Welcome back. Yes, I am back now.

So, these few chapters until Chapter 20 should be "short and sweet."

After the Reverse Fight mini-arc, I want the story to relax well, and slowly shift to at least one new arc.

Feel free to let me know what you want to see next.

(By the way, the title is a hint.)

This is my response to a review made by someone named Joseph:

I will get into development for the others. You are right that I should focus on them too. I will try and reference their own character development. I have already done plenty with Pacifica Northwest, and I should keep both Dipper and Mabel in mind.

And you made a great point about Aladdin using his own key strengths to outsmart Jafar. I will try and keep that in mind, in order to allow my own MCs to shine in their own ways.

Chapter 18: Stranger Stuff

"Sir."

"Are you ready to go?"

"I am."

"Bella London, you already know who's coming with you, right?"

"I cannot believe it."

"Heh, I warned you. Consider it as 'punishment' for what you did last time."

"Well, I hope that's the last time."

"Good, then march on!"

"Sir, stop that. That sounds so childish."

"Heh, what do you expect? The Party is waiting for answers."

"Alright, I have located that rabbi. I will find him."

"And bring him back. He knows more than he has told us. He is stranger than expected."

"Of course sir."

"And Bella."

"Yes?"

"Don't fail."

"Yes sir. Am I good to go now?"

"Go."

The trio gasped, as they saw the city.

"What the..." Dipper gasped, but closed his mouth to avoid cussing.

"Gorgeous," Mabel gawked.

"Is this the city of the future?!" Pacifica stammered.

The city looked like something from a sci-fi magazine. Instead of rigid, gloomy skyscrapers that clearly looked like something from a real-life city, the city was filled with constructs that were clean, smooth, and white. Although they were obviously skyscrapers and the usual city buildings, they rose up more like fancy spires from a beautiful fantasy kingdom. What looked like tubes and closed train tracks snaked throughout the city, as if it was one giant amusement park. Above, what looked like either sleek helicopters or flying cars zoomed throughout in small numbers.

"What do you think about this?" Mr. Black asked with a smirk. "Stranger than expected?"

"Did somebody make this city?" Dipper finally asked. "By himself or herself?! It sure is strange but cool!"

"Oh yes," Mr. Black replied, as they neared the city. "Initially, it was only one boy-a teenage boy. Now, it's made by multiple people, all from our dimension."

"What dimension are you from?" Pacifica asked. "You must be from the future, aren't you?"

Both men laughed heartily.

"No," Mr. White answered, as Mr. Black continue to drive. "We are from a dimension called the 'Fusionfall.' Actually, it's a world that consists of peoples from various dimensions. Yes, it's a dimension composed of more dimensions."

The trio raised an eyebrow at that.

"However," Mr. White continued, this time with a more sober tone. "We came into this Groom Falls dimension after the Second Blackout."

"The Second Blackout?" the trio asked.

"It's what we call this," Mr. White spoke with a deep sigh. "Imagine if your favorite video game is gone for good."

"Um," the trio hesitated. However, Pacifica then gulped, thinking about the loss of her favorite game Bloodcraft: Overdeath.

"Imagine everything getting dark twice," Mr. White said. "Our world was a victim of that. After everything got dark, long story short, we managed to come upon this world. Fortunately, a large number of us ended up here unscathed."

"A large number?" Pacifica asked.

The two men were silent.

"Sorry," Pacifica replied. "I am sorry if I hurt you or something."

"No worries," Mr. White said with a sigh. "It's our fault for not telling you the whole stuff about us. So once again, welcome to the city of Fusionfall Sanctuary. We'll explain more."

The short drive was a little quiet. However, the trio managed to take their thoughts a little off, by admiring the landscape of the futuristic city.

"So that makes sense," Mabel broke the silence. "You guys escaped your world, hence the name."

The men smiled.

"True," Mr. Black replied this time. "We actually considered naming it something else, but most of us agreed to keep the memories of our former homeworld alive by naming it as such."

They reached the gate, which was very high, white, and lined with blue neon lights.

"Even the gate is so shiny," Mabel remarked.

"We like to show off a little too much," Mr. White said with a small smile.

"Password?" a gruff voice boomed from above.

"We have the Census Takers!" Mr. Black roared from the vehicle. "Open up, Buck!"

"Buck?" the trio asked, but they gasped as the door opened, but instead of swinging in or out, it slid in like glass doors. Inside was a massive chamber. Apparently, there were really two gates, and the one they went through was just the front gate. Once inside, the trio and the men waited, as strange contraptions suddenly appeared.

Fortunately, it was brightly lit inside, so that they could see that the "arms" and other weird machines were just some high-tech sensors and security tools, which analyzed the entire vehicle. At least 12 arms with security cameras floated around the vehicle, looking for anything suspicious. Three of them apparently watched the trio carefully.

"They're wary of newcomers," Mr. Black replied.

Suddenly, all three security arms rang. However, instead of a red alarm with a shrill sound, all three flashed green, and a weird but sweet melody echoed.

"Oho," Mr. White said. "So, you three are special, aren't you?"

"Huh?" the trio asked.

"Don't need to ask," Mr. Black said, as a green light flashed all around. "We are good to go. And they're semi-magical. We will explain more, so please hold your questions for now."

"Black!" Mr. White gasped. "You spoiled it!"

"Huh?"

"Oops," Mr. Black hiccuped. "Well, that's one hint for them. Stranger things, of course."

The trio blinked, but kept that in mind. Soon, the next door opened, and the car drove out. The trio looked at each other, but decided to stay silent. Anyway, the gate was one thing; the inside was another.

"Now," Mr. Black spoke. "You are finally in. Welcome to our city."

"So they entered the Fusionfall city?" an effeminate voice rang like a falsetto. "How interesting."

"Interesting my butt!" an ape-like creature roared, as a large monkey with a strange helmet rose into the sky. It was his minion, who was flying with a jetpack.

"Mojo Jojo," the voice continued to ring. "This is an interesting time. Never before have the Census Takers been this...phenomenal."

"What do you mean?" Mojo Jojo roared.

"Remember many years before?" the voice continued in that same falsetto. "Ever since we've entered this world, we've grown stronger, but like others, we had to wait for the 'right time' or something. You know what happened to other factions, right?"

"I see," Mojo Jojo grunted in agreement. "Yes, we've escaped from that cursed realm where that monster of Lord Fuse back in the world of 'Fusionfall' and I want to get those cursed girls and find out a way to-"

"I know-I know," the voice groaned. "It's a crazy world now. Even though all may seem well, even in the Groom Falls City, all is not well in this world of Groom Falls. I've heard civil wars, strang conflicts, and even heard of portal doors that are NEVER meant to be opened..."

"And why won't you?" Mojo Jojo asked. "Aren't you HIM, and you are far stronger than us?"

"Not all of you," Him grunted. "I mean, Aku is here too. And speaking of 'stronger,' have you still found them?"

"No," Mojo Jojo said with a sigh. "I have never been able to find them Powerpuff Girls...Even the cities are rather silent on them for some reason."

"Both cities?" Him gasped.

"Yes," he said with a sigh. "Mandark sent Robot Jones into both cities, due to the fact that nobody seems to realize that he's actually working for him."

"Me or Mandark?" Him asked.

"Mandark," Mojo Jojo replied. "And Him, can't you get a new name? Calling you 'HIM' is weird nowadays."

"Don't worry about it," Him retorted. "I like to tell the new peoples that it's an acronym for 'His Infernal Majesty.' And no, I am too evil to get a nickname."

"Hmmph!" Mojo Jojo grunted. "Anyway, any report?"

"Nothing much," Him admitted. "Aku is still looking for Samurai Jack. Demongo is scouting some faraway regions. Ace and his Gangreen Gang are doing some 'business' of sort. Mandark is working hard on his new business contracts; he even got a new store open in Groom Falls City."

"In the city?!" Mojo Jojo gasped. "How did Mandark do that?!"

"It's unfortunately not as useful as you think," Him said. "It's next to a restaurant run by those strange girls called the Senshazons."

"Oh," Mojo Jojo noted. "No point then."

Both sighed.

"Anyway," Him continued. "Princess Morbucks is doing something with her connections. Vilgax is trying to reconnect with his home planet. Benedict Uno is doing...something of a charity? Don't ask me; ask him for what he's doing anyway."

"How about the Rowdyruff Boys?" Mojo Jojo asked, with a single tear. "Oh boy, they've grown up so well!"

"Yes indeed," Him replied with his own tears. "But boys are boys. They're meant to grow up."

"What about the rest of the villains?" Mojo Jojo asked.

"Not much," Him admitted. "We're doing our own thing, since we have no heroes to fight against. The whole world of Groom Falls is actually dangerous, more so than we imagined. Even Benedict Uno no longer is focused on the KND; he's more interested in keeping his 'obedient kids and fellows' safe."

"He's not alone," Mojo Jojo remarked. "Aku almost lost his life in this wilderness too."

"That's crazy!" Him yelled. "Even Aku was incredibly injured in this wilderness! What's up with this dimension?!"

"That's why we have our own city," Mojo Jojo said, as he sighted it. "Ah, our own version of the Sanctuary."

"Come and talk with me in person," Him said. "We have a lot to discuss, especially concerning what I know about them three teens. V.V. Argost has shown me something about them. He says that things are stranger than even he has ever imagined..."

"Uriel."

"Cawk! I am back, your Majesty!"

"Glad to see you're safe. So, how are they doing?"

"I've sighted them entering the Fusionfall Sanctuary."

"Hmm."

"I guess you know what that means, your Majesty?"

"They think that the trio are 'them.'"

"Oh yes-wait, that soon? We've had false leads in the past."

"I know, but these three are...different?"

"Hmm."

"Uriel."

"Yes?"

"Go into the city, and watch them."

"No ma'am."

"Sorry?"

"The KND, the Plumbers, and all those secret organizations within are good at finding spies inside."

"Then I have a secret weapon. Go to the dark elves."

"Oh, I see."

"Nishizumi-dono," somebody whispered into a radio. "They've entered the city."

"So it's time," Miho's voice echoed. "I knew that there was something different with those three."

"What are we going to do?" the spy asked.

"Let the heroes and villains of Fusionfall make their moves," Miho's voice answered. "We will wait for our time."

"Wait," the spy replied. "What about us?"

"We need to muster up our forces," Miho replied.. "Soon, we Senshazons are ready to go."

"Yes-yes!"

Another spy watched. This time, however, it was not the silhouette of a tall girl, but a furry, murine humanoid. It was watching the car enter with clean, black binoculars with green lenses.

"They are finally inside!" he squeaked with delight. "When I heard about the Jwirat Clan, I thought it was a myth! Now, I have a clear report!"

"Status report," a voice boomed, as the Ratman hurried to take his own radio out.

"Teacher," he squeaked. "I've found them. They're in Fusionfall Sanctuary."

"Very good," the voice answered with a calm but happy tone. "Then we know what to do."

"Not good."

Yet another spy watched. A man with a dark green cloak witnessed the car enter the gate. He then took out what looked like a radar disk, but golden and with motifs of flying pigeons all around it.

"This photophone is a little rusty," he grunted, but activated it. A soft beam of light burst out of the photophone. After a few seconds, another beam of light sped towards it, hitting it. It then glowed, and a voice echoed.

"Report," a gruff voice boomed.

"Three youths have entered the Fusionfall Sanctuary," the spy answered grimly.

"Not good," the voice noted. "Hmm, is there a way to get into that cursed city of white and blue?"

"There is only one another way," the spy said. "But that one involves finding the only sewer that is not guarded. The people of Fusionfall, unlike in most other areas, are very aware of guarding their sewers. Even the Groom Falls City became impassable, ever since they acquired some strange magic from the Fusionfall."

"Have you found one?"

"I did," the spy replied. "Unfortunately, it is the only one. If I use it, then I know that the city will close it for good."

"Hmm," the voice remarked. "Then what to do-Blanck? Blanck?"

The spy said nothing, as he crawled slowly towards something.

"Yes-yes sir," a squeak rang out. "Yes, I will go to the tunnel, the legal way for us Ratman merchants to enter. That way, I do not need to raise an alarm for-waugh!"

The spy pounced on the poor Ratman, putting a dagger to its neck. The Ratman whispered, begging for his life.

"Sir!" he squeaked with alarm. "Do-don't kill me!"

"What's going on Chris?" the voice of the Teacher shouted.

The spy took the radio up, and spoke.

"Are you one of the Ratmen?" he commanded. "The Murio Republic, I suppose?"

"You," the Teacher's voice hissed. "You're from the Corazon Empire. You monster. Let my student go!"

"I will free him," the spy spoke calmly. "If you do exactly as I say."

"I hope your empire will rot," the teacher's voice growled. "But words are words. What do you want?"

"Are you spying on those three too?" the spy asked.

"Are you kidding me?"

A strange world, right?

I hope that I am not rushing with things, but if you are confused as to who's who, here are the factions that are being shown. I will introduce them by order:

1) Bella London. She's an antagonist chapters ago, especially one in which she shot Pacifica. She apparently works for a secret organization.

2) Fusionfall Sanctuary. For fans of Fusionfall, they know that both the Retro and the Legacy versions were officially terminated, due to a cease-and-desist order from the CN. This is my memory in honor of that.

3) The villains of Fusionfall, who are finally free to do as they wish. Back in their world, they had to ally with the heroes, due to the Lord Fuse being a threat to everyone on their own dimension.

4) Uriel and the elves whom he work for

5) Miho and her own faction

6) A new faction of Ratmen, completely different in culture from the Jwirat Clan. Unlike that clan, the Murio Republic is a shining example of technological innovation. Instead of being modeled after the Skaven, the Murio Republic is modeled after the Disney version of mice as innovative heroes.

7) The Corazon Empire is back.

As you can see, I intend to have a story arc for each. However, I will have to see what to do, since I am not sure how to get the story up and running. I can tell, however, that the story will be episodic, more like a written version of a TV show.

Note: I may add or even remove factions, depending on how the story goes. If I do remove the factions above, I will change this chapter to reflect that.

Feel free to let me know which factions are the most interesting to write about.

Anyway, let me know with advice and criticism, and I hope that I am writing well enough to be worth the read.

Peace.