(A/N: No, I won't put the disclaimer for every chapter. Once a season at least. Either way, our last chapter ended after the finale for SU Blackthorned. This chapter is leading up to the ending for A Drunken Knockout Marriage. If you read that chapter, you'll remember Saki mentioning that the Grimmwood Girls and Enid's parents woke up on Kaze's birthday. Remember that. And if you're curious to who would be singing the theme song, it's Tara herself.)


Now, cue the opening song.


Adventure Time (FusionFall Variant) Theme

It's Fusion Time

Come on, grab your friends

We'll travel across this wild world

With too many faces to count

The possibilities will never end, It's Infinite!


FusionFall Infinite

Season 0 (Preface Pandemonium Saga)

Chapter 3: Subtext in the Pretext


[January 4, 2019]

(Hospital, Original County, Outer Towns)

[12:00]

"So, Elsa's gone too?" Sibella said bitterly.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing we could have done for her. She expired saving the lives of Winnie and K.O." Saki admitted. "Also, on the news, they found Miss Grimmwood. No, Argit did not get to her, but a pair of failed brakes did."

Winnie, Sibella, and Phantasma had woken up in the hospital along with Enid's parents and Saki had to be the one to inform them. Mandy was still asleep back in the local motel with Maylene, Gwen and Kevin were out calling Sandra in Bellwood to check on Kirby and Julie, Frankie was calling Foster's to check on her kids, and Crusher and Marie were out training Taeko.

"And what about our daughter?" Wilhamena asked worriedly.

"She's fine, but the doctors say she won't wake up 'till later along with the others." Saki remarked. "I need to go…take over for Carol's dojo." Saki said leaving them behind.

As he left the hospital, his phone to which he answered.

"Moshi moshi." Saki said.

"Saki, it's Annabelle." She remarked.

"Ah, Princess Morbucks, it's been so long." Saki teased.

"Yeah, well, I was on a bit of a vacation. I only just got my money and my company back, and I had to go on vacation, Saki." Annabelle said a bit defensively.

"All right, that's understandable. Where the hell did you even go?" Saki asked he got on Kabuto speeding over to the plaza.

"I visited some alien spa for a bit. Really got the kinks out of my body and mind." Annabelle said relived. "Either way, I called to let you know that Morbucks Towers is complete at last since New Year's. I noticed that you still lived in that apartment in the city. I called Crusher about that two days ago." Annabelle said sheepish.

"So, you know what's going down now? And yes, I do still live there. I'd move, but I can't exactly afford anything considering my lack of consistent work, remember?"

"Well, I am going to be your benefactor, aren't I? I'd help you out, but if I send cash to your account now, we'll attract attention. Speaking of, how you able to keep you and your family fed?" Annabelle asked.

"Oh that…well I had money stored away from siphoning from Elvin's accounts. I should have taken all of it the day before Ryker came because all his off-score accounts were seized. Kind of why, Frankie's mostly broke." Saki explained. "I'm lucky the landlord is cheap with the rent."

"Wait, doesn't Mandy have a house in Endsville?" Annabelle said.

"She used to…but it was wrecked. Mandy was trying to raise up cash to rebuild, but the place was seized by the feds after some drug pushers was found using the basement to cook crack." Saki said with a sigh. "Look, I need to go. I have work to do."

"Stay safe…because I'll have work for you when I arrive on the planet." Annabelle said hanging up.

O-[FFI]-O

(Vice, Outer Towns)

[12:30]

"And that's the last of it." Argit said slamming the trunk shut of Raze hovercar. "Good work using those creatures to take out the bank staffer about to squeal to the Plumbers."

"Craven, return!" Gumball said returning his Mightyena to his Dusk Ball. "And thanks."

"Hey Mr. Argit, your watch in blinking." Darwin said pointing to it.

Argit looked to his Trix and promptly froze up. That was an app he made specifically to detect other Omnitrix users in the area and had made it with Saki and Mandy in mind. Argit attended to it projecting a minimap.

"Argitrix, you think it's Saki or Mandy coming for us?" Argit said looking at the map.

"Scanner does not detect them to be the wielder of that Omnimatrix." The Argitrix said through flashing. "Shall I open a comm line?"

"No. Switch to stealth mode." Argit said getting in Raze's hovercar. "We need to move, now.

Raze got in the driver's seat as Nicole got into her own car with Gumball in his with Penny, Darwin, and Carrie in tow. As the three cars left, a blast of fire nearly clipped one of them. Argit looked out to see a speeding Proto-TRUK with a few familiar faces.

[Cues: Dragon Ball Z Supersonic Warrior 2 OST – West City Theme]

"In the name of the Plumbers, stop your cars and we'll shoot you." Shar said through a megaphone.

"Don't you mean, or we'll shoot you?" Carrie asked weakly.

"We know what we said!" Ben (as Heatblast) said firing a steam of fires on the road ahead of Argit.

Argit gulped as Ben was not playing around. It really did not help that Vice basically encouraged police brutality, and Ben's team were not exactly in the mood to play good cop. And seeing that they cut off the road, Argit and his "ragtag team" had to drift to a stop. Now, Argit had numbers over Ben, but he did not want to take chances. Argit was going to fight and thus turned off stealth mode. Changing into Water-Hazard, Argit sprayed Ben with water.

"Penny, you still have Linlin?" Gumball said as they dived behind his car to dodge laser fire from Shar and Rook.

"Yeah, why?" Penny said holding a Luxury Ball.

"Because I have an idea…" Gumball said turning his backwards (because he thought it was cool even though it was really dated). "Castor, standby for battle!"

Out from a Great Ball came Castor, a Castform, as Penny set out Linlin, her Linoone.

"Carrie, Darwin, make sure mom has backup." Gumball said to Darwin before focusing ahead. "Castor, Rain Dance!"

Castor's eyes glowed blue as it began to pour as Ben changed from Heatblast to Rath much to Argit's displeasure.

"Let me tell you something, Argit! I am going to drag you to the president with a broken spine!" Ben said trying to slash Argit.

Argit dodged several blows but was marred with a few cuts. Argit changed from Water Hazard to Gax surprising Ben.

"Wait, Argit has a Vilgax form?!" Ben said stunned.

"Yeah, the reboot made that canon in the Trix to obtain. What, don't tell me you don't have one?' Argit said mockingly.

"OH GODDA-" Ben said before being punched through a dumpster into an abandoned building.

"Drop the rifle and let me see your hands." Shar said aiming her Proto-Tool at Nicole's head.

Nicole sighed and complied only for Carrie to possess Shar who was struggling to regain control.

"Darwin, hit her!" Carrie said fighting to keep control.

"But I was raised not to hit a woman!" Darwin said as Nicole kicked up her Lighting Rifle and hit her with the butt of it.

Carrie come out of Shar's body with a bruise on her head, but Shar was out cold. Rook saw this but was preoccupied with Linoone pelting him with Pin Missile.

"Castor, Ice Beam!" Gumball commanded as Rook's Proto-Tool was frozen by a blast of ice.

"I see you prefer having others do your dirty work, but let's fix that!" Rook said flinging out what seemed to be metallic marbles only for them to emit an electric shock. Linlin floundered as she was electrocuted, and the wet ground did not help at all.

"Linlin! Redirect it with Thunder!" Penny called out.

"Linnnn!" Linlin wailed out in pain.

Her eyes snapped open before firing electricity into the sky making the clouds darken before a vicious lightning bolt crashed on Rook being that Thunder never missed in a rainstorm. With Rook and Shar down, Ben was left on his own, but he did not realize it yet as he was busy with Argit. Ben had punched Argit before dragging him back into the street before noticing Rook was extra crispy and Nicole had Shar restrained with her own cuffs, Ben was surround all of the trainer's teams as Argit returned to normal form to get out of the way.

"Rath doesn't think this is fair." Ben said as order

A combination of attacks clobbered forcing back into human form hitting the concrete cling barley to consciousness as Raze walked up.

"I'm sorry that wasn't fair. We don't give a fuck." Raze said stomping on Ben to render him unconscious.

[Music Ends]

Argit panted dragging the bodies onto the sidewalk. He could have robbed them, but he had enough people wanting him dead. He settled for leaving them behind, and it was a quick drive to Undertown to get Argit's base.

"So, Argit? Please tell me you have a plan on where you're going because I can't stay in Vice now." Nicole said coldly.

"I do." Argit said packing the things in his base. "Look, the Plumbers are after me. I don't think they'll detain you because you're just the help I hired."

Argit tossed them their pay explaining it would be best to get out Vice.

"So, where are we going?" Raze said using an ID Mask to take on a human form.

"The Pokémon Islands. I think I'll go with Hoenn, plenty of sea to hide in." Argit said excitedly.

"Actually, I'd recommend Sinnoh. If you get into the Underground craze, you can literally make an underground base." Darwin said feigning innocence.

"That's a great idea!" Argit said deviously. "Sinnoh, it is!"

As Argit and Raze left, Gumball asked why Darwin suggested they go to Sinnoh.

"Simple, I got a place in Hoenn for us to hide in while the heat dies down. Remember the night you got sick, and I went to play cards by myself. I did win something. A deed to a secret base…only reason I didn't tell you all because I wanted to visit Miss Mom first." Darwin said being rather cheeky. "Plus, I wanted to make sure Argit shot himself in the foot by staying on the planet."

"Darwin, all this time I thought you still had a mind of an innocent nine year old." Gumball said. "Good to know, you're all grown up mostly."

"There's no time to waste. I need to get my things from the house." Nicole said as the group scampered off.

Ben woke up groaning to realize he had been jumped and that they probably got away. Ben got up to his feet only to collapse to his knees. He activated the communication feature on his Omnitrix.

"This is Magister Ben, I need a bus to my location in Vice. Plumbers down." Ben said in a pained tone.

"This is going to suck." Ben thought.

O-[FFI]-O

Somewhere in space outside the Neo Kero Universe, the ship Blackfrost, home to the Crystal Squadron, sailed the stars. Traveling across the spaces had changed the Gems somewhat. For one, they settled to buy and wear clothes instead of shapeshifting them on finding it easier to conserve energy. Of course, today was the day that the team would enact their plan after so much preparation. Peridot had put a load of research into the mechanics of most of it, but today was the day. Bismuth opened the door where Blue and Yellow Diamond had been imprisoned being starved of light and were weakened. Bismuth lazily dragged them out by their hair as the light of the ship bathed their bodies.

"Oh, thank the stars…." Blue Diamond said weakly only to be tossed into the center of the living room of the ship with Yellow.

They were surrounded by their jailors with most having smirks on their faces except for some of them. Pink had a martini glass filled with booze in her hand having a look of sadness.

"Well, good news, we have decided on what to do with you, two. Instead of shattering you two, you will suffer a worse fate as you serve us until we tire of you." Ryker said to the horror of Blue and Yellow.

"Serve you? I think not!" Yellow Diamond said trying to summon up her powers only to get nothing. "What? How?"

"Simple. Peridot ensured to remove your abilities…at least the ones considered a threat. Consider yourselves depowered, but don't worry, Garnet will put your powers to good use." Ryker said as Garnet's fist crackled with electricity.

"Impossible." Yellow said failing to hide her terror.

"Fitting that you're powerless in front of us. Let's see you handle being the "Pearl" of the group." Pearl said before walking to a table where Amethyst was happily munching on some food.

It was a rather greasy pate, the kind people would get that tasted well, but would send one to the restroom to make a mess of the toilet. Pearl promptly slapped the item out of Amethyst's hands, and it splattered on the floor making a mess. Pearl walked to Yellow Diamond's face and had given an order.

"Clean it up."

Pearl did simply walked off leaving the stunned Diamond only to stop and turn around.

"Oh…and use your mouth to do that." Pearl said before shoving Yellow Diamond into that mess and using her dainty foot to get Yellow in there deep. "Blue, kindly get to cleaning Amethyst's bathroom. It's filthy."

"After I use it!" Amethyst said clutching her stomach and running to her room's bathroom.

Blue cringed hearing the very loud noises of Amethyst defecting on that toilet which sounded like it was being choked to death. Pearl simply gave her a toilet brush and sent her on her way.

"OH GOD, THE SMELL!" Blue screamed.

"And we'll have to talk of new uniforms for you two, but that will come later." Garnet said gently using her foot to put Yellow's face further into the muck. "By the way, Ryker, Lars wants to meet up to discuss plans for Ashi's birthday."

"When it is and how old is she?" Ryker asked.

"March 11, and she's only now discovered she's about twenty-two." Garnet remarked.

"Oh. Well, I guess I was wrong about her age. Thought she was younger." Ryker shot back. "Ah well…let's go help him out."

Yellow looked to Pink for help only for Pink to walk away seeking to drown her sorrows at the end of another bottle.

O-[FFI]-O

(Foster's Home, Wilson Way, Inner City Core)

[1:30]

"Sis, Shinji had another panic attack." Mifune said tiredly.

"Again?! What happened?" Elsa Lynn said frantic.

"Duchess caused it. Raved at him for something rather petty." Mifune said as Elsa Lynn stormed out.

Foster's Home had been their refuge in a sense with the merge of universes earlier restoring it and its inhabitants. Frankie was able to return to it to take up for old job seeing that the new counterparts lacked a Frankie. Of course, Madame Foster was absolutely thrilled to have her granddaughter and find she was a great-grandmother, but it was obvious this Frankie had secrets. The treatment that Frankie got from the populace was bad, but the kids had it worst. After the death of Yue and the populace not caring enough, Madame Foster wanted answers, Frankie had to confess her past and by extension the parentage of her children. This did not change her feelings towards said great-grandchildren, but it felt many walking on eggshells. They knew of the warper clan wars, and basically, they were dealing with the fallout. Said kids had their own issues. Shinji, like most of his counterparts, lacked a spine and dealt with low self-esteem. Mifune had the tendency to lash out at being reminded of his father. Elsa Lynn had the stressor of trying to be the oldest sibling to keep those two out of trouble.

She stormed down to Duchess and beat on the door. Duchess swung the door open pissed that her beauty sleep only to see a very angry Elsa Lynn. Her purple ki burned hot with her father's eyes burning holes.

"What the hell do you want you disgusting hellspawn?" Duchess said crossing her arms.

"My brother had a panic attack. Explain to me why?" Elsa Lynn said trying to keep calm.

Duchess rolled her eyes musing of how Shinji apparently used the last of her special shampoo to wash his filthy hair, and Elsa Lynn was getting more infuriated.

"Duchess, I understand the mild annoyance, but Shinji is reeling from the loss of mother." Elsa Lynn said containing her rage.

"And that's my problem because? That little shitstain shouldn't have taken my shampoo. I know your parents didn't teach you any manners, but you could stand to learn some! Now go away, I need my beauty rest." Duchess said slamming the door on her face.

Shinji was sleeping in his room as Mr. Herriman and Madame Foster were walking down the halls to Duchess's room only to hear the door being kicked open and see Duchess thrown into the wall. Elsa Lynn's ki burned as her body sparkled. Her hair flickered from the reddish-purple hue to a golden color before she transformed. Duchess realized she had pushed her luck too far if Elsa Lynn was the one to lose her cool.

GACK! She caught Duchess by her throat and dragged her downstairs until she was outside. Once outside, she threw Duchess into the air and blasted her with an energy blast that sent Duchess flying beyond the horizon. Mr. Herriman would have said something, but he was just happy he did not have to see or her Duchess for a few hours. Madame Foster could still her Duchess's scream over the horizon.

"Grandma, I'm going in the woods to let off some steam. I'll be back." Elsa Lynn said flying into the woods.

"So, are we just going to ignore that?" Mac said walking up with Goo.

The pair were about six years older and had grown rather fond of each other over the years.

"Yes, Master Mac. It is best." Mr. Herriman said with a chuckle as an explosion could be heard in the distance. "Besides, I'm not going to raise issue with a Super Saiyan."

"Elsa Lynn went Super Saiyan! I need to see this!" Goo said excitedly.

O-[FFI]-O

[Danny Antonucci Immigration Center, Offworld Plaza, Inner City Core]

[1:45pm]

Tara was winded as she finished her speech welcoming the new arrivals and was glad that was over. However, there was the issue of what of where to place them. She couldn't just let them loose into the Inner City Core, as she knew of an anti-Gem group that would slaughter any one of them or the Townies. For now, she just had to hold them all here for a while until she had a plan as the media wanted answers.

"So, you three took up new names for yourselves?" Sister Eda said to the Pearls.

"Yup, took up the name of Tamara de Sky." Tamara (Blue Pearl) said twirling about in her new outfit.

"Claudia Amber. It had a nice ring to it." Claudia (Yellow Pearl) said mirthfully.

"I wanted to take up the name Rebecca or Becky, but the immigration people…laughed at my idea and recommended I picked something else. Something about that name having a bad omen. So, I got that nice vampire man to pick a name for me." White Pearl said as Eda paled.

"Oh god, what did Alucard name you?" Sister Eda said.

"You're now talking to Whitlea Soma Cruz." Whitlea said chipper. "Really glad my broken eye was fixed."

"Really, Alucard? A Castlevania reference?" Sister Eda said directly.

"Aren't we all references to something?" Alucard called out.

Whitlea groaned with a pain as she held her throbbing head as her gem glowed fiercely. She would get medical help, but they were not exactly sure what was wrong with her.

"I still can't believe this is happening."

The Church of Integra had made a stop on the way to swing by another world that was falling apart. Anya Borzakovskaya was supposed to be the insecure dowdy teenager. Key world being was. After the ghost meeting, she thought she had left it behind. She was wrong. Emily had wanted revenge and she literally raised hell to do it. In this universe, Anya had not talked Emily into giving up, but had fought her bones into submission. With a bit of inadvertent help from Emily, she was able to banish Emily to the afterlife. She thought it over until just four months later, Emily and a bunch of ghouls rose out and started slaughtering people. It was thanks to the Church that Anya was able to even escape to live another day, but it came at a cost. She could not save her mother to a ghoul snapping her neck. In the end, her world was overrun. Only she, her brother Sasha, and Siobhan were saved.

"I know, right? All this warper shit, the fact that we're fictional, the fact we're literally survivors of a broken world which would be all if I didn't have to watch ghost slaughter my family, and Tara Strong's the president." Siobhan said recapping it all.

"Isn't it cool, though? She's so much cooler in person!" Sasha swooned.

"At least, we lived, and there's no more of Emily." Anya said only to freeze feeling a chill.

"Sis, what's…oh no…nononono." Sasha said frantically.

"Good, you haven't forgotten me." A ghastly voice before making her visible.

Emily was here and Anya screamed in panic.

"How?!" Siobhan asked.

"That's not important, but what is ensuring I personally drag you to hell, Anya. I already got your mother…a shame I could got to see the murder and only the corpse." Emily said with a grin that would turn on Freddy Kruger.

However, guns were all aimed at her all from the members of Church. Alucard's trigger finger was itching alongside Anderson's, but President Strong raised her strong.

"Stand down. This is mine to handle." Tara said boldly getting in front of Emily.

"I'm sorry, but what are you going to do to me?" Emily said chuckling.

"As president of this nation, I have a few duties. Protect the citizens, defend the country, and make stupid twats like you smears on the walls." Tara said cracking her knuckles. "I'd roll my sleeves to kick your ass, but I'll settle for just three words."

The president's eyes glowed a clear white as she spoke those three words with a familiar voice to boot.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!"

FWOOM!

Everyone in the room was at a loss for words. For those who lived here, they knew that the President was strong, but they thought it was mostly overhyped rumors. They were wrong. Emily was on the blood with her chest having a massive cross-shaped gash oozing ectoplasm all over the ground.

"So, any last words?" Tara said crossing her arms.

Emily merely began laughing while coughing up more ghostly blood.

"So, I was wrong, but it doesn't matter. I don't know what's fucking funnier: The fact that you think that your beach blonde ass intimidates me, or that you think I have one last trick up my sleeve." Emily said lighting herself on fire. "Because now I'm on FUCKING FIRE! SO NOW IT'S FREE GAME! The ones who give me warper powers…WAS….! ...Rebeecccccaaa...!"

Emily's body before ash as her skeletal hand hit the ground flipping everyone off.

"You got to be shitting me." Sara said flatly. "You don't think she means…"

"And that's not our problem. Call the Order, let them deal with it." Tara said with a sigh. "I need a drink."

"Buck, you feel that power she was giving off?" Jenny said in an aside to Buck.

"I can taste it." Buck said panting. "Too….just too similar to Ryker. You think she's one of them?"

"I can't tell…her warper energy is high. Really high…like a lake…but it doesn't have that endless feel." Jenny remarked.


(A/N: And there you have it, the end of the prologue. If you're wondering, why I included characters from Anya's Ghost, it's because I needed to a true fresh-faced newcomer, and what better than a complete outsider. A friend of mine had asked about how old Ashi would be, and I made a decision to place her at 20 years. She's about one year younger than Sadie (21) and one to two years older than Lars (18-19). Not too old, but not too young. At least the Cool Kids should be the Cool Young Adults. Frankie's kids, the poor woobies. Regardless, Season 0 is complete with all the ends tied.

But what about Duchess, you asked? Do you really need to know? Next chapter begins Season 1, which will take place a month (on planet) after the finale of a Drunken Knockout Marriage.)

Season 0 End

Ending Theme – Lofi Boy – The Struggle in the 90's