Chapter 21: Journey's End/Star Light!
'Now that Narsus is defeated, the timeline that was created by him has begun crumbling. Will everyone make it out and back to their own dimension in time?'
Previously
"Uh guys, I think now would be a good time to make an exit." Dipper voice chimes in, getting everyone's attention. "I don't know what's happening, but something tells me that if we don't get out here in the next five minutes, we'll be stuck here forever!"
From Dipper's warning, everyone takes a look around and notices that their surroundings are beginning to warp wildly, small black holes forming from different areas of the room.
"This timeline is unstable!" Mordecai informs them. "With Mabellita and I away from our timeline and you guys not in your timeline in Gravity Falls, the Star Dimension in this timeline is collapsing in on itself!"
"Say what?" Gideon asks for clarification.
"By us defeating Narsus on this timeline that he created to destroy Mabel and Eric's future, but with him gone now, this timeline no longer exists." Dipper clarifies. "Their future is back on track, thus wiping Narsus from history as causing trouble a second time, but is noted as being defeated only once."
"It's like when you make a mistake and you go back to correct it so to make things right?" Mabel adds. "By not making the same mistake, it will only be noted that the mistake was made once."
"Ugh! Why didn't he just say that?!" Gideon fusses, crossing his arms across his chest in disgust.
"Uh, this maybe a dumb question, but what happens if we are sucked into a black hole?" Pacifica questions.
"Life as you know it will end." Dipper bluntly answers. "That's why if we don't leave now, that's exactly what will happen!"
"I know the quickest way out of here." Mabellita speaks up. "Everyone follow me!"
With Mabellita running out of the throne room, everyone runs behind her as the many small black holes that formed around the room now merge into one large black hole and begins swallowing the room while gaining on everyone pretty fast….
Currently
Now entering the corridors to the castle, everyone notices the debris that is scattered about in the hall along with the newly falling debris, including the large stone pillars lining the corridor that have now come loose!
"This is a disaster!" Pacifica panics. "How are we ever going to get out of here?"
"We're getting out of here if it's the last thing we do!" Mordecai declares, now spotting a crumbling stone pillar that is falling towards Mabellita. "No one is going to get stuck here on my watch! Just keep moving as we don't have much time before this dimension collapses in on itself!"
Before the pillar can fall on the queen, Mordecai catches it with everyone running ahead of him. With his hands glowing a bright white, the pillar that he is holding up now disintegrates to dust. Grinning, Mordecai now runs behind everyone else, the black hole pulling everything that crosses its event horizon in, including the debris that is continuing to fall around them.
"How much longer to the exit Mabellita?" Mabel questions her future self through pants.
"Not too much longer." Mabellita replies, now spotting a huge boulder coming right for the gang. Raising her right hand, the palm glowing white, the woman moves the boulder out of the way flawlessly so to give everyone a continued clear path to run.
"I just have one question!" Gideon begins. "What villain would create another timeline knowing it would be unstable once he was defeated?"
"As if you need an answer to that question!" Dipper sternly answers him. "Villains never think through their plans thoroughly! Something I know you know something about!"
"Hey, what are you implying?!" Gideon argues to Dipper.
"Not now guys!" Mabel shouts to them both. "This isn't the time to fight! We have to get out of here before we become trapped here forever!"
With the entrance/exit of the castle just up ahead, everyone picks up their speed so to cross the finish line. Gideon, whom is trying to keep up with everyone else, is slowing down dramatically, his breath running short with each pace he takes.
"I don't think I can run anymore." Gideon says, now stopping and falling to his knees while clutching his chest. "Just go on without me."
Everyone halts and turns to Gideon, whom is clutching his chest as he tries to catch his breath. The boy's face is flushed red and looks as if he is on the verge of passing out. King Mordecai, who notices how close the black hole is to catching up with them and how close it is to sucking Gideon in, waves to the group to continue moving.
"Keep going until you reach the exit, I'll get him!" Mordecai says to them.
"But the black hole is close to catching up with you two!" Mabellita informs him, noticing the danger inching closer to the two.
"I'll meet you guys on the outside!" Mordecai replies to his wife. "Just go!"
Nodding to her husband, Mabellita and everyone else continues running while Mordecai runs back for Gideon. With the black hole just mere inches from Gideon's feet, Mordecai quickly scoops him up, hoists him over his shoulder, and begins catching up with the others.
"Why did you come back for me?" Gideon asks, a blush of embarrassment crossing his cheeks. "Especially after everything I've done?"
"Because my motto is, never leave a solider behind." Mordecai replies to him, tightening his grip on Gideon.
"Solider?" Gideon questions in confusion.
"Before I became a castle guard to the Athura Family, I fought in the royal army with Mabellita's father." Mordecai fills in. "I learned one important lesson while fighting in the invasion of the kingdom and that was to never to leave anyone behind, no matter their history or position."
"Oh." Is all Gideon can say as he holds tightly onto Mordecai. "Thank you for saving me then."
"You're welcome and a word of advice son." Mordecai says. "When you get back to your own dimension, you might want to lay off journal '2' for a while considering how much trouble it has caused you. That and whatever you're eating."
Another blush of embarrassment crosses Gideon's face, hearing that even Mordecai suggests healthier eating habits to him.
"Now he sounds like Dipper." Gideon mentally fumes.
Mordecai and Gideon have caught up with the others, everyone now exiting the crumbling castle with the black hole now swallowing the piles of rubble. A bright light now appears ahead of everyone, a wide smile coming to Mabellita's face.
"There it is! There's the exit to this timeline!" Mabellita informs everyone, them looking ahead and seeing what the queen is seeing.
"Finally! Now let's get out of this place!" Pacifica speaks up. "I promise never to work with anyone ever again that would end in us being brought back here!"
"I had much fun working with you too Polara." Mabellita mentally fumes to herself.
Raising her already glowing right hand in front of her, Mabellita begins concentrating on opening the portal, despite her mind racing at a million miles a minute. With the black hole continuing to quickly gain on everyone, the ground behind them is beginning to fall apart section by section. Dipper, now looking behind him and noticing this, grips onto to Pacifica and pulls her ahead of him. Blushing, Pacifica now runs in front of Dipper. Eric grips onto Mabel's left hand and with one swift movement, hoists the girl onto his back, her now piggybacking her boyfriend.
"Allow me my lady." Eric speaks with Mabel holding tightly onto him with a smile appearing on her face.
"Why thank you sir." Mabel giggles.
Continuing to concentrate on opening the portal, Mabellita notices that the portal isn't opening and that the glow around her hand is fading fast.
"Need a little bit more juice." Mabellita hisses.
Everyone now reaches the end of the line as they come to halt, the portal to the other side still not open. Mordecai now appears to the right of Mabellita while placing Gideon down. Rubbing the shoulder Gideon was hoisted over, Mordecai turns to Mabellita.
"What happened and why isn't it opening?" Mordecai asks.
"I need a bit more juice to open it." Mabellita replies. "I thought I'd be able to open it myself, but taking on Narsus must have made me weaker than I thought it would."
"Not to worry." Mordecai replies now taking Mabellita's left hand into his right, both now glowing a blue aura. "Just leave this to me!"
With one set of hands linked together, the king and queen now raise their free hands and point their palms towards the tiny portal. Mabellita and Mordecai concentrate hard while blocking out the impending doom that is quickly approaching them.
"Hurry up!" Pacifica urges the rulers, noticing how close the black hole is to them. "I don't want my life to end, especially not here!"
Continuing to concentrate, the portal now opens with everyone quickly being pulled through it and in just enough time with the black hole now swallowing the entire timeline, it being erased from the history of the Star Dimension for good!
Gravity Falls (Gideon's former factory)
A purplish blue portal now opens with everyone being thrown out onto the ground and on top of each other in heap. Pacifica has landed on Dipper, Mabel on Eric, Gideon on Mabellita, and Mordecai now landing next to Mabellita and Gideon. With everyone out, the portal closes and winks out of existence.
"You'd think my armor would provide a bit more cushion." Mordecai wails as he sits up into seating position while rubbing his backside. "That landing was rough."
"Who is lying on my back?" Mabellita questions feeling someone lying on her. Now sitting up, Gideon rolls off of her and onto the ground with an 'hmph'.
"That was me, sorry." Gideon replies to the queen as he gets to his feet. "Little bit of a rough landing there."
Dipper helps Pacifica to her feet with Eric doing the same for Mabel and Mabellita doing the same for her husband.
"Ok, now that we're safe from immanent doom, I have so many questions to ask you." Eric speaks as he approaches Mordecai and Mabellita with Mabel. "Aside from knowing what is in store for Mabel and I in the future, what else will happen to us before we reach ruler status? Will that Narsus guy return? Is there any other dangers awaiting us? How much power do we actually have now and when we become rulers?"
Getting on one knee, Mordecai now locks gazes with Mabel and Eric, a smile coming to the king's face.
"As much as I want to tell you two all about your fate, I can only tell you so much." Mordecai replies. "As unfortunate as it was that you two were brought into yet another fight that could have severely damaged your future, you have seen the result of how things turn out and for the better might I add, but you will discover along the way just how powerful you two really are, divided and together."
"But thanks to Narsus, I almost lost Mabel once and I don't want that to happen again." Eric replies. "I can't live without Mabel. Will another threat try to come between us again along the way? If so, what can we do to stop it?"
"Together, you two can overcome any and all adversaries that threaten your bond and future." Mabellita adds in. "You two have more power than you can ever imagine. Just make sure to use it wisely."
"We sure will." Mabel chimes in, smiling to Eric and him returning the smile to her.
"But now we must run and get back to our own dimension." Mordecai informs them as he gets back to his feet, Mabellita taking his hand. "I'm sure our paths will cross paths again, especially considering now that our dimensions are linked to each other."
"So does that mean we can go to your dimension if we want to?" Dipper curiously asks.
"Yes and no." Mabellita replies. "If there is trouble in this dimension, only we can cross over here, but if we need assistance in a battle in our dimension, then yes you all can cross over with the help of Mabel an Eric. Outside of that, you can only cross if it's absolutely necessary as doing so without a reason will create a rip in the space-time continuum."
"And those rips normally don't seal themselves unless the damage is undone." Mordecai fills in.
"What happens if the rip isn't sealed?" Eric questioned.
"The rip will make whatever timeline or object that is linked to it age rapidly or de-age to the point of non-existence." Mordecai replies. "That's something that must be avoided."
"My head hurts now." Pacifica mumbles to Dipper as she lays her head on his shoulder.
Turning around to behind her, Mabellita raises her arms in the air while placing her hands side by side. Pulling them apart swiftly, a blue portal now appears in front of her, a smile coming to the woman's face.
"Until we meet again all." Mabellita speaks to them with Mordecai arriving at the portal. "Mordecai, time to get those repairs done and choose another contractor that won't try charging us double the price."
"I told you the one I chose has the most positive reviews in the dimension." Mordecai replies as he and Mabellita now step through the portal. "But I can make a few more calls."
"That would be great and please find someone who will meet our figures." Mabellita replies as the portal now closes behind them and winks out of existence. With the portal closed, Eric and Mabel face each other as they embrace the other in a hug.
"Now would be a good time to make our exit and leave those two alone." Dipper whispers to Pacifica, her looking ahead of them and noticing Eric and Mabel hugging each other. "Come on, I'll get you something for your headache over at the shack."
"Thanks Dipper and while we're there, there is something I want to give to you too." Pacifica expresses with a smile, catching with Dipper's gaze while taking his left hand.
"Ooooh, I can't wait to see it." Dipper replies with a smile as the two begin making their way down the hill.
Mabel and Eric now separate and catch with each other's gaze.
"Well, now that we know what our future holds, we have to make our journey there a good one." Eric expresses to Mabel as he takes her hands. "Of course with you by my side, my future as king looks bright with each and every day."
"You're too much Eric or should I say King Mordecai." Mabel replies with a brace filled smile. "And I have to thank Gideon for not being much of a creep during the battle and for actually helping us out. He surprisingly has a human side, but I wonder why he hasn't bothered to show it much before now."
Turning from Eric, Mabel turns around and scans the area, noticing that Gideon is nowhere in sight.
"He must have gone home." Mabel quietly replies, now turning back to Eric who shrugs at her response. "I'll just catch up with him later and thank him then, but for now, this moment is ours. The future is safe and we kicked the bad guy's butt again. What do you want to do now?"
"I can think of a few things, my queen." Eric replies, leaning in towards Mabel and making their lips connect. Leaning into the kiss, Mabel places her arms around his neck as she pulls him closer to her.
Behind the couple in a bush, Gideon is watching as the two kiss, a grimacing expression crossing his face.
"This isn't over, your highness!" Gideon hisses. "You haven't seen the last of me and I will replace you as King to my queen if it's the last thing that I do!"
Giving the two one more angry glare, Gideon takes his angry eyes off of the couple and leaves the bush, now making his way back home stomping along the way.
Standing under the night sky as the bright stars light up the area, the couple continues kissing with a shooting star streaking across the sky above them.
"And that is how your father and I met." Mabellita finishes as she closes '1'. "Once we defeated Narsus and became full rulers, we decided to start a family, thus bringing you into the world. Well we had the repairs made first, and then you came along."
"So when I get bigger, will I be a princess like you were?" Mabel, Mabellita's daughter, questions to her mother.
"Of course." Mabellita replies with a smile. "But with me as Queen, you're already a princess. That's how the order goes."
"Was daddy a prince when you met him?" Mabel questions once more.
"Not really, but he was my prince charming." Mabellita answers with a giggle. "I still remember the day he asked me out on our very first date. After that, we were completely inseparable."
"So if he wasn't a prince, how was he your prince charming?" Mabel expresses her confusion.
"I'll tell you that story another day, but for now you must get some rest." Mabellita speaks tucking her little girl in for the night. "You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."
"Do I really have to do this mommy?" Mabel whines. "Do I really have to meet all of those people? They seem so stuffy and boring."
"Mabel, you're the princess of the kingdom." Mabellita replies. "You're at the age where you are to be introduced to the kingdom. I did this when I was your age and believe me, I didn't care for it either, but it's the only way for those of the kingdom to know that an heir will take your father and I's place when the time comes."
"Alright, if you say so." Mabel huffs. "Good night mommy and give daddy a kiss for me."
"I certainly will." Mabellita replies, kissing her daughter on the forehead. "Good night honey and see you in the morning."
Setting '1' on Mabel's nightstand, Mabellita turns out her light and makes her way out of Mabel's room, quietly shutting the door behind her. With Mabel's room deathly quiet and the girl slipping into a deep sleep, journal '1' now glows a light blue as a triangular shaped shadow with one eye appears on the six fingered hand on the cover of the book. The eye shifts to the sleeping girl in the bed next to the nightstand, noticing that she is deeply sleeping. Looking away from the girl, the eye closes and the triangular shadow disappears and along with it, journal '1', it disappearing from the nightstand as if it were sand being blown away by a powerful wind…..
TBC….
*In the trilogy Star Light, where new adventures await the royal family and our favorite heroes as they race against time to get to the bottom of the disappearance of Mabel and Eric's past and future before the couple are wiped from existence for good!
The summary for this upcoming fic is on my profile as this was another fic the voters leaned towards, but while the trilogy is being developed and until it is published, please look out for my upcoming updates: Gideon's Endgame chapter 2 to be posted tomorrow and Nightmare in Gravity Falls chapter 9: Retribution part 2 to be posted hopefully next weekend!
Thank you all for the support for this fic! That really meant a lot to me!
Review Please!