Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

The Divine Flowers

      This is the story of how we died. But don't get me wrong here, people, this is actually a good, fun story. Not even mine or my brothers in fact. This is the story of four beautiful girls, three sisters and their cousin. Their story begins with the divine realm.

      So, once upon a time, small specks of sunlight, moonlight and a couple shooting stars fell from the endless heavens. Once landed upon a dead rose tree, the combined specks and stars created four dazzling rose-like flowers, with colors of red from the rose, soft yellow from the sun, midnight black from the moon, and silver from the stars, on the new divine tree. The flowers had the ability to heal the sick and the injured.

     Then a single elder woman is seen, holding her lantern before her as she discovers the tree. Oh, that woman there, you may want to keep her in mind.

      Then centuries passed. A kingdom grew on a large island, ruled by a kind-hearted King William Utonium and his queen Lucy Honeydew, beloved by all of their subjects and high support from the members of the royal court. The queen is about to have triplets. However she was very sick and weak. Worried for his wife and unborn children, the king sent his loyal knights and many willing volunteers out in search of the divine tree, believing that the divine flowers can save the queen, led by a noble captain who is the king’s best friend.

      Now then, back to the woman from earlier. You see, instead of sharing the gifts from the heavens, this woman, Mother Sedusa, hoarded their healing power, using them to keep herself young for centuries. All she had to do to activate their power is to sing a special song to the flowers.

     Certain that no one is around to hear, Sedusa removes her hood, kneels beside the divine flowers, her hands weaving around the beautiful petals as a light appears from within the flowers.

Flowers, gleam and glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse

Bring back what once was mine

Bring back what once was mine

     The flowers release small dust particles from their petals, Sedusa using them to make her wrinkled skin smooth and pale white, her weak grey hair darken to healthy waves, and her old voice becoming silky. Ok, you get the gist. She sings to them, making her young again. I know, creepy.

     Then Sedusa could hear voices as a few men approaching the area. In a frantic, Sedusa covers the flowers with a bunch of leaves, twigs and grass. But picking up her lantern caused a small breeze to knock away a few leaves and blades of grass.

     Just as Sedusa disappears into the forest, the Captain of the Guard and one volunteer spot the lights from the flowers on the divine tree they were searching for. "We found the flowers!" The volunteer calls out to the others, who soon come running to the site to indeed find the flowers they searched for.

     Carefully, a few men uproot the tree and return to the kingdom with it, Mother Sedusa watching in anger that her tickets to eternal youth are slipping out of her grasp.

      As an elixir, the magic of the rose, sun and moon flowers healed the queen while the captain made the star flower into a herbal tea for his pregnant wife, who is the queen's younger sister. In the next week, four healthy baby girls, three princesses and a noble, were born, the first having bright red hair, the second had golden blond, the third with deep black hair and the fourth a beautiful silver white hair.

     Smiles across their faces, the queen holds her little princesses in her arms as the king hugs his family close, the Captain wrapping his arms around his wife's shoulders as she holds her little girl in her arms, the four small cousins smile at each other. All of the girls are so beautiful, the princesses had been given the names Blossom, reminding her parents of a flower blooming in Spring, Bubbles for her giggling and positive personality and Buttercup for the said flower under the moonlight as their cousin noble be named Bell for being beautiful like the sparkling stars.

     Out on the balcony, the king and captain light four flying lanterns before releasing them into the sky as the sun sets behind the mountains. To celebrate their births, the royal families launched flying lanterns into the sky. For at that moment, everything had been perfect. But then the happiness had come to an end.

     Later that night, a pair of dark figures snuck inside the castle and into the nursery to find the little princesses and their cousin fast asleep together, not wanting to be separated.

Flowers, gleam and glow

     As one cloaked figure sings, Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup and Bell's hairs start to glow with beautiful lights. The figure reveals herself to be Mother Sedusa as she touches a few strands from all four of the babies, her youth returning instantly. Her accomplice, Louis Plutonium steps into the moonlight to get a good look at the vulnerable girls.

Let your power shine

Make the clock…

     After cutting a few strands, believing she could use them to keep herself young, Sedusa gasps as the severed hair turns into a regular red, blond, black and white color, losing its magic and the woman loses her youth once again. There being no other choice, Sedusa scoops up Blossom and Bell while Louis picks up Bubbles and Buttercup, both doing so rather harshly and as they run out of the castle, the girls wake up from their sleep only to find a strange man and woman running off with them.

     As Sedusa and Louis make a run for it, the girls' cries could be heard throughout the castle, waking the king, queen, the captain and many loyal servants. But before anyone could stop them, they had vanished into the night, taking the small children with them.

      The kingdom searched high and low, but they could never find the princesses and their cousin. Deep in the woods in an abandoned tower, after severing ties with Louis, Sedusa raised the girls as her own.

Save what has been lost

     Young Blossom, Bubnles and Buttercup sing the song Sedusa had taught them, Bell resting her head on Blossom’s lap, humming along to the song. Sedusa brushing their ever growing hair that glow brightly as they play the song together as the dive sit in front of the warm dancing flames in the fireplace in the foyer of the tower.

Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine

     As the song comes to a close, Sedusa smiles as her youth once again returns. Sedusa had found her new divine flowers. This time, she was determined to keep them hidden. Stroking the top of Bell's head like a cat, Blossom asks Sedusa, "Why can't we go outside?"

     Sedusa shakes her head at that thought of the four girls playing outside, away from the tower. "The outside world is dark and full of dangerous beings that could mean harm to those as pure as you four." As she says this, the girls hold the part of their hair that had been severed and didn't grow like the rest.

     "All four of you must stay here, where you're safe. Do you understand, my little flowers?"

     "Yes mom." Blossom answers with Bell just nodding her head, always too shy to say a word when Sedusa is around.

     The flames out and Sedusa fast asleep in her room, Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup and Bell quietly leave their room on the second level, making their way quietly to the window that faces outside the glade the tower stands in, a clear view of the night sky past the rock formation surrounding the glade and tower.

     The walls of the tower couldn't hide everything, though. Each year on their shared birthdays, the king, queen, and the Captain would release thousands of lanterns into the night sky, in hope that one day, their lost princesses would return home.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

Life in the Tower

     A few years have passed, the girls are almost at the age of sixteen. Bell, her long silver white hair that reached the middle of her back and kept out of her face by a simple black headband, her bangs in an antenna-like style, and her white sometimes purple eyes scanning the world outside the tower window until she spots a nice patch of wildflowers just right next to the stream.

     A smile forming on her face, Bell is just about to start climbing out of the tower when she all of a sudden feels bright red hair wrap around her waist before two other girls, Bubbles, carrying a timid pink dog Courage, and Buttercup, dressed for her daily workout, joins her side, a grin on their face as the third girl captures their cousin in her arms. “What are you doing, Bell?”

     “Hey Blossom. I just spotted some wildflowers down there and I wanted to go pick some.” Bell points out the patch she had just seen to her cousins, who have become like sisters to her as they grew up together in the tower.

     After seeing the flower patch that Bell saw, Blossom then pulls her back inside, shaking her head. “Bell, if you go out to pick flowers, you’ll end up wandering outside the glade, and that is against mother’s word. Besides we like it here and I know you do as well.” Blossom reminds her that Sedusa has always told them to stay in the tower.

     To show that she actually does not like staying in the tower, Bell glares at her and sticks out her tongue. “Oh come on, Bell. It’s not so bad in here.”  With that, the four leave the window to get started on their daily chores and routines, Blossom’s ever long, flowing red hair trailing on the floor behind them. First, the day starts by checking the clock on the wall.

Seven a.m., the usual

morning lineup

     Hand in hand, the four girls get right to work.

Start on the chores

And sweep till the floor’s all clean

Polish and wax, do laundry

and mop and shine up

Sweep again and by then it’s, like, 7:15

And so we’ll read a book

Or maybe two or three

     Blossom grabs a few books off their bookshelves to read either to herself or to her sisters or Bell. 

I’ll add a few new paintings

to my gallery

     While Blossom paints, Bubbles plays with Courage and Buttercup does push ups, Bell enjoys sewing, making new clothes for herself and Blossom. On rare occasions she makes new clothes for Sedusa as well, but she hardly even touches Bell’s creations. So instead of them collecting dust or being eaten by moths, Bell would resize the clothes to fit Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup instead since the other girls always loved her creations.

We’ll make music and knit

and cook and basically

Just wonder when will our lives begin?

     After cooking a chicken pot pie for lunch, Blossom spots a new spot in the room, completely bare and thought of a new painting idea. The new idea is strong in her mind, the four girls eat the pie and Blossom gets right to work on the new painting, starting with a dark blue base, the color for the night sky.

Then after lunch it’s puzzles

and darts and baking

     They just finished with a batch of chocolate chip cookies after a couple rounds of darts and they completed a puzzle together.

Papier-mache, a bit of ballet and chess

     After twirling a bit, Blossom had gotten all wrapped up in her hair and was about to fall over when Buttercup caught her and spun the other way to unwrap her. Though the process made her dizzy and both girls collapsed onto the floor before bursting into laughter.

Pottery and ventriloquy, candle-making

Then I’ll stretch, maybe sketch

Take a climb, sew a dress

And we’ll reread the books

If we have time to spare

I’ll paint the walls some more

I’m sure there’s room somewhere

And then we’ll brush and brush

and brush and brush our hair

Stuck in the same place

We’ve always been

     With their very long hair all brushed out to feel silky smooth, Blossom Bubbles, Buttercup and Bell then gather all of their hair into bunches before tossing it up and dancing around each other.

And we’ll keep wondering and wondering

and wondering and wondering

When will our lives begin?

     Then new thoughts appear in their minds as they approach the large window they were at earlier, leaning on the windowsill to gaze out into the endless sky.

Tomorrow night

the lights will appear

Just like they do

on our birthday each year

     Thinking about the countless lights they see every year among the stars at this special time, Blossom looks back in the room, to the new painting she had just added to her gallery. Approaching the new painting, Blossom adds the final detail.

What is it like

out there where they glow

     Her new painting is the night sky full of those beautiful lights that shine brighter than the constant stars only once a year.

Now that we’re older

Mother might just let us go

     After a moment, Blossom had completed her new painting with herself, her sisters and cousin, sitting together as they gaze up at the lights.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Mother Knows Best

     In the kingdom that is currently making preparations for the missing princesses and their noble cousin’s birthday, a group of six masked teenage boys and girls scale the roofs of every building in order to reach the castle.

     Now that they have reached their destination, one of the boys with his long red hair tied in the back in a low ponytail and crimson red eyes behind a simple black mask gaze out into the far distance, left amazed at the view. “Wow, I could get used to a view like this.”

     “Brick, come on.” one of his brothers, the one with short blonde hair and charming sky blue eyes named Boomer calls to him once he and their third brother, who has short, spiked black hair and forest green eyes, Butch, have opened a latch into the coronation room, where the princess’ crowns and the noble’s tiara are being guarded, the girls Berserk, Brat and Brute watch the guards on duty.

     Brick gives them a small wave of his hand, signalling them to give him a moment. “You know, I want to have a castle with a great view like this.”

     “If we do this job for Dr. Brisbane, we can get our own castle.” Berserk, the girl with wild red hair up in a spiky ponytail by a X-shaped hair clip and a large, messy red ribbon says with a sneaky grin, given her crush towards the red-haired rogue.

     Coming up behind him, Berserk grabs his shirt collar and yanks him over to the open latch, Boomer strapping a rope around his waist and once he is in position, Brick slips down into the room, Boomer and Butch carefully lowering him.

     Once he is close enough, Brick snatches the three crowns and the tiara, placing them in his satchel. The prizes secure, Brick signals his brothers and comrades to raise him back up. Just as they help him out of the skylight, the guards then realize that the royal treasures have been stolen right from under their noses.

     Running across the bridge to get to the mainland and into the forest, the six masked rogues laugh together at how successful their heist was.

     In their tower, Blossom had just finished putting her art supplies away, a smile forming on her face at a new thought. “This is it! This is the big day we’ve been waiting for, girls. Today, I’ll finally ask her.”

     At these words, Bell then shares her cousins’ excitement. “Oh, I do hope that she’ll let us go this year.”

     “Oh Blossom!” The girls gasp in excitement when they hear Sedusa’s voice outside the tower.  “Let down your hair!”

     Taking a deep breath in order to calm her racing heart as Bubbles, Buttercup and Bell straightens up since their lovely hair isn’t as long, Blossom approaches the single window that is Sedusa’s most used way in. “Coming, Mother!”

     With her hair gathered up and latched onto a hook, Blossom tosses the rest out the window, Sedusa making a small loop with one foot in and, with help from her sisters, she starts to pull her hair back in like a pulley system. Once she is able to step onto the windowsill, Sedusa undoes the loop and enters the tower with Blossom removing her hair from the hook. “Hi. Welcome home, Mother.” Blossom says as Bubbles helps Sedusa off the windowsill.

     “Oh Blossom, I just don’t know how you always managed to do that without fail. It must be absolutely exhausting, my dear.” Sedusa exclaims as she gently strokes Blossom’s face like a rose petal.

     “It’s nothing, really.” Blossom blushes.

     “Then why does it take so long?” Sedusa counters, leaving her dumbfounded until Sedusa lets out a small laugh. “Oh, my dear, I’m just teasing.”

     Then Sedusa walks over to a tall vanity mirror, Blossom right behind her with Bubbles, Buttercup and Bell staying right next to her. “So, Mother, as you know tomorrow is a very big day of the year for Bell, my sisters and I.”

     But before she could continue, Sedusa turns to pull her oldest daughter up beside her so the two of them are both reflected in the mirror. “Blossom, look here in the mirror. Do you know what I see? I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady.” These words made Blossom smile, thinking that her mother was talking about her.
     
     But her next words made her heart drop. “Oh, you’re here too.” Sedusa then laughs at her own joke again, annoying Buttercup that their mother would do that to their sister. “My dear, I’m only teasing. You should stop taking everything so seriously.”

     She just hates it whenever her mother jokes around. Clearing her throat after Buttercup ushers her to go on, Blossom continues, “Anyway, what I’m trying to say, Mother,”

     Again she is interrupted. “Blossom, momma’s feeling a little worn-down. Why don’t you girls sing for me and then we can talk?”

     Perking up at the idea, Blossom and the others immediately went to work on setting up the session. With Sedusa seated in her plush chair, the hair brush in her hand and Blossom seated in her stool with Bubbles and Buttercup seated beside Blossom, Bell laying her head on her cousin’s lap and kneeling on the floor next to her stool, the four girls get right through the song rather quickly.

Flower, gleam and glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse

Bring back what once was mine

     Their hair shining brightly in response to their singing, Sedusa has a hard time keeping up with their incredibly fast pace.

Heal what has been hurt

Change the Fate’s design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine

     Brushing their hair fast, her youth just zaps into her. “Girls!” Sedusa is not pleased with their behavior.

     Now that’s done, Blossom leans closer to Sedusa and Bell stands and steps away to stand beside Bubbles and Buttercup, still not very fond of being close to Sedusa. “So anyway, as I was trying to say, tomorrow is our birthday!”

     This had left Sedusa shocked. “Oh no, can’t be. Too soon for it to be your birthday, girls.”

     “Well, it’s tomorrow and time does fly.” With a sigh, Blossom sits back in her stool, the other three coming back to her side, the girls holding hands in order to keep their nerves down. “Mother, we’re all turning sixteen and we’ve been wanting to ask you something for the past few years. What we really want is to see the floating lights together.”

     At first Sedusa did not quite catch that as she went through the fruit basket. “What was that?”

     To help clarify, Blossom and Bubbles show Sedusa the new painting of the four girls gazing up at the countless floating lights that shine brighter than the stars. “We were hoping that you could take us to see these floating lights.” Bubbles says timidly.

     Seeing the painting, a new thought pops in her mind since she knows what those lights really are.  “Dears, those are just stars.”

     “That’s the thing.” Buttercup adds. “We charted stars and they are always constant.” Blossom points out a chart of the night sky full of constant stars.

     “But these lights only appear on our birthday every year. And Bubbles, Buttercup, Bell and I can’t help but feel that they are meant for us. We need to see them, Mother. Not just from our window, we need to see them in person.”

     “You want to go outside?” Sedusa asks as she goes over to the window she had used to get inside the tower. At the mere thought of them leaving the tower, Sedusa scoffs. “Why, girls…” Sedusa shuts the shutters rather loudly, making it a bit dim in the tower and she runs over to the girls, bringing them all into her arms.

Look at you four,

as fragile as flowers

Still little saplings, just sprouts

You know why we stay up in this tower

     Blossom nods, all four know why they stay in the tower with Bell, being quite shy, scurries out of Sedusa’s embrace and hides behind Buttercup. “We know, but…” Blossom is about to continue when Sedusa interupts her again.

     “That’s right.” Sedusa takes a few strands of their hair and rubs them into her cheek, her most precious possessions.

To keep you safe and sound, dears

     Sedusa goes over to the stained glass window and pulls the curtain shut, making the tower more dark.

Guess I always knew

this day was coming

Knew that soon

you’d want to leave the nest

Soon but not yet

Shh!

Trust me, pets

Mother knows best

     Now on the stairs and leaning against a specific wooden pillar, Sedusa smacks her hips against it, causing the open latch overhead to close, making the tower completely dark and causing Bell to latch onto Blossom as Bubbles and Buttercup move closer to her.

     Not a fan of complete darkness either, Blossom grabs a nearby candle in a candlestick and lights the candle to provide light while Buttercup picks up one of their frying pans.

Mother knows best

Listen to your mother

It’s a scary world out there

     To show her point, Sedusa does a jumpscare, causing three of the girls to scream with Buttercup glaring at her before she vanishes into the darkness, standing behind them and tugging on their hair with them tugging back.

Mother knows best

One way or another

Something will go wrong

I swear

Ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand

Cannibals and snakes, the plague

Also large bugs

Men with pointy teeth

And stop! No more, you’ll just upset me

Mother’s right here

Mother will protect you

Darlings, here’s what I suggest

     Even though she’s doing all of this to change their minds about leaving the tower, Blossom can’t help but run into her protective arms only to see that Sedusa had switched with the manikin before reappearing behind them again on the stairs, small candles lit all the way up to the second level.

Skip the drama

Stay with Mama

Mother knows best

     With a few twirls up the stairs and wrapping her cloak around her caused all of the candles to go out. As Bubbles lights them again one by one, Sedusa stands behind her and snuffs the candles out again.

Mother knows best

Take it from your mumsy

On your own, you won’t survive

Sloppy, underdressed

Immature, clumsy

Please, they’ll eat you up alive

Gullible, naive

Positively grubby

Ditsy and a bit...Well, hmm, vague

Please, I believe, getting kind of chubby

I’m just saying ‘cause I wuv you

Mother understands

Mother’s here to help you

All I have is one request

     Seeing her appear behind them, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup walk into her open arms, Bell not too far behind since she really needs the comfort from being in the dark.  “Girls?”

     “Yes?” Blossom speaks as the four look up at Sedusa.

     Her kind expression then changed into a very firm look. “You are to never ask about leaving the tower again.”

     This demand caused their young hearts to sink, now knowing that they will never leave to see the lights. “Yes, Mother.”

     “Trust me, darlings, it’s for the best. And remember that I love you four.”

     “We love you more.” Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup and Bell reply.

     “I love you most.” Sedusa finishes their usual chant and plants a single kiss to their foreheads.

Don’t forget it

You’ll regret it

Mother knows best

     Some time later, after gathering up her things, Blossom helps Sedusa out of the tower while Buttercup opens the shut curtains and Bubbles opens latches that had been shut to allow light back in the tower. “Ta-ta! I’ll be back in a bit, my flowers!” Sedusa calls as she leaves the tower and the glade.

     “We’ll be here.” Blossom calls back. After unhooking her hair, Blossom sat at the window, just letting her hair flutter in the wind, her spirits and hopes shot down of ever leaving the tower.

     Aware of how sad she is, Bell sits right beside Blossom and holds her close as they stare out into the sky, Buttercup and Bubbles joining them after finishing their tasks.