VB Fragmented

Vanilla Bubblegum

Vanilla Bubblegum stepped out of the plane and looked over at the Munich skyline. Snow fell over the mountains in the distance and people dashed around the city going about their day.
"Perfect," she said, "I'm here..."
It was almost time for Eurosong, and the whole of Munich remembered the events that happened one year ago, when Arno Hello tried to win Eurosong using wicked deeds. Vanilla was here to watch Eurosong, but also here for a much deeper purpose. At that moment a purple cat jumped out besides her.
"Flaming cargo holds!" the cat purred angrily.
"It'll be ok," Vanilla said, "We won't have to travel back by... 'aeroplane'... we just needed to do that to give a semblance of normalness to our journey."
"Thank goodness for that!" the cat said.
"Yes, we can teleport back. Now to get started with our... 'mission'... here. There's somewhere we must go first."
"Ah yes," the cat replied, "We must start to use the magic."
---
Vanilla stood over the grave in the pet cemetary. The purple cat standing beside her purred.
"Not long now Heinz," Vanilla said, "First we must bring back Lou."
Vanilla then knelt down by the stone, moving aside the many flowers that had been left their by Lou's distraught owner, Linda.
"Well then, little doggy," Vanilla said, "Time for you to come back."
Suddenly, a light cast over the dog's gravestone and when it disappeared, the pink poodle Lou was standing on the ground beside Vanilla. Lou barked.
"I've got to fix Arno's mistakes if we are ever to continue Eurosong," Vanilla smiled, petting Lou, but Lou snarled and turned away.
"Not too happy, huh? Oh well, maybe you'll cheer up once I give you back to Linda..."
Lou jumped up and yapped at the sound of it's owners name.
"Brilliant," Vanilla smiled, "Come on then Lou, follow me..."
And so Vanilla, the pink poodle and the purple cat all walked off down the road, ready to reunite Lou with it's owner.
---
"Oh, oh! My dog! Thank you, thank you! How did you bring him back, that nasty man had him assassinated! How did you-"
But it was too late, Vanilla and Heinz had already walked off, leaving Lou and his owner standing there by the door of their house, all alone.
---
"You sure this is a good idea?" Heinz asked.
"Of course it is," Vanilla smiled, "You know how much the Irreplaceable Boys were loved all over Germany."
And so, they too were brought back.
"Are you sure that this isn't an abuse of your powers?" Heinz asked.
"Abuse? Ha, I can't abuse my powers, I can do whatever I want!"
"Yes, well, there is also the question of how we're going to explain this to everyone... once they find out."
"No explanation's neccessary," Vanilla said, "They'll never figure it out, anyway."
---
Arno Hello was sitting in his cell, looking at the dark gray wall. He'd been in jail ever since his attack on the Eurosong. His attack on Eurosong had shocked the whole nation, and Germany had vowed not to let anything like it happen ever again. Suddenly, the door to the jail cell swung open.
"Huh?" Arno said. The girl stood there. Vanilla.
"I'm under orders," Vanilla smiled, "And my father orders your release."
"Your... father? Hmmm..." Arno said, "Eh, whatever. This is excellent, I'm off!"
And with that Arno Hello ran off into the Bavarian Night. Vanilla stepped outside of the jail and stood on a grassy hill. Heinz ran over to her.
"It's perfect Heinz," Vanilla smiled, "Phase One is almost complete."
"I just hope you know what you're doing..." Heinz said.
---
The news the next day was full of these strange events. The resurrections, Arno Hello's escape. Derrick was annoyed as he looked down at the newspaper.
"Harry, have you ever heard such nonsense? Apparently Lou has returned to his owner despite being brought back by Arno Hel... Hello?! Oh no! Arno Hello has escaped from jail!!!"
"What?!" Harry yelled, "Oh no!"
---
Harry and Derrick were standing on a street corner. They were both upset at all the strange things happening. First Munich was a crime-free zone, and now, Arno Hello had escaped from jail and all sorts of weird things were going on. Just then, Derrick saw Vanilla and Heinz in the distance.
"Well, just look at that suspicious character over there," said Derrick, pointing over at the distance to a young girl dressed all in blue, except for her hat which was shaped like an ice cream cone. Beside her was a purple cat.
"Oh yes, she appeared a while ago," Harry said, "Been the talk of the town, that one. She's real nuts, apparently."
"Hmm..." Derrick said, "So you'd say she appeared before all these strange things started happening..."
"Well," Harry said, "You could say that. From what I heard, she arrived here and the strange things started happening immediately! Almost as  if she brought her strangeness with her and is now spreading it around Munich."
Vanilla and Heinz walked over to Harry and Derrick.
"'Ello there," Vanilla said, "Name's Vanilla Bubblegum, this is my cat Heinz, and you are?"
"I'm Harry," Harry said, "Harry Klein."
"And I'm Derrick," Derrick said suspiciously, "Stephan Derrick. And exactly what are you doing here?"
"I'm just here to watch Eurosong," Vanilla replied.
"Oh, you're here for more than that," Derrick replied crossly, "I can tell."
"Don't be so rude Derrick," said Harry, "I'm sure she isn't up to anything too suspicious..."
"Is that so Harry?" Derrick said, "All I know is that as soon as this woman showed up here, Arno Hello escaped from jail and all these stupid impossible things started happening."
"Well, I assure you that I have nothing to do with that," Vanilla smiled, "Now excuse me. Good day."
And with that Vanilla walked away.
"I know she's up to something Harry," Derrick said, "I just need time so that I can find out what..."
"What kind of name is Vanilla Bubblegum anyway?" Harry asked, watching as Vanilla walked off into the distance.
"A fake name Harry, it definitely sounds fake to me."
"Well... she seemed nice."
"No, she's annoying, Harry.  You just make excuses for every girl you meet. That's why you fell for Arno Hello's trap and believed he was really Tina when the truth was obvious for all to see. You need to start thinking with your brain and not with your heart Harry."
"Ouch."
"I know you can be a good detective but there's a reason you're not at the top."
Just then, Tina walked over to them.
"Tina!" Harry said.
"Hey guys," Tina smiled.
"Hello Tina," Derrick said.
"Jeez, have you guys seen the new girl?" Tina asked, "So annoying, lording it up over everyone."
"Oh, believe me," Derrick said, "We've both had the displeasure of meeting 'Vanilla Bubblegum'."
"Tell me about it," Tina said, "But that's not all... have you heard about the resurrections?"
"Yup," Derrick said, "And I don't believe it for one minute."
"Resurrections?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Tina said, "It's all came from nowhere! Lou has reappeared... and so have the Irreplaceable Boys, and the Really Irreplaceable Boys! We don't know what to say!"
"Nonsense," Derrick said, "It's not possible. It's a trickery, I'm sure of it. There has to be another explanation."
"You should come and see for yourself!" Tina said, "It's happened, it's really happened!"
"Don't be ridiculous," Derrick said, "We all saw what happened with our own eyes! The Eurosong contestants... they were gone... we all saw it."
"Oh, you believe me, don't you Harry?"
"Y...yes! Of course I do Tina!" Harry smiled.
---
Later on, Derrick and Harry were sitting in their office, thinking about all the strange things that had happened that day.
"It's her..." Derrick said, leaning back on his chair, "It's her Harry."
"I'm sorry what?"
"It's her... she's the one causing all this."
"Nonsense, you said it yourself, she's just an annoying girl," Harry smiled, turning back to the kettle and making himself a cup of tea.
"Then why do we both know who I'm talking about?" Derrick said, "I've just got a feeling. A feeling that makes it clear to me who is behind all of this."
"Well, what about Arno Hello?" Harry asked, "What if he escaped from jail and then made all of these things happen afterwards?"
"Circumstantial evidence, Harry. It would be too much of a coincidence. Besides, Lou and the Irreplaceable Boys both reappeared before Arno escaped from jail..."
"Well, I think we should wait for some real evidence before we start making these accusations."
"Yes, of course! We need to find proof first, then we'll arrest the culprits and recapture Arno Hello! Arno Hello's escape... the resurrections... I have a feeling that both of these events are linked somehow. And it all comes back to Vanilla Bubblegum."
---
Vanilla and Heinz stood alone in a nearby forest, overlooking the Bavarian city.
"People are going to wonder, you know, Vanilla. When that girl showed up with her purple cat, that's when the strange things started happening. They'll make a connection."
"Nah Heinz, people here are too stupid to figure out what we're up to."
"I see. Well, I just hope you're right, Vanilla."
---
"I've ran the checks Derrick," said Harry, "This new girl, 'Vanilla Bubblegum', no records of her exist on any of our systems. Isn't that strange?"
"No, not at all Harry," Derrick smiled, "It's exactly what I suspected."
Just then, Elfriede Mitzenheim and her troop of news reporters came into the room.
"So Derrick, what do you think about the resurrections?" Elfriede said, waving a camera at Derrick, "Does our number one inspector have any clues?"
"No, I do not and even if I did, the case is classified. Now please go away."
"How very dare you," Elfriede said, "After the way you treated me last time I think that we should be the first to know!"
"She has a point, you know," Harry said.
"This is ridiculous!" Derrick said, "I don't have to tell anything to anyone."
"Yes you do!" Elfriede yelled, "You owe me one."
"She has a poi-"
"Alright alright," Derrick said, "We have a chief suspect in these mysterious cases. Two chief suspects... in fact. The first suspect is of course, Arno Hello. The second suspect is a mysterious girl who goes by the name of Vanilla Bubblegum."
Elfriede jumped up in delight.
"Excellent!" she said, "Most excellent! Thank you!"
She then ran out of the room, seeming happy enough with her scoop.
---
"I just don't get it..." Arno said, "The girl who released me has been revealed as another suspect and people are saying that she has powers..."
"I can't find out what her powers are, sir," Dr Zark said, "It's a strange one... but I definitely feel something..."
"You're saying that...?"
"I'm saying that she definitely has some sort of power. I just can't figure out what."
---
"Harry, get the car," Derrick said.
"What? Why?"
"Because we're going to pay a little visit to Arno's Mansion..."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you? You were always bored with the 0% crime rate."
"Yes and no, I'm only here to assure that the 0% crime rate stays that way. With Arno on the loose with that crazy girl, who knows what might happen. Look at the levels he stooped to just to try to win the Euro Song Contest... imagine what else he could do."
"You're right Derrick, come on, let's go."
---
Standing outside of the mansion, Harry tried to peer through the windows.
"Let's just kick the door down," Derrick said, "Well Harry, what are you waiting for?"
Harry kicked at the door with great difficulty, but it eventually opened.
"Give yourself up Arno!" Harry yelled as the two of them walked into the mansion to find Arno Hello and Frau Schmutz standing there.
"Arno Hello," Derrick said, "You're under arrest once again!"
Suddenly, Vanilla appeared in front of them in a flash of bright light. They all stood there in shock at the figure who had teleported into the room with them. At the moment, the purple cat too teleported into the room.
"You!" Arno yelled, "Tell me the source of your powers!"
"My powers are none of your business..." she smiled.
"None of your business," the cat repeated.
"Yeah, otherwise you end up like Heinz here," Vanilla said, petting the purple cat sitting beside her.
"Meow, it's true."
"Heinz was a schlager singer just like you Arno, but when he wasn't picked for Germany's first Eurovision Song Contest he flew over to Switzerland to try and cancel the contest by blaming the entrants for a bank robbery. Anyway, he was caught and my father decided to punish him by turning him into a cat."
"Cool," Arno said.
"Cool?!" Heinz meowed, "Are you outta your mind? You try being in the cargo hold, see how you like it!"
"What, you don't want to be a cat do you?" Vanilla said.
"Course I do, who wouldn't want to be a magical talking cat?" Arno said defiantly.
"Think about it, my son," said Frau Schmutz, "Who would want to listen to a cat?"
"I can tell you from experience that no one buys a cats' records," said Heinz, "And that no one takes you seriously!"
"Ahahahahahaha," Frau Schmutz laughed, "What's the silly cat saying now?"
"How dare you!" Heinz said.
"Mother, be polite," Arno said, "Now then, tell me how to become a magical cat like you..."
"I could do it, but that's not why I've been sent here," Vanilla replied, "You see, my father knew your mother."
"What?" Arno said, "Who is your father?!"
"The one and only Glitz Firecracker, of course," Vanilla smiled, "Frau Schmutz, I assume you remember him."
"Ach, Glitz," Schmutz sighed, "Yes, yes, I remember him, very clearly.
"Glitz?" Arno asked.
"Glitz was not supposed to be reckless here... it was quite... unfortunate... that he was," Vanilla continued, "You probably know him better as 'Glitzy Firecracker' or.. the Fire Magi."
"Wait... the Fire Magi?" Arno yelled, "But that's just a legend! That wasn't real... was it?"
"It was real, my friend," Vanilla said, "And now my father has asked me to bestow upon you the powers of a real Firecracker."
"Alright, sweet!" Arno said.
"Are you sure that's wise?" said Frau Schmutz.
"Of course it's wise, shut up mom!" Arno said, "Now, give me those powers! Gimme gimme gimme!"
"I'm not sure you are ready," Vanilla replied, "Not yet, anyway."
"Ah but Vanilla you remember what Glitz said," Heinz purred, "We gotta do what he said."
"Now, now listen to me," Derrick said, worried, "Do not do it. I don't know what you are, I don't know what you can do, but don't do it."
"I've got to do what Glitzy asks," Vanilla smiled, as Arno Hello glowed a bright light and then...
"No," Derrick said, "You didn't do it... tell me you didn't."
"I did,"
"Idiot girl!" Derrick yelled, "He was a dangerous madman before without any powers! What do you think he'll be like with them?!"
"Uh, what my friend Stephan is trying to say is," Harry said, "It would be a really bad idea to give Arno Hello any powers. Please reconsider."
"I can see that," Vanilla replied, "However, I am under orders from Glitzy Firecracker, who is also Arno Hello's real father. Anyway I can't reconsider. He already has the powers."
"What?!" Derrick said, "Firecracker doesn't exist! That's just a myth! And even if he did, then why would his son be such a talentless scheming toe-rag as Arno Hello?"
"It's complicated," Vanilla admitted, "But, that is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
Arno Hello then began to float in the air, before landing back down to the ground. He was getting far too used to his powers. Suddenly, Arno Hello ran out of the building and faced the Munich skyline. The others followed him onto the busy city street.
"Ahahahaha!" Arno laughed as he tossed a lazer beam at a building.
"No!!!" Derrick yelled, "No! Stop it! Vanilla! Make him stop it!"
"Stop it!" Vanilla yelled, flying out in front of the lazer beams and absorbing them, "Stop it right now!"
At that moment, a flash of blue light flooded the area. And when it faded, there, was the Fire Magi. Glitz Firecracker. The stuff of legend. They all stood still, looking up at the Fire Magi.
"Oh Vanilla," Glitz said, "Tsk, tsk. Why on Earth did you give him those powers?"
"You told me to give him those powers!" Vanilla said.
"I was trying to teach you  a lesson, Vanilla!" said Glitz, "The lesson being, don't always do what I tell you to! And now you have..."
"You magical creatures are sick," Derrick yelled, "How dare you try to teach your loopy daughter a lesson at the expense of the safety of OUR CITY!"
"Well, what can I say?" Glitz smirked evilly, "I can do what I please, I own all of you... ah Frau Schmutz! I assume you remember me!"
"Why yes," she blushed.
"Well, no more powers for you, Arno Hello, my son," Glitz laughed as he began to remove all of Arno's new powers. They all stood there admiring the two gods as a bright light encased Arno and he slowly began to lose all his powers.
"Well then," Derrick smiled, "Looks like it's back to jail for you."
"No!!!" Arno yelled, "Curses!"
---
"So," Derrick said as Arno was put into a police car by some other police officers, "What exactly was the point of this again?"
Glitz and Vanilla were still standing there, not caring if other people saw them.
"This is between me and Vanilla," Glitz said, "So butt out!"
"What's between me and you?" Vanilla asked.
"Vanilla, I made this entire world for you," Glitz said, "This whole world just for you. I already had my own planet... it's a little like this one, I'll show you sometime... for now, I'm leaving you in charge of this place. I see you have grown up a lot today. This has shown me so much. Goodbye, Vanilla."
"I'll see you then," Vanilla said.
"Yes, see you soon. For now, goodbye, my darling."
"Goodbye."
---
It was now two months later. Derrick and Harry were sitting on their chairs, wondering what to do with all the free time they had now that the crime rate had dropped to zero. At that moment, the door opened, and Vanilla and her cat Heinz walked into the room.
"Wonderful," Derrick said sarcastically, "You're still here."
"Derrick be polite," Harry said.




The Time Detectives



"Well," Vanilla explained, "Since the past is in the past, your adventures in the past have all already technically happened. You just don't know it yet. So no Harry, you can't change anything in the past, because the past is past."