Buttercup opened her eyes slowly. She found herself hovering over the mixing bowl on the table in their hideout. Before she even had time to realize this fact, she remembered everything from her past life. It was becoming easier each time…there was no phantom pain now, just the memory.

In front of her, Blossom was on the ground, panting heavily. Blood was still coming from her shoulder due to her missing arm. She pointed weakly towards another table, at a pile of sugar, spice, and everything nice sitting on it. "I don’t…have much time…" she gasped, "…make sure…Bubbles and I…come back…"

"We don’t have time to wait for you to die," Buttercup said. She picked up her sword from the table and, with one fluid motion, slashed Blossom’s neck, removing her head. That quickened the process, and in no time at all, her body had also broken back down again. Wasting no time, she loaded both her and Bubbles' components together back into the mixing bowl, stirring them and adding Chemical X.

She flew back and watched the explosion as they were revived. Both Blossom and Bubbles hovered silently over the bowl. Bubbles stared in confusion, while Blossom’s face returned to its heartless glare. Buttercup nodded to them, "Welcome back."

Blossom nodded back, "Thank you. Now, as for Bubbles…" She turned to her, and asked, "Do you remember anything?"

Glancing around, she said, "No…where are we?"

"Relax, it will come back to you," Buttercup said. "Your name is Bubbles. Do you remember the fight?"

Bubbles shook her head, "Fight?"

"Yes," Blossom replied. "I was quite the backstabber, you might say…"

Bubbles stared at Blossom for a few moments, and it looked like she was lost in deep thought. Her hands slowly moved behind her to feel her back. She gasped suddenly and cringed, arching her back painfully as the memory of what had happened came back to her.

Buttercup waited until it could all sink in, and said, "You remember everything, don’t you?"

Bubbles’ eyes were clenched shut, but tears still escaped from them, "I-I remember…"

Folding her arms, Blossom asked, "We already told you our motives, and what we’re trying to do. Does it all make sense to you now? About life and suffering? And most importantly, why it must all be destroyed?"

There was silence for a few seconds. Bubbles’ face seemed to be a mask of concentration. Very slowly, her eyes opened, and she stared coldly out at the girls. In a voice that was almost a whisper, she said, "Yes…you were right, it all makes sense now…"

"Good," Buttercup said. "Now, nothing can stop us."

"That’s right," Blossom said. "Between the three of us, all life will meet its end."

There was a short pause, and then Bubbles, her voice dripping with menace, added, "And finally, the world will be at peace once again…"

* * *

Professor Utonium walked the streets in Townsville, carrying his completed weapon with him. It was large and box-like, with a wide barrel at one end like a launcher. He still didn’t want to have to use it, but he knew that he probably would have to. He didn’t want to wait around in the lab forever, though…he was too worried for Bubbles’ safety.

The streets were in chaos. He almost regretted having to come and see all of it. People were running in panic, buildings were collapsed, fires were blazing…and worse, he could see numerous dead bodies on the sidewalks. Some of them looked like they had been shot with lasers, with little more than a smoking spot on their back. Others, though, were in far worse condition…some of them stabbed through, some decapitated, some of them completely slashed apart.

It was a gruesome sight, and it made the professor realize the seriousness of this situation. He knew that he couldn’t let this continue, and wiped out all traces of doubt from his mind on what he needed to do.

He didn’t have long to wait. Even thought the sky was still dark, the sun was getting ready to rise, and he could make out three streaks of color flying high above the city. Three? he thought. But…that would mean…oh no, am I too late?

The three descended out of the sky, towards the street below. He saw them clearly…Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, all three of them. They stopped just above the street and floated there, staring in his direction, arms folded across their chests and swords slung at their backs. Blossom was the first to speak, "Good morning, Professsor."

"Girls!" he said, angrily. "Stop this madness this instant!"

Bubbles shook her head, "No, we won’t. We’ve just begun, haven’t we?" The other girls nodded in agreement.

The professor knew that it had been done…Bubbles had been killed, and was one of them now. He’d lost all three of them, probably forever. Though this filled him with a momentary sadness, he pushed it out of his mind and focused on the task at hand. Raising his weapon, he said, "I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice…"

Before he could get a chance to fire, though, Blossom shot a quick blast of her eyebeams, striking the weapon. It didn’t damage it, but it knocked it from the professor’s grasp. He watched helplessly as it bounced on the ground and slid for a few more feet before coming to a rest, too far away. He knew that if he tried to run for it, the girls would be able to stop him before he reached it.

All three of them, one after another, drew their swords. Even though the professor knew it wouldn’t do any good, he pleaded, "Girls, think about what you’re doing! Don’t you care about what you’re doing to your friends? To your family?"

"Of course we do," Blossom answered. "Believe us, they’ll be much happier in the nothingness that is death…free forever from the torment of life."

"Well," Bubbles said, gripping her sword tightly, her gaze still locked on the professor, "should I send him on his way?"

Buttercup, although she still didn’t smile, remarked, "I like your enthusiasm…but Bloss and I can handle this, right?" Blossom nodded.

Bubbles also nodded in agreement, "As you wish."

With that, Blossom and Buttercup began to hover forward. The professor took a step back, glancing around for a way out, but he knew it was impossible. Only a miracle can save us now, he thought…

What happened in the next moment was almost too fast to see. As Buttercup continued her advance, Bubbles suddenly moved up behind her, slashing upward with her sword. It cut a huge gash across Buttercup’s back, and she shrieked in startled pain. Blossom spun around to see what had happened, and in that instant, Bubbles had swung her sword back down in the other direction. It clipped her on the face, slicing into her cheek and leaving a long, bleeding cut. She winced and fell back in surprise, grabbing her cheek with her free hand.

The professor looked questioningly at Bubbles, confused. Bubbles looked back at him, and though her expression remained determined, she smiled. She’s…she’s okay! the professor thought, relieved. I don’t know how, but she’s okay!

Buttercup landed face-first on the ground, and struggled to get up, but it was difficult to move with the cut she had received. Blossom was in shock, and said, "Bubbles, what…why…"

"I’m a good actor, aren’t I?" Bubbles said. "I had you both fooled…"

"But…but I thought…you saw Death, like we did…" Blossom started.

"Oh, I did," she explained. "I…I remember the pain, like you did…I even saw what you were talking about, all the bad suffering that life brings. But I saw past it, too. What you didn’t see is that, though life does bring pain, there’s much more than that. There is love, happiness, laughter…these little things make life meaningful and worthwhile. I realized something…even with the pain, I would gladly face it over again for the good parts. These experiences are what life is all about, not suffering."

Blossom stared silently back at her for a few moments. Bubbles thought she saw tears building in her eyes, as she looked forlornly at the bloodied sword in her hand and whispered, "…What have I done?…"

Bubbles smiled more, thinking, Yes! I knew it...our Blossom is still there! "You can still change," Bubbles told her. "You can stop all of this…"

Blossom looked up, tears now streaming from her eyes, and she said, "No one will ever forgive me…I’ll never forgive myself…" Her voice faltered, and she sobbed, "It can never be right again…"

"Yes it can…just put that sword down," Bubbles told her. Blossom stared at the sword again, and slowly released it, dropping it to the ground. Bubbles dropped her own sword...the two flew towards each other and hugged. Blossom held on tightly and cried, while Bubbles did her best to console her, "Everything’s going to be fine…"

"I'm s-so sorry..." Blossom cried, "I'm..."

"Shhhh...it's all right..." Bubbles said. She thought, Everything's all right...we're safe again, at last...

All of a sudden, Blossom stopped crying. She grabbed Bubbles tightly by the neck, and thrust her out at arm’s length. Bubbles, struggled for air, trying to pry herself free, but her grip was too tight. The unemotional expression returned to Blossom’s face, and she told her, "You’re not the only actor, Bubbles. Did you really think your little speech would change my mind? No, I’ve made up my mind, and my decision is final. Nothing will change it. Nothing."

Bubbles couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak…she was choking, and felt herself slowly starting to black out. No, I can’t let her win! she thought. But…can’t do anything…too strong…

Blossom's head snapped around, as she heard footsteps behind her. The professor was running for the weapon that was knocked away from him. Blossom wasn't sure what the weapon could do to her, but she decided not to take any chances...swinging Bubbles around, she threw her as hard as she could towards the professor. She collided into him, knocking him off his feet. Blossom picked up both of the swords from the ground, and wasted no time in flying up to a safer distance, heading up for the roof of the nearest buildings, one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city.

The professor picked himself back up from the ground and said, "Are you all right, Bubbles?"

Bubbles coughed a few times, rubbing her throat, and finally said, "I'll be okay...*cough*...I gotta go stop her, Professor!" The professor nodded, and she started to fly away...but paused, as she saw Buttercup still struggling on the street below.

Buttercup rolled onto her back, cringing in pain, and looked up at Bubbles...she held out her hand, and begged, "Bubbles, please...help me...please..." Bubbles watched her sadly...she was obviously in a lot of pain, she couldn't be faking it with a wound like that. She was about to reach down and help her, when she noticed her reaching slowly for her sword. Knowing it was a trick, Bubbles quickly shot at her with her eyebeams...it struck her in the back, right on her cut. Since her PowerPuff skin wasn't in the way to stop the energy, it bored into her back, creating a brief shower of blood. Buttercup tensed up, gasping once, then fell limp.

Bubbles didn't have the time to feel bad about this...instead, she pried the sword out from her hand, and flew up the side of the building, heading for where Blossom had gone. If I can just stop Blossom, she thought, the nightmare will be over...

The professor, in the meantime, picked up Buttercup's body. She was still alive, but she wouldn't be for much longer; he decided that he should keep an eye on her until then. He reached down and picked up his weapon from the ground. After examining it, he saw that it was still working. Bubbles might need my help, he thought...I'd better be there for her... With the weapon in one hand, and Buttercup under his other arm, he hurried into the skyscraper, looking for an elevator...

* * *

Bubbles landed on the roof, holding her sword out in front of her. Blossom was there, with a sword in each hand, and said, "All you've done is delay the inevitable, Bubbles. Putting an end to life is a serious task, but I think I will make an exception in your case. Getting rid of the only obstacle left in my way will bring me great pleasure..."

Bubbles didn't even bother to say anything in return. It won't do any good, she thought. Just kill her, and be done with it...one way or another, it ends here and now. She leapt forward without any further hesitation, holding out her sword point-first. Blossom brought both of her swords down, crossing them in an 'X' shape, easily stopping the thrust. She pulled them both upwards, pushing Bubbles sword out of the way.

Charging forward, Blossom immediately swung once with each sword, one after the other. Bubbles moved quickly, parrying both of the blows, and made a swing of her own. With one of the swords, Blossom stopped her attack, and with the other, slashed out at her. It scraped against the surface of her side, drawing a little blood but not creating a serious wound. Bubbles still recoiled a little from the hit, and sensing an opening, Blossom spun once, kicking her in the same spot with her foot. Bubbles was knocked to the side, sliding across the rooftop.

She rose to one knee and barely had enough time to block another series of attacks. They seemed to be coming faster, while she was growing steadily weaker. Deep in the back of her mind, she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up. She decided that she'd better go on the offensive, or else Blossom will just wear her down with blows. She pulled the sword back and swung as hard as she could.

Blossom stopped the swing, trapping it between the blades of both of her swords. She twisted them once, and Bubbles' sword was wrenched from her hand. It flew off the side of the building. She watched it go, crestfallen. She looked back up at her sister in fear, and Blossom brought both of her swords down, crossing them in an 'X' position again, with Bubbles' neck between the blades near the point where the swords crossed. She held it there, not actually cutting into Bubbles yet, almost like she was savoring the moment. Bubbles was trapped, and beads of sweat rolled down her face.

"It's over, Bubbles," Blossom declared. "You're beaten. More importantly, I can't forgive you for standing in the way of what needs to be done. I could kill you in an instant, dear sister...I could take your head right from your shoulders...but you deserve worse than that. You need to suffer. And this time, I won't bring you back...you will be left to the nothingness of death..."

"B-Blossom...No!" Bubbles pleaded, trying one last time to get through to her, "I love you!"

Blossom narrowed her eyes. Her voice was as cold as ice as she answered simply, "I don't care." With that, she pulled the swords back, preparing to begin. Bubbles clenched her eyes shut, shaking.

*ssswishTHIP*

Blossom winced, and glanced at her right arm, perplexed. A small, metal spike had struck her there, buried half-way into her hand. It didn't hurt too badly...all it did was make her upset. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the professor...he had come out of the stairwell leading to the roof, and was holding the weapon out in front of him. Buttercup was still under his arm. He was gritting his teeth in anger.

She frowned, "Professor, I'm disappointed...you built a large weapon like that, and all it fired was this tiny little spike? That's pathetic."

The professor shook his head, "Wait for it."

A second later, the metal spike sprouted tiny claws...it burrowed the rest of the way into her hand. Blossom dropped her sword from that hand in surprise, watching the thing disappear, "Wh-what...what's it doing?" She still felt it, and could almost see it moving under her skin. It moved slowly up into her wrist, then started traveling down the length of her arm.

She dropped her other sword, and started clawing at her arm, trying to stop it, but it was far too deep for it to do any good. In the next few moments, it moved completely up her arm and was almost into her shoulder. She started clawing harder, ripping into her own skin and drawing blood, and screamed, "Get it out! Get it out!!" She fell to the ground, clutching her shoulder tightly, like she was trying to block it off, but it kept going anyway. As it pulled into her chest, her back arched, and she shrieked in pain as, deep within her, the spike tore into her heart. She writhed in agony, but it was such an intense pain that she was unable to scream, or even breathe. Falling flat against the rooftop, she clutched her chest, and finally, after a few more kicks, she laid still.

Bubbles sat up more, and said, "Professor?"

The professor let out a sigh of relief, and said, "I didn't want to do that...if I knew there was any other way, I would have done it, but there was no saving them." He looked over at Bubbles and asked, "Are you all right?"

Instead of answering, Bubbles flew over to him, hugging him tearfully, "Oh, Professor..."

"I know, Bubbles," he said, "Easy now...it's all right..." After they finished the hug, he set Buttercup's body down and walked over to Blossom to confirm what he already knew. She was definitely dead now...they both were. Almost at the same time, both her and Buttercup's body began to glow, and in two flashes of light, each of them broke into their base components once again.

Bubbles got up and flew over, stopping by Buttercup's pile. She carefully scooped it all up, making sure not to miss anything, and the professor did the same with Blossom's pile. The sun was beginning to rise, and both of them looked over at it. After this long and dismal night, it was a beautiful sight, and they moved to the edge of the rooftop to watch it.

As Bubbles stared off at the sunrise, she said, "Professor…I’m sorry if I scared you back there…"

"I understand, Bubbles," the professor nodded. "I know you had to act that way to fool them. You did frighten me a little, though; I thought you had become like them…"

"I almost did…" she said. Blinking a few times to clear her eyes, she said, "When I…d-died…I could see what they were talking about. Everything they said made sense to me…life was pain, it was all so clear. I felt it…for a moment, I actually felt it…I wanted life to end, all of life, just so that no one would ever feel the same way, ever again… I-I’ve never thought anything like that in my life…I was so scared…my God, I was s-so scared…" She burst into tears.

The professor looked at her sadly, and said, "You’ve been through a lot, Bubbles, more than I could possibly imagine. But you’re all right; you found the courage to see through all of that…"

Shaking her head, Bubbles said, "No, it’s not all right…I was almost just like them. I would have been right at their side, k-killing people the same way they were. I should have stopped them sooner…I should have stopped them when I had the chance, b-before they started…" She swallowed once, and continued, "Now, th-they’re gone, the people they killed…some of them were such good friends, and now I’ll never see them again…like the Mayor, and Mi--…" Her voice faltered, and she closed her eyes against her tears.

"You did all you could," the professor assured her. "You did more than any of us could. If it weren’t for you, it would have been the end for us all. No, if anyone should be blamed for this, it should be me, for starting this whole mess."

Bubbles sniffed, and looked up, "Well, it's all over...let's take them back to the lab. You can take a look at them now, and maybe you can find a way to get rid of those memories from them--..."

"No, Bubbles," the professor interrupted.

She looked over, confused, "What?"

He sighed, staring out at the rising sun, and spoke softly, "It was wrong of me to bring them back to life. I know that now. All it's done is bring about anguish and sorrow. Sure, we could continue trying again and again...maybe there is a way to save them, still...but think about it first. If it didn't work, it could spell the end of all life. The horror would begin all over again, and all just because we couldn't bear their loss. It's too big of a risk to take, Bubbles. It would be wrong to put the world's future on the line for selfish reasons like that."

"But..." Bubbles protested, "...it...it hurts so much..." Tears began to fill her eyes all over again.

"I know it does, sweetie," he said, trying to hold his own tears at bay. "We shouldn't try to reverse death. It may hurt to lose someone dear to us, and we may want to hold onto them for as long as we possibly can...but sometimes, Bubbles, it's better just to let go. Let them return to their eternal rest. We have no right to deny them that. Let them go..."

As the professor finished speaking these words, he closed his eyes, and spread his hands apart slowly. Blossom's sugar, spice, and everything nice fell out from the skyscraper into the air, and was scattered amongst the winds. His expression remained firm, but a tear ran down his cheek.

Bubbles looked down at the pile of sugar, spice, and everything nice in her own hands, all that was left now of Buttercup. She knew the professor was right, and it was time to say goodbye. She closed her eyes and sniffed sadly, then raised the ingredients up, giving them a kiss, before finally releasing it to the winds, as Blossom's had been.

The professor sat on the edge of the rooftop, with Bubbles hugging his side, crying. They both sat for some time, as the sun rose in the sky. A new morning had begun at last...soon the city would be full of life once again, and the horrors of the night would be forgotten...but the memories of Blossom and Buttercup would not soon be forgotten by anyone, and would live on inside them all...