A particular household exuded a warm, inviting ambiance. Soft sunlight filtered through the heavenly curtains by the front door, glowing up the room on the well-worn wooden floors. Adorned with vintage and cozy furniture, a plush yet overstuffed sofa took center stage right beside the door. A patchwork quilt sat on top right in the middle headrest, the name 'Lincoln' sewn in a rugged cursive made simply out of love from its crafter. Snug in the corners on the left and the right were pillows particularly puffed so that no wrinkles would be present. Just recently, the entire sofa was dusted and vacuumed much like the rest of the room around it.
The coffee table in between it and the TV had a small pile of old magazines just for design, including a brown leatherback book sitting next to it. What lied inside its pages was a mystery, waiting to be explored by the first person who opened it. Underneath the table was a large, ornate rug strung out just to add to the comfort.

Shelves on the wall had various baubles and books lying on them, from fiction novels about stories to unique vacation souvenirs collected over the years. The walls were painted in a soothing shade of khaki brown, making it almost like a living pair of pants.
Against one wall stood a sturdy fireplace, the mantel pretty plain except for the flat-screen television in the center. Beside it prominently displayed was a cherished family photo, two young sisters and their easy-going parents huddled together with a half-fake half-earnest smile. They were dressed in loose, light summer clothing beside a beach. The ocean waves crashed up against the shore behind them, the sun just out of the lighting to make it the perfect picture. Somehow, with the vast history of the girl's clash, this was a rare photo where both of them were happy together. Likely forced by their parents to, it might have explained why they were slightly uncomfortable with it.
Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln appeared to have a shared tired look, a mixture of camera light and makeup doing their best to hide the wrinkles and bags. Still, they both seemed to be quite happy beside each other, at least one hand on both of the girls sitting in front of them. Perhaps this truly was a better time in their lives, or maybe just a once-a-year vacation well deserved.

A tall and curvy woman had her back and butt pressed up against the front door, one hand pressed on it as well while the other held a cellphone. Her long, naturally black hair had been hung up in dreadlocks though still somehow covered her eyes slightly. She had a plain white t-shirt tightly hugging her chest, and a pair of baggy jeans equipped with a holstered pistol hidden in one of her pockets. Very carefully a hand was inching toward the grip of it, slightly trembling in her socks.
"Abigail I swear I'll-"
The call she held on the phone ended, leaving her in silence to reflect on the conversation that just happened. The woman breathed in and out, rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"Younger siblings, always getting away with everything in this house."
An older, more mature voice called out from another room. It was loud, though gentle at the same time.
"Cree! Who is it at the door? Is that Abigail?"
She lifted her head, stammering to come up with an answer for her mother. How was she going to tell her that a fusion of that dork Hoagie showed up on their front step? There wasn't enough time to think and at this point, it was far too late to go back now.
"Uh, it's her little boyfriend Hoagie!"
An older woman peered from around the wall, her slightly greying black hair tied up in a long and puffy ponytail in the back. Her neck was covered by a pink sash, adding to her pink sweater. She smiled widely, "Well let him on in then! She should be back home soon here this evening, right?"
"B-But mom-" Cree stammered, struggling to find an excuse. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for something, anything. "We haven't dusted! The house is a mess!"
Mrs. Lincoln blinked once, "Cree, I just did that yesterday. This house is practically spotless, no thanks to you or Abby who forgot by the way. Let that boy in, now."

The woman nodded her head, turned around at the door and took a deep breath. There was no point in continuing to fight it, as otherwise, it would turn out messier than this already was going to be. Cree just shoved the phone in her pocket and took her hand off the pistol, taking a deep breath and preparing herself. With a weathered look, she replied, "Yes, mom."
Her hand twisted the knob of the front door, stepping back and pulling it wide open. More sunlight stretched into the back living room, causing her to struggle to get a good look at him.
Dressed in his regular outfit–a familiar blue button-up, khaki shorts, his iconic pilot's cap, and goggles pulled over his head– he looked every bit like the lovable dork he always had been. Hoagie stood on the front porch with a radiating wide smile, almost unnerving with his sense of enthusiasm. His school backpack, bulging slightly out his back and bloated with crammed contents, hung from his shoulders. His hands gripped the straps as if a clear sign he was ready for the next adventure anywhere.
Cree gave him a judgmental look, eyeing him up and down. His appearance was flawless, his skin perfectly normal, far from any telltale sign of his true nature. She felt a knot of tension twist in her stomach, causing her to put a hand over her exposed belly. Her little sister's warning somehow made this much more stressful than any typical visit.
Underneath his goggles, dark black pupils swirled ominously. He had his vision dead set on the woman in front of him, almost near murderous tendencies in the back of his mind.
"Hiya, Cree! Looking great like always!"

She swallowed her anxiety; even his voice, that damn voice, it was the same. Her hand trembled on the knob, caking it in sweat. Cree looked back at him with a determined look, though slightly out of fear.
"Y-Yeah yeah, just get in you little twerp."
Were it not for her mother watching, she would have choked him out right now. Though she abided, stepping back and presenting a hand to let him in.
Hoagie strolled his way in, scanning the room unnervingly. He didn't say a word, his smile nearly frozen on his face.
"Hi Hoagie! Welcome! Feel free to get yourself situated, okay hon? Abigail should be home here sooner or later." Mrs. Lincoln said with a cheery smile, giving him a cute wave.
The young man darted his head over, registering her emotions before returning it with a broad wave. "Yes ma'am! Thanks for letting me know! I thought she'd be here by now?"
Cree was about to say something, until her mother interrupted rather quickly, "Oh, she's currently at work! I heard she's been doing overtime this week, something involving the Ed boys!"

"Oh," Hoagie's smile dropped as he responded dryly. "How about that."

Mother turned her head over to Cree, gesturing with a hand, "Help him get settled in, will you? I'm about to get started on dinner tonight."
"Yes, Mom," she replied, watching his every move like a prowling tiger. "I got it."
Shortly afterward, she disappeared back into the other room.

Hoagie took off his backpack and placed it on the foot of the sofa, slumping down and sinking into the cushions a bit. He stretched both of his arms over the rest and let out a long sigh, "Wheew! What a day! Thanks for letting me stay over! I appreciate it."
"Yeah, don't mention it," Cree replied suspiciously, eyeing the kitchen before back at him. "What brings you here anyways, Gilligan?"
He shrugged, planting the back of his head, "Well, Abigail wanted me over. It's been a long week and she said I could; I've been needing a break from all the technical work."
"Technical work, huh?" she mocked. "That why you brought your backpack?"
A hand reached over, making a gesture on the top, "Yep! I brought one of my projects to fix it up tonight; I can't sit idly, you know? Heheh."
His chuckle trailed on, causing Cree to grit her teeth, "Don't worry, we've got plenty of family games for you to try tonight. I'm sure you'll love 'em."
"That so?" he snapped back, smirking. "I can't wait to try them out! I'm pretty good at word games, you know-"
Cree glared, "Oh I'll show you a word game-"
Stepping into the room from behind the kitchen, a taller and skinny man shoved his hands in his pockets. A hand tugged at his button-up shirt, another in his dark khaki shorts. Against the wooden floor, he was scraping along in near knee-high socks and open-toe sandals. There was a bright smile on his face, his dwaining black hair bringing out his widow's peak. "Hoagie! Good to see you, kiddo! How's it going up there in Section V?"

He held up a finger, chuckling nervously, "Dr. Lincoln! Good to see you too! It's, uh, Sector V. Aheheh- and it's good! Tiresome work, though-"
"I bet, working day in and day out with planes all day! I had a friend who did that thing for a living, you know." He shoved both his hands in his pockets, perfecting that iconic dad pose, and turned to look over at Cree.
She just slouched a little bit, looking miserable.
"You get him situated, honey?" he asked in a lower tone, giving her a look.
She nodded, "Yes, dad."
"Good, good," he puffed out his lower lip, turning to look back down over at him. "Feel free to make yourself at home. Dinner won't be for a few hours, so I'd suggest a snack to hold you over. I'd recommend something healthy, maybe one of our protein packs?"
Hoagie held up a hand and shook his head, "Oh, thank you Dr. Lincoln but I'm not hungry. I just ate before I came over here."

He was a good liar, too good.
"Oh really? Also, you don't have to call me Dr. Lincoln, just.. Dad." he chuckled, waving a hand.
Hoagie nodded, "Okay! Can do."
"Say, you're the technician up there right?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
The young man simply just went along, folding his hands over his lap, and now sat up stiffly, "Why, yes I am!"
Dad gestured with a thumb in the back, placing another hand on his hip actively, "Would you be willing to help out an old man for a second? There's a problem with the cable I've been meaning to get to and I don't wanna call the tech guys again this week."
"Sure thing, Dad!" Hoagie shot Cree a smirk, getting up from the sofa. "We can get to that right now, actually! I've got nothing better to do."
Cree blinked, not letting go of her glare, and crossed her arms. In the back of her mind, though, a worry began to build up for her dad. Her face eased, "Dad, I don't think it's a good idea to do this when we've got company."
"Nonsense! The boy's good with his computers and engineering, now isn't he?" Dr. Lincoln gave him a firm grin, smacking and rubbing him on the shoulder.
"I really shouldn't accept these compliments, sir. I appreciate it, though," he crossed his arms shyly. "You're too kind."
The woman frowned, "Dad, are you sure-"
"It'll only be a second!" he waved a hand in frustration and made a gesture. "I'll go get my tools just in case, Hoagie."

Helplessly she watched the two of them take off, Hoagie scooping up his backpack and following behind her dad like a little duckling with his march. Cree rubbed her arm, quickly maneuvering her way through the living room and into the kitchen. Her mother appeared to be hunched over a boiling pot on the stove, reading up on an opened book spread out across the kitchen counter. She was gleaming more than usual tonight, with a little bit of excitement to her movement while shaking her hips. A little speaker hooked up to her song was playing an oldie, something she'd used to dance to in her high school years. Her navy blue dress covering her legs swayed like the branches of an oak tree in the wind, an entrancing hum following along with the melody.
"Mom," Cree pleaded. "Hey, we need to talk."
She turned her head back, grinning, "What is it, Cree?"
"I just got off the phone with Abigail, like, a couple of minutes ago before he showed up," she started. The woman placed a hand on her arm and tilted her head. "This is serious and you guys are in big trouble."
Mrs. Lincoln shot her a look, chuckling a little bit, "What? You never act like this when we have guests! Do you not like Mr. Gilligan for Abigail? She could use a role model, though not one with the kind of boys you've gone out with-"
"Mooom, I'm serious!" Cree defended, her face red. "Plus, I'm not some little girl anymore. I could care less about that stuff-"
She chuckled, turning her head back to her craft, "Oh come now, you say that but you'll see. Give it a couple of years."
"Mom!" she almost yelled, then slightly resided a bit. "Please.. will you just listen to me?!"

She shot her a menacing look, holding up a wooden spoon covered in lukewarm chili, "You'll get that kind of attention when you ease up your tone, girl . Don't you disrespect your mother like that!"
"I'm sorry, it's urgent," Cree frowned. "You guys are in danger."
Fed up with her words, her easy smile went away into a dissatisfied look. Mrs. Lincoln pressed her butt up against the kitchen counter and dumped the spoon back into the pot, "What is it, Cree?"
"Dad just took him outside to check up on the TV dish, but that's not Hoagie," she replied in a hushed whisper. "Abby just told me she and Hoagie were over at the Cul-de-sac."
Her mother tilted her head, "I don't understand."
"Mom, that's a fusion ."
That word brought a bad taste in her mouth, though not met with some skepticism. She shook her head, "Honey, the fusion problems here in Pokey Oaks were dealt with. Granted there was that issue a while back with the superhero but they said that was a rare occasion. How am I supposed to believe that Abby's boyfriend is a fusion? There's nothing different about him!"
"That's the thing," The young woman waved her hands spontaneously. "I don't know. All I know is that Abby said she checked and that the real Hoagie is over there. That's an impostor, outside-"

Mrs. Lincoln let out a sigh, "Now how am I supposed to believe that? None of that sounds right, girl. Listen to yourself!"
"I know it sounds crazy, but you've gotta believe me. Abby and I are gonna find a way to deal with him-"
She made a face, "A way to 'deal with him'? Cree, do you need to sit down with your father?"
"Ugh!" she groaned in frustration, looking up at the ceiling and glared. "Just wait 'till Abby gets home. You'll see."
"Alright," her mother raised an eyebrow. "Let's assume Hoagie is a fusion. We'll call for help and get out here."
Cree shook her head and gripped her hands into fists, "No, Mom, you don't get it! Abigail and I can't just let a fusion run around here in the sector. If we find it, we gotta squish it! Simple as! It's protocol."
"What, with the whole earth's forces thing?" Mrs. Lincoln placed a finger over her chin. "What, are you guys some sort of fusion fighters or something?"
The girl sighed and deflated a little bit, "That sounds soo lame when you say it like that. Yeah, Mom, you're right. Fusions aren't supposed to be here, so we gotta take them out."
"Either this will be a serious problem or your worst delusion, girl," her mother chuckled and turned back to the stove. "Your father and I will remain 'safe in our bunker' until you two decide what to do with him. For now, dinner is in two hours."
In the back of her mind, she knew that'd fail. Cree just lowered her head and shook it, turning around, and started stomping for the door. She was on the fence about whether or not to helicopter her father and Hoagie or to stay in the living room. She just couldn't decide, standing in the living room and scratching the back of her head.
"Abigail, when you get home I swear I'm gonna kill you-"

Back up on the roof, Hoagie and Dr. Lincoln were huddled over the satellite dish on top of the black tile roof. What turned into a few minutes of just looking over it turned into some light work under the beating of the hot sun. The backyard below seemed miniature in comparison to the perch they were up on, a ladder propped up against the house providing the only way of getting up and down. A couple of wrenches, a screwdriver, and pliers were taken out of a toolbox. Currently, the wire box beside the dish had been popped open, and the screws to the door handle were safely placed in a little cubby just for safekeeping. The older man stuck out his tongue while the two worked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Why, uh, I don't understand! That just doesn't seem right."
Hoagie had his backpack unzipped with him, digging through a strange concoction of wires and gadgets from within. He pulled one out in the shape of a pale grey cylinder, a long antenna sticking out on the top while a strange green liquid bubbled from inside through a little look hole. He shook it up just a little bit, handing it over to Dad, "Here! It's a little something I've been working on; it's like a little antenna, though increases the signal so it should be able to come in much more clearly."
"Do I just stick it onto the side? That's some neat glue you've got there, strange color though!" Dr. Lincoln commented on the fusion matter actively crawling out of a little crack in the tube.
The young man kept up with his cheery facade, zipping up his backpack and gave him a thumbs up, "Thanks! It's a new gadget I've been working on; think of it like an adhesive!"
Even in part of his tone, there was a slight humored giggling to it. This guy was a grade-A idiot.

"You think I could get a little something like this at the store? That sticks on pretty well!" he commented, hearing a wet squish, and rubbed it up against the dish. A couple of tiny green tendrils wrapped around the dish's rod, clinging tightly to it.
Hoagie leaned in, pressing a button, and then saw a green light begin to flare. Humorously he replied, "No, but it'll be coming soon. Don't you worry, sir."
Dr. Lincoln wiped some of the grime away from his hands and reached for the screws and the box on the wire, "Well, it looks like we didn't even need to mess with the wires! I coulda sworn it had something to do with the channels, though I guess I was wrong! I'm not too good with the TV stuff, as you can see."
"Oh, it's no big deal," Hoagie waved a hand, grinning cheerfully. "I do this kind of stuff all the time. That darn fusion invasion is messing with everyone's cables! My buddy Nigel had the same issue, too."
Dr. Lincoln's eyes lit up as he started twisting the screws back in, "Oh, you mean the Unos? We know them well here, too!"
A sinister grin of satisfaction overcame him, listening to this ignorant man constantly. He truly had no idea, an idiot amongst a formidable race of warriors. An idea popped into his head, a terrible, terrible idea.
"Say, sir, could I see your toolbox for a moment?"
The man nodded, "Why, sure! Whatcha need?"
Hoagie leaned over, reaching a hand, and gripped the handle. He lifted it, closed up the box, and smiled widely, "I just need the box! Thanks!"

WHAM!

Hoagie put all of his upper strength into a swing, smacking the box on the side of Dr. Lincoln's head. There wasn't even a yelp in pain or a reaction as the man faceplanted onto the roof out cold. His arms and legs went limp, slightly sliding over the edge, and began to fall.
"Oh oops-"

Thunk!

Lincoln smacked the back of his unconscious head on the kitchen window, dangling upside down. Hoagie extended a stringy green arm, wrapped around his legs like a spider's web, and slowly began to lift him back up.
Mrs. Lincoln continued working in the kitchen, unaware of his head hitting the window right behind her and continued to slightly jive in the rhythm. She hummed to herself, opened the fridge, and bent over while his head slowly slid up on the side of the outside window.

Skrt! Skrt!

Eventually, she looked up, though noticed nothing except for the ladder on the edge of the window. The woman raised an eyebrow at the strange sound, though shrugged it off and went back to her work in the kitchen.
The fusion put him back on the roof, laying on his back like a turtle that fell on its shell. Billowing up from the deepest insides of his body, bubbling hot fusion was sprawled out everywhere like snot. He made a slight puking noise, dumping out parts of his body over the poor man and having it act as a rope. Dr. Lincoln was quickly tied to the roof, the fusion matter acting as a sticky glue that kept him in place. To make things even worse, a smidgen of duct tape was sealed over the man's mouth.
"There," Hoagie said, putting the duck tape back in the toolbox and closing the lid. "Have a good night, doc."
With the toolbox in hand and backpack on, he started his descent from the roof and hopped off the ladder at the end.

Numbuh Five trudged up the front walk, her chest rising and falling with each step. Her keen eyes darted around the familiar surroundings, scanning the entirety of the household simply out of instinct. Her shoulders were hunched over, a sweat drop trailing down from her hair down to the edge of her chin. The agent's hat blocked out the sun, though it didn't stop the immense heat. Her clothes were slightly worn out, with a couple of rips and tears causing it to drape a little. It was nothing a little bit of sewing couldn't do, that or at least shopping. All over she had been caked in sweat from the dash here, and the sores from the battle with Stickybeard weren't helping either. For a girl like her, though, she was strong. She managed to keep moving with a pep in her step, even if at times her body ached. The solid thud of her boots picked up with her pace while she started for the front walk, her mind clouded in thoughts though seemed to be focused on the tasks ahead.
Fidgeting in her hands were her pair of iconic pop gun pistols, the ones that had carried her before before this whole invasion even started. Thanks to the technology increase over the past few months, the barrels of her pistols had been extended. Overall they were larger, housing more bullets and equipped with red-dot sights for better accuracy. They were her favorite, though now by this point they were always a top-tier gun for handling fusions.
Reaching in the crevices of her pockets for any magazines she had left over, she grumbled to herself, "Oh come on now.."

Bingo!

She held up a cartridge and smiled, a stiff and near-identical piece of weaponry to that of a nine-millimeter pistol. Though it appeared to be filled to the very top with chilly, mystified cubes in the shape of small bullets. In one clean motion, it slid in and out, easily popping into the pistol. Then moving on to the next one, the final magazine was held up. The girl gave it one last longing lock before sliding it into the other pistol.

Chik-chik!

Both of the hammers were pulled back as she aimed them into the air, making her way up the front steps of the porch and lowly hummed in anticipation. Quietly she said to herself, "Hope you ain't dead in there, sis-"
Lightly she used the butt of her gun and knocked on the door three times. She waited there, knees bent, leaning at the side, and pressed her ear up closely to the wood. Her breath was held, a cool breeze washing over her and easing her thoughts. Five took a moment to relax herself, an easy calm before the storm and rolled her shoulders a little bit.
The first thing that caught her attention was the sound of footsteps coming closer, then an unlock. There was a second of silence until it slightly slid open, revealing a familiar hand curled around the corner.
Numbuh Five peaked inside, trying to get a glimpse of everything until a voice interrupted her train of thought.
"About time you showed up! I swear I'm about to be on my last nerve," Cree hissed from the other side of the door, revealing herself even further and looking down at her. She placed a hand on her hip and spoke quietly, "We doin' this or what?"
Five started her way inside slowly and quietly, nodding her head in response. She side-eyed her left, then her right, and instantly fixated on the kitchen. "You got a piece?"
"At mom and dad's? Hell no!" Cree hissed, closing the door behind them and locking it as if in sync.

Abigail took a deep breath and turned to look up at her, holding out one of her pistols for her to take, "Yous is lucky I brought both of 'em. Take it n' get ready. It's already loaded."
Her older sister clasped onto the pistol and held it with a perfect form, clutching both hands on it, and started a slow crawl toward the kitchen beside her.
Five pressed herself up against the wall beside the doorframe and whispered, "How long has it been here?"
"A couple of hours," her sister replied quietly, peaking into the kitchen and holding her breath. "He's with mom right now."
The girl smacked her hand against her head, shutting her eyes and mouthing 'damn' in response.
As Cree peaked her head into the kitchen, both her mother and Numbuh Two could be seen together. At the center table, Two's backpack was promptly placed on time while he was there. His eyes were rested on their mother, the fusion's head had been turned backward an entire one-hundred and eighty degrees just to watch her at all times. As of right now, it was politely sitting there with his arms crossed over the counter without much thought.
Adjusting the temperature of the pot was their mother, humming to herself without even noticing Two. Politely she said, "I believe it's almost finished! I hope I'm not boring you, am I?"
"No, Mrs. Lincoln," Hoagie replied monotone. "Not at all."
Five looked up at her sister and whispered, "You got the shot?"
"Mhm," Cree nodded, holding her breath and steadying her aim. "Just a sec-"

POW!

Soaring from the barrel was the first icy shot, making its way across the kitchen and landing cleanly into the fusion's neck. The sound of the weapon echoed in the room, disrupting the silence like a bottle cork going off. Part of his neck had gotten blown open as fusion matter sprayed across the wall behind him like grape jelly.
"AYE!" Fusion Hoagie let out a shriek, gripping his neck and suddenly tipped over from his chair.
Mrs. Lincoln jumped in surprise, spinning around to see Cree in the doorway and widening her eyes. She was completely paralyzed from the head down, holding in her arms with the ladle still in hand.
"Mom!" Cree shrieked. "Get down and away!"
Mrs. Lincoln shouted back, "W-Why would you do that?! What is wrong with-"
A snarl came from Two as he slowly rose from the floor, a chunk of his neck gone. It was now beginning to reform itself, the fusion matter taking shape into a semblance of what was lost. "GRRAH!"
Flung from his hand came a steaming, thick blob of fusion right for Cree.
She quickly dashed to the side and even deeper into the kitchen, aiming the sight down and firing off a second shot. "Mom! Run!"
Abigail stopped herself, seeing the giant green slop smack against the door frame and trail down onto the floor. "Ew!"
Mrs. Lincoln nodded, frantically skidding up on her legs, and waved a hand, "I am sorry for doubting you!"

"Doubting?!" Five shouted, peaking around the corner and firing off a shot.
Fusion Two was hit again, chunks of green slopping up against the counter. He let out an ear-piercing yelp, suddenly getting down on all fours and began to crawl across the kitchen. His arms and legs dislocked, almost like morphing into a human spider as he started his way toward Five.
"Mom didn't believe me!" Cree answered, quickly moving forward and swung her leg forward. It locked on with Two's underbelly, sending him backward but not before receiving a paining sting that trailed all over her leg. She let out a yelp in pain, grabbing onto herself and falling back.

POW! POW!

Two shots went straight into the fusion, sending him back even further and up against the wall. Chunks of his outer skin were missing, now looking like a disgusting blend between man and machine. Desperately for its life, it spat out another shot of fusion gunk and quickly scrambled for the stairs.
Five ducked, the shot barely missing her head and swiping her hat off. It collapsed behind her, landing on the ground with a splat.
"How many shots can that thing take?" Cree complained, climbing back up onto her legs and rolling her shoulders.
Abigail looked back at her and started following after it, "Too many! C'mon!"
Her older sister placed her hand on her chest and shouted, "Just a sec!"

Hidden underneath her shirt came a small, golden locket. Her finger pressed on it and within a matter of seconds, her clothes began a metamorphosis. Covering up her entire body was a series of precise, mechanical sounds. Sleek, metallic plates unfolded from a compact module around her waist. The metal cascaded over her body, easily locking on together to form a streamlining suit. First, it was over her shoulders and chest, then lower over her legs and feet, and lastly a mask over her face. It hugged her body pretty tightly, securing maximum comfort in a deep matte black. The helmet itself closed around her head, leaving only her eyes and the bridge of her nose visible through a thin visor. The polished surface was given a theme with a pair of miniature, crimson devil horns on the very top.
Five turned back and stopped briefly, "You still kept the suit, huh?"
"Of course I did! If I'm given any opportunity to get back at your stupid little boyfriend for how much grief he gave me when we were younger," her eyes narrowed as she went for a sprint behind her. "I'm gonna take it. "
The two of them were hot on the trail, starting on the stairs up to the second floor.
"Man, if we weren't messed up with all these green gunks," Abigail squinted back at her. "I'd whip you for sayin' that."
Cree chuckled, "Like hell you would!"
"We got this, momma!" Five stopped briefly, peering into the living room where she was taking cover. She gave a thumbs-up as she said, "Hide behind the couch!"
Mrs. Lincoln nodded, ducking from behind up against the window.

Fusion Hoagie gripped onto the wall, climbing sideways with his sticky fingerprints and shoes. He slobbered in frustration with a glare, spinning his head back while he continued up on the side wall. He was running out of options and fast, especially now since the older one armored herself.
Briefly, he stopped on the second floor, looking to his left, then to his right. On the other end of the hall, a single window lined up to the outside. A chance to escape, he thought.
He broke out into an incredibly fast sprint, practically throwing himself forward after each step.
Cree was the first one to land on the second floor like a ninja, then slingshotting herself forward behind him. "C'mere you little fungus!"
Two slid the window up, turning his head back, and gave a two-finger salute. His fat form squeezed itself in between the square frame of the window, his slimy form making him flexible. He disappeared outside, slopping up against the outside of the house and starting for the roof.
The girl made it to the window, peeking her head out, and saw only the last glimpse of his shoe as he got up there.
Abigail finally made it onto the second floor, huffing and starting toward her sister, "Where'd he go?!"
"Onto the roof!" she snarled, climbing out. She stood against the window frame outside, grabbed onto the roof of the house, and looked up. "It's been a while, ugh-"

Swip!

Cree sprang herself up, throwing an arm and a leg over the roof and over. She heaved, panting at the sheer weight, and then shouted, "You can't escape from me!"
Abby got onto the window as well, dragging the sweat from her forehead with the back of her wrist. "Ugh.."
She leaped up behind her, swaying for a second. Her muscles cramped, her fingers trembling from the pain as she let out a slight yelp.
Her sister stopped herself and looked back down, rolling her eyes and outstretched a hand. She helped her back up, "Come on, Abigail. Don't slow me down-"
"I ain't tryin' to! It's been a rough day, alright?!" she hissed back, patting her on the back, and turned to look over at the roof.
Together they both suddenly shouted, "DAD!"
Fusion Hoagie had made his way over to the other end of the roof, kicking the ladder over and grabbing onto Dr. Lincoln. A bubbly, green hand was wrapped around his throat and actively burning at his skin. The creature stared back at the two sisters and held up a hand, transforming it into a razor-sharp sword arm. The skin was dissolving into the acid, sloshing around in his body like gelatin.
"Egh," Cree cringed, standing up fully and locked him in the pistol's sights. "Gross!"
The arm blade was held against the somewhat conscious man's throat as the fusion shouted, "One more step.. and he gets it!"

Abby froze, aiming the gun at him and rested on her knee. Her hands trembled with the weapon, thinking about the image of her father getting cut down at this moment and frowned. The red dot shakily switched between the fusion's head and her dad's fat belly, unsure of what to do.
"Let. Him. Go," Cree growled, her finger rubbing on the trigger.
Hoagie had a sinister smile, tilting his head and massaging the sharp edge of the blade against the skin of his neck, "If I get to go free, sure! You can keep him!"
"Don't trust him, sis. All fusions ain't so friendly like that, 'cept a rare few." her sister replied.
Dr. Lincoln slightly shifted himself in Hoagie's grasp, groaning in discomfort while the fusion matter burned away at him. The imprint of a hand around him suddenly became present, his dark skin exposing itself to a nasty and fresh pink.
"I ain't gonna say it again," Cree replied to it.

All three of them were now, by this point, in an unyielding stalemate. Each one of them waited for the other to make a move. The tension was suffocating, the stillness practically unreal as if the world stopped around all three.
The heat of the day still radiated on the roof tiles, beating down on all three. Sweat continued to wet Numbuh Five's brow, her grip still shaky. She tried her best to calm down, feeling the already rising anxiety from her Dad's wounds. It was obvious that she showed this stress, breathing in and out to try and get a grip.
Cree still stood tall, an unnerving silence from her while the gun was still. She breathed in and out as quietly as an air vent, her form practically perfect. The red dot was hovered in between his eyes; all she needed to do was just take the shot. Something in her stopped her though, feeling the aura of her father nearby making this much harder than it had to be.
Behind the goggles, Fusion Hoagie's red eyes sparked. His skin bubbled under the intense heat like a living cooking pot, able to be seen rising and falling while he uncomfortably boiled. His grip on the man's neck was getting slippery, the arm waiting to be jammed into the man's chest. In the back of his mind, he contemplated just turning him into a fusion right here and now and being done with it. However, with the flare of the sun hiding his eyes, he looked down at the fusion tracker perfectly hidden behind the dish beside him.

He made his mistakes, though he achieved his mission. All that was left now was the fallout.

"You want him so badly, huh?"
Two cowered behind their Dad, lifting him as a meat shield. He stood up now fully, the blade still over his neck and dragged him with him slowly with each step.
Cree cursed herself for her hesitance, smacking her tongue in frustration and rolled her shoulder.
Abigail still listened, refusing to take a step just to play it safe. It was nearly impossible to shoot it at this point, though she still locked on. Frantically she searched for an opening, but it seemed like her father was too big of an obstacle.
"Then go get him !"
Dr. Lincoln was swung sideways off the end of the roof, tripping over the edge of the tiles, and started his fall.
"No!" the two of them screamed and quickly started dashing forward to go get him.
Two turned tail and started running for the other end of the roof, pulling up his slimy body as he shouted, "Gotta go! See ya later, suckers!"
"Abby! Don't let him escape! I got this!" Cree shouted and leaped off the roof, nosing down like a bullet after her Dad.
Five watched her sister soar off, skidding on the edge, and watched with fear. Though with her order, her eyes quickly darted to the fusion getting ready to leap off the other side of the roof.
"OH YOU'S IN FOR IT NOW!" she screamed, casting aside the pain in her body and moving at break-neck speed. Five kicked her legs out, almost blinking from one end to the other in sheer rage.
The fusion looked back, widening his eyes and shock, and quickly picked up the pace.

Cree's reaction was instantaneous. She dove after him, twisting her body and reaching to grab onto him. Her arms wrapped around his fat body, her armor adjusting and shifting to cushion the impact as best she could. Within seconds, the ground rushed up to meet them. Cree hit the ground first, landing heavily with a mind-jarring thud. The force of the landing sent a shock throughout her entire body, not to mention the extended weight of her father crashing down right on top of her. The armor accomplished its service by absorbing the impact but not taking some damage itself.
Her breath was knocked right out of her, feeling a sharp pain in her back. Dr. Lincoln rolled off of her body and onto the grass of the backyard, letting out a yelp in pain as he reached to grab onto his burnt neck. The combined force of the fall and the weight paralyzed her, bits and pieces of armor shattered underneath.
Cree took a deep breath despite the pain, mostly feeling relief. She had saved her father. She laid there on the ground, gasping for breath. A hand reached over and grabbed onto him, patting him softly. "Y-You okay, Dad?"
He stammered, coughing a bit. His hand violently ripped off the tape, revealing his swollen lips, "Yeah hon, b-but my neck! Ack."
The girl placed a hand over her eyes as the helmet mask slid open, "Man, why you gotta be so fat?"

Back on the roof, Abby went for a hard leap and waist-tackled Fusion Numbuh Two. The two of them slipped off, hitting the slanted porch roof below. Two's body absorbed this impact completely, bouncing like a green slime ball. Finally, they came crashing onto the front lawn with a heavy thud. The fusion's mass rippled and deflated into a thick, flaccid pancake over the crushed grass.
Numbuh Five was mostly okay, though the compact fall threw her off guard. Her arms burned from grabbing onto him directly, leaving burn marks all over. She quickly scrambled to her feet, throwing her leg wildly forward and kicked the fusion right in the stomach just as it was reforming.
"Yeouch!" he yelped, rolling over to the side and started crawling away.
Abigail, however, wasn't having it and clocked her pistol down to him as he started getting away. She took a deep breath, spitting out some of her saliva into the grass. "It's true what they say about your kind: y'all are just worse versions of us."

POW!

A bullet ripped through his regenerating body, striking an icy chill through one of his knees. He bobbed his head up and grabbed onto the wound, shouting in the struggle.
Somehow, he managed a smile and tilted his head. His voice was strained, lower-pitched, and gravelly, "It's o-only a matter of time. You can't hold us back forever-"

POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

The last of the magazine was unloaded as his entire body fell apart. The final shot rang out, hitting the fusion squarely between the eyes. Sickly, bubbling fusion matter splattered everywhere on the lawn. It was no more, the torn and ripped fake clothes and shoes from Hoagie's wardrobe were left behind. Lastly, his pilot's cap clattered onto the ground, slimed.
"Shut yo ass up."
She lowered her weapon, a mix of relief and exhaustion washing over her. Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, now the pain in the aftermath kicked in. Holding a hand at her side, she began to limp over to the front porch and sat down on it, lifting her head to look at the sky. Although the girl didn't want to admit it, she was going to need some support.
Looking back down at her arms and legs, some of the skin had been seared. Pink spots formed a stark contrast compared to her darker skin tone, the pigments alarmingly obvious. She clicked her tongue in a slight frustration, fed up with having to get herself fixed up after every fusion fight. She just sat back idly for now, keeping an eye on the slop so it wouldn't go anywhere.

"Abigail!"
Her sister's identifiable voice came from the door as it burst open. Cree came walking outside behind her and had her gun at the ready, though paused when she noticed the obvious destruction in the front work. The girl eased her nerve, spinning the pistol with her finger, and stowed it away. "I see you got to it; not bad, sis."
"Yeah I did," she nodded pridefully. "How's mom and dad?"
Cree's helmet slid off her head, her long hair draping down well past her shoulders, "Mom's just fine. She has Dad down on the couch right now and is calling for help."
"That was a nice dive, sis," Abby crossed her arms and smirked up at her. "Not too shabby."
The woman raised an eyebrow, leaning on the railing, and asked, "That guy knock you upside the head or somethin'?"
"Naw," Five shook her head. "I'm just sayin'."
Her sister sighed and hesitantly said, "Well, thanks. You handled yourself out here pretty well."
"Imma get the team to-"
The older woman held up a finger, "Uh uh, hold it. You ain't goin' nowhere or callin' anybody just yet; you're already too beat down-"
"I ain't gonna take no orders from you sis unless I'm-"
Forcefully, the older girl grabbed a hold of Abigail and lifted her. She wrapped an arm around her waist, beginning to take her inside and refused to let her go by any means possible.
At first, Abby slightly squirmed in her grasp. Though sadly, she let out a huff in frustration and just went along with it.
"Besides, we got something I think you're gonna wanna see," Cree tugged at her. "And not to mention, you're helping me explain to Mom and Dad why your boyfriend showed up as a fusion."
Numbuh Five squinted up at her, puffing out a lower lip, "Mhm, my man ain't no fusion."
"That's what you think."
"..."

The air rested beside them for a moment while they made their way inside. Abigail sighed, then let out a chuckle. Cree chuckled too, the sound infectious, and soon both of them were laughing despite their pain. The comfort helped, just a little bit.

6/13/24
Hello again! How are you?
This chapter was initially meant for another character to set up for the plotline, though I think it would have been fun to have the Lincoln sisters do it. Of course, all chars in this chapter are from Kids Next Door. I meant for this to be a funny chapter in which fusion Hoagie pretends to be the actual one to get to know the family, though Cree and Five would never let him even get past the front door. That's my thoughts, anyways. By this point, we're setting up the multiplot for the second arc. It's going to take a lot of work, though I am excited to see how this works out!
While I write this, I will be away for two weeks on vacation. I've been working on this fanfiction for a long time and am taking a break. Ever since March, I've spent the last three months feverishly working on this to get it out and I'm still not done.

Please let me know what you think in the reviews and comments! With this time gap, I'd love to hear your overall thoughts with everything in the story so far. Thank you again and I'll see you in two weeks!