," The words just came spilling out. She didn't care to think it through, she didn't care to filter anything. This was about being honest. This was about telling the truth. This was because she loved her mother, "I hated everyone who had tried to control me my whole life. I hated how everyone treated me. Just looking at the people of Townsville made me feel sick and filled me up with…" Bubbles' words flashed through her mind, "Anger...I was, I still am, so angry."

"But, after Bunny…" Blossom's chest tightened and her voice hitched. Her mom started toward her, but Blossom shook her head, gently pushing her back to the bed with a tendril, "After losing Bunny, I realized something. This has been our entire lives. And not just ours, but the history of the entire world. When a villain threatens the world, a hero appears to fight them. And the people rally around the hero until the villain is beaten. But, then...when the status quo reaches a breaking point, a villain appears to overthrow the way things are, to change the world. A villain is born to defeat the hero. And this cycle, it keeps repeating."

"Every time, there is a hero or a villain, as determined by the people around them. Is a man a tyrant or savior? It depends on who you ask," Blossom laughed and shook her head, running her claws through her hair.

"This cycle...this battle between Heroes and Villains, we've been caught in it too. Mojo Jojo was a villain threatening Townsville, so the Powerpuff Girls were born as heroes to stop him. But, then...when the Powerpuff Girls seemed to be unbeatable…"

"Aku?" Cassandra asked. She was taken aback when Blossom laughed and shook her head, turning to face her with tears in her eyes.

"No, not Aku...Devil Blossom. A villain that knocked down the Powerpuff Girls, destroyed their reputation, and everything they stood for. Devil Blossom became a boogie man, a threat always in the shadows. When will she snap again? When will she get her powers back? Can we trust her?"

Cassandra remained quiet.

Blossom continued, "With the threat of a villain that powerful...what could the world need more than...a Messiah, to save the world?"

"Blossom, no!" Cassandra gasped.

"Dick is the hero created to stop the villain I've become. And look at his answer...he's going to burn this entire world to the ground and start over. He...he'll hurt you, and Dad, Bubbles and Buttercup," Blossom snarled, and the room grew colder, "He even created his own girls to hurt, all because of me!"

"This cycle, it's because of this...this chaotic, unorganized, awful world! This world, left to humans, will always be stuck in a rut! An endless power creep between heroes and villains, each upsetting order with chaos! This world...it doesn't need heroes or villains anymore, Mom," Blossom turned to her. The conviction in her gaze was paralyzing, "It needs a Goddess. An unstoppable force that will put down the chaos and anarchy. And a God to bring order. Aku will be that God, to tell them right from wrong."

Blossom marched toward her, lowering her voice, "And I will be that Goddess, that unstoppable force. I will end this cycle. When I'm through, this world won't need for heroes or villains,"

Cassandra stared up at her, heart racing, head pounding, blood pumping. She licked her lips, rising to her feet, she took Blossom's hand, "Do you...really believe this is the answer?"

"Yes," not even an ounce of hesitation. The world sprang from her lips, like fire, "What happened...what Dick did to Bunny, what he did to Buttercup, what he tried to do to you, that's all I need to know I'm right! To know this is what has to be done. I will not let anyone hurt the people I love when I have the power to stop it."

"And some people will call me a hero for stopping him. And there's other people who will call me a villain for what I've done, and what I'm going to do. But, they're both wrong. I am the Goddess of this world, and I am going to finally set things right,"

The two stood in silence. Cassandra bit her lip. She tightened her hold on Blossom's hand. Slowly, she smiled.

Blossom's eyes widened.

A smile fought its way to her lips, as tears spilled down her cheeks.

XxXxX

Aku stood, arms folded behind his back, gazing out across the Pit of Hate. His realm, his lair, had grown vast in such a short time. In the distance, he could see the minion armies training, tempering themselves in the art of war and subterfuge. Already they had become a formidable force, but soon! Soon they would be an unstoppable legion.

He smiled, narrowing his flaming eyes as a figure appeared behind him. Demongo bowed, "My Master, I have received word that our efforts in Citysville are proceeding as planned. The mayor, the chief of police and other key individuals have been placed under the Anubis Curse," Demongo giggled, standing upright, "The city is in a panic. They'll be begging for our interference soon,"

"Yes...this is good to hear," Aku murmured, stroking his beard. Blossom's plan worked, as he knew it would. No, while bloodshed against those who had wronged her would surely warm her heart, she was right to stay her hand. Already so many eyes were searching for him. Death alone could only strike so much fear. But...supernatural curses? Paranormal activity? These things could incite such incredible panic. These things could turn even the most willful of ingrates to Aku for support.

"Chamberlain," in a flash of smoke, the Grandmaster of War appeared, dropping to one knee, "What of the incident in Townsville?"

Chamberlain stood upright, folding his arms behind his back to mirror his master, "We've evidence that the other one was involved. Security footage was...inconclusive, but the graphic nature of the violence...yes, it is certain. The other one was trying to intimidate us,"

Aku nodded. He had expected as much. That creature had made his thoughts clear on Aku's return to power. He had already proven himself an enemy of Blossom, and now he had confirmed himself to be an enemy of Aku as well. It was concerning, but only in the softest sense, "He is no match for us. If he could pose a serious threat, he'd have shown his hand already. He knows that Aku grows stronger by the second,"the demon chuckled.

"He fears our Lady," Chamberlain pointed out. Aku nodded, laughing once more.

"Yes, this creature has foolishly engaged my Blossom in the past. He knows he cannot overcome her might. Hm…" Aku frowned, narrowing his eyes as a cold dread began to fill up his heart. Could Blossom's fears be true? Could it be that...should he find her insurmountable, he would turn his attention to them?

That thought alone ignited such rage within him, a fury he knew his beloved shared.

"Master?" Demongo pried, noticing the sudden shift in Aku's demeanor.

"Demongo, increase surveillance of my sisters. Aku would not put it beyond possibility that this one might seek to do them harm where he cannot touch my Blossom," Aku growled, traveling seemingly in an instant, across the lair and to his throne. He rested his chin on his folded hands as the flames around him peeled apart showing him the Utonium household.

The Mother and Father had returned, but their landing was not entirely peaceful. He'd seen how their flight was attacked, how his sisters had swept in to save them. He'd seen his beloved's confrontation with those girls. Curiously enough, he saw how they fled without truly engaging her. While he had wanted to know...he had sworn to avoid listening into her conversations without permission. He would just have to get the full details from her later.

"My Lord," Chamberlain began, averting his gaze when Aku turned to him, "Your sisters? You've become quite possessive of Lady Blossom's siblings,"

Aku chuckled, the rage inside him evaporating, replaced with bubbling mirth, "Is that so? Ah...perhaps a slip of the tongue. But, is it not true? They are dear to my Blossom, as she is dear to me. Should I not share her affection?"

Demongo chuckled, "Your graciousness is unending, my Master," to his surprise, Aku shook his head, his gaze softening.

"Graciousness? No...what Aku feels is not simply a formality." Aku nodded, sitting upright as the image in the flame turned to her sisters, his sisters, playing with Blossom in their room. His smile grew so large, he couldn't help laughing, "Buttercup and Bubbles, treat them as you would Aku's own blood. Their safety, their happiness, is to be a top priority. Whatever that one is planning, keep them safe from him. Maintain surveillance…" Aku tilted his head and then chuckled.

"Introduce yourselves. Aku is certain you, too, would find them delightful if you simply tried,"

Demongo and Chamberlain shared a look, before turning back to their master in confusion. Aku had long forgotten their presence, instead lost in his joy, watching as his queen shared her evening with those she cherished above all else.

Yes, those two who Blossom would tear apart the earth and bring down the sky to defend...they who she loved in a way even Aku could not compare. They were special and important. Their safety mattered not just to Blossom, but to Aku himself. Just as they were precious above all else to her...so, too, had they become precious to him.

His hand slid to his chest, his heart now pulsing with soft red light, "My sisters."