He had been filled with unfiltered rage, which crawled around inside him as he stalked through the wreckage of the forest. The hatred was worse than anything he had yet experienced, he had been even angrier than he had ever been at Stan's lies.
Then he had become ashamed and disgusted with himself, thinking back to all the mistakes which had led up to this point. The self-reflection becoming mental flagellation as his anger turned inwards, and pinned the small boy. He dragged his feet as every insult that he knew seemed to apply well to him.
Then the sadness came, and it was greater, and heavier than any incident in his young life thus far. Nothing compared, and he felt ready to die. He had felt unable to take the aching in his chest any longer, or continue in a muddled state, with red eyes too overused to possibly shed anymore tears.
He got his wish, because now, he felt truly dead inside. He didn't have enough energy to summon anger, sadness, or shame. Or any other emotion for that matter. Instead, he felt dead inside. The rain came down in droves, but he didn't care. He continued to climb Mount Valor, unresponsive to the buckets of rioting rain, the ungodly hail, and the streaks of lighting which shaved the mountain side of trees.
Upon reaching the top, he collapsed in front of the cave, his aching feet unable to take a step farther. He didn't care that the sand collected on his nose, and he made no motion to stop them, when a swarm of giant spiders crawled out of the cave, and pushed underneath him, crawling inside with him atop them.
Instead, the broken adventurer, simply closed his eyes, and let the man residing in the cave, slip a spoonful of some green liquid between his lips, before embracing the falling feeling which quickly overwhelmed him.
_-+=0=+-_
"Wake up son, we've got work to do…"
Dipper's eyes fluttered open, and he felt himself become bathed in dawn light. Standing up, he saw an old man standing on a cliff, a journal in one hand, and a number two pencil in hand. Shaking himself, and standing Dipper found that his tire and empty feeling was gone. He glanced around, he realized that the cave had disappeared, and that the light of dawn, was somewhat off. Too white and purple, it seemed to make his companion waver in the air, like a mirage. The clouds had surrounded the summit, and blocked out view of the valley below. He spotted a gleaming white bicycle leaning against a large rock. A book bag hung from the handle bars, and as Dipper stepped closer to it, he observed that it contained three books, all with covers of solid gold, and gold paper pages.
Reading their cover's aloud, he found himself even more jumbled. "Beginning, Middle, and End? What's going on? Who are you?" The man turned to him, and Dipper was shocked to see a face older than time itself stare back. The mysterious stranger had a scraggly grey beard which ended at his chest, a handle bar mustache, large spectacles which prevented view of his eyes, and was dressed in an ancient coat, which matched his antique boots. His wrinkled face adopted a smile, and he stepped closer.
"Why…I'm the author of course." He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world, and he placed the journal and pencil in a coat pocket as Dipper's confusion grew to an all-time high. "No you're not! I saw the Author, he was just an old man…kinda like you but more…trapped-in-another-dimensiony." The elder chuckled, and he moved to the side, causing Dipper to become almost blinded by the stream of revealed sunlight. "Oh son…I thought you would know by now…" The man tread over to his alabaster bicycle, and removed his journal, shoving it into the book bag.
"It's not about what something is…it's about what it can be. It always has been…you've just been too busy to see it." The man removed his pencil and tossed it in Dipper's direction. The boy caught it, just as the stranger continued. "That's why you gotta go back, to protect not just what is…but what could be…" Dipper glanced up from reading the alien language uncarved in the writing utensil, and stared at the old man in shock. "How do you-" The man checked the back wheel for abrasions as he responded, "Well I know a lot of things. Probably everything, but then again…I'm not so sure."
Dipper stepped closer, hesitant, "Are you like…God or something?" The man gave a "HA!" before returning to his work. Unsure of the meaning of the old man's vapid laugh, Dipper began trying to hand back the pencil but found that "the Author" wouldn't take it. He felt his resolve degrade, and let the truth out. "But I…I can't go back. I let everyone down, I failed. "
The man raised an eyebrow, and observed as the pre-teen refused to meet his gaze. "So you couldn't kill someone. So what? That makes you better than most heroes."
Dipper's head shot up, "But Bill isn't a person, and I…I'm not a hero. I…" The old man frowned, "I'm just a little kid, and I can't do nearly as much as I thought I could. I got tricked by a demon, and I couldn't even move when it was needed. I'm useless…"
Feeling tears come to his eyes, Dipper was unable to bury his sorrow any longer, and his hysterics was only enhanced by the embarrassment of crying in front of a man he did not know in the least.
The old man glanced at the rising sun, before chuckling again.
His mirth caused Dipper to raise his sights, and for anger to flash across his face. The senior explained himself, upon pushing the kickstand to its rightful place, and placing a hand on the bike so as to steady it. "First off; Bill is as much of a person as you are. He's just a person in his own world. In his own story. Just because someone is a monster, doesn't mean they aren't a person. I thought you would've figured that out by now." The young investigator was at a loss for words, feeling almost ashamed for letting down this person that he had never up until this point. "Secondly, you are anything but useless. You are needed. And as long as there are societies, we will need people like you." Dipper wiped the tears from his red eyes, and found the glare of the sun blocking out the man's face. "And of course you're not a hero. You're just a person. And frankly, that's all that's needed. You think Mabel Pines wants a hero?"
Dipper gulped, "Umm, yeah?" The man lightly struck him the head. "No she doesn't you big fopdoodle!" The tween complained with a cry, but was ignored. "She wants DIPPER PINES! The boy who was ready to drop everything and fight a zombie for her, the boy who was ready to break things up with her creepy boyfriend for her," He raised his hands in the air, illustrating his point with enthusiastic hand motions, in a way that made him seem younger. "The boy who charged off a cliff, and battled a psychotic nine year old inside an unstable robot. That's the kind of totally AWESOME stuff that only you could pull of, my friend." Dipper found himself blushing, and thought he saw the man grow younger with the praise.
"You think Gwendolyn Corduroy, the boy who humiliated himself to save his friends and get his sister back, the boy who put aside his crush and did his best to act like all the kissing and hugging she did with her boyfriend didn't bother him! The boy who, charged into the darkness to make sure she was okay, even when he knew that there was a shape-shifter nearby." Now the man looked like he was in his twenties, and golden sunshine highlighted his frame. "Who cried over her when he thought she had died, even though he had only known her for two months."
He bent on one knee, "Do ya' think that Jesus Ramirez, wants some boring, archetypal, goodie-goodie?" Not wanting to be swatted again, Dipper shook his head, despite suspecting that Soos would very much enjoy the company of such a person. "Umm, no?" The man climbed aboard the bicycle. "NO! He wants the boy who fought psychotic robots, who gave him a second chance when it could mean his life and the life of his sister. The boy who fought a crazy guy from the future, just so that he could meet his deadbeat dad!"
Dipper had expected the man to stop decreasing in age once he reached young adulthood, but was surprised to find him a late teenager. "Stan Pines wants the boy who seems like a braver version of himself. Fiddleford McGucket wants the boy who revealed his past to him, and helped him re-connect with his son." The man was now a young teen, and at this point he was barely taller than Dipper. "You are the greatest hero this town knows, and you did that, by making mistakes."
He rolled the bicycle backwards, and grinned at his young charge. "So go on…this is your town, take it back." Dipper still found himself unsure. "But Bill…he…he's worse than anything I've faced…and what if I don't win? What if he kills people to get to me? What if I make it worse?" The twelve year old stared back, with a twinkle in his eye. "The way I see it…you don't really have a choice." He turned the bike towards the path down the mountain, and smiled.
"No man can walk out on his own story."
Turning, the author's bike began its ascent as the clouds cleared, and a blinding flash of light struck the dazed tween. When his eyes fluttered open, the man (or boy) was gone, and purple light had receded. Turning, he saw the Quentin Trembly smile, and hobble over to him. "Di-did you…just see that?" The mustachioed gentleman shrugged casually, "We each see what is needed…" Placing a foot on a rock he spoke casually, "For instance…I saw Lady Columbia riding a giant bald eagle." Dipper frowned, and then rolled his eyes at the eccentric man's patriotism. Quentin turned, and admired the sight of the valley as he posed a question in a wistful, and less flamboyant tone than usual. "Beautiful isn't it?"
Dipper turned in the same direction as the eighth and a half president, and found himself paralyzed by the sight.
The morning light glistened off the water which clung to the leaves and branches. The mist mixed with the low hanging clouds, transforming the remaining patches of forest into enchanting glens. The mountains stood tall over the scene, like massive guards, who would never turn and see the menagerie of colors which streaked the open sky. The sun continued to rise, uncaring as to the differences between this day and the last.
As tears swelled in his eyes, Dipper nodded. "Yeah it…it really is…" The old woman placed a hand on his shoulder, and smiled and pulled him to the side. "Now…what is the plan, Mr. Pines?" Gulping, the young protagonist set his sights on the town. "We…we're gonna need an army." Smiling the imaginative elder turned back towards the cave (how long has that been there? Dipper wondered), "I'll get my silly-string…"
-=0=-
I own neither Gravity Falls nor Rango. The next chapter will be up soon, so stay tuned.
