Authors note: I AM BACK! As in, for this story which hasn't been updating since ever. Mostly because I have writers block so this chapter is not as long as the previous ones, but it does have some ideas I wanted to put in the story I have been thinking of for a while. The next few chapters will go back to our favorite Mystery crew and some… "Friends" that I mentioned in this chapter. Other than that, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 16: On Going Test
O-O-O
Somewhere in the region of Oregon, a CSF owned APC was now travelling down a road towards what looked like a large prison, it was surrounded with chain linked fences and barbed wire on top in a square perimeter, with guard towers on every corner of the fence, as the APC was at the prison checkpoint, with CSF prison guards at the checkpoint who looked exactly like CSF SWAT teams except with dark blue uniforms and more padded body armor.
Inside the back of the APC were two prisoners in orange jumpsuits, one human and the other Sleg, with the human being Stanford Pines while the other was a Sleg who was busy sulking across from Stan, his head lowered down while Stan stared at the Sleg.
The last thing Stan could remember was a conversation between two CSF officers wanting him and the Sleg with him to be sent to prison by the orders of someone called Xon. Now Stan was stuck in handcuffs in the back of an APC while all he could do was stare off into space and wonder where his grand niece and nephew were. Stan felt even more lost and confused now, not just because of his memory problems but also because he was separated from Dipper and Mabel, who would always take care of his every need. Stan felt ashamed and humiliated, but not as much as the Sleg across him.
Unknown to Stan, the Sleg with him was the former police chief of Gravity Falls, who had just lost his position due to Stan's family and friends, and to make matters worse, he had to be stuck with the very same Stan that he was supposed to arrest and detain, only to find himself in cuffs along with the human, now being sent to a prison who knows where.
All the Gecken Sleg could do now was hang his head low in shame until Stan spoke to him.
"Hey, Buddy?" Asked Stan, trying to get the Sleg's attention, who merely ignored the human, having no desire to talk.
"Do you know what's going on?" Asked Stan, hoping that insisting would get the Gecken's attention.
Realizing that Stan would not give up after hearing the human repeat his words multiple times, the Sleg held his head up to answer.
"We're fucked." Said the Gecken, shaking his head in disbelief at what was happening. "Leave me alone."
"Do you know where we're going?" Asked Stan, still wanting to have his questions answered, further annoying the Gecken. "I need to get back to my kids."
"You don't remember, do you? Course not." Said the Gecken insultingly.
"That still doesn't answer my second question." Said Stan, still trying to make small talk. "I'm an old bastard, so I don't have a good memory like I used to, ya know?"
The Gecken was about to pinch his fingers between his forehead, until just remembering he still had handcuffs on.
"We're going to prison." Answered the Gecken.
Stan then thought to himself for a minute, remembering vague memories about fighting CSF Slegs, as he winced in pain after moving his broken leg in a wrong way, just remembering about his wound.
"Don't move too much or you'll break it again. They don't fix wounds in the type of prison we're going to." Warned the Gecken, as he thought dreadfully about the destination. "They make them."
"Are my kids there?" Asked Stan, making the Gecken just scoff at the question.
"How the hell should I know? They probably ran away in the woods, or maybe they got killed." Said the Gecken in an uncaring tone. "Its mercy compared to what we'll see soon… unless they run into Barbadons or Drake raptors or even Gene worms. You know what, maybe they're not spared as much as I thought."
Stan just gave the Gecken a venomous look before changing his expression more softly, he saw the look on the Sleg's face that reminded him pf something he looked at in a mirror, a lost man.
"Look." Stan said in a more calm tone. "Pouting about what we're in isn't going to make you feel better, and acting like an asshole won't make you any friends either. Hell, I don't even know why I'm here, but if an old man like me can't complain much, then you shouldn't either."
The Gecken just looked at Stan silently before shaking his head.
"Humans." Mumbled the Gecken before Stan introduced himself.
"I'm Stan."
The Gecken just sighed before giving in and introduced his name as well.
"Silvac."
The two prisoners then stayed silent, as the CSF APC drove inside the prison complex, which appeared to be an old prison surrounded by bleak open fields, completely isolated from any form of close contact from occupied Sleg positions, as the APC parked in front of the large prison doors, with two Guanian prison guards opening the back doors and escorted Stan and Silvac out, leading them to enter the prison as the doors shut.
It was going to be hell.
O-O-O
While in Gravity Falls, far away from the unknown prison in Oregon, Xon was now descending an elevator downward underneath the Black Citadel.
After what had happened yesterday, Xon had ordered most of the military in Gravity Falls at the Black Citadel to search for the missing fugitives with CSF as promised, he had also ordered all of the Q-teams available to search every dark corner of the region after hearing about the recent Gene worm incident, which boggled him since Gene worms would usually never be found so far in the west coast aside from an infestation contained at Los Angeles, who knows how many were on the planet since not even Xon knew how they got here.
All that was known about their possible first contact on earth was an isolated incident at a research center created in the region of Colorado, not much else was known since it was too dangerous to investigate with the large Gene worm population overrunning the entire state, though almost every available Q-team and every new one that arrives on earth due to Xon's constant requests, have managed to set up an entire quarantine zone around the former state and have dubbed it, "The Red Zone". No one knows how the few worms managed to leave the highly secured quarantine area, but they managed to infect L.A. and spread their reach, luckily they didn't consume everything on the planet due to the Q-teams burning tactics since the worms did have a weakness to extreme heat, but they were still a force to be reckoned with nonetheless.
Xon however, wanted to go down for a daily check of "Project New Horizons", the dubbed name for the portal project that would supposedly lead into new worlds and infinite knowledge.
Xon then reached the underground as he exited the elevator to see the large portal in front. Stan's secret portal room had been modified heavily over the years, now modernized with the most advanced Sleg technology with the typical blackish blue metallic environment around and the room expanded after years of construction and renovation by workers to expand the simple portal room into an entire underground research facility, several Sleg scientists with white lab coats were doing their scientific duties, ranging from using the several computers to manage data to managing the large portal itself.
The portal itself had also been modified from its original design, not just being much larger than usual, but also had several attachments such as stabilizers to prevent instability and amplifiers to increase its power. The most interesting part of the Portal right now however, was the large tube like generator attached closely to the portal machine, several thick wires above connected the generator to the portal and all over the ceiling, leading to several other areas of the facility to supply more power.
Xon was then approached by a Gecken Sleg with light yellow scales, whose scales appeared to be more wrinkled to show his age while he adjusted his glasses, trying to look decent to Xon after constant hours of work as the scientist bowed in respect to the governor.
"Governor Xon. A pleasure to see you as usual." Greeted the scientist formally, as Xon waved off the scientist.
"To you as well, doctor." Replied Xon, showing more interest in the portal. "Any progress?"
"We have increased stability for the device by one hundred and fifty percent recently. I was just waiting for you to see the test which will begin shortly." Said the scientist, which pleased Xon to hear the news.
"Excellent. But before we begin, I want to talk to someone." Said Xon, which made the scientist nod in response, knowing what Xon meant as the scientist left to wait behind the safety area while Xon went up to the generator.
Xon then peered into the generator closely to spot a peculiar figure in the generator itself, which was shaped as a flaoting triangle and was barely glowing yellow, looking like the triangle wore a bowtie and a top hat with a single eye, but it was also dripping black liquid from its energy like body.
"Well, well, well. My favorite person in the world is back." Said the figure sarcastically. "Or at least, on this world."
"Bill." Addressed Xon casually, who looked at the triangle in a calm demeanor. "Still not cooperative I see."
"Why would I? A selfish prick like you would- GAHHHHHHHHH!"
Before Bill could finish his sentence, Xon pressed a red button on the generator's control panel, sending a devastating shockwave inside the generator, actually managing to hurt Bill as the triangle screamed in pain.
"You know something I've learned about our time together?" Asked Xon, letting go of the button to give Bill a chance to respond and recover until answering first. "You think your some kind of immortal being where in reality, you're just as weak as mortals. You may be able to live forever, but that doesn't mean you can't feel pain, even beings of pure energy can feel pain."
"Your… gonna… regret this." Panted Bill, as he leaked more black fluids from his body. "Your greed… will screw you over, pal."
Xon just smirked at Bill's warning. "You've been trying to deceive me ever since you were brought here, and you still don't realize that I'm a better bluffer than you."
"I'll give you that. You know how to trick a demon." Said Bill, recalling a memory about Xon. "When we made that deal, I didn't expect you to backstab me after we finished it."
"I wanted a power source that would last forever in this facility, and you delivered yourself to me." Said Xon smugly. "I was never specific since you wanted my end fulfilled first for whatever plans you had."
"Oh don't worry, I just changed them into something else. And you're involved." Said Bill with venom in his voice, as Xon pushed the large button again, sending more volts of pain to Bill.
"Your petty vengeance plan will never come to fruition, demon." Said Xon coldly, somehow managing to be colder than an actual demon as he released the button, making Bill even ooze black fluids from his eye. "You will be forever trapped here, nothing more than a glorified battery of what you once were, and it wasn't even much to begin with anyways."
Xon then pushed the button once more, sending further shockwaves coursing through Bill's energy figure as the demon screamed loudly in pain, something he would usually enjoy, but was now suffering from the same feeling, as Xon released the button to stare at Bill in disgust and spiteful pity, until he smiled at the demon once more.
"Your sense of humor has rubbed off on me too." Said Xon, as all Bill could do now was gurgle in black fluids. "Pain IS hilarious, but only if I can get it out of the people I hate, such as you."
Xon then proceeded to walk away to go behind the safety area, as the new test would begin to see if the portal would work again.
"Beginning test now." Announced an automated voice, as the scientists cleared the portal room to begin the test.
"Whenever you're ready, doctor." Said Xon, as the old Gecken scientist gave the signal to activate the portal.
The portal was now slowly activating, as the scientists behind the safety area began operating the control panels to regulate the portal device, the portal was slowly crackling with electricity, as it zapped the center of the machine to create a small swirl, which eventually formed a full circle inside the machine.
"Portal activation, fifty percent." Said the automated voice.
"We passed the halfway mark with no issues this time. Good." Said the scientist, eager to see if the portal would work properly.
It seemed like forever passed for everyone in the room. Could the portal finally be finished? Wondered everyone in the testing room, so far nothing was going wrong, even after multiple testing failures over the years, everyone in the room was confident that today would be the day, all of the hard work and effort into this project would pay off.
When the portal reached to eight percent however, things were starting to go wrong as usual, the machine was now becoming unstable, more electricity cracked in all directions and the swirling started to become more erratic and violent, as the scientists quickly pushed the emergency shutdown sequence for the portal, mostly because the last time they didn't do it sooner, five people died due to workplace injury from the portal's sudden instability, as the machine slowly shut down.
All that could be heard was maniacal laughter from the generator prison from Bill, as Xo furiously walked over to the generator to see Bill laughing, until he began coughing out more black fluids from his energy body, even though he was being drained every moment he was stuck inside the generator.
"You think some dumb lizards like you can unlock the secrets of the universe? Your tiny brains can't comprehend what's out there even if it worked." Said Bill, as he held back more laughter to prevent coughing up more black fluids. "You don't- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Xon had enough already, as he pushed down on the button again, making Bill scream further as Xon continued to hold down the button this time while he spoke.
"Our minds are capable enough to make you weak and tortured! Every day, you damn us all to suffering while you writhe and squirm like a worm in the rain, unable to use your so called power to keep your word. You are pathetic!" Exclaimed Xon, as Bill struggled to talk back
"You- *grunt* will pay …AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
It was all Bill could say until Xon released the button, making Bill drop to the ground as he struggled to get himself up.
"Now I'm quite sad about all this, mostly because you're a being of pure energy." Said Xon, as he pushed the button again to make Bill suffer more as he spoke calmly. "Not because I'm jealous, but because this is the only way I can make you suffer."
Xon just continued to speak while Bill could barely scream, too exhausted and in too much pain to bother to do so.
"If you had flesh, I would skin you with a rusty blade, if you had bone, I would break each piece with my bare hands, if you had blood, I would boil it with the fires of hell, and if you had anyone to love, I would do the same to them first in front of you before I move on to you." Said Xon, before finally releasing the button, mostly because he was now getting bored of torturing Bill.
"Goodbye Bill." Said Xon, as he walked away to leave the research facility.
"See you, asshole." Strained Bill, before he vomited more black fluid before Xon left his sight.
O-O-O
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls, but I do own the Slegs and Xon.