Starting New: Returning Home

Chapter 1: Ageless Fun

[For the best experience and immersion, please listen to the music above as you read along]

So long has passed. How long exactly, was unclear. It felt like an eternity, but frankly that didn't matter. Not here, not ever. So much has changed too. The entire town they had resided in was not the same as it used to be; Especially their block...the street block of Mr. and Mrs. Watterson...

Gumball woke up with a mighty yawn. As he finished stretching his body, he then wiped his eyes before looking over to the opposite side of the bed.

'Empty. I guess she's up already...'

He then got out of bed and made his way downstairs for breakfast. As he waddled his sleepy body into the kitchen, he made himself some toast, as usual, along with pouring himself a glass of orange juice. As he sat down and ate his breakfast, he couldn't help but feel happy. He had checked their garden crops yesterday and knew they would be ready any day now. The "Mighty Food Fest" Games would soon begin, and oh how READY HE WAS!

Hopefully this weather holds up for when we need to pick everything...' He thought as he finished his toast and drank the last bit of his orange juice.

With that, he cleaned his plate and cup before deciding to go look for his lovely wife.

His...Wife...

Oh how he loved thinking that...even after all these years...

As Gumball went upstairs, he entered his room and pulled out a make-shift walky talkie.

*Beep* "This is Papa Bird to Mama bird. Are you there? Over." *Beep*

No reply.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

"Shucks." He said to himself before looking out his window and across the street.

'Maybe she's busy in there...'

He then got a brilliant idea...

"Nothing like the element of surprise every now and then~"

With that, he opened his window, and grabbed a pulley wheel attached to handles. He placed it outside and above the window and onto a metal cable. He looked down the line and saw the other connection right about the window on the opposite house. He smiled a bit. He was excited to build this zipline connection with his wife a while back. They always had fun going on it. And still do.

He stepped out onto the edge before holding on tight and going down the line. The wheel made a small noise as he zipped across. He finally slowed himself down enough and placed his feet on the other house's window ledge, coming to a full stop. He then slowly opened the window before carefully climbing in. As he placed his zip line wheel off to the side and closed the window gently, he made his way out of the room and into the hallway, facing the opposite door in front of him. Taking a small but deep breath, he knocked on it.

"Come in~" A lovely and cheerful voice called out to him.

Opening the door, he stepped in.

There, sitting in a chair by the corner of the empty room and next to the window, sat his wife; and she was painting a picture on an easel.

Nicole Watterson...

His dearly beloved...

"I see you decided to start painting again." Gumball noted as he made his way over to her.

"I have started again indeed; and I think it's coming along quite nicely...don't you think?"

Gumball took a closer look by her side. It was a lovely landscape made of various shades of green, scattered browns and deep blue skies with white, fluffy clouds that came out nicely in his eyes.