"Maybe, things happen for a reason,
and where in lies the answer
to overcome the grieving of life's unruly lessons
I'm handed in succession.
It builds my pain which makes me strong…"
"Only the Strong," by Flaw
Chapter 12 – The Baby
"Well, at least we're getting somewhere..."
Wendy's eyes scanned around until her newest companion came into view.
"…isn't that right, little guy?"
The tiny alien jellyfish let out a delighted squeal, flexing its unhinged mandible wildly as it followed the armored teenager through the opened blue bubble door. After the creature cleared the blocked passage of the super-sticky gap, Wendy searched endlessly for a path to the surface. The determined girl continued to investigate the catacombs, left to wonder if with each step taken, was she any closer to finding her way back to reality.
Every so often, the team would come across a swarm of the vicious bug-like monsters, letting Wendy know that they were heading in the right direction. Before the fight even began, the ginger would make quick work of their enemies with her trusty green arm blaster. The few survivors would attempt to return fire, only to ignite the wrath of her miniscule protector hovering nearby. The infant would zoom towards the threat, lock its jaws down, and drain every ounce of energy from its prey until it was left a dried, dust-covered husk of its former self. Satisfied, the jellyfish would return to Wendy's side, seeking praise for a job well done from its adopted motherly-figure.
She rubbed the gelatinous mass, as one would a pet, as she pondered about its carnivorous nature. "Glad that wasn't me…" As time passed, Wendy would become less unnerved by the gruesome act, growing even grateful for the extra help. However, she could easily note that the more the creature devoured, the more it grew in size.
Coming across a new area, the extraterrestrial would go off on its own to explore the territory, only to return moments later, flying around Wendy's being, chattering away excitedly in an indescribable language. The redhead simply smiled from behind her lime visor and shook her head.
"That's so crazy; not only does it have his colors, but it kinda acts like him, too…"
Wendy glanced down at the orange, brown, and blue speck in her arms, only to be reminded of her friend yet again. She raised her head and let out a sigh. "Sure," the cashier girl admitted to herself, "I'm just as worried about Mabel and Soos and even Stan. And yeah, my family can probably take care of themselves. But with him, it's different…"
She couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps it was the tremendous loneliness building up. Maybe she was somewhat worried since the boy had a bull's-eye on his back just as much as she did. Conceivably, it could have been the fact that she regretted the fact that the last thing she said to him was how much she hated the twelve-year-old's guts and blamed him for this whole mess.
No matter the reason, Wendy knew the truth. Even after everything that had happened between the two of them; regardless of the hurt and painful feelings lingering inside, she missed Dipper – and the only thing that would make it better was to make sure he was alright.
The jellyfish, as if it could sense Wendy's concern, stopped in place, and nestled up against her shoulder blade, purring gently into her covered ear. She massaged the top of its translucent head, "Oh, I'm alright, fella. Just a bit down in the dumps, is all." Wendy flexed her shoulder to get the creature up, "Come on, let's see where this place goes!"
A massive wave of heat struck Wendy mercilessly, making the pressure rise from within her enclosure. She wiped a layer of sweat away from the front of her helmet. Within seconds, puddles of sweat began to form across her every nether-region.
"Phew," Wendy went to wipe her brow before recognizing it would be for naught while still armored, "Someone really needs to crank the A.C. in here!"
The lumberjack princess scoped around the new-found area. They had arrived at a sort of underground lava grotto. Liquid, red-hot magma flowed from holes in the crimson earth, forming into large, boiling pools on the ground. Thinly-laid footholds provided a narrow passage to the massive platform at the far end of the cavern.
The alien cooed loudly, leaving Wendy's side, and soared over the columns, arriving at their destination safe and sound. It bobbed up and down, sending a series of lively squeals and clicks towards its caretaker.
"That's very nice…" Wendy called out with a sarcastic tone in her voice, "…for those of us who can fly!"
Wendy pointed her blaster at the lava and switched to her Ice Beam, "I'm going to try to cheat a little here. Maybe I can slide my way through this mess all superhero-style!" The blue blast rushed from the cannon into the magma. An instant later, a solid ice buoy ascended up from the lava pit.
"Success!" Wendy pumped her fist into the air in celebration.
Before she had a chance to set foot onto the icy float, the blistering river rose up and overtook the tiny stage, instantly reducing it to a pile of steam.
"Rats!"
She bit her lip as she studied the peril inches away from her. There wasn't any other way around this plight nor was a hidden devour to be taken. Wendy placed a steady boot onto the first tower, trying her best to determine if it would be strong enough to support her modest weight.
"Hmm…" She pressed down a few times, "Doesn't seem like it's goin' anywhere…" In spite of her best efforts, Wendy looked back at what awaited her if she managed to lose her footing. The bubbles forming in the lava pit seemed to increase in velocity, bringing her on edge.
"This suit can barely stand up to the overall heat of this place. I doubt it would be able to hold up if I was to fall into that stuff…"
Knowing that she didn't have much choice, Wendy took a deep breath, and stepped into the slender ridge. She held her arms out at her sides, waving wildly as she tried to maintain her balance.
"You can do this, Wendy-girl!" She cheered herself on, "Just don't look down – keep it straight ahead…"
Wendy set her sights on the next grip, realizing that it was slightly higher than the last. She bunched her nerves and reached out with her free leg, barely making the next jump.
"WWWHHHHHHHOOOOOAAAA!" She felt herself being pulled back due to the way she landed on the platform. Her jellyfish partner shrieked at her misfortune. A split second later, Wendy was able to readjust her form, fighting back against the forces of gravity. She shot a look back at the worried newborn with an exhale.
"You see?" the girl prided on one foot, "Nothing to it!"
*RUMBLE*
Wendy could feel the ground shift beneath her. She glimpsed down to see that the column she was standing on started to sink into the simmering molten rock. Knowing that her time was limited, the nimble teen hopped to the next pillar, only to feel it collapse under her feet.
"Oh, come on!"
Holding her breath, she leapt from post to post until she reached the sturdy center platform. Exhausted, Wendy collapsed on the solid ground, and looked behind her. She watched as the remnants of the columns soon disappeared underneath the layer of lava.
"Man," she mused, knowing how close she came to a swift death, "It's times like these that make me wish I'd taken up gymnastics when I was a kid…"
She held her head up to see the baby jellyfish happily rotating around her arms and legs. Wendy could do nothing but chuckle at the adorable display before her green eyes. "Yeah, yeah…" she patted the friendly mini-monster, "I missed ya, too…"
After taking a second or two to regain her energy, Wendy stood back up and walked down the huge chunk of violet-colored land. At the end of the platform, she watched an overflow of lava pouring into a ravine several stories below. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to find another way down from the cliffside, only to come up empty-handed idea-wise.
"That's just perfect!" Wendy lamented, "And we can't go back the way we came! So, now what do we do?"
*EEEE!* *EEEE!*
The adolescent spun around on her jet-propelled heels as she heard the cries of the infant jellyfish. She stood face-to-face with a towering, shadowy form. A pair of glowing yellow eyes stared at her from the darkness. A geyser of lava exploded on each side of the cliff, shedding some much-needed light across the area.
The purple-scaled pterodactyl had found her once again! It tilted its long head back and roared at the top of its lungs, making the entire cavern quake violently.
"Oh, no! Not this guy!"
Wendy backed away from the gigantic dinosaur as it took another step in her direction. She looked around her shoulder, peering downwards into the end of the lava-fall. The teen gulped at the realization before her.
"He's got me trapped! There's no way out!"
Wendy readied her gun, unsure of how much it would be able to help in this situation.
"He mopped the floor with me last time," she thought. "Add to the fact how constricted this piece is, all I need to do is slip off of it, and I'm a goner…"
The pterodactyl's eyes lit up as it opened its mouth and shot a group of fireballs straight at Wendy. Out of reflex, she took to the air; the boosts attached to the bottoms of her boots launched her into a double-jump.
"This thing is nuts! It's almost like it has a death wish or something!"
Suddenly, the tiny jellyfish zoomed towards the threat, crying out all of the way. The monster swiped its clawed hand at the speck, sending it flying into the background.
"EEEEEEEEE!"
"HEY!" Wendy landed on the ground and took aim at the beast, "No one messes with any of my boys!" Her shooter shifted as it morphed into its missile launcher format, "TAKE THIS!"
*BLAM! BLAM!*
Wendy was able to connect two missiles straight into the pterodactyl's chest, making it shuffle backwards.
"YES! I GOT IT!"
The fiend let out a second bellow, bringing down more of the rooftop around them. Wendy covered her head as several rocks and stones came crashing down towards her. It reminded her of what happened the last time she faced off with the prehistoric threat.
"If this thing keeps going like this, it's gonna get us both killed! I gotta put a stop to this somehow…"
From out of nowhere, the purple nemesis launched its pointed-tipped tail towards Wendy, prompting her to take flight for a second time. She held her green blaster downwards as she let another missile collide against its face.
"CCCCRRRRAAAWWW!"
She fell into one knee, ready to deliver a fourth blow to the stunned relic, "Not so tough now, are we?"
Unknown to Wendy, the behemoth's tail was positioned above her head. She was left completely unaware as the appendage slammed down on her at an alarming speed…
*CRASH!*
"Ugh!" Wendy shortly found herself sprawled out across the floor. Before she could make it make to her feet, the lanky girl could feel something wrapping around her mid-section. She was hoisted high into the air, finding her inches away from her opponent's face.
Wendy turned her head back and forth, taking in that she had been wrapped up within the creature's tail. She twisted and wiggled her agile body, trying any way to slip out of its grasp. However, it had too tight of a grip on her to provide any form of slack.
"Crap! It has my arms pinned, so I can't even get a shot off!"
Unable to move in the slightest, Wendy could do nothing but watch as the pterodactyl spun her around in the air, as if it was analyzing her from every possible angle. It brought her inches away from its mouth, releasing a howl that left her dazzled. The visor was blocked with mist, robbing her of all sight. A ringing sound echoed in her eyes, leaving without the ability to hear.
The teen could sense her body being pulled through the air. For some reason, she started to feel a colossal amount of heat drawing down upon her. Wendy turned away from the source, as little by little, the blockage in front of her helmet began to evaporate.
*GASP!*
Wendy saw that she was held head over heels over the boiling lava pool. She turned towards the brute as it waited patiently at the edge of the platform, opening and closing its jaws like it wanted to laugh at her. It tightened its hold, squeezing the defenseless clerk until she yelped.
"It's almost like…it's coherent…but that can't be right! It's just a wild animal!"
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
Random alarms flashed on Wendy's visor, letting her know that the capabilities of the suit were definitely being taxed. The closer she came to the lava, the more energy that was being drained on the spot.
She was pulled upwards until being jerked to a stop. The villain rubbed its tiny hands together in merriment as it set its eyes to the lava pit. Wendy was finally starting to comprehend what was coming next:
"It's going to dunk me into the magma!"
Wendy tried to pull her arms loose, kicking and squirming to the best of her abilities to break free. Sooner than she expected, the armor-clad warrior was thrust towards the lava…
"NO! DON'T!"
A high-pitched cry reverberated through the cavern, followed by the yowl of the pterodactyl. An instant before hitting the molten rock, Wendy was pulled back into the sky. The coils around her body loosen as she felt back to earth with a loud *THUMP!*
"Oof!" Wendy made it to her knees and watched in awe at the sight in front of her. The baby jellyfish had latched itself onto the face of the dinosaur. The reptile stumbled backwards as it tried to peel the alien being from its cranium. The infant simply dug its teeth deeper into the scaled flesh and held on for dear life.
"Yeah! That's right, small fry! Get 'em!" Wendy went to stand up to aid in the battle, only to slump back to a knee.
"Huh?" Her body was full of vigor, and yet, the suit bonded to her felt like it weighed a ton. A new warning gauge appeared on her visor screen:
"ENERGY LEVELS BEYOND CRITICAL! RECHARGING PROCESS STARTING!"
Wendy watched as the meter started to fill at a turtle's pace.
"What gives?" she asked, trying to find a way to maneuver around, "I guess the armor has to work in conjunction with me, or it doesn't work at all!"
She could only wait impatiently as the two gaming beings duked it out. Wendy's emerald eyes widened as she noticed something occurring with her friend, "It's – It's growing bigger!"
As the tiny alien devoured the pterodactyl, its size almost tripled! The color was being drained from the enemy, leaving it a faded pink in place of its royal purple hue. Its movements slowed to a crawl until they stopped completely. As with all of its other victims, the menace was left an hollowed shell of its former self.
With its task completed, the now-adult jellyfish swarmed around the fallen Wendy, leaving her confused of its true intentions. It circled around back before soaring solely over her head.
"Hey, there, pally…" Wendy questioned nervously, "Whatcha' doing up there?"
Without warning, the jellyfish whooshed down upon her and clenched its jaws on her shoulder blades.
"STOP! DON'T DO - Wait…?"
To Wendy's surprise, her companion did not drain the last energy from her. On the contrary, the fifteen-year-old noticed that her power levels were rising at a fantastic rate!
She lifted her head to see that the newborn shifted in rhythm of flexing and releasing its mandibles.
"I get it now!" Wendy exclaimed. "You took the life-force from that big guy to help me!" She rubbed an ivory-white tooth as it worked in reverse, "Wow…I didn't know you could do that…"
"CCCCRRRRAAAWWW!"
Wendy changed focus as she could make out the thunderous stamping of the pterodactyl in front of them. The monster opened its beak as a column of fire formed at the back of its throat. She attempted to move out of the way, only to find that the red and yellow suit continued to weigh her down. It hadn't reached full power yet!
Just as the flame mounted in her direction, the jellyfish let go of Wendy and threw itself in front of her, shielding her from any possible harm. Her jaw dropped at the severe act of selflessness. Her protests went ignored, as her defender refused to flee for its own safety. With every blast taken in, the alien's shade would change. Its blue and orange tint turned a sickly green and red.
As a last ditch effort, the jellyfish pressed on, preparing to attack its foe one more time. Noting its change in pattern, the pterodactyl raised its beak and fired its largest projectile yet at the flying attacker.
"AAAAACCCCKKKK!"
Wendy stared on in horror as the inner shell of the jellyfish cracked down the middle, igniting it ablaze. The guardian exploded into countless pieces; Wendy was swiftly blanketed in a seemingly-endless pile of multi-colored pixels. From within the stream, she could have sworn to have a child-like voice whisper into her covered ear:
"Mama…"
"POWER FULLY RESTORED! HYPER MODE ENABLED!"
With tears in her eyes, Wendy rose back to her feet in a single bound. Her cast-iron suit flashed a rainbow of different colors, reflecting the blanket of pixels that covered her entire body. An uncountable amount of ashes slid through her metal fingertips as she threw her head upwards.
"It's not fair…" She huffed and puffed, her essence trimming with pure energy. "The baby…didn't do anything to deserve that. You – they took it away from me - the same way they took Dipper away from me…"
In a fit of rage, Wendy dashed at the pterodactyl, "You'll pay for that!" She dodged its snapping head and delivered a furious uppercut; the momentum of the blow sent them over the edge of the cliff.
"YOU'LL PAY!"
As they plummeted towards their demise, the irate redhead took hold of the monster's chest and continued her non-stop assault. Her right arm began nothing more than a thunderous, orange blur.
Just before they hit the lava lake, Wendy jammed her arm deep into the mouth of the dazed lizard. The missile expansion charged up, exhorting beams of light from within the dark crevice. A deafening, primal roar, almost Amazonian in nature, escaped from within the girl's thinning frame as she pulled the trigger.
*KA-BOOM!*
The force of the blast sent Wendy flying from the monster's hide. She crashed with a bounce onto a close by floating stone. Every square of her body ached. Wendy raised her head to see the pterodactyl sinking into the deep pond of sizzling magma.
All of a sudden, the teenager felt herself being dragged slowly across the terrain. She sat up to see that the beast's tail was tangled around her left leg, pulling her ever so closer to the deadly peril! Wendy pulled at the extremity, grunting and fumbling to no prevail. She couldn't believe it; her foe might still claim victory even in the face of death.
As she continued to slide to her doom, a new message flashed on her visor:
"HYPER BEAM ONLINE!"
"Well…" Wendy closed an eye, knowing that she would only enough time left for one shot, "When in Rome…"
The blaster mounted on her arm flashed a multihued of color, releasing a powerful ray that threw her backwards.
"WHOA!"
Her protected head smacked the hard surface with a *THONK!*. Wendy rose up again, noticing that the tail around her ankle was reverting back to the dust-like pixels that originally triggered its metamorphosis. The tip of the long head disappeared under the lava as a hush *SQUAWK!* entered the atmosphere.
Victorious, Wendy lowered her head as she exhaled in relief. It was finally over…
*SPLASH!*
A bony structure rose up from the molten rock. The skeleton fell back towards the collapsed girl, forcing her to curdle up to the edge of the platform. A lone scream and a rolling crash could be heard throughout the passage.
Wendy opened her green eyes to see the skinless remains of the pterodactyl gawking down over her. By sheer luck, it had missed the slim teen by inches. The flow of the lava dragged the carcass back into the pit, leaving her alone in the world once more.
After taking a moment to gather herself, Wendy rose to a standing position, looking around the bottom half of the cavern for the nearest exit. Across the heated lake, a series of pebbles led to a small peninsula against the back wall. She could make out another blue bubble door embedded in the structure.
Almost by second nature, Wendy agilely flew from spot to spot until she reached the high ground. She shot a shorten beam at the door to open it, making sure to readjust her stance for the recoil. Before the girl walked through the gateway, Wendy looked over her shoulder to the cliff where she had fallen from. She sniffled as she offered a simple parting:
"…bye, little guy…"
On the other side of the door, Wendy found a tiny room shining with an eerie, bluish glow. A simple, gray tile decorated the walls and flooring of the area. In the center, she spotted a slim, neon yellow cover illuminating to what seemed to be hundreds of feet in the air.
Wendy went to survey the scene in an attempt to figure out where to go next, when she was halted in mid-step. A loud *CLICKING* sound filled the dead air.
"What the – ?"
She lowered her eyes to the ground, realizing that her boots had become fastened to the radiating panel. Confused, Wendy grabbed an ankle and pulled as hard as she could. However, she remained held fast.
"My feet…" Wendy murmured as she switched legs, "They're stuck tight!"
The girl was startled further as she could make out a "revving" sound, similar to that of an engine being started. The ground shook beneath Wendy's trapped peds.
"W-What's that sound?! Where's it coming from?"
Unexpectedly, Wendy was instantly thrown into the air. She shrieked aloud as she flew at light-speed. The outside world appeared to be nothing but a complete and utter blur. A few seconds later, the velocity began to slow before coming to a complete stop, leaving Wendy feeling dizzy and jet-lagged.
*CLICK*
Her boots were released from the board, making her stagger about until she recovered. She turned back towards the flashing panel in disbelief.
"It's an elevator…of all of the crazy…"
The landing port looked identical to the gray covered chamber Wendy had departed from. The only obvious difference was that there was the now-common blue bubble door on the right side of the room.
*ZIP!*
Wendy poked her head through the entrance, being wary of any new threat that might be waiting for on the other side. Instead, the sight before the young lady's emerald eyes instantaneously took her breath away.
"WOW!"
She found herself amidst of what appeared to an abandoned underground laboratory. The dimmed light structures implanted in the ceiling and flooring flickered randomly. A thick layer of dust seemed to cover every possible surface of the area.
Her natural curiosity gaining the best of her, Wendy exited the bubble, only to have it vanish as she came through. She whirled around and began to pat at the stone wall, her sense raised at having another escape blocked off.
Left without an alternative option, Wendy continued to search around the chamber. Sturdy, yet heavily aged wooden beams supported the massive structure. An object that looked like a giant, upside-down metal triangle hung against the furthest wall. A traditional pump generator was welded into the ground beneath it. A crystal-clear circular panel could be spotted in its center. Lit up by tiny blue lights placed alongside its edges, Wendy forced herself to walk away from the oddity. Something deep in her soul told her that messing around further with the article would only trigger a greater calamity than the one she currently found herself in.
On her left-hand side, Wendy could see a sort of paneling with a see-through glass window at the very top. She went through the nearby open doorway, spotting a desk on the other side. A hoary control panel was stationed on top, covered with unmarked switches and buttons. A small cabinet with a closed shutter was to her right, nettled besides an forgotten coffee mug filled with a moldy, ice-cold beverage. She jiggled the handle, only to discover it was locked tightly.
"Hmm…I bet I could blow it up, but I'd risk destroying everything else here; it's not worth the risk…"
As she was about to turn away, a peculiar sight caught her attention. A framed photo was placed on top of the desk. Wendy reached out for the picture as her eyebrow raised, "Wha – "
The two people featured within the frame was none other her friends, the Pines twins. Mabel stretched out her pie faced cheeks with her fingers as Dipper stood to her left, slyly placing "rabbit ears" behind his sibling's binky as he grinned innocently.
Wendy set the memento down, "What is this place? And why's a pic of the guys' here? This doesn't make any sense…"
*BEEP – BEEP –BEEP – BEEP!*
The observation center besides her suddenly sprang to life! Gauges raced up and down at a speedy rate. Radar screens sparked with numerous blinking red dots spreading all over the display. Half a dozen old fashioned, tube surveillance monitors rolled the same, static-filled exhibit. The illuminated knobs and toggles offered a haunting, gentle light amiss the dimness.
"This is surreal…" Wendy found herself amazed by the various machinery and gadgets displayed on both sides. "It's like…I'm half-expecting some crazed, mad-scientist guy to pop out from behind one of these things any second now…"
At the edge of the hall, the wall parted ways, extending more brightness to the lost girl. With gun-arm carefully aimed, Wendy peeked into the opening to see that it was a form of elevator. With her reflexes still heightened, she strolled inside, perceiving three simple buttons next to the door.
"Let's see," Wendy read, "Third Floor – I'm already there; Second Floor, and…First Floor…" She pressed the top button, "First Floor it is! The closer I am to the surface, the better!" The metal doors shut with a rusty, scraping sound. A few screened holes in the gates allowed some view of the outside world. The noisy pulley started to hum loudly as the tiny car was pulled upwards at a steady pace.
The earnest contraption made the ginger appreciate the simpler things in her life, "This is way easier than being zoomed over the place while glued to the ground!"
She looked ahead as the elevator passed the second floor. The only attraction that she could make out due to the obstructed view was a lone door with a large keyhole. Wendy ignored it, leaning her weary body against the back wall. "Nah…had enough crazy mysteries for one day…"
The elevator let out a basic, near-silent ring upon reaching the destination. Wendy stood in front of a decaying, chirped staircase leading upwards. A lone light bulb in the ceiling provided a ghastly green glow to the area. The surrounding walls were cracked, as its drywall was slowly deteriorating away due to natural causes.
Taking a hold of the rigid arm rail shabbily built into place, Wendy went up the stairs one at a time. With every step taken, the clawing feeling in her stomach grew, knowing that possibly any horrid thing could be waiting for her at the end of the journey.
At the top of the stairs, a giant black shape blocked her passage. An effortless red button was placed in its middle. Shrugging her shoulders, Wendy tapped the trigger with a metal finger, only to stand back as the blockage shifted and opened outwards. Her emerald eyes widened as she made her exit.
"NO…FREAKIN'…WAY!"
The perplexed teen was back inside of the Gift Shop of the Mystery Shack, inches away from her usual workstation. Wendy took a deep, relaxing breath, feeling content for being able to see natural light outside of the open window. At waist level, she glimpsed Dipper's twin, Mabel standing still with a goofy grin on her face.
"Hey, kiddo! Boy, am I glad to – "
Mabel interrupted her friend's greeting, ""Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!"
Wendy placed a hand on her hip as she looked down in disbelief, "What did you just say?"
As commanded, the little girl repeated her message, despite her body not moving a single inch, "Well, hello there, handsome! My name's Mabel, but you can call me "all yours!"
"Mabel?" Wendy reached for her shoulder, "What's wrong with you – ARGH!" As soon as Wendy made contact with her co-worker, an unpleasant screeching sound rang throughout the entire Gift Shop, making the redhead recoil in agony. Not even her helmet provided any solace from the riveting blast.
Once her focus became back, Wendy gazed down at her hand, seeing that a thin layer of pixels had smeared across her palm.
"Those are…the game pieces the bad guys are made of?" She raised her head back at the tiny pixie, "But she's really real…right?" Wendy walked around her immobile buddy, realizing that the poor tween was literally missing an entire dimension!
"It's like she's been turned into a living, breathing cardboard cut-out of herself! But what could have…?"
As Wendy searched around the room, she found both her handyman ally, Soos, as well her employer Stan Pines, had been placed into different positions around the mini-store. The man-child was arranged next to a rack of T-Shirts from which his "uniform" came from. Stan on the other hand, was posed shouting over her usual station, as if he was frozen in the middle of a great argument. As was with Mabel, both males had been transformed into a flat, blocky caricature of their former selves.
An atrocious thought felt a shiver down Wendy's spine, "What if everyone's like this? My family, Tambry and the gang, Lazy Susan and the other townspeople; they could all already be gone. What if I'm the only person left alive? I don't even –"
Her thoughts were cut short as the swinging door leading to the Pines' family room swung open. A short and shout elderly man with long white hair and a full beard pushed against the flap. Dressed in a stereotypical white lab coat and slacks, the old timer called out, "Is that you, my boy? You're back already? Did you forget – "
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Wendy thought, "I was right! It's a mad scientist dude!"
"FREEZE!"
Wendy jumped into plain view with her arm cannon pointed dead center at the man, "Don't you dare move, oldies!"
"BAH!" The old timer was startled, hopping in place, before throwing his arms in the air, "Don't shoot! I'm unarmed – "
"SHUT UP!" the youngster ordered, holding her weapon even closer, "Who are you? What are you doing here? What did you do to them?"
With a confounded look on his face, the senior replied, "I didn't do anything to them! They were like that when we first came here!"
"We?!" Wendy questioned further, "Who's "we?""
He lowered a hand to his ear, "I'm sorry – I can barely understand you from behind that mask…"
With an annoyed groan, "For the love of – " Wendy relaxed her thoughts and pulled off her heavy helmet. A rush of cool, refreshing air struck her sweaty freckled face. Her long, auburn hair draped down behind her armor. She tucked the piece under her free arm, "Is that better, gramps? Now, start squawking!"
"Actually, it is quite…wait…" The sight of the gingered female towering over him triggered his memory, "By chance, are you…blast, what did he say was her name? Umm…oh, yes! Wendy! Are you Miss Corduroy, I presume?"
Wendy was agitated by the guessing game, "How do you know my name?"
"The little boy told me! Dipper told me all about you!"
Hearing her missing companion's name uttered, Wendy pulled back from her defensive state, "Dipper?! Wait, you know Dipper? My little Dipper?!"
The doctor smiled as he comprehended that she was starting to calm down, "Yes, actually, he saved my life earlier today!"
She knelt down to see the professor eye-to-eye, "Well, where is he? Is he alright? He didn't end up like those guys, did he?"
The man shook his head, "He's quite fine, I assure you. We are attacked in town, so he brought me here to regroup. We guessed that the signal allowing these creatures and monsters in this world is possibly stemming from the local Arcade."
"The Arcade?!" Wendy flashed back to when she was pulled through this universe to the next by the hero-turned villain Rumble McSkirmish, "That actually makes sense! Why didn't I think of that?"
"He went there to try to put a stop to it…"
Wendy griped the doctor's shoulders, "And you just let him go by himself? With all that crazy stuff out there?!"
He placed his hands on top of her metallic ones, "Trust me, my dear, that lad is more than capable of taking care of himself. I don't think anything I could have said would have deterred him. In fact…" He looked up to her green eyes, "He seemed desperate in locating your whereabouts…"
The girl shrunk back, "Dipper…was worried about me…?"
The professor nodded, "Quite so, young miss. I'd say he was left rather distraught by your disappearance…"
A warm feeling stirred in the pit of her stomach. Wendy pushed it away, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand.
"Sorry about before," Wendy apologized, "It's just…I saw the guys like that, and your outfit, and add to the fact about the secret passageway…"
"It's quite alright…but what passageway are you talking about?"
She titled her head, "The one against the –" Wendy stopped in mid-sentence as the new path had seemingly disappeared, being replaced by Stan's vending machine. She rose to her feet and tapped at the structure, "But – But it was right here a second ago! I don't understand…"
The doctor ruffled his beard, "It could have been a side-effect of the other universe trying to merge with this one. New elements could be added by the second…"
"Yeah, that's gotta be it…" Wendy looked at Stan's harden look, "Besides, it's not like Stan could have anything to do with it. The man doesn't have the cognitive capacity to use a computer, yet alone build some sort of secret lair!"
Wendy turned to face the miniature adult, "Listen, thanks for the info, but I have to go after Dipper. I can't let him deal with all of this craziness on his own! In the meantime, if someone else comes, just make sure to stay in hiding, okay?"
"But wait a moment –"
"Sorry," Wendy turned around and headed towards the Gift Shop's exit, "But, I can't stay any longer longer! My boy needs my help!" With that, she dashed into the woods, making her way towards downtown Gravity Falls.
"But you don't understand!" The doctor called out after her, "There's something important you need to know about your friend!"