A Girl Named Roxie

by Buttercrush

Planet Fusion had always been shrouded by mystery, and terror. When the planet begins an intergalactic rampage for universal domination and sets its sights on Earth, human-alien hybrid Roxie Leeblossom must worry about saving her friends, family, and even herself from an alien apocalypse. ( AU. Based on OC. )

7. Bite-Sized Backup

Another promise to update sooner proceeded by several months of silence. This is the destined life of the fanfic author.

Before we get into the chapter, I should share some news with the FusionFall community. I mentioned in the last chapter that Retro had been shutdown, and Legacy was cancelled, but this community never dies. Several new fan projects have sprung up since then, notably OpenFusion, an open scoured version of the original game, featuring servers with builds of the original Future and the Academy update, (which has been great with laying out areas in the story!) There's also Re:SPAWN and Worlds Collide, two new recreation as Legacy was, who have been teasing content, all very exciting stuff for the community! (I think there's even a Minecraft remake out there.)

Thank you, as always, for waiting patiently for each chapter, even with all the teasing I may do on Discord. Of course, special thanks to Peyton Magtongen for proof-reading this chapter.

---

10 April 2044

It seemed almost common to have the Fusions roaming the streets. A little over a month after the initial invasion, Townsville and the surrounding areas came to a bit of a standstill. Earth's forces were strong, and contained all of the most infected zones in barriers, and establishing strongholds and bases to push back the alien advancers.

As strong as Earth's forces are, the Fusions seemed to match that with every passing day. The Fusion copy of the Samurai was spotted once again in the Forsaken Valley, but that wasn't as much of a concern as the new Fusion copies taking up residence near Townsville.

A Fusion of Blossom terrorized the Park'n'Flush trailer park, utilizing strange Fusion-alternatives to the regular Powerpuff's powers. Most of the newer Fusions roaming around were copies of normal civilians and humans, ones without special abilities. A Fusion of Numbuh Five controlled a gang of Fusion Extremosaurs behind Foster's, and a Fusion Billy took hold of the Eternal Meadows Infected Zone.

Despite knowing those with powers and those who volunteered can keep them safe, some citizens were beginning to grow restless. Earth needed more strength to push Fuse and his cronies back further. These citizens would be the ones to organize the commotion at Hero's Square.

The floating K.N.D. treehouse of Sector V loomed over Hero's Square. The locations were close enough that both began to function as bases against the Fusions. Luckily, the monsters lurking here weren't too impressive. Fuse most likely had other plans for his stronger minions. Several similarly armored K.N.D. operatives stood around the statued center of Hero's Square as a crowd of people stand and chant with excitement.

"We will win this war!" a random attendee cried out, followed by an uproar of agreement.

"We need more heroes!" another yelled.

The statue in the center of the square was simple, with five pedestals stretching from a central one atoning a stone book atop it. Each separate pedestal was outfitted with a small disc on its surface. Dexter stood at the base of the statue, alongside Numbuh One and Numbuh Four. The genius sent a spark flying as he worked on a control panel connected to the stone.

"You would think if these people didn't like Fusions, then they wouldn't scream to attract them!" Numbuh 4 groaned.

"Give it a second…" Dexter grumbled. "Once I get this working, the excitement should settle."

"What's everyone here for anyways?" Wally asked, looking to the crowd.

Among the faces stood Frankie Foster, alongside Wilt. Gwen and Juniper Lee were close by, joining in on a chant with Gwen's boyfriend, Kevin Levin. Heather and Hannah Orion stood within the faces, with David Starsky nearby. Beach City's hero Steven Universe cheered alongside his friend, Connie, and Johnny Bravo even made an appearance, (though, we all know he's only there to unsuccessfully flirt with anything with a pulse.)

"A missing heroes rally." Nigel huffed in response. "Or something."

Billy and Mandy stood among the crowd as well, their "best friend" Grim hovering behind them. It seemed he was carting them forward, leading the teens to Dexter and the operative's location. Billy's new Imaginary Friend, a Fusion Spawn with cutesy eyes, sits nuzzled in Billy's arms as Numbuh 1 and Mandy exchange dirty looks.

"Nigel." Mandy greeted in a monotone hum.

"Mandy." Sector V's leader replied in an equally unenthusiastic tone. Everyone looked at the two.

"You know each other?" Dexter asked, leaning away from the control panel.

"Unfortunately." Numbuh 1's hand tightened into a fist.

"There's still some bad blood after that girl took over the Kids Next Door." Numbuh 4 whispered to Dexter, who blinked in surprise.

"She did what…?"

"Are ya' almost finished, Dexter?" the Grim Reaper interjected, triggering the group to look to him. "We needda' talk."

"I'm just about to turn the holograms on." Dexter grumbled. "Wait ten minutes."

"No, boy-genius, we hafta' speak now." Grim boomed. "It's about the Fusions."

"I want these aliens gone as much as you do." the ginger continued to sneer. "Can't you see I'm busy, Reaper? I don't see you being of much help."

Grim grimmanced, his boney hand gripping onto his scythe tighter. He held out his free hand, opening it so his palm faced the sky. A quick puff of fire and smoke erupted from the palm, disappearing just as quickly as it arrived, and leaving a crumpled up piece of paper in its wake.

"Ya' just as infurinatin' as these two dolts." Grim's hollow eye sockets narrowed as he held out the paper to Dexter. "Dis' be more help than ya' deserve."

"What could this possibly be?" Dexter barely even looked at Grim as he sent another spark flying from the control panel.

"Take the damn paper, Dexter." Mandy barked. Dexter paused his work, moving to glare at Mandy while standing up and grabbing the note from Grim's hand.

"Continue wit' ya little ceremony. Den read dat note." Grim instructed. "Now, come along, kids." The Reaper placed his hands on the shoulders of Billy and Mandy, beginning to usher them off. "We hafta' be polite and watch da' genius' spectacle."

"Interjecting into my valuable time and scientific energy…" Dexter muttered to himself, closing the statue's control panel and crumbling the piece of paper in his gloved hand.

"Surprised you too don't get along more." Numbuh 4 snickered, playfully jabbing his elbow into Numbuh 1's side. Wally's laughter quickly left after a stern look from his Sector's commander.

"Perfect." Dexter grunted, drawing the K.N.D. operatives' attention back to him. Despite Grim's instructions, Dexter was already looking over the note given to him. A look of confusion sat on his face, followed by a brief sigh of relief… And then an increasingly worse look of panic.

"What is it, Dexter?" Nigel asked.

"Why do you look like you have to poop?" Numbuh 4 added, seemingly with genuine concern.

"It's-!" Dexter crumpled the paper up again, looking to the operatives with widened eyes. "Official DexLabs business!"

"Yeah, I'm not gettin' involved." Numbuh 4 said, turning back to look at the crowd.

"It's no matter! Get into place." Dexter stuffed the paper in his lab coat's pocket, then flung his hands outward to the boys. "Remember your cue." He took a step forward, walking to the head of the crowd and waving his hands a bit. "Everyone!" Dexter's hands start uncharacteristically failing a bit more. "Hello!?"

Blossom, Bubbles, and Roxie arrived late, trickling into the back of the crowd as Dexter's manic yells quieted the crowd and brought the attention to him.

"Uhh! Hello, it is I, Dexter!" the boy calls out. "Boy-genius…!" A few forced giggles ring in the crowd as a tear of sweat rolls down Dexter's face. "Thank you all so much for coming here today! To this place… Where we will be honoring those heroes who have yet to join the fight!"

"Does he seem a little… kooky to you?" Numbuh 4 asked in a whisper after leaning over to Nigel. In the crowd, Bubbles would be asking her sister and friend a similar question.

"Dexter seems a bit weird today, doesn't he?"

"He's always like this." Roxie snorts, stifling back inappropriate laughter.

"No, no…" Bubbles shook her head. "Like, weirder than normal."

"Without further ado," Dexter cried out, "I'd like to unveil the Hero's Square holograms!"

Numbuh 1 pressed a button on the control panel, triggering the monument to come to life. The first stand flickered with light, revealing a picture of Monkey, Dexter's lab monkey. The genius was unaware that his pet has superpowers, and didn't find both the hero and his pet disappearing at the same time as suspicious.

The next one blinked until an image of Supercow posing appeared. She was the alter ego of Cow, a resident of Townsville, and was seen days before Fuse's invasion. Captain Melonhead filled the next spot, paired with a small hologram of his sidekick, Splinter the Wonderwood. The kids of the Peach Creek Cul-de-Sac all knew this wacky hero was their neighbor, Jonny 2x4.

The fourth pedestal began to display an image of Major Glory, the leader of the Justice Friends and Dexter's favorite superhero. On the day of the Fusion invasion, Major Glory went to the Darklands, but never came back. A sniffle from the Infraggable Krunk rang out in the crowd. Several other members of the Justice Friends in attendance began to console him.

The final hologram became to shine, showcasing an image of Buttercup, the missing Powerpuff Girl. Both Bubbles and Blossom start tearing up at the sight of her, with Blossom being able to hold herself together just a tad better than Bubbles could. Roxie rubbed a hand on Bubbles back.

"These heroes are missing in action!" Dexter continued to speak. "Monkey. Supercow. Captain Melonhead. Major Glory. Buttercup." The genius held his fingers to the bridge of his nose, letting a deep exhale leave his lips. "Certainly these heroes are not gone. Consider this a call to arms! A call to find these forgotten heroes so that we may all fight back Fuse together!"

Several gleeful cheers erupted in the audience as a large, stretched grin sat on Dexter's face. Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 4 still looked to him with confusion, something Blossom was able to notice. Dexter delivered a few more short words before retreating to the control panel. The two K.N.D. operatives approach Dexter as the crowd disperses.

"Ok, dude, I'm gettin' involved." Wally said with crossed arms. "You were actin' real buggy out there."

"Don't be stooopid!" Dexter spat. "Have you never heard a simple address to the people?"

"Dexter?" Blossom's voice called out, triggering the genius' brow to furrow. He turned to see her approach with Bubbles and Roxie. "Are you… ok?"

"I told them this is just how you normally are." Roxie shrugged her shoulders.

"For the love of science…" Dexter rubbed his fingers against his brow. "I should be ok, but I am admittedly… 'freaked out' as you would put it."

"It was the note from the Grim Reaper, wasn't it?" Nigel asked, which Dexter answers with a nod. He pulled the note from pocket and began to unravel it.

"For some reason, Grim gave me a note confirming the fates of these missing heroes." Dexter explained.

"That's why he told you to wait to read it." Numbuh 1 scoffed. "Hard-headed than ever."

"Shut up, Uno." Dexter sneered.

"Wait... " Bubbles interrupted. "The fates? As in…?"

"The note says all five of them are still alive." Dexter sighed. "Major Glory, Monkey, Buttercup… They're all out there."

"Oh my…" Bubbles' own tears cut herself off.

"Buttercup is alive!" Blossom had tears as well, but her overall vibe seemed much more positive. "I knew it! I knew she would be ok! Oh my glob, this is great!"

"But… why?" Bubbles asked. "How do we know if it's true? Why would Grim suddenly do this?"

"That's the troubling part." Dexter gripped the note again, looking out to see Grim still among the dissipating crowd. "Surely a supernatural entity such as Grim wouldn't be giving out this information if it wasn't important for us to know…"

"Why don't we just, like, ask him?" Roxie suggested with another shrug of her shoulders. The group looked at her.

"Who's the spider-chick?" Numbuh 4 asked, breaking the silence. Without any word, both Blossom and Dexter begin stomping off towards Grim.

"Hey!" the two gingers yelled as they approached Grim. Billy and Mandy still stood next to the Reaper, but were now joined by Gwen Tennyson and Juniper Lee, as well as Kevin Levin. Grim's eye-less sockets seemed to move as if they were rolling.

"Can't ya two see I'm havin' a conversation!" he grunted, holding his boney hand out to Gwen and Juniper. Roxie, Bubbles, and Numbuh 1 slowly approached from behind.

"It's ok, Grim." Juniper smiled. "We can catch up anytime! Ya' know? Because of the deal I made with you?"

"I'm surrounded by nitwits." Grim moaned under his breath.

"Why did you give me this list?" Dexter blurted out, holding up the crumpled note. "Is this some sort of game?"

"Is Buttercup really alive?" Blossom tacked onto the end.

"Buttercup's alive?" Gwen muttered to herself.

"Oh, did Dexter also make a deal with you?" Juniper asked.

"Quiet!" Grim yelled. Several members of the fading crowd paused to glare in the group's direction before returning to their own business. "One atta' time!" Everyone continued to look at each other in silence as Numbuh 4 joined them.

"Who's the spider-girl?" Juniper broke the silence.

"That's what I'm sayin'!" Numbuh 4 cried out. Roxie leaned in and wiggled her fingers.

"I'm Roxie, uh, their neighbor." Roxie points her thumb to Blossom and Bubbles at her side. "But this isn't really about me right now."

"Yes, indeed." Dexter cleared his throat. "Be amazed by the blonde after Grim explains to me why I would receive such a list."

"Can't a skeleton just be a nice person?" Grim groaned, swiveling his neck as he looked at Dexter.

"It can't be that simple!" Dexter stood firm.

"I'm sick of dis alien nonsense!" Grim furrowed his brow. "I've reaped more in da past month than I have in hundreds of years! Da least you mortals could use is sum' hope… And hope means I can catch a break!"

"It's all for personal gain." Mandy added. "You know your precious superpowers are breathing, he gets less of a workload."

"It's... " Dexter broke off. "That simple?"

"Yes!" Grim exclaimed. "Take da good deed. Pay it forward, or sumting."

"I-" Dexter looked at his boots. "I'm sorry for pestering you." He turned on his heel, walking off. Numbuhs 1 and 4 shuffled off after him.

"Good grief." Grim hummed, looking back to Juniper and Gwen.

"We have to-!" Bubbles began to speak through her tears.

"We have to tell the Professor!" Blossom finished her sentence, suddenly taking off in a blur of pink light. Roxie blinked at the sudden disappearance before looking to Bubbles.

"Go, this is important." she smiled at her friend. Bubbles nodded to her before jetting off in a similar, blue, blur of light. Roxie sighed, looking down to her own shoes. "I've got a mission today anyways…" She waved to Gwen and June. "Nice to meet you, sorry for interrupting!" She called out before dashing off herself.

"She seems cool!" Juniper snickered, waving goodbye to Roxie.

"Forgive da bratty intrusions, girls." Grim said to the two.

"It's no problem." Gwen smiled. "We are intruding a bit ourselves, I suppose."

"Please, dis Book of Prophecy ya speak of is more interestin' to me than da fates of heroic primates." Grim chuckled.

"Maybe you want to hand the book over to us to look over?" Mandy's monotone voice rolled into the conversation.

"Gwendolyn and I met the person who wrote the book." Juniper explained, disregarding Mandy's comment. "A demon, surely! Their name was Them!"

"Which would explain the various languages and symbols within the book," Gwen continued. "I'm not surprised a demon would make a magical artifact so difficult to decipher."

"Hehe…!" Billy snickered to his imaginary friend in his arms. "They're ignoring Mandy."

"Them…" Grim grumbled, frustration fading back onto his skull. "Dat demon be a tailor, not an author. Do ya want me to look ova' da book?" Grim asked. "How do I come into dis picture?"

"Gwendolyn figured you would have something to help us translate the book." June said.

"Forgive us for asking." Gwen piped in. "I just figured with Juniper's connection to you, it might be worth a shot by asking." The ginger uncovered the Book of Prophecy, outstretching it to Grim.

"Hmm…" Grim rubbed his chin before looking down and smacking Mandy's hand as she reached for the book herself. He took the artifact into his hands, unfolding it open and surveying the pages. "Ya two sure are gettin' into a mess wit' dis one. Dat Them devil always be the cryptic type."

"I'm, like, the protector of all magic." Juniper smirked, dusting off her own shoulder. "I can handle it."

"We actually think we can put a stop to the Fusions with the book." Gwen nodded.

"Sumting magical is sure da leave a dent in the Fusions." Grim grunted. "Not like any beings of the Underworld would care to help."

"The demon didn't seem too interested in using the power for good." Gwen added.

A small blaze of fire sizzled out by Grim's eye socket, leaving a particularly fancy monocle in its wake. "Out of their hands, dis looks promising."

"So do you have anything to help us translate it, Grim?" Juniper asked. Grim closed the book, his monocle floating off his face on its own and resting atop the book before he handed it back to Gwen.

"Dat Scrying Lens should help you decipher da pages." Grim shook his head firmly. "If Juniper Lee puts her trust in ya, den I will too… I want dem back, though."

"Oh, of course…!" Gwen took the book in her arms, holding up the Scrying Lens to look at it. "Oh, thank you so much, Grim!"

"Yeah, we owe you one!" Juniper grinned. "Well, I guess I owe you two now!"

"I'm feelin' generous today." Grim smirked. "Just don't make me regret it. These two make me wantta' grow hair justta' pull it out." Billy grew a giant grin in response to Grim's words, a grin with Runty started to mimic.

"Thank you, Grim, thank you." Gwen repeated. "This is going to help put a stop to the Fusions, I know it."

"I'm countin' on it." Grim shrugged, placing his hands on the shoulders of Billy and Mandy again. "I best be going. Reaper business'n all."

Juniper waved her arm for a hearty goodbye as Grim carted off his "best friends" again. Gwen, however, still had her focus on the Scrying Lens. Kevin cocked his head to the side as he looked at the supernatural tool as Juniper finally turned to join the two. She released a goofy sigh when Grim was out of earshot.

"I can't believe it was that easy." Juniper chuckled. "We're totally about to beat Them and Charmcaster to the rest of those Totems!"

"I'm kind of shocked too... " Kevin finally spoke up, scratching his chin. "Though, not surprised my girl is able to get her hands on some new fancy magical stuff." He pats his girlfriend on the back with a smile.

"Hopefully this will turn the tide like I hope." Gwen clutched the Scrying Lens in her hand. "Charmcaster is already dangerous, and with the help of that demon, we don't know what she's capable of. I just hope this will help us get to the Totems before she can."

"Or before the demon teaches her how to use the power without the Totems." Juniper added.

"Great pep talk." Kevin flatlined. "Why don't we just ask Ben to hel-"

"Ben is busy doing what he does best, Kevin." Gwen rolled her eyes, reaching up to adjust her glasses. "Fighting aliens. Least I could do is try to help the best I can on my end of the spectrum."

"Besides, that's why I'm here!" Juniper cheered, waving her arms around to draw the attention to her. "For the thrills too!"

"Right…" Kevin blinked at Juniper. "In any case, how can I help?"

"We need to regroup and really look over this thing now that we have these Scrying Lens." Gwen said, tucking the lens away. "But we're going to have to act fast to beat Charmcaster and Them."

"If Charmcaster is a part of the issue, maybe you should stop by school." Kevin suggested. It almost looked like a lightbulb illuminated above Gwen's head.

"Of course, Professor Hex!"

---

"I've got a mission today anyways..."

Attending the unveiling of the Hero's Square holograms was just the first bullet point of Roxie's to-do list that day. Of course, she was expecting to fly the Powerpuff Airlines to her next destination, but the news about Buttercup held way more importance than Roxie's easy transportation. Peach Creek Commons was just a short walk away anyways.

The cul-de-sac's makeshift cardboard fortress had reached completion since Roxie was here last, becoming the Urban Ranger's main hub in their efforts to protect the suburbs from the Fusions. As Roxie neared the new fortress, she noticed… a less-than-considerable amount of Fusions lurking by the cardboard, almost as if the wall was actively warding off the aliens. She kept a hand gripped on the handle of one of the two pistols she carried with her.

Her grip relaxed as she came to the large wooden doors shielding the entrance of the Cardboard Castle. Outside, two Urban Rangers stood on guard. When Roxie neared, they both held out their weapons, rowing oars, to block the way.

"Halt!" the shrill and annoying voice of the first ranger rang. He was considerably younger than Roxie, and had a giant dental brace hooked onto his head, (with his Urban Ranger cap comedically sitting atop the brace.) "Who goes there?"

"Uh... " Roxie blinked at the two. "I'm Roxie, uh, Roxie Leeblossom." She pulled her phone from her pocket with one of her spiderlegs, holding it out with a picture from her email. "I'm a volunteer in the war effort, here for a mission."

"Oh, well why didn't you just say so!" the second Ranger laughed, relaxing his weapon. This ranger looked to be older than the first, but still younger than Roxie, probably closer to Alice's age.

"Sorry, Miss." the first ranger's shrill voice rang into her ear again. "We Urban Rangers have to make sure the kids are safe."

"I'm literally a kid too." Roxie mumbled.

"Jimmy!?" another high-pitched voice called from the other side of the large wooden doors. One of the wooden planks nudged open, and the head of the sock-capped Ed-boy peaked through.

"Just attending to this citizen, Edd." the first guard, Jimmy, nodded. Edd and Roxie shared a blink as they stared at each other.

"Uhh, do you know each other…?" the second guard asked.

"Shhush, J.P.!" Jimmy called out, waving his free hand.

"Oh, it's the spider-girl!" Edd cried out, stepping out from behind the door. "Thank heavens, we're saved!"

"Her name is Roxie." the second guard, now named J.P., said. Roxie lets a quick snort fall out before nodding in agreement. Edd reached out, grabbing Roxie by the hand.

"Please, come quick!" he cried, pulling Roxie inside the Cardboard Castle. "We're under attack!"

The cul-de-sac looked to be pretty much the same within these hallowed walls. Urban Rangers were posted in every driveway, providing aid to those who needed it, and some even selling gear to other volunteers who passed through. What was odd were the new crudely written signs, signifying Eddy as the king of the castle. Sure enough, the third Ed-boy sat atop his cardboard throne in the middle of the cul-de-sac.

"I, uhm, haven't seen your friend, by the way." Roxie uttered out to Edd, recalling their last interaction and learning their friend ran off to the woods.

"It's not gonna matter if we find Ed if those Kankers breach us!" Double D began to sob. Roxie stopped in her tracks.

"Wait a minute, you're under attack, but not by Fusions?" Roxie asked.

"We're under attack by the Kankers!" Edd sobbed.

"... I'm not understanding why I'm supposed to care…" Roxie crossed her arms as Eddy approached the two.

"Guys!" Eddy called out. "Double D got spider-girl! The Kankers are toast!" A few joyful cheers echoed from nearby Rangers as Roxie's eye twitched.

"I'm not going to help you fight some girls you don't like!" Roxie barked at the Eds. "I'm here for a mission. Like, an actual important mission from the people who matt-"

"Oh my gosh, Roxie!"

Roxie's eyes twitched again when she's cut off by a voice all too familiar by now. A quick glance to her left revealed Amp, excitedly rushing over towards her alongside three other Urban Rangers. Roxie's face fell into her palms before Amp arrived.

"We have got to stop running into each other like this!" Amp laughed at Roxie. "No, like really. Maybe we should exchange numbers, hang out outside of work hours. Develop a good rapport, and all that jazz."

"Hello, Amp…" Roxie sighed heavily.

"Oh, where are my manners!?" Amp laughed, his volume seemingly increasing. "Lemme introduce you to my new Ranger friends!" He held out his hands, as if to present the three Urban Rangers to Roxie. "This is my friend Clarence, and my friend Sumo, and my friend Jeff! They're new recruits like us, except they're recruits for Rolf instead of recruits for the government."

"Hello!" Clarence shared Amp's cheer as he greeted Roxie.

"I like your spiderlegs." Sumo's rapsy voice said. The third Ranger, Jeff, simply waved.

"We are, like, so glad you're here, Roxie." Amp smiled. "We're about to go run on over to that trailer park and stop those Kanker sisters. No big deal."

"I live over there." Sumo added. Roxie's deadpan glare couldn't be any more obvious.

"I'm being Punk'd." Roxie grunted. "Right?"

"No cameras here!" Amp laughed, but looked around frantically as if he was worried there were actually cameras around.

"No, NO!" Roxie barked. "I'm supposed to be here for a mission." She used a spiderleg to hold out her phone screen again. "Official business!"

"But Roooooooooooxieeeeeeeeeee!" Amp seemingly appeared right next to Roxie, his own communicator device in his hands revealing a similar email detailing a mission. "What if this is the mission!?"

"There's no way the Plumbers or Providence would send two trained soldiers to talk to some girls in a trailer park." Roxie sneered.

"Do you think they'd send you to stop a deadly weapon made by two girls in a trailer park?" Eddy asked.

"... What do you mean?" Roxie asked.

"Those two Kanker girls built a giant Trojan Hamburger." Amp said, very matter-of-factly. "Of course, it can't really be a Trojan-anything if we know they were going to come inside the walls within it… So they're probably just gonna use it to break the doors down."

"... What?" Roxie asked again.

"I SAID THOSE TWO KANKER SISTERS BUILT A GIAN-" Amp started yelling.

"Shut up!" Roxie instinctively shot a web from one of her spiderlegs, covering Amp's mouth and silencing him. "I heard you, I'm just trying to grasp how stupid this all sounds."

"You should try living in this cul-de-sac, spider-girl." Eddy chuckled. "Stupider things happen here."

"Yeeouch!" Amp squealed as he ripped the webbing from his mouth. "Holy- Ouch!" he exclaimed a few more times before collecting himself. "So anyways, are you gonna come help, Roxie, pretty-pretty-pretty pleeeeeease?"

"Just shut up and let's go…" Roxie grumbled.

Amp was proud to lead the pack towards the Park'n'Flush trailer park, with Roxie, Clarence, Sumo, and Jeff in tow. Roxie blinked as she looked above the heads of the Rangers, all of which were clearly at least five years younger than her. Her gaze paused on Amp. Even if he was closer in age to her, she still felt like she was on a babysitting mission.

"So, Ranger Sumo?" Amp asked as the group neared the creek separating the neighborhood from the trailer park. "You live over here? Do you know these Kankers?"

"They're really loud." Sumo nodded in response. "So I taught my siblings how to be louder."

"Great." Roxie scoffed. "What a mission…"

Amp suddenly paused as they crossed the creek, holding his arms up to stop the group from continuing. Clarence and Sumo both ran right into his arms, with Jeff walking into Clarence's back. Amp held a finger up, then sniffed the air, then pointed in the direction of the large, clearly-visible Trojan Hamburger.

"There." Amp said calmly. A dejected slow clap came from Roxie.

"Real great detective work." she groaned. "Let's get this over with."

"Yes!" Amp cheered. "We shall approach these Kankers with poise and diplomatic dignity!"

"Uhhuh." Roxie replied without listening, proceeded to step past Amp and the Ranger, and right up to the Trojan Hamburger. Marie Kanker was sitting outside of it, hammering a chopped up piece of wood to the side. "Yo, Kanker girl!" she called out.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Amp quickly ran forward to try to keep up with Roxie. "Diplomatic dignity!"

"Can I help you?" Marie spat, placing her hand on her hip as she looked to the approaching group.

"Now what the heck are you doing with this giant Hamburger?" Roxie asked, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "You know those boys in the cul-de-sac know you wanna use it to get inside."

"They what!?" Marie's eyes widened at the news. "LEE! LEE, GET OUT HERE!"

"Cool your jets, loud mouth!" The ginger haired sister scratched her head, crawling out of the top of the Hamburger.

"The Eds know about our plan!" Marie whined. "These dumb Urban Rangers ruined everything!"

"Hey, wait, we didn't tell them that!" Jeff cried out, failing his hands around. "We just learned too!"

"Well if you're not gonna use it, do you think we could have the giant Hamburger?" Clarence asked. "We can use it to make a fort."

"Or eat it." Sumo snickered.

"Whadi'ya mean they know about the plan!?" Lee growled, scrambling down the side of the burger to Marie's side.

"The old blonde said they know about it!" Marie complained, stomping her feet and pointing to Roxie.

"Old!?"

"She is kind of old." Clarence nodded. "Teenagers are old."

"Hello…!" Amp called out in a sing-songy tone. "It's me, your friendly neighborhood Amp, chiming in with his diplomatic dignity!"

"Dipa-what?" Lee tilted her head as all eyes fell on Amp. He bowed to the Kankers, taking off his tophat.

"Dear Madame Kankers," Amp dipped his head.

"This oughta' be good." Roxie snorted.

"It is with great honor, and immense pain, that I come to Thee on behalf of the Peach Creek Commons Urban Rangers, asking for thee to cease thy construction of this, large, handsome patty, for an assault by thy dear Rangers is sure to follow."

Both sisters stared at him without a response.

"And, like, these kids will totally eat it." Amp stood up straight, pointing to Sumo and Clarence who proceeded to pose like animals attacking. Roxie shook her head.

"This is never gonna work." Roxie muttered.

"As if!" Marie spat.

"Nothing is going to keep me from protecting my Eddy!" Lee stuck her tongue out in response.

"I tried." Amp shrugged his shoulder. "Sick 'em, boys!"

Amp shot up finger guns at the Trojan Hamburger, triggering Rangers Clarence and Sumo to pounce like the animals they were posing as. The rambunctious kids start wailing on the wooden burger, prying off the panels and smashing the planks with their boots. Roxie's jaw fell open, as did the mouths of the Kanker sisters. They immediately start to try and stop the kids from doing their worst.

"Are they always like this?" Roxie asked, looking to Amp.

"I dunno, I just met them today, man." Amp laughed.

"This is pretty typical for these two." Jeff sighed. He reached up, pulling his beret from his square head. "This was our first task as Urban Rangers, what am I supposed to tell Rolf?"

"What do you mean, dude?" Amp patted the kid on the back. "Look at those two!"

"LET GO OF MY HAIR!" Marie screamed from the side of the Trojan Hamburger. Clarence and Sumo were, shockingly, doing a decent amount of damage to the wooden meal. Sumo had even begun to fight off Marie, and knocked Lee onto the grass!

"Of course, the weirdest things always seem to work these days." Roxie groaned. "Maybe we should call for other Urban Rangers though. Those girls are loud, and I don't want to attract any Fusions…"

"Jeff! My man!" Amp looked down to his new friend. "Hold down the fort while Roxie and I run back over to the Castle and call for backup?"

"Uhhh, alright…!" Jeff feebly said, offering a small salute.

"A true Urban Ranger." Amp stood up straight, saluting as well before wiping a tear from his eye. "I am so proud of you, Jeff."

"HE'S BITING ME!" Lee's hoarse voice rattled through the trailer park.

"Ok, time for backup!" Amp patted Jeff on the head, then, quite literally, leaped to Roxie's side. "Race you?"

"It's not a game, Amp." Roxie scoffed.

"Not a game that you're winning!" Amp laughed, taking off running towards the cul-de-sac. Another scoff escaped Roxie before she also started to run.

Sure enough, Amp won the race back to the Cardboard Castle, and notably a bit quicker than he should have. Troops of Rangers shuffled out of the doors as Roxie walked back inside. Among them would be their leader, Rolf, equipped with a 2x4 pistol and directing the Rangers towards the Park'n'Flush. Amp was waiting for Roxie near the cardboard throne, next to Edd and Eddy, as well as her neighbor Holden, and the Pyronite-hybrid who saved her in the Spaceport, Alan.

"Holden! Alan!" Roxie called out to her friends, walking up to them.

"Hey, Roxie." the pink-haired Holden smiled, waving his hand. "Are you also here for a mission?"

"Well, yeah, actually-" Roxie blinked.

"No need to worry!" Amp stuck his finger in the air. "We have completed the mission! The Kankers have been thwarted!"

"How could we ever repay you?" Double D asked, tears of joy welling up in his eyes.

"No, no, we don't pay them, Double D!" Eddy pleaded from behind.

"Uhm… That's not the mission…" Alan piped in. The dark skinned boy revealed his Plumber communicator, the screen showcasing a mission description he was to carry out. "I'm the one issuing your assignment today."

"Oh, great." Roxie huffed. "So we just went and terrorized some middle schoolers for nothing?"

"Terrorized!?" Holden's brow rose.

"We are eternally grateful." Edd piped back in.

"You really should read the full email, Roxie." Alan laughed. "It said to meet me here! I was actually really excited to see I'd get to work with you again!"

"Oh you- ..!" Roxie's cheek grew pink with blush as Alan expressed his excitement. "I, uhrm… Thank you, Alan!"

"I should've read the full email too." Amp laughed, seemingly paying no mind to anyone else as he buried his face in his phone. "But the people needed me! A hero never turns away hopeless citizens!"

"Amp, Holden, and Roxie." Alan smiled. "You're all here, which means we can set out."

"We're all working together?" Roxie asked. Alan began to walk off down the cul-de-sac, gesturing for the three to follow.

"The email did say we would be working in a group." Holden pointed out.

"The Plumbers have tasked me with recovering a Gooby Trap from the ruins of Porkbelly." Alan nodded, swiping his finger on his communicator. "A Magister assigned you three to this mission. We've gone all hands on deck, so any Academy graduates are subject to be called for a mission."

"And I get paired up to go on a mission with my best friend, Roxie?" Amp seemed to float off the ground as he sang. "Oh, I'm just the luckiest boy!"

"And I'm in the land of Hades…" Roxie groaned.

"Alan, what's a Gooby Trap?" Holden asked.

"That's what we'd like to find out." the dark-skinned boy sighed. "They seem to just be bombs of Fusion Matter, which can be catastrophic if they blow. Magister Tennyson believes these were what the Fusions used to create so many Infected Zones."

"And we're supposed to go… get one?" Roxie sheepishly asked.

"Porkbelly is already in ruins." Holden shrugged. "Does it matter if a bomb goes off there?"

"Not particularly... " Alan scratched the back of his head. "But recovering one for research could help us learn more about the Fusions. And since we're in the area, DexLabs would like us to recover some data from the old laboratory of the Test twins."

"Seems a little strange they'd send a gaggle of teenagers to do this… Right?" Roxie asked.

"The Powerpuff Girls have been doing dangerous tasks like this all their lives." Holden said. "Surely we can do the same."

"Besides!" Amp butted in. "We've got two half-aliens with us! Together we made three full humans and one full alien!"

The group remained silent, but all looked at Amp as they continued walking. In order to get to Porkbelly, the four had to pass through the Reactor Works Infected Zone. Typically, you would need some sort of clearance to enter such a dangerous area, but Alan's status as a Plumber allowed them to pass through. The amount of Fusions in the Nuclear Plant was eerily low, but that feeling couldn't be compared to the site of Porkbelly.

Roxie and Holden halt as the decimated town comes into their view. An entire neighborhood, not that different from their own of Pokey Oaks, gone. The houses that once lined the streets were barely husks of what they once were, most of them reduced to piles of rubble, and others crumbling around the Terrafusers planted within and atop them. The trees bared no leaves, and the bark was charred as if the town was freshly set ablaze. Alan continued walking on when Amp paused, moving directly into Roxie's eyesight.

"Dude?" Amp waved his hands in front of her face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…" Roxie mumbled out as she came back to her head. Amp snapped his fingers in front of Holden's face. "Not really."

"It looks just like Pokey Oaks." Holden spoke. "Would've looked like Pokey Oaks…"

"The Test's house is this way!" Alan called out from ahead, already a considerable distance from the three.

"I guess this does look pretty depressing." Amp said, turning to look over the remains of Porkbelly. "I guess I am way too desensitized to this stuff after seeing the world almost lose to Fuse."

"We've all seen it, Amp, this isn't funny." Roxie growled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Oh, no no!" He turned to wave his hands again. "I mean, like, Earth was on the brink of extinction."

Roxie and Holden looked at the blue haired boy with confused eyes. By now, Alan had walked out of sight.

"Roooooxieeee!" Amp called out, jumping like a mad man. "This is what I was trying to tell you about on the Mandark Carrier!"

"This isn't some pity party contest, dude." Roxie's brow narrowed.

"I was trying to tell you about the day I had!" Amp exclaimed. "The day Dexter sent me to the Future!"

Holden's head shook a tad before tilting to the side. Roxie stared at Amp, biting the inside of her lip.

"The Future?"

"Bro, I don't believe it either." Amp laughed. "Roxie and her brother were busy fighting the Fusions, so I understand why there wasn't time to tell them about my super awesome Future excursion."

"Yeah, yeah." Roxie huffed, walking forward and stepping past Amp. "I don't care about whatever make-believe land you have in your head. And now Alan went on without us!"

"It's not make-believ-!" Amp scrambled to Roxie's side, latching onto her sleeve.

"Get off me!" Roxie pulled her arm away, stomping forward. "I don't care, Amp! I'm not your friend!"

"You-..." Amp stopped, standing still as Holden caught up to him. "Roxie, c'mon."

"That was harsh." Holden said, looking to Roxie.

"No, this is my fault." Amp shrugged, a dejected laugh following. "I don't have a lot of friends, ya know. I… do this! To myself!" The boy's tophat fell off as he jabbed his palm against his forehead. "I thought since we were in the Academy together… And we work so well together…"

"You didn't do anything, Amp." Holden consoled, patting the boy's back. Roxie continued to rampage off in pursuit of Alan, leaving the two on the open street. Amp sniffled, bundling up his suit's sleeve in his hand to wipe off his face.

"It's, uh, no big deal." Amp cracked a smile. "I can make other friends. We can be friends…?"

"I'm fine with that." Holden chuckled. "Sorry about her. I'm her neighbor, but we don't really hang out much. I didn't realize she was this abrasive."

"It's all good, man." Amp shrugged a bit, his smile starting to seem more genuine. "I'm not very good at reading, like, social cues and stuff."

"I'm sure she'll come around." Holden nodded.

"Do you wanna hear about my totally real trip to the Future?" Amp asked with excited eyes. Holden chuckled again, nodding to him.

---

A conflict raged on. One with fire and vigor. Confusion. Spite. This conflict, however, wasn't the obvious Fusion one occurring, but a conflict taking place within the damned head of Them. The green demon grumbled to themselves as they floated among the ruins of the old Test lab. Before them, strangely erected erupting from the tiled floor, was one of the Hani-Baba Totems. Them's head tilted to the side.

"How did you get here?" the demon's three voices questioned in unison.

Their head tilted to the other side. They vanished from the air, reappearing seconds later on the other side of the Totem.

"The Fusion destruction made this totem surface… here?" Them's higher voice asked.

"It's no matter." the deeper voice hummed. "All that matters is that we're here. Presumably before those girls."

"Well, Charmcaster isn't her-" the higher voice was interrupted by themselves.

"Shut up about that insolent brat!" Them's dark voice growled as they spoke. "Recruiting that witch was useless. She's insufferable. Power hungry. She's eager to betray us at a moment's notice."

"We told us it was a bad idea." the neutral voice sighed. "Him has no use for her. We have no use for her."

"A bad idea, perhaps." Them's guttural growl returned. "But a clever way to keep her from seeking out the Totem's power. She expects us to show her the way."

"We just won't tell her about this Totem then." the cheery voice squealed. "Then maybe we can steal the Alpha Rune and dump her!"

"No." the two other voices shot down the proposal.

"We shouldn't get on her bad side." the calm voice said.

"Plus, she will be an easy tactic to keep the other two magical girls from interfering." Them's deep voice hummed once again. "That Lucky Girl mentioned the Rune by name during their encounter. That's motivation. Taking the Alpha Rune would provide no benefit to us."

"We just want to play with it!" the high-pitched voice cried.

At that moment, a shuffling could be heard. A decayed and barely stable staircase leading into the lab suddenly became ignited by a faint glow. Them's appearance faded from view, but the creature still lingered unseen to the eye.

"They found it!" the cheery voice whined. A sudden "shhhh" echoed into the room before it fell silent.

The expectation was to see the duo of Gwen and Juniper plunge their way into the lab, but Them was surprised to see a stranger crawl through the crumbled staircase. Their body glowed with a fiery light, standing tall with his Plumber badge attached to his chest. It was Alan, fully shifted into his Pyronite form. The boy looked around with his hands on his hips, painting a confused look on his face as he saw the displaced Totem in the center of the lab. He taps his badge, which emits a quick flash of light, taking a photo of the stone.

Them's tension is relieved when Alan doesn't continue to pay attention to the Totem, instead walking over to one of the many destroyed machines within the Test lab. With impressive strength, Alan pulled the metal cover off of a large computer-like machine. Kneeling down, he pulled his badge from his chest, and attached it to the inner-workings of the machine.

Alan stood up, his badge glowing on the machinery below. He looked around the room again, letting out a sharp whistle as he waited. Though, he suddenly flinched at the sound of someone else ventured down the crumbled stairs. Them would tense up again too. The sight of Roxie entering the lab only made Them confused.

"Oh, hey!" Alan said with a wave. "You caught up! Didn't realize you guys got held back."

"Deep conversation." Roxie muttered. She crossed her arms in front of her chest after placing her pistol back on her belt. "Why did you go off without us, though?"

"I'm sorry, Roxie, I just didn't realize." Alan shrugged. Him and Roxie exchanged confused blinks before Alan gestured to the machinery next to him. "Look, I'm already collecting that data from the Test lab. Then we'll just need to find the Gooby Trap and mission accomplished."

"Right." Roxie nodded, arching an eyebrow as she looked to his glowing badge. "It's… that easy? The computer's destroyed."

"Plumbers have access to some crazy alien tech." Alan shrugged again. "I don't understand it much either. Are Amp and Holden outside?"

"I'unno." Roxie rolled her eyes. "Guess I ditched them like you ditched us."

"Wh-? Roxie, why?"

"Amp is overbearing, dude." Roxie sighed. "He's too much. Like too much. It's like dealing with a kid. And he's somehow always attached to my side these days."

"I thought you two were teammates?"

"We've fought together a couple of times." Roxie scrunched her nose up. "I've fought with Blossom, but that doesn't make me a Powerpuff. And now Amp is making up pity stories about going to the Future and making it sound like no big deal."

"Wow, I…" Alan hung his head as he thought about Roxie's words. "I, uh, guess I didn't expect this from you."

"Excuse me?" Roxie placed her hands on her hips. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know…" Alan sighed. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude. You just came off… Nicer… Than that."

"Wha-...?" Roxie blinked as she stood with her mouth agape. It smushed into a frown as she crossed her arms again. She sat in silence for several moments before mustering up words again. "No, it's not like that…"

"Amp is a good friend, I can tell." Alan crossed his arms as well. "He wouldn't want to be friends with you if he didn't think you were cool."

"I don't need new friends!" Roxie barked.

"Oh? Not even me?" Alan frowned.

"Alan, no…" Roxie shook her head, relaxing her arms to her side. "No, no. It's easier with you… Can I get a little personal for a second?"

"... I guess."

"I have a whole group of friends from school. My best friends." Roxie sighed. "Well, they all died during the invasion, unfortunately… And it's weird. I'm so used to being able to text any one of them with a disgruntled thought or a stupid idea, and now… I don't! Making new friends… I can't just replace them all."

"You could never replace them." Alan said. "You said we were friends, back at the Spaceport."

"They were all, like…" Roxie shuttered. "Normal. For lack of a better word. You're not. You're kinda like me, and I've never known anyone like that before. That's why it's easier to be your friend. Making other friends? Feels like they're going to fill the void left by my girlfriends."

"Oh come on." Alan shrugged again, coupled with a snicker. "You know that's not gonna happen."

"What?"

"People have new friends all the time, even after losing or growing apart from old friends. That never replaces them."

"Well, I feel like it will!" Roxie sighed. "Maybe I just need some time! Besides, Amp is annoying anyways!"

"Jeez." Alan whistled. His badge beeped, signaling completion. "Even if you don't want to be his friend, you don't have to trash on him." He reached down and pulled his badge from the machine, placing it back on his chest. "I think you owe Amp an apology, at the very least."

"I just told him I'm not his friend."

"It probably sounded pretty harsh if you had this attitude." Alan blinked. "No offence."

"Fine." Roxie grunted. "No, you're right… I'm being a drama queen."

"At least you can admit it." Alan smiled, seemingly relieved by Roxie's awareness. "C'mon, we need to get back to them and find that Gooby Trap."

"Yeah." Roxie nodded. "And I'll talk with Amp. Thanks to you."

"Awh, I barely did anything." Alan walked over and placed his hand on Roxie's shoulder, his burning hand not burning her skin or clothes. "Just pushed you out of thinking so harshly."

"You know, before we go…" Roxie paused. "What about that obviously out of place… thing?"

Roxie's attention turned to the Totem erected in the center of the lab, drawing Alan's attention to it as well. It stood at the same size and height of the other Totems, along with the same strange symbols plastered along it. Of course, Roxie had never seen a Totem before. She stepped closer to it, examining the pictures etched into the side. Them's gaze narrowed on the pair.

"I took a picture of it to send to the Plumbers." Alan said. "But I've never seen anything like it before."

"It definitely doesn't look like it belongs here." Roxie said. "But this stone is definitely old…"

Roxie stared at the Totem in silence, then began to reach out to touch the side of the Totem. Before her hand can reach it, it collides with the invisible body of Them, who had transported their body in-between the girl and the stone. Roxie screamed, jerking her hand back and grasping for her pistol. Them's appearance blinked into existence.

"Don't touch that!" A flurry of their voices yelled at Roxie.

"What the-?!" Roxie cried out.

"Who are you!?" Alan's hands filled with balls of flame as he barked at the demon.

"Oh, don't pity yourself with your firepower." Them's deep voice rumbled. "It would be of no use to you, Leeblossom."

Roxie's eyes widened at the sound of her name. Her body tensed up, her grip on her gun tightening. A short moment passed before her brows narrowed.

"I- I'm not scared of some stranger who knows my name." she yelled.

"Lower your weapon, child." Them's calm voice sighed. A flick of their wrist mysteriously knocked Roxie's gun from her hand, as well as extinguishing Alan's fireballs. Roxie stumbled back to Alan.

"You would have no use for this relic." the somber voice continued. "Your path lies elsewhere."

"My path?" Roxie shook her head. "Oh, great. Another demon who plays with your head. When did the Underworld order a new Him knock-off?"

"Knock-off!?" the higher voice of Them shrieked. "Oh, the nerve!"

"Consider us… A consort of Him's." the darker voice nodded. "Him has already told us of you, Roxanne."

"Yuck... " Roxie spat. The thought of the manipulator demon Him thinking about her was bone-chilling, sending a literal shiver down her spine. Though, being a friend and neighbor to the Powerpuff Girls, it shouldn't be a surprise.

"Uhm?" Alan piped up, sticking his glowing finger into the air. "Did you think we would just leave after you mysteriously appeared and told us to not touch the creepy, uh, relic?"

"Disposing of you lot would be no less difficult." Them's cheery voice giggled.

"What even is it?" Roxie asked.

"The Hani-Baba Totem is one of a series of ancient relics." Them's calmer voice explained, placing his claw-like hand against the side of the Totem. It began to glow with a rich blue color as the demon continued. "Each acts as a key, locking away a great magical power. Activation of each Totem will call on the power of its ancestral roots, the planet Kelt."

"Kelt?" Roxie shook her head again. The Totem's glow faded to a calm orange.

"W-Why are you telling us… In such detail?" Alan added.

"None of this has any impact on the two of you." Them's deep voice chuckled. "The Plumber boy now knows no more than his higher ranks know. The spider girl, as stated before, has a different path."

"Oookkay?" Roxie's confused look only deepened. "So now we're supposed to go off with this supposedly useless information and leave the creepy floating guy with the power rock?"

"Of course." The two opposite pitched voices sang together.

"There's nothing left to do here. We've already activated the Totem." The demon looked to the glowing light of the Totem. "We wrote a book long ago to allow the keys to be unlocked, but of course, this is unnecessary to the author."

"And our name is Them!" the cheery voice barked.

"This seems really… out of left field." Roxie shrugged, watching the demon fluctuate between voices. "Like I'm intruding on the story of some crazy evil demon, and that I should definitely be worried about them turning on the mysterious Totem."

"We never said we're evil." Them's somber voice sighed.

"And you are kind of intruding." The cheery voice snickered. "This plotline is supposed to run parallel to yours, not perpendicular!"

Roxie and Alan blinked at the demon, then looked at each other.

"No matter." Them's darker voice called out to them. Their feet began fading away as the demon waved to the teens. "We will see you again, Miss Leeblossom."

The rest of Them's body faded away, leaving nothing behind. Well, aside from the two confused hybrids who stared at the activated Totem together. Several more moments passed as the two struggled to find the words to describe the weird experience that just unfolded. Alan's badge flashed again, taking another picture of the activated Totem. Together, they leave the lab.

Alan's form shifted back to his human appearance as him and Roxie crawled back into the open air. The unsettling atmosphere surrounding Porkbelly hadn't changed, not helping the strange mood Roxie found herself in.

"We should tell someone, right?" Roxie asked Alan.

"They did mention other Plumbers would already know about it." Alan scratched his head. "But it's definitely weird enough for me to speak up. I should tell Ben first."

"Good idea!" came the sudden cry of Amp. Alan and Roxie jetted their heads in the direction of the voice. Down the street was Amp walking with Holden, who was carrying a strange, green, blob. Before the two had any time to react to Holden's new baggage, Amp disappeared!

Roxie rubbed her eyes as Alan's jaw dropped. Was this a measly mind game from Them? Was Holden even there? No more questions could roll through Roxie's head before Amp, strangely, reappeared directly in front of Roxie and Alan, standing heroically with his hand on his hips.

"We have retrieved the Gooby Trap!" he announced, true to Amp fashion, mimicking a sports announcer.

"What did you just do!?" Roxie screamed.

"Retrieved the Gooby Trap." Amp nodded. "No thanks to you, little miss attitude!"

"Not that!" Roxie grunted.

"You teleported?" Alan asked, verbally sounding like he was trying to piece this together.

"So what?" Amp snickered. "You two can have weird alien powers, but I'm the one you double take at?" Holden arrived at the others, carrying the Gooby Trap in hand.

"Alan, can you take this?" Holden asked, outstretching the Fusion Matter bomb. "I do not want to keep holding this."

"Are you not shocked by whatever Amp just did?" Roxie asked as Alan took the Gooby Trap into his hands.

"You wouldn't be so surprised if you had the decency to listen to his story, Roxie." Holden sighed.

"He was telling the truth?"

"Do I look like a boy who would lie to you?" Amp grunted. "It's none of your business anyways!"

"Amp…" Roxie paused, sighing calmly. "I need to apologize." Amp's exaggerated mood faded as Roxie spoke. "I reacted harshly to you, and you're only trying to be nice. I can't take back what I said, but I can say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lashing out at you."

"Well…!" Amp seemed like he had a snarky response, but he sheepishly retreated to a calmer tone. "That's very mature of you, Roxie. Very quick character development."

"Sometimes you just need the time to cool off." Roxie shrugged. "Realize your wrongs after the heat of the moment."

"I appreciate that." Amp smiled. "See, I knew you would come around, Roxie!" He jumped forward to hug Roxie. She paused but returned the hug with a smile.

"You're gonna have to work on this whole…" Roxie waved her hand around. "You-thing if we're gonna be friends."

"Friends~!" Amp's eyes balled up into giant puppy-dog windows. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!"

"Are you gonna fill us in on this teleporting power yet, or what?" Alan asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Amp grinned, wrapping his arms around Alan and Roxie. "Well, since we're all friends here, I guess I can!"

"You said Dexter sent you to the Future?" Roxie asked.

"Awh, you remembered!" Amp smiled. "He needed someone for a super secret mission, to gather intel to help us against the Fusions! I guess he's been working on this time machine for awhile, but I was his first test subject. Except, I think he messed up. I went way too far into the Future, man!"

"For real?" Roxie questioned. As Amp's story continued, the group began walking towards the way they entered.

"For real, for real." Amp nodded. "I woke up in the middle of this crazy battle, which we lost, but then I was taken to Hero's Square! Oh man, it was bad. The Fusion Planet was basically the whole sky. People were missing, some people had died! I mean, it was terrible, man!"

"What does this have to do with the teleporting?" Alan asked.

"Yeah, this still sounds like make-believe." Roxie added.

"Oh, I guess my appearance in a different time wasn't a good thing. Opened wormholes, or something. I fell in one and then I could suddenly do this!"

Amp blinked out of existence, reappearing a few feet in front of them. He disappeared again, showing up behind the group. Once again, he blinked away, reappearing several blocks away, and then back between Roxie and Alan.

"Whoo! My head feels funny!" Amp laughed.

"How does that make any sense?" Roxie rose her brow.

"I dunno!" Amp laughed. "Isn't that fun?"

"Don't think too hard about it." Holden added.

"Anyways, Mandark and Computress, well, future Mandark and future Computress, helped repair a time machine to get back to this time." Amp flung his hands into the air. "Alongside that vital information Dexter needs to invent Nanos!"

"Nanos?"

"Oh!" Amp covered his mouth. "Spoilers!"

"I know you have this neat power and all…" Roxie seemed like she didn't want to continue. "I'm still struggling to believe this story, Amp. I mean, I know we live in a pretty crazy world, but that's far fetched."

"Oh my goodness." Amp shook his head. "I knew some of you would be like this. But that's why I brought this back with me."

Amp reached into his coat's pockets, comedically shoving his arm an unrealistic amount inside as he rummaged through. Few, various expressions fluctuate on his face as he grabs different things, an excited smile stretching across his face as he finds his treasure. He pulled out and displayed in his hands the head of a robot.

"Oh dear!" the robot's head buzzed. "What in the world is happening here!?"

"The key to my time machine, Larry 3000!" Amp exclaimed. "Part of him, at least. This little guy helped me get back here."

"Little guy!?" the head of Larry 3000 grunted. "I'll have you know I was once much taller than you, boy!"

"... This is too much, even for Amp." Roxie muttered at the sight.

"Oh no, you…!" If this robot's head could shake, it would, and hang dejectedly at that. "You weren't supposed to bring me back to your timeline! Oh no, this just won't do! Do you realize the time anomaly you just created!?"

"More so than the ones I already created in the Future?" Amp laughed.

"Yes!" Larry's head screamed. "If your mere presence in another time causes thing to go haywire, imagine what would happen if I'm in the same time as… myself!"

"So he is telling the truth about the Future?" Alan chuckled. "This world is full of surprises."

"I'm convinced now." Roxie shrugged.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you did say you were here…" Amp rubbed his chin. "Funny!"

"FUNNY?" Larry 3000's head vibrated with rage. "We need to rectify this at once!"

"Yeah, sure, I need to talk to Dexter anyways." Amp smiled. "I'll take you there!"

Larry began to buzz with another enraged retort, but is quickly muffled as Amp shoves him back into his coat's pockets. He looked to the group with a cheesy grin and an exaggerated shrug.

"Oh well!"

---

15 April 2044

It was small. Squishy. The small green creature bounced around in the test tube it was contained in. Outside of the test tube stood Dexter, and his rival, Mandark. Further examination of the room around them revealed the red and black color scheme of Mandark Industries. The two geniuses stared at the small, humanoid thing contained in front of them.

"Well?" Mandark's nasally voice rang out. "Did it work?"

"The evidence is inconclusive." Dexter shook his head. "We only have one way to know for sure."

"And you're sure this will work?" Mandark asked with crossed arms.

"You were the one to give us this information." Dexter grumbled. "Turns out you gain some sense in the coming years."

"I don't have to help you at all, Dexter!" Mandark yelled. "I'm only doing this for Dee-Dee's attention!"

"Good luck with that." Dexter grunted.

"Oh, you boys hush up!" a third, and much older voice cried out. A tiny, elderly woman, smaller than the teenagers, walked between them, wacking each on the back with her cane. This woman was none other than Madame Foster, owner of the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.

"Now, you both know this won't work unless you can put your minds together, dearies." Madame Foster snickered. "You boys got all ya' fancy technology junk, but none of this would be remotely possible without imagination."

"Madame Foster." Mandark grunted. "I suppose there's no other genius on imagination than this one."

"I mean, I always knew the power of your imagination was great, but I never expected aliens being repealed great." Madame Foster giggled. "Oh, things still seem to surprise me, even at this age!"

"Precisely why the hypothesis of combining the Fusion Matter along with the power of thought was proposed by the Future Dexter and Mandark." Dexter nodded. "The only evidence we had with combining them before was from that disturbing video, but adding a third, earthly element to the equation…"

A pause fell across the three, with Madame Foster reaching up to touch the test tube containing the tiny unstable creature.

"Computress!"

Computress entered Mandark's lab at Dexter's command, with Mandark's own robotic assistant, Robot Jones, following along behind her.

"Bring us my personal effects." Dexter instructed. Computress floated off after a nod.

"Boss Unit?" Mandark's assistant asked his overseer. "Do you have a task for me?"

"Just, ugh, stand there and don't be annoying, Jones."

"As you please, Boss Unit!"

"What's the use of your assistant anyways?" Dexter asked as Computress returned, carrying Dexter's Wrench. "Just trying to copy me, as per usual."

"Eat my shorts, Dexter!" Mandark snarled. "I swear, this cannot be over soon enough!" Madame Foster started snickering at the two's banter.

"You're telling me." Dexter rolled his eyes, reaching out to take his Wrench weapon from Computress. "Let's get this over with then."

Dexter turned his attention to the test tube again, tapping on the glass. Inside, the gooey humanoid creature perked up at the tapping. It was clearly, and strangely, just a glob of Fusion Matter. He held out his Wrench and tapped a button on the test tube, opening it. With closed eyes, Dexter held the Wrench to the small creature. It would hesitate, but soon reach out for the wrench.

A flight of light blinded the geniuses for a moment, revealing the disappearance of Dexter's weapon as their sight returned. As well, the small creature was gone, replaced by a cutesy and chibi-like copy of Dexter floating around happily.

"Hello!" the tiny Dexter squeaked, a voice similar to Dexter's own at a much higher pitch.

"Yes!" both Dexter and Mandark screamed.

"I am a genius!" Mandark cried out. "A mastermind! Ha! Ah ha! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Still wouldn't be possible without me." Dexter glared to Mandark.

"Oh, shaddup, lemme try." Mandark grumbled, shoving Dexter out of the way. After some frantic typing, a second small green creature manifests in the test tube. "You just use the personal item and the Fusion Matter to imagine one of your own, right?"

"That is what the smarter you told me."

"Ugh, you're never going to shut up about this, huh?"

"Get on with it." Dexter scoffed as his mini-me floated around his head, then floating down to smile at Madame Foster.

Mandark took off his own glasses, holding them out to the unstable glob and closing his eyes in the same fashion. Like before, a flash of light emits as the creature touches the pair of glasses. Seconds later, a cutesy mini Mandark began floating around Mandark's head. His monotone laughter echoed through the metallic room.

"It worked!" Mandark laughed. He soon began to squint as he looked at his tiny copy. "Robot Jones, bring me my back up glasses." Mandark instructed with a demanding clap.

"These are Nanos." Dexter said to himself, examining his mini-me. "The intel I received from my hero's time displacement says these are the keys to fighting back Fuse."

"Imaginary Friends, but not quite!" Madame Foster cackled, the first two Nanos coming to float around her.

"A little small and squishy to be alien fighters, don't ya' think?" Mandark asked, placing his new glasses on his face after Robot Jones grabbed them.

"It's the power within them." Dexter nodded. "This Imaginary Energy coupled with the Fusion Matter itself seemed to ward off the Fusions in the Future. Having them earlier only ensures our victory."

"Shall we switch the Great Machine online?" Computress inquired. Dexter replied with a firm nod.

"This was the last puzzle piece we needed."

The coming hours would prove extremely busy for both DexLabs and Mandark Industries, as they rapidly worked towards presenting these creations to the world. In fact, DexLabs' newest invention to help volunteers wield these same creatures, the NanoCom, was already available by that evening! Every war volunteer received a video message from Dexter and Mandark, explaining the existence of these Nanos.

Nanos. Small, bite-sized versions of the world's greatest names. They are created by combining an amount of Fusion Matter with a personal item, as well as your imagination. Dexter explained how Fuse's evil Fusion copies must be made with personal effects as well, alluding to being able to obtain a Nano's aide after defeating powerful Fusions. These Nanos each come with powers of their own to help the everyday human in a fight with a Fusion, with abilities ranging from draining a monster's health, to speeding up your steps!

The Great Machine, constructed behind Townsville City Hall, was meant to act as a power battery for Nanos. As long as the Great Machine was online, Nanos would be able to be supported. The unit can also be used to store Nanos, as a NanoCom can only carry three at a time, as well as change their powers and recharge the little guys. Dexter's message detailed a combined effort of Mandark and DexLabs personnel available to help anyone with questions.

Of course, with all eyes on DexLabs as the world's biggest impact on the Fusion War, the public was buzzing with this news. With a new tool from Dexter, crowds were already lined up outside his company in Technology Square, full of folks waiting to get their hands on a NanoCom. Among them, Roxie Leeblossom, and her older brother, Jasper. They were luckily, near the front of the line, but still had aways to wait. Roxie replayed the video message on her phone as they waited in line.

"Guess Dexter's done with those public gathering announcements after whatever happened at Hero's Square." Jasper whistled to break the ice.

"It's probably just easier to get information out this way." Roxie shrugged. "There would be less of a huddled crowd if he did a presentation though."

"Oh, look!" Jasper pointed out Heather Orion, one of the girls who was on their team at the Academy. She was walking away from DexLabs, her new NanoCom in hand. "Hey, Heather!"

"Oh, Jasper, Roxie!" Heather smiled as she approached the two. "It's great to see you again."

"Did you get a NanoCom already?" Roxie asked, looking at the device.

"Yes, it was very easy." Heather smiled, holding up her new communicator. "They even transferred all the data from my phone onto it, and it has all the same features as a smartphone."

"Oh, that's good." Roxie grinned. "Now I know I won't have to lug around two communicators."

"The NanoCom is supposed to collect Fusion Matter from the monsters we fight, and then can be used to create those Nanos but…" Heather broke off. "Those things are kind of creepy, right?"

"What do you mean? I thought they were cute…" Roxie muttered.

"Cute… Sure." Heather groveled as she tucked her NanoCom away. "Just seems kind of unsettling for Dexter to want us carrying around tiny clones."

"I think you're reading too much into it." Jasper shrugged. The purple haired girl shared the expression.

"Maybe."

"Hey, where's Hannah?" Roxie asked. "Your sister? I haven't seen her since the Academy either."

"Oh, she isn't going to get a NanoCom." Heather shrugged. "She said she doesn't need 'superpowers,' so she doesn't want to get Nanos."

"Do they count as superpowers?" Jasper rubbed his chin. "Seems more like an enhancement to me."

"Surely." Heather sighed. "Hannah has a weird thing against people with powers and extra abilities. I guess she counts this as one of those."

"Maybe she'll come around one day." Roxie suggested, making Heather smile.

"Yeah, we can only hope." she laughed. "I'll catch you two later. Time to go mess with this thing until I get used to it."

"Yeah, stay safe, Heather." Roxie smiled. "We'll hang out again soon, get the whole Academy gang together again."

After Heather said her goodbyes, Roxie and Jasper didn't have to wait for much longer. They were both soon carted within DexLabs, and given their own NanoComs. Both of them received their NanoComs for free as a thank you for volunteering in the war effort. Just as Heather described, all of Roxie's contact information, pictures, and data was quickly transferred to her Com.

The two lingered outside in Tech Square for a while after leaving DexLabs. Many Dexbots and Mandroids stationed themselves around the plaza of the district, offering rivaling services to passerbys and volunteers. Among them were many other citizens and volunteers who just received their own new NanoComs, as well as a strange third type of robot. A Vendroid, hailing from the mysterious Exervant corporation in northern Tech Square. A group of Mojo's Monkey Minions lounged about in the fountain.

"This is, like, the best phone I've ever had." Roxie exclaimed, tapping away on her NanoCom. "It's so small, so fast! So useful!"

"I knew that Dexter kid was holdin' out on us." Jasper laughed. "All his fancy tech and I was still using the same phone I got when I was a teenager."

"I wonder how the video calls are." Roxie wondered out loud. "I should call Tiffany and-"

For a second there, Roxie almost forgot aliens were invading and she lost her friends. The exciting distraction that is technology.

"You good?" Jasper asked, wrapping an arm around his sister.

"Yeah, I'm…" Roxie exhaled heavily. "I'm not fine. But I'll be ok." She finished, but looked to her brother with an assuring smile. "I should call Amp!"

"Amp?" Jasper snickered as Roxie turned back to her Com. "Don't you, like, hate that kid?"

"I don't hate him." Roxie jerked her gaze to Jasper. "He's a lot, all the time. And I, kind of, maybe, got a little snappy with him the other day."

"Oh, true to character Roxanne."

"Shut up." Roxie glared at her brother. "Anyways, you know… I was in the wrong. I admit that. So I'm gonna try to make it up to him. I'm a bigger person, ya' know?"

"It's so typical of kids your age to hold grudges." her brother smiled. "I'm glad to hear you're working through 'em. I'd tell you that you're growing up too fast, but like," Jasper gestured his hands to the sky, and Planet Fusion looming. "With all this, I'd be more concerned if you weren't maturing a bit."

"Don't hit me with that sappy talk now." Roxie held her hand up. "I'm not getting emotional before I call Amp." She held up her Com, showing Jasper she was about to call her new friend. She tapped on the call button, letting it ring for a few seconds before the other line answered.

"Well, well, well!" Amp's voice clearly buzzed through the NanoCom's speakers. The picture on the screen was very fluid and consistent as it showed Amp's face from a head on angle. His background was obscured by his top hat, but it was clear the sky was green. "Look who's calling me!"

"Hey, Amp!" Roxie waved her free hand, shifting her Com so the camera showed Jasper as well. "Did you get a NanoCom yet?"

"Sure did, of course I did!" Amp smiled. "You see, I was already AT DexLabs today, and not because of my uber neat warping superpower."

"Warping superpower…?" Jasper blinked.

"Oh, I'll explain later." Roxie waved off Jasper's comment. "You brought that robot's head to Dexter, right?"

"Oh my GOSH, Roxie, you're remembering more and more details of the conversations we have." Amp's picture was muffled as he hugged his own NanoCom. "We really are becoming friends!"

"Right."

"Yeah, I took him to Dexter." Amp nodded as his face reappeared on screen. The angle he held his Com at now showcased his location better, with the Nuclear Reactor Works surrounding him. "But then I got keyed in on ANOTHER super secret important mission."

"Is that the nuclear plant?" Roxie asked. "Why are you back there?"

"I'm on a mission!" Amp gestured to his surroundings, showcasing that he was sitting atop a tall building in the Reactor Works. "There's an evil Fusion who lives here. Apparently."

At the same moment, a notification appeared at the top of Roxie's screen, telling her of a new email from Alan Albright.

"Did Alan send you?" Roxie asked, clicking on the notification and pulling up the message.

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"He just sent me a message." Roxie replied as her eyes scanned the message, with Jasper peaking over her shoulder.

"Hey, Roxie. Thanks again for helping me retrieve that Gooby Trap and safely recover the data from the old Test Lab. The Plumber's research on the Gooby Trap is going to help us a lot, but we discovered the Fusion who planted it might be trying to leave more in the area. I won't be on the scene, but I know you can handle it. Can you head out to the Nuclear Plant and scope things out? Report back any intel. -Alan."

"Did it say something about ME?" Amp asked, batting his eyes.

"Well, he does want me to go to the nuclear plant." Roxie shrugged. "That's close enough."

"Then I'll see you here!" Amp cheered. "I'm gonna scope more things out! See ya!" The call ended suddenly.

"Wittle Roxie going on a mission." Jasper snickered.

"I am a true Fusion fighter." Roxie stuck her tongue out.

"I'm just teasing." Jasper playfully pushed his sister. "Go on, get. Go be a Fusion fighter."

"I am!" Roxie laughed. "But, um, can you give me a ride?"

---

Thanks to her assigned mission, Roxie was allowed clearance into the Reactor Works Infected Zone, following the request of Alan. The girl stepped inside, already equipped with one of her pistols. She dials a text to Amp that she's arrived before stashing it into her pocket, and gripping onto her second pistol. She glanced around, then ventured forward.

Roxie definitely wasn't dressed for a fight, still in her typical pink shirt and blue shorts combo. Even though she owns armor she often found herself fighting best in her normal clothes. But, to be fair, the rest of her friends who fight the Fusions also wore pretty mundane outfits. Amp was always in a suit and tie! Even now, as he blinked into existence right in front of Roxie.

"Hello!"

"ACK!" Roxie shrieked, falling back onto her butt. "Oh my glob, don't DO THAT!"

"Sorry!"

"You made my ears ring…" Roxie grunted as she pulled herself to her feet, rubbing her head against the back of her hands. "Don't surprise me like that."

"Gooot it." Amp smiled, holding his thumb up. "See! Working on the me thing!"

"What's the sitch?"

"I'm glad you asked." Amp grinned, grabbing his ice ray from his coat and turning to point it. "There's a group of Gear Goons patrolling the plant. Behind the main reactor is, just, a bunch of freaky tentacles. The wind is blowing northeast."

"No more Gooby Traps?"

"Not from what I saw. But, ye'know, those freaky ground tentacles might be the main point of interest."

"Right." Roxie nodded her head, readying her guns again. "We can go through the monsters, or I can use my webs to pull us up above."

"Or!" Amp turned around, and grabbed onto Roxie's arm. In the blink of an eye, both Amp and Roxie were suddenly right next to the aforementioned tentacles. Amp struck a pose and called out a catchy phrase. But Roxie couldn't hear anything. Her vision was all disoriented as she stumbled around. Amp quickly grabbed her by the shoulders, snapping in her face until she came to.

"Pop your ears!" Amp said. Roxie blinked, then plugged her nose and blew until her ears popped.

"Holy-" Roxie shook her head wildly. "What was that?"

"I can teleport people with me!" Amp laughed. "Isn't that awesome? I'm kind of OP."

"Don't do that without asking me first!" Roxie growled. "Jeez, kid!"

"Yeah, I should've told you to plug your ears the first time." Amp smirked. Roxie blinked a few more times, noticing a trickle of blood falling from Amp's right ear.

"Dude." Roxie said. "Your ear." Amp reached up, wiping some of the blood on his fingers to look at it.

"Huh." Amp nodded. "Would you look at that?"

"Are you, like, good?"

"Oh yeah, this is fine." Amp smiled. "Well, not fine fine, but, like, ok fine. This happens when I do the jump-y thing too much too quickly. In hindsight, I kinda was zooming through this plant."

"Your ears just start bleeding?" Roxie blinked. "You should, like, see a doctor. Or a scientist."

"Oh, Roxie, I will, Dexter loves me!"

"Somehow I doubt that." Roxie snickered before whipping back to her serious mode. "Really, though. Take it easy. No more superpowers on this mission."

"Awh…" Amp kicked the ground before folding his arms across his chest. "You're right though. It's ok. I'm weaponized."

The two turn to look at the back of the reactor they were placed behind. It looked like any normal metal hunk of junk, with a large Terrafuser nested on top. The tentacles Amp had mentioned were directly in front of the two, rooted in the ground and against the side of the reactor. The Fusion tentacles moved against each other, fluctuating in strange patterns.

"This infection must be deep." Roxie said, disgusted at the sight.

"No, I've seen spots like these outside Infected Zones." Amp nodded. "I have an idea, Roxie. I need you to shoot at the tentacles!"

"Why don't you shoot first?"

"My gun is an ice ray!" Amp exclaimed, waving the weapon around. "It wouldn't work for this purpose. Trust me!"

"A terrifying thought." Roxie muttered, holding both of her pistols up at the group of tentacles. She fired from each gun four times, striking the tentacles eight times and causing them to seemingly seize in pain. They rolled into themselves, growing smaller and revealing a passageway behind the goop.

"I'm so freakin' smart." Amp complimented himself. "The Fusions must have burrowed into the reactor!"

"And we're just supposed to crawl inside?"

"Is there a better idea?"

"Yes." Roxie blinked. "There has to be a least one better idea than that."

"Trust me." Amp patted her shoulder, then ran over to leap into the Fusion Portal.

"Amp!" Roxie huffed. "For the love of-!" She continued grumbling as she rushed off after him.

Whatever Fusion Matter was, it had a strange affect on everything it connected with. While Amp and Roxie rushed into a chemical reactor, they didn't run among bolts and machinery, but a fully laid out laboratory, Fusion Matter seeping from the walls. In fact, the lab seemed to be much larger than the size of the reactor. Amp crouched nearby the entrance, with Roxie tucking next to him.

The main floor of the Fusion laboratory was full of random chemical based Fusion Monsters and Spawns bouncing about. While most of them just seemed to be mindlessly wandering, some were overseeing the creation of new Gooby Trap. The center of the lab sat above the rest of the lab, almost as if it was a stage for the main event. A slender man stood at a lab table in the center, his long lab coat painted a deep red to contrast against his green, goopy skin and freakish tendrils extruding from its back. A Fusion of Professor Utonium?

"This doesn't look good." Roxie whispered. "We should retreat and call Alan for backup."

"I could warp us right to the center!"

"Amp, I told you to cool it on the mystical power." Roxie sighed. "You'll get yourself hurt. There's way too many of them for us to take on like this."

"Ok, I hear you, no powers." Amp agreed in a hushed tone. "But I have a great alternative to that." He held up his ice ray with a goofy grin.

"Do I even want to hear this plan?"

"I can freeze all the lackeys that come at me, if you do the spiderweb shooting thing to get to the center. Deal with the obvious leader, and the minions. Divide and conquer."

"I don't know, Amp." Roxie shook her head, looking off at the Fusion Utonium. "Last time I went face to face with one of those copies, it didn't go so well."

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"

"It's dangerous." Roxie shook her head.

"I can use my powers if I really need to." Amp grabbed Roxie's hand. "We can do this! Show that Professor Plutonium who's boss." Roxie cracked a smile.

"Plutonium?" She caught another quick glance at the Fusion. Then scanning the room again, gaze pausing at the ceiling many feet above them. "Ok. We can do this. But there's nothing up above I can perch and hide on." Roxie looked back to Amp. "I'm gonna have to swing straight to him."

"So I'll immediately start freezing everything I can when you jump." Amp readied his gun. "Let's do this."

They shared a nod, then Roxie readied her pistols. She aimed all four of her spiderlegs to the ceiling. She took a moment to breathe, before the tips of the alien appendages shot for streams of sticky webs at the ceiling. They successfully attached, but the Fusions already noticed the disturbance by the Roxie began retracting the webs and swinging herself over the crowd.

Several of the monsters roared in rage, cueing Amp whipping around the corner with a steady stream of cold air pumping from his ray gun. The effect of the gun did freeze all the lowly Fusion Spawns, their gunky bodies locking up with the cold. The larger Gear Goons would prove to be more of a hassle, causing Amp to somehow turn his cold-air mist to a freezing laser!

The Fusion "Professor Plutonium" was alerted to the pair's presence as soon as his minions cried out, and was ready for Roxie as she landed onto his 'center-stage.' The monster gaze narrowed, its dark red eyes hidden behind a devilish pointed red visor. Like the other Fusions, it had no mouth, but still snickered and roared, seemingly imitating out from its gooey body.

Roxie jumped up, shooting both of her pistols at Plutonium. Few bullets hit, and it seemed like the damage they did was minimal. A disembodied roar echoed into Roxie's ears, chilling her for a moment, and giving Professor Plutonium the chance to whip two of his Fusion tendrils at Roxie. She flinched, dropping one of her pistols and falling back. Lucky, falling helped her avoid a fierce and sudden punch the Fusion lunged at her.

A glance to Amp below showed him working the floor with the attacking monsters. His ice ray's lasers froze scattered parts of the larger Fusions, stunning them, while the smaller ones were frozen completely. The boy jumped around, firing the trigger and smashing the frozen Spawns, and keeping their attention on him.

Roxie snapped into focus, shooting two webs from her upper spider appendages at the charging Professor Plutonium. One web dodged the Fusion, while the second smacked him in the face. It stumbled forward and crashed into the ground. Roxie had pulled herself up, and opted for a heavy kick to the Fusion's face as it scrambled to remove the webbing. As it screeched, Roxie stumbled back and aimed her pistol at it.

Professor Plutonium's head snapped in Roxie's direction, revealing its red, glaring eyes as it tore off the visor with the webbing. All four of his tendrils shot out at Roxie, expanding and stretching as they attempted to whip at her. She narrowly jumped over the first strike, and thrashed a spiderleg against the second strike… Only to be struck by the following tendrils.

The first collided with her gut, sending a rush of force and pain, but the second tendril wrapped around her torso. Amp's attention is drawn to the fight by Roxie's panicked cry. Plutonium lifted her up, unphased by the quick stabs Roxie's spiderlegs jabbed at the tendril. Roxie winced, fearing the worst before she was dropped to the ground. A high-pitched cheer of a strangely familiar voice rang past Roxie. She blinked, watching Amp arrive on the scene with… back-up?

"Miss fire!"

Plutonium stood dazed, stumbling around with stars in its eyes, and his tendrils retreating to their initial size. Amp smirked at the sight, looking up to his tiny companion that just cheered. Amp had already owned a Nano, and it was of… the lost Powerpuff Girl Buttercup? Amp high-fived his Nano, who looked nearly similar to a miniature version of Roxie's childhood neighbor when she was still young, albeit with a more fitting shirt with ripped sleeves.

"You already have a Nano?" Roxie exclaimed, distracted from the stunned Professor Plutonium.

"I told you, I helped Dexter!" Amp cheesed, both him and his Nano giving Roxie thumbs up. "Now, Roxie! Finish him!"

The girl nodded, gaze focused back on her opponent. Plutonium began to collect himself, but could not regain full strength before Roxie's boot came kicking into his gut. She glanced at her missing pistol nearby on the floor, using a web to pull it up into her hands. Equipped with both weapons, she aimed for the money shot, tightening her fingers around the triggers.

The crowds of Fusions Amp had left were beginning to reach the elevated platform, but it soon proved to be no trouble. Roxie's attacks were enough to make Professor Plutonium convulse with a final, painful groan, slowly starting to shift. Skin, tendrils, even the red lab coat, all reverted into a pool of Fusion Matter. The monsters approaching in the lair all halt in their tracks, melting like their leader.

Relief washed over the blonde girl. She really took on an entire Fusion clone, and not only won, but defeated it! Sudden shock followed as she watched the puddle of Fusion Matter do something strange. It began collecting into tiny little balls, glowing with a dim light. In her pocket, Roxie's NanoCom shared the light, and the small bundles of Fusion Matter defied gravity to bounce right at her pocket!

Of course, Roxie started screaming. Fusion Matter flying at you? That would be a terrifying thought for anyone on this planet! It took her a few moments, coupled with Amp's inappropriate snicker, to realize she was unharmed. Even her shorts and NanoCom were left unscathed. Roxie furrowed her brow at Amp.

"What the math, dude?" she grunted. "You're laughing at me?"

"That's how the communicator collects Fusion Matter." Amp laughed. He held his own NanoCom up, his Nano Buttercup striking a pose before retreating within. "Stores it so you can create Nanos!"

"Le- Let me guess?" Roxie fumbled to pull out her own NanoCom. "You already had Nanos from the Future."

"You catch on fast!" Amp grinned. "And Roxie, look!"

The spider-girl's eyes divert from her screen, following Amp's pointed finger to a measly calculator left on the ground. Could this be the personal effect Dexter described in his video announcement? Roxie held her NanoCom in her hands, but walked over to snatch the calculator from the ground.

"And what, I make a Nano with this?"

"Roxie, imagine it!" Amp scooted to her side, an arm wrapped around her shoulders. "What would the perfect Professor sidekick be like?"

Roxie blinked. Was he referring to a Nano Professor Utonium? Plutonium was a copy of the man, after all, but this man was Roxie's neighbor. Would it be strange for her to have a mini-copy of him? Though, not much time to think was left as Roxie's NanoCom glowed again, somehow consuming the calculator. A flash of bright light revealed just what she imagined in front of her. A tiny, adorable Nano version of Professor Utonium.

"You called?" the tiny floating man asked with a smile.

"What..?" Roxie stood in shock.

"See! You had enough Fusion Matter to create a little buddy!" Amp cheered. "Oh, you'll love Nanos! They love kickin' Fusion butt! I wonder what this one's power is!"

"Yeah, yeah." Roxie patted Amp's shoulder. "I know you've been accustomed to these things for however many weeks, but this is all really sudden to me, dude."

"It is kind of weird." Roxie's Nano Professor's high-pitched voice called with a shrug. "But I am here to help!"

"They're kind of like little Imaginary Friend fairies." Amp giggled, poking at Roxie's Nano. "Imaginary fairies?"

"Hey there." Roxie greeted her new companion. "Wh- What can you do?"

"Hmm?" her Nano rubbed his chin. His mannerisms even matched those of the real Professor Utonium. "Why don't you try jumping?"

"Jumping?" Roxie tilted her head. "That's simple." She took a step back, shrugging lightly before performing a weak jump.

"Utonium Zoom!" her Nano cried. A sudden burst of energy sent Roxie rocketing a few more feet into the air, catching her off guard. She let out a quick yelp as she scrambled back to the ground, just barely landing on her feet.

"A double jump?" Amp's jaw dropped. "OMG, like a video game character!"

"Th- That makes me a video game character?" Roxie blinked, stifling back a giggle. "Not the spider legs? Heck, you literally have a built-in respawn feature, Amp."

"Touché." the boy snapped his fingers.

"Whew!" Nano Utonium suddenly huffed. "I'm tired!" He waved to Roxie and Amp, and then disappeared in a flash of light. Examination of Roxie's NanoCom screen showed her Nano had retreated inside to rest.

"Weird…" the girl muttered, staring at her screen.

"Soon, you'll get more and more to help you out!" Amp smiled, waving his NanoCom around. "I'm sure you, of all people, will! Look, I've already got four!"

"You got a head start." Roxie winked at him. They shared a laugh once more, the cries dying down as they look around the now emptied lab. "We should probably get out of… This."

"Alan is gonna be floored when he hears Roxie killed the Fusion!"

"Amp, we killed the Fusion." Roxie corrected him. "I couldn't have gotten far in that fight without you. I wouldn't have made the choice."

"You're a lot better to be around when you're trying to deal with me." Amp nodded. "Like real friends!"

"I only got mad at you a few days ago." Roxie shrugged. "Fast turnaround, but yeah. I guess we are kind of friends by now."

"Teamwork!"

Amp held out his fist to Roxie, who rolled her eyes with a smirk before bumping her own fist against his.

"Come on, dude." Roxie laughed. "Let's get out of here."

"Do you wanna hear more about my trip to the Future on the way out?" Amp's face had a devilish grin painted from ear to ear.

"Entertain me."

"Ok, lemme tell you about the time I had to get candy for Licorice Lips…"

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As always, any and all reviews are appreciated, and I'm always open for questions and discussion! And, of course, the footnotes of the first chapter include a list of the represented shows.

I know I've been teasing Amp's Future escapade for a few chapters now, so its nice to finally reveal the secret! I try my best to include as many of the already established canon plotpoints in the game as I can, which may or may not be obvious with this chapter alone, and this is the way I thought to still include the Future even though Roxie attended the Academy. I know the goal of every storyteller is to show, not tell, so you might be wondering why Amp simply just recounts his experience, rather than reading it. While I won't begin releasing it until after this story is finished, I have started a spin-off story about Amp and his time in the Future, of course, with Amp's creator's permission. Tentatively titled Back to the Future, this story would be the first in a series of spin-off stories meant to expand on some details of this little "Roxieverse."

The Planet Kelt (c) AnimeGirl 144(FFN)/Kyra Xyrespace