“Ah si, ben mio, coll’essere io tuo, tu mia consorte, avrò più L’alma intrepida, il braccio avrò più forte. Ma pure, se nella pagina de‘ miei destini è scritto ch’io resti fra le vittime, dal ferro ostil trafitto, fra quegli estremi aneliti a te il pensier verrà, verrà, e solo in ciel precederti la morte ea me parrà!” – Manrico from Giuseppe Verdi’s Il Trovatore (The Troubadour), Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, first performance on January 19, 1853 at Rome’s Teatro Apollo, based on the play of the same name but in Spanish, El Trovador, by Antonio García Gutiérrez English Translation: “Ah, yes, my love, when we belong each to the other, my courage will be the greater, my arm will be the stronger. But if within the book of destiny it is written that I should fall tomorrow, struck down by an enemy blade, in those dying moments my thoughts to you will fly, and I will know that I but go before you into heaven!” This is my Pride Month art trade with my very dear friend, fellow DeviantArtist, and Brickercup-shipping soul sister and comrade-in-arms, the ever fabulous, ever awesome, and ever fun Paula aka BrickercupMasterX3. I once requested her to draw my Soul Calibur OTP Siegfried/Kilik. In return, she requested me to draw her OCs, Nicole the auburn-haired young lady with dark violet eyes in a blue and white prince’s outfit with the saber by her side and silver boots and Aalyiah the girl with long brown hair and green eyes, a golden necklace, a black and violet dress, and golden slippers. Plus, I even added a little something in the form of ruby rings, as in this picture Nicole and Aalyiah are engaged. Fulfilling my end of this art trade was easier said than done, as I had other obligations to fulfill and OTP and BroTP ships to draw, nudge nudge wink wink Brickercup, Blossutch, Bunnitch, and Boomubbles being my OTPs and Brickubbles being my main BroTP for life, as it was Brickubbles month. Moreover, I was figuratively banging my head, as to how I can make these two girls not only attractive in a lovey-dovey way but what setting I can place them in as well as what theme can I give to them and the overall feel if you know what I mean. Finally, I came to this wonderful idea. We have Nicole being akin to a fairy-tale prince and Aalyiah being the fairy-tale princess that she is, as they are having a romantic moment together on a cliff overlooking the sea on a nice, fair day with blue skies. Growing up on fairy-tales and still loving them to this very day as well as loving the fantasy romance yuri shoujo anime Revolutionary Girl Utena has inspired me to make something like this. As for the song choice, or more appropriately opera aria choice, I decided to pick Manrico’s Romanza “Ah Si, Ben Mio” from Verdi’s Il Trovatore, as it has a beautiful, sweeping, and at times haunting melody which makes it ideal for anything romantic. Now, what happens after this Romanza is Manrico, the titular troubadour, and Leonora, a noble lady and the object of his and the Count of Luna’s love, are about to get married until his vassal, Ruiz, alarms Manrico that his supposed mother, Azucena the gypsy woman, is about to be executed, as she is captured by his rival, the Count of Luna. This causes Manrico to break out in the cabaletta “Di Quella Pira” (Of that pyre), which is very famous for the tenor hitting the High C, even though that is interpolated but has become a tradition for many a tenor to attempt this. There is no need to worry in terms of Nicole and Aalyiah’s moment, as there will be only peace and calm between these two ladies. In order to accompany this picture, I personally think that Jussi Björling’s rendition of this particular Romanza is my cup of tea, as his voice was and will always be seamless, gorgeous, and well-focused as well as emotionally poignant. As someone who also sings, I totally look up to Herr Björling as a role model. So, without further ado, here is his rendition of Manrico’s Ah Si Ben Mio with conductor Renato Cellini along with the RCA Victor Orchestra and this was recorded back in 1952. Happy listening. Well, Paula, I hope you enjoyed this picture of Nicole and Aalyiah as much as you also enjoyed listening to the aforementioned opera aria. Take care and see you on the flipside. Nicole and Aalyiah belong to BrickercupMasterX3.
Antoni Garcia
“Try to be best ‘Cause you’re only a man And a man’s gotta learn to take it Try to believe Though the going gets rough That you gotta hang tough to make it History repeats itself Try and you’ll succeed Never doubt that you’re the one And you can have your dreams! You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down Fight ‘til the end Cause your life will depend On the strength that you have inside you Ah you gotta be proud Starin’ out in the cloud When the odds in the game defy you Try your best to win them all And one day, time will tell When you’re the one that’s standing there You’ll reach the final bell! You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down Fight ‘til you drop Never stop Can’t give up Til you reach the top (FIGHT!) You’re the best in town (FIGHT!) Listen to that sound A little bit of all you got Can never bring you down You’re the best! Around! Nothing’s gonna ever keep you down You’re the Best! Around!” – You’re the Best, Joe Esposito, Bill Conti, and Aimee Willis, June 23, 1984 This marks my final Brickubbles month submission for this year as heralded by my very good friend and fellow DeviantArtist the ever-phenomenal and ever-awesome Paula aka BrickercupMasterX3. Moreover, this Brickubbles month submission is dedicated to a fellow DeviantArtist by the name of Ilenia aka DynamisGD who is celebrating her birthday today. So, Ilenia, I hope you have a pleasant birthday and I hope you enjoy this piece of Brickubbles fan art. Tanti auguri a te e tutta la gioia e la felicitá per te. I know I was supposed to have turned this in days ago, but I had other plans and let’s just say that real life got the best of me. I am really sorry for the delay I hope you could forgive me for this really, really long wait. I wanted to make this Brickubbles month go out with a bang and I think this might as well be the submission to do it. Here we have our fabulous big brother-in-law little sister-in-law duo Brick and Bubbles, who are engaged in a sparring match and looking like they’re about to give each other their all, what with Brick being the sensei/senpai and Bubbles being the student/kohai. One cannot help but feel immersed by the dynamics these two have with Brick being like a mighty dragon and Bubbles being an elegant and graceful crane, as these animals represent them in terms of their personalities and it’s a nice mesh and clash between fire and water. Plus, one can easily imagine Brick and Bubbles to be the closest of sparring partners on a ritualistic level, where Bubbles respects Brick as if though he were her older brother from another mother and Brick can acknowledge how teachable, adaptable, and skilled Bubbles truly is as a fighter and as a person. As to be expected, the dragon was an obvious choice for Brick, as it represents might, strength, valor, and ferocity. These are the traits he bears as well as being a skilled user of pyrokinesis. He is someone who demands respect and loves to be heard, but when he does not get it, boy, does he get pissed, so beware. The crane was an easy choice for Bubbles, as it is very well-known for its grace and placidity. It is also a bird which usually finds itself on shallow waters. Ergo, animals and the element of water are very much those features which resemble Bubbles in terms of her affiliation with these two, as she can also speak the animal language and is flexible, graceful, and fluid like a calm lake. When Brick and Bubbles are combined together they definitely form a team-up few duos can ever rival. With Brick’s strength, fierceness, and commanding presence and Bubbles’ agility, grace, and fluidity of movement, they can definitely give any opponent a reason to run for the hills. So, Brick, Bubbles, do you have anything to say to our celebrant? Brick and Bubbles: Sure, we do. Brick: We hope you have a kickass birthday, Ilenia. Bubbles: On behalf of Team Xtreme, we wish you a lot of love and joy in the years to come. Thanks, you guys. Well, that’s it for this submission. During the time I made this I was listening to You’re the Best Around, as I was thinking of a nice song to complement this final Brickubbles month submission. Eye of the Tiger was a bit too overused, so that was out of the question. Then came Joe Esposito’s You’re the Best, which I thought fit Brick and Bubbles as karate fighters very well. So, I hope you also enjoy listening to this song, as it was my drive to pull everything together for this final Brickubbles month submission. You’re the Best by Joe Esposito as part of the Regular Show soundtrack. Take care, everybody. Brick and Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls belong to Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network.
This piece of RRB/PPG fanart is dedicated to a fellow DeviantArtist, Samuel Aken’Ova aka tmntsam, who celebrated his birthday two days ago. So, Sam, I hope you had a magnificent celebration, please continue to be as awesome of an artist that you are and I wish you a lot of love, joy, prosperity, and happiness for the days and months to come. I would also love to dedicate this to all of my fellow hardcore shippers of Brickercup, Blossutch, and Boomubbles. I hope you all enjoy this piece of work. A guy like me can’t have enough of my most beloved OTPs of Townsville Brickercup, Blossutch, and Boomubbles. So, let’s not waste any time and find out what makes these three sets of superhuman couples so fascinating and awesome. And to help us get in the mood here’s our good friend The Narrator to tell us, dear viewers, what makes these power couples super. Narrator: Gladly. (clears throat) The City of Townsville! Home to the courageous, powerful, and daring six-person superhero team, Team Xtreme. Team Xtreme Headquarters! The resident of our superheroes. Oh look, the gentlemen Brick, Butch, and Boomer have just finished their round of Muay Thai sparring. Even their wives, Buttercup, Blossom, and Bubbles, who almost look like Tekken’s Christie Monteiro, have just finished their capoeira routine. Together these three couples band together to be The Superhuman OTPs of Townsville! We begin with the first one in the form of this kick-butt, fiery action duo Brick and Buttercup. Brick: That’s our names. Buttercup: Don’t wear it out. Brick and Buttercup aka Brickercup aka The Hot and Spicy Couple aka The Fire and Spice Couple Narrator: Kicking off this power OTP roster is the couple who can kick butt and take names, not take crap from anyone, can be a bit on the rebellious side and can send a shiver down one’s spine if not cautious. This hot and spicy couple is branded by fans as Brickercup. Donning red shorts with thick black stripes and Muay Thai wrappings as well as having the fiercest red eyes and being the hunky redheaded Alpha Male that he is is none other than Brick “The Bludgeoner” Green, the 26-year-old eldest son of Mr. Green and Mrs. Bellum-Green. Brick (raises his arms to greet the crowd in a proud manner and flexes his biceps): Yeah, that’s right! Brick the Bludgeoner is in the house! And so is my awesome wife, BC. Narrator: Speaking of BC, donning a gorgeous red top, pants containing a warm-colored fire, green smoke, and green firewood, green gauntlets, and lime-green armbands as well as being the lime-green eyed, raven-haired warrior girl that she is is Buttercup “The Toughest Fighter” Utonium-Green, the 25-year-old middle daughter of Professor Utonium and Mrs. Keane-Utonium. Buttercup: Brickster! Your toughest fighter is also in the house! (Brick and Buttercup kiss each other euphorically. After that, they face the camera with fierce grins on their faces.) Narrator: Just by knowing what one can expect from both Brick the Bludgeoner and Buttercup the Toughest Fighter, one can expect these two to give any opponent a run for his money when one dares to come face to face with these two. Their combat prowess, fiercely independent spirits, never-give-up, rough attitudes, and overall toughness make them a force to be reckoned with. Individually, they work just fine, but together any criminal or monster won’t have a prayer to say before the beating commences. (Brick and Buttercup beat up muggers who attempt to rob an old lady, a giant monster, and a corrupt politician.) Brick and Buttercup: And stay down, suckas! Narrator: What did I tell you? Attitude and toughness. Moreover, their powers truly do complement each other, what with Brick being an expert pyrokinesis user and Buttercup also being pyrokinesis user as well as being a geomancer. Man, talk about fire and earth becoming one. Brick: That’s right. And do you wanna know why you should never make us angry?!! Buttercup: You really wanna know why you shouldn’t piss us off?!!! (Brick’s hands ignite and fire spews from his mouth, as he lets out an earth-shattering scream.) Brick: It’s because I can roast you alive! So, you better be prepared for me to heat things up! (Buttercup then telekinetically lifts up a huge rock from the ground and it ignites it. She struggles at first but then she also lets out a powerful scream.) Buttercup: And I can crush you while seeing you burn! (Brick’s flames die down and Buttercup gently drops the rock to the ground.) Brick: You’d have to be really stupid to face us. Buttercup: Unless you’re really craving for a knuckle sandwich then we have it in spades. Narrator: Well, that was igniting, to say the least. So, anyway, when this couple is not completely engaged in combat, they are engaged in steamy intimacy. Seriously, the belligerent sexual tension is just so spicy but so invigorating, as they feed off of each others’ impulses and can also be tender towards each other when they’re not pummeling their enemies. (Brick and Buttercup are making out when the door creaks open.) Brick: Hey, bozo, move it or lose it. Buttercup: Before we knock you out cold. Narrator: Well, there you have it. Team Xtreme’s Hot and Spicy Couple. Let’s move on to the next pair, shall we? And the next one is our brawn-and-brain action duo in the form of Butch and Blossom. Butch: ‘Sup. I hope you’re ready to feel the wrath of the Baron of Berserk. (Butch flexes his muscles.) Blossom (chuckles): Oh, Butch. I think they are. But you need to save it for the criminals. Butch: Oh, sorry, Bloss. Butch and Blossom aka Blossutch aka The Beastly Brawn and The Brainy Beauty Couple aka The Watermelon Couple Narrator: Our…
This piece of Rowdyruff Boys and Powerpuff Girls, known in my headcanon as the superhero team Team Xtreme, is dedicated to a fellow DeviantArtist by the name of Rolando Cuevas aka ROCuevas who celebrated his birthday yesterday. So, Rolando, I hope you had a wonderful birthday and I wish you well in everything you do as an artist. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this piece of Powerpuff Girls fanart. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you all the members of Team Xtreme in different martial arts attire. From left to right, we have the following. Brick- Pankration Butch- Muay Thai Boomer- Kickboxing Blossom- Shaolin Kung Fu Buttercup- Kyokushin Karate Bubbles- Capoeira Moreover, as you can tell from the expressions in their eyes, the pairings are Brickercup (Brick x Buttercup), Blossutch (Butch x Blossom), and Boomubbles (Boomer x Bubbles). So, in turn, I dedicate this Team Xtreme martial arts pic to all of the shippers of Brickercup, Blossutch, and Boomubbles. In my headcanon, Team Xtreme as well as their closest allies and friends Mitch “The Persecutor” Mitchelson, Bunny “The Bouncing Mountain” Utonium-Mitchelson, Harry Pitt, Julie Bean-Pitt, Mike Believe, Robin Snyder-Believe among others practice different types of martial arts including karate, judo, jeet kune do, boxing, taekwondo, Muay Thai, kickboxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts, and jujutsu both Brazilian and Japanese. So when making this picture involving the main Team Xtreme members I had to consider which martial art could complement them in terms of personality, interest, and overall plausibility. For what I got, I definitely enjoyed getting to know the different martial arts and researching about each of them to make them gel these superheroes and to some extent their fighting styles. For Brick, I chose Pankration because this martial art is not only a precursor to mixed martial arts but also has its roots in Ancient Greek history. Since Brick is both street smart and book smart, he would have a great understanding of where Pankration came from as well as the many moves and techniques being used. Thus, he would be able to learn about the history of this Ancient Greek martial art. Moreover, Pankration is considered to be a deadly martial art where it involves combining wrestling and boxing. One can easily imagine Brick not only knowing all the moves by heart but also using it rather effectively in both sparrings and in real-life battles. So, for someone like Brick, strength, smarts, and instinct certainly make him for what he is as a fighter. Butch is an obvious choice for Muay Thai given how warlike, animalistic, and brutal he can be both in his personality and in his fighting style. He is the type of person who fights to live and his life is usually a constant battlefield, where physical and mental strength is an absolute must in order to win. The fact that Muay Thai fighters hit banana trees with their shins in order for them to be strengthened and be rock-hard is actually a phenomenal tidbit that sparked my interest. One can highly doubt that Townsville has any banana trees. So, the Townsville version would have Butch hitting oak trees or any strong tree or any strong material with his shins. Moreover, Butch seems to be a fighter who values close-contact fights, thus applying clinches, elbow strikes, and knee strikes to his opponents. Sure, wrestling could have been a choice for Butch, but I think Muay Thai fits him to a T. In Boomer’s case, I didn’t solely end up with boxing but also kickboxing, given how fast he is with his hands and feet. Boomer seems to be the type of fighter who combines strength and speed and does so in a way in which he can incapacitate his opponents rather effectively. One can easily imagine Boomer delivering different types of punches and kicks from hooks to jabs to uppercuts to roundhouse kicks to crane kicks. Moreover, I can easily imagine him to not just be a very strong fighter who uses muscle but also rapid speed thus making him a force to be reckoned with. Blossom and Shaolin Kung Fu really do go hand-in-hand. On the surface, this has something to do with Blossom’s experience with the Chinese language and even the Chinese culture. So someone who is immersed in Chinese culture as Blossom would also know the two types of Kung Fu namely Shaolin and Wing Chun. Shaolin Kung Fu is definitely up Blossom’s alley because of the monk-like self-discipline, diligence, and warrior’s mindset she bears to live up to this particular style of Kung Fu. Moreover, as a fan of the episode Stuck Up, Up and Away, the way Blossom managed to attack Princess Morbucks is not just elements used in Shaolin Kung Fu but also in Wing Chun Kung Fu, given how close-contact it is. At least, that’s what I presume it to be. Let’s also not forget that scientific studies show that a Shaolin monk’s skull and bones are a lot stronger than those of normal people due to the training they do. So, that principle would definitely apply to Blossom. I went for Kyokushin Karate for Buttercup, as she is someone who applies full-contact attacks on her opponents. Let us also not forget that Kyokushin Karate is very different from Traditional Karate, given that Kyokushin is full-contact but avoids the punching of the face something that Buttercup does to her opponents. Yes, by saying this, Buttercup should have been more fit for MMA, but my headcanon side stated that everyone from Team Xtreme as well as Mitch, Bunny, Harry, and many other of their allies and friends practice MMA. So, with Buttercup, Kyokushin Karate actually ended up being a nice fit for her. Let’s also not forget her experience with the old monk from Makes Zen to Me. I’m fully aware that the old monk practices Shaolin Kung Fu and not Kyokushin Karate, but the variety of attacks Buttercup has as…
This Powerpuff super couples fanart is dedicated to a fine fellow DeviantArtist who is also a very great friend and supporter and always leaves wonderful comments on my works, the one and the only Dolo aka PowerpuffObsessed. So, Dolo, I wish you a most amazing, thrilling, prosperous, and blessed birthday and I also wish you abundant blessings and joy in your work as an artist. In turn, I dedicate this piece of Powerpuff couples fanart to all of the wonderful shippers of Brickercup, Blossutch, Bunnitch, and Boomubbles. Enjoy. Quick question. What happens when you combine four studly, powerful, badass muscle dude brothers like Brick, Butch, Mitch, and Boomer with four gorgeous, tough, elegant, and sassy sisters like Buttercup, Blossom, Bunny, and Bubbles? Why you get four grand power couples who exude strength, confidence, fierceness, and bravery in everything they do as superheroes. Yes, Mitch may not be Brick’s, Butch’s, and Boomer’s brother, but I would love to think of him as their brother from another mother and their all-time closest friend and ally. So, we have Brick, Butch, Mitch, and Boomer doing the most muscular pose and being the strong muscle hunks that they are and their darling wives Buttercup, Blossom, Bunny, and Bubbles being rather calculating and fierce showing why neither they nor their husbands should be messed with. Isn’t that right? Buttercup, Blossom, Bunny, and Bubbles: Absolutely. Buttercup: Besides, my Brickster here, is in great command of his buff, studly body like a true warrior king. That’s why I’m more than happy to have this guy as my hubby. Brick: Aw…BC, you are the greatest wife a man like me could ever have. Buttercup: Thanks, Brick. Brick: My pleasure, babe. Blossom: Well, my dearest Butch, is raw fortitude and animal power incarnate. He truly lives up to the mantra “beast mode engaged”. Butch: Bloss, you are a goddess. (Blossom kisses Butch on the cheek and he blushes euphorically.) Bunny: My darling Mitch may be a normie, but he has enough muscle to beat up any baddie out there. Mitch: My rock-hard muscles and I wanna thank you so much for that compliment, Bunny Rabbit. Bunny: You’re welcome, Mitchie. Bubbles: Last but not least is my big, strong, handsome, and sweet Boomie. I don’t just love seeing his muscles but I love touching them too. I can tell he, Brick, Butch, and Mitch work so hard to keep such godly physiques. Boomer: Aw shucks, Bubs. You always bring sunshine every day. There you have it. The Utonium sisters are totally lucky to have big, strong, powerful, muscular husbands like Brick, Butch, Mitch, and Boomer. So, any birthday greetings for our dear friend, PowerpuffObsessed? Brick: Since we’re the gentlemen here, we’ll let our wives go first. Butch: After all, ladies first is always our mantra. Ain’t that right, guys? Mitch and Boomer: Yeah. Buttercup: Well, all right. Yo, Dolo, we hope you have an amazing birthday today. Blossom: The dedication you have to your work is astounding. Bunny: We hope to see you create some more amazing things. Bubbles: And keep up the great work. Blossom: Now, girls, let’s let our husbands take the floor. They have something special. Brick: Thanks, partner. Blossom: Anytime, partner. Now show her what you got. (Brick, Butch, Mitch, and Boomer fall in line while Buttercup, Blossom, Bunny, and Bubbles depart.) Brick: This is how we buff guys say happy birthday in beast mode. (Brick hunches to do the crab-style version of the most muscular pose.) Brick: Nnnnnnnnnnngggggggghhhhrrrrrrrrr…..!!!!! (Butch does the same pose as Brick.) Butch: Nnnnnnnnngggggghrrrroooooaaaar!!!!!!!!!! (As does Mitch.) Mitch: Nnnnngggggghhhrrrr….!!!!! (As does Boomer.) Boomer: Hnnnnnngggggggghhhh….!!!! (All four of them group together in this pose with wide grins on their faces and furrowed eyebrows.) Brick, Butch, Mitch, and Boomer: Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! (Brick then shoves Butch, Mitch, and Boomer, as he stands back up erect.) Brick: Don’t mess with the boss. (Brick beats his fist to his chest, as Butch, Mitch, and Boomer tackle and tickle him and they laugh.) Brick: Okay, dudes. I tap out. Butch: You mean it, brah? Brick: Yeah! Boomer: Okay, bro. (Butch, Mitch, and Boomer let Brick go.) Brick: Well, PowerpuffObsessed, we hope you enjoyed your birthday gift. Butch: Let’s just say that our muscles wanna thank you for being here. Mitch: Keep on rockin’, baby. Boomer: We hope to see you again real soon. Brick, Butch, Mitch, and Boomer: Take care and stay fit. Wow! Thanks for that awesome piece of entertainment. So, PowerpuffObsessed as well as all of my beloved comrades in shipping Brickercup, Blossutch, Bunnitch, and Boomubbles, I hope you all enjoyed this post and this picture and see you all on the flipside. Brick, Butch, Mitch, Boomer, Buttercup, Blossom, Bunny, and Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls belong to Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network.
This piece of Blossutch fanart is dedicated to a fellow DeviantArtist by the name of Jason Tesch aka TheSuperSaiyan10 who celebrated his birthday two days ago. So, Jason, I hope you had an amazing birthday, I wish you abundance, joy, and prosperity in your life not only as an artist but also as a person. Blessed be. I would also love to dedicate this to all of my dear fellow Blossutch shippers, so, I also hope you enjoy this. Here we have Townsville’s fabulous beastly brawn and brainy beauty couple, Butch and Blossom, being the proud parents to their offspring, three-year-old fraternal twin sons Brendan and Blake and two-year-old daughter Belle. Let’s get to know how these children came to be. By the way, Blossom’s shirt says “Boss Mama in the house” all in capital letters. Butch and Blossom were the last couple of Team Xtreme to end up being married and have children, as the first one was Boomer and Bubbles and the second one was Brick and Buttercup. One year before graduating college, Butch went out of his way to ask Blossom’s hand in marriage. Blossom was initially hesitant, but she relented as long as both of them finish college. They were then engaged, which was a blessing not only to Butch considering how much Blossom has meant so much to him but also to Blossom considering how Butch went from being a mouthy, annoying six-year-old half-pint to a roguish yet charming muscular gentleman, who is so willing to keep her safe from danger. Their relationship came to a head when one October, Blossom found out that she was pregnant with Butch’s child. In the ultrasound, it was revealed that she was going to give birth to twin boys. It was when Butch and Blossom graduated college that they were immediately married. Then on July 24, 2015, Blossom gave birth to fraternal twin sons Brendan James Green and Blake Francis Green. Brendan James Green and Blake Francis Green were rather jolly baby boys when they emerged from their mother’s womb though Brendan was a tad bit rougher than Blake. Personality-wise, Brendan is the split image of his father in terms of his first hairstyle with a cowlick and forest green eyes all down to his rambunctiousness, violent streak, wild nature and willingness to pick a fight. Blake, on the other hand, has his father’s second hairstyle but also his mother’s eyes and is the slightly tamer twin compared to Brendan, thus bearing Blossom’s smarts, self-discipline, and willingness to lead, even though he can be a bit wild and bossy at times. There were days when the fraternal twins even read through entire books and listened to classical music, courtesy of Blossom, while they were just a year old. Therefore, their speech patterns were sharpened at an impeccable rate, even though they were still babies. Aside from their prodigious enunciation of speech, Brendan and Blake were even able to demonstrate their equally prodigious powers at such an early age. Both twin boys have super strength, super speed, and laser eye beams, as they managed to effortlessly bench press a bookshelf, their crib, and even the couch much to Butch’s pleasure and delight and Blossom’s horror and shock. They even managed to galvanize a metal pipe with their laser eye beams and fly at such a fast rate, thus surprising their parents. They even inherited their parents’ individual powers. Brendan can create a force field durable enough to absorb any energy attack much like his father, while Blake has ice breath much like his mother. Because Brendan has also inherited a few of Blossom’s powers he can even shoot ice beams straight from his hand. The same thing can be said about Blake who inherited some of Butch’s powers, as he can be able to create a snowball-like force field, which is strong enough to neutralize any heat-related attack. Even at three years old, both Brendan and Blake have one special attack which has become their signature move and that is the Blizzard Punch an amalgamation of Butch’s Tornado Punch and Blossom’s cryokinesis. Bearing concern and slight fear that Brendan and Blake might end up going awry with their powers, Blossom would always see it fit to send them to Mr. Green every weekend for a visit, to which Butch more than gladly consented, as someone who is a supernatural creature like Mr. Green has enough wisdom, experience, and tact to deal with superpowered children. Blake, being his mother’s son, indubitably shows great control of his powers, while Brendan, being his father’s son as he is, has a lot of catching up to do on the control department. Sure, both fraternal twins are still very young, but according to their beloved paternal granddad, Mr. Green, he sees so much potential. Relationship-wise, Brendan and Blake do get along very well, even though their different personalities can often lead to clashes. Regardless, when all is said and done, they manage to be as close as fraternal brothers are, as in they are loyal to each other and are attentive. A year after on July 26, 2016, Blossom gave birth to a daughter who was christened as Belle Marguerite Green. Blossom’s fascination with the French language was what propelled her to name her daughter, as Belle means “beautiful” and Marguerite is the French form of Margaret. Plus, being an avid opera listener, Blossom was even inspired to give Belle the second name Marguerite after the main heroine of Gounod’s Faust and the queen, Marguerite de Valois, from Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots. Belle Marguerite Green was said to have been a placid baby when she was delivered and given to Blossom. Her physical trait, much like her cousin Blaze, is that she has heterochromia, in which her left eye is forest green and her right eye is pink. Much like her older brothers, she displayed her impeccable articulation while she was a year old, thanks to all of the books which she has read, as…
This submission as part of BrickercupMasterX3’s Brickubbles month is dedicated to a few people I have sadly lost in my life growing up: my maternal grandma, Lydia Aznar-Alfonso, who passed away eight years ago from intestinal cancer, my chemistry teacher in third-year high school, Mr. Nicolas Apelinga, who passed away about three weeks ago, and one of my paternal uncles, Francis Duran, who as stated by my mom passed away today. I would also love to dedicate this piece of RRB/PPG fan art to a fellow filmmaker who I had the pleasure of working with, Steffen Kaminski whose father passed away. May you all rest in peace, you will all be in my prayers and may the Heavenly Father keep you all in His realm. This is going to be the final Brickubbles Flashback, chronicling Brick’s and Bubbles’ major highlight in college. Technically, this is my second-to-the-last Brickubbles submission, as I have one more coming up. Furthermore, this flashback takes place in June 2014, where Brick, Butch, and Boomer were twenty-two years old, Blossom and Buttercup were twenty-one years old, and Bubbles was twenty years old. This was also the month where Buttercup gave birth to Blaze, hers and Brick’s first son, thus making Brick and Buttercup married while entering their fourth year of college. Moreover, since Boomer and Bubbles were the first to marry while still in college, they had their first three children, twins Bailey and Barley who were two years old and Brittany who was a year old. Butch and Blossom were engaged, as she stated to him that she would rather marry when they graduate college to which he gladly agreed. Enjoy this final flashback to the past. Brickubbles is kept as a loving platonic relationship, while the real couples in this flashback are Brickercup, Blossutch, and Boomubbles. There’s also a bit of Bunnitch here. Birth. Childhood. Adolescence. Adulthood. Middle Age. Old Age. Death. This is the life cycle of an average human being and is basically what we all go through in life. Everything influences us to be the people that we are from our environment to our family to our friends to our teachers to society as a whole. There will be good days and there will be bad days, depending on what one makes of it. Speaking of which, picture yourself as this young will-to-be parent. The thought of it is rather intimidating considering the responsibilities of being one, but with enough moral support and unconditional love one can definitely raise one’s child to be the best he or she can be. Submitted for the approval of The Brickubbles Flashbacks, I call this story Life’s and Love’s Gift. Brick, Bubbles, please take the floor. Brick and Bubbles: Thanks, Antoni. Bubbles: And our many condolences to those wonderful people you mentioned. Brick: Yeah, man, I hope you’ll be okay. Me: I will. Let’s dedicate this show to them. (Team Xtreme Headquarters. Blaze, Brent, and Brooke enter racing in the living room with Buttercup. Bailey and Barley are playing a card game akin to Yu-Gi-Oh. And Boomer enters playfully chasing Brittany and Birdie. They land on the huge couch where Brick and Bubbles were sitting.) Brick: Well, hello darling, and my little scamps. (Brick gives Buttercup a kiss and ruffles Blaze’s, Brent’s and Brooke’s hair.) Bailey: Ha! I got Flaminius. He’s gonna roast you alive. There’s no way you can beat me. Barley: Well, bro. I got Dasher! He’s gonna shock you down. (Bailey and Barley realize the attack level both cards have.) Bailey and Barley: Aww…dangit. Another tie. (Boomer approaches Bailey and Barley.) Boomer: I see you enjoyed your game. Now, how about we hop on the couch with your sisters, cousins, mom, your uncle, and auntie? Bailey and Barley: Okay, dad! (Bailey and Barley sit beside Boomer, as he has Birdie on his lap. Bubbles has Brittany sitting beside her. Buttercup has Brooke on her lap and Brick has Brent on his lap with Blaze sitting beside him.) Brent: Dad, I wanna be like you, mom, Uncle Boomer, and Auntie Bubbles when I grow up! Brittany: Yeah, we get to do all sorts of adventures. Blaze: Fight bad guys. Brooke: Fly around the city! Barley: Help out people in need. Bailey: Stop fires from happening! Birdie: And do all that stuff before we go to bed! (Brick, Boomer, Buttercup, and Bubbles chuckle.) Brick: We know you guys will be great heroes. Boomer: There will be a lot of hard work to be done. Buttercup: But if you’re tough and brave enough, we’re all sure you can make it. Bailey: Speaking of making it, when are Uncle Butch, Auntie Blossom, Brendan, Blake, and Belle coming back from grocery shopping? Bubbles: Well, they should be back in an hour. It looks like they’re getting as much good food as they can. Boomer: Sometimes I still can’t believe how much all of you kids have grown. Bailey, Barley, you’re growing taller and stronger every time I see you. And Brittany, you’re getting a lot smarter than I thought. Bubbles: And Birdie, let’s not forget about how fast you continue to run. Bailey, Barley, Brittany, and Birdie: Aw, mom, dad, thanks. Buttercup: Speaking of growing, Brooke your speech is getting clearer every time. That’s great. Brick: And Blaze, your mom has seen how tougher you continue to grow. Brent, you’re even fast enough to give your Uncle Boomer and Auntie Bubbles a good race. Blaze: Thanks, Dad, we’re really happy to have you as our parents. Brick: Bubs, I can’t even believe how fast we became parents. Even during college. Bubbles: Yeah, I can’t believe it too. It was clear that Boomie and I were meant for each other. So, getting married while being in college was crazy, but…
This Brickubbles Month submission, as spearheaded by my dear friend BrickercupMasterX3, is dedicated to a fellow DeviantArtist by the name of StrayF0rk whose birthday was celebrated yesterday. So, StrayF0rk, I hope you had a pleasant birthday and I wish you a lot of amazing things as a fellow artist. This second part of The Brickubbles High School Flashback was certainly long in the making. It took a lot of conceptualizing and figuratively banging my head how Brick’s and Bubbles’ journey in adolescence was going to end. So, here’s the final part of their time in High School. The pairings involved here are Brick x Bubbles (Brickubbles), Boomer x Bubbles (Boomubbles), Brick x Buttercup (Brickercup), Butch x Blossom (Blossutch), and Mitch x Bunny (Bunnitch). This flashback still takes place in the summer of 2009, though spanning from July to August. There comes a time where relationships are either repaired or newly beginning. A repaired relationship is great, especially when you know that both life partners can start fresh and keep going with their lives together. A new relationship after experiencing the pangs of a breakup is just as great, as the past is left behind and what needs to be considered is the future. How does everything wrap up well in such a nice package? Submitted for the approval of The Brickubbles Flashbacks, I call this story Rekindling and Renewal. Brick, Bubbles, you have the floor. Brick and Bubbles: Thanks, Antoni. Brick: Hey, Bubs, remember that rabbit girl stuffed doll I gave to you when we were at the amusement park down at the pier? Bubbles: Yeah, I gave it to Brittany as a hand-me-down. She and Birdie love to share it too. Plus, that doll kind of reminded me of the imaginary friend Blossom, Buttercup, and I had to create to fight off Patches. Brick: Who’s Patches? Bubbles: Oh, he was Mike’s ex-imaginary friend. Poor Mike got blamed for all of the mishaps when it was actually Patches who caused mayhem. It was up to me and my sisters to think up our own imaginary friend to combat him. Brick: Wow! How are Mike and Robin these days? Bubbles: They’re doing really well. Mike’s a child psychologist and Robin’s an English Literature teacher working on their PhDs. Boomie and I paid them a visit and we even spent some time with their three children, Sarah, Cayden, and Michelle. They are such darlings. Brick: Glad to hear. Like I said, I cannot even believe we dated each other. How did Boomer feel about it? Bubbles: He put that all behind him Brick: That’s good. Because the last thing I could’ve done was hurt him so bad. Bubbles: Yeah. (Flashback to July 2009 begins. The then seventeen-year-old Brick and the then fifteen-year-old Bubbles are at the amusement park down at the pier.) Brick: Here we are, Bubs. We got the whole day to ourselves. Bubbles: That’s for sure, Brick. I don’t even know what ride we should go on first. And that makes me even more excited! Brick: Well what are we waiting for let’s go! (Montage of Brick and Bubbles in the amusement park rides, akin to Beastboy’s and Terra’s amusement park date from the original Teen Titans, begins. Brick and Bubbles are first seen on a rollercoaster called The Sharpshooter. Brick is clearly enjoying the thrill of the ride while Bubbles is rather terrified, to say the least. After that, they are riding on bumper cars laughing. Following that is photo taking time at the photo booth where Brick and Bubbles are making silly faces and choose the best photos including the one that is shown. Brick participates in a game where throws a baseball at five metal bottles and all three tries have ended up being successful to the point where he gets a rabbit girl stuffed doll, which looks like the Powerpuff Girls’ imaginary friend from the episode Imaginary Fiend. Bubbles hugs Brick tightly and he blushes. They walk arm in arm to the Ferris wheel, where they watch the sunset together.) Bubbles: It was such a great day, wasn’t it Brick? Brick: Sure was, Bubs. Who knew it’s been a week since we went out as you know… Bubbles: Boyfriend and girlfriend? Brick (somberly): Yeah. Bubbles: Is everything okay? Brick: Yeah, everything’s cool. I think I’m kinda hungry after all the rides we went to. Bubbles: Me too. Brick: I know an awesome burger joint where we can have dinner. They don’t just serve beef burgers, but also chicken, turkey, and even fish burgers. What do you say to that? Bubbles: I think I would love that. (Cut to the boardwalk, specifically at the restaurant Fish McFood, the same place where Brick, Butch, and Boomer were causing a ruckus and getting their burgers from the episode Boy Toys. The place as of 2009 looked a lot more stylized in comparison to the 1998 design, especially evidenced in the restaurant logo, as it has flashing lights. Inside the restaurant, Brick is munching down on a quarter pounder with cheddar cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, onions, lettuce, tomato, sriracha and mayo sauce, and gherkins, while Bubbles is munching down on a salmon burger with avocado, onions, Romaine lettuce, and aioli. They even share a bowl of cajun fries, which they also managed to munch down.) Brick: This place brings back a lot of memories. I can’t believe my brothers and I were such monstrous little crapheads back then wrecking the place. Bubbles: I know, but that was then. You guys just didn’t have a great role model until Miss Bellum came. And look at you. You’re the most popular, handsome, well-rounded guy in Townsville High, Butch is the superathlete alongside Buttercup, and, well, Boomer, he’s the most talented and most loved guy in school. Brick: Wow. Thanks, Bubs, you really…
This Powerpuff Girls Couples Chart Meme belongs to fellow DeviantArtist xahCHUx who is also known on YouTube as StarRainerGirl. As a mostly RRB/PPG shipper, I realize just how much my tastes have developed, in terms of looking beyond the color-coded pairing and finding the mixed-colored and the color crack pairings even more intriguing that I can ever give them credit for. There have been some ships I ended up loving even more and there are also some ships I love even less. And there are also other ships which are quite fascinating mostly due to the fanart and to some extent the fanfics. Let’s get this show on the row. The Buttercup Ships OTP Pairing: Brick x Buttercup (Brickercup) Ah, the sheer excitement of Brickercup! Me likey Brickercup! Me likey – you’re a big boy now. Stop it! That slightly improvised Lois Griffin quote from Family Guy’s Lethal Weapons aside, I dub this OTP The Hot and Spicy Couple, as Brick the Bludgeoner is the fire to Buttercup the Toughest Fighter’s spice. There’s so much to love about Brick and Buttercup together and there’s never gonna be a dull moment when these two passionate fighting souls are around. From Brick teaching Buttercup new and effective fighting techniques that she can use wisely to him soothing her occasional temper tantrums by being the roguishly handsome charmer that he is to Buttercup giving Brick’s ego a run for its money by taking no crap from him to all of that juicy belligerent sexual tension building between the both of them to that intimacy they have when consummating their feelings. Sure, their romantic relationship is so akin to a crazy yet fun rollercoaster ride, but when one combines Brick’s large-and-in-charge, fiery, independent, street-smart, occasionally book smart, and roguishly charming personality with Buttercup’s feisty, mischievous, tsundere, tough, equally fiery, and rebellious nature they can truly complement each other in almost every single way and, therefore, become a force of nature through their boundless energy, determination, and emotional, physical, and psychological durability. They will definitely give life’s circumstances the middle finger and open up the biggest can of whoop-ass one has ever seen. Their love-hate relationship would begin as childhood frenemies to respecting each other for their fighting skills, so much so where Brick acts as the sensei to Buttercup’s student in combat, to finally finding a soulmate in each other to working off of their temperamental synergy when they date to somewhat mellowing down when they get married but only when the situation calls for it. At the end of the day, Brick and Buttercup will certainly have each others’ backs and stay with each other through thick and thin. Loved Pairings: Boomer x Buttercup (Boomercup) and Mitch x Buttercup (Mitchercup) Starting off with Boomercup, I cannot begin to describe to you how much this pairing has been growing on me at a gradual rate. I can totally understand why this ship, in particular, has its followers and that’s because someone like Boomer can be able to put up with Buttercup’s fiery temperament and she can find him rather amusing and surprisingly tough considering how much he’s been bullied by Brick and Butch, yet still manages to have enough fighting spirit and strength to push through. This is essentially the good bad boy being paired up with the bad good girl, as Boomer is sympathetic and sensitive and Buttercup is rebellious and impulsive. I also consider this ship to be healthy because Boomer and Buttercup can help each other break each others’ walls down, melt the ice that surrounds them, and see that they are a lot more than meets the eye. Plus, they’re the outcasts of their siblings with Boomer being bullied by Brick and Butch, the very guys who are supposed to be his older brothers, and Buttercup being the tomboy who’s not as ladylike nor poised as Blossom and Bubbles. Boomer and Buttercup, therefore, feed off of each other and build trust, empathy, and a close-knit friendship with Buttercup giving Boomer noogies galore and Boomer thinking that Buttercup is the coolest out of her sisters. Boomer would look up to Buttercup for being herself and not take crap from anyone and Buttercup would look up to Boomer for showing so much endurance, guts, and stamina in everything he does. Sure, this ship may not have a lot of supporters considering the uncertainty of how Buttercup would treat Boomer in a harsh, bullying fashion, but I consider Boomercup to be fun, just as healthy as the other Boomer ships, interesting, and also the entertaining case where Buttercup wears the pants in this relationship and Boomer is the more submissive and loyal partner. Overall, I consider this to be a cute, innocent pairing bordering more on the BroTP area, but it’s nonetheless an absolutely endearing pairing in a hilarious fashion. Then we go to Mitchercup. This is definitely a popular PPG/Normie pairing given how Mitch and Buttercup interact with each other. There’s a chemistry that these two have implying that there could be something more than just being friends. They interact with each other in a way that makes them bounce off of each other so effectively and they seem totally chill with each other. This is also appealing because of the whole childhood friend becomes the person’s greater equal when they grow up. Sure, I ship Mitch with Bunny a lot more, but when all is said and done, this has its plausibility. If I were to compare which of these loved Buttercup pairings I care for the most, it would have to be Boomercup because this ship needs a lot more love on how funny, entertaining, and interesting Boomer’s and Buttercup’s dynamics can be. Plus, Boomer and Mitch might as well function as the closest brothers-in-law given that Buttercup is married to Brick in my headcanon, thus also establishing them as really great friends. Liked Pairing:…
This is today’s Brickubbles month submission, as heralded by my dear friend and fellow DeviantArtist BrickercupMasterX3, which I know I was supposed to submit yesterday, but I was super busy with my Blossutch fanart, so I do apologize for the delay. So, I hope you all enjoy this submission because today we are having another Brickubbles Flashback with these two close friends in High School and something tells me that teen melodrama is about to set afoot. And what other pairing do I see here? Why it’s none other than my most favorite and the healthiest of the color-coded pairings Boomubbles (Boomer x Bubbles). Also featured in this flashback are Floyd and Lloyd Floyjodson, Mitch Mitchelson, Harry Pitt, Mike Believe, and Elmer Sglue who, in turn, serve as Boomer’s best friends as well as his bandmates with them respectively being on the saxophones, the drums, the bass, the keyboard, and the synthesizer. They serve a purpose, as Boomer is going to be singing something. There’s also a hint of Mitch/Princess, some implied Blossick and Butchercup, and some implied Brickercup, Blossutch Robike, Bunnitch, and PittBean, but you will have to read for yourself what happens to them. Sit back, relax, and enjoy. This Brickubbles Flashback takes place between the tail-end of the tenth grade and summer break all in 2009, where Brick, Floyd, Lloyd, Mitch, Harry, and Boomer were sixteen and then turned seventeen, Mike and Elmer were fifteen going on sixteen, and Bubbles was fifteen. Think back to a time when you were a teenager. Those meant a lot of things like finding yourself, being in a relationship, knowing who your best friends are, all the classes you have to take in school, plans you have to make for college, breakups in a relationship etcetera, etcetera. I’m also sure that being a teenager also meant doing pretty stupid things because of whatever reason, which will end up being regretted later in life. Now in terms of being in a relationship, there’s no doubt that you had that one friend who stuck by your side through thick and thin and you had another who was not only so close to you as a really good friend but has somehow become your boyfriend or your girlfriend. The question is, how would you feel about that first choice of that said friend who stuck by your side through thick and thin? Submitted for the approval of the Brickubbles Flashbacks I call this story Crushes and Breakups. As always, we have our dear friends, Brick and Bubbles, to tell this story of their adolescence. Brick and Bubbles: Thanks, Antoni! Brick: Hey, Bubs, check this out. Bubbles: What is it, Brick? Brick (shows Bubbles his old basketball attire): Remember the time in High School I used to play for the varsity team in basketball? Bubbles: Yeah, you and Butch were the MVPs and I was a cheerleader alongside Bunny, Princess, Robin, Julie Bean, Julie Smith, Susie, Kristen, and Clara. I could still remember parts of our chant. (Bubbles excitedly does her cheer dance routine.) Townsville Tigers are on the prowl. We won’t rest until we growl. Gooooooo TIGERS!!!!! Brick: You still got it in you, Bubs. I also remember the school colors by heart. Red for valor, courage, and strength and gold for wealth, leadership, and victory. (Brick and Bubbles sigh longingly.) Brick: And who could ever forget the time you had a crush on me? Bubbles: Well, you were the most popular guy in school, Butch and Buttercup were the most athletic, Boomie was the most talented, Bloss was the one with the most duties, and Bunny and I were the most artistic. Brick: True. Let’s also not forget you were still dating Boom Boom at the time. Bubbles: Yeah, that was true. Boy, I did get myself into such a big pickle. Brick: Bubs, trust me you were not the only one. (Flashback to the summer of 2009 begins. The then sixteen-going-on-seventeen-year-old Brick is shooting some hoops and doing general basketball practice with his teammates Butch, Boomer, Mitch, Floyd, Lloyd, and Harry. While Bubbles is doing cheerleading practice with Bunny, Princess, Robin, Julie Bean, Julie Smith, Susie, Kristen, and Clara.) Boomer: Hey, Mitch, I’m open! (Mitch passes the basketball to Boomer who then proceeds to pass it to Butch. Finally Butch passes the ball to Brick who proceeds to make a slam dunk.) Butch, Boomer, Mitch, Floyd, Lloyd, and Harry: WOOHOO! YEAH, BRICK!!! Harry: Man, you always give the best slam dunks. Butch: Yeah, we’re so gonna cream the Citysville Serpents’ ass- Boomer: And have the winning cup! Brick: You got that right, guys! We’re so gonna wing it in three weeks time! (Cut to Bubbles, Bunny, Princess, Robin, Julie Bean, Julie Smith, Susie, Kristen, and Clara who are doing their cheerleading routine. Robin functions as the cheerleading captain.) Robin: Okay, ladies, we got everything in sync. Princess: I do concur. But don’t you think that our twirls were a bit off-timed? Bunny: That’s why practice makes perfect, Princess. Princess: I know that. Robin: Well, looks like it’s a wrap today. Great job, ladies. (Just as Bubbles and her cheerleading are about to depart the gymnasium, she stays and observes Brick and his basketball team practicing. Brick, Butch, Mitch, Floyd, Lloyd, Boomer, and Harry wrap up their practice. Brick then takes notice of Bubbles.) Brick: Hey, Bubs, what’s happenin’? (Bubbles stands petrified and enamored and is blushing. Her face is about to approach being as red as a tomato.) Bubbles (thinking, as her inner monologue is at a speedy rate complete with her trademark squeaky voice when she gets excited and her face is turning as red as ever): Oh my gosh! Brick is such a hottie! A hunk! A god! Oh, those muscles of his! He and his bros…