Far beneath the earth, he lie dormant, desperately trying to gather the energy he needed in order to fully awaken again. Not that he was completely unaware of what was going on…he was aware even while asleep, almost like a dream-awareness. Nevertheless, he was weak…if only there were a greater source of energy for him. Still, he was able to gather little by little. It might take months, maybe even years, but eventually it would succeed…it was only a matter of time…

* * *

The greenhouse that Bubbles had constructed for the bed of flowers was far better than her last one. It was sturdy and strong, and large enough to cover a wide stretch of land, in anticipation of many more flowers to come. Right now, there were only a dozen of them, but they had already each given seeds, now that it was spring again. These, she had already planted. The idea of even more being added to this little family made her feel overjoyed.

The dozen flowers that she had now each had a name. This worried her, because thanks to the seeds, there would be over a hundred of them once they came up, and that seemed like a lot of names to come up with, let alone remember. Sitting down between two of them, she asked, "Sophie…Christie…you'll help me come up with names, right?" Then, smiling, added, "I knew you would…hey, yeah, those are great names! Yes, we'll use them all…"

Glancing up at the position of the sun, she said, "Almost time for lunch. I'll be right back…and Sophie, make sure that Jade and Laurie don't argue again while I'm gone, ok? Thanks!" She took off, and made a beeline for "home".

She had long since cleared out the wreckage from her old home. It was pretty much an empty lot, almost, although she occasionally came back for cold water, since the generator in the lower part of the professor's lab was still operational, and she was able to run the refrigerator into its power supply. Opening the refrigerator, she pulled out her trusty thermos and took a sip of the chilled water inside. Wiping off her mouth, she decided that she felt like trying something different for lunch. Returning the thermos to the refrigerator, she went over to a stack of books, going through it and looking for one of the cookbooks that had belonged to the professor.

She stopped at one of the books…a photo album. Staring at the cover for a few seconds, she realized that, even though she found this book months ago, she had never opened it. She was almost afraid to, for some reason. But something made her change her mind…she determined that it had been long enough, so she very slowly opened it up.

One of the first pictures was a photo of the professor and the girls, taken not long after their creation. They were so young-looking in the picture, and so happy. Turning the pages, she viewed photo after photo…the four of them going on a trip, visiting the museum…a photo of Bubbles asleep in bed, clutching Octi to herself…a picture of Blossom and Buttercup playing a board game, and laughing…

Bubbles almost couldn't take it anymore. Tears began to fall from her eyes, onto the album, and she closed them and looked away, shutting the album. I miss them…oh, I miss them so much…Blossom, Buttercup, Professor…wherever you are, I miss you…

* * *

"That's it!" he shouted, his deep, darkened voice echoing through the small chamber that held him. "Yes…yes!! I have the power again! It is mine! After so long!" He straightened up, waking from his hibernation, and stretched out his arms to absorb the energy that was trickling in.

"Hmm…still not very much," he mused, tapping a claw to his chin. Then he chuckled, his voice rising in pitch, "Well, I'll just have to take matters in my own hands, then…" Laughing louder and swirling his arms around himself, he was surrounded by a plume of red smoke, and vanished…

* * *

As she was caught up in thoughts about her sisters, Bubbles suddenly noticed something…the shadows cast across this section of the lab began to stretch and grow, like they had a life of their own. She looked around in a combination of curiosity and fear, and as she did, a voice whispered from the darkness, "You miss them, don't you?"

What? she thought…Where's that voice coming from? That's…that's impossible…everyone's dead… She called out, "Wh-who's there?"

As soon as she said this, a bright plume of smoke burst up from the ground. She shielded her eyes, then watched closely as a form took shape. A familiar form, grinning wickedly at her. While she stood motionless in shock, he spoke, his voice echoing in a melodic tone, "Surprised, little one? You seem speechless…"

Bubbles finally found her voice, and it came out as a whisper, "Him…"

"Yesssss," he said, taunting, "Poor Bubbles…all alone in the world, with no one left for you…nothing left for you…only to live out your days, until your inevitable end, when you…"

He didn't get to finish his statement, because at that moment, Bubbles did something he didn't expect. In a flash of blue, she tackled him, knocking him off of his feet, but her face didn't show anger…it showed glee. She squealed, "Oh my gosh, it's so good to see you!!"

"Wh…huh?" Him said, totally flabbergasted.

Bubbles didn't say anything else, she just hugged Him tightly and wouldn't let go. Someone to talk to! she thought. I don't care if it's the ultimate evil, it's someone else alive! I'm so happy!!

"Aagh!" he shouted, and for a second, his form seemed to flicker. Bubbles let go of him, confused, and he staggered back slightly, holding his head and groaning, "Uhhh…"

"What's wrong?" Bubbles asked.

Gritting his teeth, he growled, "If you must know, I'm not quite at full power right now. And that hurts…"

Bubbles glanced at her arms, and said, "Sorry I hugged you so hard…"

"No no, no that," he said, waving a claw. "Your cheerfulness. It saps my energy." He sank down to the ground, sitting. Talking back in his higher tone of voice, he said, "I need sorrow…anguish…pain…not this…"

"What…" Bubbles started to say, but then she figured it out. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she said, "It makes you stronger, doesn't it? All the bad things…"

Nodding, Him explained, "I draw strength from it. Why do you think I was so powerful? All the people on the Earth supplied me with more than I'd ever need. I was particularly strong after that little incident that went on between you and your sisters…"

"Y-you mean, when we…" Bubbles wondered, trailing off.

"Yes," he said, smiling fondly at the memory. "It was delightful, watching all the pain and suffering. I didn't even need to take a hand in it…all I had to do was sit back and watch. Oh, it was absolutely delicious! You simply can't imagine…"

Bubbles started to grow angry and shouted, "Don't talk about it that way!"

Him stood back up, grinning widely, "Yes, that's it…more anger! I feel stronger already!" Bubbles shut herself up, but he continued, "I admit, I certainly didn't expect Mojo's device to actually be used…when it was successful, and all life was destroyed, the loss of the source of my power struck me, hard…" He paused and let his eyes drop to the ground, "I would have been destroyed utterly, if I weren't so strong from the events just before to it…"

Confused, Bubbles wondered, "How come you're even alive at all?"

"Silly girl…as long as I have power, I'm immortal," he claimed. "Not even something as powerful as Mojo's device can hope to harm me…"

"So then…what happened?" Bubbles asked.

"I had to sit and build my power before I could do anything," he said. "Drawing it in little by little…my, but it's been about twenty months now, hasn't it? A long time to wait…but now that my power is finally coming back to me…"

Flying up in front of his face, Bubbles said, "No, you're not doing anything. You'd better just behave yourself, or I'll think of something happy again." She smiled slightly.

Him just laughed said, "A nice threat, Bubbles, but I have something much better in mind…" He slid up next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and pointing in front of her, "Watch…" She looked to where he was pointing, and a small, swirling vortex of energy appeared in the air…it slowly spread open until images became visible inside, almost like a TV.

"What are you doing?" Bubbles demanded.

"Just watch…" Him said. As she did, the images changed…suddenly, she was seeing a familiar scene; herself, so long ago, just after having woken back up, after the machine was used…she saw herself looking down at the professor's body on the ground, shaking it, but getting no response…

Bubbles felt tears starting to fill her eyes, and she whispered, "No, don't…"

Before she could move, though, Him's grip on her shoulder tightened, holding her in place. He cackled, "Yes, that's it…remember your sadness? Not a bad start, but I've only begun…let me show you something you didn't see…"

The image changed again, and Bubbles gasped. It was Buttercup, strapped down on a table and struggling. "What…Buttercup? But what…is it…"

"Buttercup's demise," he said. "You never knew how it happened, did you? What she went through…her pain…but you will now, just watch…"

"N-no…" Bubbles protested, trying to look away.

"WATCH!" Him growled darkly. He grasped the sides of her head firmly, making her watch it as it happened. The Duranium blade glistening even in the dim light, and Buttercup's pleads, which turned into shrieks of protest, then screams of pain. Bubbles felt her heart pound in her chest as she watched…it was too horrible…

"No, stop it! Stop it!" Bubbles yelled, struggling. She was strong enough to wrench away from him, but too paralyzed by her own sadness to flee. Him was enjoying every second of it, though. But Bubbles finally yelled, "It doesn't matter, that was in the past! It's over now! Just stop it!"

"Awww," Him said, giving a 'sad' look, "you don't want to see your sisters like that, do you? You don't want to see the suffering you put them through…do you?"

Bubbles fell silent for a second, then said, "Me? I didn't do that to them…what are you talking about?"

He savored the moment and started to laugh again, "You really don't know, do you? Well, allow me to show you…" He pointed towards the vortex, and the images changed again, this time showing Mojo Jojo writing up the plans for his Robo-Jojo. "Here we see Mojo," he commented, "hard at work on a plan to defeat you…"

"Yes, so? It's Mojo's fault, I know," Bubbles nodded.

The image zoomed in closer to the plans, and Him started pointing them out, "Look at his design…brilliant, isn't it? High-powered lasers, missiles, tremendous strength…why, this thing has the works, doesn't it?" Then he gasped in mock surprise, "What's this? Something's missing…why yes, no Durainum sawblades…what could have happened?"

Bubbles noticed this too, but didn't comment…she just stared silently as the image flashed ahead to show Mojo building the robot. Well, maybe he added them on later, she thought…a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing…

"Oh well, even without such a powerful weapon, he went ahead with his design anyway," Him continued. "But then, something happened that surprised even me…" The side of Mojo's lair on the picture suddenly burst open, and Bubbles hovered there. She said a few things to Mojo, then started smashing up his robot.

Bubbles gasped, "But…how could you know…about that…? I wasn't…I mean, that didn't happen in our…it…"

On the image, Bubbles flew out, and Mojo dejectedly started gathering everything together. Him commented, "Oh look, he's starting to rebuild it! Looks like you didn't manage to stop him after all…" Mojo suddenly looked inspired, and Him added, "…and not only that, your mindless little ramblings gave him an idea…" Mojo paused his reconstruction of the robot and headed over to another part of his lab…he melted and prepared the proper materials to create Duranium, and started crafting them…into familiar blades…

Horrified, Bubbles thought, Oh…no…no, that didn't…I didn't…oh no…

Seeing the expression on her face, Him said, "That's right…your little trip through time did do something after all…"

As it all sank in, she shrieked, "NOOOOO!!!" Turning away from the images, she buried her face in her hands and started crying. It can't be, she thought…I'm…I'm the one who did it…it can't be…it can't be…

Him started growing stronger by the second, and laughed, "That's right…for you see, you didn't know the flaw in the professor's precious Time Portal, did you? Anything changes you make with it were destined to happen anyway! You can't actually alter history, because your alterations are history!"

Bubbles was crushed…everyone was dead because of her, because she had to go use the time portal and try to save everyone. This made her feel worse than ever before…it was hopeless, utterly hopeless. The professor, Blossom, Buttercup, everyone in Townsville, everyone across the entire world…dead…and it was all her fault…

No no no, Bubbles thought…this isn't happening…ohh, if only the professor had made the Time Portal different…if only it didn't have that flaw…if only…if only I could really change things…

As Him grew even more powerful, feeding from her anguish, an idea suddenly came to her. Wait, if the portal is just flawed, she thought, then that means… A smile broke out over her face. Him was puzzled by this, and he asked, "What? What are you grinning about? Your spirits should be crushed!"

She looked him dead in the eyes and set a happy, yet determined expression. "I just realized, if the professor's Time Portal is flawed, then maybe I can fix it. Maybe I can make it so that it can change the past…"

"You? Ha!" Him laughed. "You haven't the brain power, little Bubbles…why, it would take you forever to even figure out how it works, let alone how to fix it!"

Spreading her arms out, she said, "What else do I have to do? I've got time."

"You can't be serious…" Him exclaimed.

"I'm dead serious!" Bubbles nodded. "In fact…you've just given me something to aim for, and you've given me the hope that I can actually fix this whole mess!" She realized that this could actually work, and it filled her with joy and excitement. "Thank you!"

Him, who had previously been building in power, suddenly felt weakened by her sudden influx of joy. "Arrgh!" he said, clutching his chest and flickering slightly, "…no, don't…"

Magically, it was like the sorrow was all gone. She now had a clear, focused goal, and a way to set everything right once again. She said, "I'm going to go study right now! I've got a lot of work to do! Thanks again, Him…now I have something to look forward to! I'm happier than I've been in months!" She flew over and hugged him tightly and said, "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you…"

"NOO!!" Him bellowed, and his form started flickering worse…in the next instant, he completely faded from existence, a final, high-pitched "…nooo…" echoing in the air before likewise fading out, leaving Bubbles alone in the place where he was a moment ago.

This startled her a little, and for a moment, she felt sad, knowing that she no longer had anyone to talk to…then she brightened. She always had her flowers, and even better, she had hope for the future. Remembering why she came here in the first place, she started to fly off to find something for lunch, but then hesitate next to the stack of books in this part of the lab. She picked some of them up and took them with her. I've got a lot of studying to do, she thought. I might as well get started now!

She left the lab with a firm resolve…the flowers were still this world's best hope of life continuing, so she would never forget about them. But in the meantime, she had nothing to lose with trying to save the past. The only loss would be if she didn't try. She didn't care if it took her a hundred years…it would be worth it.