A/N: Okay, real quickly: this is a MIXED CHAPTER (Zach and reality). However, I've bolded the "inner head" moments and left the reality portion normal. I apologize if you find this annoying, but I figured it was better than a dozen different mini-chapters. Also, I know this is LONG for a chapter, but it's where the most conflict with Zach & Gumball goes on.
Inside the dome of black darkness, Gumball was panicking and running for his life. Everything from TV's, Joyful burgers, lockers, cars, and more were falling from the sky around Gumball. All the meanwhile, swerving left and right to avoid any collision, Zach was shooting paint balls at him and laughing from the distance. As maniacal as it was, Gumball was too afraid of being crushed to be mad. He was too focused on staying alive, ducking for cover behind an upside-down car. Gumball knew it was pointless to think he could escape. All he could do was run and hide, hoping for the best. Zach finally ceased his laughter and called out to the field of debris in his wake.
"You can run, but you can't hide!" He raised his arm up and waved it directly to his right, blowing everything that had fallen away in a gust of wind; everything except the car Gumball was crouched behind. His arms over his head and his eyes closed in fear, possessing nothing but the clothes on his body. "If only I could make you a mouse, Gumball. Then it would truly feel like a game, wouldn't it?"
"Your insane, Zach!" Gumball cried out from behind his hiding place. "It's reasons like this that you can't ever go back. You think so highly of yourself that you can't even see why people hated you back in the real world." Zach shot a few paint balls at the car.
"Nobody hates Zach, and even if they did, I could care less." From behind the vehicle, he kicked it up and overhead of Gumball it went, flying out into the darkness ever so far away. Gumball slowly turned himself around and stared down the black barrel of the paint gun cross centered between his eyes. "It was my life, and you took it from me, and as long as you're here, you… will… suffer." He tightened his finger around the trigger. Gumball closed his eyes and prepared for the worse kind of intense pain he could think of. Zach widened his smile and was ready to shoot, when suddenly, a vibration occurred. It shook the very ground underneath and tossed Zach to the ground flat on his back. Gumball remained in a ball form on the ground as he opened his eyes to the sudden movement.
"What was that? A brainquake?" he asked Zach. Zach looked around the emptiness and answered Gumball.
"That was activity." Zach looked both worried and excited as he turned every which way around himself. Gumball looked confused, but said nothing. "A large dose of info was just shot to the conscious. I wonder…" He threw the paintball gun up into the air, disappearing into a thousand dust particles, and ran away from Gumball. He quickly shot his arms out into the open and manifested from the ground a giant computer monitor. A magnificently large, blue-bubbled screen that rested above a long keyboard of flashing buttons and switches. Zach was busy powering it up when Gumball got up from his position and walked to the other cat.
"What is this?" Gumball asked Zach as he approached the monitor, having forgotten that he was about to get shot just a minute ago. Zach answered without breaking his engagement with the system.
"It's a monitor that I imagined to help observe what's going on in the mind. I still have connections to other parts of the brain, but need a system to observe them with, and from the looks of iiiitt…" He slowly drifted off for a second. "Ah ha, just as I thought. The conscious just repaired a large segment of itself all at once. This can only mean that something from the outside world is having a larger effect than normal, and if we're lucky enough… Yes! Zach's a genius!" he called out to himself. Gumball crossed his arms and decided it was best to be filled in.
He sighed and asked "What now?" Zach glanced at Gumball with his back still turned on him, but kept his fingers working on the monitor.
"I managed to find a neural pathway that gives me a link to the Optic Cranial Nerve, which will show just what is going on in the outside world." Gumball raised his eyes.
"What the what?! Why didn't you do this before?"
"Because all sense nerves cross through the conscious before going here, which was shut down if you recall. Now, if I just do this, aaaaannd… Bada-boom!" Zach flipped a switch and pulled up on the monitor the cat's vision. The outer edging was blurry and frosted, but a mostly clear picture of the waiting room could be seen from the outside. Both Zach and Gumball were confused, looking out to see only a connection between two white walls and a white roof. Besides this, only a few overhead lights were seen illuminating around from the ceiling. Zach went on and continued as he faced the screen. "Drat. Looks like the connection isn't strong enough to give a fully clear image, but I guess this will have to do." The outside camera to the eyes on the monitor had suddenly shifted. Now in front of the two on screen was Penny, with such a sad and lonely look to her the likes of which Gumball had never seen before.
"Oh my gosh," Gumball said dramatically, "It's Penny!" Zach turned away from the screen and looked at Gumball in confusion.
"Penny? Isn't she that peanut girl with antlers that you liked?" He turned back at the screen to look at her. "What happened to her?" Gumball didn't understand why, but he got furious with Zach.
"She came out of her shell and now she's different!" he barked at Zach. He approached the monitor and stood parallel with him as they faced the screen. Above, she was wording something through the camera, but nothing could be heard. Gumball was worried and started to panic, turning to Zach for answers. "Why can't we hear her? I wanna hear my girlfriend this instant!" Zach pushed Gumball away from the controls and hatefully obliged out of curiosity.
"Ugh, just calm down. This is a link to the Optic nerve, so we can see her, but not hear. To know what she's saying, I have to link this up to the Vestibulocochlear nerve. Then sound can come through." He went on typing and pushing buttons on his terminal, instantly shooting a happy look to himself. "Looks like I found a link that's even stronger than the Optic one is." He reached down and twisted a dial clockwise. "The sound will be even clearer than the image." As he slowly turned the knob, Penny's voice started to echo in the distance. It sounded vague at first, but slowly, her voice became clearer for the two to hear.
"(mumbled voicing)… ergha, no diss zu me, Gumball? I need you back." She shook the cat back and forth lightly, hoping for the best. "Please Gumball; I need you to say something to me. Show me your still here!"
Gumball ran up to the monitor. "Penny," he called out, "I am here. Look at me!" He waved his arms around like a fool in front of Zach.
"She can't see you, doofus; only I can see her."
"You mean we." Gumball stated demandingly.
"No, me, cause she'll be mine when the time is right." Gumball wanted to say something, but Penny's voice cut into the start of the showdown.
"How can you not remember me, Gumball? What about all the memories you had with me? I need you, Gumball. I need you to remember!" She stopped her shaking of the feral animal and began to cry in misery. The tears fell from her face and she loosened her grip on the cat. All he did was stare blankly at her, not bothered the least by her shaking. To him, it was annoying being shaken like she had, but he found comfort near her just like his mom. From behind him (and the sight of his eyes on screen), the band aid attendant had made her return, along with two much larger male band-aids as big as construction workers. Unlike her white scrubs, theirs were an ivy green coupled with angry looking faces.
"Alright, miss," the attendant said down on Penny. "These men are ready to take him away. I need you to wrap it up for us." Her tone of voice set penny on the edge. She felt so angry, she wanted to just rip the lady's head off in one bite as a dragon, but she held her cool when she faced back at Gumball again. Her eyes started to grow bigger and bigger the more she stared at him, and feeling powerless to do anything, held her head down in shame.
"I guess this is it," she said as the tears rolled down her eyes. "You really are gone aren't you?"
"NO! No, no no! I'm still here Penny!" Gumball cried out at the top of his lungs. Zach stood beside him with his arms still crossed and a near closed eye stare at the screen. Gumball grabbed Zach's shoulders and shook him viciously back and forth. "You have to do something Zach! Please!" Zach pried himself away from Gumball.
"There's nothing I can do." He brushed himself off and fixed his collar, returning his attention to the screen. Gumball wanted to do something, but kept went back to looking at Penny from behind the imaginary glass.
"I'm sorry, Gumball. I wish I could have done more for you." She lifted her head back up to face him once more. Her eyes so wide and reflective, it made the feral Gumball drooped his ears and cheeks in sorrow. He could feel that she was upset, but did nothing as he watched on in his natural form. She raised up her right arm and held it to Gumball's cheek. He did not flinch or move, simply accepting it's gentle feel. As she went on, she could not stop sobbing in woe for him. "Goodbye, Gumball… I'll never forget you… or what you did for me-he-heee." She had finally broken down in front of him and poured what water she had from her eyes.
"No Penny! Please don't go, don't leave me heeeerre!" The ordinary Gumball of the mind couldn't look on anymore. He closed his eyes and held back none of his misery. The bitter sweet tears of his eyes rolling down his face as Zach just watched with a smug smile wrapped devilishly around him.
"Serves you right," he said to the devastated blue cat. Gumball could only feel sadness in the moment, but what Zach said… it made him snap. His melancholy replaced with exasperation, he quickly pulled himself up from off the ground and pounced Zach from the side. It was the first time Gumball had the upper edge, and even though he knew he couldn't hold him forever, he put every fiber of his anger into Zach. He first clawed at his face, going for the eyes first to try and blind him. While Zach cried out in pain, Gumball grabbed his right arm and fist punched it with his, effectively snapping it in half. Zach was in pain, but using his other free hand, quickly pushed Gumball off of his body. He pulled himself up before Gumball had a chance and jumped atop of him. The scratch marks along his eyelids healed themselves up as Zach went on to speak. "You really thought that was gonna work?" When his sentence had ended, his eyes were fully healed and he pulled them open to look down at his rival. "Think again." He raised his right arm up and, automatically, snapped back into place. Zach made no noise as his bones crunched back together, but gave Gumball another one of his smug smiles. Gumball was so freak out by the sudden display of the arm that he couldn't move or speak. He was too shocked, and scared, to do anything in the moment. The duo went on to wrestle each other as Penny continued from the monitor beside them.
Penny felt like there was nothing more she could for him as she looked into his eyes, but something wasn't right to her. She missed Gumball more than anything in the moment and felt like saying goodbye wasn't enough. Without thinking twice about her actions, she wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and, in front of the staff, grabbed his head still and kissed him. Her eyes closed with tears still running down her cheeks, but Gumball's were wide open. His eyes still shaped like the diamonds they were, but his pupils dilated, his brows raised high, and his ears shot up in the moment of affection. In the instant, his heart began racing faster than ever, blood boiling hot, and the mind… stimulated.
Gumball and Zach paid no attention to the screen. Too caught up fighting each other, sending punches left and right, and Zach spawning a baseball bat from overhead, they had no idea what was going on outside anymore. Gumball thought he was doomed for all eternity with Zach, and Zach figured he had the upper hand in making him suffer. Zach swung the bat, but Gumball narrowly dodged it. He didn't see the second one coming however, and was beaten to the floor yet again. Before he had a chance to react, Zach raised the bat over his head and slammed it down on Gumball a dozen or more times. With every hit, Gumball felt more and more in pain, unable to keep quiet and shrieking with every hit. By time Zach finished, Gumball could barely speak. Zach laughed as he stood over Gumball in boasting of his win.
"I would say something like 'say good night', but you're not going anywhere, sooo… Just take this." Zach raised the bat over his head, ready to strike Gumball. All Gumball could feel was pain and fear as he watched Zach stand tall over him. All hope seemed lost for him, when suddenly; he saw something from behind Zach. Despite that he was going to get hurt, he asked anyway.
"Uh, Zach," Gumball sputtered out of his swollen lips, "What was that?" He raised a paw and pointed behind Zach, but he seemed unimpressed.
"Come on. You don't actually expect me to fall for that old bit, do you?" Gumball was still afraid Zach would hit him, but he kept on in as serious a manner as he could.
"Dude, I'm serious. There's like, strands of light floating up behind you." Zach raised a brow at Gumball.
"Wait, what?" He decided to give in and turned his head behind him. Gumball thought about pulling himself out while Zach was distracted, but he decided it was best to stay put. He not only didn't want Zach to hurt him anymore than he had, but wanted to know if Zach knew what was going on. He could only guess by the shock on his face that he did. "*Gasp* It's happening." He whispered to himself loudly.
"What is?" Gumball asked him. Feeling drawn to the shooting rays above, he pulled himself off of Gumball and dropped his weapon. It disappeared the instant it touched the ground.
"Those lights," Zach exhaled from his breath as Gumball stood back up behind him. "There memories travelling along neurons. Memories going from here to the conscious." In the distance, about thirty or more beams traveled up into the sky, but there were more. As Zach and Gumball looked around the area, more flashes and orange beams moved up around them. Like bullets, they traveled straight up into the sky, emitting the entire area into a mix of white and orange that made the room vibrant. With every beam out of the hundreds that went up into the sky, they all converged into one singular white circle directly above the center. Every beam made it grow larger and larger in diameter, and all the two cats did was stare into its magnificent opening. Zach mumbled out from under his breath "There it is. The conscious." Gumball decided to look away from the glorious hole above and back on the screen. What he saw looked even more incredible to him.
"Dude, look," Gumball said as he pointed at the monitor. Zach turned his attention towards Gumball and followed his finger, finding a surprising sight. Both of them saw the fairy Penny with her face pressed up near his. They both figured it could only mean one thing.
"So that's what's going on. It's her," Zach stated. "The experience of the kiss must be so strong; the body is overwhelming itself with memories of her." He looked back up at the bright white circle above him and followed up on his statement. "These memories are bringing the mind back." Zach and Gumball couldn't take their eyes off what they saw. Gumball wished he could tell Penny he was still here while Zach wished for something more to happen.
Before Penny could pull herself away, the attendants did the job for her. "Okay little girl, that's enough," one of the guys said as they both grabbed gold of Gumball. One grabbed his leash and the other one had Gumball wrapped in one arm. Penny wanted to cry out at them to stop, but a lump in her throat caught her and left her speechless. The last thing the surprised cat saw was her with her arm out as though she waved good bye. The creature knew he couldn't leave her and struggled to break free. He closed his cat eyes and wrestled with the men to escape.
From the center of the white light, a huge ray of white light shot straight down through the air, slamming the ground beneath the duo. They nearly lost their balance in the shaking as they turned to face the pillar of light. While Gumball was unsure what to do, Zach opened his mouth and presented a real, energetic smile. "This is it… This is my chance!" He spoke so loudly as he took off that Gumball couldn't stand behind.
"Hey!" He started running after Zach towards the light, but Zach wasn't about to let him get close. He jumped up and pulled a skateboard out of thin air, fitting it right under his legs. While the board moved towards the light, Zach kept his focus on Gumball behind (pulling a fakie). He held out his arms and spawned a bunk bed in front of Gumball. Gumball looked worried at first, but charged right towards it, jumping through the middle space of the beds. It exploded into pieces from behind him as he landed on all fours, continuing to run after him. Zach wasn't impressed and held his hand high in the air. From above, hundreds of genetically modified cherries larger than Gumball's head fell from the sky. He did his best to dodge them as they exploded every which way, but the juices were what got him. He couldn't keep his balance as he slipped in every direction. He was losing his balance going from fours-to-twos-to circles all while standing. The last pose he made was on one foot as he kept sliding on the cherry juice towards Zach. He said aloud to himself "Hang on a second. As long as I keep my balance, I can just cherry skate my way." He pulled himself into position and skated along the liquids, dodging left and right, as well as jumping a few for showboating. He felt like he could take on anything Zach threw his way, until he realized Zach had made it.
"Your too late, Gumball." Zach kicked the front of the board up and ollie'd it back into his hands, metamorphosing it into a bazooka. Gumball dropped his jaw and raised his eyes in shock, but kept his form while still skating the juices. "Instead of saying 'Dodge this!' like last time, how about I go with… See you on the flip side… PSYCH!" He pulled the trigger and sent the missile flying at Gumball. He didn't know what to do as he saw the ballistic hurtling towards him. He didn't believe he could duck it. But maybe I can jump it, Gumball thought to himself. He doubted he could do it, but figured there was no other way. I'm a cat after all; I should have wicked reflexes! He narrowed his eyes targeted the missile. It was coming in hot, but he prepared for the worse. He stopped swinging his feet, gliding along the cherry juice and preparing for his jump. The missile was coming in closer and closer, and all the more was Gumball's heart following along. He was scared alright, but he couldn't let Zach cross through the light.
In slow motion, Gumball made his jump over the missile. He propelled himself up from the ground and landed one foot along the side of the missile. His foot shot the front head of the missile downward, but he landed his other foot just near the back border of the exhaust end. At a 45° angle did Gumball slant it at the ground, and just before it's collision and explosion, jumped as hard as he could off the missile and took off like a bird. Back at normal speed, the blast radius of the explosion sent Gumball straight into the air. Traveling at what looked to be nearly one-hundred miles an hour to Zach, they couldn't believe their eyes. Zach was so impressed, he completely forgot about his weapon and watched Gumball soar through the sky in his direction.
"Woooah," Zach said in envy, "not bad for a loser." Gumball was arching closer to the light, feeling he might make it before hitting the ground. His face lit up as he soared straight towards the long beam.
The feral Gumball was in full swing of attacking. He struggled endlessly trying to unleash his holding. He wished he could open his jaw and bite down at the guy's arm that was holding him in place. The two workers with Gumball held down between them approached a solid white door being protected by a similar figure of a man. The one holding Gumball around his neck spoke to the attendant.
"Is the room ready yet?" The man at the door wrapped his fingers around the handle and unlocked it for the two.
"Everything's set to go. The electrotherapist is ready for this one." The two walked through the open door while Gumball continued to struggle for freedom. He had to get back to that fairy, even if he didn't know why. Once they were in, the man closed the door from behind them and went back to his Brit. soldier post at the door.
"I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna make it!" He smiled as he closed in towards his freedom. "I'm coming Penny. I'm coming home everyone." It wasn't until Gumball started descending downward straight towards Zach that he suddenly became scared again. "Oh no! I'm not gonna make it!" He started screaming as he fell towards the ground. From below, Zach smiled and waited for the collision. He thought to himself as he watched on merrily. I could shoot him while he's falling or just take one step behind me and leave now, but this looks too fun to miss out on. A lawn chair spawned underneath Zach and he leaned back to watch in style. He couldn't wait for Gumball to face plant the ground. Meanwhile, Gumball wanted it all to stop. "Oh, gosh! Please tell me this isn't actually happening!" He closed his eyes in dreaded fear of the landing, letting the wind blow in his face. "I wish I had a parachute to land safely." Instantly, the wind stopped, and Gumball took notice. He opened one eye to find himself still falling, but straight down and much slower than before. "Wait, what the?" He looked above him and found a parachute strapped to his back. It was part green and part black, but took both Gumball and Zach off guard.
"What- how the?" Zach said, lifting his back up from the chair. He watched as Gumball landed on his two feet, standing only twenty feet away from the comfy Zach. As soon as he was still, Gumball unlatched the safety bag from his back and faced Zach from across the way. Part of Zach's front looked to be shadowed over from the brightness of the light behind him. "How did you do that?!" he cried out at Gumball. "Only I can imagine stuff here. This is my world, not yours!" Gumball didn't answer him, but knew he was right. How did I do that, he thought to himself. He looked at Zach from behind, but couldn't stop observing that light behind him. After staring at it for a few more seconds, he figured it out.
"*Light gasp* Of course. It's the light," he said to himself. "That light must be a connection to the conscious, and if what Zach said was true about me, then anything I imagine from there is coming in here." He shot up a smile, but gave Zach his evil yellowed eye stare from afar. He knew that with the power in his hand, the odds were fair, but he had to surprise attack him. Otherwise, Zach was too close and would easily escape. He thought up the first thing that came to him, slowly putting a hand behind his back. "Hey, Zach" Gumball shouted across the way with his other free hand.
"What?" Zach yelled back.
"You know what I think is going on?"
"What?" From behind Gumball, a grappling hook gun pieced itself together, fitting perfectly in Gumball's paws. He said his next words in as dark and deep a voice he could call aloud to Zach.
"Mind tricks." He pulled the gun out from behind himself and quickly aimed it at Zach, pulling the trigger as fast he could. The claws extended out as they traveled across the darkness and, before Zach could react, grabbed hold around his body. Zach freaked out and quickly tried to jump into the light, but unsuccessfully missed touching it. He was retracted back to Gumball, flying in mid air at a fast speed. Zach quickly imagined a sword and swiped at the metal claw. It cut in half, but he went skidding and turning round on the ground. Gumball let go of the damaged gun and quickly replaced it with a shovel. He held it up like a bat in both hands and awaited Zach to come his way. As Zach went bouncing along the ground, he spawned bubble around himself hoping it would stop Gumball's attack. Gumball took his swing and popped it on sight, yet Zach scrapped by feeling only the breeze fly over his face. Zach barrel rolled behind Gumball and got back up straight on his feet. Gumball went blazing in, converting his shovel into a flamethrower and torching the target. Zach did not have access to an infinite imagination like Gumball however and could only spawn what the mind saw outside. He quickly pulled a blanket of snow from the ground to shield the blast. It only held for a few seconds, but it was enough for Zach to get himself a car and drive around the fire. He gunned it past Gumball and laughed as he drove towards the light again. Gumball threw the weapon to the floor and cried out "Oh, YEAH?" He held his hands out and raised the car up from the distance. He knew Zach would try something, and thinking in the moment, he closed his paws and crushed the car from within. The sound of crunching metal drowned out any noise that could have been made from the other cat, but Gumball heard nothing of the sorts. He kept the ball of metal in the air for a few seconds, but slowly descended it to the ground. When it reached the bottom, Gumball took his force off the vehicle ad wondered where Zach was. It wasn't until he felt a finger tap his shoulder he knew.
"Looking for me?" said the voice behind Gumball. Gumball decided he had enough of fighting Zach.
"That's it!" he shouted out. He swung himself around buried his paw straight into Zach's neck. He clenched down on it as he picked Zach up from off the ground. As he was chocking for air, Zach tried to imagine something to break himself free, but Gumball was already a step ahead. He tossed Zach into the air and held him in place. There Zach floated above the ground and was incapable of moving. His limbs spread apart, he tried as hard as he could to think of a way out, but Gumball knew it wouldn't work. He levitated himself up to Zach's height above the ground and explained what was going on. "You can't defeat me, Zach. My power is stronger than yours now, and as long as I have you in my holding, you can't imagine any way out. The odds are in my favor now." Gumball forced his arms down as fast as he could and propelled Zach to the floor. Nothing but a large dust cloud laid in the area, but before anything else, Gumball dropped himself at incredible speed towards the landing zone. His foot out and ready to stomp, he body slammed Zach right in, then grabbed him, threw him in circles, and tossed him like a stone in the direction of the light. Zach bounced up and down as he hit the floor over and over again, finally stopping about ten feet from the pillar of light. Zach was too weak to get up, but Gumball made sure it wouldn't happen anyway.
"Stop," Zach moaned out when he heard Gumball's feet approaching his tossed over body. Gumball looked down at Zach, who was on his side and facing away from him. Gumball smiled at seeing him in pain.
"Yes Zach," he said from above, "It's time to stop this; once, and for all." He held out his arms, then swung his right over to the right side. Zach's body turned face up, finally capable of seeing the overpowering thought. Gumball closed his right paw, spawning a chain and shackle around Zach's left wrist. Before he could react, Gumball did the same to his right, and finally his legs. Gumball knew that this would be it; He would finally get rid of Zach for good. With Zach too hurt to do anything, Gumball pulled his right arm over his back and created for himself an electric sword. It was an energy blade that glistened in electric blue as shocks of electricity shot out all around the blade's edge. Zach was scared, but Gumball appeared excited. Without giving it a second thought, Gumball slashed Zach's left arm off, causing the subdued feline to cry in pain. He then proceeded on with the other arm, taking it clear off in one slash like the first. Zach couldn't do anything but watch himself be dismembered. As Gumball continued on with his legs, cutting both off in one swing each, Zach knew he could regenerate them, but not with Gumball's power over-ruling his. If only I had escaped when I had the chance, Zach thought to himself just as Gumball took what was left of his body. Gumball stepped closer to Zach and raised his blue sword over Zach's chest. Zach looked at the blade and feared what Gumball intended to do, but Gumball had one thing left to say to him first. "This is the end for you, Zach. Once I kill you here, you should disappear forever from me, and you'll never see the light of day again. Any last words?" Gumball pulled his sword up over his head, continuing to watch Zach and wait for his response. Zach wanted to escape, but knew it was pointless. It was hard for him to think with him staring death in the face, but he decided to just say what he kept down for so long.
"I guess all I have to say is… I hope you can live knowing you're committing murder." The words threw Gumball for a loop and forced him to lower his stature.
"What?" was all Gumball could say from the confusion. He felt lost by the comment, but Zach was only angry.
"Go ahead Gumball," he said bitterly as he laid on the ground. "Do it… Get rid of me and go back, but just know that it isn't your life." Gumball still didn't get it and raised an eyebrow at the dismembered cat. He didn't understand how, but he had a feeling of guilt coming on. He actually started to feel sorry for Zach, but he didn't want to. He always figured Zach was too mean to deserve pity, and yet there he stood over him, wanting to express it.
(Meanwhile), Inside the room, the two guards had finally released Gumball from his restraint. Slowly, the one who's arm was wrapped around Gumball's throat released the cat onto a silver steel table. The second Gumball was free, he quickly tried to jump and run away, but with the leash in the other one's hand, he didn't get far. With each hand, they grabbed the limbs of the poor feral animal. His stomach face up, Gumball tried to wiggle out of their grasp, but unsuccessfully couldn't. The two guards slammed the blue cat to the table, sending a slight pain to the blue cat.
"RHAAAN!" He cried out at the sudden descent to the cold table. The guards locked his wrists tight so he couldn't get out, and then went on to do the same with his legs. All the feral Gumball could do was stare up at the ceiling as he awaited an unknown fate. All that he could focus on was an overhead light that beamed a white light upon his face. It irritated the cat greatly, but he could nothing except look away from it. All the while, the guards entered a room to the side of Gumball's, a door that led them to the other side where a one-way mirror was evident. The only other person in the room was a dark, boney shadow man that lurked in the shady corner of the room. Only his ivy green eyes could be seen in the darkness. His voice sounded smooth and seductive, but menacing and fearful.
"Is the patient ready?" he said with a hint of enthusiasm. One of the guards responded promptly.
"The patient has been secured, sir." The eyes in the shadow squinted slightly in joy.
"Excellent." The eyes turned themselves to face the direction of the animal on the table. He could see Gumball struggling to escape, helpless to the pain he would experience. Something about seeing the cat struggle pleased him; he loved patients that put up a fight. "Let's let her warm up, shall we?" A white, bone-thin arm came out of the darkness and pressed a green button on a dashboard below the glass. The sound of generators activating was heard from Gumball's room, making the cat stop his fuss. The noise scared him, but so much so, he couldn't he felt frozen in place. He looked around to see where the noise was coming from, but in the other room, a big smile came from under the eyes. His teeth all neatly lined up as he awaited the procedure.
"You can't fool me, Zach. You expect me to believe that I stole your life away from you? It has to be a lie." Zach squinted his eyes at Gumball in disgust.
"Why don't you believe me, Gumball?"
"Because if that were true, then I'd have to feel sorry for you, and you. don't. deserve. it."
"Oh yeah?" Zach marked his gaze over to his side, where the giant monitor repositioned itself right beside the duo. The image of Penny and the others was static as Zach was trying to manipulate the device. "Then take a look for yourself." Feeling no present threat, Gumball turned to his left with the sword still over his head. He watched the static disappear as it became replaced. On screen, an image of the living room came in. The blue carpet and brown couch made Gumball realize the living room. The screen was low to the ground, facing outside the dining table and towards the window on the front side of the house (juts over the coffee table). From off the screen, Richard's voice came piercing through the area, just after the front door swung open.
"Nicole, I'm home from the store," the big bunny said making his way around the couch. He possessed two brown paper bags wrapped around his arms. The screen diverted it's attention away from the bunny and looked to find Nicole coming out the side of the walkway. She first sounded tired in her response, but after looking back at her little baby son, she couldn't help but smile.
"Just put the bags down on the dining table. I need to get Zach's food out for him; Isn't that right my wittle Wacky Zachy?" Gumball's jaw dropped to the side in shock. He almost couldn't believe what his mom just said. It both disturbed and repulsed him the way his mom just said that name. She DIDN'T Gumball thought to himself, unable to look away from the action. Zach had seen it a hundred times before though, and directed his attention back on Gumball. He wanted to see just how his other self would react. Back on the monitor, Richard set the bags down as the conversation continued.
"And don't worry, I made sure not to buy any gum at the store this time."
"Thank you, Richard. I know he likes it and all, but I just don't think it's healthy for him to eat it constantly. Now, why don't you keep him preoccupied for me while I fix us something to eat." She reached into one of the plastic bags and pulled out a can of baby food, turning her back on the two and walking away. Richard leaned down and whispered to the camera.
"Pss, hey Zach," Richard said, making Gumball's eyes dilate back in double shock. He pulled out a bag from behind his red plaid shirt, revealing an object of truth in his hands. "I found these on sale while at the store." He untied the bag's top and let the gumballs roll out onto the floor. Two little blue paws reached out for the colorful balls and pulled them under and out of sight. "Enjoy." Like Richard, all Gumball did was watch as the creature devoured his treats. Unlike his father however, Gumball was not smiling. "You're so cute, ya know that? So small and sweet looking, just like those gumballs. Makes me want to eat you up like you are one, a-ha-ha!" He bent down to pick up his child. Both the pink bunny and the screen were at eye level with each other. "I honestly don't see why you couldn't be a Gumball if you ask me. You already fit the description. Why, even that blue color of yours works too." From behind the two, Nicole came in, and was upset.
"Are those gumballs on the floor Richard!" Richard pulled the little child in around his arm. Now both were facing her scorning face. Richard was disappointed for upsetting his wife.
"Yeah, they are. But sweetie, just look at how much Zach loves them?" Nicole raised an eyebrow facing the screen.
"Is he sucking on one? Awe, it's so adorable that he's trying to break it." She stepped closer to monitor and looked into it closely. The longer the talking went on, the more destroyed Gumball felt. He couldn't understand why, but every moment was damaging him more and more. He had completely forgotten everything watching the video. His sword overhead, the pillar of light in front of him, and the dismembered version of himself on the ground. He darted his eyes at Zach, who still had that smug smile on his face. Gumball was more concerned about the screen as Richards voice came back however, turning his eyeballs back.
"I picked out gumballs because they just reminded me of our son for some reason. He does remind me of them." Nicole couldn't resist her little baby's cute face as he teethed the little ball in his mouth. She smiled at him and rubbed his head.
"I guess he's our little Gumball, now aren't cha?" As soon as she was finished, the screen started to disassemble. It became replaced with random videos of the blue cat's life getting older. As they all transitioned, Zach went on.
"You see? I told you the truth. After what they did, you came along and took over, took everything from me." Gumball finally pried his vision away from the system and faced his enemy once again. His jaw still dropped in shock; he just listened and stayed quiet. "You might live out there in the real world, but you never knew that you stole it from someone else. Maybe you saw me as a jerk, but good or bad, it was still my life. All those years I missed growing up, taken from me by you." Zach turned his eyes away from Gumball, too depressed to look at him. "I just wanted back what was mine, but I see now that there's no point. I'm not strong enough to ever go back, and as far as it goes, no one cares about me anymore." Feeling the weight of the world crush him, he began to cry. Gumball had never seen Zach cry before, and almost couldn't believe he felt guilty for him. The more Zach went on, the worse Gumball began to feel inside. "Go ahead Gumball. Just kill me here and now, and you'll never have to see or worry about me ever again. You already have killed me for the most part, and for what it's worth, I am sorry that I hurt you, but you hurt me a lot more than you could ever realize." He closed his eyes and started to cry uncontrollably. "I just feel so alone and betrayed by everyone outside. No one cares about me or even knows I exist anymore… not even my own family."He remained silent for a short while, getting what tears he could out of him before his death came along. The waterworks made Gumball start to tear up as well. Zach sniffled and came back to facing Gumball again, elevating his voice through his tears. "What are you waiting for? Just kill me already! END MY LIFE FOR GOOD!-a-ha-ha-haaaaa-ha-haaa…" Gumball was so unsure of what to do.
Wha…What do I… I mean… He was torn between what he should do. Gumball's wrists started shaking in freight. The sword over his head wiggling back and forth, getting faster and faster the longer Gumball held it. He wanted to strike down Zach and be rid of him forever. Every fiber of his being wanted to end him, but if what Zach has shown Gumball is true, how could he? I must, but I can't Gumball fought with himself. He's a jerk, but he has reason to be. He hurt me, but it's justified. He's selfish, but he never got to learn. Every thought Gumball had made him more and more unsure. Zach's bawling and screaming had finally gotten to Gumball. He closed his eyes and stopped all thinking he had. He let out a shout of hate. "aaaa-AHHHHHHH" and swung his sword straight down. Zach crushed his eyes together at the sound of the blade hitting the ground. He felt like it was all over. Gumball finally did it Zach believed. Am I… dead? He didn't feel any pain in the heat of the moment and finally opened one of his eyes. He saw Gumball still standing over him, but he looked devastated. His whole front body was slouched over like an arch. His arms dangling from the air and his face hidden from sight. Zach turned his attention back on himself and saw no evidence of the blade having struck him. He then realized that it was just to his left. The blue blade was only a foot away from Zach's head. Did he miss or something he thought to himself. He waited for Gumball to speak, but all he heard was Gumball sobbing in privacy.
"You missed me," Zach finally said. Gumball didn't respond at first, but he finally managed to pull himself up, or at least his head. Zach could see Gumball bellowing and whining as tears rolled down his face. Through the sadness, Gumball spoke out.
"I *sniffle* didn't miss." Gumball wiped his tears away, stepping closer and kneeling down to Zach. He put his left arm underneath Zach's head and held it up to face him. The fact that he had no arms or legs made Gumball feel worse. "Zach, I'm sorry. I'm so, so, horribly sorry for not believing you." He pulled his arms around Zach and wrapped him in a hug. Without any arms of his own, Zach couldn't do anything, though he was caught off guard. "It's no wonder you were so mean; so bumptious." As Gumball continued to cry over Zach's shoulder, Zach raised an eyebrow in question behind Gumball. He has never felt the embrace of a hug before, and it made him suspicious.
"Like you actually care," Zach said in a disgusted manner. Gumball released Zach and held him by his side.
"I do care. I've never felt so guilty for something in all my life." Gumball placed his right paw on Zach's chest and closed his eyes. Before Zach could guess what he was doing, his limbs had magically grown back. He looked at his arms and waved them gently in the air. He couldn't believe what Gumball had done for him. "I want you to know that I will never be able to forgive myself for what happened Zach, and also this."
"What? What do you mean 'this,'" Zach asked as he placed his paws on the ground. Gumball closed his eyes and knelt his head downward, whispering something in shame.
"For this." From out of the ground, chains and shackles spawned outward and wrapped themselves around Zach's body. Gumball darted himself backward before Zach had a chance to do anything. His wrists and ankles cuffed down to the dark ground as more and more chains wrapped themselves around him. Gumball just watched in pity of the spectacle. As the last chain finished its encasement, Zach called Gumball out.
"What?! What are you doing?" Zach tried his best to shake his way out, struggling every which way for freedom. Gumball stepped closer and looked down at Zach for the last time.
"Zach," he said quietly. "I want you to know that I feel terrible for what happened, and I know it's unfair to do this to you, but I can't let you go back. You're too bad a person to ever be let free, but you don't deserve to die for what you've done." Zach stopped his struggling.
"Who do you think you are to do this to me? You can't leave me here; I'd rather die than have to stay in this place!" Hearing Zach's angry words only increased the wretchedness in Gumball's heart. He didn't want to, but he knew what was best.
"I would hate myself if I were in your place too, but I can't let you go. I'm too selfish to stay behind, and I feel ashamed to do this to you, but I won't stay here." He stood back up on his feet and faced the portal in front of him. Nothing about the white beam had changed the entire time they fought on. "I'm going back to the real world, Zach, and I will never forget you, or what I've learned here. I know you can never forgive me for what I'm doing to you, but I guess this will be my burden to bare."
"NO! Don't you dare leave me here! I refuse to let you win; I'm the one that's supposed to!" Gumball bent his down and closed his eyes, saying his final words.
"Goodbye, Zach. Farewell, and I'm sorry." He let a single tear from his eye and stepped forward to the light. Gumball only got further and further away, with Zach shouting as loud as he could.
"You can't do this to me! It's MY LIFE! You don't deserve it; all those people should love ME!" Gumball was directly in front of the beam, feeling the energy overtake him. He could feel it raising up, blowing some of his hair up into the sky. He looked straight at the top where the beam was ending, but couldn't smile. His ticket out was only a foot step away, and all he could feel was guilt. "You're leaving me here to rot! How can you live with yourself knowing what you're doing?! How can you do this to meeee!" Gumball twisted his body backwards to face the tied up Zach. The light created a shadow over his front half as the stream continued on behind him as he said his final words.
"By believing your worse than I am, Zach. But what kind of person leaves another to face purgatory?" He held his arms out horizontally from each other and leaned back into the light. He fell backwards entering the pillar with his eyes closed. As though it were magic, he floated in mid air flat on his back and slowly ascended higher and higher into the sky.
"NOOOO! WHYYY-HY-hiiigh. *Gasp* Nooo-ho-ho-hoooo." Zach continued to cry in misery, all alone once more with his only means of escape disappearing. He could see the bottom of the light receding up from the ground, and it made him both angry and sad to see his means of escape leave him. He knew it was over and that there was no going back now. Gumball actually won he thought to himself as he continued to cry... alone.
As for Gumball, about half-way up the light, he opened his eyes and found him coming closer and closer. The origin of the source was like a huge overhead light that both hurt and satisfied Gumball. He felt like wanting to not look at the light as it grew larger and glarier the closer he got, but he was too overwhelmed with joy (and shame) to turn away.
He tried his best to smile and said quietly to himself "I'm coming home everybody. I'm almost there." From below the ground of the darkness, the pillar was half way gone and disappeared further and further into the sky. Zach couldn't stop his crying as he saw the light fade before him, and as soon as Gumball had crossed through the top, the last bit exploded and echoed a boom throughout the darkness. It was gone, and for Zach, so were his chains and his freedom. He didn't feel like getting up despite that he could though. What's the point now he thought to himself.
After a few more passing seconds for Gumball, a whoosh sound was heard, following all kinds of strange and weird noises to him. There was Darwin's screaming, his mother's crying, Tobias and Mrs. Simian's voice, and all the other noises of everyone Gumball both heard and didn't know spreading dialogue throughout whiteness. Zooming further out of the white canvas of noise, the cat eye of Gumball was seen.
The feral creature faced up at the ceiling of white light above him, scared as ever of what was happening. The cat didn't know what was going to happen, but between the noise and the atmosphere, he couldn't stop feeling the worst coming on. Then suddenly, a feeling did come on. Still strapped down to the table, the animal's eyes began to twitch. He couldn't stop himself from doing it and began shaking his body everywhere.
He whined out a half-made "Raa-haan", clenching his teeth together with his eyes closed. It looked like he was in pain as he squirmed every which way until… a gasp. The feline opened his eyes momentarily, but kept them closed in agony. He coughed heavily, trying to regain his breath. He was in too much shock to just stop all at once, but eventually, his coughing receded and turned into normal breathing. Only then did he open his eyes, revealing to no longer be what they were. His naturalistic look had faded and back came his circular-shaped eyeballs, with pupils to go along with as well. Gumball had finally returned, but still scared as could be.
"What the" he said quietly to himself, looking around the room. He looked to his side and saw his restraints, nearly panicking. Had it not have been for the voice overhead, he almost would have screamed.
"The machine is charged," said the voice over a speaker in the room. It sounded like none other than the voice from the shadows. "Beginning shock treatment in 3…2-"
"WAAAAIIT" Gumball shouted at the top of his lungs.