Sorry again for the long wait. These last two months of school were busy. I would like to thank everyone for reading and reviewing my story so far. I'm thankful and happy to see people are taking a liking to it, and I hope that it continues to delight the imagination.

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING from The Amazing World of Gumball, including characters, places, or any other references that may appear in this story, not a thing.


Chapter 9

Revenge and Regret

Once again, the alarm clock in Gumball and Darwin's room went off at 6:20, and again, Gumball woke from the top bunk, dressed in the nightshirt he hadn't been wearing the night before. Glaring, not only from the sunlight showering through the window, he kicked away his blankets, jumped down to the carpet, stomped to the alarm clock, and slammed his hand down on the button, killing the buzz.

Gumball tugged on his nightshirt's collar and, to no surprise, saw the Loop mark, still on his left shoulder, black as ever. Memories of yesterday rushed through his head, reminding him of how close he came to freedom, only to have his family ruin everything.

These thoughts caused his lips to tighten furiously as he stood in front of his alarm, his back turned to the bedroom door when it opened.

Sleepily, Anais walked in, rubbing her eyes. "Morning, Gumball."

Gumball's teeth bore onto each other. Turning around, he headed towards the door.

"Did you have a nice — "

He pushed past Anais before she could finish, leaving her confused, questioning her big brother's glowering frown.

Downstairs, Gumball opened the front door and waited. As expected, Larry came around the corner of the Robinson's fence, riding his bike.

Spotting Gumball at the door, Larry happily waved. "Oh, good morning, Gum —"

CRASH!

Larry's bike wheel struck a raised part in the sidewalk, causing him to jut forward from his bike and thump onto the ground, smacking his rock-like head on the concrete.

Larry struggled to get up, moaning and rubbing his head, his legs slowly regaining their strength from the shock. Meanwhile, Gumball closed the door, not bothering to go and help.

"Gumball!" Nicole angrily yelled out.

His face still scrunched in bitter contempt, Gumball strut to the kitchen and stopped in front of his mother.

"How DARE you break one of MY good china plates for a COOKIE!"

Gumball didn't flinch away from his sour face as his mother held the broken plate in front of him, nor did his attitude change as she went on about how the china was passed down to her.

Nicole glared at her son. "Don't you give me that look, little man! What do you have to say for yourself?"

She stood waiting for an answer, looking angrier due to Gumball's livid expression. When no answer came after ten whole seconds, she raised her voice and bared her teeth, "WELL?"

This time, Gumball reacted. He walked right out of the kitchen, across the living room, and started up the stairs. His mother threw angry commands, ordering him to come back and face responsibility. Just as loudly, Gumball slammed his bedroom door, never minding the confusion on his brother, sister, and father, all standing in the hallway.


"You're grounded, Gumball," were the first words Nicole said when he came back downstairs, dressed in his pants and sweater and by no means improved in attitude. "No TV, no dessert, and no videogames for a week!"

Nicole scrapped the butter so hard onto her piece of toast that there was more crust than bread left when she took a bite. She secretly hoped her son would be intimidated by her action, as he and the others usually were when she let her anger off its chain. Gumball, however, sat down and ate his cereal calmly as though this were just another morning. Irritation grew in Nicole like a boiling thermometer and she bent the butter knife in her bare hand, grinding it into metallic powder.

Darwin glanced uneasily back and forth between his mother and brother, not having the faintest idea what was going on. Anais took another bite of her cereal, swallowed, and climbed down from her highchair saying she had to go get another napkin. As she passed Gumball, she whispered, "I told you this would happen."

Anais went on into the kitchen and didn't see the shaking, sneering, steaming red face Gumball formed in two seconds flat.

Okay . . . Darwin thought, sinking in his seat. This is starting to get uncomfortable. Such a furious face is scary enough on his mother, but for Gumball it seemed so uncharacteristic. And to think he was so happy this weekend….

Anais returned and climbed back in her highchair just as Richard came into the dining room.

Gumball's face cooled, but his craving to smack his sister's pink bunny face remained firm.

Just look at her, Gumball thought menacingly. Eating her cereal, acting like she did nothing wrong, wreaking my day so early in the morning. Well, keep eating Anais, because I'm not letting your actions from yesterday go without —.

His vow of vengeance was interrupted by a loud, "Gumball!"

Snapping back to the present, he turned to his father. "Wha? What?"

"I asked you, do you like my new tie?"

"Tie? Oh, yeah, sure, it's fine," and he went back to eating his cereal, not giving Richard any further remark.


The Watterson family went their separate ways after breakfast. Nicole left for work in a huff, fuming over Gumball's stiff, indifferent reaction to her plate. Richard removed his new tie after Gumball's compliment, feeling it didn't attract the positive feedback he had hoped for. Darwin and Anais waited on the sidewalk for the school bus and were joined shortly by Gumball who exited the house after brushing his teeth for a measly five seconds, having not bothered to rinse out the bathroom sink or to recap the toothpaste.

As Gumball marched down the walkway, Mr. Robinson's head poked up over the other side of the fence. He waved for Gumball's attention. "Hey, kid! What happened last night?"

Gumball ignored him, a very grouchy frown plastered on his face.

"Whoa," Mr. Robinson said to himself, "and I thought Margaret looked crabby in the mornings."

Crabby, however, wasn't a good enough term. Gumball was seething with anger and could barely keep his fists from shaking, more or less keep his face impassive. Both Darwin and Anais noticed this, especially due to Gumball being a measly three feet apart from them.

Darwin whispered to Anais, "Gumball seems really off today."

"I know," she replied quietly. "He's acting even more strange than he did on the weekend, but at least then he was smiling."

"I know," said Darwin, a tad annoyed. "Too smiley, if you ask me. Seriously, he . . ."

As Darwin and Anais continued talking quietly amongst themselves, Gumball's mind was elsewhere, deaf to every sound except those in his head.

His thoughts trembled like an ocean in a stormy gust. Fire was burning on the wind and thunder crackled so loud it made the surrounding islands rattle and crumble. And at the center of this storm was the little pink bunny who, as far as Gumball considered, was the cause of all the pain.

The more he thought about it, the more Gumball realized Anais' role in preventing his escape from the Loop. It was, after all, Anais who first hinted disaster on the morning of the very first day. And, on the Sunday night before the Loop began, she bugged him to go and tell his parents about the plate, or in the very least to write a note of apology for their mother to find when she woke up. Amongst other things, from her voice being the first one he heard in the morning to her bothersome complaining on the bus, Gumball had the utter confidence that Anais was to blame.

"Gumball, are you coming?" Darwin shouted.

And why couldn't she be responsible? Gumball thought indignantly. She's only four years old and is already in junior high and studying things like physics! She probably got angry with me for not taking her seriously and performed some sick physics experiment to trap me here, just so she could laugh in my face as I suffer the onslaught!

"Gumball! Let's go!" Darwin shouted with annoyance.

That little brat, Gumball's thoughts growled. Well, not today, Anais. If you think it's fun keeping me here, then I'll make sure your day is as peachy as mine.

"WATTERSON!"

Gumball nearly fell off balance, shocked that Darwin's voice suddenly went ragged and somewhat screechy. In all his years, he never heard his brother address him by his last name. But when his focus returned, Gumball saw that it wasn't Darwin who shouted, nor was he standing any longer on the sidewalk.

Gumball was seated at his desk in Miss Simian's classroom, with a very peeved Miss Simian frowning at him.

"Stop daydreaming, Gumball! Class started five minutes ago!"


The morning classes passed by like a slug race. Miss Simian droned on about the same facts, calling on the same people who raised their hands in the same order as on the other repeated days. Gumball, meanwhile, sat in his seat, taking only so much in, never minding that, all the while, Darwin was giving him the cold shoulder.

When the pop quiz came around, a brief but good moment arrived for Gumball when he successfully managed to recite all six Noble Gases, saying them in a smug manner that made Miss Simian grind her teeth.

At lunch, Gumball grabbed only the chocolate mint cake, chewing it slowly as he sat by himself.

Glancing at the cafeteria clock's second hand, Gumball whispered, "Four, three, two, and here's Carrie."

Sure enough, Carrie floated up next to him, holding her piece of cake on a plate. "Hi, Gumball. Are you feeling okay? You seemed kind of off this morning."

Gumball let out a burp. Dropping his fork to his plate, he said, "Nope, I'm fine. Just enjoying a piece of chocolate mint cake."

Carrie's looked at her own slice longingly. "It's really that good?"

"Oh, yes," Gumball bragged. "Soft, rich chocolate with smooth, crisp mint filling, and a dash of mint sprinkles to give each bite a slight crunch as it covers every corner of your tongue."

Gumball smirked as Carrie's mood went from curious to excited. "Will you help me eat it?" she asked eagerly.

Gumball, still smirking, replied bluntly. "No."

He got to his feet and walked away, leaving Carrie floating, taken aback by his remark.

Once in the library, Gumball sat down at one of the many tables, thinking of what he just did.

Maybe I was bit mean . . . nah," Gumball shook his head. It's for the best. Besides, Carrie says she can't feel anything besides pain, so what's the harm? Regardless, something about the cafeteria gave him an idea, an idea that involved Anais.

Gumball's mind sparked with fire, and a wicked grin formed on his face.

After the bell rang for study hall, Gumball exited the library and made his way back to where he had just been. On the way, Carrie floated by, her head hanging. Gumball ignored her saddened expression and stopped outside the cafeteria door to look in through the window.

There you are, Gumball sneered. Anais was standing on her tiptoes, trying to get her tray of food onto a table. Rocky walked by and helped her slide it up. After what looked like a thank you, Anais stacked a few large books onto her seat and climbed up, ready to eat.

Gumball saw his chance. Pushing through the doors, he marched right up to Anais before she could take a bite.

"Gumball?" she said, holding a bowl of pasta. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I thought I'd come to help you eat lunch," he said with a snide voice. And, while pinching Anais' cheek, he said in a babyish tone, "You're still a little baby after all."

Irritated, Anais slapped Gumball's hand away. "I'm old enough to feed myself!"

"Not with that highchair at home, you're not."

"That's just so I can reach the table!"

"Still, I would like to help," he said, though his voice suggested otherwise. "Here, have some pasta," and before Anais could react, Gumball took the bowl from his sister's hand and tipped it forward.

Anais gasped, grabbing the attention of everyone in the cafeteria, most if not all just as shocked. Hot meat sauce and pasta covered her dress, splotching orange spots that stained the yellow fabric.

Gumball's devilish grin grew wider. "Next, some veggies and fruit." He grabbed the carrots and mixed fruit with his bare hands and shoved them onto his sister's cheeks, rubbing the food to mush as she struggled to stop him, her voice muffled through Gumball's scrubbing.

"And lastly," Gumball grinned, picking up the cake, "dessert."

He shoved it straight into Anais' face.

As though the cake had been a brick, Anais stopped struggling, seemingly stunned.

Gumball, however, wasn't finished.

"Does little baby also want some milk?" he said in a voice both babyish and cruel. He then took the milk carton and poured all its liquid onto Anais' head.

Dropping the carton to the floor, the hollow sound filled Gumball's ears and he realized just how quiet everything became. The stunned faces of the students, interrupted from their lunches, gave Gumball no care to notice. It was Anais' he was set dead on.

Her dress spattered with stains from the meat sauce, her cheeks smeared with carrots and bits of fruit, her face completely masked by the dark brown and emerald green cake, and her head soaked by the milk, Anais finally lifted her hand.

Gumball was ready for any punch or cruel thing she had to throw at him. He was without any doubt that his sister would react in such a way.

But Anais did not punch him or even shout. She wiped away the smeared cake, revealing her face: dirty, quiet, and, to Gumball's shock, hurt. Anais gritted her teeth for a moment, but only so, and then did something Gumball hardly ever saw her do.

Anais started to cry. She leapt from her seat, pushed her brother aside, and ran out of the cafeteria, her sobbing audible to all within earshot. Gumball did nothing but stare at the door where his sister ran out, the scene not adding up to him.

Just as he began to head back to study hall, someone grabbed him by the wrist. Turning around, Gumball saw it was Rocky, not looking the least bit happy.


Gumball had been sent to Principal Brown's office many times for several reasons in the past, including these last few repeats, but never had the principal looked as angry as he did now. But it wasn't just anger that Gumball detected. Disappointment, perhaps?

Whatever it was, it didn't lessen the frown Principal Brown had on, nor did it lower the height of frustration in his voice. "I don't suppose you have a justifiable reason why you left study hall and did such a cruel thing?"

Gumball remained silent in the small chair, his own frustration at Anais still grasping a strong hold over his thoughts and common sense. "It was just a little food spilt on the floor, barely a waste."

This was clearly not what Principal Brown wanted to hear. His furry eyebrows, which blended with his the rest of his fur, became heavier, and his glasses shaped into two sharp triangles, aiming straight at the blue cat.

"That is NOT what this is about!" Brown snapped. "And I can hardly believe you appear so dimwitted about it, either! Honestly, Gumball! How could you have behaved so cruelly to Anais? Your own little sister!"

Gumball's guiltless expression didn't lessen, and why should it? Brown didn't know what Anais was doing to him, how she was keeping him in the Loop with her insistent reminders and other annoyances. Her face may be masked with that of a sweet little girl, but Gumball wouldn't be fooled, not after four repeats. As far as he considered, Anais had it coming.

Principal Brown, not seeing any hint of guilt in the cat, calmed himself, but only slightly. "I don't understand why you did this, Gumball, and to be honest, I don't think you know, either. Despite the fact that I've seen you two bicker here and there, your relationship with your sister has always been normal. Tricky, yet loving. But what you did . . ." he shook his head, "I could barely believe it when I heard it."

Then he paused. Something at that moment flickered inside Gumball and seemed to poke hard at his insides, but it was dismissed through his heated frustration a second later.

"You have detention for three weeks, Gumball. Starting today, with the Pep Fest." Brown said calmly. "And I hope that this time alone will be enough for you to think of your actions, and, more importantly, be enough to repair your relationship with your sister."

Then, just as Gumball stood up to leave, his father burst through the door, out of breath with bucket and soap in hand.


Gumball sat on the blacktop bench, frustrated with how the last few hours had turned out.

After hearing Principal Brown drawl on about whatever, he lived through the displeasure of having his father wash his mouth out with soap again. It was as awful the second time as it had been the first. Richard then took Anais home, patting her on the back as she cried into his shoulder.

Word caught on quick of what happened to her, and this is what really wrecked the day. Anais was apparently more popular than he knew, and as a result, everyone in school turned viciously on him. Glares directed towards him struck like lasers, mutters and insults were made every time he passed by or sat down, and the ugliest faces of every variety imaginable were shot at him wherever he was.

It wasn't fair, none of it! Gumball had every right to be angry! It's not his fault everyone around him was too stupid to realize what's going on.

His inner rant was interrupted when a basketball rolled over and tapped his foot. Picking it up, Gumball heard two pairs of feet stop in front of him.

"Oh, you," Banana Joe said in an uncharacteristically irritated voice. Tobias didn't look any more pleased.

Gumball grumbled irritably. "Oh, don't tell me you two are mad at me, too! You guys normally like stuff like that!"

"Dude," said Banana Joe, "you made a four-year-old girl cry. There's nothing funny about that."

"Especially when she's your sister," Tobias added, marching up and snatching the ball out of Gumball's hands. "I mean, me and Rachel fight a lot, there's no denying, but we would never do something like that to each other."

The two walked away leaving Gumball in his bitter annoyance. Not too long after, the bell rang and everyone headed inside for the Pep Fest. For the next forty-five minutes, Gumball waited in detention, the light from Principal Brown's office as dim as ever. Listening to the wall clock's relentless ticking, Gumball rested his head on his hands, wondering just how many more tries it would take to escape the Loop. For all he knew, it would be centuries before he'd ever hear the word 'Tuesday' again.

When Principal Brown came back, Gumball darted out the door before a word could be spoken and ran towards the gym. The day may have been ruined, but he still felt obliged to apologize to Penny for missing the Pep Fest.

As predicted, there Penny was, seated on the bleachers. When Gumball called out her name, she looked up and frowned bitterly. Gumball's heart ached enough to cause him pain. Never had Penny looked at him like that. There were times when she had been upset or annoyed, certainly. But that….

"Penny, what's wrong?" asked Gumball.

Penny gripped her pom-poms, got up, and walked past him, muttering something along the lines of, "Like you don't know."

Gumball's mouth fell open, hardly believing Penny was taking it like this.

"Penny! Wait, please!"

She stopped stiffly.

"I know you're mad about the Pep Fest, but maybe I can make —"

"You think I'm mad because you missed the Pep Fest?" Penny shouted, more outraged than Gumball had ever seen. "Is that really the only thing you're thinking about?"

Gumball blinked, mouth agape. "Wha —"

"HOW could you have done that to Anais, Gumball? Your own sister!"

For the first time that day, Gumball didn't feel annoyed at his sister's mention. Instead, a twinge of guilt leaked through like a crack in an overflowing dam.

In a pathetic attempt to defend himself, Gumball said, "Penny, you don't know what she did. If you knew, you'd —"

"Did what?" she asked angrily, her eyes furrowed. "What horrible thing did Anais do to possess you to hurt her the way you did?"

Gumball raised a firm finger, confident to state his claim when, at long last, the truth of it all hit like a crushing boulder.

Everything he was angry with, all of Anais' supposed injustices, her so-called role in keeping the Loop from ending, all of that happened yesterday. Yesterday . . . .

Gumball's throat went dryer than a dead cactus. Everything he had been angry about, all the frustration and heated thoughts he cooked up throughout this long and very irksome day, was over a grudge that no longer existed. All those terrible things he thought about his sister were pointless and unnecessary. And there was no point in telling anyone about it because, one, the Loop erased everything when the day restarted, and two, everyone would be too angry to believe or listen to him.

This horrible comprehension must've shown on Gumball's face, for Penny said angrily, "Can't think of a thing, can you?"

Lowering his finger, Gumball bowed his head in shame. "No…."

Penny's face didn't soften. "Whatever stupid thing you're mad about, it was no excuse for what you did to Anais. What you did, that wasn't the Gumball I care about. Do me a favor and don't bother coming to the game tonight. We need as much spirit possible to win and I don't think seeing you will do anything for us."

Then, with disappointment in every step, Penny walked out of the gym, leaving Gumball speechless, unhappy, and angry, only this time with himself, and himself only.


After missing the bus, Gumball took the opportunity while walking home to mentally slap himself across the face. For the life of him he couldn't fathom what possessed him to think Anais was in any way responsible for his situation. His little sister may have genius intellect, but even she can't disrupt the very fabric of time. And while Anais' anger for not taking her seriously about their mother's plate was, perhaps, significant, he knew there wasn't a thing else to blame her for.

Worst of all, he had wasted the entire day fueled on anger instead of finding out what kept him in the Loop. How could he have been that stupid! It should've been more than obvious from Anais' soft "Morning, Gumball" that every terrible misfortunate from the previous day no longer existed.

Once outside the front of his house, Gumball inhaled a heavy breath of fresh air that hit his stomach like a lead stone. His mother's fury was bound to be at its peak and Gumball didn't like to think of what awaited him inside.

Sighing, he thought, Just get it over and done with. Tomorrow will be a new day. Please, please let it be a new day!

Gumball paused halfway down the house's walkway when Mr. Robinson called from beyond the fence. "Hey, kid!"

Gumball walked over to his grim-faced neighbor.

"I'm guessing your evening yesterday didn't go very well, am I right?" asked Mr. Robinson, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Gumball sighed. "No. Mom was angry about me forgetting to put Darwin's name on our science project, even though I managed to convince Miss Simian to give him the good grade and have me take the F."

Mr. Robinson took the information in with a steady posture. He then asked, "Why was your sister crying when your father brought her home?"

Gumball dolefully explained how he trashed Anais with food, the scene fresh in his mind, making him feel even more pitiful.

Mr. Robinson raised an eyebrow. "And how did you think that was going to help you escape the Loop?"

Gumball had no real answer, but merely responded, "I guess . . . I guess I was still angry about how close I came yesterday."

"And you blamed her, why?"

"Well . . . oh, I don't know! I guess she just really bugged me yesterday."

"Well, lucky for you you'll get to relive today. Tomorrow, or rather the next today, it'll just be a bad memory to add to all the others you've had lately. But, remind me, kid," Mr. Robinson said, his tone a little softer now. "You said that your mother forgave you yesterday for breaking her plate?"

"Well," Gumball sounded doubtful, "kind of. She wasn't as angry as all the other times at least."

"And you said you fixed your brother's grade and attended the Pep Fest?"

"Yeah. Well, actually I had my grade switched with Darwin's, but so what?"

"So," Mr. Robinson said with his usual seriousness, "it means that all those things, the plate, the grade, and the Pep Fest, are not what's keeping you trapped. If they had, today would be Tuesday, and I wouldn't be having chicken alfredo for dinner again."

Gumball looked totally dumbfounded. "You mean . . . nothing I did yesterday mattered?" he felt his heart sink.

"I wouldn't say your actions weren't important. Chances are, they probably were, given the way your day was wrapping up. But what I mean is that there must be something else keeping you here, something you're not aware of. Something more than a simple problem that needs fixing."

"What could it be, though?" Gumball asked, praying his neighbor might have an answer.

"How should I know? You're the one marked, not —"

Mr. Robinson abruptly stopped and his sight turned towards his house. He yelled, "All right, Margaret! I'm coming!"

Gumball blinked. "I didn't hear anything."

"Hardly anyone does," Mr. Robinson grumbled. "Anyway, kid, just think things over, I'm sure it'll come to you eventually. Live a few days, ask questions, try different things, do whatever. It's your Loop."

And without another word, Mr. Robinson ran back towards his house and slammed the door.


Nicole's furious attitude came as no surprise. Her face was as close to the shade of red that Gumball saw on that first horrible day, and he could've sworn he heard a fuse hissing somewhere amongst her yelling.

"How could you have done such a thing to Anais!" her voice shook with rage. "To embarrass her and act so cruel when she did nothing to you!"

Gumball said nothing, knowing there wasn't a word in his vocabulary that would lessen his mother's anger. He stood there and painfully took it in.

"You know what, don't even bother to explain yourself!" Nicole said through her sharp teeth. "Get to your room and stay there for the rest of the night! And don't you dare disobey or I'll see to it you'll never feel your bottom again!"

Gumball skedaddled up to his room. Once inside, he sat down on his bottom bunk, having no intention to defy his mother's orders. He may not feel it the next day, but his mother's spankings are wicked in the worst sense of the word.

That's mothers for you, though: warm hugs, strong hands.


Gumball passed the hours watching the sunlight fade out of his room, leaving only the green numbers of his alarm clock glowing like fireflies in the dark. When his eyes had enough, Gumball stood from his bed to turn on the light. After he resumed his sitting and tried to find something else to preoccupy his boredom, the door opened.

It was his father. Without speaking a word, he laid a plate of baked macaroni and cheese on the floor and gave his son an atypical frown before walking out. Quite clearly, Richard was as frustrated with Gumball as everyone else, and Gumball didn't blame him. Knelling on the floor to eat a dinner he had been fortunate to receive, Gumball thought back again to this afternoon, how he spilt food on Anais' dress, pushing carrots and fruit into her face, and practically serving cake on her little head. The image of it vividly ached in his mind, and watching her cry served as the final blow, leaving Gumball to feel despicable and ashamed.


The evening wrapped up quickly and everyone decided to go to bed early, agreeing that today had been unpleasant enough. Nicole, her heated voice no cooler, told Gumball he would apologize to Anais first thing when he woke up and would beg to make up for his inexcusable action. Meanwhile, Anais, who had been miserable since lunch, was embraced by both her parents and Darwin, and tucked into bed.

Gumball laid in the top bunk, his mind in a mix. Anais covered one section, his family and friends another, and the rest was taken up by the Loop and what he had learned so far. Remembering Mr. Robinson's words, Gumball thought it through and agreed with his neighbor. The plate, the grade, and the Pep Fest were not keeping him in this one bad day.

At least, he didn't think they were the full cause. Obviously, they were things he would want to touch up later as he went along, but the big picture, the key to breaking the Loop, remained blurred. If it's not a mistake, then it must be a lesson he has to learn. Or, perhaps it is a mistake through which a lesson can be learned. Or, the lesson could be based off the mistakes he made, which will lead…

Gumball stopped himself. His brainstorming was leading him nowhere except to more confusion. Sighing, he stared at the blank ceiling and allowed his brain to take a similar state. Like Mr. Robinson said, he would just have to see how things went. The answer will probably come to him in time; he'll just have to wait and pay attention.

On the downside, Gumball knew he would have to re-experience everything as it already happened. He's already lived this Monday five times and practically every event was now down flat for him to study. The same discussions and responses, the same rhythm of footsteps and hand gestures, the same food, grades, weather, all planned out as though it were a script for a television show. And when he woke the next morning, the script will flip back to page one and everything will happen again, with him aware of everything before it happens.

Then . . . Gumball's brain ignited with inspiration, realizing something.

Tomorrow, everything — absolutely everything — will start over. All memories will be erased, all injuries reversed, and all surprises awaiting to be surprises.

And Gumball . . . he had it all down in his memory.

In the darkness of his bedroom, a devious and excited smile formed on Gumball's face.

Just because I'm in the Loop doesn't mean I can't have a little fun…. Why hurry when I have plenty of time? All the time I could possibly want….

Laying his head back down on his pillow, Gumball stretched out his arms and crossed them, smirking at all that awaited him on the next repeat. Chances are he'll get into trouble, but with the mark on his shoulder, Gumball knew he could afford it all.

Like Mr. Robinson said, it was his Loop. And besides, what was time but moments passed and later gained again?


Next chapter should be a good one, I think. If you don't mind me asking, did you find Gumball's thoughts in this chapter too numerous? Am I telling more than showing? Please let me know. Your reviews and options are always welcome and appreciated.