Tales Of The Flame & The Ax: A Shooting Star Falls Story

Part Thirty-Five: Somehow We Made It

The sound of weapons cocking and a helicopter hovering overhead were the first sounds to greet the Pines family as they came to from their journey into the mindscape. "Mason Pines?" a gruff male voice asked as Dipper's eyes fluttered open. Illuminated in the bright spotlight of the hovering aircraft above was a man in a black suit. "Ugh... Yeah?" he replied while looking around to see that his family was coming to as well. "I'm Director Kevin Trigger of the Cascadian Bureau of Paranormal Activities and Anomalies and I have some que-" the well-dressed man began before being cut off. "THE CBPAA?! AHA! YOU GUYS DO EXIST! I knew it! All those people on the message boards and forums said I was nuts, but who's the crazy one now?! Not me! Let the record show that Mason Alexander Pines was right!" Dipper exclaimed in a prideful tone. For years he had heard rumblings of the clandestine government organization, but could never find any solid evidence that they indeed existed. It felt good to be vindicated. "You really are just as excitable as that kid I met all those years ago..." Director Trigger commented as a smirk formed on his face. Although he couldn't recall the end of his mission in Gravity Falls back in the summer of 2012, he definitely remembered Dipper Pines. "It's you! That rookie agent I met my first summer here!" the now thirty-three year old man replied with astonishment. "I've come a long way since then, kid. My sincere condolences for your sister, by the way. She was a sweet and spirited girl from what I can remember. Damn shame, but I've learned over my career that life can be incredibly cruel..." the blonde-haired man remarked as he looked down at the ground beneath him. It was clear that the things he had seen and done in his career had jaded him beyond repair. "I appreciate that, sir. So, why are you here? I mean, are the guns and everything really necessary?" Dipper asked. "Agent Larson, let's get a retinal scan on these four..." Trigger commanded to his subordinate. "Right away, sir!" she dutifully replied.

After being examined for any trace of a demon inhabiting their bodies, the agents stood down and holstered their firearms, which was a relief to the Pines family. "Sorry about all that, but when it comes to demons, we don't screw around..." Director Trigger apologized to the family of four. "Understandable" Dipper replied. "So, like, why are you dudes here?" Wendy asked as she looked the tall blonde man in his blue eyes. "Well, as I'm sure you all are aware, this region is one of the most active places on Earth for paranormal and supernatural activity. So, we have decided to permanently station a few undercover agents to keep tabs on things and make sure that they stay under control. Your husband has helped make their jobs very easy up until the last few months. Then, well, you guys know the rest..." Director Trigger explained to the scarlet haired woman. "Well... I have some good news for you guys then.. I too-" Wendy began before being cut off by Pacifica. "She totally wasted that demon bitch!" the silver haired girl exclaimed. "LANGUAGE!" both Wendy and Dipper replied in unison. "So, let me get this straight... You killed the demon?" Trigger asked. "I-I mean... I think so? I don't know how anything could survive taking a chainsaw to the heart..." Wendy said with a shrug while some of the agents recoiled at the thought of such a brutal act. "I suppose that might be true. Also, we apprehended these two..." Director Trigger said as a man in a black uniform covered head to toe in body armor walked to the front of the crowd with Ariel and Barron Gleeful in front of him. "We've done a scan and confirmed that there is no trace of demonic possession" he continued. "Ariel... Baron... Are you guys okay?" Mabel asked as she looked at the pair of teens. Ariel nodded that she indeed was as Baron remained motionless; clearly traumatized by the events that had transpired.

After a short conversation with Director Trigger and Agent Larson, the two Gleeful children were released into the custody of Wendy and Dipper, as Gideon had been arrested in connection to the death of Amber Brown while the Pines had been fighting the Magic Killers in the mindscape. "We'll be in contact over the next few days..." Trigger said to Wendy and Dipper before leaving. Convinced that the threat was over for the time being, the rest of the federal agents began to disperse. "Well, I don't know about you, but all this battling demons business has worked up a heck of an appetite for me" Wendy said. "Yeah. It has been a minute since I've had something to eat" Dipper agreed with his wife. Taking a glance at his phone, Dipper saw that it was almost ten at night. "What do you want? I mean, our options are a little limited at this hour..." the chestnut-haired man asked his lover. "Like you even have to ask. Greasey's. It's fast, it's easy and it's good" the redhead responded. "Yeah! I could go for a coffee omelet..." Mable agreed. "Nope. You'll be up all night..." Wendy said to her daughter, who poked her lip out in disappointment. For her, it would have to be a dream deferred. Mabel chose to drive with her father, while Pacifica climbed into the onyx sport utility of her mother, along with the Gleeful children. The drive from the water tower to the diner had begun as a quiet one for the occupants of the Nassin TerraX, but about halfway through the trek Ariel decided to speak. "Mrs. Pines... Um... What's gonna happen to my brother and I?" the teenager asked in a soft tone that dripped with dread for the answer to her query. "Honestly, honey, I'm not sure. I mean, they're trying to get in contact with your mother, but she's in a bit of a situation herself. Don't worry though... You guys will have a safe place to stay with us until everything gets sorted out, okay?" Wendy replied. "B-But... We don't have anything" Baron chimed in. "For tonight we'll figure things out and tomorrow I'll take you guys to the store so we can get you whatever you need. Does that sound alright?" she asked the Gleeful siblings. "Really? That would be great! Thanks Mrs. Pines!" Ariel replied. "No problem, sweetheart..." the ginger woman responded. She felt for the children, as they had dealt with a lot over the past few weeks and could only imagine what it would be like to have one parent arrested and the other missing.

"So, you think Mom really killed that demon? What about the other one?" Mabel asked. "I think so?" the chestnut haired man replied to his daughter in an unsure tone. "Let's hope so. I mean, the mindscape is one thing, but in the real world, we got really lucky that Stan and Ford were able to plan ahead" the silver haired girl pointed out. "Yeah. That might have been the difference between those two and another Bill Cipher situation..." Dipper said with a serious tone. "Dad? A-Are you sure that Bill Cipher is gone? I mean, it seems like he really, and pardon my language here, fucked you guys up..." Pacifica commented as she looked over at her father. He dwelled on the question for a moment as he thought of how to properly explain how the events of nearly twenty years ago continued to affect him. "I'd like to disagree with you, but you're right. He did. Anybody old enough to remember that week of hell on Earth has had to wrestle with the emotions of it. Heck, I still have to take some anti-anxiety medication from time to time, but compared to some of the people in this town I came away relatively unharmed" Dipper replied in a sullen tone. He thought of how the ordinary citizens of the town had struggled for years with the aftermath of Weirdmageddon; developing everything from substance abuse issues to self-harming behaviors and even a few suicides. He worried about the mental health of his daughters and wife in the wake of their latest brush with the supernatural. "If only I could just wish it all away..." the chestnut haired man thought to himself. "You know what? Enough of all that... It's late, I'm hungry and I just wanna forget about what just happened..." Pacifica said as she turned up the radio, which was playing a pop song that she enjoyed.

The Pines family and the Gleeful children arrived at the diner a little before eleven. They walked in to find that it was completely empty, except for Alexa, who was slumped over the counter, fast asleep. "S-Should we leave?" Dipper asked his wife in a hushed tone as he tried to not wake the clearly exhausted owner. Alexa practically lived at Greasey's, as it was open twenty-one hours a day. Ever since her Grandmother had passed, the former world class athlete had absolutely poured herself into the job of owning and operating it. Wendy flipped off the lights and turned the open sign off before the family exited the restaurant; taking one last look back at the slumbering young woman. "We'll just have a quick snack at home and I'll make us a big breakfast in the morning..." Dipper said as they piled back into their vehicles and headed for home. After enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, everyone headed for bed. The Pines twins decided to spend the night in Pacifica's room and the Gleeful siblings got to sleep in Mabel's room, as it was the tidier of the two. "Hey Paz... D-Do you think all this stuff is over?" Mabel asked her sister in a worried tone. "I sure as hell hope so. I mean, I'm totally over all this shit. I just want to enjoy the last two weeks of summer vacation and get back to school. Wow... I thought I'd never say that I was ready to go back to school. Who am I?" the silver haired girl replied as she removed her prosthetic arm. "Apparently a giant nerd..." Mabel shot back in a teasing tone. "Takes one to know one..." her sister responded in a playful tone. "Love ya sis..." Mabel said as she let out a yawn and lay her head on a soft pillow. "Love you too..." Pacifica replied as the teens fell fast asleep.

"Well, that was a hell of a day..." Dipper said as he changed into a pair of sleep pants. His wife couldn't help but to burst out in near hysterical laughter at the comment. "That's the understatement of the century..." Wendy said as she calmed herself down and crawled under the sheets. "I have to say, seeing you go after that demon like that was kinda hot..." the chestnut haired man said as he joined his wife in the bed and cuddled up to her. "Dip, I know what you're fishing for, but it's late and I've got work in the morning..." the ginger woman replied. "You're right. Maybe tomorrow?" he asked in a hopeful tone. "I think I might be able to squeeze you into my schedule..." the redhead said with a wink before rolling over and setting her alarm. She actually was looking forward to work in the morning, as it would bring back a sense of normalcy that she had been lacking in her life as of late. "Did you take your meds?" Wendy asked her lover. She had a feeling that they would do him some good after the events of the past day. "Good call, honey. I'll be right back..." Dipper said as he got out of the bed and headed for the master bathroom. After taking his medication, he looked into the mirror for a moment. "What a fucking day..." he said in an exhausted tone before heading back to bed, where his wife was already fast asleep. For a few minutes he watched Wendy. A smile had formed on her face and it warmed his heart to see the love of his life in such a content state. As he lay his head to the pillow, he hoped that everyone he cared for in his life could find such peace after a trying summer in Gravity Falls, Oregon.

Author's Note: So, this was a bit of a cool down chapter after all the excitement of the last one. We still have two more weeks of summer and a lot can happen, so stay tuned. What else in store for the Pines family and the Gleeful children? Are the Magic Killers truly gone once and for all? Answers to these questions and more in the next installment of Tales of the Flame & The Axe: A Shooting Star Falls Story. Until then, remember that reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy Doge! Bye! - iKLOT

Playlist for this chapter:

Sum 41 - "We're All To Blame"

New Found Glory - "My Friends Over You"

CHVRCHES - "Leave A Trace"

The Pretty Reckless - "And So It Went"

Bring Me The Horizon - "Can You Feel My Heart?"

All Time Low / blackbear - "Monsters"

The Academy Is... -"We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands"

Greyscale - "Forever Yours"