Hey all!

I know some of you are reeling from April Fools, but here's the real chapter.

Some small update on my usage of the site:

1) I will not be responding to Private Messages anymore.

2) I have changed my username to match my overall online 'Branding.'

3) Decided to find a way to make all my fics smell like Papas Fritas.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

~Rick's Perspective~

405° preheated oven; two 9''x13'' greased pans; macaroni, milk, 3 cheese mixture poured into the pans and topped with the nearly expired shredded cheese before being placed in the oven alongside the ham that's close to its expiration date.

"Is it done yet?" I hear from behind.

"I just placed it in the oven," I exclaim slightly annoyed, "besides, didn't you finish the last of the pizza 20 minutes ago?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"No 'buts'," I begin scolding, "That'll tide you over for, at least, 30 minutes. By then, everything will be done."

I place the dirty dishes in the sink and clean off the counters as I go. I place the recipes I printed off on the counter beside the fridge, and prepare to boil the frozen vegetable medley and 12 halves of potatoes.

'This is pretty relaxing. Just following the recipes and instructions. Why don't Gumball and Darwin do that again?'

A memory of a burning kitchen pops into my mind.

'Would have caused a lot less pain.'

As I sprinkle some salt and pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil into the pot as it boils, I look out the back window at the blue sky feeling a faint peace wash over me. I look back at my pot and pour the medley in. As I stir the veggies slowly with a spoon, I hear tires screeching to a halt outside followed by a car door quickly opening and slamming shut.

As I hear the front door burst open a worried voice rings out, "Richard!?"

"Yes?" he answers innocently as he leaves the kitchen to greet who walked in.

"What happened?! What's the emergency?! Where are the kids?! Why were you arrested?! How'd you post bail?! When'd... Are you cooking!?" They fire off in quick succession before their footsteps close in on the kitchen. I look over my shoulder as the footsteps stop at the archway.

"No, I'm cooking," I tell a surprised and worrying Nicole, "I hope you don't mind."

"Rick," she says as she tentatively walks into the kitchen to see exactly what I'm doing, "do want any help."

Shaking my head I say, "No. The instructions and recipes are straightforward enough." I turn back to the boiling pots, "Besides, we're just in the waiting, boiling, and mashing phase. I should be done by the time everyone gets home. I have something to say to everyone anyways."

"Ok…" she says awkwardly before asking, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," a sigh follows my answer and I do not look back at her, as though I can't let her see what emotion I'm feeling.

The air hung heavily with the smell of food and a hint of anxiety. I hear her footsteps gingerly head back into the living room as I strain the potatoes.

'Already lying, am I? Darnit Rick.'

I feel my eyes start to well up, so I take a paper towel to dab my eyes. I inhale and exhale slowly before setting the veggies to simmer and picking up the masher.

~Gumball's Perspective~

'How can I apologize to Rick? I did react as though what he went through wasn't a big deal. I mean it wasn't, not to me and Darwin. We're kind of used to something like that, but it's not fair to think Rick would be. He's different from me. Get that through your head Gumball, he's not you.'

The bus ride feels long as I look out the window imagining that I was running alongside the bus doing tricks, avoiding obstacles, and barefoot grinding on the guardrails.

"So let me see if I understand this," Anais says somewhat frustrated at Darwin and Carie's ravings, "Zach, the jerk persona Gumball had, is stuck in that bottle. He's like a spirit now; but can't interact with the world in any way, shape, or form. He's getting help from Rick, with something you don't know because you instantly trapped him in the aforementioned bottle. Did I get that right?"

I don't hear their response; but with the slight noise that I can attribute with a quick repetitive motion and a slightly defeated sigh, from Anais, I assume that Darwin nodded like a madman. There's a murmur spreading throughout the bus as my schoolmates remember Zach and his antics.

"Can we talk with him?" I hear Anais ask.

"Only if we open the bottle," answers Carrie, "which will allow him to escape."

"So, how will you confront Rick about this? It's not like we can see Zach, so what if he can't? What if Rick said he'd help him without knowing who he is? There's so many scenarios to this where you come off looking foolish or mean spirited. No offense, Carrie."

"How so?" Darwin replies.

I sigh and look over at Darwin and Anais.

"Hey, buddy?" I say somewhat annoyed, but grabbing Darwin's attention, "Let's say Zach is back. Let's even say that Rick is helping him with something. Let's say that with ALL OF THAT… they aren't trying to harm us in any way. What then, huh? If they're not evil, nefarious, nor scheming; what then? How do you think you'll look to Rick, and everyone else, if there's no bad intent on his and Zach's side"

Darwin looked confused, as though such a thing was not possible in his mind.

"And besides; it's not like they're Jamie, just willing to hurt us for no reason. No offense, Jamie."

"Offense taken," she grumbles as looks ahead from her seat.

"Figured," I squeak before turning my attention back to Darwin, "If we look back, Zach never had bad intentions for anyone; he just wanted to be me… or have me become him… I dunno how to say it. He harmed the family to protect himself; not very nice, but understandable; right?"

"So you'd be fine if he won?" Darwin spits back.

"Look, I know I wouldn't be here if he won, but look at it this way: We believed his personality would be erased if I won. We were ok with just snuffing out an existence, mind, and person to protect me. That's basically murder!"

I look past Darwin, Anais, and the world as I realize, "We tried to kill a person…"

'Zach… you deserve an apology too. At the very least…'

After that, the ride home has become awkward and borderline quiet. Only the occasional private conversation breaks the silence within the bus. I sit in my seat looking at the gray ceiling of the bus mulling over my revelation. Darwin and Carrie are quiet in their seat just staring at the bottle. Anais is chatting with, surprisingly, Jamie, of all people.

My curiosity in their friendship does nothing to draw my thoughts from earlier.

'We did hurt a lot of people before, but we never crossed the line… well… there were many times with Anton. He got better after, but we actually tried, believed we succeeded, and celebrated in snuffing out a sentient life.'

My head hurt at the thought so much that I didn't notice we made it to our stop until Anais nudged me. Without saying a word Anais, Darwin, Jamie, Carrie, and I all step off the bus onto the corner. Just down the block is our destination: Home.

Somehow the walk feels longer and more stressful than any other day or days where I have to bring my Progress Report home. I take up the backend of the group, but I feel like I'm a football field's length behind everyone.

My worries seem to affect me more than ever before. My mind wonders how to proceed, how to apologize, how to gain forgiveness. This uncertain feeling has me reeling.

We all arrive at home to see mom's car outfront. Anais runs on ahead to the house, Jamie and Carrie walking and floating after. I look towards the house and sigh.

"You alright Gumball?" he asks me with concern in his voice.

"We're not bad people, Darwin," I begin as I look down at the ground, "but we've done something unforgivable."

~Nikolai's Perspective~

I've been placed in this bottle for a few minutes now. I have tried pushing on the cork at the top, but it would not budge or give.

"C'mon! Let me out! I haven't even done anything!" is what I try to yell, yet my effort continues to be fruitless. I back off the cork and float down to the bottom of the glass.

'I hope this doesn't damper my way back. Rick said he'd help me. He wouldn't go back on his word right? Nah, when he sees that they got me in here, I'm sure he'll get me out… Right?'

~Some Time passes~

I tried my hand at making a poem since I've been stuck here for a while.

Let me out, Let me go, Let me see another day!/

There's a pain in my heart, and it will not bleed away!/

Am I here? Am I loved? Am I just a burden?/

Please let me know, for my soul is hurtin!/

Look around/ see the glass unable to break down/ with thin layers of something in between it and I/

Treat me like a hidden lie/ "Nickolai/ can't get it right."

So they shut me in and cork it tight/ not caring about the kid tryna live a life.

Hear me wail into the vast/ open space of towering glass/

Callin out to the future, present, and past….

I'm stuck here at the moment, but every so often I forget the rhyme scheme. It's been hard just doing it in my head as I can't keep it straight. So many different poems. Such a long time.

'How long have I been here again?'

~More Time Passes~

'Why am I here?'

'999989' I had started counting the seconds long ago.

'What did I do to get here? I might have been a jerk before, but do I deserve this?'

'999990'

The cold and empty feeling of being a spirit is numb in comparison to the anxiety and fear that permeates my entirety.

'Please, just let me be…'

'999991'

The phantom tears that well up and fall disappear before hitting the bottom of the glass prison that surrounds me. I sit just above the ground twiddling my toes, as my ghostly bottom half has become legs instead of the tail. I look up and around to see that the outside world is still darkened to a point where I can't make out anything.

'999992'

'Rick abandoned me. My mom and dad abandoned me. I'm not wanted.'

The sounds are muffled and altered in such a way that discerning who or what is making them is impossible.

'999993'

'It's not my fault. I didn't ask to be here. I just was.'

The glass couldn't be scratched or broken from my side, as there's something invisible and non-existent that keeps me from touching it.

'999994'

'I showed up due to Gumball wanting to act like a Zach. He made me this way.'

Yelling didn't help, my voice seemed to be silenced. I couldn't even let out a whimper.

'999995'

'I was forced into the back of his mind. I tried so hard to get out of there…'

'999996'

'…just to be placed in a worse prison?'

'999997'

'Am I not allowed…?'

'999998'

'...to exist?'

'999999'

'Was I… a mistake?'

'1000000 seconds have passed… twice.'

A rumbling begins, emanating from the top of my bottle prison. I look to the top and see the cork slowly twist and rise. Hope fills me as the thing that I had been wanting ever since I was trapped here: My Freedom! However, the cork and its rumbling soon stop and rage washes over me as I see

I fly up and shoulder bash the non-existent barrier between the cork and I. I push as hard as I can until, finally, I pass through the barrier and come in contact with the cork. Witnessing this places a fire in me and I push with all my might. My ghostly body feels pain coursing through it as I exert as much force as I can muster against the cork.

It begins rising and rumbling again. I hear voices arguing on the other end, but I pay it no mind. My freedom is just ahead.

I push and push and curse and spit until…

*POP!*

'FREEDOM!'

Thanks for reading. Life's been a series of ups, downs, and spin arounds recently.

I will still be writing this and Lapis Shard, but I have branched off to different mediums:

Streaming, writing originals, and studying video editing.

I am currently trying to find a schedule that works for me to do all of that.

I thank you all for sticking with me and I hope all is well with you all.

If you wanna yell at me to start or finish the next chapter, you can find me on Twitter and Twitch with the same name.

Please leave a critique/review of the chapter.