The morning commenced as it always did for Gumball: Bright and early.
He was always one of the first to rise for the early morning hours to begin his start to the day. It was a habit he had acquired over the years working at the Rainbow Factory, and during this tropical vacation he wanted to be sure his family had a lovely breakfast to awake to. He slowly crept out of the hotel room they were staying in and made his way towards the receptionist desk, where a clerk was standing.
Gumball quickly gave a warm smile and a greeting.
"Hi, would you happen to know where the dining hall would be?"
Gumball asked in a friendly and warm tone, as the anthro elephant clerk slowly rose their head.
"Oh-uh wha? *Yawn* it's been a long night getting all of you guys rooms...we've never had such an influx of guests before like this, forgive my less than adequate service sir."
The elephant was fatigued as he let the words out from his mouth. Gumball chuckled and quickly reassured the male elephant.
"It's quite alright, I just got up and am attempting to gather my mental belongings as well. If anything, I might get lost trying to scrounge up some breakfast for my family."
Gumball stated, as the elephant perked his ears up in realization of who was speaking to him.
"Oh my goodness! You're Gumball Watterson! The town has heard so much about your legend with Mayor Rob, and how you both saved Elmore as we know it!"
The elephant was jubilant in his remarks and expressions of gratitude, as Gumball scratched the back of his neck; humbled by the words of the elephant receptionist.
"Well...uh, heh, there were a few friends and family along the way that helped us out on that fateful day, and if anything it was Rob who should be credited the most. He was the one who tried to warn us all and we wouldn't listen..."
As Gumball finished his sentence, his ears drooped at the memories of when Rob tried and attempted desperately to warn him of the impending danger of Elmore's demise to the void, and his immaturity being a kid at the time blocking out any sound and rational advice from anyone.
Suddenly, the blue cat was snapped back to reality by the elephant clerk placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Rob cited the same reasoning when he brought up you two as a duo...he couldn't have done it without you!"
Gumball once again let a small smile slip from his face and his ears once again perked up.
"Thank you for those kind words...now, would you mind pointing me in the direction of the dining room please?"
Gumball asked in a kind tone, as the elephant soon snapped back to the initial question and reason for the entire conversation at hand.
"Oh! Sorry about that, yes the dining room is just down the hallway to your right there. Keep heading down the hallway until you approach two large white doors with brass door handles, you cannot miss it!"
The elephant explained, as Gumball nodded.
"Thanks!"
Gumball continued down the extended length of the hallway towards the dining hall, the hotel was still very dormant and tranquil with it being the early hours of the morning. The elephant's praises repeatedly played back in his subconscious of all those years ago with Rob. He never had the chance to say goodbye to Rob, their alliance and friendship abruptly ended with Rob sacrificing himself to stop the void from swallowing Elmore and the multiverse. But how did Rob return? How did he manage to create a town and bring back those who were lost to the void from Elmore?
So many questions, and so few answers that the blue feline intended on solving. Gumball once again snapped back to reality as he approached the two large double doors to what appeared to be the dining room. Gumball glanced to the sign beside the two doors: "Dining Room: Open 24/7 except on holidays".
Gumball slightly smiled.
"I guess they really need all the business that can get! That or they don't need to worry about an influx of visitors at all hours considering the small population of the town..."
Gumball turned the nob of the door handle and entered the dining hall. He was immediately astonished at the size and scale of the room.
Large tables scattered the entire perimeter, with a large window overlooking the town and beach, with the open ocean just on the horizon. The best part of all? He was the only one in the room! Or...at least he THOUGHT he was...
Soon the blue feline caught the eye of a large Leporidae in the corner, filling two plates for breakfast: It was his Dad, Richard Watterson.
"Oh hey son! Up and early as well too, eh?"
Gumball smiled as he went over to hug his father.
"Well, I figured I'd surprise Penny and the kids with some breakfast today since we've been through a pretty eventful last few days."
Richard smiled and turned back to filling the two plates as Gumball glanced over at what his father was placing onto each one.
"I'm guessing these are for yourself and Mom?"
Gumball asked, as Richard returned a smile and continued to place the items of food onto the plates.
"Yeah I figured I would surprise your mother as well for breakfast. As much as she likes to talk about my snoring, she doesn't shy away from it as well when she drifts off in a deep sleep...not to mention her drooling on me, but please don't tell her I said that to you; she'll kill me. Anyway, I figured I'd come here and get some breakfast for the two of us, and if there's anything you should know about your father, is that he is an expert on food and cuisines of various backgrounds!"
Gumball chuckled as his father said this, and soon he went over to pick up four plates of his own. He went beside his father once again and noticed what he had placed on the plates for himself and his mother, Nicole.
Both plates were consisting of pancakes, bacon, watermelon slices and grapes, scrambled eggs, toast and apple juice.
Gumball looked to his father once again with a surprised expression, as Richard's plate consisted of normal portions and quantities of food equivalent to Nicole's.
"Wow Dad...you really have headed the advice Mom gave you...you're really improving health wise in your eating and exercising habits! I'm really proud of you!"
The pink bunny smiled at his son's praise.
"Well it turns out greasy and saturated fatty foods were not as appealing as I once thought they were when you and your siblings were kids. I began to grow an affinity and craving for healthier, plentiful, and nutritious foods! With an extra bit of encouragement from your mother Nicole in exercising, I was able to really become healthier! It's...just a shame it took me so long to realize how important self-care truly was to one's overall health..."
Gumball smiled as his father finished speaking, placing a paw on the bunny's shoulder.
"Better late than never Dad...besides, you and Mom are not THAT old!"
Both Nicole and Richard were in their mid fifties, but appeared as though they never aged a day since they were the parents of three rowdy children...in Nicole's case it was three rowdy and rambunctious children, with one husband.
Richard smiled and once again gave a hug to his son.
"Thanks Gumball...well I better get these plates of food back to our room, they're not going to eat themselves!"
Richard lifted the two plates away and exited the dining hall, leaving Gumball alone with the breakfast buffet in front of him.
Gumball slowly made his way back to the room, his cat reflexes and agility allowing him to juggle 4 plates of food with ease.
He swiped the key card with his foot, allowing him to access the room again, with Penny watching T.V with the kids in bed.
"Look at what I have everyone!"
Gumball quickly flicked three of the plates onto the bed, allowing them to land softly onto each of the two fairies and small feline's laps.
"Cool! Breakfast in bed! With...PANCAKES AND BACON!? Thank you so much Dad!"
Tristan screamed excitedly, as he moved the plate to the side and quickly hugged his Dad, who slid in beside Tristan, and his mother and sister; the four now eating the delicious breakfast in bed.
Gumball smiled.
"Don't mention it, I always loved it when we had a surprise breakfast in bed whenever your Grandma Nicole would let us do it, so I figured what better opportunity to do it than on a family vacation?"
Gumball finished speaking, as Penny leaned over and gave a peck on the cheek of Gumball, prompting the blue feline to blush wildly.
"This was very thoughtful of you Gumball...and you even remembered not to put blueberries on mine and Penelope's plates as well!"
Gumball smiled as Penny said this.
"Of course! I'd never forget such an important health issue from you two!"
Penny raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"Well mister, except for the other times you forgot to remember right?"
Penny said in a questioning and playful tone, as Gumball soon dawned one of his comedic nervous expressions.
"Heh, right honey! Except for those..."
Penny and the two kids let out a bellow of laughs, and Gumball quickly joined in.
"Well, we better start eating quickly or else our food will get cold! Dig in everyone!"
Gumball said, as the family began to eat, with Gumball and Penny watching cartoons with the kids and their meals.
The entire Watterson family were once again on the move, with the elder members of the family attending the local senior bingo contest for the afternoon, while Nicole and Richard accompanied Gumball, Penny, Carrie, Darwin, and the kids to the beach.
"Well, I must say this town is absolutely gorgeous! Rob and the rest of the citizens really outdid themselves!"
Nicole remarked as she sat in the beach chair next to the rest of the Watterson adults, sipping on a fruit punch beverage from the beach restaurant and tropical beverage stand.
Gumball smiled, as he lowered the aviators he was wearing from his eyes to make sure his kids were safe in the water as they were playing with the other kids from Little Elmore.
"Well Mom, I guess that's the void magic doing its work, Rob and the rest of the town were able to create some pretty wonderous creations, and thus created paradise from it!"
Gumball remarked, as Carrie flicked her hair and lowered the spell magazine she was reading next to Darwin, who was enjoying an ice cream cone.
"Speaking of this magic, I asked Rob last night if he could teach me a little about how it works, and ironically enough it's not too different from the magic I use and employ from Elmore, it just has a little twist behind it..."
The Watterson adults all now turned to Carrie in their beach chairs, lowering their sunglasses in intrigue and curiosity at the female ghost's words.
"That...sounds pretty interesting honey, but we all remember how dangerous the Void's power was when it tried to swallow Elmore whole, and we know that your power and magic are pretty much harmless when given to the correct user...so how are they similar?"
Darwin asked Carrie, as the ghost smiled.
"Well, it's actually a pretty simple concept from what Rob told me. Like my magic, there needs to be a physical manifestation of the object in question in order for the spell or magic to work. My magic operates from phrases and sequences in my spell book or potions in which ingredients ae required. From what Rob told me, there is an object from the void that he was able to scavenge and escape with that allows him and the rest of the citizens of Little Elmore to conjure whatever they need across dimensions!"
Carrie stated with excitement, as the rest of the Watterson's were in awe and wonder at what this meant.
"Carrie...could this object that Rob has be under control? Is there any potential that it could spur some kind of weird energy that eradicates the rest of us?"
Gumball asked, as the rest of the Watterson adults turned to him nodding in fear.
"Well that's the thing, Rob has placed a protective barrier around said object, and as long as it is in place it should prevent any erratic bursts of energy to spread to the rest of the town and lead to its demise."
Carrie finished explaining, as the rest of the Watterson's turned to her in comical horrified expressions.
"What? It wouldn't occur RIGHT away! Rob explained that as long as he was here along with the rest of the residents, they would know how to stop it! Plus he has a contingency plan should that one fail..."
Carrie looked down before finishing her sentence, as Penny soon jumped in to ask in a kind and reassuring tone.
"What would it be Carrie?"
Carrie then put on a worried expression, and then slowly opened her mouth to speak.
"One of us would have to venture to the void to destroy it for good."
The Watterson family gasped in abject horror, knowing that the void is a very dangerous place to be stuck in for eternity, and there weren't exactly many exit points to allow one to escape back to their dimension should they become lost, or worse...imprisoned within its infinite confines.
Darwin soon spoke up.
"We-well it wouldn't be completely hopeless! We've all been in the Void and have survived it, we we would be able to save everyone!"
Darwin said in enthusiasm, as Gumball stepped in with a nervous expression.
"I appreciate the optimism Darwin, but we had some really close calls while we were in the Void, there was a VERY real possibility that we wouldn't make it out of there to get back to Elmore, let alone in tact like we are now."
Everyone dawned an expression of concern at the recollection of the words Gumball spoke. He was right too, by sheer luck and determination, along with teamwork they made it through together and were able to prevent total disaster. But it was very close to becoming a total disaster for them all and their lives as they knew it.
Nicole soon began to speak up.
"I think we should keep this information away from the kids, they're too young to understand what all of us went through here and we don't want them to be scarred of these stories for the rest of their vacation. We want them to enjoy it to the fullest...not having the morbid thought of potentially being swallowed by a never ending abyss of dread and torment, ending our normal existence as we know it!"
Nicole finished, as Gumball chuckled nervously.
"Well Mom, to be fair; our lives in Elmore and around us are anything BUT normal. Elmore is home to some pretty...abstract entities to put it lightly."
Nicole sighed as her son finished saying this.
"I know what you mean Gumball...but at least Elmore is not trying to ruin existence as we know it and plunge us into nothingness."
The Watterson kids soon ran out of the water.
"Dad! Mom! We're going to do a game of water polo again, do you want to join us!?"
Penelope asked in a sweet tone to Gumball and Penny, whose hearts melted at the small yellow fairy's innocence.
The Watterson adults soon got up from their chairs and followed the Watterson kids to the water, Gumball smiling but wondering in the back of his mind: "Will that scenario that Carrie spoke of happen? No. We're going to enjoy this vacation, and not let past demons get to us...for the sake of ourselves and the kids."
It was evening, and Little Elmore had prepared a dance on the beach boardwalk for the Elmore residents who had arrived on the island for a warm welcome.
Gumball was standing next to Rob off to the side of the main dance area, and both were talking about the mention of the object that was within the community.
"Yes, it's a small fragment of the void itself, it allows us to bring things and objects here without causing damage to this reality or others. I was able to find a way to control it while I was in the Void."
Rob stated, as Gumball nodded.
"Do you believe there's still a possibility that this could cause a disturbance should it escape its confines that you have put around it?"
Gumball asked, as Rob put his head down slowly.
"Look...I can assure you that it's safely tucked away and secure Gumball. I don't want you or your family worried about this! You should be enjoying the evening with your kind and lovely wife, Penny and the rest of your wonderful family! Go on!"
Gumball nodded hesitantly at these words, as he walked away. Rob placed a hand on his face and sighed.
"It won't happen again...I won't allow it!"
(If "You Feel the Same Way Too" by The Rankin Family is compatible with your device, please press play now)
Gumball made his way to Penny, who was dancing happily along to the music by herself, as the large crowd beside her were dancing, couples and kids were enjoying the music and clear night it was becoming.
Gumball slowly crept up behind the yellow fairy.
"Care to dance lovely lady?"
Penny turned around and smiled, as a blue paw was extended to her, with a lovely set of blue eyes and a smile accompanying them.
"That would be great, especially with such a kind gentleman such as yourself."
Soon, Gumball and Penny were dancing together to the upbeat tune that was playing in the background as Penny looked into her husband's eyes.
"Hey...don't let that conversation from earlier bother you Gumball. I'm sure Rob has everything under control, he's very conscientious of everyone's safety it seems, and I doubt he would let something as important as this to be swept under the rug of no concern."
The yellow fairy stated in a gentle and soothing tone, as Gumball smiled.
"I believe you honey, and you're right. If anyone knows how careful and aware Rob is, it's me. Let's enjoy this vacation, and more importantly; dance together."
Gumball stated, as the two gave each other a quick kiss on the lips, before Gumball suddenly twirled the fairy around gracefully, prompting Penny to laugh from the adorable dance move.
This very well could be a relaxing vacation like any other...but with the Watterson's? Nothing is ever relaxing or uneventful.
*END OF CHAPTER*