I bet you guys hate my guts right now, with Mabel and 'Alcor' fighting like that. I hated it, it broke my heart while writing it, but it had to be done.
Like this sudden time skip that happened without warning and is really annoying but totally nessasary for the plot to continue.
Transcendence Rebels
Chapter 18
Five Years Later
Life was normal.
Well, as normal as it can get while basically the entire world was being ruled by a 14-year-old psycho with control over all the beasts that the world has reluctantly accepted. 'Gideon the teenage tyrant, lord of all paranormal beasts and ruler of the entire post-transcendence world' was what his subjects called him.
Okay, so things weren't that normal.
Even more so for the small band of rebels hidden deep in the woods in a small town in Oregon called Gravity Falls that everyone had forgotten about. All but the local residents, who knew about the gathering rebellion.
Because of the obvious raids and attacks on Gideon's property, and the one symbol left behind after each one.
Seriously, how is that not obvious!?
I am Lavendyr Deer, trained spy and in the Alpha team of the rebellion. Lavendyr sat cross-legged on her bed, clutching her deceased friend's staff with both hands as it rested on her lap. Her eyes were closed, her mouth quivering.
Five years ago Gideon took control of Gravity Falls, and my best friend died. Everything I did from there out was for her, and up until today I still remember her. And so today, and for the next week, her eyes snapped open, I will not be afraid. She looked at the staff she held in her shaking hands.
This is for you, Diana. Over the next few days, everything will be for you. You started this, you called me here, and now we're gonna finish it. Slowly, she stood, trembling with the effort, and leaning on the staff for support. She looked towards the rest of the room, watching everything fall slowly into place as people scuttled about. Working. Training.
Preparing.
We're finally ready, Diana.
As more and more people joined the rebellion, the leaders decided it would be a good idea to divide everyone into teams. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Theta, Sigma and Omega. To be fair and strategic, the teams were based on time of arrival, not skill. The group that was made of the original ten soldiers was Alpha, and included Dipper, Mabel, Stan, Kali, Vereyu, Lavendyr, Dom, Qual, Wendy and Pacifica. Beta consisted of the second group that arrived with the first two trucks- they had gotten more vehicles over time- and was lead by the triplets, Hope, Faith and Destiny. All the teams only had ten people in them, as they still had very few people, even after five years.
But it was enough.
Lavendyr smiled slightly, and decided to check up on Marcus. The boy was a hacking genius. When they went on raids, he would disable security cameras. When they 'disabled' the opposing soldiers, he would hack their communication devices so they couldn't raise the alarm. And just recently he recovered some documents regarding Gideon's security. They were safeguarded by several incredibly complicated firewalls. It took Marcus a couple of months to pass them, but when he did, it set things in motion.
It was those skills she needed. What she wanted wasn't actually nessasary, but to her it was vital.
As she crossed the training space, she noticed that Alcor and Mabel had passed each other, neither acknowledging the other. No words, no expressions, just staring straight ahead. Lavendyr sighed. It had been that way since their fight five years before.
They still worked well together. They had to, if they wanted to lead the rebellion. But that didn't mean they interacted any more than they had to. As it was, Lavendyr didn't think they even still considered themselves siblings, let alone twins.
Even after what Mabel had said about Diana, she still thought it wrong that they act this way. They were family.
She reached the door to the workroom. Taking a deep breath in preparation- she had walked in on some pretty weird experiments over the years- she opened to door and peered inside. Nothing out of the ordinary.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Marcus!?" She called, fully entering the room. The walls were lined with computer and television screens, all powered by solar energy they converted themselves. All the technicians had their own workdesk, and Marcus's was on the right wall. He whirled around in his chair.
"Yeah, Lav?"
"I need you to do something for me."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes."
"But why me!?
"Just do it, Lav." The 21-year old was shoved ahead of most of team Alpha by a mischievous blonde. Vereyu grinned wickedly at her superior.
"Oh, you are so not hearing the end of this, missy." Lavendyr promised. Mabel snorted in disbelief, and she shot her a glare. The brunette rolled her eyes.
"Just hurry up." Lavendyr turned around to face the rest of the rebellion, still working hard and not paying attention to the small group. She stood strong and tall, hands clasped behind her.
"Rebels, FALL IN!" She bellowed. Startled by the loud voice, immediate action was taken. Training weapons were put back on the appropriate racks, gear quickly stowed away. All the teams assembled in front of the Alpha group, all in their own, pre-arranged formations.
Seeing the mass gather, Lavendyr panicked, uncertain about speaking in front of a crowd. How am I supposed to do my bit when the time comes!? She thought, panicked.
"Mabel, your turn." She ordered, and rushed to swap places with the young leader. Mabel snorted, and held out a hand to Vereyu.
"I told you she couldn't do it." She said smugly. Grumbling, Vereyu reached into her pocket, and handed her a dollar note. Not that they needed it.
"You guys betted on me!?" Lavendyr asked, shocked. The other blonde shrugged in reply, and Mabel spoke to the other rebels.
"I'm gonna keep this short and sweet. The time has come. We are finally ready, to take back our beloved town, and rid the world of that tyrant Gideon's rule! It has taken us five long years to come this far, and we can't let all this be for nothing." Mabel paused for effect. "I've informed the team leaders about the plan. They'll pass the information on to you, so gear up and get ready to move out. We leave at dusk." She surveyed the crowd, before silently walking away. Instantly the rebels got to work.
From across the room, Alcor, who hadn't bothered to move, smiled for the first time in several years. It was a sly, knowing smile.
"Lets do this." He muttered.
The road was bumpy, filled with rocks, large and small, complete with tight corners. Although Mabel didn't know what else to expect. From her seat in the back of one of the trucks, she felt every bump, every stone and pebble the vehicle drove over. Her knuckles were bone white from clutching the side of her seat in an attempt to stop herself from being jostled around.
"Are we there yet?" Vereyu asked, sitting across from her. She knew it was rather cliché, but Mabel wanted to know as well. Seated next to the brunette, Lavendyr shook her head.
"Just a little way to go." She replied softly. Mabel knew that she was trying to keep up appearances to stop the others from freaking out. She kinda envied her for her self-control.
"You said that the last time she asked." Qual complained in a whiny voice. Mabel shot him a glare that could curdle milk, and he quickly shut up.
"Yes, but this time it's genuine." The blonde replied calmly. Okay, Mabel envied her alot. "We should be there in about five minutes." Several sighs of relief escaped the passengers, including Mabel. She thought her backside had gone numb from sitting for so long. And from being tossed around so much.
The walls of the city loomed above them shortly after. The thick grey walls were unwelcoming; people had to be forced inside by merciless soldiers. Even after all this time, it still amazed Mabel how much their beloved city had changed. From the lighthearted town full of kind and welcoming citizens, to a grey and fearful city, and the capital of Gideon's newly-established empire. She shivered at the thought.
"We are so going to take our town back." She whispered. Lavendyr nodded solemnly.
"You can say that again."
They passed through the gates, a large tunnel protected by security booths. Mabel held her breath, as did several others, while the guarding soldiers inspected the ID papers required to enter the city. Marcus had printed false ones earlier, and the rebels, disguised as military, were let through. No-one even batted an eye at the weapons stowed away in the boot.
"The perfect disguise; hiding in plain sight." Lavendyr had told them. She couldn't have been more right. But then again, she was trained as a spy.
As they emerged from the tunnel and entered the township, Mabel saw just how cruel this new world was. She never went into town on missions; she had always relied on reports given to her. But even then she had always assumed that they were blown way out of proportion. How wrong was she. If anything, the reports didn't even come close to the real thing.
As they drove through the town, she gaped at the dull buildings that towered over them everywhere they looked, the hard working citizens who the wicked soldiers, and the mucky streets. A whip sounded in the distance, and Mabel choked back a gasp, a hand over her mouth and tears welling in her eyes.
Gravity Falls had become a cruel, cruel place.
They arrived an hour later at Gideon's self-established palace. Well, it was more of a mansion. The Northwest Mansion.
They sneaked through the service entrance, as the main entry was reserved for the 'high and mighty powerful elite visitors' apparently. No-one suspected them; they claimed that they were extra guards, and the fools believed it.
They parked behind a large garden shed near the front entrance, and Alcor hid them and the trucks as they got ready. They stripped off their disguises, revealing stealth suits, with patterns the colours of their teams. The members of the Alpha team were red, Beta was blue, Orange for Gamma, Violet represented Delta, team Theta was green, Sigma wore purple and the Omega were dressed in white. It was more for identification rather than strategy, but it made all this seem more...real.
Then some members of Delta prepared the 'distraction'.
"Everyone ready?" Alcor asked in a hushed voice as he pulled out a small detonator. The others only response was several nods. The demon smiled grimly, and planted his thumb firmly on the button.
The roar of the explosion rocked the ground. The bomb had blown a gaping hole in the side of the building, cutting into a room they had checked and double checked for possible victims. The dust and dirt cleared, and the rebellion charged head on to the front door, away from the distraction with Alpha leading the way. A couple of Omega pushed open the massive oak doors, and Lavendyr smiled.
"Alright, rebels! What do we want!?" She cried, her voice loud and clear.
"Freedom and peace!"
"And when do we want it!?"
"Now!" Lavendyr's grin widened, and they half ran into the building.
It was quiet. Too quiet. The silence in the main room was deafening, the aftershock of the explosion ringing in her ears. Lavendyr frowned; this place should have been swarmed by now. She nodded to Alcor, and he held up a hand, signaling for a halt. Mabel threw a hand out to her left, and Omega jogged off silently in that direction, while Beta went to the opposite wing. Soon they were gone.
A soft creaking filled the quiet space, and Mabel tensed. Lavendyr scanned the higher floor landings open to them, searching for movement. There, to the right. She thought, and pointed to that space.
"Whoever you are, come on out!" She ordered. A moment later, several thuds sounded as muscular figures jumped and landed on the wooden floor in front of them. They found themselves staring up into the faces of the Avengers.
Beside her, Mabel gulped.
"Umm...hi?" Lavendyr stuttered uselessly. Captain America scowled, amd folded his arms.
"So the first time we met you were all big and tough, and now you're stammering like a coward." That struck a nerve. Lavendyr straightened.
"That may have been five years ago, but when it comes to that, we haven't changed." She told him sternly. "Now, can you move out of our way so we can do what we came here to do?" She added mockingly. The Captain's scowl deepened.
"Who do you think you are to do this?" He asked softly. Alcor snorted, but a questioning voice piped up behind them.
"Yeah. Who are we to do this?" Lavendyr turned, and saw the leader of the purple team, Sigma, step forward. She frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, why are we doing this? We're just outcasts; why not just let someone else do this?" He asked drily. Lavendyr quickly spoke into her earpiece.
"Marcus, on my signal." She grinned wryly at the purple commander. "Because there is no-one else to." She shot a menacing glare at the 'Avengers', and they gave each other nervous glances.
"So, you asked who are we to do this?" She gave a soft chuckle. "Well, that's easy." At that exact moment, loud music blared from speakers that Gideon had installed around the house.
(Warning-the following will make more sense when listening to We Are The Brave by Veridia. Also, ~ means singing)
"~We are the brave!~" She sang. This was what she had asked Marcus to do-she knew this would happen, so she prepared a little song. She knew it was a bit cliché, but she loved it.
She began to pace in front of the rebellion as the 'heroes' looked on nervously, not used to being ignored. She pointed upwards at her best guess where Gideon was.
"~There is an enemy. Dressed as a friend. The picture of deceit. Who knows the end.~" Lavendyr whirled to face the Captain and his accomplices. But before she could speak, Alcor stepped forward.
"~We are standing here unafraid. In the lions den. Cause the power strong enough to save, is running through our veins.~" She grinned at the demon boy, and then Mabel began to sing.
"~We are the brave. We'll never break. Whatever it takes. We're gonna make it together.~" Lavendyr pointed to the only people standing in their way at the moment.
"~We're, chasing out fear. You're not welcome here. Now and forever.~" The Captain looked taken aback.
"We're not welcome here!?" They didn't pay attention to him.
"~Love is always gonna win the fight. Because the blood runs deep inside. We are the brave.~" Lavendyr met Steven's eyes squarely.
"Now." She said calmly, folding her arms and holding her chin high. "Will you let us pass." It wasn't a question. He hesitated, then stepped to the side. The others glanced at him nervously, before doing the same. Still holding her head high, Lavendyr strode confidently passed them, the other fifty rebels-seventy if Theta and Beta hadn't left-following silently behind.
Mr America watched them go.
He hoped they succeeded.
Mabel thought she needed to continue to assure those following her lead.
"~A storm is on it's way. I can hear the sound.~" Alcor caught on.
"~We will bend like trees that sway, but we won't fall down. Down.~" Lavendyr's grin grew as she listened. Her plan had worked. They strode up the stairs, and split into two groups. Alpha, Omega and Delta went right, while Theta and Sigma went left.
"~Cause the power strong enough to save, is running through our veins.~" They approached a corner. Lavendyr held up a hand for halt, and cautiously peered around the corner into the next hall.
Fifteen or so soldiers stood there waiting, armed to the teeth.
Lavendyr swore, and signaled to her fellow rebels. Alpha nodded, Omega the Delta hesitantly following their lead.
"~We are the brave.~" The blonde loaded and cocked her crossbow, poked her head around again, and fired. The arrow buried it's head deep into one soldiers shoulder, and he let out a scream of pain. Mabel winced. "~We'll never break.~" She gestured for the others to help as she fired another. Alcor put up a quick shield, and Delta ran past before it collapsed. "~We're gonna make it together.~"
"~We're, chasing out fear. You're not welcome here. Now and forever.~" All thirty rebels now sang, if only for this part. The fifteen were down before they knew it.
"Delta, you watch these guys." Alcor ordered. The captain of that team nodded, and the other twenty ran on.
"~We are the brave. The power that saves. Lives in our veins. We are the brave.~"
Pacifica reluctantly decided to join in.
"~Love is gonna win the fight. Fear is gonna run and hide. We're not afraid. We're not afraid.~" Her voice was lovely, and it startled Lavendyr into tripping. She stumbled a few steps, and quickly recovered. A huge grin spread across her face.
"~Love is gonna win the fight. Fear is gonna run and hide. We're not afraid. We are the brave.~" They reached a fork in the hall.
"Okay, seriously. How many halls does this place have!?" Vereyu cried.
"More than enough." Pacifica muttered. She should know; she used to live here.
"Omega, you take left. Alpha, follow me and Alcor." Mabel ordered. They continued. We should be nearing him. Lavendyr thought.
"~Love is gonna win the fight. Fear is gonna run and hide. We're not afraid.~"
"Nearly there, guys!" Mabel called behind her, thinking the same thing. Lavendyr silently blessed Marcus; if he hadn't gotten those plans, none of this would have been possible.
"~We are the brave. We'll never break. Whatever it takes. We're gonna make it together.~"
They rounded another corner, and took out fifteen more guards.
"~We're, chasing out fear. You're not welcome here. Now and forever.~"
As they passed, Pacifica pulled finger at one of the soldiers lying on the ground. (Sorry, I just had to.)
"~Love is always gonna win the fight. Because the blood runs deep inside.~"
Lavendyr felt that they were nearing their destination. She halted the company.
"Okay, this is it." She felt more comfortable speaking with such a small group. "We have waited five long years for this, and we cannot let it go to waste." She smiled softly. "Who are we?"
"~We are the brave.~" They charged, freshly motivated, still singing their hearts out.
"~We are the brave. Brave. Brave. Brave.~"
They jogged around yet another corner, and found a young lady leaning against Gideon's door, facing away from them. She had black hair cropped boyishly short, tan skin, and wore a baby blue singlet with leopard print leggings. She was rather odd, though. Poking put of her hair were two tiger ears, and behind her a tiger tail. She turned her head, and Alpha, the only team who made it this far, saw that she had green cats eyes.
"Well." Zahra Eudora purred. "I was wondering when you would get here."
God, I am on a roll with these long chapters! 3075 words!? No way!
Please review. Love me, flame me, 'meh' me, just let me know what you think. Hope you like the song part, it's one of my favorites. Zahra won't be that much of a big deal, she's just a hired bodyguard.
Hope you enjoyed!