Chapter 8: Decisions
The next day
Another dummy broke. Guess I have to get another one. I couldn't stop training. These powers are volatile, and I can bend them to any destructible form. If only I can bend it to stop an all out war.
Last night, when I was watching TV while Mabel's sleeping on my lap, someone hacked the TV mainframe, and broadcasted something disturbing. War. Thompson had his face exposed on live TV somewhere in the woods at 7:47 PM, and so he delivered his speech. His speech was invoking war, and I have a bad feeling about this. He starts blabbering about his lost hard drive and about the rebellion and more importantly, me. He says I'm nothing. He says I'm worthless and weak like the military. He's just trying to tempt me for his advantage, but I knew my bearings. I kept calm and let him complain. At the last minutes of his broadcast, He said a personal message for me. A message about his missing hard drive. 4 numbers. 4720. What's that about, I thought to myself. When I was about to switch channels, I heard Wendy's voice through the radio. "Dipper. Did you see his-"
"Yeah, I saw it. He told me about a code."
"I'm looking up on it. For the meantime, Try to get some sleep. Prepare for hell tomorrow."
I did get some sleep, but I can't get my head off of what will happen to this town when the war starts. A lot of people will die, but for what? I killed off a huge group of Reapers, and I did that for the sake of the people. Every action I do is important, especially if I have a lot of lives on my shoulders. Right now, I feel that decision is on me.
Wendy found a folder that needs the pass code, and It contains the vital information of his hideout. She gave me a printed picture of the hideout location. Its not a map, Its a photo with a red arrow pointing at a cave. The scenery of the photo seems familiar. The water tower is at the background, and that made me stop hitting dummies and pick up the radio. "Wendy, I know where he is."
We were on our own. Her troops were posted around the city, prepping themselves for a huge attack from Thompson and the Reapers. I bashed the door open, only to see nothing but blank darkness. Wendy threw a flare, hoping to get a visual, but no Reaper was seen. We slowly went in and observe around slowly, hoping to avoid any traps. Our silent breathing was the only thing I heard besides the crushing soil and fumbling pebbles, until something huge moved outside. A huge boulder seals the exit. It blocks the natural light coming from the entrance. Wendy's flare burned out. It was pitch dark, and I can't stand it. I lit up my arms, lighting the cave in blue. Wendy doesn't seem to bother, so we continued walking into his hideout slowly.
I felt the dirt was gone by the sound of my steps. We were stepping on wood now. The claustrophobic cave walls and ceiling vanished as we continued deeper in the cave. Suddenly, a column of light appears from the ceiling, appearing a hooded robe figure. "Hello, Dipper, Wendy, to my home."
More lights lit the dark cave, and his base is larger than I thought. It looked like a huge military bunker, with improvised wooden pillars to hold the ceiling. Somehow, he managed enough manpower to cover his base with dirt. Guess he's been busy after some time. Behind him was a huge monitor with different screens, making it to one huge screen. The sides of the bunker had cages, large enough for humans, and some of the cages have few people. They're weak, pale, dizzy and wearing Reaper uniforms. Could it be that some of these people were from other towns? Our town population had a small change. We lost about 60 people before the whole town made a census, and somehow he gathered some people from other towns or states. His reign has got to stop, but how? Thompson lowered his hood to reveal his face. His skin is gray as a rock and his face was full of scars and bandages. His hair became longer than the last time I saw him and his chin hair was a small simple goatee. "Thompson, what's gotten into you?" Wendy sounded worried. She's always worried when it comes to friends. "Wendy, you don't see it, do you? When you have the power to change anything, you can bend the laws of humanity!" He yelled. His voiced echoed to the caves. "Why do you have to do this, Thompson?!" I was losing it and He was getting into my nerves. I balled up my hands to turn it into fists. He made an evil chuckle and went further away from us. He grabs a remote and pressed a button while pointing it to the huge screen. The screens activated, playing back footage of Thompson doing all of those stupid dares. Eating a chip on the sidewalk, Attacking a wild dog, Him swinging his shirt around to make the Scary-Oke Party a rave, everything that everyone made fun of him was being played screen by screen. "You see, Wendy, do you ever think everyone will take me seriously?! I was about to go to college, but the administration disapproved my form due to a certain "Internet Publicity" involved in my lifetime! I have made an army out of these powers and now everyone will know, that I, should be taken seriously!" The ground within and below our feet started trembling, after that came huge explosions muffled by the solid dirt. RPGs and Grenades. Thompson pressed another button then The screens flashed into an emergency broadcast, showing his forces attacking Gravity Falls, and Wendy's forces were outmatched. Her radio blared chatter, Requests for backup, medevac, and assistance. She looked worried and tense at the same time. I told Wendy to get out of here and help her men, so she did.
"Finally Dipper, We're alone…." We readied our powers, not knowing who will make the first move. "Thompson, you've already proven yourself strong. Why start a war? Isn't it enough?!" I negotiated, trying to stop the war without leaving any more scars on ourselves "In this new world, There is no such thing as 'enough'!" He swung his hand, throwing to me a huge black blob. I tumbled sideways, dodging the said projectile. He kept throwing and I kept dodging. I dodged my way behind the boxes to catch my breath, but my cover was not that sturdy. Every blob that struck the very crate made it crack, slowly destroying my cover. I looked around to find what to use to fight back against him. 2x2 planks are the only available option, and I don't know if it will be effective to use as a weapon. I grabbed one and held it low beside me. Thompson stops swinging, and He laughed. "What are you gonna do? Build me to death?!"
"Oh, You'll see!"
He hurled one blob at me, and before it hits me, I strongly swung the plank against the blob. I spun around and landed on my knees then He said, "MY EYES!". I turned to Thompson to see that his face was covered black. His hands were trying to remove the black blob from his face. Now's my chance. I charged at him, with fist at hand. I swung my hands upwards for an uppercut, throwing his chin upwards and falling to the solid floor with his back flat. I placed my elbow on his throat and applied force to it to choke him. He starts gasping for air, moving his hands around hoping to get something. He held my face and starts grasping it. He shot one blob, throwing me back. I grabbed the blob off to see my vision blurry and reddish. My head was swirling and the sounds I hear are damp. I was confused where I was going. I swung my arms around trying to get a hit, but I hit something more solid. A cage. A yell went out of my mouth and I pressed down my bruise. The only thing that snapped me out of this vertigo is a punch by Thompson. His punch was too strong that my nose started to bleed. I charged at him with fists sparking and gave him a 3-hit low blow and a Right straight-Left hook combo. He spun around as I gave him the hook and fell on the floor face down. I placed my foot on his head and gave it a huge slam. It wasn't strong to blow off his head, but strong enough to give him a concussion and a few scars. My hands were prepared for the final shot on his head but Thompson stopped me. "Dipper, you have won. You've bested me. I don't deserve these powers. You must drain me, absorb this power. With it, You can rule the world!"
That made me interested. My powers have gotten strong, but what if I had his powers along with mine as well? I could control enemies and armies to do my bidding, but there was one detail that made me change my mind,
Insanity.
Because of his power, He wanted to show the world that he was serious. Thompson used this fucking power of his to create hordes and destroy others. His vision of his own world ends today.
I arc restricted him to the floor, to make sure he doesn't do any counterattacks. I opened up the cages to free the imprisoned. Thompson witnessed my actions that made him ask, "What are you doing?!". I sparked my hands to prepare a gigawatt missile, "My mission,". I threw the missile to the pillars then everything starts going down. I escorted the prisoners out of the base quickly as I can, but something blocked the path,
The boulder.
"We're gonna die!" Says one woman in the group.
"Not today!"
I threw in my all to destroy the boulder. 5 static grenades and a shockwave made the boulder flew about 10 meters away. Everyone got out on time but I wasn't able to get out on time. I was buried in dirt and rocks but somehow I'm alive. The People outside were screaming for help, but I don't need it. I gathered my energy within me, flexing my powers then, boom. Dust rose in the air, making a foggy atmosphere. By the time the fog settled down, The survivors came and gave me their thanks. I was about to say something until my radio made a sound. "Dipper, you there?" It was Wendy
I pressed the talk button on my radio,
"Yeah, I'm okay. What happened?"
"The Reapers seem to collapse, but the military is taking them to their med bay. Where's Thompson?"
That gave me an itching pain. I had to tell her the truth.
"Wendy….., Thompson's dead. I made sure no one can do the same."
A long silence filled in the radio.
"I understand. Anyway, 16 of my men are injured. Do you mind doing a little miracle here?"
"Sure."
Few hours later….
I was walking home, but a part of me says go away. I wouldn't believe that Mabel will understand my decision. Killing Thompson was the good option I had to make sure no one gets his powers, but It also made a huge blood mark on my blue-white hoodie. I arrived at the doorstep, holding the doorknob to the shack. I took a deep breath and went inside, to hear crying and chatter at the living room. I quickly went inside to see Wendy sitting beside my sister Mabel, patting her back while she's curled up, crying. Wendy gave me a look that meant go away or Mabel needs privacy from her friend murdering brother. I silently went upstairs into the bedroom that became the infirmary for Candy and Pacifica. I lied on the floor between the two beds. My hands were behind my head, squishing my brain. I could feel a small feeling of regret in me. Did I do the right thing?, I thought. I couldn't help it but slap myself. When I was slapping myself, I could hear a moan. It wasn't coming from downstairs. I went closer to Candy since that's where I heard the moan. Her fingers were slowly twitching and her breathing was getting faster. I quickly went downstairs to tell Mabel what was going on to Candy. She wiped off her tears and inhaled deeply, "Not again."
A/N: Hi. Sorry for the long wait. Playing Borderlands. Anyway, This story will be updated at almost every week. And also, expect to see another fiction next week or less. Don't forget to review, favorite and follow this fix if u love it.
Until then, have a good time. :)
