PPGD: Love And War 0102

PPGD

Love and War…Mostly War

Chapter 2: The Scotsman

School was starting to wind down as summer vacation neared.  Consequently, the weather was beautiful and the tough brunette in the green school uniform couldn’t wait for school to be over.  So, while she zoomed through the air to a final day of school, that would no doubt be full of snacks and socializing, she didn’t pay much attention to her sisters jabbering.  

Ms. Meryl had cake and cookies set up on all the students’ desk, Buttercup had no choice but to pig out.  The school was buzzing with talk of what each student would be doing on their break, they wouldn’t seem to shut up.  Buttercup leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes dreaming about going back to Townsville for a couple of days to fight some bad guys.  

Suzy and Tootie visited Buttercup’s desk to have them sign a picture of Sensei Jack and her at a school dance.  Buttercup was embarrassed and told them to give it a rest, and leave her alone about it.  It was a stupid dance, but when she was triple-dog dared to ask Sensei Jack for a dance she was secretly excited and terrified.  He had been so graceful and his hand on her hip made her turn a dark shade of red.

The end of the day was the best.  When the last bell rang the halls were flooded with running children that trample you as soon as look at you if you stood in the way of their first precious moments of summer.  It was as if the teachers might call them back if they didn’t get away quickly enough.  

The next few days offered little excitement for the girl who was itching for action.  Sometime in the second week of June, Buttercup was walking to Tootie’s house, kicking her soccer ball along the way, when she saw a familiar face.  Standing in front of her was a boy her age with short dark hair and a black jumpsuit containing an “RR” patch on the left side of his chest.  

“Butch,”  She growled at him.  “Are you lookin for a butt-kickin?  Cuz if you are-“

“No.”  He didn’t look her in the eyes as he talked to her.  He sounded almost sad.  

“Do you know where Boomer is?”  Buttercup grunted her response, being that she had no idea where he was.  “I know he was going to see ‘Blue’ and he didn’t come back from the last little date.”

“What are you talking about?  I haven’t seen you’re brother, and I really don’t care.  Wait!  Are you talkin about Bubbles?”  He didn’t answer, he just flew away.  Weird.  Buttercup couldn’t stand that tough boy wannabe, but she did feel a little bad for him.  Guess she would ask Bubbles when she got home.  

Buttercup forgot about going home altogether and fell asleep on Tootie’s couch watching Crash Nebula kick alien butt.     She after picking up her soccer gear from her home she had to rush, without using her powers, to school for summer practice.  (Sensei Jack was coaching, or else she wouldn’t waste her summer there if you had paid her.)

Buttercup was never much for caution, so walking down the sidewalk and digging through her backpack simultaneously posed no risk in her mind.  Therefore it was no surprise that she ended up colliding with a 6ft, heavy set, red-haired man.  He turned to look at the rude girl who had been knocked off her feet by the collision.  She looked up at him as though it were his fault, which made him give her a mean look until he realized he was in luck.  

“Mornin’ lass.  Sorry bout bumpin into ya like that.  Would ye mind givin a lost Scotsman some directions to Megaville Elementary?”

“…Sure.  I’m goin there right now.  Guess you could walk with me.”  She was still staring.  He had a white shirt on with a green and red kilt.  The top of his head was bald, but he had quite a red mustache going.  Not only was that weird, but he had a sword on his back and…AND A GUN FOR A LEFT LEG?!  Why did this guy have to go to the elementary school?

She had barely gotten to her feet when the ground started to rumble fiercely.  The Scotsman’s eyes suddenly became focused, as though he was preparing for a fight.  When he drew his sword it became obvious to Buttercup that she was about to get a long deserved fight with some villains.  From above them a dark portal tore open the sky, releasing a dozen or so robots, who dropped to earth.  

They were silver beetles, standing on they’re hind legs, encircling the Scotsman and his child escort.  “Lass, don’t ye be worrying.  I’m gonna-“ BAM!  One of the robots was knocked off it’s feet by a streak of green light.  He was speechless at the sight of the little girl in her soccer uniform hovering over the disabled bot.  “Guess I got nothing to worry bout then.”  He leaped at the bot in front of him, slicing it in half with a surgeon’s precision.  

SMACK!  One of the beetle-bots caught him from his right side, sending him rolling into one of the resident’s front lawn.  It approached him, snapping the pincers on it’s head in an intimidating display.  The Scotsman had dropped his sword leaving him defenseless, or so it appeared.  He lifted his left leg and proceeded to spray a barrage of bullets at the mechanic beast.  Buttercup liked this guy’s style.  

When it was all said and done, with a pile of scrap heap around the two rugged warriors, he gave her a pat on the back and said she had done a good job helping him.  Buttercup failed to remind him that she had actually done most of the work for the sake of being nice.  

Jack was shocked to see the Scotsman walk onto the soccer field, in fact the students a few feet from him could hear a little squeak escape his throat.  He quickly regained his cool and greeted his old friend with a handshake and a hug.  The two went in private for a few minutes while the students warmed up.  Moments later they returned and Sensei cancelled the practice leaving all the girls
disappointed.  The boys, of course, started their own soccer game, not needing a coach to have fun.  

Minutes later, Jack went to the dojo and returned with a samurai sword.  The burly Scotsman smiled at his old friend and gave him a pat on the back.  The samurai was not a joyful as his companion, but he had little choice except to do his duty.