The Introduction

Gumball angrily walked down the sidewalks of Elmore, his face twisted in a glare, his back arched and his arms held stiffly at his sides. After he and Tina had been separated by school officials, both had received a principal's suspension for the next five days for causing disruption at school. He was covered head to toe in bruises and scratches from Tina's claws but they, and his suspension, were the last thing on his mind. He hadn't even waited for his mom to be called to come pick him up, he just stormed off once the verdict had been reached.

Now he was searching.

It hadn't been too hard to deduce who had been behind the banner incident, there was only one individual who would do something so overly cruel and treacherous to him.

"Rob!" he called throughout the neighborhood he was trotting down. "Rob, come out and face me like a man…cyclops…deformed cyclops!"

Normally Gumball wouldn't be so hot under the hood because of Rob's antics, he carried a fair degree of value in their rivalry, was even jealous when Rob abandoned it momentarily, but this time he had gone too far. He had deliberately attacked his relationship with Penny. A lot of things Gumball could tolerate, but he loves Penny, genuinely loves Penny. So much he doubted he would ever find another girl he would love as much as he loves Penny were he ever to lose her. He may be twelve, but he knew his feelings were genuine.

And he may very well lose her because of Rob's actions.

And he was going to give Rob a piece of his mind, and a piece of his fist, if it took all day. He had five days to kill now, after all. Normally this is when Darwin would play the voice of reason, but because Gumball had decided to let his involvement in these current shenanigans go unnoticed Darwin wasn't suspended like him and they were currently not able to be together as usual. That meant there was nothing to stop Gumball from finding Rob and tearing him a new one.

But the staticy cyclops was nowhere to be found. Gumball wasn't all that sure what to expect at this point, given Rob's schemes had never worked before, but this one appeared to go off without a hitch; if Penny letting Tina pummel him was any indication, but Gumball was sure Rob was the type to rub his success in the face of his victims. Yet there wasn't a trace of him anywhere.

Eventually, Gumball found himself sitting on a bench on a random street corner, taking a short reprieve from his vindictive search. Now that he could focus on things other than his anger, he wondered hopelessly what he was going to do in regards to the situation with Penny. She herself had let a lot slide on his part in the past but he couldn't see a way out of this one where they didn't wind up breaking up. The fact he was innocent was irrelevant if Penny never believes he is and truly thinks he wanted her to choose between him and Mr. Cuddles. Apart from getting revenge for fudging up his love banner, maybe Gumball was so bent on finding Rob was more to get him to confess to Penny about his meddling.

Though how would he do that?

What could he do to Rob in order to force him to confess his guilt?

With a depressed sigh, Gumball looked himself over, at his weak, petite form. He'd always been aware he was what most people would refer to as "puny", but it'd never truly bothered him for the majority of his life. It was only until he started to date Penny that he began to self reflect on himself in a negative light. After all, what could a wimp like him truly offer her? Sure, he gave her all the love in his heart, as much affection as he could muster and supported her whenever she needed it, but apart from that, what could he do for her? He was as useful in a fight as a blow up bat, evidenced once when he twisted his ankle going to Penny's aid when she was being attacked by animals; a scenario that was his fault and they only got out of it when she got angry when she learned that fact and transformed.

Not to mention how dimwitted he is, and his bad judgment.

What was he thinking with that treasure hunt anyway?

What kind of partner is he for Penny really? A pathetic one? If he wasn't the kind of person that he was, maybe people like Rob wouldn't be able to take advantage of him and make his life miserable and maybe unfortunate happenings wouldn't keep putting his relationship in jeopardy; his own fault or otherwise. Sure, she returns his feelings regardless, but Gumball still feels useless sometimes, and the next time they run into each other, there's a high chance she could no longer return his feelings. Gumball felt tears sting the corners of his eyes at the thoght. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Penny.

As Gumball blinked away his tears he looked to the pavement below…and saw a shadow with a familiar misshapen ️ head being cast across the ground, over his feet. He looked to the source just in time to see it disappear around the corner.

"ROB!" Gumball declared loudly, springing to his feet and sprinting to where he had seen the shadow disappear, rounding the corner…and stepping in a section of the sidewalk that had a circular shaped section of black that slightly squashed under his feet. He looked down, thinking it might be a mub pudding or a section of wet cement, but found himself looking at…what appeared to be pure liquified darkness, slowly enveloping his shins and moving up his legs.

"WHAT THE WHAT?!" he declared loudly as the bizarre substance swallowed him up to his waist. "Help! Somebody help!" he cried, but apparently no one was around to heed him. He tried to grab the edge of the pavement once he had sunk in up to his chest, but found he wasn't just sinking but was being sucked under. The force of the suction was so strong Gumball's menial strength didn't give him even a second of reprieve and he soon found himself losing his grip and sliding under the dark substance entirely, which rippled and churned as he vanished.

The first thing Gumball noticed was that, wherever he was now, there was no ground to stand on, and it was like he was floating weightlessly, as if he were in space. He shook the thought off, for it reminded him of all the times he kissed Penny, how it felt like they were both in space. Besides, the only thing this place had in common with outer space was darkness. Instead of stars there were swirling masses of liquid darkness.

Gumball looked around, hoping to see something, like the portal that brought him here or something, but found nothing but continuous swirl's of darkness. He began to tremble in fear. Never before had he been to such a terrifying place (that he could remember without a tinfoil hat). How was he going to get out of here? That was the question at the forefront of Gumball's mind…until he saw a familiar figure in the distance.

"ROB!" he shouted, making to run towards the individual he had been pursuing for the past few hours, who was slightly obscured by the shifting shadows, only to remember there was no ground to run upon so opted to make swimming motions, which seemed to get him moving. "You have until the count of three to admit to Penny that that ultimatum banner was your doing!"

But Rob didn't even respond, not even with a quip he was known for.

Gumball scowled in frustration as he drew closer, "One…two…three…"

But Gumball didn't even finish saying the final number. He had arrived before Rob, and the guy's condition didn't bode well. He was spread eagle, his arms and legs wedged in double pointed stalagmites that seemed to grow right out of the swirling darkness. The formless hair that grew from his box head was sticking up, arc's of electricity occasionally jumping between the strands. The only movement he made was his breathing.

"Rod…? You okay, dude?" asked Gumball, snapping his fingers in front of Rob's singular eye, which was glassy and unfocused.

"Such innocence. Despite all he put you through today, you still show concern for his well-being."

Gumball felt like he had just swallowed a billiard ball, the breath caught in his throat so hard. That voice. Gumball had never heard such a terrifying voice. Still, what the voice said forced him to ask into the darkness. "So, Rob was behind that whole banner thing?"

"Yes indeed. What a pathetic attempt to get under your skin. Such underhanded garbage."

"Yeah, well that "pathetic attempt" may have just cost me my relationship with Penny," Gumball said forlornly, glaring at Rob, suddenly feeling the urge to punch him.

"Oh, allow me to provide you with some retribution."

There was the sound of someone snapping their fingers…

Then Rob literally lit up like a Christmas tree in electricity, Gumball rearing back in shock and terror as Rob screamed and writhed in agony. It didn't last but a second, and soon the electricity dissipated from Rob's body, afterwards he slumped over again, appearing semiconscious. Gumball took in the whole short endeavor with absolute dread. Whoever was here with him just subjected Rob to a moment of excruciating agony.

"Hmm, about the only thing the miserable malcontent is good for."

Those words caused Gumball's terror to surface stronger than when had faced down Tina that morning. The voice was scary enough, but there was not a shred of reaction to what he had just done. If anything, he sounded slightly amused, but also somewhat bored.

"Who…who are you?" Gumball asked timidly, turning away from Rob and looking around, both seeking the source of the voice, but dreading what he might find.

"Hahaha, me? Me? Why Gumball," Gumball suddenly felt…something on his shoulder that spun him around, facing him directly into an intense green light. "I'm your new nemesisss… You may call me Green."

Once Gumball's eyes were able to adjust to the light he was able to open them, but what he saw left him wishing without a doubt he was still staring at some shapeless green light, or even the tormented form of Rob. The population of Elmore was as varied as the products in a convenient store, people coming in all shapes and sizes, so Gumball was no stranger to unique physique. Heck, his girlfriend was probably the most unique person he knew, and that only made him love her more. However, despite Gumball's experience in Elmore, the being before him instilled a sense of foreboding more intense than if he had been through in a tank with a shark in it.

There, silhouetted in the green light, as well as hovering in it, was the most grotesque creature Gumball had ever laid eyes on. It was mainly serpentine in nature, possessing long coils of shimmering black that ended in, not one, not two, but three tips, fanning out like a fish tail, each tip adorned with a black scythe blade. In the opposite direction of the tail the creature grew more gruesome. Where coils melded into what was apparently the neck were a pair of shoulders, both fitted with a spike, and attached to these shoulders were long, thin arms that ended in spindly claws with four digits a piece. Attached behind the shoulders were a pair of massive bat wings, three clawed fingers set at the elbow joints. The head of the creature was pretty featureless, roughly triangular and with a lower and upper jaw, but no visible eyes or nostrils.

All in all, it looked like some kind of dragon, but comparing this thing to the elegant form Penny can sometimes transform into would be like comparing a butterfly to a scorpion.

Beneath the creature's wings was the most gruesome feature of all. Four long, narrow tendril-like appendages extended from what appeared to be the back, extending and coiling around the creature with immeasurable length, each one tipped with a hissing snake's head, which possessed two slitted pupils in each of their glowing green eyes. They also had a curved spike extending from where their jaw met their neck.

But the most frightening aspect of the creature was its sheer size. It towered over Gumball like a skyscraper.

Gumball's jaw dropped to his neck and his eyes bulged so big they became bloodshot. Then he turned around and tried paddling in the opposite direction, mumbling frantically.

"What's your hurry…? We need to get…acquainted."

Gumball suddenly found himself suspended in a giant orb of pulsating green electricity, halting his dismissal advances and turning him to face "Green" again. Again, Gumball was taken aback by the foreboding monster, trembling in terror.

"Ah, haha…" mumbled Gumball worriedly after he regained a semblance of composure, looking up at his "host" - "knew nemesis". "Mr…Green was it…? It's…not that I don't appreciate the notion… You look like splendid nemesis material…but I…" his eyes darted to the bound and tormented form of Rob again. "I'm good with the nemesis I have. Yep everything is good in the nemesis department with me…yessir…"

He finished with a shaking thumbs up.

"What? Him?" inquired Green, pointing a gigantic claw at Rob. As he spoke, it was revealed that the interior of his mouth glowed green, causing a strobing effect whenever he talks, his jagged, black teeth also casting long, foreboding shadows. "That miserable hot mess doesn't deserve the title of nemesis. You wanna know what a true nemesis is? Meet the genuine article."

At those words Green reared up on his coils and spread his wings wide, adding to the ferocity of his already imposing figure.

Gumball's lungs seemed to seize up in his chest but he managed a feeble, "No…really. I'm good..."

"Hahaha, pitiful little child," snickered Green, leaning his head in closer to Gumball as he hovered in the orb of electricity. "You don't seem to grasp the concept of a nemesis. Mainly, the relationship doesn't have to be…mutual."

At those words Gumball got the message. "You mean…"

"Yesss…you're stuck with me, like it or not." A long, black, forked tongue flew from Green's mouth, one of the barbs sliding through the "wall" of Gumball's prison and swiping across his cheek. Green smiled sinisterly.

Gumball flinched at the contract, but miraculously, the tongue wasn't wet. It felt warm and soft to the touch. Gumball looked up at Green and trembled with fright. This…thing was going to be his new nemesis? Dealing with Rob had been enough of a pain, so what would this thing do to make him miserable?

For the first time since Gumball arrived here, the thin, sinister smile fell away from Green's lips to be replaced by an annoyed frown as they stared into each other's faces. "Hey! I know what you are thinking, kid, but don't lump me in with that incompetent fool over there!" Green indicated to Rob with a wing, indignation only visible in the curve of his mouth. "The Screw Up couldn't scheme his way out of a paper bag! No, what I have in store for you, Gumball, will make what Rob was capable of seem paltry in comparison."

Gumball was going to wet himself if he became any more scared than he was now. "What…what do you intend to do to me…?"

"Now now, Gumball," said Green, coiling around the sphere that held Gumball within. "Only a novice nemesis would blurt out their plans and goals before they are executed. You will merely have to wait and see. But I will tell you this. I will definitely not be following Rob's example. I have no intention of ruining your life. Such a dismal goal is beneath me."

If anything, Gumball could take a semblance of relief in that. Rob was the cause of his current predicament with Penny, so if Green wasn't going that route, that was something Gumball could get behind. Though that still left what Green's intentions truly were unknown, which was still nerve-racking.

Though should you trust the word of your nemesis?

"Make no mistake, Gumball, what I have in store won't be easy to deal with. Indeed, my ploys will make Rob's pale in comparison, so be prepared." Green suddenly seized Gumball's prison in his claws as if it were a tiny seed bead. "In the meantime, say hi to your girlfriend for me."

Green then flicked the prison away, where it vanished into a circle of darkness in the distance similar to the one that brought Gumball here…only this one deposited him under the wing of an overhead airplane, thousands of feet in the air.