Every two days of posting chapters I will post another chapter of Destruction. So, did any of you figure out the next Reality? If you did, great! If not, you'll learn what it is now! Enjoy!
We've been able to reclaim several of our friends and get them back to Shifting. However, when Keith was taken and forced to be Spectra, it was up to us to get him back. If only it was that simple, though. Sure, we might be getting help from our friends and saved Keith, but it's not enough to save everything. Spectra escaped after being separated from Keith, and even now, the Destruction's power grows.
Powers locked away inside
Step up to give the gift of divine
There is no knowing what we face
But we know it to be unsafe
The time now to find
Our guiding light
And save everything that is known
To protect our home
Spectra kneeled before the being in front of him. "So, you failed to destroy the Reality?"
"Unfortunately, sire. It was due to another unknown aspect in the plan." The being chuckled. "Sire?"
"Think nothing of it, Spectra. Soon, we will have assistance from a being that can anticipate what will come next and plan for it. For now, resume your training. You got many DNA sequences, so that gives us an advantage. However, the fact that Helios is unable to battle anything but Bakugan is an obstacle we must overcome."
"Yes sire." Spectra got up and walked out of the room. The being returned within its mind.
"Have you decided on if you agree or not?" An eye opened.
"Yes. I have decided." Said the being. "If it will give me revenge on the Pines family, and that blasted Shifter, then I'm all for it!" The being laughed. "Let's make a deal!" The figure stuck out his hand, cloaked in blue fire.
"You shall get your revenge, Cipher. You shall. But first, I need you to attempt something." The two beings shook hands.
"So, what exactly has been going on recently?" Asked Tom. Atom and Azion looked at him.
"Well, we don't really know, actually. Everything just started going haywire and we've been called upon to help fix it."
"Jeez, and we thought what we did before was hard."
"At least you have more help this time." Said Dan.
"Yeah!" Said Takato. "We're all with you on this." Everybody nodded.
"Thanks guys." Said Azion. The end of the hole approached. "Get ready for reentry!" Everybody was deposited on Marucho's floor in the computer room. Mira looked at all of them.
"What just happened?"
"Long story." Said Tom. He slowly got up from the rest of the group as they untangled themselves. "But we're back."
"And we brought someone with us." Said Slight. Keith was able to get himself untangled and got up. He stepped away from the group moments before Mira tackled him with a hug.
"Keith! I'm so glad you're back!"
"Me too, Mira." Everybody else managed to get free.
"Okay, so what now?" Asked Kazu.
"I say we celebrate!" Said Kenta. "After all, not only did we get Keith back, but I think we saved another Reality!"
"Celebrations can wait." Said Marucho. "We still need to get everybody scanned." He got up and ran to the other room.
"Did the computer finally reboot?" Asked Dan.
"Yes." Said Marucho. "And it still had Guardromon's data, so it was able to make a card for him." Marucho came out of the room and handed the card to Kazu. "He's a Subterra."
"So that leaves two partners." Said Ryo. "Me and Monodramon and Kenta and MarineAngemon."
"Oh great." Said Kenta.
"Come on, you're up next." Said Marucho. Kenta sighed and MarineAngemon entered the room, very excited.
"Light!" It repeated.
"Yes, I know that." Said Kenta. The door closed behind him.
"So, who else wants to know what the next move is?" Asked Tom.
"I don't know." Said Atom. "If I had to guess, though, I would say something happens." Nobody noticed a small glow above them.
"If it's this easy, then maybe I don't actually need my physical form." Thought the triangle being above everyone. He slowly descended as to not attract attention, not that he could. Not being physical had its perks. The being was descending upon Atom.
"Did you have to say that?" Asked Dan. "Every time someone says something like that, something bad happens." Bill continued to lower slowly. Atom got up.
"Well, maybe not this time. I'm hoping something good happens and we might get some more info." Bill entered his head.
"Okay." Said Dan. "I guess if you're hoping that, I'll hope the same." Nobody noticed the slight change in Atom.
"I'm in control now!" Thought Bill. Within Atom's mind, he stared at Atom.
"Okay, just how many evil entities did the Destruction hire?" He asked.
"Only me and Spectra so far." Said Bill. "But he tasked me with taking over you. And now that I have you, I don't need a physical form anymore!"
"You're not fooling anyone, Cipher!"
"Harsh." Said Bill. "Especially when it's not true. So far, nobody has noticed anything strange about you. Face it kid, I'm you now and that's how it's going to be!"
"That's what you think."
"I grow bored of this. Let's try something more fun!" Bill snapped his fingers and Atom was instantly chained against a wall of his mind. His mouth zipped closed and he was rendered impotent. "Now then, for the next phase of the plan."
"Cipher should be in position any second now." Said the being to Spectra. "Once he has taken over the mind of Atom, he will be at our disposal. All the knowledge contained in that one being will make it far easier for me to start destroying Realities! And then, you will be the harbinger of it all. Without Keith to distract you, you will be far more powerful!"
"Yes sire."
"Sir, we detect something strange happening in the Bakugan Reality."
"What happened?"
"It seems that an unidentified being entered Atom's mind."
"Unidentified?" Asked the Commander. "Run an analysis on the being."
"On it." The data began to appear as the scans took hold. "Analysis complete."
"Data on screen." The screen turned into an image of Bill Cipher with the image of a six fingered hand in the top left corner.
"But I thought he was destroyed." Said the Commander. "How? How is this possible?"
"So, what's the next move?" Asked Tom. "I might not have been around as long as the rest of you with this, but I think I need to know."
"Well, before we answer that, did you hear a voice?" Asked Azion.
"A voice? When?"
"Just before you shifted." Said Chaos.
"Yeah, I heard a voice." Said Tom. "It gave me this." He held up his Pokeball.
"What is it?" Asked Takato. "It looks like a regular ball to me."
"It is a ball." Said Tom. "But it's a special kind that is capable of storing living creatures harmlessly."
"A Pokeball." Said Chaos. Everybody looked at him except Atom and Azion. "Hey, I just watched the show it was from a lot in the past. It's not a hard thing to know about back home."
"Okay, but what significance does it have?" Asked Henry.
"Isn't it obvious?" Asked Azion. "It allows Tom to summon Pokémon to help him."
"And it allows me to use a few Pokémon moves." Said Tom.
"Uh, what's a Pokémon?" Asked Rika, slowly sounding out the last word. "It sounds similar to Digimon."
"Atom, you want to try explaining the difference?" Asked Tom.
"Okay Cipher, just do your thing." Thought Bill.
"Well, let's just say that back home they were similar enough to start a controversy about one of them being a rip-off of the other." Said Atom. The real Atom was struggling within his own mind, trying to get a message out to someone, anyone.
Another Negative Shifter appeared outside of the Gravity Falls Reality. "So, this is Gravity Falls, huh? Seems devoid to" the Shifter wasn't able to finish his thought before a beam suddenly ripped out of the Reality and hit him. He shook his head to shake off the after effects. "Okay, never mind."
"Eat laser swine!" Yelled someone. Another blast was fired at the Shifter. He looked at the source to see Stanford Pines inside of a bubble. "You are not welcome here!"
"What the?" Asked the Shifter. Ford fired another laser only for the Shifter to create a mirror in front of him to blast it back. The laser hit the laser gun, destroying it.
"Okay, so you got more bite than I gave you credit for, I'll give you that. But, you're still no match for me!"
"Am I now?" Asked the Shifter. His hands glowed and a book appeared between them. "I think I can do a lot more than you think!" He flipped open the book to a specific page. "Perhaps I should summon the mind demon!"
"You wouldn't!" Gasped Ford. The Shifter began chanting.
Leonidas looked up a little as he got a cryptic message from Atom. "What does Atom mean he's trapped within his own mind? Isn't that where you typically are?" He looked at Atom again, and noticed his slightly elongated eyes. "Could it be true?"
"Okay, so what's the next step?" Asked Runo. "It can't be that long before another Reality goes under threat!" The door opened.
"MarineAngemon is Haos." Said Marucho.
"Great." Said Kenta. "The only attribute I didn't want. I can't do anything with it!" He noticed Runo glaring at him again, but not Atom. He hid behind Marucho.
"Okay, so that leaves Ryo and Monodramon. Could both of you come here please?"
"On it." Said Ryo. He and Monodramon entered the room behind Marucho. Just before the door closed, however, Atom began glowing brightly. He looked at his hands.
"Well, this is peculiar." He vanished.
"Uh." Said Dan. "What just happened?"
"The next stage is set." Said Bill. Atom's face contorted a little as Bill's features filled in.
"Any minute now." Said the Negative Shifter.
"You can't honestly think that Bill is going to come." Said Ford. "After all, he was destroyed when we wiped Stan's memory!"
"He wasn't destroyed, only severely damaged." A light flashed nearby. "And there he is."
Cassie sat down while checking her phone. Her mom turned the TV on and it began blaring the news. "Yet another location mysteriously destroyed! Is this child to blame?" The TV showed an entire building demolished and an image of Tom above it.
"Hold on, isn't that Tom?" Wondered Cassie. The news continued on.
"In accordance to previous news, three other sites have been decimated by an unknown force, and the only clues are these three missing kids." The news showed the three other destroyed places and Atom, Azion and Chaos.
"No flipping way!" Said Cassie. "There's no way they would've done that kind of damage!" She stood up quickly. "I have to help them!" She began to run away.
"Where do you think you're going?" Asked her mom.
"I need to help them! I won't let them down!"
"You're going to stay here." Cassie sighed.
"Sorry mom, but I have to go against you today." Cassie grabbed her shoes and ran out the door.
"Get back here!"
"I have to save Atom." Thought Cassie. "There's nothing else to it."
"Cassie." Cassie stopped in her tracks as she heard a voice. "Cassie."
"Who's there?"
"It is time once again."
"Again?"
"You must return to those you helped. You must use the power of the mind and the power of this book." A book appeared in front of Cassie, showing a six fingered hand with the number four on it.
"Wait, isn't this"
"Now go! Save your teammates!" Cassie glowed brightly and vanished just as her mom ran outside.
"Where do you think you're" she noticed the absence of Cassie. "Where did you go?"
"Whoa!" Yelled Cassie. She looked at the book and saw it flipping through pages by itself. It stopped on a page showing how to force a demon out of someone's mind. "What am I going to use this for?"
Atom raced onto the scene, still showing signs of Bill's overshadowing. "About time I was summoned." Said Bill.
"Sorry about that." Said the Negative Shifter. "This man decided to delay it." Bill looked at Ford.
"Stanford Pines. It's a pleasure to see you again after you tried to erase me from existence!"
"Bill?" Asked Ford. "But how?"
"Easy." Said Bill. A cane appeared in Atom's hand and he began spinning it. "Just as I was about to be erased, something called to me and brought me out of Stanley's mind just as he hit me. And now, I work for him!"
"You're insane!" Yelled Ford.
"Yeah? What else is new?" Bill laughed. "Anyways, it's time we got on to destroying you and this Reality. So, take this!" Bill snapped Atom's fingers and summoned a large fireball. He launched it at Ford, only for him to take out a thin line and spin it. The fireball was reflected back at Bill.
"I don't know about you, Bill, but I've learned a few new tricks since we last met!" Said Ford.
"I'll stay out of this." Said the Negative Shifter. He backed away and vanished without a trace.
"Oh, I think you'll be excited to know what I have in store for you, Ford." Said Bill. Atom's hand began glowing as Bill tapped into the Attribute Wheel's power. "For example, let's try this!" The Aquos symbol glowed and Atom shot a waterfall out of his hand at Ford. He dodged out of the way.
"This is going to be hard." Said Ford. Not far away, Cassie exited her transport. She shook her head back and forth, then looked around.
"Well then, this is different." She then noticed the waterfall and followed it to both ends. "That's Stanford!" She then saw the origin. "And Atom!" She then noticed his distorted features. "Oh no. He's been corrupted by Bill!"
"I could keep this up all day!" Said Bill. The waterfall changed into pure fire as the Pyrus symbol glowed.
"You can, but your host can't." Said Ford. "After all, he's not made of energy!"
"Oh, but I'm not drawing from him." Said Bill. "I'm drawing from the power he can channel!" The Subterra symbol glowed and the rain of fire turned into a rain of rocks. Cassie rushed forward.
"No!" She yelled. She tackled Atom and he stopped firing rocks. He looked at Cassie.
"Now why did you tackle me?" He asked, with his own voice and face.
"Nice try, Bill." Said Cassie. "You take me for a fool?"
"It was worth a try." Said Bill. He created an energy field and blasted Cassie away. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a Reality to destroy!" A flash of light shined a fair distance away. "Or maybe I should increase my power even more!" Bill shoved Cassie away, planning on taking the gene himself.
"No!" Yelled Cassie She charged Bill and thrust her book out in front of him just as the beam hit. It was absorbed into her book.
"So, does anybody know what just happened?" Asked Dan.
"I don't." Said Tom.
"I don't think any of us do." Said Rika.
"If we did, we'd have an answer." Agreed Alice. Marucho and Ryo reentered the room.
"Okay, so Ryo and Monodramon are done." Said Marucho. "Although they got a weird reading."
"Apparently the computer decided that Monodramon was comparable to something called a White One." Said Ryo.
"A White One?" Asked Takato. "What are those?"
"They are, were" Marucho caught himself, "Bakugan that bore no Attribute. As such, they were dubbed White Ones and had no natural powers or abilities."
"They also had short lifespans." Said Drago. Leo then got an idea.
"I think I just figured something out." Said Leonidas. Everybody looked at him. "Atom sent me a message and told me that he was trapped within his mind. At first, I didn't know what he meant, but I think I know now. Something invaded his mind and took over!"
"What?" Asked Azion.
"How didn't we notice?" Asked Chaos.
"I'm not sure, but something has Atom and doesn't want to share."
Cassie's book was glowing vibrantly. Bill laughed. "You fool! A book cannot contain the power of a Realital Gene! You've just destroyed it!" The book stopped glowing as the all too familiar triangle appeared on its cover.
"I think you're wrong, Bill." Said Cassie. "I think this might just help!" Atom managed to break free of his restraints for a moment.
"Cassie! Call out Energy Twist! Light!" Called Atom.
"Now you be quiet!" Said Bill. He pushed Atom back into his mind. "Anyways, where were we? Oh yes. I was about to destroy this Reality!" He turned to Cassie. "And there's nothing you can do about it."
"What if I try what Atom suggested?" Asked Cassie. Bill paled a little.
"No! Don't!"
"Energy Twist!" Yelled Cassie. "Light!" He book glowed brightly as it flipped to a specific page. Cassie's body began to glow as the power of her book was fed into her. "Time for me to defeat you, Cipher!"
"As if." Said Bill. "You weren't able to beat me before, what makes you think you can do it now?"
"This." Said Cassie. Her hand began to glow and she chanted a few words. "Exitus Monatus!" Atom's body began to glow.
"What's happening?" Asked Bill. The glow grew brighter as Cassie continued to chant. Bill felt himself being pulled away from Atom. "No! You will not take me from here!" Atom broke free of his restraints.
"I think she will." He said. He then began to push Bill out of his mind along with Cassie's chanting.
"No! I will not leave this place! I was given it by one who wants me to have my revenge!" Cassie's chanting slowed.
"Extrocate!" She called. Bill was suddenly forced out of Atom's mind and back into the real world.
"No!" He said. "You have ruined everything!"
"No, we're just beginning!" Said Atom. He went over to Cassie. "After all, even you can't break the bonds of family!"
"Time for you to take a hike!" Said Cassie. She held her book high. "I call upon the powers of Reality to send Bill Cipher, the Mind Demon, back to where he was summoned!" The book began to glow and was trying to suck Bill in.
"You may have bested me this time, but you will never defeat me!" Yelled Bill. He vanished into thin air. Ford came over.
"What just happened?" He asked. "Cassie, who is this?"
"Ford, this is Atom, my cousin."
"You mean this is Atom? I never thought Bill would've ever attempted to take you."
"Unfortunately, he had help from something called the Destruction." Said Atom.
"The Destruction?" Asked Ford. "I think I remember reading about that during my studies. It was said that it would stop at nothing to destroy Reality One. At the time, I thought it was metaphorical. However, now I'm not so sure."
"Whatever the case, I think it's important for us to return." Said Cassie. Her book stopped glowing and she returned to normal. "I think we might need some help from Dipper and Mabel."
"What could you possibly need them for?" Asked Ford. Then, several lights went into the Reality.
"Apparently I'm not the only one who thought we needed them." Said Cassie. Several glowing points shone in the Reality and came out of it. Two lights turned into Dipper and Mabel.
"What's going on?" Asked Dipper. Another light hit Ford, popping his bubble.
"Grunkle Ford?" Asked Mabel. "Is that you?"
"Hey kids." Said Ford. "Did anything weird happen today?"
"I'll say!" Said Stan. Everybody present turned to him. "What? Am I not allowed out here?"
"Well, we don't really know what's happening." Said Cassie. "I'm not saying you shouldn't be, I'm just wondering why."
"I'm wondering that too." Said Wendy. Dipper turned to her.
"Wendy?"
"The one and only."
"And what about me?" Mabel turned and saw Gideon.
"Ugh, Gideon."
"Hey! That's no way to talk right now! None of us know what's going on!"
"Yeah, that's so not right." Said Pacifica.
"You too?" Asked Mabel.
"And us too!" Said Old Man McGucket. Everybody turned to see him, Robbie and Soos.
"Okay, what the heck is happening here people?" Asked Dipper. "I'm freaking out here!"
"Oh, calm down." Said Mabel. "So what if we're floating outside of our home" her voice trailed off as she realized exactly what Dipper was freaking out about. She screamed.
"What are we going to do?" Asked Robbie over and over.
"This is beyond weird." Said Wendy. Almost everybody began freaking out.
"Everybody, calm down!" Said Ford. "There is a reasonable explanation for this. I believe we have all been given Realital Genes."
"What the heck are Realital Genes?" Asked Pacifica. "They sound gross."
"Quite the contrary." Said Ford. "Realital Genes are actually quite miraculous. They allow an individual to see beyond their own Reality and discover the greater idea of what's out there!"
"And that is supposed to calm us down how?" Asked Robbie.
"It's not." Said Cassie. "It's to make you realize where you are so you can calm down yourself." All but Atom and Ford looked at her.
"When did you get back?" Asked Wendy. "As far as I remember, Dr. Crazy over there said you couldn't return."
"Hey!" Said Ford. "Although, I guess you could say that's accurate."
"When I got here is besides the point." Said Cassie. "The thing we need to focus in is why you're all out here instead of in there."
"I think I know." Said Atom.
"Hold on, who are you?" Asked McGucket.
"Me?" Asked Atom. "I'm her cousin." He pointed to Cassie. "The name's Atom."
"Since when do you have a cousin?" Asked Robbie.
"Again, beside the point." Said Cassie. A hole opened nearby.
"What is that?" Asked Dipper.
"Relax." Said Atom. "It's perfectly safe. Follow me!" Atom went straight towards the hole, and Cassie followed him. The others had no choice but to follow and hope for the best. Dipper approached Atom.
"So, who are you?"
"Me?" Asked Atom. "I'll give you the abridged version. My name is Atom and I'm a Reality Shifter. I was once summoned to help others protect their world from the forces of evil, and decided to stay there for a while. I left a few years later to return to my home, and then found myself out here again for an unknown purpose."
"If that's the abridged version, I don't think I want to hear the full one." Said Dipper. Mabel came up to the two.
"What are you two talking about?"
"He asked me who I was and I gave him the abridged version." Said Atom.
"Is that so?" Asked Mabel. Dipper sighed.
"Okay Mabel, what are you really over here for?"
"What? Just because I'm over here I have some sort of ulterior motive?" Dipper crossed his arms at her. "Fine. I just wanted to know who Cassie's cousin was. Is that so wrong?"
"Couldn't you have just been honest from the beginning?" Asked Dipper. Atom noticed something ahead.
"Everybody, be ready!" He called.
"Ready for what?" Asked Stan. He looked ahead to see the end of the hole.
"Brace yourselves!" Called Ford. The hole suddenly ended and thrust the entire group just outside the Bakugan Reality. Cassie looked around.
"Everybody okay?"
"All good here." Said Wendy.
"I suppose I could be worse." Said Robbie.
"All good over here dudes!" Yelled Soos.
"So, where are we?" Asked Ford. "I don't think I've ever seen this place before."
"You probably wouldn't of." Said Atom. "This place is basically on the opposite side of Gravity Falls in terms of Realities." Something clicked in his head. "Wait, opposite side?"
"What are you talking about?" Asked Cassie.
"Oh, uh, nothing much." Said Atom. "Just thinking aloud." Cassie didn't seem satisfied with the answer, but accepted it.
"We have to go after him!" Said Dan.
"But Dan, we don't even know where he is!" Argued Runo.
"Maybe another hole will appear and we can go through it to find him!"
"And how do you propose we get out there?" Asked Marucho. "In case you've forgotten, we can't get out there on our own yet. We physically can't go get him!" The air began to shimmer above.
"Uh, what's happening?" Asked Takato. Dan and Runo looked up to see Atom, Cassie and the Gravity Falls people coming down. They all landed on Dan and Runo.
"That was a bit rough." Said Ford. He tried to get up only to discover Mabel on him.
"What just happened?" She asked.
"I don't know, but I don't like it!" Said Stan. He got up and looked around. "Who are all these people?" Atom was able to untangle himself and get up.
"Relax, we are all friends here." He said. Stan got rid of his threatening stance, but was still battle ready.
"Get these people off of me!" Yelled Dan. "I'm being crushed!"
"Speak for yourself Dan!" Said Runo. Atom sighed and got to work, helping everybody up. When everybody else was up, Dan and Runo were able to get up.
"Okay, so where are we?" Asked Ford.
"You're in my house." Said Marucho.
"I mean what Reality." Said Ford.
"Bakugan." Said Azion.
"What's Bakugan?" Asked Dipper.
"Who cares?" Asked Mabel. "This is going to be awesome!" She grabbed her grappling hook.
"Mabel, don't do it!" Said Cassie. Mabel looked at her, then accidentally fired it. It hit Guardromon.
"Ow!" He said. Mabel looked at him.
"Are you some kind of futuristic robot?"
"I'm not a robot!" Said Guardromon. "I'm a Digimon!"
"Digimon?" Asked Ford. "Creatures from a Digital World?"
"How did you know?" Asked Takato.
"Let's just say I've explored far and wide." Said Ford.
"Okay, everything about our new guests aside," started Atom, "Ford here thinks he might have an idea as to what the Destruction is."
"If he does, then why hasn't he said it yet?" Asked Dan.
"Maybe if you would be quiet for a minute, he would!" Said Runo.
"Okay! Okay! Just hurry up with it."
"Uh, before he does, I have a question." Said Marucho.
"Yes?" Asked Ford.
"Who are you?"
The pieces have been set, and the plan in motion. With the five defenses in place, we may have a chance. However, not all is good. Destruction is imminent and nothing can truly prevent it. By recruiting others with an evil past, it grows its own power. Something will break soon. We can't stop that.