Tales Of The Flame & The Ax: A Shooting Star Falls Story
Part Thirty-Eight: Hard Earned Rewards & Dark Truths
Dipper Pines and his family stepped through the portal and found themselves near the summit of a mountain; a large entrance to a chamber before them. The fog was dense as the quartet walked towards the entrance to the innards of the mountain. "I have a bone or two to pick with that Oracle. My children did not need to see some of that..." Wendy said in an angry tone. Dipper placed a hand on his infuriated wife's shoulder to show that he agreed with her as they traveled ever deeper into the mountain. They entered a grand hall with an altar in the middle of it. Standing behind the large wooden table was a tall individual in a tattered brown cloak. The light shifted in the room and the four members of the Pines family got a better look at just who stood before them. It a appeared to be a female with seven eyes, large red lips and long limbs. "Hello?" Dipper called out to the odd looking individual. "Ah, Mason Pines... I've been awaiting your arrival..." she said in a soft voice. "You're the Oracle?" Wendy asked. "Well, my real name is Jheselbraum The Unswerving, but I'm better known as the Oracle. I've summoned you here at the behest of the Axolotl, whom I serve with an unwavering allegiance" the otherworldly being replied. "In that case, where do you get off having us go throu-" Wendy began before being cut off. "I know you may not understand why you witnessed the things you did. All I can hope is that it put things into proper perspective for you all" the hooded female remarked. "Proper perspective?! These poor, innocent girls had to see things that keep me awake at night!" Wendy shouted at the Oracle. "I've called you here because the Axolotl would like to reward you for your defeat of The Magic Killers" she replied in the same calm voice as before; completely ignoring Wendy's outburst.
The Pines family took a moment to mull over what the seven eyed creature had said. "A reward? Just what are we talking about here?!" Wendy asked. "As you know, those two were leaving a trail of death and destruction throughout the multiverse. It looked like they were on their way to annihilating yet another dimension before you confronted and stopped them from doing so. Not only that, but you managed to defeat them once and for all. The Axolotl is pleased to have this annoyance removed. It is grateful for all that your family has done for the greater good of all living things across the multiverse over the past few decades. The Pines have sacrificed so much without an expectation of anything in return. So, now is your chance to wish for anything you desire. There are only a few limitations on what you can request. You shall not seek the harm or death of any living being, you shall not ask to return the deceased to the realm of the living and you may not ask for multiple wishes. Other than that, you may ask for anything you can conceive of" Jheselbraum stated. "Anything I can think of?" Mabel asked as thoughts of unfulfilled desires began to fill her head. "I-I suppose that I'll go first..." Dipper said as he took a step towards the Oracle. "What is it that you desire, Mason Pines?" the seven eyed being asked. "I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say that I am tired of having to battle these demons from outside our dimension. We've gotten lucky twice now, but eventually our luck will run out. It's just the law of averages... Anyway, I wish for our dimension to be shielded from these threats" he said before stepping back to rejoin his family. "It is done. Demons from other dimensions will not be able to access Dimension 46'\ henceforth" she proclaimed.
Wendy was next to claim her wish. "There are so many things that I want, but only one thing I really need. Inner peace. A lot of people in Gravity Falls crave the same thing. Because of Weirdmageddon, lots of people carry around mental trauma even twenty years later. I guess, my wish is for everyone in Gravity Falls to be relieved of these invisible wounds once and for all" she said in a hopeful tone. "Your wish is granted. The citizens of Gravity Falls will be relieved of their shared pain once and for all" the hooded being said. Dipper and Wendy felt a sense of calm wash over them. "D-Did you feel that?" Wendy asked her husband. "Yeah. I don't know what it was, but I just feel better all of a sudden. Like, a weight has been lifted off my chest or something. It's hard to explain..." he replied in a surprised voice. "Yeah... I just feel a little bit less sad or something? I don't know? Whatever this feeling is, it feels great though! I really hope everyone else is feeling it too!" the auburn haired woman replied as a smile formed on her face. All throughout the town of Gravity Falls, anyone with a memory of that late August week from hell felt the same sensation that the Pines had. "That was a great wish..." Dipper said as he wrapped his wife up in a hug. "Yours wasn't too bad either... I mean, the girls won't have to worry about going through anything like that ever again" she replied.
Mabel already knew what she wanted to wish for and was next to step forward. "Ms. Oracle?" she asked the otherworldly being. "Yes, dear?" she responded. "Other than those rules you said, I can wish for anything, right?" she inquired. "That's correct" she answered. "Well... I want to use my wish to atone for something I did a few years ago. I wish for my sister's arm... NO! I wish for my sister to be restored to how she should look. I want her hair, eyes and arm to return to normal, please" she requested while looking over to her twin. "Mabel, you don't have to do that. I've gotten used to the arm and I'm sure I'll get used to everything else in due time... Do something for yourself..." Pacifica pleaded with her sibling. Mabel looked first to her sister, then to the Oracle. "It's up to you, sweetheart. This is your wish. Do with it what you may. Is that still your will?" the brown cloak clad being said to the unsure teen girl. The redhead paused for a moment as she searched her soul for the proper answer to the question. "It is. I wish for my sister to have her natural brown hair, hazel eyes and arm" she responded. "Your will has been honored" the Oracle replied. Pacifica Pines levitated off the tiled floor of the room and was surrounded by a purple light. Beginning at the roots of her hair, each strand was soon transformed from the silver hue they had taken on to the chestnut color she had inherited from her father. With a blink of her eyes, they too were restored to their former shade of hazel brown. A thud echoed off the walls of the sanctuary as her prosthetic arm fell off and landed on the tiled floor below. "AHHH!" the fifteen year old screamed in agony as she watched a new arm sprout from where it had been severed a few years prior. The whole process took less than ten seconds, but felt like an eternity to her as the pain was unbearable. Pacifica opened her eyes to see that she once again had her forearm and hand. Flexing her fingers, a look of disbelief formed on her face while she was lowered to the floor; the purple hue fading as she felt the floor beneath her feet once more. "M-My arm!" she cried out before sprinting over to her sister and wrapping her up in a tight hug.
"Mabes! I-I can't..." she said before laying her head on her sister's shoulder; breaking down as the emotions of the moment overtook her. "I had to. I know it was an accident, but I still feel bad about it. So, in a roundabout way, I did do something for myself. Plus, you look like yourself again!" the ever-peppy teen girl replied while stroking the back of her twin in an effort to soothe her. The emotional scene brought tears to the eyes of Wendy and Mason Pines; a sense of pride filling them as they continued to look on at their daughters. "We raised some amazing kids, didn't we, Dip?" the thirty-six year old woman remarked to her lover. "We sure did" he agreed. "Thank you... Thank you, Mabel!" Pacifica said before wiping her nose on her new forearm. "No problem, sis! I know you'd do the same for me!" Mabel replied. Pacifica continued to look at her arm in amazement, as it still hadn't fully sunk in that she was now like most everyone else. No longer would she get the stares that she had become so used to catching others take, nor would she hear the small clicks and groans of her mechanical digits. She removed a small compact from her pocket and took a good look at the radiant fifteen year old she saw in the reflection. For the first time in a long while, she truly felt like herself.
After taking a moment to compose herself, Pacifica was next to step forward. She had no idea of what to wish for. It seemed as though the other members of the family had chosen to request things that not only benefited themselves, but others as well. "What the hell do I wish for?" she thought to herself as her eyes nervously darted around the cavernous room. Pacifica and her mother locked gazes for a brief moment and suddenly it all became clear for the brunette teenager. "I-I know I can't bring the dead back to life with my wish, but can we talk to someone who has passed away?" the fifteen year old asked the Oracle. "I suppose that wouldn't violate the rules. Who is it that you would like to summon?" Jheselbraum replied. "My grandmother, Kathleen Corduroy..." Pacifica answered. A few moments later, a fog filled the doorway that led to the exit of the temple and a figure emerged from it. Wendy watched in disbelief as a ginger woman approached; each step it becoming more apparent that it was indeed the late matriarch of the Corduroy family. The redhead stopped in her tracks and took a good look at who stood before her. To Dipper and the girls, she looked less like Wendy's mother and more akin to a slightly older sister. The thirty-six year old sprinted towards her late parent and wrapped her up in a hug; Kathleen Corduroy soon returning the gesture. For a moment, the room fell silent except for the sounds of soft sobs that echoed off the walls.
"I've missed you so, so much" Kathleen said to her daughter as she tried to compose herself. "Me too, Mom. Me too..." Wendy replied. After a few moments, the two stepped back and took a better look at one another. It had been twenty-seven years since Wendy had seen her mother in person. Sure, she had photos to look at and often did so, but they were a poor substitute for the real thing. Her voice had a bit more of a brogue than she had remembered, but Wendy attributed that to her memories fading over the nearly three decades since her passing. Meanwhile, Kathleen was astounded by how her little wild child had grown up to become a mother herself. "You've gone and grown up on me, haven't you?" she asked her daughter. "What gave it away?" Wendy replied in a playfully sarcastic tone. "Well, for one, you've taken after your father with his height..." she remarked. Despite looking almost identical to the woman who stood before her, the younger Corduroy was about a foot taller than her mother. "Yeah, puberty was a real son of a bitch..." Wendy said with a chuckle. "You look like you came out of it alright... I mean, you're an absolutely beautiful woman" Kathleen commented. "Thanks. I get told all the time that I could be a clone of you when it comes to your looks, so I consider myself quite the lucky girl. I mean I love Dad and all, but I'm glad that all I inherited from him was his height" Wendy said as the women shared a chuckle.
"How is your father, by the way?" Kathleen inquired. "He's good these days. I mean, after... Well... After you left us, he was in a bad way for a while, but he eventually got back on track. Talked to my psychologist and ended up marrying her, so yeah... Awkward..." her daughter replied. "I'm happy for him. I left Dan with a lot on his plate and it sounds like he did a great job, all things considered. And your brothers?" Kathleen continued. "They're all grown up with their own families. For the most part they're alright. I mean, sure they have some small problems from time to time, but it's not like any of them are in prison or anything like that..." Wendy answered. "That's wonderful to hear. I really worried about the lot of you after... After I, uh, left you" Kathleen replied. "Yeah, somehow we all made it. It wasn't easy, if I'm being honest. I kinda had to grow up quick and help Dad out with the boys, but we made it work" the thirty-six year old said. "Wendy, look... I-I'm sorry about that. I-It wasn't fair to you, your father or your brothers... You didn't deserve that at all. It's my biggest regret" Kathleen began before taking a breath to gather her thoughts. She knew that this may be the only opportunity to speak to her daughter and come clean about what had really happened on the night she passed away. Before she could though, Wendy interrupted. "Mom, you couldn't have done anything about that. You're being too hard on yourself. It was a freak medical deal. It is what it is. Now, c'mon. There's some people I'd love for you to meet" she said in an attempt to take the conversation in a more cheerful direction.
"Mom, this is my family..." Wendy said in a prideful tone. "You've got a beautiful family there" the elder Corduroy remarked. "They're the best! Mom, this is my husband, Mason Pines. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for this amazing man. He's the kindest, smartest and second toughest man I know. Why he chose me, I'll never know, but I'm sure am glad that he did" Wendy said before pecking her lover on his cheek. "I don't know about all that, except that bit about being the second toughest because nobody's tougher than Manly Dan, but what I do know is that I am madly in love with your daughter and I always will be. I'm Mason, but you can call me Dipper..." the chestnut haired man said as he extended his hand for his late mother-in-law to shake. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his toned torso and gave him a hug. "It's nice to meet you, Dipper. Thank you for taking such good care of my girl" Kathleen said before breaking the embrace. She next looked at the pair of teenagers that stood behind their mother and father. "Twins?" she asked. "Yup. Runs on Dad's side of the family..." Pacifica replied while motioning to her father. "Hi! I'm Mabel and that's my sister Pacifica! It's so great to finally meet you, Grandma!" Mabel said in an excited tone. "It's a pleasure to meet you both as well! I can see that you're going to grow up to be absolutely radiant young women" she said with a smile. "Thanks, Nana Kathleen" Pacifica said. "Grandma? Nana? Where does the time go?" Kathleen Corduroy asked herself as she placed her hand alongside her face. "Well, if it's any consolation, you're one of the best looking grandmothers that I've ever seen..." Mabel chimed in. "Thank you sweetheart..." Kathleen replied.
The next hour or so was spent discussing what had transpired since Kathleen Corduroy had passed away. The thirty-four year old woman was astounded by all that her family had gone through over the years. When Wendy got to the sadder parts of her life, the Irish-American woman's heart absolutely crumbled. She felt an immense guilt over the fact that had she made a few different choices, she could have been there for her daughter in her time of need. Instead, she attempted to drown her demons in a cocktail of non-prescribed medication and alcohol that ultimately led to her demise. Taking a deep breath, she knew that it was now or never for her to tell Wendy the truth. Kathleen worried that her daughter would hate her for the decisions she made, but decided that she should know what really happened that night. "Wendy, honey, can I speak to you for a few moments in private..." the shorter redhead asked her daughter. "Uh, sure thing Mom. Guys, I'll be right back..." Wendy said as she began to walk away with her mother. She was unsure what her mom wanted to talk about and was curious as to why she didn't want the rest of her family to hear it. The pair of Corduroy women eventually stopped once Kathleen was sure that they were out of earshot of the rest of the Pines family. Wendy could notice that her mother seemed to be uneasy and possibly even afraid. "What's the matter, Mom?" she asked while looking her mother in her emerald green eyes. "Wendy... Let's take a seat" the elder Corduroy said as a small table with two chairs appeared.
The duo sat down at the high-top table and bottle of whisky appeared on it, along with a pair of glasses. "It'll be easier this way..." Kathleen said as she removed the top from the container and poured a decent amount of the liquor into the glasses. "This is nice and all, but what's up? You seem hella nervous..." Wendy said before raising the glass and taking a sip of the amber liquid it held. It was the best whisky she'd ever tasted in her life. Kathleen held the glass to her lips and proceeded to down the entire drink in one go, which caught the attention of Wendy. "Have you ever wanted to get something off your chest, but you're afraid of how the other person might take it? That they might end up hating you for the rest of their life?" the elder Corduroy asked. "Yeah. I have. In the end, I decided that no matter how it made them feel, they deserved to know the truth. In my case, it was someone who I loved and I realized that if you really care that deeply for someone, then you have to be able to trust them. You can only trust someone when they've been honest and truthful with you. If you are anything less than that with a person you love, then you don't truly love them. At least that's my take on it all..." Wendy said before taking a long sip of the liquor that her glass contained.
Kathleen Corduroy thought about what her daughter had said to her. She was impressed with the mature answer she had given and decided to heed her advice. "Wendy... Honey... I love you. I love you and that's why I have to come clean" the matriarch of the Corduroy family said before pouring herself another glass of whisky. "Come clean? What did you do? Did you cheat on Dad or something?" Wendy asked before taking another drink from her glass as concern began to fill her. "No. It's nothing like that. It has to do with how I died..." Kathleen said before downing her second glass of liquor. If not for the current situation, Wendy would have been impressed by the feat. "I didn't pass the way you were led to believe I did... I... I... Uh... This is so hard to say. I know you're gonna be disappointed in me, but what you said was right. I owe you the truth. Even if you end up hating me. You deserve to know what happened that night. I didn't die from an aneurysm. I died from an overdose" Kathleen said as she looked her daughter in her emerald eyes. She could only hope that by explaining what lead her down that path, Wendy could understand why she thought that it was the only way to ease the torment she felt inside her mind on a daily basis. That the trauma of an event early on her life that had been a weight far to heavy to shed and would lead to her ultimate demise. "Mom... Why?" was all the auburn haired woman could utter as the pair continued to sit at a table in the mindscape.
Author's Note: This chapter took a little bit longer to write than usual because I wanted to make sure that it hit just right. I wanted each member of the Pines family to have to think a bit about how they would spend their wish and I think they did so in an appropriate and meaningful way. I also wanted Wendy to have the chance to meet her mother and get some closure on her passing. Speaking of her mother, Kathleen Corduroy has finally admitted her greatest shame to her only daughter. How will Wendy react when she learns of the demons that her mother desperately tried to escape from? Find out in the next installment of Tales Of The Flame & The Ax: A Shooting Star Falls Story. - iKLOT
Playlist for this chapter:
3OH!3 - "I'm So Sad"
Jimmy Eat World - "Bleed American"
Phoebe Bridgers - "I Know The End"
Band Of Horses - "The Funeral" (The song I thought of when Wendy met her mother once more)
Sleeping With Sirens - "Bloody Knuckles"
Adelitas Way - "Ready For War (Pray For Peace)"
AJR - "Way Less Sad"
half alive - "What's Wrong"
Sarah and the Sundays - "Take Your Time"
CHVRCHES / Robert Smith - "How Not To Drown"
Sum 41 ft. nothing. nowhere. - "Catch Fire" (Made me think of Wendy and how she felt when Kathleen passed away)
Papa Roach - "Broken Home"