Hello once again! Antoni, or as the case may be the Brick, Butch, Blossom, and Buttercup FanFiction Critic and Recommender, here, back with another fan fiction guilty pleasure. This time, I am taking a look at another Powerpuff Girls fanfic this time involving the Rowdyruff Boys called Rowdyruffboys Apocalypse, which was written by TheUndertalker33 and last updated on June 11, 2015. It’s rated M. It’s in English, it’s in ten chapters, even though it’s left unfinished, and the main pairing is Brick/Butch. Boomer only appears in the first chapter and is never seen again throughout the rest of the story. You will find out why. Even more so, Brick and Butch are in their late teens and twenties in this fanfic.
As to be expected, I am feeling rather naughty again, as there is also one thing I have to admit. While I do feel kind of titillated by having Blossom and Buttercup being paired up as lovers in fanart and fanfics, I am equally as titillated when Brick and Butch get paired up as lovers in fan works, even though they are brothers. If it were not already obvious, this is basically an RRBcest fanfic involving Brick and Butch.
Before I start talking about the fanfic, in particular, I would like to reiterate that I enjoy Brick’s and Butch’s chemistry as brothers, and at times it’s not hard to see why some fan artists and fanfic writers would pair them together. Much like their counterparts, Blossom and Buttercup, these guys are the eldest of the Rowdyruff Boys, with Brick being first eldest and Butch being the second eldest. Sure, Boomer does come off as a butt monkey, as both Brick and Butch gang up on him because he’s the youngest and the dimmest, especially the former, given what was evidenced in the episode “Bubble Boy”, but, in spite of that, at least the Rowdyruff Boys work as a unit. Additionally, while Brick is the street-smart, abrasive, rough and tumble, and large-and-in-charge big brother who is unafraid of exposing so much machismo, Butch is the energetic muscle middle brother with bouts of psychosis. Thus, making them complement each other in a brotherly tough love way, with Butch obeying Brick’s every command like his most loyal pet. What is also recognizable about the both of them is that they are also completely impulsive and hotheaded bruisers. The slightest provocation would be enough to set Brick and/or Butch on a rampage, as they will get aggressively physical. Despite their machismo, there is something oddly charming about both Brick and Butch, and that is they don’t take crap from anybody and they both have strong and bombastic personalities to make them all the more enjoyable to watch, as these two have the closest brotherly bond.
When it comes to writing fanfics with Brick and Butch as the main focus, it is the standard procedure for fanfic authors to make Brick the more responsible and more intelligent sibling to Butch’s impulsiveness and Boomer’s naiveté. Thus, bringing more charm, diversity, and dimension not only to the boys as individuals but also as a group, especially when teamed up with the Powerpuff Girls. Even more so, Brick would usually have his own brand of tough love to make sure his brothers do not do anything worth regretting, rash or foolish, as he does carry the burden of being the eldest of his brood. Even more so, fan artists and fanfic authors also try to tap into Brick’s secret genius side, Butch’s unique brand of charm, and Boomer’s sensitivity to make them even more heroic than what they are portrayed in the TV show. With that said, let’s get on to what I thought about this particular fanfic.
The story is set in a cataclysmic location, where zombies kill people and the survivors barely stand a chance to live much further. Brick, Butch, and Boomer attack the zombies known as runners with what weapons they have. However, it is all too late for Boomer, as he is killed by one of the runners. Butch blames himself for his brother’s loss, as the two remaining Rowdyruffs have no choice but to soldier on. Along the way, Brick and Butch are doing their best to survive with what little they have and what they have to scavenge, whilst their feelings for each other grow far beyond fraternal love, as they get more intimate with each other. The way the story builds itself up was pretty well done and it knew when to put in a sex scene in the right moments rather than go at it immediately. I also liked it that it was set in an apocalyptic world, making the entire affair a survival of the fittest situation for these protagonists, as they have to survive in a world ravaged by zombies and people figuratively fighting for the last scrap of meat. However, if there is one flaw I have when it comes to the story, it has to be the fact that Boomer’s death was only imperative in the first chapter, but in the next ones, he is never mentioned again. One might think that a family member’s death would immediately hit a raw nerve on the characters like Brick and Butch and let a few more chapters or paragraphs be dedicated to honoring his legacy. However, as I read the story, it seems as though that Boomer has become an afterthought after the first chapter and he is never mentioned again. Even more so, he could’ve had a proper burial instead of just having a few words being said about his kindness and benevolence to their team. I am very sure that the author mainly wanted to focus on Brick’s and Butch’s flourishing intimacy, but it would’ve been really nice if Boomer were to have a more proper send-off with the two remaining Rowdyruffs honoring his legacy and even apologizing for all the times they have teased him.
Speaking of favorite moments, I definitely love that one moment in the sixth chapter where Butch takes off his clothes to reveal his muscular body to Brick. Brick then compliments on his physique and Butch flexes a bit before the lovemaking commences. As to be expected, the sex scenes were well-described and were used in the right place at the right time without the need to draw it out too much.
Talking about the characters is talking about Brick and Butch. To begin with, these two gents have a good amount of dialogue where they are cussing, given the fact that they are either in their late teens or twenties. Brick maintains his big brother persona to Butch and his toughness, but he also has a fair amount of sensitivity and vulnerability in terms of Boomer’s loss and his love of sketching on his comp book. Butch still manages to be the muscle with his combat prowess and athleticism. In terms of who is on top and on the bottom of this relationship in this story, Brick is usually at the bottom, while Butch is usually on top. Their relationship might be enough to turn any yaoi fan on, be it male or female, and as to be expected, their chemistry is extremely palpable.
Whilst I thought the story was well-told, I did have a few issues. I did spot some grammatical errors and some missing words, but they were not so egregious nor obnoxious. There were also times that the formatting was slightly all over the place, but, much like the grammatical issues, they were not as annoying. However, one noticeable screw-up was in the story title, as it should have been corrected as Rowdyruff Boys Apocalypse.
So, overall, this was surprisingly good. Was I still rather titillated seeing Brick and Butch together like this? Yes, kind of. Plus, for ten chapters, I had a fun time reading this story, as Brick and Butch sold it from beginning to end. With that said, I give this fanfic a B for content and an A for enjoyment, bringing the overall grade to A-. The story was still quite fascinating even though I would’ve loved to have more development on how Brick and Butch would’ve honored Boomer and even where the story was going to go. As to be expected, if you are not a fan of RRBcest, then turn away. If RRBcest is okay with you, then you might enjoy this.
Well, that’s all for now. Be sure to tune in later for a Butch/Buttercup-centered fanfic that I have been wanting to talk about for the longest time, Loosen up Buttercup. So, until then, good night, everybody.
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