Second Part! Took me longer than I thought, and it's a bit long, but I planned for only three chapters to this deal ^^; Quick warning, cause I know a lot of peeps can get pretty freaked out by spiders, there is a monster in this one, but I bolded the section, so you can skip it if you want and come back later :)
Gravity Falls and characters belongs to Alex Hirsch, the GraviTeam, and Disney XD
They soon came across more tiny animals. A pack of very small deer and a bear, no bigger than one's thumb.
"My goodness..." Stanford whispered, his eyes looking upwards. The other two men followed his gaze, and jumped at bit, when they saw it.
An eagle, as big as the Pines' car, was perched on a tree. It's talons could easily wrap around their middles. It studied them like it would have a barn mouse, which was more than unsettling. They kept on their way, with one of the trio more alert to the moment the Eagle decided they were mice, but they passed from it's sight before it could make that decision.
"Look." Stanley pointed ahead. Lights, blue and pink, could be seen through the bushes. Keeping on, over a dip in the ground, they emerged from the brush.
And there they saw crystals. Many of them.
The largest one stood up from a mound, like a grown tree. Surrounding it were several more, buried and peeking out from the ground. The mound was located in the middle of an opening between the trees, where the sun hit the largest crystal perfectly, causing rays of pink and blue to shine from it's sides.
Perhaps it was heightened senses from experience, but the trio had a feeling it wouldn't be a good idea to fall into either beams of light. Not yet at least.
Stanford slid the backpack off his shoulders, "Ya leave the journal at home?" He asked his brother, while opening the pack.
"Yeah, why?"
"I need some scrap paper." He found an old dog-eared notepad inside and asked if it was important. Ripping out a page when Stanley said it wasn't, he then folded it into an airplane, aimed and threw it where the two lights crossed by each other.
As the plane soared into the blue rays of light it grew, fast, and ten times it's size. Into the pink, and it shrunk just as quickly, until the trio could just make out a small thing the size of a fly. Then it sailed on, and disappeared.
"Sweet Moses." Stanley muttered, causing two peppermints to fall from his mouth, "These crystals have size altering properties!"
"It's incredible." Fiddleford took a photo, and looked at the mound, "There's so many of them."
"Now we know where the squirrels came from."
"And," Stanford said slowly, "What happened to the townspeople."
The missing townspeople. The horror of what might have happened to Bruce Speers hit them all at once. His cap had gotten as big as a station wagon, surely that meant he had grown with it...didn't it?
"Oh no..." Fiddleford worried.
Stanley was already looking at the bottoms of his shoes.
"Don't let your Mom-powers get ya all spooked." Stanford teased, though his heart was beginning to pound at the thought, "Look, if the kid did shrink...he probably just camped out under one of those mushrooms over there. And if he grew, he's probably in a cave or something."
"That wouldn't explain why his cap was found a few miles from here." Stanley bent down near the mound, careful to not fall into one of the lights.
"Eh, we can worry about that later. And look on the bright side, Nerd," Stanford slapped the shorter man's back, "Now you can finally know what it's like to be tall."
Stanley brushed some dirt away from a crystal lodged into the earth and pulled it out. As big as his index finger, and carefully held it away from the sunlight.
"Okay then," He looked at the thing, "Whelp. Stanford stand over there, I'll shrink you down to..." He bit his lips, "mmm, Fiddleford's height."
"What?!" His brother jumped, as Fiddleford grinned, "Why test it on me? What about Fiddlesticks, like I said, he can be tall now!"
As he asked this Stanley had caught some sunlight on the crystal and shined the pink rays onto his brother. Within the blink of an eye, Stanford found himself at eye level with the shorter man.
The backpack had maintained it's size, and pulled it's wearer backwards with an "Oofmpf!" He stayed like a turtle turned on it's shell for a moment, before slipping his arms out of the straps and getting up.
"How do you feel?"
"Short."
"I'd be lying if I said it's not nice for someone to look me in the eye without bending down." Fiddleford admitted, "Or lifting me up by my shirt collar." The latter half directed specifically towards the now smaller Pines.
"Goodness gracious, Fids!" Stan exclaimed after looking around for a moment, "You're so tiny. Stanley looks like a giant, and I'm taller than him by an inch, and Gina's got two or three on me, so...wow." He looked at his brother, "Stan, this is so weird."
"Yeah, you look weird too." Stanley titled his head. He turned the crystal onto its other side and returned Stanford to his normal height, "Okay Fiddleford, your turn."
"I'd rather not." He held his hands up, stepping back, "I'm fine how I am."
"Come on, don't you want to be taller than Stanford?"
"No. I really don't." He stressed with a shudder, "We should be looking for Bruce. I agree with Stanford, if he shrinked he's nearby."
"Suit yourself." The taller scientist shrugged, "But you're right, poor kid is probably scared to death." He looked back to his brother who was picking up the backpack, "Stan, bust out the rope and get ready."
"Uh," The usually most enthusiastic member of the group hesitated, and stared at both men. His lips parted and he asked, "Why me?"
"Don't tell me you're scared."
"No." His eyes shifted. Stanley though he looked like he wanted to tell him something.
"What then?"
"Well," Stanford looked at him for a moment, his lips in a thin line, his eyes set on his brother. Like he was trying to communicate with the special twin-telepathy that people thought twins had.
"Stan, what?"
"Well, why do I have to go alone?" He said finally, with a small sigh and looking to the side, "Why can't we just tie some rope around a tree and all three of us shrink down?"
"Because with someone holding the rope, the explorer can move more freely than if it was tied around a tree."
"So why can't two of us go and look for the kid?"
"Cause I don't feel like it." Stanley chuckled. He stopped when he saw his twin's expression. Stan's face reminded him of when their collie, Princess, died when they were twelve.
He sighed.
"O-kay, we'll both shrink down." He gave the crystal shard to Fiddleford. "Big baby." He muttered under his breath.
Stanford either didn't hear the light jab or didn't mind. He looked more relaxed now that Stanley agreed to go with him. Besides he knew he would have joined Stanford eventually. He couldn't miss out on this.
They tied one end of the rope around Stanford's waist, and Fiddleford held the other end. He told them to give a tug if they wanted to grow back to size, and two if they needed him to pull them out of something.
"Ready?"
"Ready!" The Pines men responded in unison, and high-sixed as a pink ray pf light from the crystal covered them.
The world grew, fast, and when it was over they could look up to Fiddleford, who was now like one of Gulliver's giants. The rope had turned into string, and they could rest their arms on the tip of their friend's shoe.
"Amazing." Stanley looked up to the sky, where the trees where now impossibly big and tall, "This is incredible."
"I wonder how these crystals came to be?" Stanford set his foot on a pebble.
"That's like asking how the squash we found last month came to be." Stanley answered. He gestured to the mushrooms some feet away with, "Come on."
There was a pack of deer lounging under the fungi that scattered when they saw the newcomers.
'Like Alice in wonderland.' Both men thought at they walked closer. One of them half expected the Caterpillar to be waiting for them.
The boy wasn't there, or any sign of him. Still, assuming he had become a miniature, he couldn't be too far away.
Fiddleford was holding tightly to the life-line, and moving accordingly. He didn't try to speak to the twins, figuring his voice would sound much different in their current state. Probably louder. He also doubted he'd be able to hear them from their place below.
"Bruce!" Stanford cupped his hands around his mouth. "Bruce Speers! We're from the town!"
"We're here to take you home! Bruce!"
No answer. A bit closer to the mound, mindful to stay clear from either effects of the crystals, they walked. Pushing grass over, moving tiny rocks out of their way. They called a few more times, but there was still no answer from the child.
"How do you think his hat ended up a few miles from here?" Stanley asked, after they had been searching for some time.
"That's really botherin' you isn't it, Piondexter?" Stanford accused, "I don't know, you saw those lights, they were all criss-crossin'."
He waved his hands dismissively, as though that was a good enough answer. He didn't expand on what he meant by that, but Stanley didn't ask anymore. Deciding to put the question on the back burner, for now.
"I don't think we're making any progress."
Stanley sighed, "We could try a bit further from the crystals, into the forest." And if they still saw no sign of the boy then they'd have to decided on another plan of action.
He thought of the the caves. Stanford was right, they probably were another good lead. That is if Bruce had grown and somehow found them without causing too much ruckus for his parents to hear his giant footsteps.
'Then again that would probably depend on how big he grew.' Stanley thought, lifting up a stray penny.
Just as he was about to tell his companion to tug on the rope, and let the Giant know that they wished to be returned to normal size, when Fiddleford called down to them.
The first time since they had began the search,"Uh, boys..."
"What is it?"
"I doubt he can hear you, Lee."
That was true enough. But it didn't keep the scientist from telling them that the eagle from before was back, and eyeing him. Hungrily.
"Just stay still!"
"Lee, he can't hear you!"
"What do we do then?!"
There wasn't time to do anything. The eagle dived, talons open, ready to snatch it's prey.
Of whom had dropped the rope and began to run on instinct. But the predator was fast, and use to larger meals. Taking him by the back of his jacket, the Pines could hear him scream as he was carried off.
"This way!" Stanford pulled on his brother, and began running towards the lights. Into the blue and they were back to normal size. The eagle was flying further into the woods, and they, after it.
Stanford untied the rope from his waist as they went, leaving it behind. There was more in the backpack.
Stanley tried shouting to Fiddleford. Let him know they were coming, that they directly under the bird, they could see him in it's grip. The animal was beginning to fly far above the trees.
"Can't you become a giant or something and snatch him back?"
"No, Fiddleford has the crystal!"
They shared a look, and then both began calling to their friend to use the crystal to shrink the eagle. At least to a manageable size. Or use it to increase his own height. But just as before, it was doubtful whether he could hear them.
Could he even see them running after him? The Eagle was so high up now.
The twins didn't notice the large shadow over them. But they were aware of something grabbing their backs, of their feet lifting up and away from the ground. Over the trees and into the sky.
Stanford screamed, his eyes wide with panic,"WHAT IS THIS?!"
"Another giant bird-"
"Oh really?!" He cried, "I wouldn't have guessed Piondexter!"
They were being carried high over the woods. The town could be seen, the mountains beyond, and the eagle that had taken Fiddleford McGucket.
The two birds of prey were flying close, enough to where the captives could see each other.
Stanley called again to Fiddleford, telling him to use the crystal. And Fiddleford yelled back that he was trying. The pocket that held it was pinned under one of the eagle's talons.
"Oh no!" A shaky voice cried, "STANLEY!"
He could hear something rip. The bird must have caught most of the pack in it's grasp. The straps were the only things keeping Stanford from falling.
"Fiddleford, hurry!" Stanley called, reaching out to his brother. There was a hole in the backpack already, from the sharp claws of the bird, and he saw the contents fall to the green trees below. Like they would. Like Stan would.
Perhaps Fiddleford had managed to slip his hand through the talons. Perhaps, for some reason, the Eagle's grip on him loosed, allowing him to reach the crystal. Or however else; all Stanley saw next was a sudden burst of pink. Just as the two birds soared closest to each other, and the three men within an arm's reach.
And then they were falling. The birds were gone, perhaps startled by the change themselves. Stanley closed his eyes, reaching for anything. His brother, his friend, the branches that cut and snapped against them as they went down.
He heard screaming, and his own heart beating from his chest. Something took his hand, or maybe he caught something. And the he stopped.
He didn't look for a moment. And when he did, he saw Stanford had caught him by the wrist. Stan's other arm was wrapped around Fiddleford's legs. His eyes closed, shallow rapid breaths escaping his from mouth.
There was a whirling sound, like a fan.
Using his free hand to grab Stanford's waist, he hoisted himself up, also wrapping an arm around Fiddleford's pant leg. Soon as he did, Stanford buried his head in Stanley's shoulder, without a word. He looked up at the professor.
Fiddleford had his arms over his head, and some sort of flying device in his hands. Three lights on the handle that were glowing bright blue, and above them was a propeller.
"What is that?"
"My umbrella." Fiddleford answered in a strained voice.
"What's wrong?"
"I feel like my legs are going to be ripped off." He pressed one of the buttons with his thumb, and they began to descend at a much slower pace.
While they did, and the younger of the Pines men felt his nerves return to him, he was more aware of the slight tremble coming from his sibling. As though the beat of his brother's heart was causing his body to shake. He didn't say anything. He let Stan hold on to him.
After a moment, like a freight train, it hit him, all at once.
Stan's reluctance to explore alone. Because it would become a very real problem. Because it was more likely to find yourself picked up and carried over great heights when you're as big as a cricket. Or when animals have become as big as a car.
"Oh." He muttered to himself.
Soon they were safely on the ground again. Stanford, letting go of the inventor and his brother, "Doc...I love you. Let's runaway together."
"I'm married."
"I don't care, I'm open-minded." He sat down on the ground, "Tell Gina I love her, and I'll marry her too."
"You have my word." Fiddleford smirked, letting the second Pines look at the umbrella.
Which is what it was, or had been. It's handle had been replaced with a metal one, which housed the three buttons. One to activate it (which also shut it down), one to make it fly upwards, and then one to make it descend.
"You always have this?" Stanley asked, turning the device over in his hand, then returned it to the owner.
"Usually." Fiddleford pressed the off button and it folded, then put the device in his jacket, "Or I try to."
"Amazing. I'm with Stan, I love you."
"I'm finally popular." Fiddleford looked back to the man who was still seated on the ground, back turned. He looked to Stanley and whispered he had forgotten as well.
"But I don't." Stanley whispered back. He lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I never do."
Fiddleford shrugged,"It's not as though it could have been helped this time."
"Well, yes, but..." He sighed, it felt wrong. That something like that had slipped his mind. Not during their previous adventure, but he thought back to how Stan seemed to hesitate when they were about begin the search. That look he gave him. He had been trying to tell him something.
As far as the most recent excitement in their lives, Fiddleford was right things had happened so fast, there had been no way to avoid it. And he knew Stan knew this as well.
Fiddleford looked back at the figure, who was no doubt trying to collect himself.
"You think he's okay?"
"I don't know-"
"You Nerds going to keep talking about me or are we going to do something?" Stanford asked, standing up, and slung the torn backpack in front of him, inspecting the rips. It wasn't as bad as he had thought, actually.
"Ford?"
"What?" He asked.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," He wasn't looking at them, asking flatly, "Why?"
"No reason." Stanley sighed. If he wanted to play it off, fine. That was fine. Ignoring the weird looks from Fiddleford, he took a better look at their surroundings.
They were smaller than they had been before. That stray penny over there would probably require all three of their efforts to lift. And the tips of the grass blades came well over their heads.
"What happened to the crystal?"
"It got away from me, I'm sorry,"Fiddleford explained, "I think the glare of the sun from my glasses hit it."
"See, that is why I don't wear mine. Darn things cause more trouble than they're worth." Stan stepped closer to them, the backpack under his arm, "Well, we still have the recorder, some rope, and the flares."
"It'll take hours to get back to the crystals, this way." Stanley mused out loud. He asked if Fiddleford saw where the crystal shard had fallen. The inventor replied he didn't think it was too far from where they had been while still trapped by the birds. Somewhere due west(ish), was his best bet.
"This is a bit smaller than you're use to isn't it, Fiddle McBucket?" Stanford goaded after they had been walking for a few minutes. Fiddleford rolled his eyes, and said something about Stan experiencing quite the size displacement himself today.
Stanley though, was transfixed by the the new world they were put in.
"This is amazing. I wish I had brought the journal." Brown eyes lighting up as they went, "It's an entire different world down here! Think of all the creatures that could have literally been under our feet?" He grinned, teeth showing, "Think of all the species that might have been missed just because mankind was simply too big!"
Fiddleford agreed, "In a controlled space these crystal could be used for any number of things in the scientific world."
"All the advancements that could be made in technology alone and it was right here in Oregon!" Stanley laughed, he saw his brother from the corner of his eye, "Fordy what are you staring at?" He couldn't help but grin.
"Nothing, Lee-Lee, I just get a kick out of you nerds freakin out." His smirked matched his brother.
"You have to admit this is something!"
"After everything we've seen and come across, I think nothing is starting to surprise me." Stanford answered, walking next to his brother.
"You say that every time."
"...Yea." He smiled, "Well, maybe it'll be true one of these days."
"So this is cool?" Stanley grinned.
"It's interesting, I wouldn't say cool."
"I'll take that." He looked on his other side. The third member of the trio was gone.
Stanford said something about using some of the rope so he would stop getting lost, but then spotted the man up ahead. He was motionless, looking around a rock.
The twins caught up with him, and he didn't move. He kept his eyes ahead, and the twins turned theirs in the same direction. And their eyes widened when they saw the spider web that had been spun, settled in place between two fallen branches.
Large, vertical and orb-shaped. One could see the flies and other pests trapped in the web, wrapped in silk.
And at the center, sat the creature that had spun it.
It's abdomen large and bulbous, legs thick, colored black and brown. The spider was facing towards the trio, however it's attention was on other things, such as the large white cocoon at it's mouth.
The noise would have been soundless had the men been their usual height. The slosh, sizzling, of the dead pests, and the subsequent sound of it sucking from the cocoon; it was eating. Paying them no mind for the moment.
Stanley motion for them to keep on, quietly, so as not to disturb it. Holding a breath they turned back around to go on their way.
They hadn't gone a few steps, until he looked behind, and commanded them to run. The thing was crawling down it's web. Straight towards them, and fast.
Stanford took the the back of the line, glancing behind every second, getting ready should he need to be, pushing the others ahead of him.
"Where do we go?!"
"I don't know!" The second Pines brother looked around, they were stuck. It was all grass and twigs. He asked Fiddleford if he still had the umbrella.
"Yes, Stanley, I didn't leave by the-" He tripped, saved only by the larger man catching him by the back of his jacket, "Yes, yes I do."
They could hear Stanford screaming that the spider behind them. And that was plain enough without his warning, they could hear it, behind, it's many legs thumping and hitting the ground as it came after them.
"It might think we're flies!" Fiddleford warned.
"I think the chance is worth it!" Stanford answered, running closer to his companions, "Are spiders usually so fast?!"
The monster jumped, leaped over them, and was soon advancing in-front.
"Or do that?" Stan dropped the backpack, and told them to go. He was ready, digging his brass knuckles from his pockets.
"Go on!"He called behind. Matching the creature's speed he jumped, threw his fist, and hit the target. The monster stopped, stunned for the moment. He winded his arm for the next.
"Not yet!" Stanley looked at the professor, who already had the umbrella out and was pressing the top button.
"Hurry!"
"It's jammed!"
Another blow, his fists covered with some light brown liquid, and the creature reeled back again. Stanford probably seemed like an odd cricket to it. That bit back at it whenever it came to close.
The spider was still for a moment, it came again, one's of it's legs reaching out for the fighter. Seeing it too late he was kncke . Adrenaline still charging through him, he was ready. Standing ready to jump it again.
What little he knew about arachnids was that they generally couldn't see too well out of all their eyes. That didn't make the feeling that eight of them were seemingly staring him down any better.
The fighter backed up, he felt Stanley lock arms with him. Fiddleford was still trying to get the thing to activate.
The spider moved.
"Doc..." Stanford tensed.
"Hold on!"He whispered.
The creature moved again, though this time the Umbrella took flight. They hadn't been too high in the air, when one thick hairy leg of the creature shot upwards, pulled them down, with enough force to split the umbrella to pieces upon impact.
And more than enough to for the two scientists to lay still, disoriented. Cries from the third man brought one to his senses.
Caught by the creature's claws, Stan tried every defense, from punching to kicking, the creature raised him in the air, slammed him to the ground in response.
"Stan! They have hard skin!"
"Ya think?!" He yelled back. The thick appendage held him in place, "Nerds!" He cried, tried to move the thing off of him. He was lifted to the air, and pulled forward,"I COULD USE SOME HELP!"
The it's fangs, long, black, and curved like carving knives. And the longer smaller legs-like things, near it's mouth, moving in their own way as he was brought closer.
Stanley had come to himself, and was already on his feet, directing Fiddleford to a nearby twig.
"AAAAAHHH!" Stanford screamed, the sharp things moved back and forth.
But he was dropped, let go of and landed on his feet, avoiding the other appendages that were moving around him. Back towards towards his brother and friend, they were holding a twig by the middle. And looking back at the creature he saw it reeling back and forth.
"What did you do?"
"Disturbed it." Stanley answered, as he did the spider, some distance away, faced back towards the trio, moving slowly, but directly.
"Well thanks," Stanford saw it, "but now it's angry!"
"I've got an idea." Fiddleford spoke up.
'They would have been good stuntmen in another life.' Fiddleford thought from his where he was.
The spider had since turned it's attention back to the prey. The two men stood side by side; for the plan to work they had to distract it for a moment. No fear, they charged, with loud battle cries.
'Or Stanford would, at any rate.' He pulled the stick forewords. Their decreased stature made it much heavier, and he wasn't an especially strong man. But he could work fast. Hearing the twins distract the creature served to tell him how much time he had.
Fiddleford lifted the piece of wood over the stone, and pushed the front end til it was well enough in place. He made sure.
Alright, it was ready.
Loosing his tie, untucking his shirt he ran to join them. Eyes closed and screaming a battle cry of his own. At first he intended to the climb up the thing to meet the twins, but no sooner felt himself being picked up by the back of his jacket and held in the air, like a disturbance.
Stanley had been caught by the sticky legs too, and was kicking vigorously, and Stanford had gotten on top of the thing, taken to punching it's upper abdomen.
It's extremely unlikely the creature felt any of this, any more than a human may feel a fly crawling on his arm.
Stan saw the professor had joined them, "How much more?" He asked.
"We have to get it to move over a bit!" Fiddleford was kicking the thing himself, only to be thrown to the dirt, and raised up again, "Just a bit more!" He said in small voice.
"How do we do that?" Stanford thought to himself. He saw where the doc had placed the trap. They were already so close, but the creature had to be directly over it.
He jumped off. Picking up some would-have-been-pebbles, and began throwing, careful to miss the spider and his companions. Just enough to get the creature's attention.
"C'mon ya ugly yutz!" He hollered at it, moving towards the rock.
"Stan, just a bit more!" Stanley yelled, who had both hands on the spider's leg, trying to detach his shirt from it.
Another pebble, and Stanford began climbing the rock. The spider followed, he looked back at the two for a sign, whether they were ready. A bit more, it had to be directly over the trap.
Stanley had freed himself and landed on the back abdomen, "Now!" He called.
Stan charged the thing, gripping the creature's appendages like a jungle gym, climbing upwards, towards the other two.
Fiddleford unbuttoned his jacket and fell, caught by the twins. They ran and jumped as far as they could.
Landing on the other end of the stick, the combined weight of their bodies brought the side down. The trio stayed there, waiting a moment, before letting go.
Had it worked?
A look around the stone proved it had. The spider was gone, having been catapulted away and into the grass. Hopefully it would give up and go back to it's web. For now though, it was gone.
"Ahaha!" Stanford slung an arms around his friends, "We did it!" He took his arms off their shoulders to retrieve the backpack that had been hidden in a thin patch of grass blades.
"Hooray!" Stanley cheered, then noticed a thin layer of some brown sticky substance on his palms, "Ah! Ew." He walked back to the rock and began wiping his hands on it, listening to his brother and Fiddleford carry on.
"That was fun."
"You think everything is fun!"
"Well, we're alive." Stanford paused for a moment, "Is it normal for spiders to attack?"
"If they're hunting spiders, which I think that was."
"You think?"
"Well I'm not in the habit of identifying arachnids while I'm about to be eaten by one, Stanford!"
"Alright, alright."
The second Pines couldn't help but shudder for a minute. He never had a soft spot for spiders. This encounter was more than enough to cement the fact.
Though, he remembered how the inventor had once told him how growing up in the rural parts of Oregon, had given a small curious child no shortage of spiders for pets, and to study. It was very likely his sentiment of the creatures was changed.
"The umbrella's no more..."Fiddleford picked up the remains of a propeller's wing, then tossed it back to the ground.
"You can make another."
Stanley started scrapping the sticky stuff from his other hand on the rough surface. He heard his friend say Gina didn't "appreciate" him taking things from the house and reinventing them, then started to tell Stan something about their last toaster.
He didn't hear exactly what, for the ground had begun to move under them. Or not move, but he felt a small vibration. They could all feel it.
"Now what?" Stanford wondered.
There it was again. And again.
Stanley began climbing the rock. Upon reaching the top he squinted, trying to see what was causing it. He could just see over the sea of grass blades, three rough black surfaces coming in their direction.
"You guys might wanna start climbing." He answered when the two below asked what he saw.
Without a question the backpack was tossed up, and Stan and Fiddleford soon after.
As soon as the two men reached the top, from the forest of grass came three large beetles, running past the rock housing the trio, and thankfully not over it.
"Eehh." Stanley grimaced. It was like seeing a hoard of elephants stampeding pass you. Ugly, humongous, elephants, that like the spider, seemed much more frightening in the current state of the trio. And faster.
"You know most beetles aren't exactly slow to begin with," Fiddleford observed as the massive insects paid them no mind, "But...well now.."
Stanley looked back over the grass blades, and saw a few more approaching. He had an idea.
"You guys good for one more jump?"
"Always." His brother grinned.
Using what was left of the rope, he cut two separate lines with his pocket knife, and tied loops into the ends. He and Stanford both took one and secured it to their belts.
They had to wait til right before it passed. Locking arms, McGucket in the middle, they were ready. Run straight ahead. Don't stop when you get close to the edge, full speed, and one leap.
The three men hit the surface of the beetle's shell, two bounced and nearly rolled off, though Stanley caught the split in the shell, and pulled himself and the professor up.
Stan had already caught one of the beetle's antennas with his line of the rope. Now the other. The beetle flinched a bit but didn't stop.
"Whoo-hoo!" Stanford hollered once they could steer the thing, "Good plan."
"Haha!" Stanley and Stanford steered the beetle to the right, back on their path, "This should make things easier, huh?"
"Just a bit." Fiddleford smiled, holding tightly to both men's jackets as they directed the insect here and there.
They rode the beetle what would have been, for regular sized folks, a few steps. But it was indeed better than trying on their own in the state they were in. And these types of bugs are actually quite fast. Relatively. Better than a Lady Bug at any rate.
"Or not, because Lady Bugs can fly."
"I'm gonna push you off!"
Stanley laughed, "But Beetles are actually some of the more faster insects in the world. I mean, sure it depends on the species of beetle. There are thousands of different types. The Japanese Tiger Beetle is said to go at a speed of-"
"See that?" Stanford interrupted, squinting at something up ahead, "Cause I can't. It's just a blur."
The other two could. The blur was the crystal, it had landed in a wet patch of mud. The beetle was steered and released once they reached it, and the Pines used the rope to pull the thing out of the ground.
As they did so, Stanley noticed the shorter of the trio was looking deep in thought, and worried. Once the crystal out of the ground, he asked what was wrong.
"Nothing."
"You looked deep in thought."
"Are you thinking about all the people that went missing?" Stanford asked, smiling puckishly, "That have been shrinking to incredibly small sizes, never to be seen again, that were most likely stepped on, and crushed to death? Does it make you uneasy?"
Fiddleford's face paled, "Yes."
"The kid probably just hid somewhere...Or maybe he was eaten by a spider...Or maybe we, or someone in the search party from last night, stepped on him-"
"Stanford!"
"It's fine," Fiddleford sighed, the color returning to his face. Ignoring Stan's chuckle he went on, "Let's just get to a more comfortable height."
Stanford stood a small distance in front of the crystal with Stanley and Fiddleford trying to reflect the sun from the lens of their glasses. They succeeded, and a flash of light shot out from the other side. Though when the two scientists looked around the crystal, there was no sign of Stanford Pines.
Without a word, and slight mutual panic, they turned the crystal to the other side. Tried again, aiming for where he had been had been standing.
This time they saw Stan return back to his usual height, though he didn't looking very happy about the mishap. He picked the crystal up and soon had his brother and Fiddleford to their own sizes.
"Thanks." Stanley grinned sheepishly, "We didn't mean to-"
"Right." Stanford gave the crystal back to his sibling, "So, now what?"
"I think it's safe to say we didn't really consider what this meant." Stanley put the crystal in his pocket, "If Bruce did diminish in size, it could take weeks to find him-"
"Assuming he's still alive-"
"Yeah, yeah," He glared a bit then continued, "And if he didn't, then there's not too many places he could hide." Stanley took the tourist brochure and his pen from the inside of his jacket.
"Okay," Looking at the map, "The crystals are somewhere here." He circled a spot, "Stanford is probably right, a giant kid would look for a cave or something to hide in."
"Nearest ones," Fiddleford took the pen and marked three places, "Are here."
"Okay, then." Stanley said, "Now if he shrunk," The man traced a larger circle around the area where the crystals were found, "He could potentially be within this radius."
"That's a lot-a of ground." Stanford whistled, "Especially if we're gonna do this a mini-people. Could take months."
"And we've already spent a good part of the day as miniatures." Stanley bit the end of the pen, "Let's head back to our place real quick, get a few more supplies, recuperate, then head for the caves."
By "recuperate" they knew he had meant get some needed rest for an hour or so.
Thanks so much for reading! Hope you're enjoying the story!