Greetings from SeekerMeeker.
So, I decided to completely redo the chapter 3, due to realizing that I may need to redo the "feel." I decide that since it is "Gravity Falls" fanfic, I need to keep the story focused on the trio.
Therefore, for anyone who has read the former chapter, I apologize if the chapter is so different.
But it's to ensure quality control, in the face of competition from other GF fanfics.
Man, GF is popular even after five years since the series finale!
So, happy reading.
Chapter 3: Five
"Hurricane!"
"Yea?"
"Henry Peterson, are you serious about this?"
"Wow."
"Drop the new system of code-talking. It's garbage for now!"
"Yes sir."
"So, you said that you've found three young adults, college students, who are Mutants?! That's impossible!"
"The seeker device does not lie. They are."
"Let me see the results!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...you are right. Three college students, all too old to be teenagers, yet are found with powers? Odd, given that all Mutants we've found so far are teenagers."
"Well, it's history in the making. This is the first time in...five years?"
"This will definitely help the cause of the Zhu-ahem! I mean, help the United States of America, through its partnership with us Archon Corporation."
"I beg your pardon, but what is this corporation? I got in just because I needed a job, not because I know this company."
"Ah, since you have achieved the unthinkable, let us talk somewhere else, in person."
"What?"
"Let's talk in person. I will tell more, but not now. We'll talk after five hours."
"Ugh, this is annoying, General Manager."
"I know. But call me Herbert. Herbert Barrow."
"Wow, first time hearing your full, real name, Mr. Barrow."
"Just call me Herbert, but it's between you and me. Do NOT let this slip, or I will put you on death row."
Gulp.
"It's policy rules. When did you find this?"
"I found the three while gathering up the eight flowers, which are clearly affected by the Blue Nova from five years ago."
"Where?"
"I was assigned to look for Mutants, when I somehow ended up in a university due to a GPS error. Suddenly, I saw these almond blossom-"
"Almonds? An almond tree in the middle of the college campus?"
"That's what the Blue Nova does: mutating certain species of living things into stranger forms, including prehistoric forms."
"Well, let's chat later. Return back to our new code of communication."
"Yea."
"Go the distance, be back and back after five horas."
"Yea."
Click.
April 2, 201X
A secret mansion in the Rocket Mountains...
A robust, muscular man in black suit leaned back, musing. Herbert Barrow was apparently one of the General Managers of this phantom company known as the Archon Corporation.
"Well," he said to himself. "This is a first-time ever. Three young adults are found to be Mutants, something that is unthinkable. This means that they are the ones...to help us solve the Oracle Stones."
He then got up, pacing back and forth. His room was dimly lit, brightened only by a faint ray of light from the window, covered almost by a set of giant, blood-red curtains. An old, ebony desk creaked and groaned, as a set of three screens, a keyboard, and two laptops blared with a variety of pop-ups. One showed a screen full of security camera footage, while another showed a court in session. The middle screen, however, showed a live-feed of three college students walking on brightly lit sidewalk.
"Eyes of Athena," he commanded.
Two robotic limbs appeared from the ceiling, each one with a giant mechanical eye-like orb, surrounded by what looked like a wheel-shaped system (they looked like AUTO from the movie "WALL-E"). The one on the left side of Herbert had a blue eye, while the right one had a red eye.
"EAs online," both robots simultaneously answered. However, while the blue-eyed EA on the left spoke like a calm professional, the red-eyed one on the right spoke with more passion, more like an obedient, albeit excited, kid.
"How are the spybots working?" he asked.
"Spybots are functional," the left one spoke.
"They are eyeing them with curiosity," the right one declared.
The man raised an eyebrow.
I wonder what that man did, he thought. Making two identical Oracle-bots, yet with two very different tones.
"EAs," he said, clearing his throat. "Analyze the trio, and bring them to us ASAP. And remember: take 37 others, so that no one will expect a thing."
"Confirmed," the left one answered without hesitation.
"Confirmed!" the right one answered with much more excitement, even spinning its wheel-like system around like a pirate ship's wheel.
Herbert raised an eyebrow.
I wonder what that man did, he thought. He said that if their true mission is achieved, they will deactivate for good, but why?
"Anyway," the man said, clearing his throat. "Status report on the Mars and the two Venuses. Blue, you tell me about the Mars. Red, you tell me about the two Venuses."
"Mars is Mason Pines," the robot known as "Blue" answered. "He is an 18-year-old college student, the only son of the-"
"No-no," Herbert said, waving his hand. "I don't want all of the details. Give me a short description, not a long, BORING lecture like those in schools!"
"Affirmed," Blue spoke again, still in a monotone voice. "Mars is Mason Pines, the 18-year-old student of the Megaville University. He is currently enrolled in the fourth year, ahead of his years. A clear sign of Mutant enhanced intelligence."
"Not very surprised," Herbert remarked. "These Mutants are smart enough to not only rise up, but also somehow hide their intelligence from everyone else. A common trend."
"The two Venuses," Red answered, with a squeakier voice. "Are Mabel Pines and Pacifica Elise Northwest. Mabel is the twin sister of Mason, enrolled in the same way due to Mutant influence. Pacifica is of interest, as she is the heir of the Northwest family heritage."
"The Northwests?" Herbert asked.
"The Northwest family is a family of rich socialites," Red explained. "Who mysteriously lost their original fortune in the year 2012. They sold their mansion to regain some money, but are now working to restore their status. Their pride, Pacifica, has acquired top grades and has graduated with honor from Harvard."
"That is not very surprising," Herbert retorted. "These Mutants are good at going to Ivy League schools. But why is she there at that Megaville University?"
"Unconfirmed," Blue spoke. "Pacifica's official statement is: 'I want to enjoy something a little more relaxed for once.'"
"Megaville University possesses a level of academic freedom," Red answered. "That is virtually absent even in the most liberal sectors of both Harvard and Yale."
"That makes sense," Herbert noted. "But with all three Mutants under the same roof, our job is so much easier now."
He then leaned forward.
"What is the status of the trio?" Herbert asked. "Their hunger levels."
"Hunger level is at 0.2%," Blue answered.
Suddenly, Red's eye beeped.
"We have found 20 more Mutants," Red answered. "In eight different schools of California, but one of them is a record. For the first time ever, we have found five teens at one school alone."
"Which school?"
"Saint Joe's School," Blue answered.
"Saint Joe's School?" Herbert noted, raising an eyebrow. "Odd, that a middle school without the word 'middle' is named as such. And isn't that a parochial school? We better watch our backs with that one."
"Five teens are found at the Saint Joe's School," Red answered with passion. "They are currently being extracted, or aren't they kidnapped?"
Red said that last with some sarcasm.
"They are extracted," Herbert grunted. "We will use them for our own purposes. Our Archon Company serves the superiors, whose names must not be named."
"They are being extracted as of now," Blue spoke. "The three anomalies from the Megaville University are currently being analyzed. Hunger level of each is abnormally low, at 0.025%."
"Huh," Herbert noted. "Maybe that is why they avoided detection; I guess teenagers are easier to find, due to their hunger levels being naturally higher, even without Mutations."
He cleared his throat, and the two robots eyed him.
"Get those three ASAP," Herbert said. "And increase their hunger levels by five times, so that they are easier to deal with."
"Impossible," Blue spoke. "We need five days to prepare."
"What?" Herbert gawked.
"It's an unusual tradition of this university," Red answered. "To have five days set apart for 'personal experimentation.' By this, the Megaville requires each student to try something different, such as making a movie, cooking an entire restaurant course, or-"
"We can work with that," Herbert said with a smile, getting up. "EAs, find the leaders of Megaville University, and its college town."
"Confirmed," Blue answered.
"And here we go," Red replied.
Both EAs went up into the ceiling. Herbert then got up.
"Code five-five," he declared. "Code wuh-wuh."
The ceiling opened up again, this time with a colossal flatscreen monitor that came down. It was obviously too large for a mansion's living room. The screen flickered, before the face of a man appeared. However, the man's eyes were hidden by his odd crown, which had a shape like a table, with the "sole leg" being the crown and the "top" being the head. What hid the eyes were the golden cords, which shrouded his eyes. Only a very long, pointy beard about a meter long was visible, cascading down like a gray waterfall that froze in midair.
"Report," the man spoke, stroking his beard.
"We have found potential candidates," Herbert replied with a deep bow. "For the project. The project to restore the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors."
The man leaned forward, although his eyes and upper face were still concealed.
"It was easy with the Emperors," the man spoke. "General Manager Barrow, you know that. The Sovereigns are...peculiar."
"I believe that we have three of them," Herbert said with another deep bow. "We have three 18-year-olds who are Mutants."
The man stopped stroking his beard. Although his eyes were hidden, his face morphed into a frown.
"You are lying," the man declared. "No one above the age of 18 has been found to be Mutant."
"Here is the proof," Herbert replied, and sent a link. The bearded man looked, and his face relaxed. Then, he stroked his beard again, this time with more energy.
"A scientific impossibility," the man declared. "But if they are the ones, we have to try. The fate of the world is in our hands."
"And what is your plan with the rest?" Herbert asked.
"We will evolve them," the bearded man replied. "Now go, and it's our turn...to solve the world's hunger."
Well, this is now the new chapter 3. I hope it's much better built than the original.
References:
The Eyes of Athena are my take on the AUTO of WALL-E.
The line "whose names must not be named" is a jab at the "He who Must Not Be Named" line for Lord Voldemort of Harry Potter fame.
Feel free to comment, review, like, follow etc.
Sincere Seeker.