And so it was that Ember's sinister spell hypnotized the people of Acmetropolis. Thanks to the more advanced production facilities of the future, Ember was able to produce her CD's at a faster rate. She commemorated the occasion by releasing several new songs including I'm the Greatest, One Hot Girl, and Blind Worship. Her newfound fame and celebrity offered the Brigade to move into a new deluxe penthouse lair. Of course, Ember was reveling in all the worship, and already beginning to plot the conquest of Acmetropolis. And that meant that some certain dead weight had to be dealt with first.

"Does this place rock, or what dude?" Ed asked his teammates as he took in the view from the top.

"It's a great place," Ottoman said, "although it could be better furnished. Perhaps I should offer my unique decorating skills towards sprucing it up."

"Yo, we're forgetting the most important thing here" Slipstream said, "fixing that hourglass so we can get back to the present."

"Oh yeah" Control Freak replied, "Ember, how are things coming on getting a scientist to help us?"

"Yeah, about that" Ember said, stretching out on her plush couch "I've been thinking, I'm not coming back with you guys."

"What!" all the villains exclaimed.

"Yeah, I've already got a sweet deal here" Ember said, "everyone here loves me, and I'm so close to ruling this place. Plus there's no ghost boy to spoil my plans. So if you guys wanna go back to working for a bean, be my guest. But I've got everything I could ever want here, and I'm not leaving."

"If that's what you want" Control Freak said, "then we'll find someone else to help us fix this thing. Come on you guys."

"Hold on bro" Ed spoke up, "if the ghost chick's staying, then I'm staying, seriously."

"Wow Ed, I'm touched by your loyalty" Ember replied.

"Yeah well, I haven't gotten a chance to rock out in many bands, and you let me play bass guitar" he said, playing a few cords of air guitar.

"I'm staying too," Jack said, "if I go back, somebody's gonna beat me up for sure. Here I can make a fresh start as a villain. Plus the technology will allow me to make a whole army of Jack Bots, far superior to the originals!"

"All right, if you're gonna stay, you can be my roadie" Ember said.

"What's a roadie?" Jack asked.

"It's the dude who carries all the equipment and checks it out before every show, seriously" Ed replied.

"Even the speakers?" Jack asked.

"Especially the speakers."

"Well Ember, I guess this is goodbye" Control Freak said, "it was fun working with you while it lasted."

"Thanks, you guys aren't too bad yourselves, for humans I mean" Ember replied, "look, tell ya what. I've got my big concert at the Acme Bowl today, and I'd like you guys to come."

"Well it's not like we can repair the Sands of Time any faster" Control Freak said, "I guess we could show up."

"Great" Ember replied "cause afterwards, I'm going to make the move to become ruler of Acmetropolis. And the best thing is, no one can stop me!"

And she laughed wickedly at the thought of her evil scheme succeeding.

Unknown to the Brigade, the concert was about to get a number of unexpected guests. A large tower, miles away from Ember's penthouse, served as the headquarters to the Loonatics. Originally descendants of the popular Looney Tunes characters, exposure to a meteor transformed them into superheroes. Now they used their powers to defend Acmetropolis from the forces of evil. At that moment, one member of the group Lexi Bunny, was listening to an Ember CD.

"Oh Ember, you will remember" she sang "Ember, one thing remains."

Just then her teammate, Danger Duck, entered the room. "Hey there Lex, what ya listening to?" he asked.

Lexi briefly turned off her player and showed him "it's the new Ember McLane CD" she explained.

"Isn't she that female singer that looks like a freaky zombie?" Duck asked.

"That's part of her appeal" Lexi explained "her unique look and incredible singing have made her into Acmetropolis's greatest musician. You really should give her a listen."

"Maybe if she lost the makeup" Duck replied.

Lexi shrugged him off and went back to listening to her music. Just then, the rest of the Loonatics entered the room.

"Eh, is that the new Ember album?" Ace Bunny, the group's leader asked.

Duck nodded "I don't get this girl, she dresses like a crazy zombie freak and everybody loves her. You think if I put on weird makeup and sang people would like me?"

"I doubt that" Tech E. Coyote, the group's resident genius, replied.

Suddenly the alarm began to ring; seconds later, the hologram of their benefactor Zadavia, appeared before them.

"What's the trouble this time Zadavia?" Ace asked.

"Funny you should ask Ace" Zadavia replied "because it has to do with that new singer, Ember McLane."

Lexi's super sensitive hearing picked up Zadavia's message and she quickly turned off her CD player.

"No way Zadavia, you have to be kidding!", she said.

"I wish I was Lexi" Zadavia said, "but I have reason to believe that Ember is not what she appears to be. The reason for her sudden popularity is that she is using some type of mind control to make people like her."

"And I thought only rap stars did that" Duck replied.

Zadavia was clearly not amused and continued on "she's having a big concert today at the Acme Bowl. If it happens, virtually the entire city will be under her control."

"Not ta worry chief, we'll take care of her" Ace replied "come on team, we got a concert to crash."

"First, let me design something to keep us from being brainwashed by her music" Tech added.

"Hey, how come Lexi isn't affected?" Duck asked.

"Maybe it's because I'm not as stupid as you" Lexi shot back.

"That was hurtful" Duck replied solemnly.

In the next chapter, the Loonatics confront Ember & the Brigade at her concert, just in time for an old foe to make a return.