Disclaimer: I'm BACK! Seven weeks have come and gone, but it's time to get this show on the road! I've had plenty of time to plan this thing out, so I hope you like it. But first…
Bad news: once university hits, the weekly updating schedule will take a toll. I will still post as fast as possible, but not as soon as I'd like.
Good news: I have officially planned out every chapter straight to the end of this story! Trust me when I say, you don't want to leave this thing yet. Also, Gravity Falls graphic novel next year anyone? ;)
Guardian of Sarcasm: Why, thank you!
CoolCuttz: Let's just hope it was enough to change how she felt towards him. Things are going to change a lot this season, so you'd best be ready.
Lex: I KNOW!
Jayla Fire Gal: It was in my head for months. Glad you can picture it out too.
SolangeloUniverse: Yes, yes it was a reference. Blood Moon Ball was one of my fave episodes in season one. References make everything better, don't they?
TravisUmbra: Drinking isn't good for your soul… Bill doesn't even have one, I believe. Nice dose of fluff in between madness is nice, isn't it?
tokyoghoul234: That, my friend, will be answered when the time comes. No spoilers yet. Unless, I don't know… I make a short chapter as a teaser for the future chapters.
the Stargazer: Now I do! Hope it comes out soon before this story's up. New information is always a blessing to work with.
FrostyAngelWings: Then sleep. Codes can wait for later.
Demiphoenix1125: I am the reference!
EMObillcipher89: You can ship Elaine and Bill, Elaine and Dipper, or Elaine and sarcasm! There's plenty of ships to set sail here!
WolfQueen123: I will!
MtVS17: Right here!
I only own Elaine. Asger and Axel belong to the core of justice, and Kat belongs to RillFipher. Now, we return to our previously scheduled panicking.
"Speaking"
Thinking
"Reading"
Edited: Sept. 12/18
Elaine's POV
What?
What!?
WHAT!?
Bill, he-he just-but he… wha-huh!? Huh!? This, this wasn't happening! This was NOT happening! Bill freakin' Cipher did NOT just-just kiss me! Snapping out of my internal panic, I felt Bill's hands ease up from their place on my shoulders, allowing me to push myself out of his grip. His mouth-eye opened up, and the lips turned back into the giant eye I was familiar with. I-I didn't know what he was thinking. I-I didn't know what I was thinking. But whatever it was, I wanted OUT!
"B-Bill!" I stuttered. The triangle's eye was partially closed, before it fully opened. He stared at me, silently watching my mini heart attack. "Y-you… you just… w-what!? "
"Hmmm…" Bill hummed in thought, holding his hand to his eye. "So that was what that feeling was," he finally said. "So Angel, did you enjoy it?" W-what? I stammered mentally. Everything that had just been said in my head was a confused and jumbled mess, and I really didn't trust my own words at the moment. "Answer the question. Angel," Bill glared in annoyance. "Did you enjoy it?"
"N-no!" I finally answered, shouting it out. Forget the stuttering! This was as crazy-no, it's even more crazy-than our first meeting! It didn't matter if my words made sense, I had to say something! "Bill, you can't just do that to someone!"
"Why not, kid?" Bill asked in confusion, and… oh, he was enjoying this, wasn't he? H-he thought this was funny. "That's what you're supposed to do, right? For humans."
"W-what? Bill, what do you-?"
"For humans," he interrupted. "I don't know what exactly your human emotions are like, but I assume that action was how one displayed love."
"Bill, just-" I tried to say something, but the demon once again cut me off.
"Well, looks like our time is up, Angel." He pulled the giant watch out from subspace like he did when Mabel tried to tackle him, checked it, and then tucked it away. "We'll pick this up tomorrow where we left off."
"But you just can't-" Bill quickly snapped his fingers, plunging everything into darkness. "Bill!" I cried out in frustration, looking around helplessly in the pitch black. What the heck was going on!? One minute we're discussing feelings, the next this!? "Bill Cipher! Answer me!"
"Don't forget your place, Angel," the demon's voice echoed around me. I spun around in the void, trying to pinpoint where he was coming from. But it sounded like he was right by me, and far away all at once. Thankfully, the strong tugging in the back of my mind proved beneficial, letting me know I was just about to return to the real world. That didn't mean I wasn't still a panicking mess. "I'll be watching you."
"AAHHH!" I bolted upright, screaming. The dark midnight blue sky and bright moon was slowly fading, the sun starting to rise over the trees. I was up here all night? I looked around nervously, hoping that I was indeed alone. No Bill. N-no sign on him anywhere. O-okay, th-that's good. Now… I can do this. "AAAHHHHH!"
"Elaine!" I jumped, and looked over the edge of the roof. Mabel and Dipper carefully climbed out of the window and up to meet me on my spot, watching me worriedly. "Are you alright?" Dipper asked. "We heard you screaming."
"I, uh, I…" how was I supposed to react? Tell them that the demon I had made a deal with and who tried to off them just kissed me!? "I-I'm fine. Just… dozed off for the night up here, and had a bit of a nightmare." I couldn't tell them. It's one thing to tell them the truth about my deal and that I was from a different dimension, it's another thing to tell them I was kissed by Cipher. Seeing the troubled expressions, I quickly reassured them. "I'm fine, guys. It's alright."
"Well, if you say so." Dipper sat down beside me where Bill was only a few minutes ago. Mabel sat on my other side, and leaned against my arm. "We're gonna go stake out the Mystery Shack soon, after we get something for breakfast. You coming with us?"
"Yeah, I'll come along." I grinned forcefully, but inside, my stomach was doing somersaults. "You two head back down to the living room. I'll be along in a moment." Dipper opened his mouth, but sighed in defeat. I didn't say anything wrong, but he must have known I had something on my mind, judging from my earlier reaction.
"Alright, Elaine," he admitted. Mabel hugged me, and quickly slid down the roof to the open window. Dipper cautiously followed, but he stopped to look back. "This doesn't have anything to do with Bill, does it?" Oh, you have no idea.
"No, Dipper," I lied fluidly. "It doesn't have anything to do with him." I could tell he wasn't believing me, even if there was no hesitation in my voice, but Dipper dropped the matter. He slid down the rest of the roof, and I followed after him. After crawling through the window, Mabel tossed me my bag from the couch. I pulled it onto my shoulders, and opened the door. "Let's go, dorks." Dipper and Mabel jogged over to me, and Mabel handed me a granola bar. Right. We don't have much food for all of us. The twins walked out before me, and as I was closing the door, I saw Stan poke his head out from the kitchen. He and I locked eyes, and he gave me a sad smile. He knows that I understand the severity of our situation. Returning the pity look, I nodded my head, and slipped out of the house to join the twins. "Alright, guys. Let's roll."
Sneaking back to the Mystery Shack was easier said than done, minus the chain link fence preventing us from getting even closer. We hid behind a shrub by the fence, and watched the three guards from yesterday keep an eye out while Gideon remained inside. "Alright, the bus to take us out of Gravity Falls comes at sundown." We, meaning Mabel and I, nodded at Dipper. "If we wanna stay in town we've got to get past those guards, make it through the fence, and get Gideon to hand over that deed."
"Leave that to Mabel!" Mabel cried. "Wa-chaw!" She fired her grappling hook, and I watched as it ricocheted off a tree limb overhead and whacked Dipper in the face. He fell onto his back, and the heavy metal object came back down on his groin. "Oops."
"Well, there goes his chance at children," I muttered. "Here we go." I pulled him up to his feet, and he gave a pain-filled glare at his sister.
"Now will you admit the grappling hook is useless!?" He shouted, keeping his voice low enough to not alert the guards.
"Nope!" Mabel grinned, and I sighed. This was getting us nowhere fast. If we want to fix this, we needed to get our heads in the game.
"Okay." Dipper pulled out the journal, and Mabel and I looked over his shoulders. "What can we use to defeat Gideon?" He began flipping back and forth through the book. "Let's see… barf fairy?"
"Yeah!" Mabel agreed, and I shook my head in disgust. Vomiting pixies won't help unless it gives him horrible burns or something.
"Nope," Dipper concluded. He paused on a new chapter. "Squash with Human Face and Emotions?"
"Yeah!" Mabel repeated, and I shook my head once again Seriously, kid? Why is that even a chapter?
"Nope." Dipper flipped through several more passages, before my eyes caught sight of a peculiar part. I quickly slid my hand out to prevent him from moving forward, and traced a finger over one of the schematics.
"What's this?" I asked in wonder, even though I already was certain I knew the answer.
"I stared at this page for hours, Elaine." Dipper and I looked at the portal's blueprints in amazement. He did all of that by hand? His other entries are cool, yeah, but this is really impressive. "It seems like a blueprint to build some kind of strange futuristic super-weapon-"
"BORING!" Mabel interrupted. She put her hands on her hips, huffing in frustration. I had to agree on that one. We had no time for distractions. The portal I could think about later. "To defeat those guards we need some kind of army."
"Wait a minute!' Dipper flipped back to the beginning of the book, and I frowned at the chapter he landed on. Couldn't we have a second option? "An army! Mabel, that's it! The gnomes!" Mabel tugged at her sweater's collar, and she and I exchanged nervous looks. The encounter at the start of the summer wasn't a great one. True, it did lead to me bonding with the twins, but having a huge gnome trying to squash you… yeah, no.
(Time Skip)
Dang it. We trudged through the forest, with Dipper taking the lead. Kicking a rock in annoyance, I looked at the young boy's determined face. I wasn't sure what would come out of this mission of ours. Right now, all I had stuck in my head on repeat was the reminder of the portal being started, Stan finally seeing the journal if we succeeded, and… a dream demon kissing me full on the mouth.
It was… unexpected; I won't sugarcoat that part. But… why? Why did he do that? Why would Bill Cipher, one of the most dangerous creatures in the multiverse, kiss me? Was this that weird possessiveness kink I thought about a few days ago; him just having an attachment to me? Or… did he really like me… more than a partner to work with? I lifted my hand up, and smudged some of the foundation off the burn, studying the faint black skin of the branding. Why don't you ever make sense? I thought, biting my lip in annoyance. What do you have to gain from this?
"I think this is their hiding spot," Dipper said. I jogged to catch back up with them, having fallen behind while lost in thought.
"I wonder what gnomes do out here all alone in the forest?" Mabel asked. We stopped, hearing something in the bushes beside us. Reaching for the branches, Mabel shoved them aside. "Aaah!" Oh, my eyes! My poor, virgin eyes! Shrieking, I threw my hands over Mabel's face to protect her innocence. Why, why did I forget about Jeff bathing in squirrels!?
"Do do do…" Jeff hummed, before realizing the company. "Aah! This… this is normal for gnomes. Scrub scrub." He rubbed a squirrel under his armpit, and I pulled Mabel closer to me. Mabel managed to pull my hands away, and gave the creature a disgusted look alongside me and Dipper. "Well, well, well. Look who came crawlin' back. Take five, Chris." A squirrel jumped out of the tub, running off into the woods. "You guys keep doin' what you're doin'." The rest of the rodents began to scurry in the basin, and Jeff reclined back, giving Mabel a sly smirk. "So, changed your mind about marryin' me, did ya Mabel?" A squirrel poked its head out of his hat, squeaking. Ew.
"Ew, hardly," Mabel protested. "We need your help. And seriously, ew!" She grimaced, and I shivered at the bizarre sight.
"You want our help?" He repeated incredulously. "After you left me at the alter? No dice!" Technically, there was no alter. This happened in a clearing until we were chased to the Mystery Shack. "Unless…" Jeff turned to look at me, glancing up and down. Uh… what's he doing? "I'd be willing to make an exchange." Jeff hummed in thought, putting a hand to his chin. "Height's perfect, hair looks soft… have to lose the glasses though." What's wrong with my glasses?
"W-we can get you a different queen!" I stammered. No way in heck was I signing myself up for gnome matrimony. "One that wouldn't put up a fight like Mabel, a-and actually has perfect eye sight." I feel so offended with that comment. The twins glanced at me curiously, wondering where I was going with this. "Her name's Gideon, and she has lovely white hair." Dipper blinked, and started snickering behind his hand as Mabel grinned at my idea.
"Whoa. Mature woman, huh?" Jeff grinned, and I sighed in relief at the gears turning in his head. He leaned over the edge of the tub, and called out into the forest. "Hey, Shmebulock, get my cologne!" Said gnome bounded into the clearing, a bottle in his hand.
"Shmebulock!" He exclaimed, hopping from one foot to the other.
"Is Shmebulock all you can say?" Shmebulock paused, before nodding sadly.
"Shmebulock…"
"It's a deal!" Jeff shrugged at the answer, and reached forward to shake my hand. Next step: devising the plan of attack.
(Time Skip)
This… this was actually really stupid. Dipper, Mabel, and I gripped the fence, the male twin shouting at the guards to bring Gideon over. This was somewhat of a do-or-die moment. If it worked, then we could skip the Gideon-bot battle. If it didn't… I honestly wasn't sure what I'd do. Would I stay here with Stan, with Kat, or Wendy or Asger? Would I head back to Piedmont with the twins? Or… would I end up taking permanent residence in the Nightmare Realm? Keep your mind on the moment, Elaine. Don't think about the bad route.
"What?" Gideon shouted in frustration, marching over to us. Dipper angrily shook the barrier once he was close enough; the guards behind the boy glared down threateningly.
"Give us the deed to the Shack, Gideon," Dipper threatened. "Or else!"
Gideon rolled his eyes, clearly not taking us seriously. "Am I supposed to say, 'or else what'?"
"Yes, you are supposed to say that!" Mabel exclaimed. She looked behind her at the woods to our secret weapon and cried, "now!"
On command, the guards' eyes widened, and collapsed on either side of Gideon, a gnome piercing the middle of their backs. The fence burst open as the gnomes charged forward, riding several woodland animals. Gideon looked around in alarm, seeing the small creatures glaring down from the pine trees around us, to the rooftop where some were being used as arrows by other gnomes. The surprisingly sharp hats circled Gideon into a tight circle, keeping him from moving. I marched up to the little brat, hands on my hips as Dipper and Mabel followed behind me. True, it was Dipper who was supposed to take the lead, but I had had it with Gideon threatening me. "Give it up, you little creep. You're surrounded by an extremely formidable gnome army. Now, I'm only gonna ask this once." I snatched his light blue jacket, pulling him up to my eye level. The gnomes still kept their hats pointed at him, but I could tell they knew better to mess right now. "Give us back our deed, get off our property," I whispered, voice dripping with venom. Dropping him roughly to the dirt, I went on to crack my knuckles. "Or I swear, I will drop-kick you into next week."
"And let the marriage ceremony begin!" Jeff cheered from atop of a buck's head, holding its antlers to guide it along. I heard a small chuckle, and glanced down at Dipper.
"Elaine, you're the coolest and scariest person I've ever met," he said in a mixture of admiration and disbelief.
"I know, kid." I turned back to Gideon, smirking. "Tell me about it later."
Gideon sighed, rubbing his lower back as he stood up. "Very well. I suppose this deed belongs to-" he gripped the whistle around his neck, and gave a loud piercing blow. The high pitched shriek didn't affect us, but the gnomes… I couldn't help but feel a little bad for them. The ones that were off the ground fell from their perches, crying out in pain as they grabbed their ears to try and desperately muffle the sound. Guess they're more animal-like than I thought. "Ha! What do you know? Works on gnomes too!" He blew the whistle again, and Jeff fell off the buck, crawling towards him.
"Stop! We'll do anything! How can we serve you, your majesty?" He quickly began bowing. "The most beautiful girl we've ever seen!" If this wasn't turning south for us, I'd laugh at that.
"I am not a girl!" Gideon shouted harshly.
"Really? But your skin is so soft?" Jeff rubbed Gideon's hand in amazement. That's because, according to Wendy in a previous conversation I had with her, the kid stole her moisturizer. "You moisturize, or…"
Gideon ripped his arm free, and pointed at us. "Subdue them!" Immediately, the short men charged at us, switching sides automatically. They may have been small, but there were too many to fight, and I was forced into an awkward kneeling position. Dipper and Mabel weren't better off, still being held upright. "I have to admit, kids, Elaine, I am impressed by your creativity! How did you ever…?"
Dipper tried prying the gnomes off him, but I could tell it was a lost battle. "Let go!" He grunted, before the journal stumbled out from under his vest; the vest had opened wide enough to free it from its hold. As Ford's work hit the ground, Dipper knew it was already too late. "Oh no!"
"No! Could it be? Is it?" Gideon rushed forward, and scooped up the journal. He flipped through the pages, laughing in sick glee. "Of course! It all makes sense! The one place I'd never think to look! You had it the whole time! And to think I actually considered you a threat!" He flicked Dipper's nose, earning an enraged snarl.
"No! Give it back!" Dipper shouted, still fighting against the gnomes.
"Every victory you had was because of your precious book!" Gideon tucked said journal under his arm, patting the binding.
"Give it back or I'll-" Dipper threatened, before Gideon cut him off, getting up in his face.
"Or you'll what, boy? You'll what? Huh? Huh? No muscles. No brains. Face it! You're nothin' without this!" He gave a mocking wave, grinning maliciously. "Bye bye forever, y'all!" With one last whistle blow, the gnomes rushed off through the hole in the fence down the road, taking us with them.
"NOOOOO!" Dipper cried in distress as Mabel and me screamed in horror. Once we were far enough away from the Mystery Shack, the gnomes dispersed, dropping us on the dirt road. It made sense, since the plan had completely fallen through. Dipper drew his knees to his chest, sitting on the ground as I stood with Mabel. Jeff ran past us, glaring.
"Next time, do your own dirty work!" He said crossly before leaving. "Come on boys!" Three squirrels scurried up to him, and he held open his pants for them to jump in. Shivering once again in disgust, I watched him run off into the woods too.
Hearing a forlorn sigh, I turned to look down at Dipper. "Well, that's it," he muttered. He traced his finger in the dirt. "Guess the bus should be here soon."
"What?"Mabel asked in shock. She knelt down beside Dipper, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Dipper, don't give up! You always have a plan!"
"Yeah!" I bent down on his other side, frowning. "We've done so much this summer, Dipper! Don't tell me you can't figure out a solution now!"
Dipper pulled himself from our hold, and looked at us in frustration. "No! The journal always has the plan! Think about it, you two, Gideon was right. The only courageous or cool things I've ever done have been because of that journal." He turned to look down at the ground, dejected. "Without it, I can't help you two, or Stan, or anyone."
"Please, Dipper." I felt my heart break, seeing how defeated he was. That journal had been our saving grace all summer so far, he wasn't wrong about that. But… he couldn't stay like this forever. Right…? "There's got to be something we can do."
Dipper looked at me in pity, and sighed. "What can we do?" He shuffled closer to me, and put a hand on my knee. "Elaine, I'm sorry, but I'm out of ideas." I inhaled shakily, and pulled him closer. I rested his head on my shoulder, and felt tears begin to form in the corners of my eyes.
"I know, kid," I muttered into his vest. Mabel crawled over to us, and wrapped her arms around the two of us. "I know."
(Time Skip)
Hands down, this was probably the second most painful thing I'd gone through. Bill in Stan's mind obviously coming in at number one. Stan had given the two Pines kids their tickets, and their suitcases sat beside them. Candy, Grenda, and Pacifica were there, watching the brunette getting ready to board the bus. Wendy, Asger, Axel, and Kat had also come out. The teens and dragon stood beside me, and I could tell it was more to comfort me than say goodbye to the twins. Asger's arm was wrapped around Wendy's shoulders, while Kat's was around me. I had assumed correctly in the blue haired girl taking me in; she didn't even give me time to argue. Her mom was more than welcoming, already having my lone bag moved in.
While it was a relief not to be leaving Gravity Falls like Dipper and Mabel, and still being able to keep in contact with Bill to uphold the deal, it was… bittersweet. I knew it would turn out alright, but… it hurt to see them almost leave us. I… I really hope I'm right about Gideon going after them. This can't be the end already. Sniffing back tears, I felt Kat stroke the top of my head, and tighten her hug. "I'm gonna miss them," I said quietly. Kat looked at me, nodding silently in agreement. We watched them pick up their bags, and began to board. Before he did, however, Dipper cast one final look at me. Hazel eyes meeting brown. He smiled sadly at me, and gave a small wave. Blinking, I grinned forcefully, and waved back. Thanks, Dippin' Dots. For everything.
"Sorry kids," Stan said. The twins sat in the back seat of the bus, peering down at him through the window. "It's for the best." The vehicle's engine rumbled to life, and we watched it drive off. The three young girls hugged each other, while the teens and I waved gave the bus one final look, before he began to walk away. As he passed me, he sighed deeply, and patted my head. "Sorry, Elaine. I really am."
"I know, Grunkle Stan." Kat's arm slid off of me, and I quickly hugged him. The man tensed for a moment, but I let go before he could hug back. "I know. But that doesn't mean we're out of luck yet."
"What're you talking about?" Pacifica asked. Grenda and Candy had already begun to walk home, leaving her with her cousin. "It's over."
"Is it?" I questioned. I really hope I'm right about this. Otherwise, this is going to be a really silly move. "There's lots of freaky stuff in this town, but I refuse to believe the little psychic brat." I paused, spotting Wendy's bike against one of the buildings. That'll work. "And I'm not letting the twins leave so easily either." I sprinted to the red bike, grabbing the handlebars. Jogging alongside it to build momentum, I threw myself onto the seat and sped off down the road.
"Wha-hey!" Wendy exclaimed. "Elaine!"
"Kid, what are you doing?" Stan called out behind me. "Kid!"
"Getting my friends back!" I shouted, and flew past the sign that indicated the approaching border of the town. As if I'm letting them take on Gideon by themselves! This was silly, I knew that. However, there was no way I was allowing this fight, if it was going to happen, to play out like this. I shrieked a little as I zoomed downhill, legs stretched out from the peddles and wind whipping my ponytail around. I knew this town. I knew the trails like the back of my hand. The normal one, not the scarred one. Cranking the handlebar to the left, I shot off onto a dirt path using the momentum from the incline. This should drop me off on the other side of the cliff, if I recall. Flinching at the branches whacking at my legs, I shifted gears and began going uphill.
This was crazy. This really, really was. I could've just stayed back at Soos' grandmother's house with Stan, waiting for him to figure out the fact Gideon was secretly watching everyone. But… I was done. I was done playing by the rules; of trying to keep the order of this dimension. Ever since I had shown up, I'd been messing around the rules. Kat, Asger, and Axel existed when they never did before; Dipper had a crush on me rather than Wendy; I'd introduced Bill to the main characters in a horrible fashion… I'd made mistakes. But one I refused to continue to make was letting my twins get in trouble, when I had the ability to alter the course. I may no longer consider this any relation to the cartoon, but even if things are different, I will continue to use that knowledge to help them. No matter what.
Pumping the brakes, I skid to a stop in front of the tunnel that led to the bridge crossing the valley. Propping up the bike against the dirt wall, I ran into the dark cave; the only light coming from the entrance behind me and the boarded up exit ahead. "Wh-whoa!" The ground shook under my feet, and I stumbled onto my knees. I looked through the cracks of the wood several feet in front of me, and saw Dipper and Mabel sprint towards me. Guess that means he did go after them. "Guys!" Springing to my feet, I scrambled to the beams, and started ripping them away. The dirt was loose enough to break them free, and I reached through to grab Dipper's arm.
"Aah!" Dipper cried in alarm, before he gasped in relief and shock. "Elaine!"
"Hurry!" I shouted. "Let's go!" The two quickly started pulling at the rest of the boards on their side, only for a series of huge boulders to fall from above due to the Gideon-bot ramming its fist into the side of the cliff. "Ah!" I stumbled back, and Dipper yanked Mabel away from being crushed by a large rock. The chunk broke into smaller pieces, missing the girl by inches.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Dipper shouted at Gideon. "You took the only journal I ever had! What do you want with these journals anyway!?" Giving a frustrated groan, I squeezed through a small gap at the bottom of the boards, and quickly moved to the front. I held my arms out wide, pathetically blocking Gideon.
"Leave them alone, Gleeful!" I shouted, voice firm. "We don't have the other journal! We don't know where it is!" Technically, I did. But I wasn't gonna tell him that the first journal was right underneath the Mystery Shack the whole time. Gideon-bot growled, and reached forward towards us. "No!" The painted side of the huge robot picked me up alongside Dipper, the mechanical chubby fingers squishing the air from my lungs. Dipper banged his fists against our captor in protest, his hits increasing at Mabel's cries on the unpainted side.
"Let go of her!" He declared. Gideon laughed. The glowing yellow eyes narrowing at us.
"Ha ha ha, you still think you're some kind of hero?" He mocked Dipper, and tossed us behind him as he turned around. Screaming as we soared through the air when there was a good chance we could've missed landing on the top of the cliff, we ended up careening across the dirt before colliding with a rock sticking halfway out of the ground. Gideon walked back across the bridge, and we quickly pulled ourselves up and raced to the edge. "Once I find the final journal I'll rule this town! With you as my queen!"
Mabel looked up at us in terrified desperation, still struggling in the robot's tight grip. "Dipper! Ellie! Help me! HELP!"
Dipper backed away from the cliff, eyes darting around anxiously. The words Gideon had said earlier no doubt playing through his mind. I frowned at the trickle of blood dripping from his nose, and hardened my expression. Don't worry, Mabel. We're coming for you. "Dipper." He looked up, and I gripped his shoulders. "I know that this seems impossible. That you are unable to change anything, and that things are out of your control. But I've been running on the impossible all summer. I've seen some pretty incredible stuff, all because of you and Mabel." And Bill, but they didn't need to know that either. "Are you seriously saying you can't do anything?" I released him, and a surge of determination flowed through me. "Or are you too afraid to try?"
Dipper froze, and slowly, the same determined look that was on my face appeared on his. Peering around me, he nodded to himself as an idea popped into his head, before dashing past me as fast as his legs could carry him. Who needed a plan? I certainly never had one. My plans had always been made on a whim, starting when I first met Bill. It was usually one of desperation, or fear, or emotional conflict being the backbone. They could easily get me killed or get my friendships broken… but so could this.
Pushing past the excruciating pain in my legs from being thrown by Gideon-bot, I ran towards the edge once more, only a few feet behind Dipper. I couldn't care what happened to me now. My safety was the furthest thing from my mind; right now, it was Mabel's.
Because no one hurt my friends.
The adrenaline and momentum carried me to the edge, and I jumped as hard and as far as I possibly could. The two of us shouted determinedly, surprising Gideon. Turning around to see us coming flying towards him, the robot had little time to react as we crashed through one of the eyes. Ignoring the small stings from the glass scratching at my skin, I got up and rammed the ten year old off the stand and onto the ground. The floor tilted sideways, and the robot fell over on impact. "Let go of his sister!" I demanded, pinning Gideon down and slamming my fist into the side of his face repeatedly. Stan would be so proud of me right now for this!
"Never!" Gideon shouted back, and pushed me off of him. His eyes caught sight of Dipper, and jumped on him instead, landing punch after punch on his face. This continued, with each of us trying to take down the other. For a short kid who tired himself out easily, Gideon's much stronger than he looks. Mabel shouted from outside the robot, and I noticed Gideon still held his fist tight. At least he's smart enough not to let her fall. Gideon launched himself at Dipper once again, and landed a fast and hard hit on his cheek. I winced at the purple swollen bruise left behind, seeing a bit of spit fly from Dipper's mouth. Scrambling upwards, the older boy braced himself. and as Gideon's fist flew towards his face again, he was ready for it.
"What!?" Gideon watched in shock as the older boy caught his fist, holding it an inch from hitting him square in the nose. Dipper grunted as he struggled to hold him back and reached his other hand around Gideon's raised arm. Seeing the now clear advantage, Dipper rammed Gideon's fist into his own face. With several strikes, the banging on the outside of the head increased.
"Aaah!" Dipper yelled, and sent one last hit to the white haired boy. "Whoa!" The room suddenly began spinning, and I could only watch in horror as the boys were glued to the wall beside me. The gyro force had spent the head spinning, and I hoped my whatever good I ate wouldn't follow. I hate this! I am really hating this! "Elaine!"
"Dipper!" I cried, and felt the gravity around us all of a sudden vanish. We're… we're falling. Gideon-bot fell off the bridge, and Dipper and I felt the wind and force of the drop yank us out of the shattered window, leaving a terrified Gideon behind.
"Guys!" Mabel's grip fell from the robot's hand, and the three of us watched the machine plummet to the ground. "AAHHH!" Screaming, we felt the loud shock wave of the explosion hit us, and I felt my eyes burn at the vibrant blue light. Where's Mabel and Dipper!? I flipped myself around, and caught a glimpse of the twins slowly descending above me. Mabel had her grappling hook in one hand, and the other around her brother. Why didn't I see it sooner? They couldn't get me too; I'm too heavy for Mabel to hold on too.
"Elaine!" They shouted, trying to spot me through the thick plume of smoke. Well… this is going to hurt. I closed my eyes, readying for the horrific crash my body would make with the ground below to shatter my spine. Only… I didn't?
"What?" A large black object zoomed past me; like a parachute, and opened up to fly back to my level. As it whipped by me again, two clawed paws grabbed my shoulders. The whiplash yanked me upwards, and I realized that I was being carried to the ground. A loud screech came from the creature, and I looked up. "A-Axel!" The dragon gave me a gummed smile and a pleased croon, and swooped to the ground; not before pulling up enough and somewhat gracefully dropping me on the dirt. "B-but how?" The dragon flipped herself around, and flew back into the woods as if she never appeared. Had she been following me this whole ti-Asger. He must have sent her after me when I went and took Wendy's bike.
"Elaine!" Dipper and Mabel hit the dirt, and ran towards me. The grappling hook dragged behind them, until the girl finally retracted it. Laughing shakily, I opened my arms, welcoming the hug. Mabel buried her face into my shoulder, while Dipper looked at me in intense relief. "You're okay!"
"I-I am!" I grinned. Picking myself back up, I spun the two around. "We-we did it! We beat him!"
"We're amazing!" Mabel sang as I put them back down.
"Not as amazing as Elaine taking on Gideon!" Dipper remarked. "I've never seen you so… intense." Shrugging, I kicked a sheet of metal, and smirked. Journal three, while a little torn at the edges, sat in one piece. Plucking it off the dirt, I tossed it at Dipper. "Hey! My journal!"
"Yeah, well, nobody messes with my twins." I chuckled, ruffling Mabel's hair. "Only I can do that. Though, that final blow you delivered was pretty awesome. I'll give you credit for that one." A flash of red and blue interrupted our touching moment, and we watched Blubs and Durland pull up in their car. A crowd followed behind them, staring at the wreckage. Three news vans pulled up too, with reporters rushing over in a hurry.
"Gideon!" Durland cried. He and Blubs rushed over to the robot, helping him out of the broken eye. "Oh, good heavens! What on earth happened here?"
Blubs knelt beside Gideon, the boy giving him a pitiful look. "It was the Pines twins and Elaine! They tried to attack me and blew up my statue with dynamite!" He hugged Blubs, and pointed angrily at us. "Arrest them!"
"What!?" We shouted. "Officers, he's lying!" Dipper yelled, seeing Blubs fish a pair of cuffs out of his jacket.
"You honestly think we did this!?" I argued, gesturing to the robot. "Have you seen where we live? We can't afford dynamite, let alone proper lighting! Besides, how could the statue have ended up all the way out here instead of at the Mystery Shack?"
The crowd mumbled to themselves, and I smirked at the nervousness in Gideon's face. "She's telling the truth!" The people parted, and Wendy, Kat, Asger, and Pacifica ran through. "We saw Gideon trying to attack them from one of the forest's paths," Asger spoke up. "They had nothing to do with this!"
"Yeah!" The girls echoed as they ran over to us. The four stood in front of us, blocking the officers.
"Sorry kids, but we trust Gideon," Blubs said. Gideon smiled darkly at me, making my heart drop. Even with the support of a young Northwest and her equally rich cousin, it still wasn't enough. They might listen if it were her parents, but there's no way they would ever help her help us. "And nothing short of a miracle would ever change our-"
"AAHHH!" Stan? Turning around, the crowd scrambled out of the way as the car came barreling down the incline of the hill and knocked Blubs' car on its side… hehehe. "Wait! Wait!" Stan shouted, sticking himself out the window, still in his underwear. "Stop everything! I've got something to say!"
"Not this guy again!" Blubs muttered.
"Just wait! Look!" Stan pushed through several people, and over to the Gideon-bot. "You guys all think Gideon is so perfect and honest. Oh! I could never tell a lie!" I snorted at Stan's impression, as he tried to mimic the folksy accent with his rough voice. "I'm Gideon!"
"He's more honest than you!" Blubs shot back.
"Yeah!" Durland agreed. "And he's psychic too!"
"How's this for psychic? Bam!" With a hard kick, he rammed his foot into the robot, knocking down a large panel. "Take a good look!" Take a good look indeed. About a dozen TV monitors were set up, several smashed against the ground. The Tent of Telepathy logo was stamped onto a chair meant to observe the screens, where everything was being replayed in a broken loop. The blue light filled the chamber, drawing us to look inside.
"Wait a minute, is that ME?" Lazy Susan asked, lifting her eyelid up to see more clearly.
"And me!" Toby pointed to a screen with his face on it. Pretty soon, most of the crowd had found clips of themselves playing, to their shock.
"That's right, these pins are hidden cameras!" Stan held his pin in the air, showing it to everyone. "And my hearing aid was picking up the feedback! Who's the fraud now?" Tightening his hand into a fist, Stan opened it to reveal the small microchip implant, and a tiny camera where the open eye was. How did he even make those? McGucket? The crowd examined their pins, and threw them on the ground and letting them break upon impact. Shattered, just like Gideon's chances at winning everyone over.
As for the child, the young boy gave a nervous chuckle as they all turned to him, stepping back as they advanced. "Gideon, we gave you our trust…" Durland said in disbelief and sadness.
"You LIED to us!" Manly Dan growled. Gideon stumbled back, tripping and crawling backwards in fear that the large man would snap him in half. Gasping as his back hit the machine's leg and seeing he was cornered, he looked at back them anxiously.
"Please, I… it's not what it looks like." Really? Because it looked exactly what it looked like. "What are you gonna do with me?"
"Tyler?" Durland asked. We all turned to the young man, who had tears welling up in his eyes.
"Get 'im…" Tyler admitted. He sniffed, wiping his face as he looked away. "Get 'im!"
Gideon gasped in horror, and turned to Blubs. "Li'l Gideon, you are under arrest for conspiracy, fraud," he paused to wipe his glasses and put them back on, "and breaking our hearts. Durland, the tiny handcuffs." Durland automatically pulled them out, and snapped them onto Gideon. Our little group exchanged smug looks as Gideon was forced to walk to the now upright cop car.
"Just one more thing," Stan said. He grabbed Gideon by the coat, and began shaking him roughly.
"Wha-no! Let go of me!" He protested. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" Everyone else didn't seem to notice, but I watched Stan discreetly slip the second journal under a piece of metal at his feet. Surprised no one else caught that. He picked up the fallen deed, holding it proudly.
"I believe this belongs to me." The reporters swarmed Stan, as he made his way over to us. "Good work, kids." He looked down at Pacifica, and chuckled. "You too, girl." The blonde smiled wildly, accepting the compliment as Asger hugged her to his chest. Wendy and Kat laughed and exchanged a high five, and Stan picked Mabel up and sat her on his shoulder.
"There you have it." Shandra walked over to us, speaking into a camera. "Local hero Stanford Pines has just exposed Li'l Gideon as a fraud. Anything you have to say to the town, Stanford?"
"The Mystery Shack is back, baby!" He cheered, earning excited laughs from the rest of us.
"Yep!" I giggled, and hugged Dipper with one arm and Stan with the other. "Nothing is getting rid of us that easily!"
Nothing.
(Time Skip)
"I'm back! And man, has it been intense these last two days. Got kissed by a demon… still need to sort my feelings out with that. There will be much more to come on that topic." Maybe an image too? Though, if Dipper accidentally stumbled across this, I really didn't want him seeing that.
"I stole a bike, fought a robot, punched a child, and told off the police force. All in all, it was a good time.
The following morning, Shandra interviewed us on 'Good Morning, Gravity Falls!' Stan spent the entire time stealing shrimp from the craft services table. Dipper and Mabel just laughed, while I wondered how it was he never got caught. Though, it wasn't like Mabel was all perfect either. She got swarmed by security when she tried to bring her grappling hook onto the set to give a demonstration.
Right now though… there's something I needed to do. Something that I had been putting off for a while." I closed my book and leaned against the rebuilt glass window which the wrecking ball had broken in its swing. Right now, the twins were busy unpacking their gear in the room down the hall. I'd almost… died, yesterday. I fell a huge distance, had to go to the hospital with Dipper to get the glass shards removed from our skin, and had several large bruises on my ribs.
I'd almost been killed so many times this summer, and I hadn't gotten any closer to figuring out WHY I was there. WHY was I in this dimension, and how come I was so injured when I woke up? Was I being attacked? Was it the pull of being thrown across the multiverse?
Heck if I know! What I did know, however, was that compared to the beginning of he summer, I now had the twins aware of my deal with Bill. I had told them, that when I was comfortable enough I would tell them the truth. The reason behind why I risked my life on that triangle. When I first arrived there, I was scared; and nervous; and so antisocial. It took days for me to completely open up to the twins, to talk about my past, and confess my feelings about how the stress of everything's been affecting me. Mabel, Dipper, and Grunkle Stan. They'd been so understanding. They welcomed me in, helped me through my problems, and even though I was now in perfect health… they never let me go.
Which is why, as I stood outside the door to the bedroom, hearing Stan ask the two how they're feeling, that I finally realized it was time to come clean.
It was time to tell them where I came from.
Rapping my knuckles gently on the door, I opened it without waiting for a reply. Stan had sat down in between Dipper and Mabel on the girl's bed, and by the looks of things, I walked in right before Dipper told the truth about the journal. Timed that well, I thought nervously. Let's see how this goes. "Hey guys," I said, closing the door behind me. "How's the unpacking?"
"Great!" Mabel grinned, motioning for me to come closer. "All of my favorite moldy spots on the ceiling are still there! Even you, Daryl!" We looked up at where she was pointing, seeing a disgusting chunk of mold on the rafters.
"Charming," I muttered. Rubbing the disguised branding on my hand, I averted my eyes for a moment from the Pines. I have to tell them. How much would this even change? And how much would they react if I openly admitted the fact they existed as cartoon characters in my dimension? A show made for pure entertainment, and in reality, it's all real?
I couldn't explain the cartoon part… not yet. It's still way too soon for that. But… I COULD tell them the rest of my problem. I'd waited long enough, and had had this situation cause more than enough problems to keep holding it back. But… would they believe me? That's the question right there.
"Elaine?" Snapping my head to the front, I noticed the three were looking at me worriedly. "Are you alright?" Dipper asked. "You blacked out for a moment there."
"Yeah, Dippin' Dots," I replied, trying to shake off his worry. "I-I'm fine. Just… stressed, that's all. Honestly, I'm… fine." I trailed off, my eyes closing tightly before opening them again. Here we go. "Dipper, Mabel, Stan. I-I have to tell you guys something." I clenched my branded hand in nervousness and dread, and Mabel tilted her head to the side.
"What is it, Elaine?" She asked. "Did one of your friends do something to hurt you?"
"Hehe." Chuckling, I shook my head. Asger and Kat wouldn't hurt me, although the realization of Asger's deal did stun me. "Nah, Mabel. I… I've been the one doing the hurting. I… I've lied to you guys," I forced out. "I-I'm not who I've said I am."
"What are you talkin' about, kid?" Stan asked, crossing his arms. "You don't seem like some super criminal or murderer." No, but my actions with Bill could be considered one of a murderer's accomplice. "What'd you lie about?"
"A-about…" no turning back. "I don't belong here!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air and startling the trio. I might have been a little blunt with that, and loud, but it was too late for that.
"Elaine, what are you talking about?" Dipper moved to the edge of the bed, reaching out to pull my hands in his. "Of course you do! I thought that was clear when you first began to connect with us at the Shack?"
Ripping my hands out of his, I violently shook my head. "That's not what I meant! Dipper, I meant HERE. Not Gravity Falls, or Canada, or anywhere else." Panting at the end of my little explosion, I sighed painfully. 'Guys… I'm… I'm not from this world."
…
"You're an alien!?"
What? "What?" I looked at Mabel in confusion. "Alie-no! No, that's not what I meant!"
"Then what DO you mean?" Dipper said calmly. His voice was firm, patient, and I immediately could tell why. I was shaking like a leaf, looking like I was close to passing out on the spot… just like when I realized I could die in this world. "Please, Elaine." Tears stung my eyes, hearing the begging in his voice. "What's wrong?"
"I'm… I'm not from this world, Dipper. I'm… I'm not from this dimension." Stan looked at me in surprise, and I could only imagine what he was thinking right now.
"Kid, what makes you say that?" He asked genuinely. "How did you even come to think that you're not from here? You said you were from Canada, right?"
"Well, yes." I shrugged, and reached up under my glasses to brush the water away. "But… not this world's version of Canada. Gravity Falls doesn't… exist, where I'm from. It's not real."
"That… explains all of those references you kept making," Dipper mumbled to himself. "Why a lot of what you said didn't make any sense."
"Then… how did you end up in our dimension?" Mabel asked. The wheels in her head turned, trying to wrap her head around my big reveal. "And in your… condition, from the start of the summer?" She asked carefully, the sight of my gruesome scars still a touchy subject.
"I dunno, Mabel. All I remember is darkness, and pain, and voices. Everything was all muffled, and once it was clear, I found myself on the couch looking like a teenage mummy," I joked. The humor was lost though, and Stan gave me a disappointed look.
"Elaine, why didn't you just say all of this sooner?" He frowned.
"You seriously think I didn't want to?" I asked. "We already have one crazy person in this town. I didn't need you guys pitying the delusional girl sprouting nonsense about being from a different dimension. I already have been pitied enough this summer. I don't need more." Plus, I was too nervous to say anything. I was more focused on my own problems. Now however, I was completely open to what I'd been hiding… somewhat.
"I… I miss them, guys. I miss my family," my voice cracked. "I miss my mom, my dad… Gail." I hugged myself, trying to keep back the building panic attack. "D-do they think that I just abandoned them? That I just ran away without as much as a goodbye? I… I just… don't know what to do."
Stan, Dipper, and Mabel remained silent, sharing worried and unsure looks. Finally, Grunkle Stan spoke. "Kid." He rested a hand on my shoulder, and I lifted my gaze to meet his. "I know I might not be the right person to say this, but none of this is your fault. You're a great kid, with a good head on your shoulders. It's not your fault you're in this mess, and you shouldn't blame yourself for it." Choking back a sob, I tried to smile at his comforting words, failing. "I don't know how, but one day we'll get you home. I swear. Or my name isn't Stanford Pines!"
"But… but why?" I asked. Your name isn't even Stanford, so how accurate is that swear? "Why would you do this for me?"
"Is it wrong to help out someone in need?" Mabel asked, smiling softly. "We're your family too, Elaine."
And the dam burst. I threw my arms around Stan, burying my face in his jacket. Body shaking in fits of tears, I felt Stan hug me back. It was a gentle, yet firm embrace; which was exactly what I needed. They… they really care. They actually… don't care where I came from. My sobbing slowly quieted down, and the elderly man let me go. "Th-thank you, Grunkle Stan." I turned to the twins on either side of us, and giggled shakily. "You too… you dorks."
Dipper smiled, and then coughed to gain our attention. "So, um, can I speak now?" We turned to him, and I moved to sit next to Mabel as Stan leaned back into his seat. "Grunkle Stan, me and Mabel have been talking before you and Elaine showed up, and I think there's something we should finally tell you." He held up the journal that was sitting beside him, and sighed. "This is a journal me and Elaine found in the woods." He handed it to Stan, who began flipping through the pages. "It talks about all the crazy stuff that goes on in Gravity Falls. Gideon nearly destroyed the whole town trying to find it. I don't know what it means, or who wrote it. But after all we've been through, maybe you should finally know about it."
Stan closed the book solemnly, nodding in understanding. "I'm glad you showed me this, Dipper." Three, two, one. "AH HA HA HA!" He laughed loudly, and looked at us with way too much excitement. "Now I know where you've been getting it all from! Spookums and monsters. This spooky book has been filling your head with crazy conspiracies!" He finished, rubbing Dipper's hat.
"But it's all real!" Dipper shouted, fixing his hat.
"Ha ha. You gotta quit readin' this fantasy nonsense for your own good," Stan teased. "Although some of these would make great attractions!" He showed us the squash page we saw before, grinning. "Can't come up with this stuff! Mind if I borrow this?" Stan got up without letting us answer, making his way to the door.
"Wait, no!" Dipper called out behind him. "Grunkle Stan!"
"Magic book!" Stan laughed, and vanished down the hall. "Ridiculous!"
"Stan, I need it!" Dipper shouted again, holding his hand out in desperation.
"Dipper, you don't need that book!" We turned to face Mabel, as she spoke up. "Don't you see? On your own you and Elaine defeated a giant robot with nothing but your bare hands! You're a hero whether you've got that journal or not!"
"Whoa," Dipper breathed, never really thinking it about it like that. "Thanks, Mabel. I still want it back though."
"I'm sure you'll get it back, Dippin' Dots," I said. "It's not as if he'll have any use for it." Shrugging, he leaned back on the bed, and gave me a curious look.
"Elaine?" I glanced down at him. "You being from a… different dimension. Does this have anything to do with your deal with Bill?"
Makes sense he'd figure that part out. "Yep," I frowned. "I, uh… yeah. Yeah. my problem is the reason why I've been hanging around the demon." I pulled my bag off my back, and took out the dark blue journal. The sunlight catching off the metallic angel wings. "I… I was so scared. I was so terrified, that I'd never see my family again. I was in so much pain, guys. Panicking. Then… he showed up."
"Bill," Dipper growled angrily, knowing exactly who 'he' was now. The 'he' from the last written page of the journal, now was known to him, and us, very well.
"Bill," I nodded in agreement. "He gave me an offer. I'd help him, and in return he'd take me back home. It was so freakin' stupid, but… I accepted." I traced the detailed symbol on the cover, letting fresh tears fall on top. "My stupidity endangered so many people. I sold myself to an insane being for something he might not even do for me. You… you were right, Mason. Back in Stan's mind. I'm a liar. I-I don't deserve-"
"No." Dipper's sudden sentence stopped me, halting my melancholy. "Elaine, you did nothing wrong."
"What?" He ripped the journal out of my hands, tossing it onto my bed so my falling tears didn't damage any of it.
"Elaine, you were scared and hurt. You missed your family. Heck, if I was in your situation… if I lost Mabel…" Dipper looked down at the thought, and turned back to me. "I would have done the same thing you've done." He would? Dipper slammed his fist into the mattress, the hurt in his voice suddenly changing to anger. "So don't go calling yourself stupid! You are smart, brave, and a great person!"
"Dip-Dipper," I stuttered, and yanked him into a hug just as I had with Stan. The truth between both may have been different, but I valued Dipper's opinion far more than I did of Stan's. He knew about Bill. He knew what he could do, and how it had taken its toll on me. "I-I'm so sorry."
"Come on, Elaine," Mabel said. She kicked her legs on the edge of the bed, watching our exchange with a pleased smile. "Don't go beating yourself up over this and insulting yourself, okay?"
"I-I'll try, Mabel." I let go of Dipper, and readjusted myself. That's… too many tears in such a short amount of time. "Thanks, you guys. For everything."
"Yeah, well…" Dipper cleared his throat. "What are friends for?"
"Blackmailing and favors," came my instant response.
"Way to ruin the moment, Elaine." Mabel flopped her head onto my lap, laughing at her brother's reply.
Well, I wasn't wrong. "You know you love me, Dipper." Red appeared in his cheeks, earning a giggle from me and more laughter from Mabel.
"Yeah, hehe… I do," he quietly mumbled, but I could pick up the tail end of it. "Come on." He hopped off the bed, and turned to face us. "Let's go get your gear from the living room. You still have to unpack too."
"Right behind ya, Dipper!" Mabel called as he raced down the stairs. She paused at the door, and looked back at me slyly. "You know, he doesn't reveal his real name to just anyone. You must really mean a lot to him." She dashed after her brother, leaving me stunned.
I… meant that much to him? I promise you; Mason, Mabel… I'll explain the rest of my story to you one day. I cast a look at the triangular window as I got up to follow after them, and at the eye centered in the middle. One day.
I have written many chapters, all over this site. But this... this single chapter is over 10 000 words. Behold, the longest chapter in any story I've written! Hope this fixes the hiatus I put you all through. Stay tuned for the beginning of season 2 next week!
Until next time!
Angel