Made Me Realize
Chapter 9: Dead?
Dipper's POV
"Are we there yet?" I asked Carla, huffing and puffing for air. We've been walking for hours, but still no sign of the fountain yet.
"We're supposed to be", Carla said, reading the map. She suddenly stopped.
"I think we're here!" she said excitedly.
"Okay, let's find it!" I said. "We need to help Mabel as fast as we could."
We walked according to the directions and found ourselves…in a theme park? What's a theme park doing here? Carla was probably thinking the same thing.
"What is going on here?" she asked me, looking around in disbelief. I shook my head. I have no idea what is happening here.
"Are we in the right place?" I asked her. She slowly looked at the map and nodded.
"That means…it isn't in the middle of nowhere? It was in a theme park all along?!" I said in disbelief.
"Hello! Welcome to Gravity Falls' Woodland Theme Park!" a woman greeted.
"Um, could you show us where the Fountain of Youth is?" Carla asked, trying not to freak out. The woman raised an eyebrow.
"You mean the Fountain of Youth's Cave? The Fountain of Youth isn't real, my dear, it's just a legend", the woman explained.
"Uh, yes. I mean the Cave", Carla quickly said.
"Why of course! Do you have the tickets?" the woman asked.
"Oh, right, of course. We're going to buy them just now", Carla laughed nervously. She dragged me away and smiled to the woman. The woman gave us questioning looks.
"So we're going in the theme park to find the fountain?" I asked her.
"That's pretty much my entire plan", she said. "I brought money. I think there's an inn too. We could stay in there tonight if we haven't found the fountain yet."
"Okay, that's a good idea", I agreed. I didn't want to sleep in trees anymore.
That day we spent the whole day trying to find clues in the cave. We didn't find anything yet. It was just a plain cave. I became worried. Tomorrow is the last day. We need to find the fountain's water and bring it to Mabel before tomorrow's sunset.
"Come on…there must be a clue here somewhere…" I said anxiously, looking around the cave. It was eleven o'clock at night and I was extremely tired, but I can't let Mabel die! I just can't!
"Dipper, we could search for it tomorrow, there's no use finding it now", Carla said, pointing her flashlight to me.
"We can't! We don't have much time left!" I said. "We need to keep searching!"
"I've gotten a room for both of us in the inn", she said, turning away. "You really need to rest. We'll search it at dawn."
I gave a heavy sigh. I guess she was right. I barely had enough sleep since we left the Mystery Shack.
"Alright", I said reluctantly.
The next day, I woke up at three in the morning. I was still sleepy and very tired, but I need to find the fountain. I can't help thinking about Mabel. She doesn't deserve to be poisoned by Pacifica! It's in fact the other way around! Just hearing Pacifica's name made me so angry. I really want to just teach her a lesson not to mess up with my sister anymore. I want to poison her back and then burn her in hell.
"Don't worry, Mabel. I won't let you die because of Pacifica", I said to myself.
I quickly changed and ate a chocolate bar for breakfast, then went to the cave. I pointed my flashlight in the cave. The cave wasn't deep. Probably only ten meters from its entrance, then it ends.
"You won't give up, will you?" a voice asked. I turned around. It was Carla.
"And let my twin sister die? Not a chance", I said without turning to her. I was too focused on searching the fountain.
"Hey, that's a compliment", she said, shrugging me. "You're a great brother. Mabel is one lucky sister."
I scoffed a bit. My parents said I'm too overprotective, even more than them. So did other people.
"Thanks, no one ever gave that compliment to me", I said.
"No prob", she smiled. She pointed her flashlight on the end of the cave. I noticed there was a triangle-shaped dent on it, just about a half of a foot long.
"Hey, what's that?" I asked, pointing the dent.
"What's what?" Carla asked.
"That", I said, pointing the dent again. She turned to the direction I was pointing and noticed it.
"A funny looking dent isn't it?" she said. I nodded, agreeing.
"It looks like it was meant for something", I said. I took out my '3' book out of my vest and something slipped out. It was the triangular artifact. I glanced at the artifact, then to the dent. I turned to Carla. She turned to me at the same time.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I asked. She nodded.
We slowly walked toward the dent and fitted the artifact on the dent. It fitted perfectly. Suddenly, a loud grumble was heard. The wall at the end of the cave slowly went into the ground, revealing an area behind it. We stepped inside and looked around in awe. It was filled with blue light, weird yet majestic looking stalactites hanging everywhere, and stalagmite sticking out from the ground.
"It's beautiful", Carla said in wonder.
I had to admit it too. It was both beautiful and magical at the same time. We went in deeper. The deeper we went, the warmer it gets. We found ourselves in a wide open area and at the center was the Fountain of Youth. It was surrounded by glowing trees and crystals. On the walls of the cave were jewels. Rubies, emeralds, lapis lazuli, diamonds, and other precious gems were there. We were stunned by all of the beauty around us. I didn't even know that trees could grow in caves! These ones are magical ones, I know, I know, but come on! I looked closer at the gems. The walls were full of it. If Grunkle was here, he will probably take the walls off its cave!
The fountain was even more astonishing. It was made of what it seems like to be silver, but silver will probably corrode with the water in the fountain, but it was magical water, so who knows? There were golden, curvy patterns on it. From the bottom of the fountain was light coming out of it, so it looks like the fountain's water was shimmering from afar. There was a small golden engraving on the fountain, saying: Neque magis necessaria vincere avaritiam.
"What does it says?" I asked Carla. She squinted her eyes for a better look.
"Do not take more than you need, conquer your greed", she said. "I think that what it said, I don't really know."
"Oh, alright", I said. There were vials on the fountains edge, probably for holding the water. I took a vial and put some water in it.
"This will be enough", I said, holding up the vial. I noticed Carla was filling another vial with water.
"What are you doing?!" I asked, alarmed. "They said not to take more than needed!"
"I have a feeling that this might help save someone else in the future", she said, gazing the vial. I gave a heavy sigh. According to my feelings, we shouldn't take more than one. As if agreeing to my thoughts, the cave started to collapse. The ceiling of the cave started to crumble down, as well as the cave's walls.
"Carla, watch out!" I shouted. A rock almost fell on top of her.
"Thanks Dipper", she said.
"We need to get out of here!" I said, grabbing her arm. She nodded and we started to run out of the cave. We ducked as we ran as fast as we can, doing our best to dodge the falling rocks from the cave. We made out just in time before all the area behind the fake cave wall entirely collapsed. We both went out the cave, panting. We sat on the nearest bench, controlling our breath and calming ourselves. After that, we remained silent, still shocked of what happened. The sun was just rising. I turned to Carla, who was gazing at the sun.
"Do you have your vial?" I asked. She nodded, showing the vial.
"Are you scared?" I asked again, snickering a bit. She shook her head, still gazing the sun.
"Are you?" she asked back, now turning to me. I shook my head. We became silent again.
"Do you think we should take the artifact key?" she asked. I shook my head, although it's a shame though. It looked so mysterious and probably held more secrets.
"We need to get this to Mabel", I said, holding up my vial. She glanced at her own vial.
"Yeah, I'll check out of the inn and take our things", she said. "Find a bus that can carry us back to town. Meet me at the main entrance of the amusement park at six thirty."
She ran back to the inn. I stared at her as she disappeared around the bend, amazed. She really knows what to do although we're in this kind of situation. She is calm in any kind of situation and always knows what to do. I guess she's the leadership kind, but just too underestimating herself. That's her only weakness.
I found a bus that could carry us back, also at six thirty. I waited Carla at the main entrance. She came at six fifteen, carrying our backpacks and some plastic bags.
"Not late am I?" she asked, smiling.
"Nope, in fact, you're quite early", I said, smiling back. She took out a Pitt soda can from the plastic bag and threw it to me. I caught it in the midair.
"Nice catch", she said, holding up her own Pitt soda can for a toast. We made a toast and drank.
"There are other snacks in the plastic bag", she said. "You could have some if you want."
"Thanks for buying it", I said.
"Don't be silly, I took some of your money too to buy it, you know", she said.
"Where did you get my money?" I asked, confused. Did she take it from my backpack?
"Are you kidding me? You didn't bring money, remember?" she laughed. I smacked my forehead. Stupid head!
"You got me", I said, laughing too.
Carla's POV
"Hey, I'm just thinking", Dipper said after we went in the bus.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Uh, when we go back to the Mystery Shack, and, uh, everything turns to normal", he said, stuttering a bit.
"Yes…?" I asked again.
"Could you go out with me?" he said.
"Sure. Anytime", I said casually.
"I mean, out for a DATE", he said, blushing. I turned to him, giving a confused look.
"Me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He nodded, still blushing.
"Look, Dipper. I think we just better be friends, okay?" I said, tucking my hair behind my ears, usually a sign I'm embarrassed or something like that.
"Oh, alright", he said sadly. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. I really don't!
"Look, sometimes things doesn't go what you always wanted", I said, trying to cheer him up. "Maybe, next time?"
"What if you can't be there next time?" he asked coldly. "Life is too short for a next time."
Usually people will take that as an insult. It's like you're hoping someone to die the next day. But I just nodded knowingly. Why? Because it's true. I thought my parents are going to be with me the next day, but the fact is, they were killed, murdered, the next day.
I suddenly remembered my dream the last two days ago. Dipper asked me out for a date, too! This can't be a coincidence, can it? If not, it will be literally a dream come true!
"I guess you got a point over there", I said, smiling. "Maybe after Mabel recovers? Then we could go?"
I saw Dipper's face lit up.
"You're not doing this to make me feel better, right?" he asked me, suspiciously.
"Of course not!" I laughed. "I've always wanted a date, especially with a guy like you."
"Gee, thanks", he said, blushing.
"I'm going to ask Mabel to come too!" I declared.
"What?!" he said in disbelief.
"Of course not, dipping sauce!" I said, laughing again. "You're so easy to be tricked!"
"Ha ha, very funny", he rolled his eyes.
I teased him along the way. He kept responding with rolling eyes. It's so fun and easy to tease him. No wonder Mabel does it a lot. Reminded of Mabel, I suddenly became concern of her. Is she alright? I hoped for the best for her.
Mabel's POV
I can't move even one single part of my body. I can't feel anything. I heard the doctors were scurrying around the room with panicking tones. Although I can't feel anything, I think my bed is being carried into a new room. I closed my eyes completely. Everything turned black.
"Hello, Mabel", an eerie voice said.
"What? Who are you? Show yourself!" I demanded.
"If you insist", it said. It emerged from the darkness. It was him. The one-eyed-pyramid creature, standing right in front of me. It had stick-man arms and legs. To tell the truth, he wasn't scary at all. He's sort of a funny looking creature.
"Oh, I'm funny looking creature, aren't I?" it said. I frowned. How does he know what I was thinking?
"I can read minds", it said again, answering my thoughts. Should I call that thing "he" or "it"? I'll just call that thing "it".
"Well, could you stop doing that because it's very…" I said, but he interrupted.
"Annoying?" it said, continuing my sentence.
"Yes, that kind of annoying", I said, a bit frustrated.
"Well, I'm sorry. I am a mind reading creature, I couldn't help it", it said, laughing. It made me shudder. His laugh was sort of creepy.
"So, Andrew and Caitlin told you about me", it said. I gulped. This can't be good.
"Uh-oh, they're in trouble, aren't they?" I asked, worried.
"Yes, in a very, very big trouble", it said evilly. "Their lives are now up to me."
"No, don't kill them!" I begged.
"As I said last time, it's all up to me", it said. Oh no! Now they're in danger because of me!
"Looks like your twin brother has found the cure for the poison", it said again. "What a nice brother you have there, it's almost a shame to lose him."
"What do you mean?" I asked, alarmed. "I swear if you're even thinking to…"
"Of course not!" it said, laughing. "We won't even dare hurting a single hair out of him."
"Well, I hope so!" I said, putting my hands on the hip.
"Don't worry!" it said, chuckling. "He's going to be fine. Unlike you…"
What?! What does he mean by that? Am I going to die?
"Do you want to see yourself?" it asked, grabbing my arm. I screamed in pain. His hand felt like thousands of needles!
"This might sting a little", it said with an evil look on his eye. I didn't know what did he do, but I felt a very sharp pain everywhere in my body. I closed my eyes. After opening it up again, I saw myself on a bed, lying. I gasped. My face and legs turned blue. Some other parts were a bit purple. I started to cry. Am I dead?
Oh no! Is Mabel dead? Check the next chapter to find out!
Mystery Code (SPOILER ALERT!):
KLMB!