DISCLAIMER: The following fanfiction contains content from the "Amazing World of Gumball" franchise owned by Ben Bocquelet and Cartoon Network. The story is more of an idea of what could've happened after the events of "The Joy." Therefore, it's a reimagined cut of the previously deleted "Everyone Loves Gumball" storyline. The reasons for this are cluttered content that needs to be relocated and deserves a better presentation. Some sentences are the same, but others are different. I also watch more TAWOG content to receive comprehension of the characters and the comedy. Just in case I didn't get their characterizations right and maintain accuracy,
It's been an eternity since I visited a fanfiction site and was out of work for several months. For the past months, I have dealt with spirituality and gotten back to doing art., not to mention the entire pandemic to deal with until faith arose and vaccines were established. Now, with all my dilemmas trimmed down and trying to face a clear path, I'm ready to go. I apologize if I haven't been around much since that time. Right now, I'm here to finish things off with the stories I intended to finish up. Anyway, enjoy the story!
Chapter #1 - The Inception
On the morning of Elmore...
Inside the Watterson family home, all members slept in their rooms. The rooms bear the essence of personality and nostalgia, from the picture frames on the walls to the ribbons on the cardboard. It includes every decor that adds something unique and special to the room. Pictures showing memories of friends, family, and past adventures remind the college students of the experiences that got them to this point.
Portraits of important figures or quotes remind students of the motivation they need to keep going. Newspapers document the changes happening around Elmore City and distant places and events. It also reminds students to stay informed. Memorabilia such as college diplomas and sports trophies provide a sense of accomplishment and pride. Music items, books, and board games lay around to provide entertainment and relaxation. Whatever quirks or decorations each student chooses to include, they all come together to create a warm and familiar environment that is comforting and inspiring.
The photographs across the table are a collection of shots of Gumball and Darwin taken throughout the years. They are memories from their time together, documenting their progress. Gumball is dressed in a high school uniform, an orange jail suit, a sorcerer outfit with a frightening mask, Joy Burger attire, a superhero costume, and even a nice tuxedo.
Darwin is featured in some pictures, wearing a singer's costume, a wizard hat, a staff, a fake beard, and some gothic attire. Both of them are dressed in matching high school gowns. This collection of images serves to remember the moments they shared as brothers and to look back on the memories that form the foundation of their friendship.
The clock rang loudly. As a result of the ringing, both sides woke up from their respective areas and yawned in the aftermath. Gumball went up and slammed the clock. The once-young schoolmates of Elmore have now reached college, a time of new beginnings and opportunities.
Gumball has now grown into a tall young adult with added muscles in certain parts of his body, and his once unruly hair has grown into four extends. His tail has lengthened considerably compared to when he was a small child. Darwin has also grown too. But not as tall as his stepbrother, and he now has longer legs. The goldfish transitioned into an older version of himself. His fin has grown considerably, and he looks like a young adult in his physical appearance.
Aiming to prepare for school, both brothers left their sanctuary and prepared themselves for a new day.
As the boys head to the bathroom, another door opens from the hallway, revealing a pink bunny in a Daisy The Donkey pajamas.
Anais wakes up from sleep with the famous Daisy Donkey doll. Anais has grown up to be taller and slender than her siblings. Her figure has grown to be average-sized with not too expansive breasts and butt, yet enough of a feminine frame to carry off her distinct style. She stands a bit taller than Darwin and shorter than Gumball, and her ears have grown slightly longer and more pointed.
She's adopting a personal style that's unique and true to her personality, and she enjoys the extra space that the extra inches in height give her. Nicole and Richard were already preparing for the morning in the main bedroom. As Nicole and Richard grew older, they remained as they were in their younger years.
The two had known each other through thick and thin and had experienced life's greatest joys and saddest moments together. Nearby, the two are pictures of their years growing up together, filled with both laughter and tears; their wedding day, surrounded by family and celebration; there is another picture of them with their family smiling, showing the love and harmony of a family that has grown in years; and a solemn photo of their parents' funeral, taken when the elder couples passed on.
While Richard struggled with his outfit for a moment, the mother cat managed to set up shop for her business. As the whole family settled down that day, the brothers decided to use forks to add creativity to their breakfast ingredients, and their parents laughed at their children's silliness.
After the family ate their meals, Gumball wore a stylish, oversized cream sweater featuring a playful paw print. They paired it with high-waisted black skinny jeans that have trendy distressed detailing. Classic white canvas sneakers completed the chic look, ensuring comfort throughout the day. Behind the jacket is a rainbow icon attached to the back.
Darwin wore a fitted, aquatic-themed tank top featuring colorful marine life and bubbles, paired with lightweight navy blue jogger pants that taper at the ankles for added comfort. He completed the outfit with stylish slip-on green water shoes that offer grip and flair, making them perfect for navigating around campus. A playful fish-shaped backpack carried his essentials, while an adjustable cap adorned with a fishhook design added a sporty touch. Another thing attached to it is a white skull with a bow.
Lastly, Anais wore an orange long-sleeved shirt with gray shoulder pads on her neck. She wore a gray jacket, a long dark blue skirt, and crimson leggings. She found some pads nearby and placed them over her closed eyes. After a moment, she put the pads away and took out a mini mirror. Looking into it, she noticed that she had eyeshadow on.
Nicole and Richard kissed each other, and the youths gave Richard cautious hugs in case a particular event ever happened again. Afterward, Nicole exited the house and placed her belongings in the car. Using her keys, she opened the back hatch.
"Okay, kids! Bring the projects in here!" She shouted as she witnessed Gumball, Anais, and Darwin bring in their covered-up materials. Once the children placed the work into the trunk and sat in the car, the siblings noticed police cars dashing beside them, with their alarms blaring in the streets.
"Hmm... I wonder what's that about," Darwin said, raising an eyebrow.
"Who knows?" Gumball answered by rolling his eyes and placing his backpack as Nicole started the car. "Let's start the day once by heading to the center of migraines."
"What's wrong? Are you upset with today's Science Expo?" Anais asked, raising her brow.
"Yes, that's the same day I'm supposed to set up a special date with Penny later," The cat objected, his pupils contracting and fangs sharpening before returning to normal. "Still, our teacher mentioned it and jabbed it in my face previously. Well, the weekend is approaching, so I believe I need to adjust my timetable."
"Perhaps it has to do with all of our problems at school. I overheard Ms. Simian may employ bodyguards to keep an eye on us. You, especially. But do not worry. After the event, we'll have time for our girlfriends," Darwin said while the siblings sat in the backseat and pointed his finger at Gumball before putting it downward.
"Yeah. It was challenging to set up with my father's assistance, but I hoped it was worthwhile," the young cat said as he tapped his fingers and spoke to Penny on the phone.
"And me too, considering I helped you out the most since neither of you got some research done and played games together." The rabbit complained furiously to her brother. "Needless to say, I got an overview apart from that, so you own me."
"Hehehe, right," the blue cat remarked, wiping sweat from his brow as he remembered spending father-son time with Richard. A spark erupted from within the feline's skull as his father and the latter sat on the couch, the joysticks moving quickly. Unbeknownst to us, Anais emerged and growled quietly from upstairs. Finally, the flash returned to the present day.
As the Wattersons drove along the street, Richard held down the fort. Nicole found a traffic block in front of the automobile and assisted the cars in turning around, with a few police officers in the front. The mother cat halted and sighed heavily from the onslaught in the middle of the road.
"Oh my goodness, this is gonna make me late," Nicole muttered as the Hamburger and Dog Cops directed the automobiles to their respective spots. Suddenly, the Wattersons spotted a familiar ghost in the distance, holding fliers. Both Gumball and Darwin peeked through the glass to improve their visibility.
As the automobile approached the crossroads, the lads observed Vladus Lokowitchki discussing with Donut and Coffee Cops. Both Soda and French Fry Cops finished covering Carrie's house doors with barrier tape. Mike, the Microphone Guy, and Ken were near the odd incident, relaying the news to Elmore as other investigators with Dog Cop gathered evidence.
Most people in the area took photographs of the action, prompting the Dog and Hamburger to blow their whistles to get them to pay attention to the road. With both of them watching from a distance, both siblings' eyes widen in surprise at the revelation, especially Darwin. The tragedy made him nervous and sweating as he wondered what had happened to his girlfriend. His eyes contracted and grapeseed the pulley downward. Nicole became annoyed as she turned around and spotted her boys peering through the window.
"Hey! Both of you return to your seats! We are about to pull up!"
"Mom, you might want to see this before you go," Anais said after observing the incident.
"What?" The motherly cat asked as she observed what the duo noticed in the event. Once she looked to her right, Nicole became appalled as she witnessed the situation on the street. The feline watched as the event caught much attention, which she figured was why the traffic jam occurred. Abruptly, the goldfish strives to exit the windowpane and collapse to the ground. He rose from the floor and jolted forward to the event, commencing to run towards the happening. As he rushed to the scene, his heart began to throb. He reached out his arms and shoved a selection of people out of the way as if they were bamboo. Sweat rolled down his skull as his arms and legs went back and forth. A rampant thought came across the fish's head as the latter struggled to reach for the area.
'Please be okay! Please be okay!'
"DARWIN!" Gumball screamed as he began to eject himself from the seat and open the car door, slamming it behind him as he followed his stepbrother's pursuit.
"Hold on, Mom! I'll get them!" Anais spoke as she left her seat, following the trail her brothers had left behind. Distraught that all her kids were out of the car and looking at her watch, Nicole grudgingly parked her car in a nearby parking space and halted the car's engine. Shutting the door behind her, the workaholic started chasing after her children.
"Officers, I am worried sick! I have not seen my kid since last night! And the imbecile who created it is nowhere to be seen!" Vladus spoke to the cops while placing his hands on his head and moving it left and right once sweat dripped from his brow.
"Calm down, sir." Coffee Cop reacted in writing. "We will do whatever it takes to find your child."
"Alright, Mr. Lokowitchki. What does this crook look like, and what are his motivations?" Donut Cop inquired, pulling out his notepad for writing.
"Well, from what I know, this figure has a cloak that helps it blend in the dark, and it doesn't look like the fellow undead I encounter." The ghost described the individual while scratching his head. "The criminal broke into my house and stole our belongings. It also has this odd fungus I don't identify, and my sweetheart got consumed by it before it vanished."
"Oh, dear." Coffee Cop sighed in distress, comforting the phantom once she placed the document down. "That must've been horrible."
"MR. LOKOWITCHKI!" A little voice called his name, and the ghost and cops turned to see who yelled it. They spotted Darwin approaching them at tremendous speed, with the others behind him, prompting the cops to put their palms in front of the baby fish. Darwin's legs froze, and his feet dragged over the floor. Dirt flew over his shoes, and a little smoke emanated from his feet. His pupils shrank when he lifted his head to face the officers.
"HALT!" Coffee Cup shouted to the aquatic stepbrother. "Do not cross this area! It's off-limits!"
"Never mind that! What's happened to my girlfriend?!" Darwin shouted in concern as he waved his arms up and down frantically.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, kid!" Donut Cop said as he knelt his left leg to his level and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Before you know it, you could've passed this tape and flung yourself into that massive gunk on the ground."
"Okay." Darwin sighed as the fish curved downward and placed his fins on his knees as he inhaled and exhaled. He raised his head and moved it towards Carrie's father. The father put his hand on his shoulder.
"Mr. Lokowitchski, what happened to her?"
"She faced a dire fate because of what I collected," Vladus replied.
As the two looked down, footsteps and panting came closer, and they turned their heads to see who triggered it. They saw Gumball reaching for the two as sweat and clothing strings attached to his claws.
"Finally, I managed to catch up with you! And hello, Vladus, Donut, and Coffee. What's going on?" The young cat asked as he wiped his claws, and the strings fell
"Carrie disappeared, and I couldn't find her whereabouts," The phantom replied to the feline.
"Oh, man. I'm sorry for your loss," Gumball answered when his ears fell.
"But that's not the only thing. According to what this ghost is saying, a criminal is on the run, charged with burglary and abuse of an innocent victim. After we clean out, we'll discover the ghost and the offender." Donut Cop ended. Vladus gazed down in shame, ashamed by what the cop had done to his daughter. The youngsters screamed in terror when they heard what the sheriff said.
A sensation grew within the fish, and Darwin felt his heart torn and tears slowly dripping from his eyes. Gumball, who felt sad for his brother, patted his back with a smile. Hearing the sobbing, Vladus opened his eyes and turned his head to the right. He let out a sorrowful sigh as he drifted to the aquatic mammal, placing his hand on his back.
"Don't worry, Darwin. We'll find her eventually." The feline responded.
As Darwin wiped his face, Gumball felt his ears start moving and heard something strange. 'What was that?'
He looked at the area and found it oozing onto the ground. When the cat observed, Gumball noticed that it was shining brightly nearby. In the aftermath, a striking chill crawled onto his fur, as if he felt some familiarity with it. These experiences disturbed him. The lighting probably cramped his eyes a little. Before further questioning the mysterious slime, he heard his sister's footsteps come behind him.
"Guys! We need to get back in the car! And Mom isn't happy with what you did!" Anais shouted that she came to the scene and reached her arms to her brothers.
"Uh oh." The cat and the fish talked together as they witnessed their mother fuming in the background with desperation and rage in her eyes.
"Dude, I think we just made Mom late, especially because of what you did," Gumball shouted in horror.
"No kidding." Darwin agreed.
"Farewell, children. "Enjoy the rest of the day until we meet again for Carrie," Vladus said when he lifted his hand and hovered with the police. Afterward, the Watterson brothers widened their eyes and raised their eyebrows. Each sibling's limbs instantly shivered as they began to come up with a good excuse for why they had dangerously left the car and raced towards a dangerous place.
Unbeknownst to the Watterson family, a mysterious figure emerged from the shadows in an unknown location and watched them before heading to their house.
And that's the end of this chapter! Consider this as my welcoming chapter after a previous blowout.