Hello welcome back. I feel like you should say that to me.

Been gone too long. Sorry about that.

Got a new job and needed to prepare for classes coming up.

I make no promises on when the next chapter comes. I have some situations planned, but I'm drained.

Also, from next chapter onwards, I'm going to remove the: [~Day #~]

Not every event should happen so close together.

So, anyways, Enjoy the chapter.

~Day 8 cont.~

"Are you a shapeshifter?!"

"Not another one! Isn't Clayton enough?!"

"C'mon! I'm right here!"

"Why do you have goggles?!"

"Did you come from the future?!"

"Are Gumball's descendant?!"

"Do I become President?!"

"Are a doppelganger?!"

"Did you steal Gumball's face?!"

"How can he steal his face? Gumball still has it."

"Are you a long-lost twin who was abducted at a really young age, grew up in an abusive household, escaped after 12 years and reunited with your family?!"

'That sounds like an awesome backstory, Sussie.'

"It's obvious that he's an alien from space who took Gumball's look to blend into society."

'That one, not so much, Tobias.'

I have been standing in front with the entire class crowding around me as they spitball ideas of where I came from for the last 3 ½ minutes. It's sort of funny how quickly they began this, but I each time I glance over at Ms. Simian I can tell that she doesn't find it humorous.

I look back through the crowd and speak up, "Sorry to disappoint, but my short life story isn't nearly as interesting as your theories."

"Then what are you?" ask Anton.

"Well," I begin, "I'm Gumball's former conscience and I..."

"BWAAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

The sudden burst of laughter shocked everyone and its source was no surprise.

"His conscience?!" laughed Ms. Simian, "You had one job! How can you say that as though it means anything?! I mean, how do you measure your success as one?!"

I didn't give any response, instead I just stared at her with a slight innocent smile on my face. I began to think of the rage Nicole usually had and an idea came to mind…

~Gumball's Perspective~

As Ms. Simian laughed I felt bad for Rick and myself.

'She didn't need to say that. This is his first day, a day where he's a blank slate that has yet to be touched. He doesn't need- Huh?!'

Ms. Simian's laughter died down quickly and her smiling face was slowly contorting to one replaced by fear. The crowd around Rick backed off as though they were evacuating a blast site.

He on the other hand stood there with smile on his face, but the feeling that filled the classroom was one so familiar. This feeling seemed to call forth fires from the bowels of the underworld.

'Mom?'

~Rick's Perspective~

'That's right. This kitten has fangs and he bites back.'

After a brief tense silence within this fear filled room, I quickly switch back to my previous passive personality and ask simply, "Where do I sit for class?" ~

~ We had group assignments for science. In my group is Leslie; the flower, Anton; the toast, and Penny. Since this is my first time interacting with Penny, whose appearance changed to that of a peanut-shaped fairy, people might have a specific expectation of me. I, unbeknownst to myself, will take that expectation and piledrive it into the ground.

As our group talks amongst itself, Penny tries to get to know me.

"So, Rick," she begins as we prepare our milk based science experiment, "you used to be Gumball's conscience".

"I'm guessing that's a question…" I reply unenthused, "Anton, let Leslie pour the milk. Don't need you getting soggy. Sorry Penny, you were saying?"

"Since you were in his mind for so long," she continues, "you probably know just how long he's liked me."

'*hurk* Yeah… I also know just how long this conversation should go.'

"Okay, let me stop you right there," I say mutedly as I try to hold in the sick feeling I have from remembering Gumball's infatuation, "I kind of figured, and dreaded, that you would ask me about this topic. I'm gonna level with you, I reviled almost every time you ended up in his vision or his daydreams."

The look on her face was one of shock and disbelief. I took a deep breath to settle my stomach and calm my annoyance.

'Digging yourself a hole here! Rick!'

From here on out, I know I should choose my next words carefully.

"Ok... uh... l-look I-I'm sorry," I continue while measuring my words, "that was uncalled for. I-I'm trying to say... that whenever you were on his mind, so many mushy thoughts would begin to drown out the world and sickly-sweet daydreams would cloud my vision."

Leslie is definitely attentive in this conversation as the milk, which he should've stopped pouring by now, fills our saucer to the brim spills over slightly. Anton is looking down at the lab station drying up the spill with a towel while trying not to either draw attention to himself or look at Penny. Penny is obviously feeling conflicted. Here I am, with the face of her boyfriend, saying that I disliked the two's feelings for each other.

'This hole is about 6 feet, ain't it?'

"I never had my own feelings until 8 days ago, so I was always been taken on a rollercoaster of emotions with him. Sometimes there were somethings I would try steer him away from that should obviously cause fear or distress, yet I would feel happiness, anticipation, o-or; nirvana forbid; elation. I found myself disliking whenever he was entranced by you so much, that I-I... I think I might hate the feeling of love, the r-romantic kind. I feel physically nauseous as I remember the feelings he felt as he thought of you.

'Molten core within site.'

"So I'd just want you to know, and pass along, that for me... there are somethings I'd rather not talk about. Especially, when it comes to my time in his head."

I felt terrible about my hushed rant and the ensuing bubble of silence around our group. I know Leslie was a rumor starter, but hopefully he wouldn't say anything since Penny's his cousin.

'Destination reached: Please enjoy your stay at the Earth's core.'

I take the food coloring given to us, for the experiment, and squeeze a few drops into the middle the milk. I pass the dish-soap to Penny, who doesn't really budge.

*sigh*I place the dish-soap down near her end and look away.

"Look at what you did, Rick," I say under my breath, "You're already on your way to being an outcast.'

"Rick," I hear come from Penny, "I'm sorry that I... made you remember that."

"You didn't know," I attempt to reassure her, "And I definitely did not need to bring it up."

We sit in silence a few more moments when...

BLAM!

The science lab shakes abruptly and when it subsides I look over to the source of the explosion: Gumball's group. Gumball and Clayton peel themselves off the wall, Bobert walks through a him-shaped hole back into the room, and William; who was blown to ceiling; falls back to the ground before struggling to flap his wings.

"Uh... Gumball, you guys alright?" I loudly ask as get up from my seat, about to go check on him. He waves me off and nods coughing.

"How'd this even happen?!" Clayton questions, "We followed the instructions to the letter. Was it supposed to explode, Ms. Simian?"

Ms. Simian, who had been leaning back in her chair with a magazine on her face, doesn't even move from her chair. She just shrugs and asks, "Who put the drops of dish-soap into the milk?"

Three of that group looks at Gumball.

"Yep, make sense." Penny and I say in unison. We look at each other with smirks on our faces when I couldn't hold it in and just began to laugh. Surprisingly, I wasn't the only as Penny gives a slight chuckle.

Our laughter died down and I look take a look at Penny and hold my hand out, "Never took the chance to say this: It's nice to finally meet you Penny!"

She looks at my hand then back at me, grips it, and with a good shake says, "Likewise Rick."

"Sorry about earlier," I confess, "I wasn't clear with how I said things. I'm not saying I hate you nor your relationship with Gumball. I just developed a dislike of mushy stuff. But you, you're cool."

"Thanks," she says with a smile forming on her face.

I pick the dish-soap back and hand to her, "I think you should do the honor, Ms. Fitzgerald. Not good for us Watterson boys to do this."

x4 "AAWWW!"

We look to see the Darwin's group has a saucer filled with fire and they're frighteningly trying to put it out. After Tobias uses the fire extinguisher to put out the flames I feel the dish-soap yanked from my hand.

"You're probably right about you not doing this."

I just nod as I continue to look on perplexed.

'The timing, though.'~

~The rest of the science lab is uneventful after we complete the experiment correctly, resulting in a continuous shift of the colored dye in the milk.

The bell rings to dismiss the class for lunch and recess. As my classmates get up from their seats to head to lunch, I sit for a while thinking of my first day so far. I already gained the "gentle demon" standing from my actions earlier. The class seemed to get used to me being in the class even though I have yet to enter a clique or group. I have no idea if it's because I know them well enough to navigate my way through my interactions or if they just like me. My ego wants me to say the former.

PAP!

I feel an abrupt pat on my back smell a tinge of burnt fur. I look to see the smiling soot covered face of Gumball.

"You need a towel? Or the burn-ward?" I ask smugly handing a spare paper towel. Taking my offer, he wipes the soot off his face and tosses it away.

"Still can't believe it exploded," He says cheerfully.

"This coming from a guy who, when jealous of Leslie, brought an actual personification of envy into the world."

I look around and notice the familiar orange fish oddly absent from Gumball's vicinity.

"Where's Darwin?" I question.

"He went on ahead," Gumball answered.

TAP! TAP!

We both look the door to see who knocked and standing in the open doorway was a familiar mahogany dog in a blue tank top and black shorts.

"Eddy!" I exclaim before getting out of my seat approaching him, "What are you doing here?"

"My suspension ended today," He responded while giving my shoulder love-tap, "and to think, you would enroll when I came back, eh?"

"Yeah. Oh!" I say motioning for Gumball to come, "where are my manners? Gumball meet Eddy Perros. He's my first friend."

"Hey, nice to meet you," Gumball greets while extending his hand.

Eddy shakes it before giving it a quick squeeze causing Gumball to wince, "Likewise."

"If you're headed to lunch, Eddy, why not join us?" I ask him as we head into the hallway.

"Well... alright. Got nothing better to do."

As Eddy takes point Gumball comes up beside me massaging his hand, "He seems nice."

"Oi! ¡Vamos gatitos!" Eddy calls from up the hall, "Let's not dilly-dally. I hear we're having actual food for lunch."

Gumball and I quickly catch up and head towards the cafeteria.

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