"Hey, bro-bro. It's been a while."
Mabel took a deep breath, and pulled up a chair next to her twin brother. It was routine for her by now. Wake up, eat breakfast, feed Waddles, and then go down to the hospital to spend time with Dipper. She'd stopped counting the number of times Grunkle Stan or Grunkle Ford came up to coax her into leaving so Dipper could rest. Mabel had refused every single time.
Dipper's body was covered in too many stiches and bandages for Mabel to count. A cast encased the boy's left forearm, the limb bound in a sling. A bandage was wrapped around Dipper's forehead, and Mabel sighed with relief once she found no blood had stained the new dressing. The worst of Dipper's injuries was thankfully out of sight, hidden beneath the thick blankets covering him, but Mabel knew better. Each injury jabbed an invisible knife deeper into the girl's heart. A twisted right ankle, a major concussion from when Dipper's head had hit the ground. At least four splintered ribs, one of which had nearly punctured a lung.
If I was in a coma and Dipper wasn't, he'd figure out what's wrong. Grunkle Ford had suspected something was up once it became clear that Dipper wouldn't wake up without help. The older explorer had questioned everyone from the nurses watching over Dipper to the doctor who had performed the blood transfusion to begin with. No one could provide an answer as to how Dipper was still unconscious after so long.
"Miss Pines? Can I get you anything?"
Mabel turned her head towards the new voice, her lips parting into a grateful smile. The nurse, Alice, quickly stepped into the room. "Your uncles are both worried about you," Alice spoke up, a motherly nature showing in her tone. "The one with the fez, he stopped by and told me to try to get you something to eat. He says you've spent a good portion of the day up here."
Mabel shook her head in response. "I'll come downstairs later," she optimistically replied, averting her gaze. "I just don't want to feel like I'm leaving Dipper."
Alice quickly strolled over, kneeling next to the girl. "If it helps, you might've noticed that we took him off the ventilator yesterday." She gestured toward Dipper's bed. "He's starting to breathe on his own again. That's a great sign."
The girl cast a warm smile toward her bedridden brother, relief washing over her as she noticed the steady rise and fall of the boy's chest. Indeed, the ventilator which had done Dipper's breathing for him was gone, replaced by a pair of tubes in the boy's nostrils. I'm just glad that tube's not in his throat anymore. He's probably a lot more comfortable now.
Faster than Mabel could process, however, the guilt came back to drown her. "He shouldn't have been on that machine at all," she countered, turning her gaze back to the nurse. "Maybe if I'd seen that car coming, Dipper would be—"
"Mabel, don't!" Alice spoke up, her tone firm and unyielding. "You don't deserve the blame for what happened. If your brother was awake, I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing."
"He's been asleep for over a month," the girl whimpered, hiding her head in her hands. "I miss him so much."
Lost in her own turmoil, Mabel was dimly aware of the nurse placing a comforting hand on her back. "You know what I think?" Alice piped up. "I think Dipper misses you too. And I'm sure that, wherever he is, he's fighting like hell to make it back to you."
"You think so?"
Alice gave Mabel's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I know so." The nurse stood up to leave. "I have some other patients I need to check on yet," Alice said, her voice showing just how much she regretted leaving Mabel alone. "But if you need anything or if Dipper's condition changes at all, just press the button by the bed." With that, the nurse strode out of the room, only pausing to cast a hopeful glance at the twins.
Mabel took a deep breath, pulling her chair up closer to her brother's bed. She took Dipper's pale hand in her own, reaching up to brush away the loose strands in the boy's hair. The girl figured Alice was right about one thing. Dipper was fighting like hell.
"Who would sacrifice everything for their dumb sibling?"
"Dipper would."
The conversation with Bill Cipher echoed in her mind, and Mabel gave her brother's hand a reassuring squeeze.
Don't give up, Dipper. Keep fighting. Keep fighting like you always do.
Smoke and ashes billowed into the endless sky. Wood creaked and groaned as it burned. Dipper could barely comprehend his trick weapon slipping out of his grasp as he gazed upon the inferno. To the young hunter, it would have been magnificent, if not for the significance of what was burning.
This is new. The teen swallowed a lump in his throat as the old workshop gave way to the all-consuming fire. He reached into his coat pocket, letting out a relieved sigh as he noticed all of his belongings still intact. Okay. Blood vials, check. Ammo, check. Weird umbilical cord things that I have no idea what to do with, check. Dipper shuddered as the memories of how he acquired the pieces of the cord played in his mind.
The way the fake Iosefka shuddered in a mix of pain and pleasure, rejoicing in the "eyes" Oedun had given her. Arianna's maniacal laughter and the eerie cooing of the thing some Great One had forced her to give birth to. The way Dipper's hands trembled as he played the music box, giving Mergo, the source of the nightmare, a final moment of peace as she passed away.
All of these memories had one thing in common. They all made Dipper's blood boil. I thought the beasts were bad, but these Great Ones…it's like fifty versions of Bill are out there hurting these people. Dipper had seen Bill Cipher's likeness in the way these Great Ones treated their victims so coldly, the way they drowned Yharnam in chaos simply because they could. At least the source of the plague has been halted. They can't hurt anyone outside the Dream anymore…at least not for a while.
"Good hunter…you have come…"
Dipper turned his head toward the voice's source, smiling as the Doll came to greet him. He quickly strolled over to her. "What happened here?" he worriedly asked, pointing toward the burning workshop. "Is Gehrman all right?"
The Doll turned her head to the inferno. "We won, for now," she spoke, the slightest hint of joy seeping into her tone. "Dawn will soon break. This night, and this hunt, will end."
For the second time since he'd arrived at the changed Hunter's Dream, Dipper's jaw dropped in wonder. Dawn will soon break…that means…is it over? "It's over then?" the boy whispered, turning to his companion for confirmation. "All of this can end?"
"This generation of hunters will go, and the next will take their place," the Doll elaborated, sitting down on the steps. "The Great Ones will taint the blood of the waking world once more, as punishment for our fiscal sins. And so, the hunt shall begin again."
Dipper's eyes narrowed. Punishment…as in more victims plucked from reality like I was? "No…" he whispered, shaking his head in denial. "If more hunters are forced to do this, what will happen to them? What will happen to Gehrman?" Ever since the conversation Dipper had overheard from his sleeping mentor, the boy had made it his mission to take everyone in the Dream home with him…including the old man who had helped Dipper adapt to the Dream to begin with.
"Master Gehrman will stay here with me," the Doll neutrally answered. "He needs company, after all."
Unshackle me…please, anybody…
Dipper swallowed the lump in his throat as he recalled Gehrman's desperate plea for help. This night has to end somehow, but how? I don't have…wait, yes. Of course! The boy reached into his coat pocket, quickly pulling out the umbilical cord pieces, before turning to the Doll. "Channel these with my blood echoes. I have an idea."
The Doll's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the cords. "Good hunter, I do not know what will happen. Are you certain?"
The boy nodded his head. "We've done this a dozen times before, remember?" he reassured her, handing her the cords. "The strength you'll give me now is just gonna have an extra kick to it, is all."
The Doll took the cords in her wooden hands, holding the pieces as if they were made of glass. She closed her eyes in concentration. The Doll's own energy dissolved the completed cord, the power condensing in her hands as she stepped closer to Dipper.
"Close your eyes…" the Doll whispered into his ear, and Dipper obeyed.
When the wave of energy suddenly entered Dipper's body, he didn't know how to react at first. It was almost as if the energy itself had numbed his brain, rendering it unable to comprehend just how much volatile power was coursing through his veins. Huh. This isn't too bad…
Then came the pain.
Dipper arched his head back in a silent scream as the Great Ones' power flowed through him, lighting his nerves on fire and causing the blood in his veins to burn. It took everything the boy had to keep from passing out, and he gritted his teeth while anxiously waiting for the pain to fade. I can take it. For Mabel. For everyone else in this nightmare. I can take it.
The fire in his veins gradually began to die down into the familiar warmth that usually came with blood healing. Unlike the blood, however, this warmth continued to flow with an intensity that caused Dipper's body to break out into a sweat. And all the while, Dipper could feel his heart beat with renewed vigor, adapting to the fraction of the Great Ones' power he received. It was nothing compared to the power of some of the Great Ones the boy had faced so far, but in terms of making a stand…of giving himself and every other prisoner in Yharnam a way out…Dipper felt it might be enough.
Concentrating on breathing through the lingering aches, the young hunter was only just aware of the Doll helping him to his feet. "Gehrman…" Dipper breathed, his lungs hungering for air he'd been denied while absorbing the cord pieces. "Where—"
"Master Gehrman awaits you at the foot of the Great Tree," the Doll answered, catching onto the boy's request. "Let us walk." The Doll brushed the leaves off of her dress as she stood, and strolled down the path towards a nearby gate. Dipper followed close behind, brushing off the lingering discomfort of the eldritch power in his veins.
The garden, and the Great Tree which stood in its center, remained untouched by the fire cast upon the workshop. Were it not for the soothing smell of the flowers scattered throughout the area, Dipper would've mistaken the flora for snow. As Dipper followed the Doll to the tree, the teen's thoughts zoomed every which way. It's almost over. I wonder what Gehrman's going to think when I explain to him what I found. As thankful as the boy was that he found a way to end the nightmare for good, he still didn't know how his mentor would react.
Gehrman raised his head at the sight of the young hunter, his lips curling into a generous smile. "Good hunter, you've done well," Gehrman spoke, his bony hand reaching out to pat Dipper on the shoulder. "The night is near its end. We truly are lucky to have a hunter like you."
"Not as lucky as I am to have a friend like you," Dipper replied, setting down his trick weapon. If all went well, there would be no use for it anymore. As the young hunter sat down beside his teacher, he could barely contain his emotions. On the outside, Dipper was calm, his breathing even for the first time since he woke up in the Dream. Inside, however, the twin's thoughts raced every which way, his mind too caught up in excitement to function properly. I can't believe it. I won! I can go home! "What do we do now?"
Gehrman turned to face his student. "Now…I will show you mercy."
"What do you mean?" Dipper asked, turning to face the older hunter.
Gehrman shifted in his wheelchair, allowing Dipper a glimpse at the object sitting beside the first hunter. The curved blade shone in the moonlight, Dipper's reflection showing in the metal. The weary eyes which stared back at the boy unsettled him for the slightest moment. I've been here for so long…too long. Mabel's probably wondering whether I'll wake up at this point.
"You will die, forget the Dream, and awake under the morning sun," Gehrman explained, taking note of Dipper's confusion. "You will be freed from this terrible Hunter's Dream."
Does he…does he mean to kill me with that? Dipper continued to stare at the curved blade, the gears turning in his head as he mused over Gehrman's choice of words. "You mean…if you strike me down, I can go home?" the boy asked, uncertainty creeping into his tone.
"That's what you wanted all along, is it not?" Gehrman smiled, setting a gentle hand on the teen's shoulder. "To be with your sister again?"
Dipper nodded his head. It was true. He did long to be with Mabel again, to smile at her jokes and spend time in Gravity Falls with her again. He wanted to go monster hunting with Grunkle Ford, and spend nights watching movies with Soos and Wendy. Even Grunkle Stan's teasing sounded appealing to him. They're all waiting for me to wake up.
That was when the doubt seeped into his thoughts, swirling around his mind like a beast he could never outrun. If I'm the only one going back, then what happens to Gehrman? What happens to everyone else? To say that the boy's journey to end the hunt had been difficult was an understatement. The faces of the people who had helped him, people who had been trapped like him, flashed in his mind, each one contributing to the growing worry inside his brain.
Iosefka, Alfred, Gilbert, Gascoigne's daughter…
The Doll…Eileen…Gehrman…
Dipper swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked his mentor in the eye. "I…I can't…" he softly stammered, unsure of what else to say.
Gehrman raised an eyebrow at the young hunter's answer.
"Gehrman…" Dipper started, stepping closer to the older man's wheelchair. "I'm honored that you're giving me this chance, but…if I go back, you'll still be trapped here, and more people will be forced into this chaos like I was. I don't want to wish that on you, or Mabel, or anyone else.
"I know you're scared, and you have every right to be. But I think I found a way out for all of us. If I'm sent back alone, with no memories of what we endured, all of my efforts will be for nothing. I want all of us to be able to watch the sunrise with our loved ones. And until that happens…I can't leave. I won't."
The boy let out a deep sigh, hoping the air flowing through his lungs would be enough to calm his stress. There. I said it. I made my choice. Now Gehrman needs to make his.
"Good hunter," the Doll spoke up as she approached. "If this is the path you wish to go down, then…I must share something with you. May we talk?"
Dipper nodded his head in reply, and bent down to retrieve his trick weapon. He paused to look over his shoulder at his teacher. "I'll give you some time to think it over," he told the old man, beginning the short walk out of the field.
The sound of laughter stopped the two in their tracks.
Dipper let out a stressful sigh, turning back to face Gehrman. Pity shone in the boy's eyes as he stared. Gehrman's body was hunched over, a series of soft chuckles escaping his lips.
"Looking—" Gehrman paused to laugh some more, "looking to free me? Then I graciously decline."
Dipper raised a suspicious eyebrow as the cane which Gehrman carried in his wheelchair collapsed into the flowers. The older man groaned with exertion as he slowly pushed himself out of the chair, reaching for his own trick weapon.
"So selfless, so…vain," Gehrman gently remarked, eyes cast upon the boy. "I suppose it can't be helped. It always comes down to the hunter's helper to clean up after these sorts of messes."
Dipper let out a disbelieving gasp. He…doesn't want my help? Seriously? "I don't want to bicker over this," he replied, his tone reflecting how tired he was. Tired of the fighting, tired of the Dream, tired of trying and failing to save the people trapped alongside him. "I get that you want to help hunters like me, but that's no reason to just stay here forever."
"And just what was your reason, Dipper?" Gehrman spoke up, stepping toward the young hunter and chuckling as Dipper backed away in response. The two hunters circled the blossoming field, the flowers dancing in the wind. "Was it the hunt? The blood? Or the horrible Dream? You have a sister waiting to reunite with you, and yet you refuse to go join her. You refuse to take my offer of salvation. Why?"
Dipper shook his head in disbelief. "You think I'm the only one in need of salvation?" he accused, strolling back towards the older hunter.
A bitter chuckle erupted from Gehrman's body in response. "Who else?!"
"How about you!" The twin felt his stomach turn in knots at the conviction his voice carried. Why can't he see that we want the same thing? "I heard you talking, about how you wanted out of this Dream. How long have you been guiding hunters like me? How long have you been throwing away chances for them to free you? Years? Decades?! You shouldn't have to suffer like this anymore, Gehrman!"
"Please, listen to me!" Gehrman raised his voice, eyes softening just enough so Dipper could see the remorse showing in the old hunter's irises. "The burden I carry is too much for any hunter to bear, never mind one as young as yourself. I won't let the night take you the way it took the woman I loved, the way it took me. Lay down your arms, Dipper." The master of hunters placed a hand on his own curved sword in warning. "I'll free you myself if I have to!"
Dipper's hand tightened around his own trick weapon in response. "Just because you helped give me freedom doesn't mean you should toss your own chance at freedom aside!" he challenged. "You don't deserve to rot here any longer."
"And you don't deserve to bear my cross," Gehrman sharply replied, a tear trickling down his cheek. "Lay. Down. Your. Arms."
The stern warning, and the subtle threat hidden in Gehrman's tone, tore a hole in Dipper's heart. He began to back away from Gehrman, shaking his head. "Don't make me do this…" he whispered, his own tears threatening to fall.
The Doll swiveled her head from the boy to the old man. "Gentlemen, is violence the only—"
"Stay out of this!" Gehrman hollered, turning his pained gaze back to Dipper.
The boy clutched his weapon tightly, the way he would when a beast was around the corner, as he looked into Gehrman's eyes. Gone was the kind hunter who had taught Dipper how to survive, who had taken the boy in like a son. The eyes which gazed back at the young hunter now shone only with guilt-ridden determination.
The two hunters circled the makeshift arena, hands gripping their weapons in preparation for the inevitable. Dipper kept one hand on the stock of his shotgun as he stared down his old friend. If it's a fight he wants, if he's not gonna see my point of view…then I have to do this. The twin furiously scrubbed at his eyes in an attempt to keep his sorrow at bay.
The brief moment of distraction was the moment Gehrman made the first move.
With speed unseen even in the quickest of beasts, the first hunter launched forward, blade poised to slice through his adversary's guts. Dipper quickly readied the shotgun and fired, the pellets distracting Gehrman long enough for the boy to dodge the incoming strike. The twin unsheathed his saw sword, dashing forward to follow up with a strike of his own. The slash drew a deep gash in Gehrman's chest, catching the older man off guard.
Dipper let his passion make his moves for him, swinging his blade at every opening he could find. The boy only found frustration in his efforts as Gehrman effortlessly adapted to the twin's tactics, the curved blade blocking Dipper's own before the boy could land a hit. The older hunter twisted his blade slightly, forcing Dipper's saw sword to the side, before lashing out with his free hand. The backhand knocked the wind out of the twin as he went flying, his body crashing into a grave marker with enough force to shatter it into rubble.
The twin reached into his coat pocket with a trembling hand, the ache of his bruised body tempting him to give up. For the briefest moment, Dipper couldn't help but listen to the voice in his head. Just stop fighting, it whispered in his ear. He's stronger than you are. You can't win this.
No! Dipper grabbed ahold of a couple blood syringes and jabbed them into his side without a second thought. The warmth mended his battered body and spirit at once, restoring his motivation to keep fighting along with his strength.
I'm not giving up on the only friends I have left in this place. Dipper had found Alfred's corpse, knelt in an eternal prayer, long after the hunter had passed away. Gilbert had been denied his final wish to die human, forcing Dipper to put an end his fellow outsider's suffering. Then there was Eileen. Dipper hadn't found a body, only the pendant the crow hunter once wore. Knowing how wounded the hunter of hunters had been, however, Dipper could only assume the worst. Gehrman's the last fellow hunter I have left. I won't let him suffer the way everyone else did.
"What were you thinking?" Gehrman exclaimed, a mixture of frustration and sorrow showing in his eyes. "If I die, you will be next. You'll never see your sister again. What do you want from this nightmare?"
"It's not too late," Dipper spoke up, trying his best to keep his voice calm despite his jackhammering heart.
The first hunter shook his head in response, tears running down his face despite his vigilant posture. "I'm afraid it is, old friend." He quickly raised his sword, the blade handle sliding into a mechanism on his back. The apparatus quickly extended into a long, sleek handle. The sword itself connected at an angle on one end, the curved blade giving the weapon the appearance of a scythe.
Gehrman charged forward again, the scythe blade raised over his head. Dipper stepped back in time to avoid the first swing, only for the blade to come back around and draw blood from the boy's shoulder. Dipper grimaced as pain lanced all around the injury, but remained undeterred otherwise. Can't slip up. I have to win this. For Mabel. For everyone.
Blades created sparks as they collided. Crimson droplets stained the field of flowers as the two hunters continued their deadly dance. Dipper strained as he swung his blade in hopes of landing a hit. Gehrman blocked the boy's strikes effortlessly, and though the hunter was several decades older than Dipper, he showed no signs of tiring. After a hundred perfect swings, Dipper slipped up, overestimating his swing and missing Gehrman entirely.
The mistake was all the opportunity Gehrman needed. Faster than the boy could process, the old hunter lashed forward, curving the blade upward towards his opponent. The blade slid deep into Dipper's chest cavity. The twin barely had time to let out an agonized scream before Gehrman swung his blade overhead, flinging Dipper's added weight away from the first hunter.
Dipper's flung his hands out to shield himself as he collided with the ground. The boy groaned, spitting out blood and dirt as he scanned the field for any signs of his fallen trick weapon. He shakily reached for a blood vial, the agony in his chest making his efforts to ready the syringe painstakingly difficult.
A peg leg kicked the syringe out of Dipper's hand without warning. The twin glanced upward, letting out a gasp as he locked eyes with the man he once called a friend. Gehrman detached his blade from its worn handle, and Dipper's heart jackhammered as the blade came to rest at his throat. The boy was in the process of backing away from the old hunter when his elbow felt it.
The Buckshot Blade. The weapon which had kept Dipper alive and breathing throughout the never-ending nightmare.
"I am sorry, my friend," Gehrman spoke lowly, raising the blade to strike a killing blow. "But tonight, Gehrman joins the hunt."
Forgive me. Dipper reluctantly took his frustration and pain, and shoved them into a box in the corner of his mind. He swiftly grabbed ahold of his trick weapon, slipping the saw sword back into its sheath and aiming the shotgun at his friend's broken heart.
BANG!
The boy's ears rang as the shot hit its mark. Gehrman let out a gasp as he tripped forward.
Dipper thrust his hand forward, tearing through the gap in Gehrman's defenses…and the man's chest.
Gehrman let out an agonized gasp at the unorthodox attack. The warmth of the old hunter's blood soaked Dipper's hand, and he struggled to avoid the unsettling feeling building in his stomach.
"And tonight, I bring the hunt to an end," Dipper countered, his voice cracking as he observed the look of betrayal in his mentor's eyes. The twin turned his gaze to the Doll for comfort. The Doll kept her hand over her mouth as she looked on, a futile attempt to keep her emotions buried underneath the surface.
Dipper tried his best to keep from throwing up as he swiftly removed his hand, blood pouring out of the gaping wound like a fountain. Gehrman fell to his knees, eyes wide with terror as his blade slipped out of his grasp.
"Tell me," Gehrman rasped, pausing to spit out a wad of blood and saliva. "Why would you sacrifice so much?"
Dipper knelt in front of his fallen comrade. "I know what it's like to want a way out," he answered, taking Gehrman's hand in his own. "I will find a way to wake everyone up," the twin reassured, letting his tears fall freely as he tightened his grip on Gehrman's hand. "I promise."
"You are going to see her again, Master Gehrman," the Doll whispered, her own repressed emotions threatening to overtake her. "Your beloved Lady Maria. You are going to see her again."
Even as pain wracked his body, Gehrman's lips curled into a warm smile. He reached out his free hand to caress the Doll's wooden face. "You always did know how to dry my tears, my dear."
The Doll leaned into her friend's touch, and for the briefest moment, Dipper could see a tear shimmering in her eye. "That is how you created me, is it not?"
The rumbling of clouds overhead attracted the attention of the Doll and the young hunter. The moon's light began to burn out, casting darkness upon the dream. Petals peeled away from the sea of flowers as they wilted and fell apart. Dipper could only look on in horror. It's all falling apart.
"Dipper…" Gehrman whispered, turning his gaze from one ally to the other. "My sweet Doll…I love you both…" He looked to the moon, taking in a shuddering breath as the moon's color changed from a peaceful white to a bloody red. "The night, and the dream, were long…"
Gehrman's final breath came out in a raspy shutter, eyes unblinking as they gazed at the crimson moon. The hand which had reached out to the Doll slipped from her grasp, and disappeared into the flowers.
Gehrman, the First Hunter had faded into the night.
"Goodbye…" Dipper whispered, reluctantly letting go of his mentor's hand. He reached for the old hunter's fallen blade, laying the sword on the corpse's chest, before moving the lifeless hand over the weapon's worn hilt.
The Doll reached down with trembling hands to close her master's eyes, allowing the two survivors to pretend Gehrman was simply taking another long nap. "May you find your worth in the waking world," she spoke.
A roar, louder than that of any beast Dipper had encountered, turned his gaze back to the moon. The boy gasped as his eyes bore the sight of the newcomer. The creature's skeletal frame and tentacles stood out the most, the bloody moon casting a shadow over its form.
Dipper unsheathed his saw sword, determination shining in his eyes. The Doll stood beside him, her grief now replaced with a longing to protect the only friend she had left.
The Moon Presence, the master of puppets and nightmares, had finally arrived.