Endless Possibilities

Endless Possibilities

Author's Note: Part One of the two part substory finale. Enjoy

Chapter 23 Part 1

XxXxX

The city of Townsville, as perfect and peaceful as any other day. High overhead, the sky hung like a warm blanket of soft blue powdered with fluffy white clouds that drifted by lazily on the warm Spring breeze. Birds flew by, twittering excitedly and singing the most beautiful songs as the citizens of Townsville strolled through their lazy Sunday afternoon. The sun shone brightly, almost as if smiling warmly down on them all. A perfect, picturesque day was not what Bubbles was expecting when she appeared in the middle of the street.

Baby blue eyes were wide and mystified as they peered out across the city. Construction workers ran to and fro, working their hardest to return the crumbling city to it's previous, shining splendor. The wind lightly caressed her golden blonde hair, carrying the smell of the coming Summer. Friendly passersby waved happily at the little puff, some even called out to her. Bubbles stood in a cold sweat, trembling.

'Maybe Him was wrong...maybe...maybe she's not bad...' Bubbles took a few nervous steps forward, still scanning the city, nearly choking on apprehension. Townsville typically went from peaceful to chaotic in a matter of moments, but could it really be as bad as Octi...as Him had told her? She stopped and looked around, realizing that she now stood at the steps of the Townsville City Hall. Looking up, and with a bit of x-ray vision, she could see the Mayor in his office.

"Hi Bubbles! What are you doing out here on this wonderful day? Shouldn't you be playing at the park? Oh I love to play at the park!" Bubbles looked down and smiled at the Talking Dog. She giggled and knelt down, scratching his ears. Talking Dog rolled over, kicking his leg but still talking furiously as she scratched his belly.

"Hello Mr. Dog, what are you doing today?" Talking Dog sighed and laid back, his tongue rolling out of his mouth, when she stopped. He yawned and sat up, looking around with a bright smile.

"Well I was just here with my new owner, did you know I got adopted? That's right! Lou Gubrious, he's a great guy! A bit moody, but he really seems to like me. You know what it is? I bet he just likes having someone to talk to. I mean he's lived alone for the longest time and it has to be lonely without someone to talk to. We were out shopping but I think he went to get a hotdog. Mmm I love hotdogs! This one time I was eating a hotdog and-" Bubbles nodded and looked up at the sky, putting her mitt to her chin. The jovial chattering fell to an annoying buzz as she stared at the sky. Bubbles blinked and gasped, jumping to her feet. For a few seconds, the Earth turned black as something blocked out the sun.

"What was that..." She whispered. The city had fallen eerily silent, so quite Bubbles worried that her hearing had gone out again. She rubbed her ears and looked down at Talking Dog. The pup was staring wide-eyed, horrified at the sky. Suddenly, he began screaming and ran away, barking furiously.

"Wait! Oh no..." The Earth began to shake and tremble as a great black form rose up, covering the sky. People flooded out into the streets, stopping their cars, dropping their work, and giving up on housework. The doors behind Bubbles opened and shut loudly. Ms. Bellum ran up beside the blue puff, staring in horror.

"Bubbles! Bubbles what's going on? What is...oh my god..." Looking at the very highest point of the sky, people began to gasp, gawk, and point. A massive face was staring down at them, grinning broadly, his fangs glittering in the dark light cast by the flames of his eyebrows. He laughed, his voice making the ground shake. Bubbles stared in horror, hands over her mouth, tears in her eyes.

"Ms. Bellum...get...get everyone out..." She whispered weakly into her hands. Ms. Bellum seemed to understand, but was paralyzed when at last he spoke.

"People of Earth! I am the great and invincible Aku...and I have come to reclaim what is rightfully mine...all rulers of this world will surrender to Aku, and pledge undying service to him. All who seek to oppose Aku shall be destroyed," The moment he fell silent, merely watching them with eyes larger than the sun itself, the entire city of Townsville fell into a panic. All around the world men, women, and children of all ages and backgrounds had descended into hysteria. Those too slow to keep up were trampled in the ensuing stampede. Those too frightened to move merely cried. Those with nothing left to lose, committed atrocities that they'd have never dreamed. And the heart of all the confusion and fear lay in Townsville, USA.

"What? He...he can't be serious?! How did he get so large...Bubbles, where are your sisters? What's going on?" Ms. Bellum knelt down beside the little girl, turning her blue-eyes away from the monster. She had never before seen the little hero look so terrified.

"Ms. Bellum...please...get everyone away...please..." The secretary stared at her for a moment, before numbly nodding and marching back into the City Hall. Bubbles turned her eyes back to the sky, just as a siren began to wail across town. The stampeding citizens were no less reckless as they hurtled themselves away, trying to find shelter from the coming apocalypse. High above they heard the demonic figure overhead laugh.

"So be it! Come, minions of Aku!" Across the world, millions upon millions of figures, dressed in red ninja garb, appeared in a hail of fire and smoke. The citizens of Townsville, Bubbles realized with a new wave of cold terror flooding through her, were trapped in the city proper. Wielding whips, swords, and other weapons Bubbles couldn't even identify, they herded the people of Townsville back into the front of the City Hall. Ominously, they made sure no one strayed too near their lone defender.

"What's going on?"

"Is that Bubbles?"

"Where are the Powerpuff Girls?!"

"Bubbles help us!" Bubbles slowly shook her head, still staring at the sky. A violent tremble ran through her body, and a soft whimper worked its way from her throat. She looked away from the sky, turning and trying to cast a comforting smile to the people of Townsville, to the city she had sworn to defend...against all odds. A city she swore to protect...no matter what...

"Yes Bubbles...help them. Heaven knows they can't help themselves," A tense silence dropped over the entire city at the sound of the bitter voice. Those who spotted her gasped-a few even screamed. Bubbles turned and stared at the figure directly across from her, all disbelief draining from her heart. In fact, staring into the piercing pink eyes, twinkling as her now green lips cast a condescending smirk, Bubbles thought she could feel feeling itself slipping away.

"Blossom," The name was barely a breath of air. She barely recognized her sister, yet at the same time knew it couldn't be anyone else. She looked as though she had become a miniature image of Aku himself. Her face was now bright green, from her chin to her nose, and the rest of her body was now pitch black. Her radiant red hair, whipping around her ankles, seemed to have darkened, if only just. Even Blossom's bow, the symbol of her leadership, had become a jagged, twisted mockery of its former self, as black as her new skin.

"Did you miss me?" Blossom's smirk quivered and she looked away, sneering. She half-glanced at Bubbles, her eyes gleaming, "That was a stupid question...I apologize. Of course not," Bubbles gasped, it seemed she had found her voice again, however smell it had become.

"Blossom I...I did miss you..." She whispered. Blossom stood up straight and crossed her arms, her expression unchanging.

"So you must have spent hours searching for me, I've been missing for well over twenty-four hours, haven't I?" Bubbles swallowed and looked away, unable to bear looking at her sister's eyes any longer. Blossom had developed a tendency to forgo such mundane activities as blinking.

"I...we...there was...Mojo...we had to...fight Mojo," She muttered weakly. Though it was the truth, though she didn't regret saving the city...it felt like such a frail argument when responding to Blossom's bitter tone. She couldn't remember ever hearing her sister sound this way.

"Oh really? That must have been horrible, let me guess. He built robot and you and Buttercup were too stupid to figure out how to stop it," Bubbles froze, her breath catching in her throat. She looked up, her eyes watering. Her heart was pounding in her chest and a matching throbbing was pounding against her head. Blossom had never...Blossom would never say that.

"W...What?" She squeaked, unable to hear her own voice. Her sister's smirk darkened, her eyes were narrowed into dangerous slits. Bubbles was sure she was being regarded as an inferior life form.

"So how did you win? Neither of you are smart enough to do anything on your own, who helped you?" Her mouth dry, Bubbles coughed out the answer without thinking.

"The Rowdyruff Boys..." Blossom finally blinked and giggled-a harsh, sharp sound.

"Those weaklings? Those idiots? Well...I guess we have the answer to how many morons it takes to outwit a chimpanzee," She emphasized any and all words that hurt the most. The way she seemed to spit 'moron' at Bubbles, with such an accusatory tone, kept her blue-eyed sister rooted in place, unable to flee, barely able to breathe.

"Blossom..." Blossom glanced at her, but only momentarily, before sneering and turning to the minions standing around her. They watched her nervously, the only sound the bellowing laughter of Aku countless miles above them. For once, in all the years she'd known them, the people of Townsville had grasped at some sense of intellect and were remaining silent and obedient.

"Blossom why are you doing this?" Bubbles' choked whisper tore her attention away from the panicked faces. Blossom glared into Bubbles' eyes, her frown becoming a smile hearing her sister's knees knocking together.

"It's funny you should ask...why didn't you come to find me?"

"Blossom we wanted to but...but...but you told Buttercup not to! You told her! Why did you leave?!" The pink-eyed puff frowned and seemed to consider her words carefully. She took a step forward; around her, the minions of Aku all backpedaled.

"Since when does Buttercup listen to me? I thought it was her life' goal to contradict everything I say? I thought she just loved to disobey me! Me! Her leader!" Blossom settled down, breathing heavily. She paused and her eyes flickered for a moment. She stood up straight and brushed her hair back, nodding and once more making eye contact with Bubbles, "But you're right, I told her not to follow me. And now...I'm glad she didn't. I'd have rather died than not know the truth," Bubbles blinked and took a stuttered step forward, pausing when Blossom narrowed her eyes.

"The...the truth? What happened? Why did you leave? Why are you doing this?" Blossom smiled and put her hands on her hips. Bubbles frowned angrily when she giggled and clenched her fists at her sides. Feeling was rushing back to her. How could her sister betray her like this?

"Well...if you really need to know, sweet little Bubbles, I was dying," Bubbles gasped, her anger evaporating, "So I went to the only person...the only one special enough to save me...and look at me...I'm better than ever!" Blossom flexed her arms and began to emit a searing pink glow. Bubbles shrieked and clapped her hands over her mouth. Blossom grinned broadly; Bubbles understood exactly what had happened.

"No...Blossom you can't...we're not allowed to," Blossom laughed and shook her head, lowering her arms as the light continued to glow brighter and brighter around her. Her eyes were narrowed slits, glowing almost as bright as the air around her.

"I can do whatever I want," Blossom spat back. Bubbles trembled and licked her cotton-dry lips.

"Why did you let him do this to you? Blossom...I..." Blossom shook her head and marched forward, until they were standing toe to toe. Her sister had never before seemed so imposing, so utterly horrifying.

"Bubbles, step aside. I have a job to do," Bubbles' lips quivered, but she stayed on her feet and continued to stare her sister down. Blossom shook her head and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Bubbles, we don't have to fight. Once this world belongs to Aku-" She began, but Bubbles cut her off, speaking with a sudden strength.

"I won't let you do that! I won't let him win! Even if you will!" Blossom chuckled and leaned forward. Their faces were touching.

"You can't hope to defeat Aku, Bubbles," She whispered, venom in her voice. Bubbles grit her teeth and, though it made her a bit dizzy, kept her eyes locked with Blossom's.

"I thought you said the Powerpuff Girls never lose..." The pink-eyed leader frowned, considering her sister's whispered response. With a nonchalant smile, she turned and walked a step away.

"...I lied," Bubbles gasped, unable to dodge the blow that collided with her cheek.

XxXxX

"Alright...now close your eyes and take a deep breath. Slow...steady...now let it out. No, not too fast...there you go, very slow. Very steady. There...good girl, now. I want you to reach inside yourself...and search your heart. No, don't talk. Just...meditate for a moment. Very good..."

Pitch black...silence...everything is quiet. But somewhere...somewhere there is wind blowing. I'll follow it.

"Yes, that's it...just relax and let your mind find your spirit deep inside your heart..."

The wind is blowing through grass, there is a gigantic forest of evergreen trees. Everything is warm and beautiful, but wild and overgrown. It feels so free...but still so safe...I've never felt more at home.

"Are you there?"

"Yeah..."

XxXxX

Around them, hundreds of people gasped and screamed, staring in horror. Blossom slowly raised her fist over her head and smirked. City Hall smashed and crumbled-a blue streak shot across the city through more of the reconstructed buildings-as she spoke, her voice ringing out over the throng of citizens.

"People of Townsville! Aku has given you a very generous offer. Serve him, or I'll be forced to destroy you all," No one spoke for the longest time, simply staring at the little girl who now held the fate of the world in her upraised hand. She looked around at them, a devious smile on her lips.

"Blossom...why?" Everyone turned to the speaker; Blossom's eyes narrowed. Talking Dog stared back at her, his mouth hanging open, shaking his head in disbelief. Blossom cocked her head at him.

"Why am I not surprised? The only person with the guts to speak is a dog," Talking Dog swallowed and stalked closer to her, looking around nervously. Blossom kept her hand in the air, her head cocked at a slight angle. Talking Dog stuttered and shivered, for the first time wishing he couldn't speak.

"Why? This isn't the Blossom we know! You're a good girl...okay you're a little freaky, your eyes are kind of strange, and well let's be frank, you need a better shampoo. I mean, woo! When is the last time you had a bath? And what's with the green face, I mean, it's kind of odd don't you think? If you were going to get anything changed, why not your eyes-" A chorus of screams rang out, the crowd backed away, those who had been nearest to Talking Dog suddenly splattered with blood. Blossom turned back, casually wiping her hand and sneering.

"He never knew when to shut up...stupid dog," Appalled by the brutal murder they'd just witnessed, the people of Townsville seemed to come alive. Angry shouts, bitter calls, and sneering taunts flew at the little girl, who remained unmoved. She simply giggled and shook her head, grinning at them.

"Oh, so you've found your spines have you? Too little, too late I'm afraid. You've made your decision...good bye Townsville," Blossom tensed and the crowd stopped fighting against the minions of Aku instantly, staring in horror as the fallen puff flung her fist at the ground.

"WAIT!" Blossom froze, stopping just inches from the ground. The air seemed to disagree with this sudden halt, and a massive force shook the city of Townsville and a loud crack sounded. Blossom stood up and stared across the street, where Bubbles floated in the air. Her hands covered her mouth, tears poured down her cheeks-her eyes were locked on the twisted form of Talking Dog. Blossom turned callously and stared at the dog.

"You...you...you..." Blossom chuckled and put her hands on her hips, smirking at Bubbles. Her sister shook her head, trembling in midair.

"That's right...I killed him. Honestly, I think he had it coming...I've wanted to snap his furry little neck for a while now. It was so much easier than I ever imagined," Bubbles stopped shaking and simply turned to look at Blossom. Her sister was still smiling.

"You...you...you..." Blossom shook her head and sighed, chuckling. She lifted her hand once more, sneering wickedly at Bubbles. Her blue eyes were sparkling; Blossom's pink eyes were blazing.

"Just stay where you are, Bubbles. Here, I'll show you just how easy it is to destroy an entire planet!" Blossom tensed and threw her fist at the ground. This time she was stopped, not by a scream, but by a fist hitting her face. Blossom tumbled back a few steps and rubbed her cheek, glaring at her sister. Tears still streamed down Bubbles' face, her cheeks were red and hot. Her teeth were grinding together, clenched so tightly to perhaps steady her shaking body. Blossom noticed, with an amused sniff, that Bubbles was growling.

"Let me guess...you're hardcore now?" The sarcastic laugh made Bubbles' shudder. She leaned forward, fists clenched as tightly as she could at her sides. Blossom let her hand drop to her side and casually stretched her neck, still smirking at Bubbles. She sighed and shrugged, leering at Bubbles through half-lidded eyes. Her green-lipped smirk was very quickly becoming the thing Bubbles hated most in the world.

"Well, don't worry. I'll go easy on cute little Bubbles," Bubbles screamed and threw herself at her sister, throwing her fists as hard and fast as she could. Blossom just shook her head and floated back, dodging and parrying the frenzied attacks with dreadful ease. Bubbles seemed none the wiser; her only driving thought was that she wanted Blossom to stop smiling.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" She finally screamed, firing her heat rays and knocking out the side of a building. Blossom jumped back into the deserted street and giggled, nodding excitedly.

"I know! And you just watched me do it! Oooh, Bubbles loves animals so much. Poor little puppy, had to be put down!" Bubbles' face grew hotter as she charged her sister again, slamming into the empty street. Blossom laughed above her and hurtled a blast of energy at the blonde puff. Bubbles dodged and fired back as she charged, not even noticing how Blossom carelessly knocked the feeble attack aside.

"YOU KILLED HIM! YOU MONSTER!" Blossom caught Bubbles' fist and swung her around, throwing her through the air. Bubbles whipped around dizzily and threw herself at Blossom again. The red-head tripped her, snickering as she fell to the ground. Blossom's heart was pounding, an exhilaration she had only scarcely felt rushing through her. Bubbles climbed to her feet, sniffling and wiping tears away from her bloodshot eyes.

"What's wrong? Am I too fast for cute little Bubbles?" Bubbles narrowed her eyes and charged again, leaving a crater where she previously stood. She unleashed punches at a furious rate, flying with every ounce of strength she could muster. Her vision blinded by tears, her mind in a hazy state of uncontrollable rage, Bubbles screamed louder and louder with every thrown attack. She narrowed her eyes and fired her heat rays at Blossom.

"You call those heat rays?" Blossom laughed, "This is how its done, sister!" Blossom threw her arms to her sides and unleashed her own heat rays. The red haze of fury Bubbles had been cowering under was torn away in a cruel awakening. A literal wall of red light devoured her meek little beams and slammed her into the ground, erupting in a colossal explosion that drove her deep into the sewers below, and deeper still into a ditch dug by her own body.

Bubbles gasped and sputtered, trying to pull herself free from her dirt prison. Sewer water was pouring down on her, forcing her back down and pouring into her mouth and eyes. She gagged, unmentionable things slapping against her, staining her dress and skin. She flailed her arms blindly, trying to find something to pull on. Her hand hit something hard and desperately she clung to it. That is, until she came face to face with a pair of wicked pink eyes.

"Aw...poor baby, you're a mess. Well don't worry, I'll help you get cleaned up!" Before she could protest, Blossom shoved Bubbles back under the oncoming river of filth and excrement. Bubbles kicked and thrashed, but her sister held her firm by her hair and arm. Blossom had always been the strongest...Bubbles had never dared to believe her sister was this powerful. Even with the panic onset by the retched water rushing down her throat, she knew the reason.

"Silly Bubbles, you aren't supposed to drink it," Blossom chided as she threw Bubbles to the side. Her sister doubled over and vomited, sobbing hysterically. She was still locked in raspy heaves when Blossom decided her break had lasted long enough. Bubbles gasped a sharp scream and crashed through the crumbling street above. Blossom was waiting for her, and snatched her by the back of her dress. The pink puff looked amused, despite the scathing tone of her voice.

"Really Bubbles...I thought you'd at least put up some kind of fight. You aren't even trying are you?" Blossom chuckled and tossed her to the ground. Bubbles landed with a small groan and pushed up on her hands and knees. She squeaked and fell forward, the world swimming blackly around her. Blossom drove her foot harder onto her sister's back.

"Well...I hate to break it to you...but I am," Blossom grabbed her sister's hair and jerked her to her feet, shoving her forward. Bubbles stumbled and, gasping for air, fell to her knees. Blossom rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"Poor little Bubbles...you wanted to play the hero, didn't you? Well...let me show you what it's really like!" Before she could figure out what Blossom was rambling about, Bubbles screamed, a beam of pink light ramming into her back and throwing her across the street. They were far removed from the citizens of Townsville now, Blossom noted with a frown. She snatched Bubbles by her pigtails and twirled her around, heaving her high into the sky. Blossom rocketed after her caught her by the elastic of her panties. With another heave, she hurtled her across the town, skidding and skipping down the street like a stone thrown at a pond. Bubbles only stopped when she collided with Blossom.

Bubbles regained enough awareness to stumble away from Blossom, whipping around to stare at her. Her thin green lips were pulled back into the same cocky smirk. Bubbles shivered and took a nervous step back, nearly tripping. Blossom giggled and began to stalk toward her. Bubbles gasped and, this time, she tripped as she tried to back away.

"W...W...Why...why...why..." Bubbles couldn't seem to find any other words. Blossom stopped and crossed her arms. For once, the smile was gone only to be replaced by a look of fury. Bubbles wilted under the glare, wishing she could feel Octi's warm breath again.

"You aren't even trying...so I'm going to make you try. If you want to play the hero, you better be ready to play the hero! I won't have you insult me by holding back!" Bubbles shook her head incredulously. Was Blossom really suggesting-but her thoughts were interrupted by an explosion of pain in the side of her head. Bubbles tumbled over through a construction site, dizzy and fading in and out of consciousness.

She woke up abruptly when a wall of fire fell over her, burning her skin, tearing apart her dress, melting her shoes to her feet. Bubbles sat up weakly, tugging at what little remained of her clothes. Despite the horrible burns, she struggled to tear the melted shoes from her feet, gasping in mild relief as a gentle breeze hit her blackened body.

"Oh sorry...wrong one," Bubbles gasped then screamed as a sheet of ice flushed over her. In fact, Blossom's ice breath was so massive, it continued on for hundreds, thousands of miles. The arctic wave spared no one in its path, stretching from Townsville clear to the ocean, and continuing well on from there. Everything it touched froze in the thickest sheet of ice since the glaciers retracted, thicker still. When, at last, the flash blizzard died down, Blossom stared with an proud grin at the frozen wasteland now stretched before her. Her sister was encased in a block of ice, a look of pain locked on her face.

Blossom strolled up to Bubbles and smirked, smashing the ice casing and dropping her shuddering, clammy-skinned sister to the ground. Bubbles' lips were blue, but every inch of her naked body was bright red. Blossom watched her writhe, an eerily satisfied look on her face. Finally she'd drank in the image long enough and wrenched her to her feet, tugging on her singed hair. Bubbles forced her eyes open, but couldn't bear to look at Blossom.

"Well? Are you going to show me the respect I deserve yet? Are you going to fight me for real?" Bubbles made no outward response, but the way she shivered seemed to suggest a negative. Blossom frowned and rammed her fist into Bubbles' stomach. She fell forward, mouth agape as a horrible whistling sound issued from her.

"Answer me!" Blossom punched Bubbles again, blood splattered her arm and trickled down her sister's lips. Still no response. Blossom punched Bubbles across the face, knocking her back into the street, away from the frozen part of the country. The dark Powerpuf girl regarded her sister with a look of disgust before smirking and looking down at her hands.

"Well...you aren't going to talk to me anymore, are you?" Bubbles rolled over, trying to cover herself, trying to hide her tears, but mostly trying to force air back into her lungs. Blossom tapped her fists together, electricity sparking from them. Bubbles gasped and began to crawl backward, whimpering as Blossom skipped toward her, grinning brighter and broader.

"I can fix that...do you remember what Princess did to me Bubbles? Do you? I remember seeing you and Buttercup...standing there watching...I saw the looks on your faces," Blossom voice dropped as she grabbed Bubbles' ankle and dragged her close, pinning her to the ground. Blossom raised a now furiously sparking mitt, ignoring Bubbles' frantic yelps and screams. Blossom narrowed her eyes, and snickered-it was black, vile sound. Bubbles couldn't believe it had come from her sister.

"You...you were ashamed, ashamed to see me like that...you were ashamed of me! Well, Bubbles, Princess tried to break me! She tried to make me beg, but I wouldn't! I'm strong, Bubbles! She couldn't beat me! But..." Blossom sneered and Bubbles fell silent, praying that she was going to reconsider, "I really don't think you are."

Any words of protest were drowned in an ear-splitting scream. Blossom pressed her sparking mitt against Bubbles' bare chest, holding her to the ground. Bubbles jerked and screamed and thrashed, but nothing could free her from her sister's grasp. And as the electrical shock began to grower stronger, Bubbles-albeit in the very back of her mind-realized what her sister wanted. Bubbles began to scream and beg and cry.

"PLEASE! PLEASE I'M SORRY! PLEASE STOP!" Blossom giggled and pressed her mitt harder against Bubbles' chest, closely watching every twitch and spasm. She had completely lost control, now it was only a matter of time. Her sister's cry reached a volume and pitch that only dogs and glass could truly appreciate. What windows there were around them shattered, and across the city they could hear canines going out of control. And still Blossom poured more and more power into her electrical power.

And then she felt it, the recognizable shudder of defeat surge through her sister. Even over the screams she could hear dribbling against the pavement. Her sister's bright red face seemed twisted with newfound agony: utter humiliation. Blossom watched her twist and writhe, even long after she cut off her lightning power. Bubbles laid, spasming and sobbing, still muttering pleas for mercy. Blossom's grin darkened as she leaned over her sister, pinning her arms to the ground. Bubbles stared at her. To Blossom's annoyance, the fight in her eyes seemed to be fading.

"How did it feel? Oh I bet it hurt you a lot worse than it hurt me..." Bubbles looked away and clenched her eyes shut. Blossom growled and felt her skin tingle. In a fluid motion, she got to her feet, heaved Bubbles from the ground and sent her skidding across the pavement once more. She crashed into an abandoned car that had frozen over and fell to the ground, quickly struggling to get to her feet. Her legs seemed to have the stability of jelly.

"What's happening?" Blossom muttered, itching her hand. Her skin was tingling ferociously now, the black surface rippling and trembling. The fallen hero glanced at her sister, and frowned. She was on her feet, staring back at Blossom nervously. Blossom clenched her fist and gasped in shock-and mild discomfort-as her hand shifted and became a long jagged blade. Bubbles screamed and covered her mouth, while Blossom stared at her new appendage with wide-eyed awe. Still stunned, she swung the blade-arm through the air. It was no more difficult than throwing a punch...it felt so natural.

"Blossom...oh no...Blossom..." Blossom's look of amazement became a wild grin. She had the power to shapeshift, just like her lo...just like Aku. Blossom turned to Bubbles and with a titter started toward her. Bubbles stumbled a few steps back, shaking her head. Blossom narrowed her eyes and nodded, swinging her new arm back and forth, cutting apart the frozen car Bubbles had collided with, slicing through a telephone poll, cleaving the ground like butter.

"Come on Bubbles! This is a scientific study! This is an important moment in theological history! Come back here!" Blossom shot forward and knocked Bubbles feet out from under her. Whipping around she slashed downward, splattering blood across the street. Bubbles fell back, hand over her bleeding side. The wound wasn't healing as fast as it should, Blossom noted gleefully.

Bubbles grit her teeth and tried to stand up straight. Her side was screaming; the cut burned like it was on fire. Still she tried to look brave, tried to find the strength to fight back. It was hard to muster any sort of confidence while bleeding and standing naked in the middle of the street. Blossom looked down at her other hand and narrowed her eyes. Bubbles let her hands drop to her sides; now Blossom's right hand was a large double bladed ax.

"So it works with both..." Blossom panted and looked at Bubbles, who was more frightened of the look now on her sister's face than anything she had ever seen in her life. She'd rather face the demon who covered the sky. Bubbles screamed when Blossom rocketed forward and tried to dive away, but Blossom caught her leg with the ax. There was a whooshing sound and a massive hammer collided with Bubbles' chest, knocking her into the air. Blossom flew up over her, her ax becoming a giant bat, which she used to send Bubbles flying through a building.

Bubbles landed in a pained heap near city hall. The crowd had vanished, she could only pray they were safe-the red stains on the ground denied her this hope. She heard footsteps fast approaching and sat up, nursing her still bleeding side and her now bleeding leg. As much as she hoped the citizens of Townsville were safe...she had to wonder who was going to save her?

"Poor cute little Bubbles...all alone and blue, what are you going to do?" Blossom giggled at her own joke and swung her arms around in a gay fervor. Bubbles tried to climb to her feet, but the gash on her leg was deep, and it burned worse than Blossom's fire breath. Blossom held her arms out and grinned as they both became long writhing whips. Blossom looked at them, satisfied and snapped them, stalking toward Bubbles once more.

"What's wrong, is sweet little Bubbles scared? You should be! This is bigger than danger level eleven! This is real, Bubbles! I'm real!" Blossom swung at Bubbles, who rolled out of the way. She promptly ran into the other whip and ended up hanging by her uninjured leg, the whip wrapped tightly around her ankle. Blossom laughed again.

"What's wrong? Am I too fast? Or am I too strong? Oh I know!" Blossom grinned and lashed her other whip across Bubbles dangling form. A bloodcurdling scream rang out across the city, "I'm better than you in EVERY!" slash "SINGLE!" slash "WAY!" Blossom slammed Bubbles into the ground and released her, whipping her backside as Bubbles struggled to crawl away. Bubbles screamed and fell forward, now covered in blazing hot cuts that seemed unable to heal. Blossom skipped toward her, smashing the street with her wildly lashing whips. Bubbles crawled to her knees, and once more received a cutting lash across her backside.

"Come on Bubbles! I won't lie, I'm enjoying this, but that isn't the point! You still won't take me seriously! Get mad! Use your full power! Come at me with EVERY!" Blossom slashed Bubbles so hard she went rolling across the ground. "THING!" Blossom slammed her whip down on Bubbles and pinned her on her back. "YOU'VE!" Blossom slashed her across the face, knocking Bubbles head to the side, cutting her cheek and splattering blood on the sidewalk, "GO-" Blossom paused in mid-swing, panting and staring at her sister. Her eyes trailed across her bloody, diced up body, and a shudder ran through her. Maybe...Bubbles was missing what she needed. Maybe it wasn't her fault, maybe she needed...help to break the barrier the Professor had built. Her pink eyes flickered red for a second.

"B-Blossom...Blossom what are you..." Bubbles fell silent, heaving air into her lungs. Her breaths became faster and shallower when Blossom pinned her to the ground, a determined look in her eyes. She smiled-a genuine smile-and leaned close to Bubbles until their faces were nearly touching. Her whips seemed to be changing, but Bubbles couldn't tell how.

"Don't worry...I figured out why you can't fight me...don't worry, just open your mouth," Bubbles gaped, unintentionally opening her mouth. Before she could rectify this mistake, Blossom's whip, now sleek and smooth, slipped into her mouth. Bubbles gasped and struggled to resist, choking on the tendril slipping down her throat. Blossom shushed her, watching Bubbles closely. Her other tendril slid across her sister's stomach.

"Just relax Bubbles...I'm going to help you...he helped me, that's what it is. You need to be closer to me...closer to Aku, then you'll be able to see just how strong we really are!" Blossom's grin widened, her eyes flickered red once more. Bubbles couldn't see this though, her eyes were clenched shut. She squirmed uncomfortably, suckling the appendage against her will. Blossom's other arm slid across her leg. She squeaked and tried to bite down on her sister's arm. Blossom didn't even seem to notice, watching the blue puff with a studious eye.

"There we go...just a little closer...a little closer, then you'll be a goddess too," Bubbles sucked harder on the tendril in her mouth, her legs locked up and her eyes snapped open. A few fresh tears slid down her cheeks. She didn't even dare squirm. Blossom licked her lips and waited, hoping that a similar transformation would happen. Bubbles tensed again, her legs bucking against Blossom's sides. Blossom realized, with a torn frown and a nervous tick, that Bubbles was only crying.

"It...it's not working..." Blossom's arms returned to normal as she climbed to her feet, staring down at her sister. Bubbles curled up and covered her face. The dark Powerpuff looked up at the sky, noticing, with a scowl, approaching figures. Only an idiot would dare to fight Aku now...she wasn't disappointed.

To Be Continued...