Hey guys! Sorry about the update taking so long, but this chapter is long so I hope that makes it better. The fight with Bill is finally starting, and I hope you guys didn't mind the wait. As I said before, the fight with Bill is NOT the climax of the story. So expect more after the battle's over! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe, Rick and Morty, or Gravity Falls
After Wendy received the call from Ford, she had her doubts but relayed the message to her companions- more specifically Bismuth. "Hey guys! Got a call from Ford, apparently the plan is to 'erase Bill out of existence' or something."
The gem snorted. "That means plasma guns and quantum destabilizers. That doesn't leave much for us."
"Yeah... they actually told us that they'll need to time to make all these weapons, so ALL of us are going to have to chip in to fight Bill this time." Wendy looked at Robbie and Tambry warily. "If you guys wanna bail, I get it- but... they need help, and I'm staying."
"For what?!" Robbie demanded. "We have female alien chicks from another universe fighting alongside the Pines family against Bill! How would we be any help?!"
"Thanks guys, no offense taken." Bismuth rolled her eyes. "But they do have a point Wendy. What would we do?"
"I've got a plan, but I need Robbie and Tambry's help to do it." Wendy explained. "We might not be on the scientific side of this fight, but we can still throw punches better than half their group!"
"So, what are you saying?" Tambry asked. "Why do you need me and Robbie?"
"Instead of mechs, I'm thinking monster trucks! Mad Max style!" Wendy smashed her fists together.
"I have no idea what that is." Bismuth said. "But I like the sound of it!"
"So you and Bismuth can build the trucks, where does that leave me and Robbie?" Tambry rose a brow.
"A communication system!" Wendy said. "Robbie! I need you and Tambry to combine your weird coding geniuses to make a communication system that can go between the trucks!"
Robbie and Tambry blinked at their friend in surprise- they were the best in their computer science classes in high school, but this was on a completely different level. "And how would we do that exactly?" Robbie asked.
"I don't know! You guys are computer geeks! That's your problem!" Wendy gave them a thumbs up.
"Okay... we'll get right on that." Tambry gave an uneasy thumbs up, knowing her friend's implied threat- there was no escaping for her and Robbie.
Turning back to Bismuth, Wendy picked up a wrench and a can of oil. "Let's get started!"
"How many?" Bismuth's arms turned into hammers. "I'm eager to start building."
"Let's see... how many of us are old enough to drive again. Oh- too old in McGucket's case! Hey Bismuth, does your planet believe in the unfair system of the DMV?"
/
Gideon and Pacficia had never liked each other- with their popularity rivalry stemming back before the Pines twins even came into town. Both were the most popular, well dressed, and were the envy of everyone's eyes. So it was only natural for there to be friction between them, but between Pacfica's money and Gideon's followers, they agreed to just ignore each other. But after the Pines twins came to town, their ceasefire nearly became a war with how Pacifica treated Mabel.
But now here they were, in the deepest parts of the Gravity Falls woods, and were certainly lost.
"Hey dudes, you know if there's a little boy's room out here? I gotta go." Soos asked, holding his knees together. Which reminded them- they were stuck with this idiot for whatever reason.
"You're kidding right?" Pacifica asked, tugging her llama sweater loose from some thorns.
"Why would there be a latrine, in the middle of the woods?!" Gideon snapped.
"I don't know dude! I drank a lot of soda before Bill showed up!" Soos whined.
"And you didn't think to go when those Crystal Gem ladies were making their introduction?!" Gideon demanded.
"Oh yeah... considering Bill's back, can we really trust gemstone aliens?" Pacifica pointed out.
"Mabel trusts them! That's good enough for me!" Gideon stated.
"Mabel trusts everyone." Pacifica rolled her eyes.
"One of the things I love about her." Gideon stared straight at the blonde. "She gives even the most undeserving, a chance."
"What was that you fake mini preacher?!" Pacifica snapped.
"You heard me, daughter of hoodlums and harlots!" Gideon exclaimed.
Before they could start a slap fight, Soos spoke up: "Hey guys, there's something coming towards us!"
Before Gideon and Pacifica could even react, they found themselves in a bubble with Soos and were airborne.
"Pacifica?!" The blonde turned to the familiar voice, and was relieved to see that Mabel Pines was truly back- and was riding a tall model-like blue lady with water wings. "What are you doing out here?!"
"Yeah, why'd you show up?" Dipper added in annoyance
"I came to seek shelter at the Mystery Shack, and I ended up stuck with these two looking for unicorn hair!" Pacifica exclaimed. "Whose this lady?!"
"One of the Crystal Gems! Her name's Lapis Lazuli!" Mabel shouted. "She can do anything with water!"
"So cool! And so pretty!" Soos batted his eyelashes at Lapis, who chose to ignore this.
"Hang on, we're almost there!" Lapis stated and zoomed forward. She was eager to find these unicorns and get their hair! Humans other than Steven, Greg and Connie, were really annoying.
/
Fiddleford McGucket was a man of many things, primarily composed of regrets and desire. He regretted being too much of a coward to help Ford, and was so troubled by the events he opted to let government agents erase his memories for years. He also felt regret that his actions placed the weight of the world on two small children, not even teenagers when they first came into Gravity Falls. Had he not, then maybe Dipper and Mabel would have been better warned against the dangerous elements of Gravity Falls. Then again... they were Ford and Stan's niece and nephew- danger was bound to be attracted to them.
His regrets made Fiddleford's desire to live his life to the fullest that much more extreme- he wanted to take the lessons he learned from Dipper, and especially Mabel. Her zest for life and how unapologetically she was herself- that had made an impression on Fiddleford- enough to remember her despite Bill's interference.
After receiving a call from Ford to set up different plasma guns and quantum disruptors, Fiddleford and Peridot got to work right. Peridot worked on creating individual weapons, while Fiddleford worked on creating a ground weapon that could be combined with. Even with all this help from these Crystal Gems, Fiddleford wasn't sure if this would be enough to stop Bill.
From what he learned from Peridot, Bill was up to his old tricks again with an innocent boy named Steven and took advantage of his desperation. "So Peridot... would Steven normally do something like this?"
"I would like that to think not, but humans are different from gems." Peridot sighed and explained. "Organic beings with free will are able to make their own choices, down to their occupation to even what deity they worship. Gems are created with one occupation already programmed to us, and we conduct ourselves as such until we are shattered or replaced."
"What happens when you get replaced?" McGucket asked.
"Gems are normally recycled for further resources, as Homeworld has long since been running in short supply." Peridot answered.
"So why are humans more prone to these kinds of mistakes than gems?" Fiddleford asked.
"Because to humans- an occupation is a contradiction. They are assigned tasks or jobs by a higher power of some kind, oftentimes another human, and are then expected to complete their occupational duties regardless of their physical and mental capabilities. In other words, humans and other organic being are more likely to expire or eventually under the pressure of demand, because they are able to question their circumstances and have the inherent free will to resist it. Humans in particular, want more out of life than just the duties they are assigned, and therefore are much more likely to become depressed and unsatisfied with their current status, which ultimately leads to drastic action." Peridot sighed. "Why are you asking?"
"Because I'm just trying to understand why your Steven would do this. Especially dragging poor Mabel into it." Fiddleford explained.
"Steven's role as Rose Quartz's successor became too much, and we're all facing the consequences of that." Peridot stated. "But that is not the fault of Steven- that is the fault of Rose Quartz, who did not take this basic human characteristic into account when Steven was formed. That is why she is fighting with us to defeat Bill, and our love for Steven is what is uniting us despite our differences."
"Y'all say that gems and humans are pretty different, but y'all both feel love?" McGucket pointed out.
"Of course we do!" Peridot scoffed in offense. "Gems in Homeworld have to be much more reserved about their personal feelings, as generally partnership and courtship are arranged under strict circumstances, but that doesn't mean we're incapable of feeling. Gems feel pride, joy, love, loyalty, hate, despair... all the emotions associated with an intelligent being. Steven showed Lazuli and myself that we are free to express those emotions however we want on Earth, and we were able to make that planet our home because of that."
"That's beautiful..." Fiddleford sniffled.
"It's just natural. The Crystal Gems are also able to freely express how they feel about Steven, Greg, and one another- we are what you humans call a 'family'." Peridot shrugged. "And to make that family complete again- we're going to rescue Steven!"
"Do you hate Rose Quartz?" Fiddleford asked carefully.
"Lazuli certainly does." Peridot shrugged. "She has her reasons to hate the Crystal Gems, as for me- I considered Rose Quartz a terrifying enemy that somehow managed to shatter a Diamond- her Diamond! That kind of defiance was unheard of before, and is still relatively foreign to me, but in saying that no... I don't hate her. Why do you ask?"
"Cause it sounds to me like most of this is her fault." Fiddleford said. "No offense, er nothing..."
"No, it's true. Rose Quartz most definitely could have left more specific instructions for Steven- I believe that would have given the Crystal Gems more reassurance in general." Peridot confirmed. "Anyways... what is the state of your progress?"
"Oh!" Staring down at the lines of wires and chips, Ford noted a couple of bolts that needed to be connected and got out a pair of pliers. "About 80% of the way there! How 'bout you?"
"I've completed approximately a dozen short range quantum field disruptors and five plasma guns. I need to make 38 weapons total, yes?" Peridot confirmed.
"Yeah. Two for each person, and they all got to connect with this big one here." McGucket patted the machine. "But I wish Ford and Stan would get here already! Ford had some of the interface components needed for the connection."
As soon as Fiddleford said that, a rock behind the dimensional gate shifted, altering the two engineers. Peridot immediately got her mind ready to utilize anything in the lab to her disposal, but abruptly stopped when she saw who it was.
"No need to worry, the Pines brothers are here!" Stan smiled.
"Really Stan? Now is not the time for theatrics." Ford sighed and then turned his attention to McGucket and Peridot. He quickly brought out the toolkit he retrieved from that dinosaur mine, and walked over to his old colleague. "Let's get this set up! I don't know how long the others will be able to keep him busy!"
/
Lapis sighed and she finally arrived at the waterfall, Mabel described. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take with the three humans she was forced to pick up. Especially the one called Soos... she just wished he'd stop asking such inane questions.
"So there's like no guys at all where you're from...? Like any?" He asked.
"Ask me that again, and I drown you." Lapis said bluntly, and then turned her attention to Mabel. "Well we're here- where are these 'unicorns' you talked so much about?"
"Uh... well the white one with the rainbow mane came out from behind the waterfall last time." Mabel explained. "They're probably in hiding because Bill's back."
"Like really Mabel? Unicorns? I thought being erased from reality temporarily would mature you or something." Pacifica scoffed.
"You know, you really don't have to be here. Seriously." Dipper glared.
"He's right! You're useless! Go on now! Shoo!" Gideon made a shooing motion with his hands, which was ignored.
"Guys! Stop it, she's here and she can't go back to the Mystery Shack on her own." Mabel reasoned. "Pacifica- this isn't like last time. If you're not going to work with us, you can't be involved. It's too dangerous."
"I'm already involved." Pacifica scoffed. "Ask your brother."
"Dipper?" Mabel turned to him.
"Ugh... for whatever reason, Pacifica remembered you. Maybe you made her less evil and more human or something." Dipper explained. "She was the one who found the journal and that weird Nora tape I told you about."
"Wait- you guys all saw the Nora tape?" Lapis clarified.
"Yeah. Sorry if we invaded anyone's privacy dude, but we just had to know how it was connected to Mabel." Soos explained. "We didn't remember her at the time, and little dude here was desperate."
"I don't really care, it just makes me wonder how all this is connected." Lapis explained. "Dipper... do you think that human Rick Sanchez was lying about not being the mastermind? How else would everything add up like it's been?"
"I don't know... if he was, then Rick would have killed us all by now." Dipper frowned. "The connection between the journals and VHS tapes have been bothering me too, but we're gonna have to put that aside for now."
"Yeah. We need to find those unicorns!" Mabel exclaimed.
"Fine." Lapis raised her hand and summoned all the water from the falls and surrounding lake, which rose her up just high enough to look beyond the treeline without fully exposing herself to Bill. After focusing her eyes, she saw sparkling four legged creatures running through the dark. Without hesitance, Lapis shot water through the trees and successfully watered down her targets. Lowering herself down to the humans, she pointed, "Found them."
"Oh! I just remembered that we don't have any scissors." Dipper realized.
"No problem." Mabel's face was eerily calm. "We'll just rip the hair out from the roots."
"That's brutal Pines." Pacifica was surprised, considering the girl's previous obsession with them.
"Yes my sweet, wouldn't you want to preserve them?" Gideon asked.
"Oh no. Not after last time. This time... I take no prisoners." Mabel's normal smile was present, but the way she was clutching her grappling hook made the others worried.
Lapis on the other hand, was happy to finally see some competence.
/
Bill was getting extremely frustrated at this point- these Crystal Gem fusions were making this process much longer than it needed to be! At this point, he should've destroyed the world by now, but no! He was still stuck in the revenge phase, and hasn't even got to kill the Pines family yet! He was doubly annoyed by the giant gem fusion called 'Sugilite' in front of him. The behemoth was so strong that magic was ineffective against her! Every time he tried to surround them in a space to distract them, or at the very least unfuse them, Sugilite just punched it and collapsed the space.
As for that 'Rainbow Quartz' opponent, she was much vulnerable more than her combat buddy, but too agile to actually hit with any of his magic attacks. It was time to change strategies...
"You Crystal Gems are sure putting up a fight for a bunch of strangers!" Bill laughed.
"We are united front in rescuing Steven." Rainbow Quartz stated.
"SO COUGH HIM UP!" Sugilite screamed and readied another punch.
"You sure about that?" Bill curved his eye, and put some distance between himself and the larger fusion. "Are you sure that ALL of you want to rescue Steven?"
"What are you implying?" Rainbow Quartz glared.
"Oh you know!" Bill waved his hand in a mock-bashful manner. "The Pines interest may NOT exactly align with yours..."
"SHUT IT! WE DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SAY!" Sugilite snapped.
"Of course their interests would align with ours... we aren't exactly privy to your survival." Rainbow Quartz pointed out.
"Even if it meant permanently sacrificing Steven?" Bill's question clearly made the Crystal Gems pause. "I know you spoke with Rick. Quite the potty mouth he has, doesn't he! But he also doesn't lie unless he has to! I would know, I represent his potential!"
"What does this have to do with Steven?!" Rainbow Quartz snapped.
"I know Rick told you it's possible to save Steven. But you can't do that if I'm destroyed. Not that you could- but this fight is getting rather tiresome!" Bill continued. "But what the Pines want, is for me to be permanently destroyed. Which by proxy, completely eliminates any possibility of bringing Steven back. So... I propose we make a deal."
"YEAH? WE WERE ALSO TOLD YOU'D PULL SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON US!" Sugilite scoffed. "WE'RE NOT FALLING FOR ANY OF YOUR TRICKS!"
"Wait!" Rainbow Quartz snapped. "What kind of deal?"
"Simple. I'll switch Rose and Steven back to their proper alignment, with total gem repair and all! No cracks, and totally ready for gem action!" Bill assured. "However... in exchange- you go back to your own world, to deal with your own problems."
"In other words, you want us to forfeit this fight." Rainbow Quartz summarized.
"LIKE WE'RE GONNA DO-"
"Wait Sugilite!" Rainbow Quartz seemed surprised by her own outburst. "Would you really return Steven to us? Would his gem be back to normal?"
"Yep! As normal as it can be for his gem anyways!" Bill shrugged. "And returning Steven to you, is a small price to pay when it comes to getting what I want. And you know what that is? REVENGE! I'll tear this world to pieces and make the Pines family watch as I do it! Then I'm moving onto Rick and showing him just how powerful a 'failure' can really be!" Bill's eye was red and fire was around him as he spoke.
"Why would we leave this planet to you then?!" Rainbow Quartz demanded.
"Because you get what you want- Steven Universe." Bill stated. "The fact of the matter is, this isn't your Earth, this isn't even your universe. Your universe is currently under attack by the Galactic Federation, and will probably move to your Earth too. Assuming Rick hasn't destroyed it by then. Really, if it wasn't for Steven- then you wouldn't be in this mess to begin with."
At the moment, Rainbow Quartz clutched her staff and stood up straighter. "I'm sorry Sugilite..." Bill curved his eye in glee, while Sugilite just stood there with an unreadable expression. "For our indecision... we must do our part to defeat Bill!"
"WHAT?!" Bill couldn't believe it. "You'd sacrifice your son, for a stupid battle that has nothing to do with you?!"
"SHUT IT! ONE EYED TRIANGLE!" Suglite sent a corkscrew punch at Bill, which sent the triangle flying a few feet. "RUNNING AWAY IS NEVER AN OPTION FOR THE CRYSTAL GEMS!"
"She's right... and so are you Bill." Rainbow Quartz glared. "Steven is one of the primary parties at fault for this current situation, which is precisely why we can't abandon Gravity Falls. When Steven reemerges, he will be scolded and disciplined properly- but we can't do that if we don't show him proper examples."
Bill was angry... so angry, with his eye contorting into an evil smile. "Admirable... BUT FOOLISH!" Bill then started whirling his arms around, and instead of the typical sky darkening and lighting shooting, the environment remained the same. Warily, the fusions readied themselves for whatever attack Bill was sending... but nothing could've prepared them for what they saw. Bill laughed at their shock. "I really didn't want to do this trick... it expends SO MUCH energy... but combining illusions with reality is one of my best trump cards. You see, instead of trapping you in a space- I'll just create shapes and images out of spaces... which happen to be out of all of your worst fears!"
Sugilite suddenly surged forward and started punching the images as rapidly as they appeared- not giving the chance to form. Amethyst and Garnet had totally different fears and demons- they would come apart instantly if confronted.
Rose Quartz and Pearl had a completely different problem- they had different fears but the same demon, which was now standing right in front of them... Pink Diamond!