Writing is hard.
This took FOR FUCKING EVER. I've been working on it since the morning, and it's already a quarter to midnight. But anyway, the point is, I ACTUALLY WROTE TODAY AND COMPLETED A FIC :D
I was happier with it in the beginning when I first started writing it, but after the first flashback I started having some trouble. Ultimately, my feelings for it are mixed.
Title: Changes
Length: One-shot, 1,909 words. THOUGH YOU'D NEVER GUESS BECAUSE IT TOOK SO FUCKING LONG TO FINISH
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do not own the Powerpuff Girls, but I wouldn't complain if I did.
Summary: Blossom's fears for the future are preventing her from delivering an important speech.
Notes: This is basically a reflection of what's going to happen to me in about ten days, except I don't have to make any speeches. ...Yeah. At least I finished it.
Blossom usually didn’t get nervous before a big speech.
On any other day, she would wake up refreshed and self-assured, go over her index cards one last time, and make herself look as professional as possible before grabbing a piece of fruit and strutting out the door, confidence rolling off her in waves. She’d retain her poise throughout the day from the clang of the first bell right up to that big moment, that adrenaline rush that’d hit her as she’d saunter onto the stage and position herself behind the podium with grace.
But today was different, and while she looked the part, Blossom wasn’t sure if she’d be able to go through with this.
“I can’t believe we’re graduating tomorrow,” Buttercup mused. “It feels like a dream.”
Bubbles sniffed, hugging her pillow to her chest. “I’m going to miss everyone so much.”
Blossom stretched out on the floor to face them, but said nothing. After a moment she began to examine her sisters with a keen eye, wondering what they might be thinking, or if they shared her fears.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m pumped,” Buttercup said with a grin. Her excitement had been evident all week; and it’s no wonder, Blossom thought-for years Buttercup had been very clear on her desire to graduate so that she could devote all of her time to fighting monsters and catching criminals, finally becoming a full-time crime fighter after thirteen years of doing the job.
Bubbles, on the other hand, had been rather weepy about the whole affair, alternating between being almost destructively hyperactive and excited about their upcoming graduation, and launching into unprovoked crying fits over how much she’d miss her classmates. “I can’t believe you’re not sad! Buttercup, these people are leaving our lives FOREVER!”
“I think you’re forgetting that you’re going to Townsville Community College with eighty percent of our graduating class.”
Blossom inwardly chuckled at her sister’s sentimentality, but she couldn’t shake away her own concerns for the future-perhaps the largest being the acknowledgement that she couldn’t control any of it, no matter how hard she tried.
The marching band began to play “Pomp and Circumstance”, and the Townsville High graduating class filed into the gymnasium in two separate lines. Blossom looked out into the bleachers and saw the Professor dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. Behind her, Bubbles and Buttercup waved up at him, but Blossom remained focused. She couldn’t break her concentration now; if she did, she wasn’t sure if she could summon the courage to actually deliver her speech in the first place. Breathe, she whispered to herself. Just breathe.
The students assembled into chairs, organized alphabetically as they’d rehearsed several days before, and the ceremony began. After the Pledge of Allegiance and the choir’s performance of the National Anthem, the principal began her (typically long-winded) welcoming speech.
Blossom bit her lip; she’d normally pay attention when the principal delivered a speech, unlike most of her classmates-Mitch Mitchelson was already dozing off-but at the moment, she was too concerned with remembering her own speech to focus on whatever the principal might be talking about. She looked around subtly at the people she’d grown up with, all about to enter the world of adulthood, and noticed that each of them looked just as nervous as she was. A graduation gown, it seemed, could not disguise the fact that each of her peers had his or her own concerns about just what the future would present to them.
At least I’m not alone, Blossom thought, looking at her sisters seated beside her. Bubbles was gnawing at a piece of her hair, and Buttercup wouldn’t stop fidgeting. Sure, we’re all terrified. But at least we’re going through it together. Adjusting her bangs, she smiled faintly, remembering the conversation she’d had with her sisters the night before.
“Besides, Miss Valedictorian over here is the only one who’s actually going to be missing people, anyway,” Buttercup said.
“Oh, I’m going to miss you the most, Blossom,” Bubbles said sadly. “But I guess that’s the price we have to pay for you going to college halfway across the country.”
“Yeah, that and about 50 grand a year!”
“Oh!” Bubbles started to squirm with excitement. “I bet she’ll meet a boy there!” She reverted into a dreamy state, imagining Blossom in love.
Buttercup groaned and smacked her forehead. “Bubbles, you’re an idiot. Wellesley is an all-girls school!”
“Oh. Never mind.”
Concerned by Blossom’s lack of acknowledgement, Bubbles turned her attention to her distracted sister. “Blossom, are you okay? You’re never this spacey.”
“Huh?” Blossom’s head perked up, breaking her trance.
“Yeah, you’re acting really weird. What’s up?” Buttercup asked, dropping down to Blossom’s level and propping herself up with her elbows.
Blossom sighed and glanced down at the carpet. “I’m just… Thinking. That’s all.”
Unconvinced, Bubbles reached for her sister’s hand. “Read us some of your speech for tomorrow, Blossom,” she said kindly. To her surprise, however, Blossom pulled away.
“Actually, I…haven’t come up with anything,” she admitted, hanging her head. “I’ve tried a few different topics, but nothing works.”
Bubbles and Buttercup exchanged looks. “Wow,” Buttercup said. “Something really is wrong with you.”
“I don’t understand, you’re never this disorganized-”
“Girls, can I ask you something?” Blossom asked, sitting up. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve dreamed about going to Wellesley for years, and I’m really excited about it. But…” She paused and took a breath, closing her eyes. “I just…I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing…for you, or Townsville, or myself.” Blossom covered her face with her hands. “I don’t want to go all the way to college and then realize it was a mistake to leave Townsville behind. I don’t-” her voice cracked “-I don’t want to be responsible for the breakup of the Powerpuff Girls.
“So I want to know…do you think I’m doing the right thing? Do you want me to stay here with you? Because if you do, just say the word and I’ll-”
“Blossom, don’t be silly,” Bubbles said gently, stroking her sister’s hair in consolation. “You are not breaking up the Powerpuff Girls.”
“Yeah, you’re going away for a while, but that doesn’t mean anything is going to change,” Buttercup added with a rare smile.
Blossom shook her head. “We’re strongest when we work together. So if I leave…” She had to take a moment to compose herself; her voice was unusually tiny, and she mentally scolded herself for getting so emotional about something she considered extremely important.
“That is true, Blossom, but we can’t grow stronger as a team until we grow as individuals,” Buttercup replied wisely, putting a hand on Blossom’s shoulder.
“But no matter where we go or what we do, we’ll always be the Powerpuff Girls,” Bubbles added. “And that’s never going to change.”
Blossom sniffled, tears gathering in her eyes. “Promise?”
Bubbles and Buttercup pulled her into a hug. “Promise.”
Her nerves slightly eased, Blossom mentally prepared herself for her speech as the honorary guest speaker-who, coincidentally, turned out to be Ms. Bellum-stepped down from the podium. Her sisters looked over at her and smiled as the principal stepped up to the microphone.
“It is my pleasure to introduce Ms. Blossom Utonium, this year’s valedictorian!”
Bubbles let go of Blossom’s hand as she made her way up to the podium, surveying her peers and the audience before finally stepping up to the microphone, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. Summoning humility rather than confidence, Blossom cleared her throat, took a breath and began.
“Most people know me as the serious, hardworking leader of the Powerpuff Girls-the smart, self-assured girl who can do whatever she sets her mind to. But in all honesty, I had a hard time coming up with a speech for today-that is, until I had a talk with my sisters last night. Thanks to them, I came to the realization that on a day like today, it might be best for me to take a more…humanistic approach.”
Bubbles and Buttercup exchanged a smile. Blossom’s demeanor grew stronger; she could feel her confidence returning.
“I’ve lived in Townsville for my entire life, but to tell you the truth, it hasn’t changed much. The people I knew thirteen years ago are virtually the same people I know today, only older. Change isn’t something we’re used to in Townsville-of that I can be certain. Yet here we are today, in a situation of ultimate change: we’re about to leave high school. We’re about to leave the people we’ve known since kindergarten and enter the real world. That’s a pretty important change in itself, but considering how consistent Townsville is, it’s an even bigger change than one would normally expect. And I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that change is a frightening prospect.
“But although change may be scary, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With this monumental change-our graduation-we are all gaining the freedom to branch out from our roots and pursue our passions. We’re gaining the opportunity to follow our dreams. But no matter what happens, one thing will always remain the same: Townsville will always be our home. It may not have prepared us well for change, but it’s at least comforting to know that the city we know and love will always stay the same.
“And so, my fellow graduates, I advise you to follow your dreams and stop at nothing to achieve them-but never forget that no matter where you go, Townsville will always accept you. You can travel to the ends of the earth and back, but this city will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
Blossom found herself breaking into a smile as the audience applauded. In the bleachers, she could see the Professor weeping out of pride, and heard Buttercup whistle below her. Pleased with herself for overcoming the anxiety she’d felt that morning, Blossom surveyed the crowd once more-yet this time, she couldn’t help but notice that something was…off somehow. Three graduates are missing... she thought. Why didn’t I notice that before?
Through the applause of the audience, Blossom heard a faint noise. Something was approaching the gymnasium, and fast. Suddenly, the realization hit her-Oh, no… I should’ve known.
Out of the blue, a hole burst open in the roof and an azure streak of light came shooting through it, followed by a green one. As the dust cleared, it became apparent that Boomer had landed in Bubbles’ lap, leaving her perplexed. He gave her a wink before joining Butch in the air, the brothers promptly jetting out of the building and leaving another hole in their wake.
Brick, on the other hand, descended into the gymnasium calmly. Floating in midair with his arms crossed, he made eye contact with Blossom, his mouth curling into a cocky smirk as he lowered his eyebrows. Blossom recognized it as a silent challenge, the same expression he’d always make before a fight. Growing impatient with her immobility, the lone Rowdyruff Boy raced out through the destroyed roof, following the faded trails of his brothers.
Seeing her sisters take off after Butch and Boomer, Blossom moved to pursue Brick. Back to her confident self, she couldn’t help but crack a smile, comforted by the knowledge that at least one aspect of her life would never change.
Comments and criticisms are appreciated--I can't help but feel as though something is off with this piece, so I'd appreciate any input possible :)
(Also, this marks my second completed PPG fic, the first being C'est La Vie which I wrote back in...March, maybe? I don't know, it was a while back :X)
Oh, and this is like the fifth time in 15 minutes that I've edited this post, but I can picture Bubbles going to veterinary school, just saying 8)
I was happier with it in the beginning when I first started writing it, but after the first flashback I started having some trouble. Ultimately, my feelings for it are mixed.
Title: Changes
Length: One-shot, 1,909 words. THOUGH YOU'D NEVER GUESS BECAUSE IT TOOK SO FUCKING LONG TO FINISH
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do not own the Powerpuff Girls, but I wouldn't complain if I did.
Summary: Blossom's fears for the future are preventing her from delivering an important speech.
Notes: This is basically a reflection of what's going to happen to me in about ten days, except I don't have to make any speeches. ...Yeah. At least I finished it.
Blossom usually didn’t get nervous before a big speech.
On any other day, she would wake up refreshed and self-assured, go over her index cards one last time, and make herself look as professional as possible before grabbing a piece of fruit and strutting out the door, confidence rolling off her in waves. She’d retain her poise throughout the day from the clang of the first bell right up to that big moment, that adrenaline rush that’d hit her as she’d saunter onto the stage and position herself behind the podium with grace.
But today was different, and while she looked the part, Blossom wasn’t sure if she’d be able to go through with this.
“I can’t believe we’re graduating tomorrow,” Buttercup mused. “It feels like a dream.”
Bubbles sniffed, hugging her pillow to her chest. “I’m going to miss everyone so much.”
Blossom stretched out on the floor to face them, but said nothing. After a moment she began to examine her sisters with a keen eye, wondering what they might be thinking, or if they shared her fears.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m pumped,” Buttercup said with a grin. Her excitement had been evident all week; and it’s no wonder, Blossom thought-for years Buttercup had been very clear on her desire to graduate so that she could devote all of her time to fighting monsters and catching criminals, finally becoming a full-time crime fighter after thirteen years of doing the job.
Bubbles, on the other hand, had been rather weepy about the whole affair, alternating between being almost destructively hyperactive and excited about their upcoming graduation, and launching into unprovoked crying fits over how much she’d miss her classmates. “I can’t believe you’re not sad! Buttercup, these people are leaving our lives FOREVER!”
“I think you’re forgetting that you’re going to Townsville Community College with eighty percent of our graduating class.”
Blossom inwardly chuckled at her sister’s sentimentality, but she couldn’t shake away her own concerns for the future-perhaps the largest being the acknowledgement that she couldn’t control any of it, no matter how hard she tried.
The marching band began to play “Pomp and Circumstance”, and the Townsville High graduating class filed into the gymnasium in two separate lines. Blossom looked out into the bleachers and saw the Professor dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. Behind her, Bubbles and Buttercup waved up at him, but Blossom remained focused. She couldn’t break her concentration now; if she did, she wasn’t sure if she could summon the courage to actually deliver her speech in the first place. Breathe, she whispered to herself. Just breathe.
The students assembled into chairs, organized alphabetically as they’d rehearsed several days before, and the ceremony began. After the Pledge of Allegiance and the choir’s performance of the National Anthem, the principal began her (typically long-winded) welcoming speech.
Blossom bit her lip; she’d normally pay attention when the principal delivered a speech, unlike most of her classmates-Mitch Mitchelson was already dozing off-but at the moment, she was too concerned with remembering her own speech to focus on whatever the principal might be talking about. She looked around subtly at the people she’d grown up with, all about to enter the world of adulthood, and noticed that each of them looked just as nervous as she was. A graduation gown, it seemed, could not disguise the fact that each of her peers had his or her own concerns about just what the future would present to them.
At least I’m not alone, Blossom thought, looking at her sisters seated beside her. Bubbles was gnawing at a piece of her hair, and Buttercup wouldn’t stop fidgeting. Sure, we’re all terrified. But at least we’re going through it together. Adjusting her bangs, she smiled faintly, remembering the conversation she’d had with her sisters the night before.
“Besides, Miss Valedictorian over here is the only one who’s actually going to be missing people, anyway,” Buttercup said.
“Oh, I’m going to miss you the most, Blossom,” Bubbles said sadly. “But I guess that’s the price we have to pay for you going to college halfway across the country.”
“Yeah, that and about 50 grand a year!”
“Oh!” Bubbles started to squirm with excitement. “I bet she’ll meet a boy there!” She reverted into a dreamy state, imagining Blossom in love.
Buttercup groaned and smacked her forehead. “Bubbles, you’re an idiot. Wellesley is an all-girls school!”
“Oh. Never mind.”
Concerned by Blossom’s lack of acknowledgement, Bubbles turned her attention to her distracted sister. “Blossom, are you okay? You’re never this spacey.”
“Huh?” Blossom’s head perked up, breaking her trance.
“Yeah, you’re acting really weird. What’s up?” Buttercup asked, dropping down to Blossom’s level and propping herself up with her elbows.
Blossom sighed and glanced down at the carpet. “I’m just… Thinking. That’s all.”
Unconvinced, Bubbles reached for her sister’s hand. “Read us some of your speech for tomorrow, Blossom,” she said kindly. To her surprise, however, Blossom pulled away.
“Actually, I…haven’t come up with anything,” she admitted, hanging her head. “I’ve tried a few different topics, but nothing works.”
Bubbles and Buttercup exchanged looks. “Wow,” Buttercup said. “Something really is wrong with you.”
“I don’t understand, you’re never this disorganized-”
“Girls, can I ask you something?” Blossom asked, sitting up. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve dreamed about going to Wellesley for years, and I’m really excited about it. But…” She paused and took a breath, closing her eyes. “I just…I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing…for you, or Townsville, or myself.” Blossom covered her face with her hands. “I don’t want to go all the way to college and then realize it was a mistake to leave Townsville behind. I don’t-” her voice cracked “-I don’t want to be responsible for the breakup of the Powerpuff Girls.
“So I want to know…do you think I’m doing the right thing? Do you want me to stay here with you? Because if you do, just say the word and I’ll-”
“Blossom, don’t be silly,” Bubbles said gently, stroking her sister’s hair in consolation. “You are not breaking up the Powerpuff Girls.”
“Yeah, you’re going away for a while, but that doesn’t mean anything is going to change,” Buttercup added with a rare smile.
Blossom shook her head. “We’re strongest when we work together. So if I leave…” She had to take a moment to compose herself; her voice was unusually tiny, and she mentally scolded herself for getting so emotional about something she considered extremely important.
“That is true, Blossom, but we can’t grow stronger as a team until we grow as individuals,” Buttercup replied wisely, putting a hand on Blossom’s shoulder.
“But no matter where we go or what we do, we’ll always be the Powerpuff Girls,” Bubbles added. “And that’s never going to change.”
Blossom sniffled, tears gathering in her eyes. “Promise?”
Bubbles and Buttercup pulled her into a hug. “Promise.”
Her nerves slightly eased, Blossom mentally prepared herself for her speech as the honorary guest speaker-who, coincidentally, turned out to be Ms. Bellum-stepped down from the podium. Her sisters looked over at her and smiled as the principal stepped up to the microphone.
“It is my pleasure to introduce Ms. Blossom Utonium, this year’s valedictorian!”
Bubbles let go of Blossom’s hand as she made her way up to the podium, surveying her peers and the audience before finally stepping up to the microphone, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. Summoning humility rather than confidence, Blossom cleared her throat, took a breath and began.
“Most people know me as the serious, hardworking leader of the Powerpuff Girls-the smart, self-assured girl who can do whatever she sets her mind to. But in all honesty, I had a hard time coming up with a speech for today-that is, until I had a talk with my sisters last night. Thanks to them, I came to the realization that on a day like today, it might be best for me to take a more…humanistic approach.”
Bubbles and Buttercup exchanged a smile. Blossom’s demeanor grew stronger; she could feel her confidence returning.
“I’ve lived in Townsville for my entire life, but to tell you the truth, it hasn’t changed much. The people I knew thirteen years ago are virtually the same people I know today, only older. Change isn’t something we’re used to in Townsville-of that I can be certain. Yet here we are today, in a situation of ultimate change: we’re about to leave high school. We’re about to leave the people we’ve known since kindergarten and enter the real world. That’s a pretty important change in itself, but considering how consistent Townsville is, it’s an even bigger change than one would normally expect. And I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that change is a frightening prospect.
“But although change may be scary, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With this monumental change-our graduation-we are all gaining the freedom to branch out from our roots and pursue our passions. We’re gaining the opportunity to follow our dreams. But no matter what happens, one thing will always remain the same: Townsville will always be our home. It may not have prepared us well for change, but it’s at least comforting to know that the city we know and love will always stay the same.
“And so, my fellow graduates, I advise you to follow your dreams and stop at nothing to achieve them-but never forget that no matter where you go, Townsville will always accept you. You can travel to the ends of the earth and back, but this city will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
Blossom found herself breaking into a smile as the audience applauded. In the bleachers, she could see the Professor weeping out of pride, and heard Buttercup whistle below her. Pleased with herself for overcoming the anxiety she’d felt that morning, Blossom surveyed the crowd once more-yet this time, she couldn’t help but notice that something was…off somehow. Three graduates are missing... she thought. Why didn’t I notice that before?
Through the applause of the audience, Blossom heard a faint noise. Something was approaching the gymnasium, and fast. Suddenly, the realization hit her-Oh, no… I should’ve known.
Out of the blue, a hole burst open in the roof and an azure streak of light came shooting through it, followed by a green one. As the dust cleared, it became apparent that Boomer had landed in Bubbles’ lap, leaving her perplexed. He gave her a wink before joining Butch in the air, the brothers promptly jetting out of the building and leaving another hole in their wake.
Brick, on the other hand, descended into the gymnasium calmly. Floating in midair with his arms crossed, he made eye contact with Blossom, his mouth curling into a cocky smirk as he lowered his eyebrows. Blossom recognized it as a silent challenge, the same expression he’d always make before a fight. Growing impatient with her immobility, the lone Rowdyruff Boy raced out through the destroyed roof, following the faded trails of his brothers.
Seeing her sisters take off after Butch and Boomer, Blossom moved to pursue Brick. Back to her confident self, she couldn’t help but crack a smile, comforted by the knowledge that at least one aspect of her life would never change.
Comments and criticisms are appreciated--I can't help but feel as though something is off with this piece, so I'd appreciate any input possible :)
(Also, this marks my second completed PPG fic, the first being C'est La Vie which I wrote back in...March, maybe? I don't know, it was a while back :X)
Oh, and this is like the fifth time in 15 minutes that I've edited this post, but I can picture Bubbles going to veterinary school, just saying 8)