Chapter 50: Something Wicked
A/N: Before we begin, I'd like to give a special thanks to PippyTheBest for leaving my 500th review! This story officially has over 500 reviews, over 100 each followers and favorites, over 50,000 views, and with this, the 50th chapter, we're passing the 150,000 words mark.
Wow. Don't those numbers just fall together so nicely? Perfection!
Thank you to everyone, guest and logged in alike, for reading, reviewing, and loving this story so much! You all make it much easier for me to continue writing this story with the same excitement and passion I had when I first started it, despite the fact that it's already been nine months since this story's creation! I won't say that this story would just end if you didn't show your support, but…. Honestly, that would be a possibility. I've no idea what would happen. XD
So anyway, thanks again to all of my readers! Now enjoy the chapter! ;)
….
Mabel cringed and tears sprung to her eyes when, as she and Dipper were waiting in the lobby of the police station, a sudden and unfortunately familiar scream resounded from the back of the station. Dipper grasped his sister's hand tightly in an attempt to comfort her.
Gideon emerged through a swinging door, his best friend and loyal supporter Ghost-Eyes right behind him. Gideon beamed, despite the tortured sobs that could be heard as the door swung closed behind him.
"Why Mabel," Gideon began, but he didn't get the chance to finish. Before anyone could even think, Mabel had shot forward, raised a fist, and socked him right in the nose with her right hook.
"GIDEON GLEEFUL YOU BETTER STOP HURTING HIM RIGHT NOW OR I WILL NEVER LOVE YOU!" She shrieked in complete fury and protectiveness, tears instantly streaming down her face. Everyone both inside and outside the station froze, hearing perfectly clearly her enraged and hurt cry.
Bill wheezed but, despite the pain coursing through him, he couldn't help but smirk.
Gideon was caught completely off guard by how very distraught she was. Even Dipper had never seen her like this: But, then again, Mabel had never had a reason to lash out with the fury of someone defending the defenseless. At least not in the same capacity.
Gideon frowned and looked ready to cry himself. "Oh, dearest Mabel, don't say such things, and don't look at me like that!" Mabel was standing over where he lay on the ground, a look of pure fury and hurt written all over her expression. Gideon stood, his hands up in surrender.
"Alright, alright, just calm down there Mabel. Just hold on a second." Gideon disappeared into the back. Mabel and Dipper could hear him through the door. "Just hold off for a little bit there fellas. Just leave him be for now. Women, am I right guys?" Gideon said to the men in the back guarding Bill before returning to the station's lobby. "Okay Mabel, alright, just calm down there." Gideon wiped his nose, blood coming away on his light blue sleeve. "You really are feisty, my Sweet Peach. And you really mean it; you might maybe learn to love me one day?" Gideon's eyes sparkled, despite the traces of blood still under his nose.
Mabel calmed down a bit and relaxed somewhat, but her shoulders were still tense and she was still very clearly not pleased. "As a friend, Gideon? Maybe, someday. But not if you kill my friend Bill tonight. And he is my friend, Gideon."
Gideon frowned. "Now Mabel, you know I can't just let him go! Even if I wanted to, which I don't," Gideon clarified for his ex-inmate buddies, "the whole town wants this now! Besides Mabel, he's a purely evil dream demon! He's Bill Cipher! Tried to destroy the world and all that? Surely you must understand why I've gotta do this, Sugar. Why, you yourself helped in the effort to kill him just nine months ago!" Gideon said.
"But things have changed since then!" Mabel rebuttaled. "We're trying to help Bill change now, just like we helped you change. You've gotten better, you're not such a bad guy anymore. At least I don't think you are, but if you hurt Bill now then no, I'll go back to thinking you're not just a bad person, but the worst person I've ever met!"
Gideon clutched his chest as if hurt. "Why Mabel, of course I'm not the same as I used to be! But it's because of that that I'm tryin' to do right now! And makin' sure that demon suffers for what he's done is the right thin' ta do! Don't ya see that?"
"You just want to get back at him for humiliating you during Weirdmageddon," Dipper argued. Gideon frowned, indicating that Dipper had hit on a sore subject.
"Listen, I'll agree not to hurt the little devil anymore until tonight to keep you from lookin' so upset again, my precious Mabel, but I can't stop what's comin' anymore and I'm not gonna try ta stop it either."
"Well... Can we at least talk to him?" Mabel asked. "Please, Gideon." She pouted.
"Oh, Mabel, don't look at me like that..." Tears sprung up in Mabel's eyes. "Oh, fine, alright, you can talk to it, but only for a minute! Then I want you ta go on home. No sense in a pretty little lady like yourself seein' the violence that's gonna happen in the square here tonight." Gideon sighed and led the Pines twins towards the back, Dipper following closely behind his sister, looking around as they went.
They all stopped in front of a closed cell that was being guarded by two of Gideon's men. Gideon motioned to them and they stepped aside, opening the cell door. Mabel and Dipper rushed inside, Gideon standing by outside the cell door.
"I just can't refuse my woman, you know Ghost-Eyes?" Ghost-Eyes nodded in understanding. "It's not that I'm weak or anything."
"Even the strongest of men will yield to their gals," Ghost-Eyes assured him. "Ain't no shame in that."
Inside the cell, Mabel rushed to Bill's side while Dipper turned around and stood watch, as if expecting one of Gideon's goons to attack them.
"Bill? Bill?" Mabel shook his shoulder gently. Bill was crumpled on the ground, wheezing in and out breaths, and every time he coughed blood would splatter onto the concrete floor. "Bill, it's okay, we're gonna get you out of here, alright?"
"Thank you, Shooting Star, but I'm not sure there's much you can do..." Bill wheezed out between gasps.
"Us Pines can do anything, and don't you forget it mister!" Mabel said, trying to sound confident.
"I don't think your Grunkle Ford will be doing too much to try and help save me," Bill refuted, "and he's by far the strongest among you." This was, after all, Stanford's perfect opportunity to get rid of him. All he had to do was sit back and let Bill be killed, no strings attached.
"He'll help if I ask him to help," Mabel argued. "Besides, I think he's finally starting to get used to you. None of us want you to die, Bill. Especially not like this."
Bill shook his head minutely, but didn't speak.
"C'mon Mabel, time to go," Gideon said from right outside the cell.
"Just give her a minute man! I mean, come on! Be cool!" Dipper said, crossing his arms and huffing. Gideon turned a little red, but gave her a few moments longer.
"I promise we'll save you, okay Bill? Just don't make things worse," Mabel concluded, wiping some of his tears off his face and dabbing at a cut near his eye. "We'll have you home by tomorrow morning."
"Out," Gideon ordered. Dipper looked like he was ready to fight over it, but Mabel stood and put a hand on her brother's shoulder to stop him. With one last glance at the blond trembling form on the floor, Dipper and Mabel departed.
Stan, Ford, and Soos instantly approached as Dipper and Mabel exited the station.
"They're gonna kill him tonight if we don't do something," Mabel said, tears in her eyes.
"It's alright Mabel, we'll come up with something," Dipper promised. Mabel nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes with her non-bloody sweater sleeve. A look of determination came over her.
"Yeah, I know. We'll save him. We've got to! He was finally making progress!" Mabel said. The others nodded.
"We've got like six hours to come up with something," Stan said, looking at his watch. "That's plenty of time! Especially since we've got you two kids, Soos, me, and Poindexter here to help!" Ford frowned. "Between the five of us nothin's impossible!"
Ford hummed and stepped away from the group a bit. He looked over at the police station.
"Yeah, I was paying attention to every detail while we were in there," Dipper said. "I know exactly where Bill's cell is. We can break through from the outside! Or sneak in and bust him out! Or maybe we can..." Dipper's voice trailed off when Ford began walking over towards the police station. "Grunkle Ford?"
"Tell your little boss that I want to talk to him," Ford said to the sentries. They looked at each other before one of them stepped inside.
"Grunkle Ford, what are you doing?" Mabel asked. "'Cuz I already socked Gideon in the nose, if that's what you wanna do." Ford didn't respond.
Gideon came outside, riding on Ghost-Eyes' shoulders. "What do you want, old man?"
"... I want to help you kill Bill Cipher." The other Pines, and Soos, gasped.
"Why should I believe you?" Gideon asked, narrowing his eyes skeptically.
"I'm sure you noticed by now that Bill's one eye down. Don't you want to know how that happened?" Gideon nodded and waited for him to continue. "I stabbed him."
Gideon's eyes widened. "Huh, you really are a terse old man. But I do believe that of everyone in the town, you must hate him most, and you've probably got the most right of anyone to play a part in makin' sure he doesn't hurt anyone else ever again, so... Alright, fine. You're in. And honestly, havin' you on my side is better than havin' you against me, old timer, so how can I refuse?" Gideon motioned for him to follow and Stanford wordlessly proceeded into the station.
Stan, Dipper, Soos, and Mabel all stared after him with wide eyes. Tears sprung up in Mabel's eyes.
"Well... I guess we're goin' home then," Stan said quietly.
A/N: Thanks again to all my readers for your continued support, and remember! Reviews=Love, Reality=Illusion, Universe=Hologram, Buy Gold, BYE~!
