A/N: Sorry about the long time without a story update. Our internet was down for about a week and was just restored today. So, here's the next chapter. Reviews and critiques are always welcome!
Also I have a new story being uploaded soon, so be sure to check that out.
"GIDEON?" Dipper blurted out in total shock, his eyes widened. Confused, Dipper turned his attention to Stan and asked, "Grunkle Stan, what's going on?"
The look on Stan's face was one of complete defeat. He wanted to keep the kids out of this business. They were the only ones left who thought he had a shred of human decency left. But now, he would have to tell them. They would all know how his petty actions would lead to the deaths of innocent people.
"Well now, Stanford, you might as well tell them what's happening..." Gideon mocked, his voice had changed back into the familiar high pitched southern drawl that they were all used to hearing. "They need to know what a complete monster you are..."
Gideon's face contorted into an expression of wicked satisfaction.
Stan inhaled, then let his breath out slowly.
Well, here goes nothing...
"Long story short: our visitors are employees of a rival park to this one. I'm the owner of this very park. For countless years, our parks were locked in a vicious prank war. Seeing a quick way to victory, I found the means to summon a demon to end it all. That demon is this little psycho over here." Stan pointed a Gideon.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Stanford." Gideon laughed at Stan's verbal barb. "Now, pray tell, how did you come upon the ancient words to summon me? Did you read about it somewhere? In a certain book perhaps?"
"You know damn well that's where I found it." Stan retorted back. He then crossed over to the other side of the room to a locked filing cabinet. He fiddled with the combination and threw open the drawer. Stan then procured a dusty old book and held it out for Gideon to see.
Dipper was once again floored by what he saw. The book that Stan had pulled out from the drawer was a red book with a golden six-fingered hand on the cover. In the center of the hand a number was etched in black. It was the number 1.
Oh, my God! Grunkle Stan had the missing volume this whole time?
But if he has Book 1 and I have Book 3, then where is Book 2?
"You know as well as I do that I have the first volume and you have the second volume." Stan roared at Gideon. "But for the last time, I do not know where the third is."
Well, that took no time at all...
So Gideon has the second book...
And Grunkle Stan has the first?
This is too much for a kid my age...
"Well, Stanford I must say that I am disappointed, but I guess it really doesn't matter anyways..." Gideon said indifferently "After all, they still have to die."
He pointed his chubby finger at the group that hailed from Quintel-Marin Park.
"Die? Why do they have to die? What did they do?" Dipper found himself asking before he could stop himself.
Gideon once again wore that evilly smug smirk.
"Well, Stanford summoned me to make the other park lose the prank war. So that's what I'm just gonna do." Gideon spoke with a chuckle. "And if there's no opposing employees to fight back, then I guess Stan's park wins."
Stan hung his head in shame. The truth was out. Due to his actions those innocent men from the opposing park would be murdered. And now, his own flesh and blood knew. Stan knew they would be disappointed in him.
In a way, I'm just as much as a monster as Gideon here...
A heartless monster who let greed cloud my judgment for so long...
Now these men will die for something that didn't really concern them...
And the kids...
They'll never look at me the same way again...
"Well now, it's been fun exposing Stanford for what he really is, but now it's time for y'all to meet your untimely demise." Gideon sneered, suppressing the urge to giggle from the sheer excitement of the thought.
CRACK!
A deep fissure opened up in the floor of the basement. Fire spewed from the maw of the newly formed chasm. Spirits drifted up and out and around the room. The deafening roar of a motorcycle engine pierced the eerie quiet of the room. A motorcycle shot out of the fissure and skidded to a halt in front of everybody. As the fissure closed itself, the person riding the bike got off and stood in front of everyone.
"Death! My ol' friend!" Gideon spoke with false enthusiasm. "Have you lost weight? You look to be nothin' but skin and bones!" Gideon cackled madly "Or at least just bones!"
Death was not amused. "Stuff it, you fat git. I didn't come by to exchange pleasantries with a psycho like you." Death growled. "I'm just here to collect these souls and be off."
Death then shot a nasty look in Skips' direction, "With the exception of Skips of course, seeing as he's immortal..."
Skips, with his unchanging scowl, addressed his old rival sarcastically. "It's nice to see you too, Death..."
"Immortal, eh? Well, I must say that is very disappointing." Gideon growled in response.
"Please, Death, there has to be something you can do about this." Mordecai pleaded. "Remember how you gave us a chance to save Muscle Man, or the time you gave Skips a chance to take Rigby back?"
Death just shook his head.
"Can't be done, mate. I cannot interfere with the dealings of a demon. That's just how the underworld works..." Death replied, coolly indifferent to their plight.
"Now then, let's get this show started!" Gideon shouted. The room once again turned that sickly shade of black and purple. The park crew found themselves being lifted into the air. They were powerless to stop what was being done to them. Their limbs contorted in sickening ways. They could feel the excruciating pain, yet their bones would not break. Gideon was intentionally making them suffer before ending them. After a few minutes of this horrible display, Gideon was about to deliver the killing blow.
Suddenly a flash of green and red darted across the room, heading full force at Gideon. Wendy had run into a full sprint at Gideon, and slammed her shoulder into him with all the force she could muster out of her slender frame. The demon toppled over, his psychic grip on the park crew had been broken. They all fell to the floor with a large thud.
Gideon shot back up, furious at the fiery-haired girl.
"YOU LITTLE BITCH! HOW DARE YOU!" Gideon roared at the top of his lungs. His behavior became more unhinged, more violent, more deranged.
Wendy was about to charge again when she found a hand on her shoulder holding her back. Struggling against the grip futilely, she turned around to see who it was that was holding her back.
It was her moody boyfriend Robbie.
"Robbie, how did you –" Wendy attempted to ask but was cut short.
"There's no time to explain now, we have to get out of here now!" Robbie frantically yelled at his girlfriend.
He then released the grip on her shoulder, and held his hand out offering for her to take it.
"Robbie, I have to stay and help them! They're innocent people who are about to be killed over some bullshit feud." Wendy offered that abridged explanation, as she once again turned to face the demon, Gideon.
As she turned her back, she felt an intense pain, unlike any she'd experienced before, in her back then toppled to the floor. A pool of blood quickly surrounded the broken redhead.
Dipper let out a gut-wrenching scream.
"NO, WENDY!"
As Wendy had turned around, she hadn't seen Robbie stick the knife in her. She hadn't seen his eyes turn into that familiar shade of black and purple. She hadn't seen the unnatural purple aura that surrounded his body. All she knew was the agony of being impaled from behind.
"W– Why?" she gasped, barely audible. It just occurred to her who had been the one to run her through with the knife. Tears filled her eyes, they dripped down her face and into the slowly-growing puddle of blood around her.
Dipper rushed over to her side, nearly sobbing as he did so. He held her in his arms trying frantically to keep her alive and well. It was no use. She was fading fast. Her head spinning from the massive blood loss. Her vision became blurry, everything was fading to black so quickly. The last thing she saw was the panicked face of her young friend trying desperately to keep her in the mortal world. His mouth formed words but she could not hear them. She tried to speak but no words came out. And with that, Wendy Corduroy was no more.
Absolutely heartbroken, Dipper collapsed on top of the lifeless Wendy crying his eyes out.
"NO! NO! NOOO! WHY?" Dipper found himself repeating the same questions over and over again.
She was gone. There was no way to get her back. Yet Dipper couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. But deep down inside he knew. The thought alone sickened him.
Dipper's mind snapped back into action. He then remembered who the assailant was.
Robbie.
"Where's Robbie? I'll kill him... I'LL KILL HIM!" Dipper raged, his words lashing the air harshly.
In a fury, Dipper's head shot back up to look for the lanky teen. He looked where Robbie had previously been when he stabbed Wendy but he wasn't there. Instead, he found Robbie floating next to Gideon. Robbie had that purple aura around him and his eyes were still clouded with black and purple. Gideon had a satisfied smirk on his face as he stared back at Dipper.
"What's the matter, Dipper? You seem a bit upset..." he taunted the young boy mercilessly. "I had to teach that interfering harlot a lesson."
Dipper glared, his teeth clenched. He waited for Gideon to continue his speech.
"My shadow minion, Robbie, sure took care of her didn't he?" Gideon mocked, then let out a cackle of pure delight.