Family
Chapter 158 Digital Goodbye
By: Major144
Disclaimer: I do not own anything, expect the OCs. This is just a story for fun.
In the tower mainframe, Ford was filling the heroes in on what happened, while McGucket worked on one of the computers repairing the damage in the town caused by all the fighting.
"So what happens now?" Asked Wendy.
"Well I think it's high time, we tell everyone what's going on. There's been a lot of chaos and a bunch of hysteria, due to people getting their memories back after all these years. The people need to know what happened and that everything is going to be ok." Said Ford.
Marceline, Lance, and Lucinda grouped together and began to whisper among themselves. After a few minutes the heroes turned to face Ford and the others.
"We've talked a bit and we think it's not a good time to bring everyone out of the virtual world." Said Marceline.
"Whys that?" Asked Stan.
"Well for starters there's a bit of tension between two of the strongest kingdoms in Ooo. Some bad stuff went down and there's a slight possibility they might go to war with each other, but the rulers are going to have a sit down to talk and work things out. Incase war does breakout, it would probably be best for the humans and other creatures to stay in Gravity Falls. Secondly we need to figure out a place for all the people to live. We could get one of the kingdoms to take you all in or we can find you some land to build a settlement on." Said Lance.
"You make a fair point." Said Ford.
"We've discussed it a little and we think you should send out a team of explorers and representatives to come to Ooo with us and we think you should be the one to lead it." Said Lucinda.
"But who would stay and look after the system?" Asked Ford.
"I'll do that. I helped built this thing I can look after it." Said McGucket.
"Alright then I'll go, but I'm taking my family with me." Said Ford.
"Wouldn't have it any other way." Said Marceline.
"You ready to explore a new world Stan?" Asked Ford as he turned to his brother.
"Heh why not? This place was getting stale anyway and if we're exploring a new world that make use pioneers, which will make our names famous and remembered through history. So yeah you can count me in bro." Said Stan.
"A new world this is going to be exciting!" Said Dipper.
"Yeah...exciting." Said Mabel looking a little sad.
"Well it's time I send out a message to the people and explain what's going on." Said Ford.
"Everything is ready to go." Said McGucket as he pushed a button and a hover screen popped up in front of Ford.
In the town a giant screen appeared in the sky and Ford face appeared on it. All the town folks looked up at the screen wondering what was going on.
"Greetings everyone. My name is Stanford Pines, though some of you may just know me as Ford. Because of recent events you are now remembering different experiences and that the world we are in is a virtual world. I was one of the people who helped create it and the program know as Giffany, who ran it. During our time here the real world went through a catastrophic war that ravaged the planet and wiped out all human life on Earth. That was over a thousand years ago and Giffany took it upon herself to suppress our memories of the outside world in order to try to keep us safe and from ever having the desire to leave this place. But due to the actions of some beings from the outside world, we got our memories back. The ones who brought our memories back were vile beings who planned to conquer this world and make us into their slaves. They almost succeeded in their plans, but some good beings from the real world, their plans were foiled and they helped us shut Giffany down." Said Ford.
The town folk look at one another whispering and murmuring and then they saw William, Henry, and Slippy standing nearby. Everyone looked at them and Henry just gave a little smile and waved.
"Now your probably wondering what happens now. As you probably guessed there's new life on Earth now as well as civilization. It's a strange new world and I plan to lead a little team of explorers out to it to learn about it and find us a new place we can call home. I don't know how long it'll be, but I give you my word that I will return and that we will all head back to Earth together and have a place we can call home." Said Ford.
The screen went dark and vanished from the sky. Back at the mainframe the group decided to head back to town. Several minutes later they were all back in town. Several people, who had fled into the woods during Bill's takeover came into town to look at Ford's group and the heroes. William, Henry, and Slippy went over to their friends and they began to tell each other what happened. Pacifica saw her mother being helped by Blubs and Durland who gently set her on a bench.
"Mom!" Cried Pacifica as she ran over to her mother.
"Pacifica your ok!" Cried Priscilla as she hugged her daughter.
"Mom...what happened to you?" Asked Pacifica as she saw her mom's bruises and bandages.
"There...was this terrible tornado that wrecked a good deal of our mansion. Your father and I were driving away in one of his cars and he had to swerve to avoid crashing into some...things thrown by the tornado. We lost control and the car crashed into a tree. I was injured, but your father was in better condition. He abandoned...me to save himself. If it wasn't for...those people walking through the woods...I've still would have been stuck there." Said Priscilla.
Pacifica was outright shocked by this. Her father had abandoned, her mother to die, to save his own skin. This was just a new low for her father. It was then that Preston himself came crawling out of a manhole and stumbled to the bench, with his clothes slightly wet and smelling like a sewer. Preston saw his wife and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes followed by a look of worry and concern.
"Honey your ok and I see you found Pacifica." Said Preston with a smile as he walked to his wife and daughter.
"You surprised I'm still alive after you abandoned me to save your own skin?" Asked Priscilla loudly aging the attention of several other people including the heroes.
"Now...honey let's not jump to an conclusions. You suffered a head injury that's messing with your memory. I simply left to find assistance to help get you from the car. I would never abandon you in such a dire situation." Said Preston as a few beads of nervous sweat dripped down his forehead.
"Oh my memory is fine. I also recall that you were more concerned to getting back to the mansion then getting our daughter, when people started to remember all the past experiences." Said Priscilla with a bit of a glare.
"I also...went to town to find our daughter." Said Preston as he nervously twitched.
Pacifica was appalled by her father's actions and the fact he kept trying to lie about what he did. The crowd began to mummer angrily and Marceline and Lucinda shirt glares at Preston.
"Look it doesn't matter what I did. The fact is now were together and safe. Now why don't we head back to the mansion and clean up and change into some better clothes. That sweater your wearing is quit an eyesore Pacifica, will have to burn it once we get back home." Said Preston as he reached his hands out to the girls.
"This eyesore was a gift from a friend and I actually like it!" Snapped Pacifica as she slapped her father's hand away.
A gasp went through the crowd and a look of surprise appeared on Preston's face, which became a stern glare.
"Now you listen to me young lady. Your making a scene and I will not allow this kind of behavior. You are a Northwest and this is not the way we behave. I am your father and I know what's best, so you will do as I say." Said Preston.
"That's enough out of you Preston!" Barked Priscilla as she stood up and slapped Preston hard across the face.
"Your dare slap me! I gave you everything you could have possibly ever wanted! I'm the one who saved us by getting us digitized into this place!" Yelled Preston as he rubbed his cheek.
"That may have been true, but you still abandoned me and our daughter when things went South and I remember how you've been emotionally abusing Pacifica all this time. I stood by and watched, because you told me it was for her own good, but not anymore! You enjoy being in power Preston and you mistreat those you deem lesser then yourself. But now we're all in the same boat. Your broke Preston in more ways then just simply being poor." Said Priscilla.
"Fine...I don't need you. Come along Pacifica." Said Preston as he reached for his daughter.
"I'm not going with you dad." Said Pacifica as she glared at her father.
"What...?" Asked Preston.
"Since as long as I remembered you've done nothing but tear me down and try to build me up as something like you. At first I tried to please you in hope that you would love me. I acted the way you wanted and excelled at everything you wanted me to do, but whenever I made the tinniest mistakes you tore me down and emotionally abused me. Then we came...here and I found a guy who I actually liked. His name is Dipper Pines and he honestly told me how bad my family was, but then he told me I didn't have to be like you or any of my ancestors. He actually cared for me as a person and he inspired me to be better to others, which you disapproved of and emotionally abused me some more. Then everything went crazy and I faced a psycho triangle, ran through a war zone, and helped shutdown a insane computer program. It was the craziest thing I've ever done and it made me realized that if I can face all that, then I have nothing to fear from you. You no longer have any power over me dad." Said Pacifica as a grin broke out across her face.
Preston was utterly speechless by this. He had just lost his wife and daughter. Preston had nothing now. The crowd started to close in on Preston with angry looks in their eyes. The former rich man eyes went wide in fear as he tried to find a way to escape. Marceline suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Preston by the back of his shirt, easily picking him up. The vampire flew twenty feet in the air and held Preston over the crowd.
"Aaaaaaaaa!" Cried a panicked Preston as he waved his arms and legs around.
"I think there's something you need to say to your wife and kid." Said Marceline.
"What...?" Asked Preston nervously.
"Sorry. And if you don't do it loud enough I'm going to fly higher and drop you." Said Marceline.
"Aaaaaa! Ok! Ok! Priscilla! Pacifica! I'm SORRY! I'm sorry for being a bad husband and father, who abandoned you both when things got bad! I'm sorry for the emotional abuse and for trying to shape you into what I wanted! I'm sorry for being a horrible human being OK!" Cried Preston.
"Good." Said Marceline as she floated back to the ground and let go of Preston.
The crowd grabbed Preston and then they pulled out the stockade they used for decoration on a holiday called Pioneer Day. Preston was put in the stockade and the crowd along with Priscilla and Pacifica had a good laugh.
"Aaaaa! This thing smells like peasants!" Cried Preston as he tried to pull himself out of the stockades with no luck.
Dipper walked over to Pacifica and put a hand on her shoulder.
"That was pretty awesome the way you stood up to your dad like that." Said Dipper.
"Thanks." Said Pacifica.
"So who are we going to take with us to the outside?" Asked Lance as he looked at Ford.
"Well we should keep the group fairly small I think seven or eight people would be the right number. The people we need to take should be good with their hands and have a cool head under pressure." Said Ford.
Soos and Wendy heard this and exchanged looks.
"I think we're your people. Since we helped saved this place I think we're more then qualified to head out to the outside world." Said Wendy.
"Well you've both shown to be very capable, so alright you can go, but asked your loved ones for permission first." Said Ford.
"Got it. This is going to be awesome." Said Soos as he and Wendy ran off.
"I'm coming to." Said Pacifica.
"Are...you sure Pacifica? It could be dangerous." Said Dipper.
"I'm sure. I know your worried about me Dipper, but I can do this. I might not have many skills, but I'm determine to show people I'm more then a cute rich kid. This is my chance to find myself and see what I can do." Said Pacifica.
"Alright then." Said Dipper with a hint of a smile.
Stan, Ford, Mabel, Dipper, Pacifica and the heroes went to the Mystery Shack to pack their things. The heroes hung outside the house, while the others packed. Lance was telling William, Henry, and Slippy what happened to his group. William was surprised to hear that Samantha, Nyx, and Ying had helped Lance and Ford's group.
"So even though they were are enemies they helped save this place?" Asked William.
"Yep they did. Nyx, Samantha, and Ying helped us save this place. Just goes to show you that some people are full of surprises. Who knows maybe they'll join our side someday. I mean after all me, you, and Henry used to serve with Crimson and now we're fighting alongside the heroes." Said Lance.
"I really hope they come to our side." Said William with a wishful look in his eyes.
"Don't worry man I'm sure that cyborg you like will come around." Said Lance with a teasing smile.
William just rolled his eyes.
In the house, Dipper and Pacifica were in Dipper and Mabel's room packing. Dipper showed Pacifica a flashlight with a mystical hight altering crystal on it. The boy pointed the flashlight at a chair and a purple beam of light shot out of the flashlight and shrunk the chair to the size of an inch.
"That's amazing Dipper." Said Pacifica with awe.
"Thanks. So since we're going to be together there's something I guess I should tell you." Said Dipper as he pocketed the chair in a backpack.
"What's that?" Asked Pacifica.
"Well my real name isn't Dipper. It's Mason." Said Dipper.
"Then why do people call you Dipper? Is it because you dip your nose into mysteries?" Asked Pacifica with a laugh.
"Ha! Good one, but no that's not why people call me Dipper. You see I have this unique birthmark." Said Dipper as he took off his hat and brushed some of his hair from his forehead.
Pacifica leaned forward and saw what appeared to be a birthmark in the shape of the Big Dipper.
"So your nicknamed Dipper because you have a birthmark that resemble the Big Dipper. That makes sense and I have to admit that birthmark is kind of cute." Said Pacifica.
"Thanks. People called me Dipper and the name just stuck." Said Dipper as he let his hair down and put his hat back on.
"So how's Mabel taking all this in?" Asked Pacifica.
"Well...she's taking it a bit hard, but she'll come around. I think she's on the roof getting a little fresh air." Said Dipper as he went about packing.
On the roof Mabel sat and looked up at the sky and sighed.
"Care if we join you?" Asked a voice.
Mabel turned to see Marceline and Lucinda floating a few feet from her. The girl shrugged and the vampire and werewolf sat down next to her. Lucinda's angel wings vanished from her back.
"So do werewolves have the ability to fly?" Asked Mabel.
"They don't. The wings are just a part of my heritage I got from my father." Explained Lucinda.
"Oh." Said Mabel.
"So how are you doing Mabel?" Asked Marceline.
"I'm ok I guess. It's...just so hard for me to wrap my head around this whole place being a virtual world and all the crazy adventures me and the others went on were just a bunch of programmed scenarios." Said Mabel.
"I kind of get where your coming from. Me and Lucinda have experienced a pour fair share of craziness over the years." Said Marceline.
"I'm also afraid of growing up." Admitted Mabel.
"Whys that?" Asked Lucinda.
"Well...I don't know what I want to do with my life and what if I turn into something sad and boring. I don't want to be stuck in a cubicle working 9 to 5!" Said Mabel.
"Mabel it's ok to be afraid and uncertain about the future. Everyone who gets older wonders what they want to do with their life and it freaks them out a little. Also don't be like other adults be the adult you want to be because it's your life." Said Lucinda.
Mabel took these words to heart and then she studied Marceline and Lucinda. More specifically she studied the bite marks in their necks and got an idea.
"What if I never grew up and stayed the age I am now? One of you could bite me and turn me into a vampire or a werewolf! Then I'd be a kid forever and I could maybe convince Dipper and the others to get bitten so they be around and never age!"
Marceline and Lucinda exchanged a serious look with one another and then they turned back to Mabel.
"You don't want what we have Mabel. The powers of a vampire are pretty dark and they'll try to make you do bad things." Said Marceline.
"And the powers of a werewolf are powerful and unhinged. They'll make you feral if your not careful." Said Lucinda.
"But you two seem like you have your monster powers in check. Surly you could help and teach me." Said Mabel.
"I had help from my family and I learned that vampires could eat red things instead of drink blood." Said Marceline.
"I had help from the spirit of my mother and I practice a lot to get a handle on my powers." Said Lucinda.
"It took us both several years to fully get the hang of our powers and to come to terms to that power being apart of us. It's not something to be taken lightly. Trust us Mabel, when we tell you, you don't want these powers." Said Marceline.
"Ok." Said Mabel with defeat.
"Hey cheer up girl, your fixing to go see an exciting new world full of wonder and it's going to make you say Ooo!" Said Lucinda.
"Ironically the place we live is called Ooo." Said Marceline.
"Really?" Asked Mabel liking the sound of that.
"Yep and I promise you, we're going to show you a bunch of cool things and have a good time." Said Marceline.
"Alright then I can't wait." Said Mabel with excitement.
"Your going to love it." Said Lucinda.
Mabel headed into the house to finish packing.
Back in town, Preston was finally removed from the stockades and placed in a cell in the police station. Preston was arrested for his multiply crimes and underhanded deals he made in all his previous experiences.
Meanwhile in another neighborhood, Gideon was in his house scheming. The boy had decided he was going to follow the Pines and the others to the real world. From what Gideon had seen from Bill and the other visitors the real world was something special and worth seeing. Gideon planned to try and conquer it once he learned everything he could about it.
"I am destined for greatness and to rule others." Said Gideon to himself as he pack a backpack.
Back at the Mystery Shack, Wendy and Soos had arrived with some backpacks. The Pines family and Pacifica exited the Mystery Shack with their bags and Waddles. Everyone took one last look at the Mystery Shack before turning and headed into town. The town folk had gathered to see everyone one off. Pacifica saw her mother in the crowd and went over to hug her goodbye before joining the others as they headed to the library. They went inside and went down the stairs that lead to the mainframe. Unbeknownst to them Gideon had been hiding in the library and now he was following them. The group reached the tower where they found McGucket working on a computer.
"Opening up a portal that transport you to Area 50 and the real world." Said McGucket as he pushed a button.
A blue swirling portal appeared before the group. The heroes decided to enter it first followed by the explorers. Ford gave McGucket one final look before he waved and entered the portal. McGucket was closing the portal, when Gideon came running in and leaped through it!
"Goodbye Gravity Falls! Hello real world here I come!" Shouted Gideon as he vanished into the portal and it closed.
"Well that happened. Best of luck to you Stanford. We're counting on you." Said McGucket as he went back to working on the computer.
The heroes were returning to their world with eight new people with them to introduce them to the new Earth.
To be continued.