"Do you know why you are here?"
A young muscular man shook his head, sitting cross legged before a man in monk style robes with a hood covering his face. "I do not. I only remember waking up here after you seemingly abducted me and my brother from our home, claiming we had been chosen for something."
"You have been chosen because you now have a gift that many people will seek for themselves. You gained in the war."
The young man narrowed his one eye as the other one, what was left it throbbed under his eye patch.
"What if I told you, I could heal that injury along your brother's injury?" The monk asked.
"I'd ask what the catch would be." He said bluntly.
"The catch is you must enter…This." The monk gestured to a pair of doors behind him. "Enter these doors and walk the path beyond them. Make it through and you along with your brother will be healed and given a second gift."
"Why should I go along with any of this?"
"It's not a question of if you should go along but you hope to find if you do go along with it." The monk answered.
He scowled as he stood up…And slowly approached the doors. "And if I say no? Will you keep me and my brother here?"
"You'll be free to go. Just remember where we are. The trek down the mountain will likely be dangerous."
He took a deep breath, exhaled, and opened the doors.
He peered inside, seeing a strangely lit path. Aside from the fireflies that lit up the simple stone path, there was also a strange azure colored that he could not figure out where it where it was coming from.
He took his first step in…
And when he looked back, all he could see was the same stone path behind him.
The door leading outside and the monk were gone.
He was alone, somehow in the middle of this strange path.
How?
What was this?
Why was he here?
He turned around and took another step.
As soon as he did, he froze as he felt something…
It moved so fast in the darkness he couldn't even register it until it was right in front of him.
(Bless the Child by Nightwish Starts)
00:00 to 0032
Six beings…
Twelve Gems…
A pit of darkness where the Grimm rise…
Warriors battling against the monsters of darkness…
Twelve Gems in twelves hands, forming a circle…
The Gems combine to form into a great light that expands outwards, covering the world…
A comet arrives, crashing into the Earth every one thousand years…
A being of creation…
A being of death…
(I was born amidst the purple waterfalls)
The dark outline of a boy with red glowing eyes, surrounded by Grimm who miraculously bow to him…
(I was weak, yet not unblessed)
"What you see is memories long past and have yet to happen." He could hear the monk's voice in his head. "Both Eyes, one looks to the past and the other looks to the future."
(Dead to the world)
(Alive for the journey)
An army of Grimm…
(One night I dreamt a white rose withering)
A gate to many worlds…
(A newborn drowning a lifetime loneliness)
Warriors from all worlds coming together to battle for mutual survival…
(I dreamt all my future. Relived my past)
He was panting now, his entire body sweating as if he was in a sauna that had the temperature raised so high, he felt like he was frying.
(I witnessed the beauty of the beast)
1:07 to 1:39
"Twelve treasures representing the Twelve Gifts: the ability to create, the ability to destroy, the gift of the mind, the treasure of the soul, the unyielding power of the heart, the strength to overcome and overpower all obstacles, the beauty of crafting of any shape in existence, the wonder of taking one step across the infinity of worlds, the boundless resources of nature, the infinite potential of one made real, the privilege to look through young eyes at the world and finally the eyes of time."
(Where have all the feelings gone?)
He took another step, and the air became thicker, making it hard to breathe.
(Why has all the laughter ceased?)
"You can feel it, can't you?"
(Why am I loved only when I'm gone?)
He groaned, his body feeling heavier for some reason.
(Gone back in time to bless the child)
"The gifts of the Twelve are meant to symbolize how we perceive existence. From Form we are given shape for without shape, we cannot behold the world before us."
2:09 to 2:25
It was almost as if the very air itself was pressing down on him.
"From Soul, our Form is given life."
Where was the voice coming from?
"From Mind, our Form can perceive and understand that life created by the Soul."
Was it inside his head?
"From Creation, our Form is given the ability to create from what our Forms perceive, seeking to understand what drives our life created by the Soul."
(How can I ever feel again?)
He barely managed to take another step.
(Given the chance would I return?)
"From Destruction, our Form is given the ability to destroy so that new Creations can be born with new Form, Mind and Soul."
(Why am I loved only when I'm gone?)
He looked up, trying to see if he was even close to making it through to the other side.
(Gone back in time to bless the child)
"From Strength, our Forms become strong for the protection and Destruction of all Creations that our Minds believe must be destroyed for the sake of life created by the Soul."
(Think of me long enough to make a memory)
No end.
(Come bless the child one more time)
There was no end.
3:10 to 3:22
"From Heart, our Mind, Souls and Form are blessed with the chance to perform a miracle blessed with the power of Creation and Destruction, giving us the Strength to overcome that which seeks to divide and conquer."
(I've never felt so alone in my life)
Was it all an endless path?
(As I drank from a cup which was counting my time)
Why was he even doing this then?
(There's a poison drop in this cup of man)
"From Nature, we witness the fundamental forces of the world our Forms are born into, our Minds to rationalize and understand how these forces are connected with us down to the Heart and Soul, and the Strength to wield these forces for both Creation and Destruction."
(To drink it is to follow the left hand path)
What was the point if there was no end to it all?
3:47 to 4:20
"From Bonds comes all the ability comprehend the connections between our Hearts, Minds, Soul, Forms and the forces of Nature surrounding us, understanding the roles they play in our paths to Creation or the Destruction if we lack the Strength to carry these burdens."
Why did he agree to all of this?
Why was he even trying?
"From Youth, our Form that Bonds the Mind, Heart and Soul are allowed to grow and mature, to gain Strength, to understand the Nature of the world and the forces of Creation and Destruction that are the fundamental laws of the world."
(Why am I loved only when I'm gone?)
He took another step, and he could almost see himself about to fall.
(Gone back in time to bless the child)
"From Ability, our Mind, Heart and Soul are able to shape the skills and Strength that our Forms need to properly utilize to channel our Bond with Nature to wisely wield Creation and Destruction, given the chance to grow and expand by our Youth."
(Think of me long enough to make a memory)
He could see it now.
(Come bless the child one more time)
Two azure glowing eyes, looking straight at him, shining like diamonds.
(Think of me long enough to make a memory)
"And from Sight, we are given the chance to see it all. To see these gifts as we take hold of them with our Forms, choosing the path of Creation and Destruction, beholding the beauty of Nature, seeing the gifts of Mind, Soul, and Heart laid out before us, to see the joys brought upon us by Youth, to behold our Bond and hone our Ability to truly see everything."
(Come bless the child one more time)
He couldn't move, even if he wanted to but the Eyes seemingly paralyzed him.
5:06 to 5:22
"The weight you feel, it is all you behold and wish to protect. The power of the Twelve Gifts that have blessed this path. Do you see them? The Eyes?"
He couldn't speak, let alone run.
"The Eyes never blink, never sleep. They are always watching."
(Where have all the feelings gone?)
The Eyes were almost upon him now and he could feel something calling to him.
(Why is the deadliest sin,)
Six beings…
(To love as I loved you?)
Twelve Gems…
(Now unblessed, homesick in time,)
A pit of darkness where the Grimm rise…
(Soon to be freed from care, from human pain)
Warriors battling against the monsters of darkness…
(My tale is the most bitter truth)
Twelve Gems in twelves hands, forming a circle…
(Time pays us but with earth & dust)
The Gems combine to form into a great light that expands outwards, covering the world…
(And a dark, silent grave.)
A comet arrives, crashing into the Earth every one thousand years…
(Remember, my child)
A being of creation…
(Without innocence the cross is only iron,)
A being of death…
(Hope is only an illusion)
The dark outline of a boy with red glowing eyes, surrounded by Grimm who miraculously bow to him…
(And the ocean soul's)
An army of Grimm…
(Nothing but a name)
A gate to many worlds…
(The child bless thee)
Warriors from all worlds coming together to battle for mutual survival…
(And keep thee forever)
A Crimson God sleeping in the darkness…
(Bless the Child by Nightwish Ends)
A single eyed triangular shaped demon, watching from its burning world…
A queen in a fortress of ice, leaning forward to whisper the secrets of Ice and Snow…
A bird like creature engulfed by a crimson aura…
Worlds being conquered and destroyed by those holding a box of three gems…
Worlds torn apart by wars of Men and Monsters…
A dark tower in a field of roses…
The dark boy, now a man, now a King of the Dark Beasts marching his army forward…
And in the midst of all the chaos and destruction, he asks one question…
The Question that must be answered to pass the Test…
"Are we…" He slowly spoke, staring into the Eyes as they seemingly floated in front of him now. "Worthy?"
"…Are we?"
That was when it happened.
From the Eyes came streams of light, all of them the colors of the rainbow that circled around him, washing over his body and seemingly entering through the skin.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Xxx
"Finally, we're back on me!"
Bill Cipher was sitting on his throne of petrified humans that had been unlucky to find shelter when Gravity Falls was hit by Weirdmaggeddon.
"Getting all those fights covered and not being focused on the real threat: ME!" Cipher gestured to himself with both thumbs. "Sure, I'm still stuck because of that stupid weird field around this hick town but I'm working my way around it."
He floated off this throne and up to the large window, showing the town below.
"Still though, I gotta a find a way out and fast." Bill rubbed his 'chin' in thought. "Still no sign of Ford and my latest batch of idiots failed to get him when they had the chance."
"Maybe we don't have to try and get him." Pacifica floated up behind Bill, hovering next to her 'father'. "Maybe the trick is to wait for him to come to us."
"Oh? Got an idea in your little insane, my little Spitfire?" Bill glanced at her hovering in the corner of his vision.
"Come on, Daddy. You know it's not a real wedding without both sides of the family present." Pacifica answered with a sly grin.
"Hmm…" Bill considered and chuckled while snapping his fingers. "I think you're on to something kid. What better way to get Ford here? Nothing brings people together than a BIG wedding."
"So maybe we sent out a few flyers letting them know and inviting them up here." Pacifica suggested.
"And bamb! They're all here!" Bill laughed. "Perfect idea, kid! You clearly got your brains from me! You heard the girl, boys!"
All of the demons and monsters perked up as Bill addressed them.
"We're throwing the craziest, weirdest wedding right here! Go forth and spread the word!"
Xxx
Dipper had no idea how long he had been waiting. After having been fitted into a tux he had been left alone, staring out at the carnage surrounding Gravity Falls?
Were his friends and family okay?
Were they coming to save him?
Actually, he was hoping they weren't coming to save him.
Bill's castle was crawling with monsters and demons from another dimension that would probably rip, maim, and torture anyone they got their hands on beyond imagination. Dipper didn't want anyone close to him suffering that kind of fate.
'Did my deal with Pacifica fail?' Dipper sighed. 'Of course, it failed. Her and Bill are just giant con artists. They say anything to get what they want. Why would I expect her to hold up her end of the deal?'
"Contemplating your upcoming nuptials, Pine Tree?"
"Gah!" Dipper yelped and spun around. "You!"
Speaking of the one-eyed devil…
"Oh, you flatterer." Bill waved a hand at the screen before focusing on Dipper. "You know, I didn't see what my little hellflame saw in you until your trip onto that train. Boy, was I surprised when you made a deal with someone else. And I thought WE had something special, Pine Tree."
Dipper paled. "You…You know about that?"
"Know about it? Buddy, what part of 'I'm always WATCHING', don't you get?" Bill asked, his voice having deepened when he said 'watching'. "I got to admit, I didn't think you were desperate enough to make a deal with the Spider of all beings. And you call me insane?"
"That was different! It just wanted that guy dead!" Dipper exclaimed.
"And you sure had no problem with that." Bill chuckled. "Guess when the chips are down, you'll do anything. Ha, you really are perfect for my little hellflame. Heck, you are even more screwed up than those Grunkles of yours for even letting that Spider turn you into his Avatar."
Xxx
"Mabel!" Dipper screamed out as he rushed forward.
The monster had pinned his sister to the ground and was seemingly about to suck out her life force. Mabel had a look of terror on her face as she struggled but the creature was too big and strong.
That was when all time seemed to freeze around him.
"Well, well, well." A familiar voice whispered into Dipper's ear…or rather his mind.
Dipper froze, recognizing the voice from before. "You…"
"I warned you that you would need my help and now look where you are. Trapped in a kingdom of flea bags, watching as your dear sister is about to get eater." The voice taunted. "Poor, delicate and delicious little Mabel. All she wants in life is to be happy with her friends and family and this what she gets? Maye that's why the Gohm likes her so much. So…sweet."
"Let me go! I have to help her!" Dipper cried out.
"Help her? Can't you see it's already too late? You'll just be another meal for it."
Then, before Dipper's eyes Mabel screamed as her life force was sucked away, leaving behind a skeleton that withered to dust…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dipper screamed…
Or rather a copy of him screamed.
Another Dipper rushed past him, picking up a branch and hitting the Gohm that killed his sister over and over again.
Even after it surprisingly exploded.
The Dipper fell to his knees, letting out a cry of anguish and didn't move.
Not to help the others fight.
Not to help the rest of his family.
Not even when another Gohm pounced on him and began sucking the life force out of him…
"Do you see?" The voice asked and Dipper was suddenly back at the moment when time froze around him. "Do you see what happens if you do not accept my help? Do you want her to die?"
"No…" Dipper frantically shook his head. "Please…Let me save her…"
"You know what you must do."
Dipper held up a hand, staring at it for a moment before clenching. "Fine! I'll be your avatar! I'll let you kill what it is you want dead through me but none of my friends or family are to be harmed in any way, not directly or indirectly! Do you hear me?!"
The voice cackled. "Of course! What do you take me for? Bill Cipher?"
Dipper didn't trust It.
As far as he'd seen, all so-called higher beings were equally questionable when it comes to morality…
But he didn't have a choice.
He had to save his sister.
Whatever it takes.
"Just do it." Dipper spread out his arms and closed his eyes. "Let's just get this over with. You want me? Here I am."
The voice cackled as a pair of lights circled around Dipper. "Don't look into the lights, Dipper. The lights offer power, but you must never look at them. They will make you float and it's not your time yet but you will make the abomination float."
The lights came in close to Dipper circling around him until they were mere inches from him.
"We all float, Dipper."
"We all float, Dipper." Mabel's voice suddenly spoke. "And you'll float to."
"You'll float too." Stan's voice was next.
"You'll float too." Then came Ford's voice.
A myriad of voices began to speak in rhythm, chanting over and over again.
"You'll float too."
"You'll float too."
"You'll float too."
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
Xxx
"But I'm not anymore. What does it matter?" Dipper asked, shaking his head and glaring up at the dream demon. "And don't try to make me forget how you conned Grunkle Ford. He trusted you and you tricked him."
"So what, Pine Tree?" Bill asked dryly and then left. "He was always in it for the fame. When it came to either building that portal or looking for a way to destroy me. That guy even thinks he's some kind of prophesized hero that will vanquish me."
"That's not true!" Dipper shouted. "We went through so much on the Train!"
"I have no doubt you did, kid. Got to respect you. The people who made that Train, they really know the right way to help you three-dimensional meatbags work through your problems or you end up getting killed by giant soul-sucking bugs. Ha!" Bill slapped a knee as he laughed. "Talk about picking your poison huh? And it made you even more special to the point, I have no problem with Pacifica picking you as her favorite meatbag, especially if we can find the Spider's Mark on you."
"Mark?" Dipper looked confused.
"Come on, kid. You're smart enough to know once you make a deal with higher beings, you don't come out of unscathed. Just remember what happened when you and I had a deal." Bill remarked, circling around Dipper.
"You battered and wounded my body." Dipper narrowed his eyes.
"Ha, cute! I'm not talking about those marks, kid. I'm talking about the ones left on your soul. You remember those Blind Eye geeks, right? You saw them transform, remember?" Bill reminded, floating in front of the boy.
"Yeah…They each took a crazy form and called it something that represented you." Dipper recalled. "Armor of Cipher, Dance of Cipher, Mirror of Cipher, Wings of Cipher, Carnival of Cipher…"
"Yup. The benefit of having Aura and making a deal with me is that I was able to tweak their souls and give them a bit of myself." Bill reached to his side and literally pulled a piece of himself out. "Not exactly a perfect geometry but a little piece of me, combined with their Semblance and bingo! A whole new power!"
Dipper thought it over and it all made sense to him now when he remembered all those transformations. "So, what do you mean about my deal with the Spider? Are you saying it left a piece of itself in my soul?"
"Oh, I wouldn't say piece of itself since the deal is done but I'd say more of a scar kid. That's right, even souls can be scarred and if you have an expert on hand, AKA moi." Bill gestured to himself. "Then we can just turn you into something entirely new!"
Dipper's eyes widened as he stepped back. "No…"
"Yup! Get ready kid!" Bill chuckled as he enlarged himself and reached out to Dipper with a giant hand. "Your days as a meatbag human are numbered as soon you say 'I do'!"
INFINITY TRAIN ARC
Opening File: The Apex
The Apex was a band of delinquent raiders led by Grace Monroe and Simon Laurent. Its members were passengers of the Infinity Train who believed that the train belonged to them and, as such, they could do whatever they wanted on it. The group was dissolved following the death of Simon Laurent after attempting to betray and murder Grace Monroe.
The Apex seems to dress as a kind of post-apocalyptic society from the clothes collected from the raided/looted cars of the train, and they all possess a red wave pattern drawn on the middle of their faces with lipstick. When the Apex heads out on a raid, they don Harpoon Packs to travel between and within the train cars. The Apex looted other cars of the Infinity Train and terrorized its denizens. The Apex called all denizens of the Infinity Train 'nulls' and believed that since denizens did not have numbers, they were not real living beings.
The Apex also believed passengers should not lower their numbers and instead raise them since, in The Apex's group, high numbers conveyed strength. The members with the highest numbers were the leaders of The Apex. The Apex seemed to have some kind of special salute made by a superior before they were addressed or given any task. The receiver of the salute would take a knee and the giver would move two fingers in the same oscillating patterns of the face of the receiver.
Part of the Apex's code was never to trust adult passengers.
Lastly, The Apex maintained the false belief that One-One was the one who usurped control of the Infinity Train and not Amelia.
Seven years before Amelia was removed from her position as the train's new conductor, a younger Grace Monroe saw Amelia inside her robot suit taking control of the Steward inside the Pumpkin Car and immediately after ordering the Steward to do her bidding: 'Take what we need from the car!' Grace couldn't help but also notice Amelia's arm glowing bright green on account of her enormous number. In little time following that encounter Grace erroneously came to the conclusion that Amelia (unaware that she was a woman on account of her voice modulator altering her voice) was the true 'human' train conductor and, worse still, that the train's function is to get the passenger's numbers as high as possible so that they can live onboard it indefinitely.
Eventually, Grace saved a ten-year-old Simon Laurent from a Ghom and later passed on her false knowledge about the train's function. The two children moved into a mall-themed car and some years later started recruiting a large number of children to whom they fed their false knowledge to. Fortifying the mall car into a base of operations for multiple children, and continued to harass denizens, steal from various cars whatever they needed to survive, and in some cases murdered denizens, often by throwing them off the train and into its wheels, an action they called 'wheeling.'
After Grace learned that One-One is, in fact, the true conductor, that passengers are supposed to bring their numbers down to zero to leave the train, and that the beliefs she helped create, led to the death of Tuba, the trauma of Grace's new friend, Hazel, and Grace's childhood best friend, Simon's tragic death, she decided that the Apex and its beliefs should be dissolved permanently. The former members of the Apex then formed a new, currently unnamed group, that would focus on helping each other bring their numbers down instead of raising them.
Close File
Xxx
"What was your problem with Dipper?" Double D asked.
"Summer is coming to an end; Dipper was thinking of being Grunkle Ford's new apprentice and none of our friends had time for our thirteenth birthday. Nothing seemed to be going right and I felt like I was going to be alone. Alone on my birthday, alone going back, alone trying to get through high school and everything that came after." Mabel explained with a saddened face. "I think we're making progress, but I don't want to take this opportunity away from him."
Double D glanced at Mabel. "That is understandable. Perhaps we can sort through the mess at Gravity Falls now and just plan your birthday party for another day."
Mabel looked at Double D. "…What?"
"You don't have to have your birthday party on your birthday you know. Back home, when Ed, Eddy or I couldn't or one of the kids couldn't celebrate their birthdays they just rescheduled." Double D explained.
Mabel just stared blankly at Double D, her eye twitching.
"Mabel?"
No one noticed that the number on Mabel's hand started to rise.
54
67
88
Before anyone could ask anything else, there an alarming sound coming from outside, followed by shouting.
"GOHMS!"
The sounds of panic were heard all over Corginia as Gohms appeared on the other side of the kingdom, having come from the other end of the car. However, Corginia was far from helpless as the Corgis armed themselves, preparing for battle.
Dipper rushed over to the window, seeing the black creatures approaching. "It's like a Grimm attack out there."
He looked back, seeing the various looks of concern on their faces.
Except for Mabel.
It looked like she was spacing off, staring blankly up at the ceiling.
"Mabel?"
Double D glanced at her and saw her number having increased. "Oh dear…"
Your comment seems to have mentally upset the Mabel unit.
"I don't have time for this." Double D grasped Mabel by the shoulders, trying to get her to look at him. "Mabel? Mabel, can you hear me?"
"What did you do to my sister?!" Dipper rushed up, pulling Double D away from Mabel.
"Nothing!" Double D swatted Dipper's arms away. "I…Only said she could have rescheduled her birthday party when everyone was available."
Dipper blinked and was silent for a second. "Wait…You can do that?"
"Yes!" Double D answered, becoming irritated. "Why is that such a big deal?"
Dipper took a deep breath and sighed before turning to face his sister. "Okay, Mabel-Mabel?"
BAM!
"MABEL?!" Practically everyone shouted Mabel literally slammed her face into the wall and then did it again.
BAM!
"MABEL!" Dipper grabbed Mabel's shoulders, pulling her from the wall. "Stop! What are you doing to yourself?!"
"What does it look like I'm doing?!" Mabel shouted, tears running down her cheeks.
"Banging your head against the wall, duh!" Stan said, kneeling down next to her. "Why would you do that?"
"What else am I supposed to do when I do something so stupid?!" Mabel pushed Dipper back, stepping away. "I got us on this train because I was so upset! Upset that summer was coming to an ending! Upset that Dipper was staying with Grunkle Ford and leaving me to go back alone! UPSET THAT I COULDN'T HAVE ONE LAST PARTY WITH ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ON MINE AND DIPPER'S BIG DAY!"
Zoe looked at Mabel's hand and gasped. "Mabel, you're number!"
Mabel's number had gone up to one hundred in a matter of seconds.
"WHO CARES ABOUT MY NUMBER, ZOE?! DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?! I GOT US STUCK ON THIS TRAIN BECAUSE I DIDN'T TAKE TWO SECONDS TO THINK WE COULD HAVE HAD THE PARTY EARLIER OR EVEN A DAY LATER WHEN EVERYONE WAS AVAILABLE!" Mabel cried out. "AND I DIDN'T THINK OF IT BECAUSE I WAS ALL WRAPPED UP ON HAVING THE PARTY ON OUR BIRTHDAY THAT I DIDN'T EVEN ASK IF EVERYONE WAS AVAILABLE ON THAT DAY!"
Mabel's shouting caused everyone to step back.
"Mabel, calm down!" Frida called out. "Look, so you didn't think about that. I mean, none of us thought of that either so you're not alone."
Mabel fell to her knees and quickly the Pines and their extended family rushed over to her. "I did it again…I didn't think it through…I always think with my heart because that's the only thing I'm good at. Dipper and Grunkle Ford think with their heads and Grunkle Stan's good at stuff too…Why didn't I think of something so obvious?"
"Mabel, come on. No one thought it was going to be like this." Ford put a hand on Mabel's shoulder.
Wrong action.
"Don't touch me!" Mabel swatted Ford's hand away, shocking him and everyone else.
"Mabel-"
"Mabel, what'd you do that for?" Dipper couldn't believe what his sister just did.
"I heard what you told Dipper over the radio. How suffocating it is to have a twin!" Mabel cried, glaring at Ford who flinched.
"You said what?!" Stan narrowed his eyes at Ford.
"Mabel-"
"You should know how much being a twin should mean but you and Grunkle Stan just can't find it in your hearts to just forgive each other over a stupid that happened years ago! You can't even realize all the good that came from it!"
"Good?" Ford and Stan questioned her at the same time with confused faces.
"Grunkle Ford, you started investigating weird things in Gravity Falls because you didn't go to that fancy school! You blamed Grunkle Stan over a mistake when he was upset like I am! Everyone said he was the screw up just because he wasn't as smart as you! If you had gone to that school, you would never have moved to Gravity Falls, never studied all the weird things there and you might never have tried to stop Bill!" Mabel continued, not even stopping as tears slipped down her face while still glaring at the surprised Ford. "I got scared because even if Dipper is right and we can't be together forever, I wasn't ready for that! I'm not ready to be on my own without my brother, my best friend with me to keep me out of trouble or defend me from mean people or be there for him when he's the one who needs comforting."
She then looked at Stan. "And Grunkle Stan, yes, you got thrown out of your home but look at everything you've done. You worked as an undercover Huntsman, you've taken down bad guys, you ran a business for thirty years and I learned the hard way it's not as easy as you made it look. And you even fixed the portal that brought Grunkle Ford back with only the journals to help you. Not anyone else, not Grunkle Ford, not Bill or any of the geniuses that came to Gravity Falls." Mabel stopped and paused before looking at Double D. "No offense, Double D."
"None taken." Double D simply said.
Mabel then looked back at her great uncles. "You both have done so much but you're so hung up on one accident that happened so long ago that you can't even try to just say 'I'm sorry' and work things out. Do you know how scared I am that might happen to me and Dipper? That we might not only just drift apart but stop wanting to see or talk to each other again? Did you even care about how Dipper staying leaving me alone might hurt me or do you even care about me at all, Grunkle Ford?"
"Of course, I care, Mabel!" Ford answered, kneeling down in front of her with a remorseful look on his face. "I came to find you. I…I know it's hard to believe, given how I've acted. There are a lot of things to work out and even I know we have problems, it's hard for me to admit that I can't fix them as I could fix a mathematical error."
Mabel sniffed, her glare softening just a bit.
"Look, I see now that I haven't treated as fairly as I should have, and I didn't think that my offering Dipper an apprenticeship would hurt you so much. I've tried so hard to be this great hero, that one is protecting Earth from Cipher and other threats, but I can see now I'm not as good as I thought I was and I want to change that, Mabel. Really, I do." Ford placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's just going to be a really challenging thing to do."
Mabel sniffed a bit but before she could answer that…
Screeching was heard outside, remining them they were under attack.
Stan rushed to the window they could see insect creatures, lots of them approaching the kingdom.
"Army of Corginia, assemble!" Atticus shouted, rushing out of his castle.
Corgis began assembling, lining up with helmets on their heads, wearing armor custom-made for dogs and holding spears in their mouths.
"Strike them down!" Atticus commanded, sounding every bit like the king he had presented himself as.
The Corgis immediately went on the attack, charging and stabbing at the Gohms as they came into range.
"Whoa, those dogs are kicking butt!" Kevin exclaimed, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Talking dogs facing giant bugs.
Now he's seen it all.
"I feel like we should be helping the dogs, everyone." Double D commented.
"Yes, we should." Ed replied with a smile.
CRASH!
Everyone jumped, watching as Gohm crashed through the wall on the other side of the inn. It 'sniffed' the ground before looking up, 'staring' at the assorted group of passengers before letting out a squeal, lunging at them. Double D shot forward, the Armatae armor covering him as he delivered a punch to the creature's face, sending it flying out of the building.
"We have to move!" Ford opened the door. "This place is not safe anymore! We have to reach the exit to the next car!"
"I know the way." Samantha hopped out in front. "Follow me!"
"You heard furball, kids! Move!" Stan ushered his nieces and grandchildren out the door.
Though it was all too apparent that they had rushed out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Gohms and Corgis were fighting in almost every habited location in the car, and they had to keep moving or they would be caught up in the fighting. Rolf, Double D, Stan and Ford fought off any Gohms that got in their way, refusing to stop.
"It should be past that ridge!" Samantha pointed out up ahead.
However, a Gohm jumped out of some bushes, landing on Mabel and pinning her down on the ground.. "AAH! SOMEONE HELP!"
"Mabel!" Dipper screamed out as he rushed forward.
The monster had pinned his sister to the ground and was seemingly about to suck out her life force. Mabel had a look of terror on her face as she struggled but the creature was too big and strong.
That was when all time seemed to freeze around him.
"Well, well, well." A familiar voice whispered into Dipper's ear…or rather his mind.
Dipper froze, recognizing the voice from before. "You…"
"I warned you that you would need my help and now look where you are. Trapped in a kingdom of flea bags, watching as your dear sister is about to get eater." The voice taunted. "Poor, delicate and delicious little Mabel. All she wants in life is to be happy with her friends and family and this what she gets? Maye that's why the Gohm likes her so much. So…sweet."
"Let me go! I have to help her!" Dipper cried out.
"Help her? Can't you see it's already too late? You'll just be another meal for it."
Then, before Dipper's eyes Mabel screamed as her life force was sucked away, leaving behind a skeleton that withered to dust…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dipper screamed…
Or rather a copy of him screamed.
Another Dipper rushed past him, picking up a branch and hitting the Gohm that killed his sister over and over again.
Even after it surprisingly exploded.
The Dipper fell to his knees, letting out a cry of anguish and didn't move.
Not to help the others fight.
Not to help the rest of his family.
Not even when another Gohm pounced on him and began sucking the life force out of him…
"Do you see?" The voice asked and Dipper was suddenly back at the moment when time froze around him. "Do you see what happens if you do not accept my help? Do you want her to die?"
"No…" Dipper frantically shook his head. "Please…Let me save her…"
"You know what you must do."
Dipper held up a hand, staring at it for a moment before clenching. "Fine! I'll be your avatar! I'll let you kill what it is you want dead through me but none of my friends or family are to be harmed in any way, not directly or indirectly! Do you hear me?!"
The voice cackled. "Of course! What do you take me for? Bill Cipher?"
Dipper didn't trust It.
As far as he'd seen, all so-called higher beings were equally questionable when it comes to morality…
But he didn't have a choice.
He had to save his sister.
Whatever it takes.
"Just do it." Dipper spread out his arms and closed his eyes. "Let's just get this over with. You want me? Here I am."
The voice cackled as a pair of lights circled around Dipper. "Don't look into the lights, Dipper. The lights offer power, but you must never look at them. They will make you float and it's not your time yet but you will make the abomination float."
The lights came in close to Dipper circling around him until they were mere inches from him.
"We all float, Dipper."
"We all float, Dipper." Mabel's voice suddenly spoke. "And you'll float to."
"You'll float too." Stan's voice was next.
"You'll float too." Then came Ford's voice.
A myriad of voices began to speak in rhythm, chanting over and over again.
"You'll float too."
"You'll float too."
"You'll float too."
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"
"YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!"