Chapter 23: The Rosaceae
In a room of a hospital lies an almost dead Dipper. His body was wounded with 3rd degree burns. His birthmark of the Big Dipper was messed up. Like a comet came and slashed the constellation.
His line from the heartbeat monitor was pretty bad.
9's water lily was placed in a vase on a table beside him. Hoping it would help him, though it wouldn't.
A shadow came to the room. And yet no one even opened the door. The shadow passed to 9's water lily that slowly wilts as she come through.
And eventually his heartbeat monitor went in a flat line.
She smiled at the results as she stepped to the light. It was the girl 9 met before. She sat on Dipper's bed and stroked on his forehead.
Girl: Would you look at that? You sacrificed yourself to save your classmates by that monster I MADE. You didn't even noticed which spot on where I put the bomb. That's so bad, you didn't say sorry to your sister for yelling. She must have been devastated that I killed you. But not to worry.
She leans to Dipper and kissed his forehead. When she sat up, Dipper's forehead has a strange mark that looks like black ink that is dripping on his forehead.
She laughed evilly as she left.
You shall continue my legacy...
My dear apprentice
Everything was black right after Dipper was going to strike the monster. He didn't know where he was. All he could remember was a bright light and a voice. Two voices. One teen male and one young female. The one who he felt familiar with. Right after he yelled at her for a good reason. Because he was next in line of being Inherited.
He was floating until he landed on something hard. Then all of a sudden, the place was transformed into a room. A room full of pictures that were floating around him, like a picture frame that was hanging in a single rope. Every single pictures were in one big link. The main picture that he saw is that a picture with Dipper and 9. But something is mysterious about it is that Dipper was wearing different clothing. He was wearing a red t-shirt under a black jacket with a red belt wrapped up on his right arm. His pants and shoes were in a darker shade than his usual ones. He didn't even wear his hat at this clothing also.
He looked closer to see what will happen next. It was horrifying.
In the picture, Dipper was in front of 9 who was bonded by the ropes that is possibly Dipper summoned it. 9 was shown to struggling while saying something important to Dipper. However, Dipper doesn't seem to listen to him as he pointed his sword to 9's brooch. Then there was a red glow to his sword, and 9 was in pain for some reason. Like he was tortured by Dipper's sword. Or in fact that he was indeed tortured by him. Someone laughed while 9 was tortured by Dipper, the girl.
Dipper stared at the picture. He was paralyzed with fear of possibly his fate. Not only him, but also 9 for some mysterious reason. But he was confused, all of the pictures that he saw were all about 9. Why? Why was 9 involved the most of the events? Was it something important from him that he was TARGETED by some 'villains' in the school or there is something else?
He slowly reached the picture...until suddenly the picture was shattered by a familiar weapon. The sword. Dipper gasped as he slowly backed away when he bumped into someone behind him.
He slowly turned around and he gasped. He couldn't scream at all from the shocking secret.
It was Dipper that came from the picture. The Dipper he saw was glowing in red until it transforms into no other than the girl from the last time. The girl who killed him. Dipper glared at her from the thing she did.
Dipper: You...I know you!
Girl: Whoa...I didn't say anything and now you shouted at me for no reason?
Dipper: You're the one who set it up, aren't you?
Girl: *glares at Dipper* Set up what?
Dipper: The sabotage from the Quiz Bee! You framed Elijah for sabotaging it and he was almost kicked out from the school!
The girl was putting a lightning rod under 9 and Mirai's table and melted it with her magic. She put the cords under Twilight's table along with the others. When 9 pressed the buzzer, the girl sends her magic from the melted lightning rod to the tables of the victims but 9. While the girl was watching of what she did, Dipper witness this and ran.
Girl: Oh that? Correct, I did it and not him.
Dipper: Is that the reason why you killed me?
Girl: That and more.
Dipper: More? What do you mean more?
Girl: Well, you're the only Section Anima student who hasn't been inherited yet. You wanted to help your friends but you're just a weak city boy. So I just granted your wish.
Dipper: By killing me?!
Girl: By getting you. And there is something else. Something about that 'Picture' you saw.
Dipper: *eyes widened* Elijah Oppenheimer?
Girl: Yep. That 'Empty Sack' Zaraphil talked about. It was so sad that he didn't took a bath yet, it was almost his 53rd year that he didn't took a bath for a long time.
Dipper: What do even want from him?!
The girl didn't say anything but point to the picture of the time that 9 was inherited. He was indeed sneaked out of the school just to visit Bridget.
Girl: That girl he killed was my long lost sister. That good for nothing doll, thinking that he was the 'Last Hope' when it was the two of us!
Dipper: Look, I don't know you but Elijah didn't killed her!
Girl: SHUT. UP. *went into breakdown* I almost lost her, she was the only one who knew it. We were supposed to say it. But no one even listened to us. Not even HER! And now that she was killed, I have nowhere else to go! SHE was using Bridget's powers to that ragdoll as if he is her puppet *calms down* But now...*stands up slowly, then turns around to Dipper maniacally* I have a puppet on my own! And SHE WILL LOSE!
The girl laughs like crazy that it made Dipper give the creeps to the girl. This girl is nuts! She didn't even know what the heck she's saying! Like no one was even here but herself. He had to get away! He had to warn them! That he and 9 are in danger. 9 will be killed and Dipper will be took over by that girl!
He started to run until someone yanked him back, unable to escape from the grip. He turned around and saw that the girl grabbed him from behind.
Girl: You...are not...going...ANYWHERE!
She pressed her hands to Dipper's forehead as a rush of power went to his body.
So this is what it would be like if someone was Inherited. It was painful. VERY PAINFUL. He was screaming in pain, begging for the girl to stop but she couldn't. Then life flashed before his eyes when it hit him.
He was back from the hospital room with 9 who was watching him for the whole time. He looked to the heartbeat monitor, the beat was normal now.
Dib: Dipper, are you sure you're fine?
Dipper: Of course I'm fine, don't worry about me. It's just a scratch, that's all.
Lettuce: To tell the truth, that explosion would have killed you just now.
Tails: She's right. No one would be able to survive it. But how?
Dipper: Maybe it's just miracles, or magic.
Mordecai: Miracles? Magic? Dipper, maybe you were just over exaggerate it.
Kyoko: Or maybe he was telling the truth.
The Section Anima students went back from the incident like nothing happened again. It was a normal day for them, except for the fact that Dipper still has bandages on his head instead of his common hat he always wears. 9, Twilight and Ratchet weren't seen for the whole period of the class. Aliana explained that 9 was guilty that it added from his terrible trauma. He didn't left his room because he thinks that if he wasn't in the class, maybe Dipper wouldn't be hurt unlike the last time. Twilight and Ratchet were keeping an eye on him until he went out of his room.
At recess, the students were seen at the cafeteria. While they were eating, Twilight and Ratchet came without 9. They were wondering.
Finn: Why Elijah isn't with you?
Twilight: Elijah said that he didn't mind if we left him.
Ratchet: He was still guilty after that 'Thing' happened. He thought that Dipper might be mad at him.
Dipper: Mad? What for?
Ratchet: For killing you.
Dipper: But he didn't killed me! It was-
Say it...and you'll die...
Mordecai: It was what?
Dipper: ...The monster was too strong and I didn't know that the monster will kill me that brutally.
Mickey: Are you sure? I felt that you weren't telling the truth.
Dipper: I wasn't even sure if I'm telling the truth or not.
Few days later, Dipper is keeping his secret from anyone. Including his sister Mabel Pines whom he 'yelled' at her for a good reason. It wasn't a good reason for keeping at as his dreams of strange people were bothering him. He was seen to his room with his sister. They didn't spoke when the incident happened. Mabel felt guilty about what happened as 9 did too.
Before it happened, Dipper was doing his usual 'Guide to the Unexplained' with Mabel. This happened before the monster rise again. All of them ran but Dipper. Dipper gave Mabel his camera while Mabel was resisting of Dipper's decision. None of them were cooperating until Dipper snapped just for Mabel's safety. And then it happened. Mabel was hiding at a tree when the explosion happened. She was staring at Dipper's body. The camera was still in record mode. And Dipper hears the voice, two voices. One male and one female, the female is what he remembers the most.
And now Dipper was reading his journal, until Mabel sends a paper to him. She need him at the rooftop.
Dipper climbed up the stairs fast until he arrived to the door. When he came, he took a deep breath just to relax and think why his sister wanted to talk to him at the rooftop. When he opened the door, he saw Mabel sitting at the balcony with the camera that he gave it to her before the incident happened. She kept on repeating the scene where he was killed. His eyes widened from the discovery by his sister. She knew Dipper's secret. His hands clenched into fist as slight anger came to his nerves. But Mabel didn't even noticed.
Dipper: You knew all of it?
Mabel: All of it. Dipper why did you say anything about this? I'm your sister, we siblings had to say our problems to each other.
Dipper: I know that! But this problem has to be solved by me only.
Mabel: And why? So you could be with the others in Anima or what?
Dipper: What is it with my classmates in Section Anima anyway?
Mabel: Is that they had the worse conspiracies than you are. You were caught by that disease from your classmates!
Dipper: They are not crazy! Why wouldn't you trust me about having friends in Section Anima?
Mabel: BECAUSE I WAS BULLIED WHEN YOU LEFT!
Dipper: *eyes widened* You...were bullied when I was gone?
Mabel: Even though I still had my friends and Wendy, I was alone. Without you...I was stuck with Gideon and Pacifica. I can't even tell you what happened because you were with them. And when you meet me with your friends, I felt like they were cool that I want to go with you. But I can't. I tried to pass the Test but I didn't.
Dipper was surprised by this. He didn't knew that Mabel was suffering when Dipper left Section Iskuro. He even remembered that he didn't say goodbye to her. He felt more regret when he yelled at her. He took a step to get close to Mabel and hug her.
But he was stopped by a force that he knew where it came from. And then all of a sudden, a torturous pain went into his head. Looks like she's at it.
You disappoint me. Now I will punish you. Starting by killing your dear sister!
Dipper: NO! You're not going to kill her!
Mabel: *worries* Dipper?
Dipper: *eyes blinking to red* No! Don't go near me!
Mabel: Why? I was just-
Dipper: I don't care! Just go to somewhere is safe!
He run to the door and he eventually bumped to 9, who was supposed to go to the rooftop. The two fell down until Dipper recovered and ran outside of the school.
9 stood up and watched as Dipper went outside. He eventually met Mabel who she was following Dipper from his state.
9: Mabel?
Mabel: Dipper! He's getting away!
9: What happened?
Mabel: I don't know! We talked about...something and then he get a big headache and ran. We have to help him, Elijah!
9: *looks at his brooch* Alright.
The two run to the location of where Dipper was. The old fountain.
Dipper was seen in pain from his 'headache'. But then 9 saw a flash from his eyes that Dipper was in different clothing. Possibly a memory of his. It was quite painful that he put his hand to his head just to ease his balance.
Dipper was tortured by the pain on his head. He quickly unraveled his bandages and notice something shocking. His birthmark has a huge black slash that partially covers his birthmark. 9 and Mabel were shocked by this. Then all of a sudden, they hear a voice. A voice that 9 was familiar with.
Dipper starts to run to Mabel as his birthmark was glowing in red.
If SHE has a puppet...then I should have one also...
A puppet that is strong as he is...
His powers...his memories...his experiences...his body...
His own Human soul...
Dipper: No! NO!
Mabel: Dipper!
9: *stares in fear* It can't be...She...she...
The red light burst into ribbon-like mists that covers Dipper as he ran. But it was too late as Dipper was engulfed with the light with tears formed in his eyes.
Without thinking, 9 went in front of Mabel and held his brooch tightly as he closed his eyes. There was a green glow with butterflies coming out as 9 was invisible to Mabel.
At the Section Anima room, Dib went to the living room as the students saw the red and green glow coming from the outside. Aliana was looking closely at the window from the phenomenon.
Dib: *gasps* Oh no!
Mickey: Dib, what is it?
Dib: It's Dipper!
Phineas: What do you mean?
Dib: There's no time! *transforms* We had to transform and-
Twilight: Does anyone see Elijah?
Finn: No...
Ratchet: He wasn't in his room!
All of them stared as their eyes widened in fear and shock. If Dipper was outside and 9 wasn't in his room and there was red and green light outside. Then that means...
Aliana: Out. Now!
The green light faded as 9 transforms to his vigilante form. His cloak was flowing in the wind as he hold his staff tightly, whenever bad happens.
Then all of the sudden, the red light dissolves as Dipper was shown in different clothing. It was like in his dream, red t-shirt with black jacket that the right sleeve was wrapped in red belt. 9 and Mabel stared in fear when Dipper wasn't in a desperate mood anymore. Like he was calm and strange and mysterious.
The students finally came to the old fountain. But they knew they were late. So late from the time.
Dib: *hold his head with his hands, voice begins to crack* We're too late! WE'RE TOO LATE!
Ratchet: Wait a minute. Is that...
Twilight: ...Dipper Pines?
Finn: *grasping his Demon sword and Angel Sword tightly* The one and only.
Aliana: *gasps, glares slightly* Just as I thought.
Ratchet: What is it?
Aliana: SHE was the one who set it up for the whole time! SHE killed him just to control him like a puppet. And now...
Dipper slowly lift his head, then opened his eyes. It was red.
Then all of a sudden, he released some black lightning along with black mists to them.
All of them covered their eyes from the stormy attack. 9 slowly opened his eyes.
Until he saw a figure came to him and eventually slashed something. Or maybe him.
There was no way in getting him back.
End of Day 14