I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter One: From Tragedy We Grow

Lightening lit up the night sky, revealing four figures moving as stealthily as they could in the night. They came to an old stone building—its age showing in the crumbling walls, and moss and flora creeping from the cracks. Still, as decrepit as the structure may be, the treasure it held was the most precious and jealously guarded. The abandoned appearance helped with keeping those with ill intentions away. Three of the figures felt the gravity of what they were about to do.

The eldest of the four wearing a black cloak rose her hand and whispered a low utterance that caused a pinkish mist to curl around the lock and ease it open with a soft click. She pushed the door open with a low creak and hurried her three companions inside before closing the door and locking it from the inside.

Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, she turned to see that the others were staring at the treasure within the center of the room with mixed emotions. The eldest girl pulled her hood from her head as she walked forward, revealing the most brilliant red hair, paired with a form fitting red dress, typical of their kind.

"Come, we haven't much time." She said urgently.

The second eldest tugged her hood off her head, a beautiful mess of chopped black locks sticking in every direction, turned to the red headed leader. "I know. We should've done this long before now." Her appearance was strange as she chose to wear green trousers and a black shirt.

"We can't afford to argue. She'll be upon us all the quicker if we don't hurry." The first youngest said brushing her hood back freeing her golden locks, revealing the long billowing sleeves of the blue dress she wore. Turning to the fourth and youngest of the four, she tugged the hood lower over her face, only a few mahogany ringlets peeking out, and her cloak closed over her light purple dress. "I want you to stay right where you are. Do you understand?"

The youngest nodded her head eagerly, wanting to please the girls looking lovingly yet worriedly at her.

"We must begin." The eldest said. "She cannot be allowed to possess this."

The three eldest girls clasped hands and formed a circle around the precious treasure. They felt the surge of power that hit them and shuddered. "Will we be strong enough?" The golden-haired girl asked.

"We must. She's too young to be part of this." The ravenette turned to look at the young girl watching them with innocent purple eyes.

"Yet we dragged her here."

"She'd have been vulnerable without us." The eldest said. "We're the only ones that can care for her. Now, let us begin."

The girls began whispering the spell that would bring down the barrier that protected the treasure within, pink, green, and blue swirls of power flowing around them. A treasure that if placed in the wrong hands would welcome untold destruction on the world. As the barrier was coming down, the youngest turned when she heard the door behind her creak open. She glanced back at her sisters, their attention focused solely on the task at hand. Surely, they wouldn't notice if she left for a second to close the door.

As she went to close the door, she saw a glowing light around the corner from where she was standing. She glanced back at her sister before slipping out the door and following the light. The light moved further and further away the closer she appeared to get to it. Suddenly the light stopped and as she got closer she found that the light was emanating from a white flower.

"Oh, pretty." Getting closer to the flower, the young girl hoped to pick the flower and show it to her elder sisters. "Pretty."

Behind the girl, a sinister presence she was too young to perceive, slowly crept from the shadows.

Back in the building the three girls were breathing heavily from the exertion of the spell. It was a more advanced spell that young ones like themselves weren't physically ready for. At fifteen years old, the girls were rather young to be performing the spell that those usually of at least seventy-five years. It was only due to special circumstances, that they were able to perform the spell at all.

"How much longer?" The blond asked, sweat making the ringlets at the side of her face stick to her skin.

"Not long." The fiery eldest called. "Just hang in there a few moments more."

The ravenette kept her eyes closed in concentration, blocking out all external stimulus. The same couldn't be felt for the internal sensation that make the hair on the back of her neck rise. Rolling her head, she trying to remain invested in the spell, knowing that any abrupt breaking would end disastrously. Still, she should warn her sisters just in case. "She's coming."

The blond and the red head turned to their dark-haired sister, whom they were risking everything for. Her skin appeared paler against the darkness of her hair, and her swirling magic flickered between her natural green and the nasty murky yellow of another. Knowing their time was shorter than anticipated, they hurried through the last of the spell.

With the last line of the spell recited, the power within the center shot into the three girls. The impact left them breathless and falling to the floor. When they caught their breath, they were able register the overwhelming and almost intoxicating thrum and hum of the newly acquired power. It was old magic that grew stronger with each generation, as a fraction of power was added to it from each new generation.

"Oh, my mage." The blond gasped, her eyes glowing a brighter blue than normal. "It's so much power."

"Don't…don't let it overpower you." The red head said as she slowly stood up. Her pink eyes glowed vividly, making them appear more strange than usual.

The blond stood up and turned to their younger sister, only to begin panicking when she didn't see her there. "Bunny?"

The red head turned her head, hearing the worry creep into her sister's voice. When she too didn't see the young purple eyes girl, she felt worry crept into her heart. "Bunny? This isn't the time to be playing games."

"Bunny!" The blond yelled out, damn if their presence were known by all. They were sure the elders felt that someone was there tampering with the old magic. "Bunny, this is not in the least bit amusing."

In their fear for their youngest sister, neither girl noticed the prone form of their dark-haired sister. She had yet to open her eyes but was twitching strangely on the ground. When her eyes did open, they were almost yellow. She sat up slowly and began to laugh.

Her two sisters present in the room, turned to look at her incredulously before taking in her yellow eyes. "You idiotic little bitches. Did you think you could outwit me?"

Though it was their sister speaking the voice was not her own. It was sultrier even in its manic tone of voice. Her short hair writhed strangely, and her skin appeared to take a reptilian texture in small flickers. "You wretches will not leave here alive."

"What did you do with Bunny?" The blond yelled at their possessed sister.

The dark-haired girl closed her eyes as she suddenly twisted bizarrely. She shook her head and then growled out loud. "Get out of my head, you SNAKE!" her hair stopped writhing and the scaly appearance to her skin faded. She panted heavily before opening her eyes, showing them to be glowing green. She nearly collapsed as she caught herself on her hands, body shuddering from the mental intrusion.

Her two sisters stared at her worriedly, before the doors to the chamber crashed open violently. The blond and red-haired girl spun and rose their hands defensively preparing for the fight that would ensue. However, their defensive stance fell at the appearance of their youngest sister, Bunny, wrapped in the yellow magic, her eyes closed and her skin a deathly white.

"Bunny!" Yelled the blond, her magic swirling around her violently. Uncontrollable. She wasn't used to wielding this much power.

"Bubbles, careful." The redhead warned, even though her own magic flared angrily about her. "We don't know what this old magic will do unchecked."

The blue magic simply flared brighter in anger. "But we do know what she'll do unchecked, Blossom."

Turning her head, Blossom looked worriedly at her younger sister. "Stars above."

As they were speaking, the woman with the pasty, scaly skin and sickly green eyes laughed evilly at three young girls before her. "You girls have no idea who you're dealing with." As she tightened her hand, the yellow magic holding their younger sister tightened around her neck.

"NO!" Green magic swirled in the air as an invisible grip lifted the woman into the air and then flung her into the wall. Cracks formed in the wall underneath her body. Before she could register what happened, she was pulled from the wall into the ceiling. Her body broke the rafters, before being violently brought into the earthy floor.

The woman was immobilized, and the sight of it had the dark-haired girl walking toward her. "Bubbles, start building a transport circle."

Bubbles didn't hesitate as her sister passed her, without a spare glance. Blossom placed a hand on her shoulder. "Buttercup, don't."

Buttercup didn't break her stride as she brushed Blossom's hand off her. She approached the prone form of her youngest sister and brushed a hand over her face, glad to feel that she was a bit chilled rather than cold. Her breath was slow and shallow. Before she could pick her up, Buttercup was grabbed around the neck by a long tendril of black, oily hair. The girl grunted as she was lifted and then slammed to the ground, her head throbbed painfully.

"You're no match for me other than appearances. This body may be old and sagging, but just you wait little girl, until I get my new body." The woman ran her hand over Buttercup's face in an admiring way. "I probably shouldn't damage it too much."

Buttercup managed to spit in the face. "Damn you to hell, Sedusa."

"You'll be there long before me." The serpent woman hissed between fanged teeth.

Blossom sent a swirl of pink magic toward Sedusa. "Let her go!" The pink whip sliced into the tendril of hair around Buttercup's neck and fell writhing to the ground. Sedusa screamed more in outrage than in actual pain. Bubbles finished the transport circle and used her magic to pull Bunny toward her and Blossom.

"Bunny. Wake up. Open your eyes."

Bunny slowly revealed her purple eyes to Bubbles, drawing a sigh of relief from her sister. "Oh, my mage." She shifted her sister to her lap and held her tight to her frame. Bunny turned her gaze from Bubbles to Sedusa as she clutched her fallen hair in her hands.

"How dare you!" she screamed as Buttercup used her magic to propell herself away from Sedusa. She landed unsteadily beside her sisters and held her head as the power within her fluctuated between Sedusa's sickly yellow and Buttercup's lively green.

The three older girls then recited the spell that would send them to a different world. One where Sedusa couldn't use Buttercup.

"NO!" she screamed out and flung a devastating yellow whip of magic towards Blossom. "You will not take her!"

Blossom's eyes widened as the watched as the yellow whip came hurtling toward her. She braced herself for the fatal blow, knowing she'd do anything for her sisters. She was prepared for anything.

Or so she thought.

Right before the yellow whip would've hit her, a faint purple wall appeared between the two. Her pink eyes turned to Bunny as the yellow whip effortlessly broke the purple wall and struck Bunny. A sickening snap was the last thing Sedusa heard before the four girls disappeared from her sight.

"Bear!" Shouted a blond with shoulder length waves wearing a short sleeved blue shirt with brown pants and boots.

"Oh no!" Called a ravenette with shorter, but shaggier hair wearing a sleeveless green shirt and black pants and boots, when they heard the rustling of a bush behind them.

Suddenly from the bushes came a boy probably ten years of age, with curly brown hair wearing a white shirt with a purple vest and dark green pants. He sprang up with his hands over his head mimicking claws and making roaring sounds like a bear as he went after the two older boys.

The boys were running at quarter speed for the younger boy to try and catch them in the courtyard. The sun signing down on them contentedly with the trees and bushes providing shade and hiding places for them.

From his place in the castle, a boy with red hair, long enough to be pulled back into a short ponytail, wearing a long sleeved red shirt and beige pants with black boots, sat at a table with books and papers laid before him. He gazed longingly out the window, wishing he could join his younger brothers in their play.

A sharp crack on the table brought his attention forward and had him straighten in his seat. "Your highness, please try to pay attention."

The young man turned his attention away from the window and back to the open book in front of him. He scowled when the small monkey chattered in glee at his reprimand. Ever since he was old enough to read, he's been taught the ways of his kingdom's politics, the cultures of the people living in his father's land, and everything on how a noble should act in public. Some things he found interesting, whereas others he found absolutely dull.

"I've been studying for over three hours and my brother's studies ended about an hour ago." He groused.

"Your brothers are not the next in line to become king." His stern tutor told him.

The young king to be looked at his tutor with boredom. Tutor Moses Joseph—referred to as Mojo by the boys when they were much younger—always strove for the best from the princes. When the king died, he'd more or less taken over in raising them. He was an older man whose head was balding, short in stature with large ears, and arms that seemed to constantly be holding a book or text—or currently his stick, which he used often to regain the boys' attention. Whenever this occurred, his pet pale capuchin, named in jest Jojo, would chatter loudly from wherever he was in the classroom. He felt that knowledge was power, and the more the better. "So, I am constantly reminded." He glanced out the window at his three brothers.

The tutor noticed that his pupil had turned away from his books and was looking out the window again at his young brothers. Seeing, that he wasn't going to teach this boy any more that could possibly be retained, he grudgingly closed the book in his hand and set it on the table in front of him.

"Your studies are finished for the day, your highness." The tutor said, immediately drawing the boy's attention. "We shall resume—."

The words had barely left the tutor's mouth when the redheaded royal jumped from his seat and left the room to go join his brothers in the courtyard. The tutor shook his head and smiled fondly.

Out in the courtyard the three boys were found in a dog pile with the youngest on top, smiling triumphantly.

"What are you three doing?" The eldest asked, folding his arms over his chest and smiling lightly at his brothers.

"I'm a bear." The youngest said while jumping off his brothers and running toward his eldest brother. Holding his arms out, he caught his brother as he jumped into his arms. The sudden weight of his brother was nothing he couldn't handle, but then there was a sudden burning in his right shoulder.

The next thing he saw was the courtyard walls moving downward and the sky filling his vision along with nonmoving curls. When he looked past the mass of hair, he saw the end of a thick arrow with black quiver protruding from his youngest brothers back. "Bear," he called weakly before turning his eyes back to the sky.

The second eldest pulled his younger brother to stand behind a tree out of sight of the archer. When the blond tried to peek from around the edge, his brother jerked him back merely moments before an arrow would've pierced his skull.

"Stay back!" he hissed.

"But our brothers!"

"We can't help them if we are dead, as well."

"Guards! Where are the guards!" the prince with the yellow hair called out, before looking up at the walls and catching a glimpse of the archer wearing all black. The archer ran across the walls, before disappearing over the edge. "Catch him! He went over the wall! Don't allow him to escape! He's on the west wall!"

"Brother!" The dark-haired prince ran to his fallen brothers, once the guards took off in the direction of the archer. As he approached he saw the blood pool underneath them from the arrow piercing them. "Brick. Look at me. Don't close your eyes." He turned to his younger brother and made the same orders. Unfortunately, the younger boy didn't have the endurance to not close his eyes. "Bear, open your eyes! Damn it! Open your eyes!"

The archer landed hard on the far side of the castle and ran into the forest trees that lines its walls. There he met with his four comrades. Together the five of them disappeared into the shadows. The guards stood no chance of catching up to them. They were masters at blending into the forest.

Back in the castle, Brick struggled to breathe as he brothers hovered over him. Butch hadn't left his side, before turning to his yellow haired brother. "Boomer, get over here. Help me get them to the infirmary."

Together with great effort, the two young princes lifted their brothers and as they walked into the castle. The guards helped to carry the young princes still attached by arrow to the eldest's room. Servants stood aside as the group walked the halls with haste, so the princes could be tended to.

"Call the physicians! Send them to Prince Brick's room at once!" Butch commanded urgently, feeling trepidation like never. Brick had to live, for if not, then the kingdom would fall to Butch next and he wasn't sure if he could handle such as task. His baby brother Bear needed to live too, simply for the fact that he was the most cherished and too young to perish in such a way.

A maid had just finished making Brick's bed when the entourage burst through his doors. The poor girl about jumped out of her skin upon seeing the eldest and youngest prince joined by my arrow. She let out a small shriek and put her hands to her mouth. Boomer looked over at the girl after his brothers were laid on the bed and walked over to her.

"Are they dead?"

"Don't be stupid! They will be fine as soon as the physicians arrive. They will live." He spoke gruffly, grabbing her by the arm and leading her out of the way. "When the physicians get here, you are to get them anything that they need understand?"

The girl nodded her head nervously. "Yes, my prince."

The four guards that helped carrying the Prince Brick and Bear stood by the bed, rightfully feeling as failures for allowing this to happen to their future king. The feeling was made worst by the sight of the youngest Prince, for he was no more than seven years of age. He was a surprise as no one thought the queen would birth another child after the difficult birth of the triplet princes. To see him die, would have the late queen turning in her grave at the tragedy.

Butch was standing over his brothers his brow furrowed in agitation. "Brick, speak to me. Don't close your eyes and speak to me."

Brick's eyes kept fluttering open and closed as the burning in his shoulder grew worst. He also was beginning to find it difficult to breath as the weight from his younger brother seemed to press down on him more and more with each minute. "Bear?" he managed to rasp out. "Bear?"

Butch put a hand to his youngest brother's cheek and startled at the chilling cold of his skin. "Where are the physicians?"

"We're here my prince." The lead physician called out as he entered the room. The guards parted so that he could examine his patients. "What happened?"

"An assassination attempt. An archer wearing all black shot from the west wall." Butch spoke as two of the physicians carefully pulled the arrow from the two brothers. Brick groaned and scrunched his eyes in discomfort. The physicians that pulled Bear from Brick held the young prince before sharing a grave look. The arrow stood mocking them as it protruded from the left side of his chest. His eyes hadn't fallen closed like his brothers believed but were hooded over from the great difficult that came with breathing. Shallow and slow, with each one sounding like it would be the last. His pale skin grew paler with each moment and the chill of death kissed his face welcomingly.

The physician looking over Brick examined the wound and noticed the sickly green that was forming around the skin of the wound. "I need leeches. That arrow was laced with poison!" the lead physician called out. "Now."

One of the physicians beside Brick left the room to go retrieve the leeches to draw out the poison. For the time being the physician tied a tied bond around Brick's shoulder to prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of his body.

Butch watched as the physicians worked over Brick, before turning to look at his youngest brother. The physician holding the young prince, closed his eyes and stood up cradling the boy carefully.

"What are you doing?" Boomer asked, seeing the physician begin to carry the young prince out of the room. "Where are you taking my brother?"

The lead physician left Brick's side to inspect the younger brother. It was merely a formality as it was clear the boy wouldn't live. It was cruel to keep him suspended between life and death, so there was only one thing left to do. "Take him to the lower floors of the infirmary. Take the back hallways to not be seen." He then leaned in and whispered into the junior physician's ear. "His brothers shouldn't witness his end in such a way."

The physician holding the boy nodded his head and left the room gravely silent, the sound of his shallow breathing fading down the hallway. Boomer watched as his brother was taken away and felt his chest constrict painfully. He then turned to Butch and say that he'd grown extremely still watching his brother be carried out of the room. Swallowing the lump that formed in his throat, he turned to Brick and noticed sweat begin to form on his brow.

"We need towels and water." A physician spoke, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat from Brick's brow. The maid who'd been standing worriedly in the corner took the chance to escape the tense room to fetch what was needed.

As she was leaving the other physicians returned with the leeches. Butch was moved away from Brick as the physicians set out to begin the task of attaching the leeches to Brick's wound. "Brace yourself my prince. Your battle is just beginning."

The next three days were the most tiresome for the young princes. Their youngest brother Bear was pronounced dead within the castle not an hour after last seeing him. The arrow had pierced his lung, making his breathing near impossible. The physicians had no other way to ease the boy's pain than by death. Butch and Boomer shed their tears for their brother yet couldn't allow a funeral ceremony to be held until Brick was awake. Only then would the entire kingdom be made aware. After a majority of the poison was drained from Brick's body, a fever set in to burn off the rest. He was given an antidote to counter the poison and a medicine for the fever. He fell into a deep sleep as his body slowly recovered. Butch and Boomer in their grief and worry sat outside of Brick's room, hoping he'd wake up soon.

Boomer was reeling from the events of the previous days. His youngest brother was dead, and his eldest brother lie sick with fever. It had lessened over the few days, but he hadn't woken up yet. It pained their heart so much death surrounded them. First their mother, about a year or so after Bear's birth. Then their father in battle, leaving the prime minister as regent until Brick came of age. Now their brothers. To think that those who lived outside of castles believed there was no strife or worry within its walls. How wrong they were.

Butch found himself anxious and quietly praying that Brick would recover. He didn't want to be king. It was a task that Brick had been preparing for his entire life, not him. Of course, he studied with his brothers and knew everything there was to know about the kingdom and its history. However, Brick had to know the neighboring kingdoms' histories, the small villages of his kingdom's economy, and everything about being king. It wasn't a burden Butch was ready for. Brick hardly seemed ready and he'd been preparing all his life.

As the boys were sitting in the hall, the prime minister, Henry—or His Imperial Majesty, as the boys joked—came down the hall with their tutor Mojo. Butch wanted to sigh in aggravation at the prime minister. He was a severe looking man, tall and lank with a pointed nose and black beard to match. Bear has—had— always been frightened of him, but the older boys found him to be simply annoying. He was constantly finding ways to get under their skin with his flamboyant attitude, personality, and clothes. Brick told Butch and Boomer that many thought him to be a 'molly'; a word he'd learned from sailors to mean he preferred the company of men at night.

"My young princes." The prime minister greeted. "Has there been any change to your brother?"

Boomer stared lifelessly at the floor, while Butch shook his head. "Not much. His fever is down, but he's yet to awake."

"I'm sure he will soon." He said with subdued optimism, before turning hazel eyes to Butch. "Prince Butch, may we have a word with you?"

Butch's annoyed stare turned into a suspicious glare. "Why? You can speak to me with my brother present."

Boomer looked up and glanced between the prime minister, tutor, and his brother. "What do you need to speak with him about?"

Mojo, the sterner yet sensitive to the boys' feelings, wrung his hands around the book he held in his hands. "My prince, we thought it in the best interest of the kingdom that—."

Butch stood up from his seated position on the floor to stand eye to eyes with the tutor. "Our brother isn't dead! I'd appreciated if you asses didn't bring it up again unless he were."

Mojo bowed his head contritely for angering the prince in his stressed state. The prime minister ran his hand over his beard, which hinted at his aggravated nerves. "Prince Butch, we meant no insult. It was just a thought towards a contingency plan."

"Do not treat me for a fool or think my brother to be a weakling." Butch snapped. "We have survived worst."

"My prince, we did not intend to further upset you with this." Mojo spoke in a gentle, but urgent tone of voice. "Though if—and I do say if—the worst came to be, you do understand what will be required of you?"

Butch closed his eyes and ran a hand through his short hair, disheveling it. "Yes. As next in line for king, I'd have to learn everything that has been taught to Brick about the kingdom."

"Not just the kingdom, but the basics of the other kingdoms, their economy, our economy." Mojo shook his head. "There would be much that you'd have to learn."

Boomer saw Butch's shoulders sag as if under physical weight. He felt for his brother, as even the thought of that weight being placed on his shoulders made him buckle. The prime minster had no such pity for the boy of fifteen.

"You're a prince. One of what was four." He said without care.

"Henry, please. Bear was but a child." Mojo said as he watched a stony expression go over the boys' faces.

The prime minister stroked his beard and sniffed indifferently. "Brick, Butch, and Boomer are princes. Brick should he survive will be king next. If not, then it's Butch's responsibility. I will not coddle them like small children, Moses. They have a responsibility to their kingdom, and you have a responsibility to them to prepare them for such a situation. I will not have this kingdom fall due to negligence!"

"Be that as it may," Butch started, his voice stronger than it's been in a the last few days. "need I remind you that you are regent, not king? More importantly you are not my father nor anyone above me, so do not presume to order me about."

Henry smirked and rose his nose to the young prince. "There's a king."

Boomer sighed at the prime minister as he goaded Butch. As colorful and distracting as his front was, he knew how to take charge or motivate someone. While his words were callous, it was the spark that needed to happen to not have them wallowing in despair.

Mojo sighed with relief that the tension had passed, only to come to attention when the prime minister turned his attention to him. "Moses. From this day forward, you will have the boys follow the same lesson plan. Butch and Boomer are to be caught up to Brick immediately."

Boomer sighed heavily but said nothing. He knew that this was practical, however there was a small part of him that didn't wish for the extra work to be thrust upon him.

As he was pondering how best to deal with the new workload that would definitely be coming their way, the maid from a few days before came walking down the hall with fresh towels. When she entered the room, she let out a small shriek causing everyone in the hall to run into the room. Butch and Boomer let out their own yells of relief and joy at seeing Brick's eyes open after so long.

Brick was disorientated to say the least as sitting up made his head swim. The physician gave him some water for his throat and a damp towel to wipe the remaining sweat from his brow. "It's good to see your eyes open, my prince."

Brick drunk a large gulp of water before reclining back on the bed cushions. His body felt stiff from being immobile for so long. Looking around the room, he saw two of his three brothers and began to sit in. "Butch. Boomer." His voice gruff. "Where's Bear? What happened?"

Butch and Boomer felt the blood drain from their faces and relief slip away. Brick's wakening was bittersweet. They were glad that he was awake, but now had to tell him and announce that the youngest prince was dead. Prime minister Henry moved around the boys, when he saw they had no will to tell their king to be the news. He stroked his beard again, before the tutor raised a hand to him and walked toward the bedridden boy.

"Your highness," he said bowing his head in condolence. "It grieves me to inform you that your youngest brother Bear has passed on."

Brick's eyes widened before looking to his brothers who wouldn't meet his gaze. The prime minister stood his arms crossed over his chest adamantly. His grief turned to fiery rage as he turned his unusual red eyes onto he physician. "Did you not try to save him?"

"The physician stepped forward and bowed in regret. "Your highness, with all due respect, there wasn't anything more we could do, other than—." His words were cut off when the young prince lunged at him and his hand found itself around his throat.

"Liar!" he rasped. "You did…nothing…to save him."

"Your highness!" Mojo cried out as he tried to pry the grief-stricken prince. "Release him."

Butch and Boomer moved forward to try to calm their brother down. The prime minister closed his eyes as he took a sobering breath. The physician's eyes were wide with fear, not for himself but the prince for he was still weak. "You're highness please. You've only just awoken."

"But what of my brother?" he growled out weakly, as his brothers pulled his off the physician and forced him to lie down. "Will he awaken?"

The physician rubbed his neck carefully. "The arrow has pierced his lung, your highness. He was drowning in his own blood."

"You…let…him…die!" Brick bit out, as fatigue began to fill him, making his eyes droop.

"He was relieved of his pain, your highness." The prime minister spoke, having grown tired of the coddling, no matter how mild it was. "Unfortunately, it had to be by death. Even if there was more we could do, your life is of higher regard."

The coldness of his voice made not only Brick, but all three of the princes stop. "Prime minister Henry!" Mojo turned to glare at the man.

"I told you, I would not coddle them." He reiterated. "They are fifteen and in six years' time Brick will be king. I would've expected the death of their parents to harden them. Another unfortunate event in that it must be done so over the death of their brother."

Brick's strength left him, and he had no choice but to allow his brothers to catch him as he slumped to the bed, silent tears falling from his eyes. His brothers did their best to console him but were still dealing with open wounds themselves.

"Moses," he called out. He gestured with his head to the tutor and everyone else in the room to leave. The physician left to go inform his superior that his highness had awoken. The maid scurried off to inform the grapevine that the prince was indeed alive. That left the tutor and the prime minister alone in the hall.

"I know you choose not to coddle them, but must you be so cold." Mojo asked him comrade.

The prime minister moved his hands to behind his back and with a raised chin. "Life teaches us hard lessons, as they are finally grasping. For them to pick themselves up, someone must be there to make them stand on their feet."

It was sudden and ended as quickly as it occurred. A portal of swirling multicolored light opened under the darkness of night, and from it four girls appeared, falling to the cold hard earth of their new world. Their breathing was laborious as the air was stolen from their lungs. The passage through the portal was rougher than they anticipated with so much inexperience.

Bubbles held her hands to her chest before, bracing herself against a nearby tree. Buttercup was breathing deeply through her nose and mouth. Her hands ground themselves into the ground beneath her, leaving deep marks. Blossom's breath was broken with sobs as she held her youngest sister, who was more still than she should be.

"Bunny!" Blossom yelled out hoarsely. She held the young girl to her chest and rocked back and forth on her knees. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. This wasn't supposed to happen."

Bubbles lifted her head from against the tree and turned to see what Blossom was referring to when she noticed Bunny staring up blankly at Blossom. "No."

Buttercup didn't turn around, as she heard Bubbles shuffle over to her sisters. Her cries began to fill to merge with Blossom's as they filled the late night. Buttercup's grief took a different form as clouds filled the sky and green lightening struck the ground in a circle around her. Standing up, she turned her eyes to the stormy sky with her eyes glowing.

"This is my fault."

Blossom and Bubbles looked up at Buttercup. "Buttercup." Bubbles began, before a flash of lightening struck the ground near her. Bubbles threw up a shield of blue magic to protect herself.

"Don't say that it wasn't!" She snapped as tears filled her eyes. "We ran for my sake, and Bunny took the strike that—."

"Was meant for me, Buttercup." Blossom told her sternly. "I will not have you putting the blame on yourself. Not this. Sedusa's strike was for my neck, and I was prepared for it."

Another strike of lightening hit the ground, this time nearer to Blossom. A reflexive pink shield went up around her and Bunny. "Do you think I would be less upset if it were you?"

Blossom closed her eyes before turning her face to Bunny. She opened her eyes and allowed more tears to fall. "I thought we were prepared for all the risk that come with this." She stroked Bunny's hair and closed her eyes. "Apparently not."

Burning hot tears fell from Buttercup's closed eyes as she clenched her fists. As she did this the magic she'd stolen flared around her. She then lifted her head to the heavens and let out a loud scream of agony. Her green magic shot into the clouds above and caused a downpour. The rain mixed with her tears as well as her sisters, as they mourned Bunny's death.

As the rain poured down on them the girls walked into the forest until they found a spot perfect for burying Bunny. Using their hand, the girls dug into the wet earth until the spot was deep enough not to be unearthed. Bunny was gently lowered into the ground and covered before they joined hands and spoke a soft prayer for their fallen sister.

"May the mages and those before us welcome you into their circle. May you watch and protect us from the stars. By the mage we send you off to heaven." From Bunny's grave, a bed of violets rose. The only marker for their baby sister.

"This is real." Blossom turned to look at them. "We haven't beaten her. Only delayed her." She turned to Buttercup with a new resolve. "I will find a way to save you from her."

Buttercup said nothing as her dead remained fixated on the roses. Bubbles wiped the remaining tears from her face as she turned her eyes to the stars. "How is it that I feel both powerful and helpless at the same time?"

Blossom turned to her golden-haired sister and sighed. "It's the magic. We've never held this much power before, nor should we for long."

Buttercup rose a questioning brow to Blossom. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, we need to find vessels to hold some of this power. The more spread out the magic is, the more time we have to prepare for Sedusa."

"And who shall these vessels be?"

In the castle, about three days' journey from where the girls currently were three young princes prepared for the following day in where their brother would be buried.

I'm back my lovelies, and with the first chapter of The Powers That Be. Coming of Age was a blast, so let's rock this out even better. Stay tuned for more. Reviews and PMs are welcome. I love you all. Until next time.