I awoke to the sound of giggling.

"Oh, dang. Sorry I woke you." -said a familiar voice, a mix of two others. I was in Danny's old room at FentonWorks, specifically tucked into his bed. Stevonnie was sitting at the foot of it, which really served to accentuate her inhuman height.

Their height? I was too drowsy to try and figure it out.

"No worries." -I said groggily. "Were you two giggling just now? Did I say something embarrassing in my sleep?" -I asked, mortified. I sat up quickly, which made me realize I was in human form, since I didn't just start floating.

Stevonnie shrugged. "Oh, no, just some...inner dialogue. Real funny, but you should've been there."

"Right. The fusion thing." -I muttered.

They laughed good-naturedly. "Never been called a 'thing' before."

"Sorry. I'm still getting used to the whole fusion concept." -I said, embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it. So are we, and we've been doing it since we were twelveteen - er, twelve and thirteen." -they said.

My curiosity got the better of me. "How did it happen?"

The fusion blushed. "It was...a total accident, actually. Steven and Connie, they had a crush on each other. The Gems were trying to figure out if Steven could even fuse because he's half human. The kids were talking on the beach about the fusion dance, and then they actually started dancing. Before we- er, they knew it, they had become me."

I raised an eyebrow at their slip of the tongue. It was different, when Stevonnie spoke, than when their components did. The differing tones of their voices betrayed them. "So, how does it work?"

Stevonnie hummed. "Fusion?"

"Duh."

They smirked. "S'not that complicated. On paper, at least. When Gems decide to become one, both in mind and body, their bodies turn into light, and they merge into a single entity. To do so, they must be on the same page, the same mindset. Even then, there's usually a fusion dance to ensure their synchronization. Of course, as with most magical things, there's more to fusion than that. Connie is just a regular human, so she obviously can't just turn into light. And yet, I exist."

"Yeah, I meant to ask you about that. Nico told us that only people with some connection to magic could find Beach City. If Connie didn't have that, then how did she end up there?"

Connie laughed through the Gem. "My father works security, but not in the way most people would imagine. He's the bodyguard of the UN ambassador stationed in the city."

I frowned. "There's an ambassador for a town of less than a hundred people?"

"Does Amity Park lack one? There are ambassadors for most major magical dwellings, actually. I'm sure your friends know about them. Beach City is pretty small, but the Crystal Gems have a rather large presence in the magical sphere. We tend to make a lot of noise, chasing corrupted Gems. Normal humans usually get freaked out really easily, so the UN provides...damage control. Anyway, Connie's dad handles magic stuff really well, so he and the family got sent to Beach City, Connie's mom started working at the local hospital, and the rest is my own little love story." -Stevonnie explained cheerfully.

I hummed. "So, is that it, then? Is a romantic, 'only you and I' sort of element the secret to your fusion?"

The fusion thought for a second. "Maybe, maybe not. I like to think it is. Makes me feel better about myself, y'know? But Steven's never tried to fuse with other humans - not that Connie would get jealous or anything - so we don't really know."

I pursed my lips. "Do you think...I mean, I know we barely just met but...do you think we could fuse?" -I asked hopefully.

If Stevonnie found the question surprising, she didn't really show it. "Hmm. Maybe. Fusion can be dangerous, if you're not prepared, or if you're not doing it for the right reasons. You might think Steven and Connie fuse to fight, but that's not quite true. I am great, but they're excellent fighters on their own. I'm simply a fusion of love, like Garnet."

"Garnet is a fusion?" -I asked, bewildered.

Stevonnie winked playfully. "She did say it's a theme with us. You must've missed her two gemstones."

I shook my head. "I never would've put two and two together, honestly. She just looks like a magenta-skinned woman with a sick afro."

"That's another thing. She clearly looks humanoid, right? So do I, obviously...aside from my size, that is. That's because our components have a deep and loving bond with each other. On the other hand, a fusion that is primarily summoned to fight, like Opal, will always have...extra stuff." -they explained.

"Right. The arms."

Stevonnie nodded. "Pearl and Amethyst do love each other, but it's more of a sibling bond. Their personalities are kind of on opposite sides of the spectrum, so when they fuse, they almost cancel each other out. Add to that the fact that Opal really only forms when there's a tough fight, and that's why she is as you saw her. Balanced and powerful, but quiet and prone to infusion. And then, the more Gems form a fusion, the less stable it becomes..."

I gasped. "Oh, snap. I thought fusion was only a two Gem thing."

They giggled. "Even though I'm technically a one-quarter Gem thing?"

"Well, us hybrids are usually exceptions." -I said from experience.

"Fair point, but no. Fusions are, as far as I know, unlimited in regards to how many Gems can participate in one. The most I've seen is four - her name's Alexandrite - but the record is actually five. You've seen that one yourself."

I rose an eyebrow. "What? When?"

"The Crystal Temple, silly. It does depict an eight-armed giant woman, after all."

I hit my head. How could I be so dense? "Wow. My brain's just not firing today."

"You did just recover from a terrible beating, Ellie. Don't sweat it. In any case, those kinds of fusions are massively powerful, huge, and highly unstable. Take Alexandrite, for example: the fusion of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl is fifty feet tall, has three pairs of arms, and a second mouth along her jawline."

I stared at Stevonnie in awe. Fifty feet...that was huge. I could probably fit comfortably on Alexandrite's palms, with space to spare. "I kinda wanna see her now."

Stevonnie pursed their lips. "Let's hope you never have to. Alexandrite only forms for absolute emergencies. The last time she did, Malachite happened, and a college campus got trampled."

Ouch. "Malachite...that's Jasper and Lapis Lazuli's forced fusion, right?"

Stevonnie winced. "Pearl did say that...look, Ellie, it's...complicated. Like I said, fusion can go very wrong. Malachite is the perfect example of that. Pearl likes to pin all the blame on the Homeworld loyalist, but the truth is, Lapis wanted to fuse with Jasper. Their relationship has never been healthy, and Malachite reflects that, as a mad, monstrous creature that enjoys flaunting her power in the most destructive way possible. If I'm not saying yes to trying fusion with you, it's because I'm worried we could make someone like her." -they admitted.

My stomach dropped. "Oh. Yeah, I get that." -I said, mildly embarrassed. "Thanks, anyway."

Stevonnie scowled. "Sorry, Ellie. Tell you what, though: this Ghost Rider guy prove too much for us, we'll give Stevonnellie a shot, alright?"

I smiled, feeling a little better. "You got it!"

I then rose from my bed, going ghost with a brilliant flash. Stevonnie stood up as well, about a head short of twice my height. "Let's get to it, then."


The Fenton family was still at City Hall, it seemed, as the only person at the house that wasn't linked to the Defenders was Valerie Gray. The Red Huntress and the rest of the team - plus a young, disheveled looking dude in a brown trenchcoat I didn't recognize - were down at the lab, getting their gear ready.

"Brilliant timing, you two. We are just about ready to depart this earthly realm." -said Ginny, checking the straps on her leather armor.

I rose an eyebrow. "Looks like it. Who's your friend?"

Nico sighed. "Our very own loremaster has decided to join the potentially suicidal mission."

I scoffed. "Loremaster?"

The demigod nodded. "Or so he prefers to be called. Mason, stop nerding out or so help me, we're leaving you here and locking the doors behind us!" -he shouted, annoyed.

The young man in question stopped his excited conversation with Valerie, who looked at me amusedly. I just shrugged.

"Hey! Yeah, sorry about that. Danny had brought some pieces of ecto-tech to the lab before, but nothing quite as advanced as Ms. Gray's…" -he said, leaping towards us and trailing off dreamily. "Anyway, I'm Mason Pines! S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant and the Defender's resident loremaster. Pleased to meet you! Call me Dipper." -he said excitedly, vigorously shaking my hand.

I blinked a couple times, overwhelmed by the guy's excited motormouth. "I'm, uh, Danielle. Ellie's fine, though."

"Yes! Danny's talked quite a lot about you." -he then paused, suddenly weary. "I'm...sorry we have to meet this way. I'm sure he's fine. I know I don't need to tell you this, but he's made of tougher stuff than most." -he tried to reassure me.

"Let's hope so. Sorry for asking, but what's a loremaster?"

Dipper smirked. "It means I know a lot about supernatural phenomena. I was hired by SHIELD along with your brother to advise them on how to counter cryptids, ghosts, demons, and other assorted paranormal things. Doctor Strange is often away on Sorcerer Supreme business, and thus can't fulfill a larger role with this team. That's where I come in: I compile every scrap of information on whatever threat we're currently trying to counter. I also oversee our armory." -he said, hefting some kind of cross between a futuristic assault rifle and a fireman's hose.

"Is that a proton pack?" -asked Stevonnie, excited.

Dipper coughed. "In essence, yes, though it's not like what you may remember from Ghostbusters. It's an ion-blaster. It counters the negative polarity all ghosts naturally have. I figure it'll come in handy in there." -he said, pointing behind him.

Valerie shrugged. "It's no ecto-gun, but it'll do."

I nodded. "Right. So, how do we beat the Ghost Rider?"

Dipper smirked mischievously. "We don't."

Nico frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"The Ghost Rider has been around since the days of the Old Testament, Nico. You can't kill, banish, or permanently harm him. I believe he's one of the original fallen angels, which would make him effectively immortal. However...I've spent the better part of a month researching him, and the Rider does have several weaknesses we could exploit."

The demigod rolled his eyes. "Get on with it, Mason."

"Right. So, powerful though he may be, the Rider's a demon. That means he's inherently vulnerable to sanctified weapons. I've brought some holy water." -he said, pulling out a small spray bottle from a pouch inside his coat. "Be sure to coat your weapons with it. Magical ice can also be used to keep his Hellfire at bay, but it won't be enough to beat him. Then there are his netheranium chains - completely immune to earthly magic, so our new alien friend might have an advantage there." He listed off, then adopted a stern expression. "Above all else, remember: the guy is a flaming skeleton. Don't expect your punches and stabs to hurt him much."

"Ok...so, imagine we whittle him down. What's our end goal, here? Do we slap some supernatural cuffs on him or something?" -I asked.

He looked at me. "Excellent question! How tough would you say these things are?" -he asked me, holding up an odd-looking Fenton Thermos. It had several runes and inscriptions etched into it that I didn't recognize, and it glowed a menacing red instead of green.

"Very. Enough to hold someone of Danny's current power level captive indefinitely." -I said, frigidly recalling Danny's tale of his horrible alternate future self.

"That's what I hoped for. I don't know how Mr. and Mrs. Fenton invented this, but it's quality tech. I added some runes and basic wards to it, which should be enough to hold the Rider in place until we can manage a safer way to detain him. Doc Strange is working on that."

Nico snorted. "I can't imagine he's happy about that."

I raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

The demigod shrugged. "Working with catholic priests is taxing at the best of times."

"Most of 'em wouldn't believe a demon actually exists and needs to be exorcised until it's using its host to wring their neck. But that's beside the point. We can't exorcise the Rider anyway. His possession is not spontaneous. We have to try and convince him to let Mr. Blaze take control."

Nico scowled. "I'm not so sure he'll listen to us at all...but it's something, and we can't afford to waste any more time."

I nodded, resolutely. "Let's go."


The team is complete! Someone called out that all this fic needed was Gravity Falls. Dipper is all you get, I'm afraid. This is the last major section of this fic, so strap in: we're going into the Ghost Zone.