Through the continual chaos and panic brought by the fire in the downtown, a single seemingly unnoticed hulking figure swayed through the staring crowds of lumberjacks, truckers, shop owners, and the occasional family. They were all more interested in watching the smoke than getting to safety. The figure held the hood of the jacket over his face, and stalked forward, almost shoving itself past people. Shoulders nearly four feet across and standing at over six feet tall, it was only the shock of the explosion that no one noticed the smell of dog-breath following this imposing figure.
Jackson Fulbrow, fully transformed into the hunting machine known by few as a werewolf, finally pushed himself free from the crowds. He was heading straight for the closest payphone he could, near the now empty bar. He dared to turn back as he crossed the street, watching the fires behind him. While his face was no longer entirely human with his canine snout, a cruel snarl was paired with a leering, lip-curled grin.
"Job done," he grinned, his voice rough and cracking with a dry throat. Hood tightly tucked over his furred head, he raced to the payphone.
Shoving in several quarters into the outdated hardware, he snarled. This could be among the last time he would ever have to call that number. Ever since the kid found him, he had been nothing but a slave- an indentured servant who only would receive one payment.
"One-nine-one," he grumbled out loud. It was best for him to recall numbers through repetition as his mind wasn't as good as it used to be. "Two-two-five, eight-five-one-eight."
The dial began to ring.
"Answer, you snot-nosed brat," Fulbrow the former local hunter snarled. Several dials later, there was a loud clatter.
"Hello," the voice of the Warlock said loudly.
"It's Fulbrow," the werewolf growled.
"Ah, good," the Warlock's voice leered, clearing his throat quickly before continuing, "I was wandering what that little shake had been. Job done, I take it?"
The hunter squinted. It was somewhat hard to hear the boss. "What is the noise behind you?" Fulbrow demanded. Vibratory pounding echoed from the other end of the call.
"Machinery," Graupner said simply, "I'm rather busy over here. Tell me you're update already or get off this line."
"Afraid of losing your minutes?" Fulbrow grinned.
"It's not my phone, idiot," the Warlock darkly replied. He grunted audibly before saying, "Now, what do you have to report on?"
Jackson Fulbrow cracked his neck. This kid was everything he hated about the youth, but the hunter needed him. "The gnomes had their hostages returned. I've placed your plants where they are needed."
"Good," The warlock muttered. He was clearly pleased, but anything but pleasant. "Gnomish magic will have purged them of human influence," the Warlock muttered to himself, "And now, with your lingering lycan corruption, they will make good test subjects for-"
"Whatever," Fulbrow growled, "What about my cure!?"
"Not yet," the Warlock replied curtly. Fulbrow snarled loudly. This did not go unnoticed by the Warlock, who warned him, "I've told you that you have to earn your humanity back."
"What else do I need to do?!" Fulbrow roared, "I've attacked those twins, I pre-set your stupid magical scrolls around town, and now this tracking spell I've-"
"Your assistance has been, at best, mediocre," the Warlock cut in, and groaned, "The twins survived and are still in the area, the scrolls, as it turned out, were not needed, and you've c-complained more than I'm interested in listening to," the warlock snapped back. Fulbrow stood in a stunned silence, his clench on the phone dangerously tight. After another pained groan, the Warlock stated, "When the plans are fully realized, I will uphold my end of the bargain."
"And that will be when?" Fulbrow demanded.
"Sooner, if you would be more efficient at your tasks!" Graupner yelled. Fulbrow growled, his sharp teeth bared. The Warlock added, "Now I have a new set of instructions for you-"
WHAM.
Fulbrow gasped and stepped aside. A brick had just been tossed into the metal casing, smashing half of the mechanics of the device. Across the street, four teenagers glared at him. Checking the state of the payphone with a glance, Fulbrow sighed, and said into the phone, "I'll have to call back."
Dipper and Mabel glared at the monster across the street, barely visible under his hood. They would have otherwise dismissed him as one of the massive workers from the town populace, but Mabel had a trick up her sleeve. Being formerly a werewolf gave her the key to finding those with canine influence. Without any struggle, Mabel could still smell them.
"A good toss," Candy told Grenda, who held a second brick in her hand.
"I should have nailed his head though," Grenda told her friend.
"No, we need him to talk," Dipper reminded her. Fulbrow the werewolf slowly put back his phone, not breaking eye contract with them the entire time. "Sorry to interrupt," Dipper called over, "But you've been summoned to court."
"What?" Fulbrow snarled.
"By order of the fairies, and, like, every other monster in the woods," Mabel added, "You are to appear before the summit of the second recorded inter-special council meeting, and testify for your actions!" Mabel declared proudly, pushing her chest out as she washed her face of all attempts at being silly. Dipper and her two friends looked to her, impressed.
"Kids," Fulbrow growled as he cracked his knuckles and finally lowered his hood, showing the bestial form he still retained. Grenda and Candy gulped. "Stay out of my way. You should have learned that from before."
"Right, because, uh, who was it, again," Dipper asked, a mocking tone engrossed in every word, "That was limping away, bleeding and scared for their life?"
"Tail very much tucked between your legs?" Mabel added.
Folbrow snapped his mouth in a bark, teeth shining in the daylight. "Watch your tone with me, boy!" he said. "I'm more than tempted to end our little spat now, for good. Tearing out your necks wouldn't be such a bad way to get even."
"Get even for what!?" Mabel demanded.
"Yeah!" Candy added, "You're the one who's hurting people."
"It's because of him-" Folbrow roared, pointing to Dipper, "That I am what I am!"
Dipper opened his mouth, yet stalled. "Uh... yeah, I guess that's not too unfair to say. Still!" Dipper retorted, heat behind his words now, "You were trying to kill me and my friend! You only got what you deserved – becoming the monster that you really are!"
"Also," Mabel said, stretching her arms while glaring at him, "I remember what Dipper told you if we ever found out you were up to no good again."
"I hope it was a nice, good beating," Grenda sneered as she cracked her knuckles.
"Three strikes," Mabel reminded him.
With a might roar, Fulbrow tore his jacket with his claws, ripping fabric like tissue paper. His claws and strength were as powerful as they remembered. "You don't have a werewolf with you! You don't have that woman with you! You're just four teenagers-"
Dipper pointed to himself, saying, "Who have been training with that woman for the past week, improving our abilities and skills a little bit each day!" he pointed to Grenda. "Grenda here? Top wrestler in her school, and can toss cinderblocks like baseballs. Mabel? Personal student of that woman. And her?" Dipper looked to Candy, who adjusted her glasses with a flash of light. Dipper darkly chuckled, "Don't even get me started on what she's got ready for you."
"So, we've gotten all better," Mabel stepped into the street her arms crossed. "Did you get better at being a werewolf?"
The bestial man snarled. His lips curled as he sized up each of his opponents. Their confidence reflected in his eyes.
He then chuckled, whipped to the left and started running on all fours.
"What?" Dipper gasped as the four watched him run. "Dang it!" he grumbled, and started running. The other three followed behind, charging after the werewolf. "Of course, the one thing we thought wouldn't happen is what he does! Run!?"
"Then we'll just catch him, and then pulverize his stupid face," Grenda pointed out.
Candy shook her head. "We're chasing a quadruped! He'll be faster and more agile than us with the way he's running!"
"Dipper, we could use some traps," Mabel glanced to him. The werewolf ahead, as they stared made a quick turn down a street, leaping clean over a car with ease.
"Yeah, I think so too," Dipper nodded, and still running, took out his journal and began to rifle through the pages. "Okay. Okay! I think I have an idea. We're going to need some backup though," Dipper said, his finger kept locked on an image of a leafy bush with bright purple flowers.
"Where are we going to get wolfsbane?" Mabel asked as she read off the object Dipper pointed to.
"We're not," Dipper told her as they rounded the corner, trailing after Fulbrow.
"Ohh, but someone is," Mabel nodded. Dipper grinned, and handed the journal to her. As she flipped through the page herself, scanning it as they ran down the street, Dipper flipped open his phone. A single dial was all he needed.
"Yes, Dipper?" Yuki's voice answered. "What is going on? I hear wind."
"Yuki, we're chasing the werewolf Fulbrow right now!" he explained, "And I have a plan. I need you to come down here and help."
"That I can do," Yuki replied quickly as other voices behind him muttered and asked for information.
"I also need you to do something. I need you to make a call for me," Dipper said, glancing at Mabel, "We need you to get hold of Zander."
Wendy leaned against her arm heavily. Her eyes glazed over as she attempted to remain calm, long overdue in her desperation to avoid reacting to her frustration. While in theory, the twins had attempted to use her situation as a benefactor to what was going on, Wendy could only recount the many times since they had left, nearly an hour ago, that this meeting of sorts was getting worse.
As she had come to understand, there were many mildly unhealthy, or borderline toxic competitions and rivalries between species. The gnomes and goblins had an on-off war. The manotaurs relentlessly teased Multibear. The vampires and the werewolves couldn't speak to each other without blaming the former for their dissent into 'teen drama favorites'. The faeries seemed incapable of not being condescending. Beef was everywhere, and that wasn't including the presence of the manotaurs.
Soos had taken to acting as her therapy human. Whenever she felt the steam of the situation boiling too rapidly, he was there. He could diffuse her quickly. He was quite gifted at that when he put his mind to it. At least, up until Wendy could no longer hear him over the ruckus. After that point, not even Waddles, hiding next to her legs, could help her calm.
Gib and Jeff were now center of the massive table, pointing and accusing the other of their acts in previous encounters.
"And I'm certain that each root you enchanted to chase after our men and women was out of the decency and honor of combat!" Gib spat.
"Just like bringing your stupid, stupid, stupid firearms against us!" Jeff roared, "You know those really hurt, right?!"
"Oh, please, compare being shot with a pebble to being stepped on by a tree!" Gib screamed, shoving the gnome over. Jeff was quick, and quickly grabbed the governors sleeve, pulling him down with him. The instant the leaders of both races were rolling around, punching one another, the clusters of goblins and gnomes charged at one another, clobbering each other with whatever they could find.
"Order!" Twinkle-Moon called out. Waddles oinked, nudging Wendy with his nose.
"Look at them," Chutzpar snickered as he and several other of the manotaurs laughed. "Little people fighting! That's entertainment!" With a loud crack, one of the Lilliputtians was hurled into Chutzpar's eye. "Ouch!" he roared, holding his eye in his hand.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" Franz, said, hoisted up by five other Lilliputtians and holding a metal golf-putter. "Or maybe you need a handicap!" Franz declared, and swung again, striking Chutzpar in his loincloth with another Lilliputtian. The Manotaur gasped and fell to the ground, whimpering. Franz called out to his allies-turned-munitions, "Make sure to really sanitize yourself, guys. Especially after that last one."
"GET THEM," Leaderar declared, pointing to the various colored golf balls. Like professional wrestlers, the Manotaurs dived at the Lilliputtians. This strategy was less effective than anticipated, as the golf balls were dense and hard-shelled. The Manotaur's ensuing attack only gave many of their numbers thick, swollen bruises.
"Order!" Twinkle Moon shouted.
The elves were no help either. Bored looking and making rude comments about the other races, they leaned onto the table and provided commentary.
"It's just like minotaur's to call themselves manotaurs," one with long, thick blond hair said, twirling it easily.
"I'm more interested in which of the small species will survive- the ugly ones or the ugly dressers?" a woman of the elves pointed out.
A third chuckled. "That describes both."
"Order-" Twinkle Moon shouted. Waddles squealed, and Wendy rocketed herself out of her seat.
"Everybody shuuut uuuup!"
Her voice echoed through the trees. Through the two fighting clusters, the pace instantly died and halted. Wendy, her green eyes ablaze with fury, dared anyone to speak out to her. A proud snort from a certain pig was all that was heard.
"You!" she pointed to the goblins and gnomes, "Sit! You!" she pointed to the manotaurs and Lilliputtians, "Sit!"
"Or what?!" Franz demanded, his arms arched behind him, ready to smack a manotaur again over the head with his club.
Wendy chuckled and shook her head. "You know I'm a wraith. That means unless you have yourself something really, really special- I can't be killed. I can't tire. I can't be hurt. So, tell me," Wendy stared right into the nervous looking being that resembled a golf-ball, "If we got into a fight, who'd walk away?"
Within moments, the other monsters were moving back to their positions. Wendy glared at every single group, her determination never faltering.
Finally, when all had quieted down, she fell back to her seat, rubbing her head. Something about the way the monsters fought- the noise they made when they did- it broke her focus. That same focus was what kept her from remembering constantly how hungry, how thirsty, how tired she was. She needed them to be civil and quiet as much for herself as she needed them for the council at large. She turned her gaze to Twinkle-Moon. "So," she said after a moment, where Soos patted her shoulder, "Who would like to speak, and give us a real suggestion?"
"I will," the voice of Chutzpar said, his hand reaching up and pulling him upright. Heavy sighs and gulps later, he took to standing and addressed Wendy. "I say we make a law – do onto others, and then those others get to beat you up!" he declared. The other Manotaurs cheered loudly with approval. The werewolves shrugged, seemingly not unhappy.
"And... that accomplishes what?" Wendy asked him.
"It makes us feel better when someone jibs us!"
Wendy sighed and let her head fall to the table. "No. That'd just make the fighting worse, because if you go up and fight someone, like you've all done here without evidence," she mumbled to the table, "Meetings like this have to be called. Not doing that plan," she denied them. The Manotaurs grumbled.
"What about alliances?" Jeff asked, looking to Wendy.
"What about them?"
"We're here not just because of the kidnappings," Jeff leaned in, "But because we're certain some races here are making friendships for power-moves," Jeff turned and glared at the goblins, "Like them."
"What evidence is there to suggest we've ever gone to establish alliances?" Gib demanded. "If anything, we've certainly been xenophobic. Case and point, you all," Gib pointed to Jeff.
Jeff quickly retorted, "Case and point- the humans! And it's not just you!" Jeff turned to the Faeries, "You've made dealings with humans! And you too!" Jeff pointed to the multibear.
"Our dealings regarded legality surrounding a stolen child," the graceful, fairy woman spoke easily. "No such pacts were created."
"I and friends with Dipper and Mabel Pines, and their friends," Multibear fearlessly said.
Jeff spun around, trying to call to attention. "Ha! So, you can see why we're a little put off when several of the other powerful races in these woods decided to make friends with the only humans who are, to this day, unstoppable with their abilities of interference!" Jeff yelled. He then turned to Soos. "And you're one of their friends: practically revered by the goblins!"
"Whoa, dude, hold on man," Soos held his hands up, "I'm just a neutral party. I don't wanna get under anyone's skin."
"They're not the only ones with displeasure at the Pine Twins making alliances with creatures," Vistile the vampire said coolly. "Three years ago, they stopped my families attempt at putting up a club to bring in more blood for us to drain. Now we're banished from town. The twins do not interfere with us, nor we with them anymore. But if they should find any of you allies, who's to say you, with their aid, attempt to push us out from the woods?"
"That's dumb!" Wendy said to Vistile. Yet she was one of the few directly outraged with the idea. The Goblins scoffed at the concept, and Soos chuckled, but the rest seemed either in agreement or had their own realization regarding the vampires. Wendy looked around more, and found one group that had little to no reaction- the elves. "What about you guys?" she asked to the elves. "What's your thought on that?"
"Listen," the leader with blond hair said, "We're just here for the food."
"What?" Wendy spurted.
"We were told that a special creatures meeting was going on nearby, so we decided to stop by for the fresh greens. Which, we've noticed, are not present," the leader informed the others, pointing to the middle of the table. A silence fell over the other monsters, who all stared at the elves. One by one, the other parties started looking to one another.
Franz, his anger replaced with uncertainty, looked to the others. He asked, "Are... are there elves naturally in Gravity Falls?"
"According to our demographics," Twinkle-Moon quickly rushed out a piece of paper with magic, "The only elves ever recorded are nomads, who never stay for long. Otherwise… no record of permanent residence."
The elf scoffed. "That's so post-modern, owning property."
Chutzpar recoiled at that stamen. "So, what... they're hippies?" Chutzpar asked. When no one answered him, he roared. "Kick out the hippies!" The elves gasped and were unable to react in time. Several Manotaurs leapt to them, lifted them above their heads, and tossed them out of the circle, far above Wendy's head.
The manotaurs cackled and jeered after the elves, "Hah! Stay out, hippies!"
As the Manotaurs calmed down, the Farie queen leant forward and spoke. "Perhaps the vampires are not far off topic. Maybe our issues are more connected than we thought."
"Hold on," Wendy quietly said, but the Farie Queen continued.
"Humans have been a growing constant factor in our activities. We have less space to maintain nursing fields and there are more instances of cross-species aggression, and all can be directly attributed towards the expansion of human activity."
"She's not wrong," the werewolf leader with white fur snorted. "Hunting without being spotted is harder than ever. There's tons of those stupid, amateur hunters already out there, and then some."
"Wait!" Wendy stood up, "You're not just talking about Dipper and Mabel or me and Soos! You're talking about the town. They've done nothing to-"
"Ma'am, you are the mediator, and the mediator is a neutral factor," the Farie queen declared, her cold tone sharpened with conviction. "Now remain such, or be removed."
"Fine, but I call a, uh, recess!" Wendy spat back at her, "Fifteen minutes to-"
"We need no such command from you," the elf queen scoffed, "As it stands, I believe that we are beginning to root the real problem at hand! Human activity!"
"I said fifteen-minute recess!" Wendy shouted.
"I am the reigning, sovereign female authority figure Tysanae of the Fae wilds!" the woman declared, her hair whirling above her head like coiling snakes, "You have no authority over me, girl!"
"Calm yourself."
Her face went even paler than it had been previous. From behind the elf queen Tysanae, the black cloaked figure stepped out, his hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were wide and her fear evident as she dared not to turn to him. As before, his presence wiped away the atmosphere of confrontation. All were still and silent. Except for Wendy.
"Thanks, dude," she muttered, and then spoke to the table at large as the Guardsman lowered the elf queen to her seat, "Fifteen-minute break. Everybody just... just chill out for a bit."
With a groan, she leant back on her seat. Others relaxed while began to speak to their related monster companions; discussing quietly with one another, or nervously looking towards the Guardsman as he turned back and made his way to the mound. At least the shouting was done at the moment, and Wendy could fight the endless suffering inside her mind. Closing her eyes never helped, if anything, it made it worse.
"You have been blessed, Wendy, friend of Dipper," Multibear spoke as he nodded to the cloaked figure.
She eyed the cloaked person. "Yeah, he really helped there," she sighed, face in her palms. When she looked back up, her endless fatigue forced her to consider his aid. "Why only just now?"
"Pardon?" Multibear asked.
"Why did he only just help now?" she asked. "He's been here the entire time. He only jumped in when queen icicle over here stood up to me... but not when they were talking about the town," she pointed out. "Doesn't he care what the topic of the conversation is?"
"The duties of the Guardsman are, even with our own dire conversation at hand, far more important," Multibear muttered.
"Really? These guys were about to start a fight with Gravity Falls," Wendy said, "What else could be that more important than protecting the lives of innocent people?"
Multibear hummed, his deep voice soothing. "Truth be told, I do not know. I only heard of the stories of the Guardsman from the older species. My few encounters of the Fae have taught me of his respect in these woods. If you've lived in these woods, you know of him."
Wendy looked back to the tall figure standing on the hill. There was a mysticism about him, certainly. Dark, quiet, soft-spoken and entirely menacing all at the same time, Wendy could tell just from her first impressions that this was a man, a being, of immense power. Yet... what scared her, the more she thought about it, was her own instincts.
As a wraith, she could tell things. Her self-trained focus had her notice more and more things in the world around her. When Dipper had walked into the Mystery Manor after scanning the woods with Mabel for a Doppelganger, Wendy could tell something was wrong. It was his eyes- they didn't linger on her, nor did they shine like Dipper's had. Wendy remembered that shimmering rock the twins had brought. It wasn't just rainbow that leaked out from the black outline, but some form of raw, untapped energy.
Now, staring at the man further from her, she could sense... nothing.
No sign of breathing. No need to adjust and be comfortable. Not a twitch, or stretch, or rustle to provide a shake-up. He was a statue of shadow.
"What is he?" she asked quietly to herself. She looked to Multibear. "Is he... an elemental?" Wendy asked. Multibear shrugged. Waddles nudged her with his forehead.
"I think he's insisting you see for yourself," Soos pointed out. Wendy sighed.
"Thanks for the information, Soos," she said as she stood.
"No problem. I'm a walking encyclopedia of knowledge people already know," he confidently nodded.
Wendy passed around Soos and Multibear, moving around the fae quickly, who only dared to look to Wendy for a brief moment. Walking around them and the closest group of Manotaurs, she approached the entirely motionless Guardsman. Arms held at its side and face still hidden from sight, it made little to no notice of her approach.
"Hey," she started. The Guardsman said nothing. Wendy shifted, feeling rather self-aware. "I was wondering, uh, if you wanted to input anything here." The figure still said nothing. Yet after a moment, it turned its 'face' to her. Slowly, it started shaking it's head. Wendy, a tad exasperated, chuckled, "Well, dude, you're part of these woods, aren't you?" she pointed out. "You deserve an opinion."
"This meeting is between the races," he told her. Wendy flinched mildly. Something about that deep, calming voice seemed unnatural. "I take no part in their dilemmas."
"So, what, are you saying you're above them, or something?" she asked, agitated by his stance. There was a weird noise under the masking hood. The figure in the cloak had snorted. Wendy demanded, "What?"
It told her, "Entirely the opposite. But what I protected is."
Wendy groaned and stared at him. Her eyes caught the sides of his form, and then she was able to peer back, behind him. There, a large grove sat peacefully. Hidden in the grass, shimmering gems that seemed to pulse in a counter-clockwise line of light reflected in her eyes. Then, with a sudden shock, she spotted four hulking figures in the center of the grove. A massive being of stone, of wood, of ivy and vine, and mud, watched the cloaked figure carefully. The exact four golems who had accosted the Mystery Manor months ago, each of natural elements.
Wendy pointed past the Guardsman. "Do... do you know those four?" she asked. He nodded. "They attacked us," she told him, "Nearly tried killing us because he accidentally took a rock."
The Guardsman spoke quickly. "Their task is mine. By my order they will forever protect the heart of the forest."
Wendy couldn't see into the hood of the man, but something in her mind told her that he was watching her now. The sense of being pierced by light, or energy, was vibrant, and uncomfortable. She spun away and started back to her seat.
He had revealed something, though. If her mind was putting two and two together correctly, Dipper and Mabel had accidentally acquired, for a brief moment, the heart of the forest. That dangerous stone, whatever it meant or did, was such an important part of the forest that golems would be willing to destroy to reclaim it, and that an intimidating creature like the Guardsman would defend it.
She wanted nothing to do with it. Power like that only made people turn into Warlocks and other jerk-wads.
With a heavy sigh, she sat down next to Soos. "He's not going to help us," she told him. Waddles snorted and laid down. "Right?" Wendy asked him, shaking her head. "Guess he thinks his job is too important to have a say in this."
"Dude, Wendy," Soos leaned over to her, "Not to freak you out or anything, but some of these guys started actually talking to each other."
"Huh?"
"Look-" Soos pointed across the table. Wendy spotted them- the gnomes and goblins speaking quietly to one another. "They just started doing things like that."
Wendy glanced around as well. It wasn't just Gnomes and goblins. Manotaurs were speaking with the vampires, the Werewolves were leaning down to the Lilliputians; everyone seemed to be quietly conversing. Wendy focused, as she usually did. They seemed to be... swapping notes. Watching the groups sparsely, she spotted a few then point to Soos.
A thick, dark feeling spread into her gut. Whatever they were talking about, it wasn't something she thought was good for her or her friends.
"C'mon guys," Wendy whispered, gripping the end of her section of the table with her fingers, "Hurry up and solve this mystery before they agree on something we're not going to like."
The truck came to a screeching halt as a massive man with a large, furry head ran straight at him, and leapt over the vehicle. Stunned and confused, the driver then watched as four teenagers chased after the tall figure. That man decided he was going to stay in his car, wait for them to pass, and continue driving away. Asking questions only got you in trouble these days.
Mabel was on him. A streak of color, soaring like a predatory homing missile of bright colors, she led the chase. Grinning beside herself, she prepared to aid Dipper in executing the plan. Their werewolf target wouldn't be getting anywhere far.
That being said, he was faster than them. Still on all fours and dodging between traffic like it was nothing, Fulbrow continuously glanced behind him, his beady, dark eyes glaring at their progress.
"We'll have backup soon!" Dipper called to Mabel, a few feet behind her.
"Goodie!" she nodded and continued running, jumping over a cluster of trashcans like it was nothing. Dipper followed her in leaping, but was less graceful. Candy ran around, and Grenda blasted her way through the trashcans, exploding the debris around in a flurry of paper and rotting food.
"We need to slow him down!" Dipper explained.
The sister nodded, and quickly scanned the road they were on. One of the few main streets of downtown Gravity Falls, it was still crowded with pedestrians, but most of the crowds still lingered at the edge of town, by the blown-up Bargains Depot. Her eyes drifted to the rooftops next to her. Upcoming and to the left, there was a ledge in an alley- something she could climb.
"Keep chasing him!" she shouted. Mabel then leapt over to the ledge, and pulled herself up. With a worried grunt, Dipper did as she told. He and the two friends continued after Fulbrow.
She was almost to the roof now. Once her foot found solid leverage, she leapt across the alley she had entered, leapt to the other side, and jumped onto the roof. "Nothing like a little parkour!" she laughed as she ran on the flat roof. The next roof across an alley was shorter, and so she easily jumped it, the air around her flowing past her bangs and hair.
There he was, below her and far ahead. Dipper and her friends were now just ahead of her too, but she had an advantage. Mabel distinctively remembered the urge, as her werewolf self, to climb and gain height advantage. Fulbrow had been leaping over cars and atop of trucks- something she thought he would do. Now, all she had to do was wait for him to pick his favorite shop to climb on top of.
He finally did. However, against Mabel's wishes, it was across the street. She growled as she leapt across a second alley, barely making it to the taller, corner shop at the end of the road.
From her position, she watched Fulbrow leap a good fifteen feet up and claw his way into the brick. There was no direct way to get to him from her position. The street divided her target from her and her friends and brother. Yet she would not be stopped. Shivers ran through her spin as she began to realize what she wanted to do: what she was going to do.
With a sparse amount of momentum left from her run, she put all her energy into a mad sprint. Then, leaving a shadow over Dipper and her friends, she jumped to the power pole.
"MABEL!" Dipper yelled. She landed one foot on the center of the wooden pole. Before it could shake or twist to the force of the landing, she jumped again.
"Grappling hook!" she roared, pulling out her beloved weapon and utility device. It shot out, and with the connection it made to a taller power-line, she swung over.
This time, she landed on the street light, and ran down the metal arm that extended out. From there she leapt again, shooting again with her grappling hook. She swung to the street light across the street. Dipper was in total awe, as he and their friends had stopped in place.
"She's a ninja!" Grenda gasped as the three ran again.
True to the compliment, Mabel leapt again, swinging from her device. This jump aimed for the parallel power-pole. Her footing, as much as she wished, was not as cool as her first jump. Her foot only barely caught the edge of the platform, and she felt herself slip. Below her, Fulbrow had only just noticed her; halfway up the fifty foot climb. She could spin and hold onto the pole, risking swinging or swaying into the transformers below...
Or she could dive straight for him.
With a triumphant bellow, she pushed down, spring-boarding towards Fulbrow like a cannonball. He had little time to react. Mabel grabbed onto his neck before he could dodge. His claws dug deep into the side of the building, fastening him into place.
"Oh, no, buster," she growled, "Elevator – going down!" she told him as she took her feet, wrapped herself around his chest, and pushed off the building.
His claws were not strong enough, nor his grip secure enough, to hold off against Mabel's force. She shoved him out and down.
"I have you!"
Mabel leapt off the werewolf just as a new voice called into the fray. Mabel's sense of direction was perfect- she jumped straight for Yuki. Arms out, he caught her, and quickly lowered her to the ground. "Are you injured?" he quickly asked.
"Aww, may savior," Mabel fluttered her eyelashes at the alien, who returned a warm smile.
Next to them, Fulbrow slammed into the sidewalk. Snarling, he rolled to one side and pushed himself up. Dipper was first into the combat.
"This is for slashing my sister!" he shouted as he leapt up and, with a spin, delivered a kick to the werewolf's chest. Fulbrow stumbled. He slashed back at Dipper, gnashing with his foaming teeth. Dipper ducked, and then spun from a second attempted claw.
"Get him!" Mabel roared as she charged at the werewolf. Yuki stood back, uncertain how to engage.
As Dipper ducked and swerved from the fight, Mabel came at Fulbrow from behind. Two jabs in his back and a kick to his legs easily forced Fulbrow onto one leg with an outcry of pain. Dipper took advantage. Lifting his foot high, he again kicked out, this time snapped the top of his foot across Fulbrow's face.
Grenda bellowed her greatest war-cry yet. Holding a trashcan over her head, she ran past the twins, and slammed down the trashcan over his head. It went all the way down to his arms, pinning them to his side. She wasn't done. As the twins watched with shock, she struck him again and again. She had taken the tin lid, bent it to resemble a bat, and she began to smash the tin trash can relentlessly, producing enough ear-splitting noise to terrifying birds half a mile away into flight.
Claws extended out past the frail, flimsy metal. Piercing and cutting it away, Fulbrow snarled as he grasped Grenda's bat. Eyes wide with more fury that a sane mind could hold, he roared into her face, peppering her with saliva. Despite the terror of a werewolf in her face, she yelled back, and then head butted him.
Before Fulbrow could recover, Dipper grasped his arm, shoved it aside, and kicked at him again. As the hunter stumbled away, hands trying to hold onto his head, Mabel took her own swing at him. The grappling hook shot up, and she used it as a swing. Mabel leapt up, and drop-kicked the werewolf. He then stumbled forward with a howl of pain, grabbing at his back. Fulbrow ran into the close power pole. As he turned to fight, Candy awaited.
Her small smile conveyed a moment of terror to Fulbrow. He gulped just as she raised a hand, and pressed a button on a spray-can.
A fine mist sprayed into the wolf's eyes. His eyes welled up as surely fire itself crept into his face and eyeballs. Fulbrow shrieked with agony. He collapsed to the ground, clawing at the pavement. With the werewolf's nose blistering with pain and no longer able to detect senses other than heat, Candy stepped back.
She dusted her hands, pocketing her can of self-made mace. "That should end that," she said as she turned away from the werewolf.
Then a shadow crept over her.
"Candy, lookout!" Mabel ran forward.
Fulbrow stood at his tallest, nearly seven feet tall. Mouth foaming as rivers of tears flowed down his eyes, he howled. The entire town must have paused to hear his ear-splitting outcry, as the entire group clasped their own ears with their hands. Brushing against his back, Fulbrow noticed his advantage, and turned. No more fleeing- he growled as he swiped at one end of the power-line with his claws, and severed it nearly all the way through. With momentous strength, he then grasped it with both hands, and lifted it up.
"Die!" he roared.
The rush of wind caught Dipper and Mabel, only just recovering off-guard. A power-pole swung down, and they screamed. No time to react.
The gust of wind had not been from the power-pole, however. A fifth figure stood amongst them, and with ease, caught the power-pole. Yuki, his arms outreached to their fullest, caught the make-shift weapon. His hat barely stayed onto his head, as it seemed the gust of wind came from his dash into the group.
Yuki grunted, and threw off the swing. The broken power-line crashed to the ground aside them.
Fulbrow gasped, staring at the Alien. "What-what are you!?" he demanded.
Yuki proudly stood to his tallest. "I am Xabvri! You will not harm my friends!" Yuki shouted. Fulbrow was so stunned that he barely recognized Yuki approach him. Uki-Dohth drew back his hand, and punched the werewolf across the face. The sound of the impact was a loud 'crack', easily mistaken for a cannon blast. Fulbrow was lifted off his feet and throw across the street, striking a parked car with enough force to cave in one side. Fulbrow was stunned, falling from the punch, and crawling to the pavement.
"Dang, Yuki," Grenda patted his shoulder as she shook herself off, "You gotta let me train with you."
"I do not train. My muscle density was severely multiplied when I adapted to Earth's atmosphere," Yuki told her.
"Still, that punch," Dipper stepped up to them with Candy and Mabel, "You could have killed him."
Yuki looked to Dipper, his eyes determined. "He would have killed you. My kind do not adhere to violence. But... with this primordial world, I believe I will make an amendment to our most sacred law. Life is sacred," he told them, "Harm none, but destroyers."
"That sounds about right," Mabel shrugged, "I would re-consider it 'harm none but jerks', but considering how hard you punch- Hey!" Mabel gasped. Fulbrow, actually whimpering with his tail between his legs, had started running again. "Not this again!" Mabel groaned.
"I will catch him," Yuki darkly said, preparing a sprinter-stance. Screeching tire startled him and his friends. Dipper and Mabel quickly turned, and found Zander's bike coming to a halt right behind them.
But Zander did not step off.
"Out of the way, dorks," Pacifica said, removing from her shoulder a large hunting rifle. "Hey, cutie," she added, kissing Yuki quickly on the cheek.
"Pacifica?" Dipper asked, and looked to Yuki, "Didn't we ask for Zander?"
Yuki shrugged. "Uh-"
"Zander wasn't answering his phone," Pacifica told them as she loaded the weapon quickly. "But I got his keys, since I stayed at his place."
Mabel looked so desperately jealous. "Awww, you have his keys?" Mabel asked, as she and her friends all emitted wishful groans.
Pacifica rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm the backup. I take it big and furry is our target?" she said, lowering the weapon and aiming it ahead. "Alright dad, let's see how good a shot this gun of yours is."
Dipper gasped. "Wait, you're going to shoot him?" he demanded. Pacifica glanced to him and shrugged, and activated a laser-pointer atop the barrel. Dipper called out, "We need him to talk!"
"That's going to be a little harder for him, after this," Pacifica said, and before Dipper could reach over, she pulled the trigger. The gun roared loudly in the air, and the five gasped as, nearly a quarter of a mile away, the werewolf stumbled and then fell to the ground, motionless.
"Okay guys, break is up," Wendy called around, clearing her throat. The various creatures settled back to their favored spots along the forest conference table. Wendy looked around, carefully scanning them all. "So, let's get right to it," she declared, "You all wanted a solution to this problem you're all having, right?" There were a few stiff nods given in response. "Well, for now on, you want something said, it's said to me, and me only. No more of this grudge crud."
"Agreed," Twinkle-Moon nodded.
"Fine," Jeff rolled his eyes.
"Yes, sure," the werewolf leader said, still staring off into the distance. There had been a loud howl earlier, and since then, his gaze had not shaken since.
"So, uh," Wendy leaned in, worried how to address her concerns, "I heard you all talking about something during the break. Care to share?"
"Yes," Gib cleared his throat and leaned to her, "We were, uh, coming to examine our situation from a shared point of view."
"Okay, that's not bad," Wendy shrugged and grinned. "Anything in particular?"
"Well, with a little bit of, uh, pointers," Gib continued, glancing to the vampires and faeries, "I think I can speak for the whole gathered that we can identify a single, shared source of concern."
Chutzpar grumbled, "Yeah, dang twerps," and his friends chuckled.
Soos frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Listen, almost-manly-man," Chutzpar pointed to Soos, who nodded at the semi-compliment, "You've never had to deal with those twins as your enemy."
"Well, not exactly enemy," Soos prodded the tips of his index fingers together, "More like had to act as an obstacle for them once or twice."
"What's the point dude?" Wendy directed the question back to the manotuars, "As far as I can tell, you've done something to deserve whatever you got."
"Strange," Vistile the vampire said with a greasy voice, "It would seem then that all here have, at one point or another, had to deal with the twins in a negative setting."
"Not us!" Gib declared, "We've only met them a few times, and they are outstanding friends."
"But, and more to the point," Twinkle-Moon said to Wendy, who had glared at Gib for not addressing her, "We've all had negative experiences with humans."
"I don't follow," Wendy said quickly. It was a lie, but she had to delay them, stall them, from their outcome.
"Well, let us examine our individual cases," Twinkle-Moon suggested, "Jeff the gnome?" the faerie lawyer pointed.
"We're having fewer mushroom lands for us to make homes in," Jeff grumbled, "Darn hippy humans keep stealing them to make salads!"
"Well, that's something fix-able-" Wendy started.
"Gib the goblin?" Twinkle-Moon continued.
"We have no qualms with the twins, I've stated that," Gib said.
"Indeed, not the twins, but as history would indicate, you were commanded by a human once," Twinkle-Moon pointed out, "Ruled over you, and your people tyrannically. Do you deny this?" he asked. Gib glanced to Wendy, and then to Soos.
"No. But I will state that it was the acts of another human, Soos," Gib smiled to Soos, "That freed us from that state."
"Daggard?" Twinkle-Moon asked to the white-furred werewolf.
The werewolf snarled. "Hunting grounds are being pushed around, and the twins made sure we can't go into town anymore, or else they'd plant wolfsbane everywhere," Daggard the werewolf-leader grumbled.
Wendy began to argue, "Well, if you're hunting people, of course they're going to want to-"
Chutzpar shouted, "The twins are dorks!"
Wendy stared at him. "That's your... reason?"
"Yeah! And they're small! And squishy!" Chutzpar added with a few laughs.
Multibear growled. "This coming from the unsophisticated masses of meat and no intellect. Their opinions should not be taken to account."
"Shut up, dweeb!" Chutzpar snarled back. "BABBA listener! Lollipop sucker! Book reader!"
"Sit down!" Wendy shouted, pointing at Chutzpar, who grumbled, sat, and pouted.
Twinkle-Moon called aloud, "Should I continue making my point?" to Wendy. She whipped her head to him. The faerie lawyer continued, "The Lilliputtians and vampires also have their discrepancies with humans, as well as we."
"Fine, so," Weny put her hands on the table, looking around, "So there's a little bit of, uh, miscommunication going on between humans and other species. So what? That's an easy fix! Just invite them here," she suggested, "They'll listen."
"Really?" Jeff asked her, "Last time a human saw me, they turned around, screaming, and the last time I waited for someone to come back to talk to me, they ran at me with a sledgehammer."
Wendy rubbed her temple, "Some humans are more aggressive than others, but that's just like-"
"The fact is," Vistile the vampire said, "That humans are a prime contributor to our problems."
Bob the Fairy Lawyer added, "They take up nearly fifteen percent of all the land space around here."
"So!?" Wendy said, "That's not much!"
"It would be enough for certain species to re-claim their needed space and avoid one another," Twinkle-Moon added.
"No!" Wendy called, shaking her head, "You're just blaming the problems you all have on something else, instead of trying to fix your problems!"
"So?" Franz called out.
"So? So!?" Wendy gasped, "That means if you do something to what you blame at the moment, the same problem will probably come back in the future! I mean, how did the first one of these meetings start up!?" she demanded.
The fairy lawyer sighed and pulled out a worn, glowing sheet of parchment. "The first recorded inter-special council meeting was conducted four hundred and eighty-nine years ago, under the guidance of the Guardian," Twinkle-Moon nodded his head to the still stationary figure, "To promote," he paused, his lips curling. Whatever he read displeased him. He said aloud. "Healthy relations between the races – well, look," Twinkle-Moon flustered as he stuffed away the notes, "The humans living in the region at the time made certain to not destroy our own homes! There was little to no need for such actions. There is such need now!"
Wendy slapped her hands onto the table, shaking her head. "No way. Even if I did believe that, what would you do to the people here today? Huh? Go to war with them or something stupid?!"
The various leaders fidgeted. "Uhh..."
"Ehh..."
"Well..."
Wendy stared at them. Her lungs never needed fresh air, and yet she took stunned breath. "You're kidding me. You're actually thinking about that."
"Not war, per say," Jeff wove his hand through the air timidly, "More like forced re-location."
"You can't!" Wendy slammed her fists onto the table. "Don't you know what you'd be starting!?"
"War isn't pretty," Jeff shrugged, "But we've got magic. Humans sure have some neat tricks, but their standard stuff doesn't really hurt us, now does it?" he asked.
"You can't!" Wendy screamed. She wouldn't dare let this end with these races marching into town. The people in Gravity Falls, her family included, may be scared, but they wouldn't give up their homes without a fight. That alone, she was sure, would be enough to spark something worse than just relocating a population. Blood would be shed.
"And why can't we?" Franz demanded. "We're already in the town, as far as living conditions are concerned."
Wendy wrung her brain as tightly as she could, desperate to squeeze something out. She needed something, anything to convince these idiots that fighting Gravity Falls wasn't eh answer. Nothing came, but she wouldn't just give in. She had to, at least, talk out her butt. "Well, b-because-"
"Because we have proof that your problems aren't coming from the town!"
Wendy whipped around. On the hill behind her that would lead to the Mystery Manor and back to town, a cluster of teens stood. It was the twins. Wendy was stunned to see Candy and Grenda present, as well as Yuki, and Pacifica Northwest! Yuki held, over his shoulder, a large werewolf. Wendy stood up quickly. The gathered leaders murmured aloud. Wendy saw the twins, and looked to the speaker. "Dipper," she beamed, "Nice timing," she said.
Strolling closer with quite the posse, Dipper told her, "Had to make sure we bagged the prize." He then nodded to Yuki. The alien walked forward, and with a brisk toss of his arms, he hurled a limp werewolf onto the table.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Daggard the werewolf snarled, "You've injured one of... wait. He is not one of mine," the werewolf sniffed the barely conscious figure.
"This is Fulbrow," Mabel said as she, Dipper, Grenda, Candy, and Pacifica marched to Yuki. "He's a crazy hunter turned werewolf. And he's been working with this Warlock we told you about." Fulbrow groaned with a loose jaw, his eyes unfocused and his body unable to move on it's accord. Mabel wove her hands to the gathered council, "He's yours to interrogate. Just, uh, watch out – he's kind of drugged up on wolfsbane."
"Courtesy of Zander Maximillion, and myself," Pacifica grinned. She nudged Dipper. "Told you it was okay."
"Maybe telling us it was a tranquilizer instead of a solid slug would have been better," Dipper mumbled back to her as he stared at the Guardsman. He was looking right at them.
"No time to talk, just enough to shoot once," Pacifica shrugged. She then noticed the cloaked figure. "Ugh. Creeper."
"Just don't look at him too long," Dipper told her, and approached Soos, who was grinning at them.
"Nice one, dudes," Soos high-fived Mabel and Dipper.
"Not without our bit of help," Mabel wrapped her arms around Grenda's and Candy's shoulders. Yuki grinned and glanced to Pacifica, who smiled back.
At the table, Twinkle Moon clapped the rocks, distilling the ambient buzz of chatter. "We will take this from here," Twinkle-Moon said. With a wave of his hand, several gold glowing strings appeared and wrapped themselves around the limbs of the werewolf. "Speak in truth, werewolf," he ordered. A flash of light behind Fulbrow's eyes and his struggle against the stings faded. "Who are you?"
"Jackson Fulbrow."
"Do you follow Daggard here? And his pack?" Twinkle-Moon demanded as the circle leaned in, listening. Jackson Fulbrow shook his head. "Who do you work for?"
"Graupner Kinley."
"This self-proclaimed Warlock?" Twinkle-Moon asked. The werewolf nodded.
Wendy sighed. "See? We weren't kidding here," she told them.
"Indeed," Twinkle-Moon looked back to the werewolf, "What is your purpose here?"
"To act as an agent. I am given orders by the Warlock. He wants to cause people and things to leave the area," Fulbrow said coldly. The table was silent. Wendy felt the deep satisfaction of triumph, but had to listen further. "I am to be a soldier for the warlock. One day, he and his allies will cure me."
"Allies!?" Dipper gasped.
Mabel, her tone deflated, added, "There's... more than one person helping him?"
"Many," the werewolf grinned, "Many help him. He will get what he wants. He's willing to put everything on the line for his goal."
"Are you the one who kidnapped the gnomes?" Twinkle-Moon ignored his last comment.
"Yes."
"And stealing property from the Manotaurs?"
"Yes."
"And what of the Lilliputtians?"
"Moved them."
Twinkle-Moon scowled.
Fulbrow leered. "None of it matters. You, all of you," he warned them, "Have nothing on the Warlock. He'll bring fire upon your lands, he'll curse you, bring you to ruin-
The queen's hand waved up. Fulbrow the werewolf was thrown, string still tied around him, to the edge of the table of the werewolves.
"He is yours to deal with," Tysanea the Fairy Queen said.
"Yes," Daggard growled, staring down at the smaller werewolf, helpless. "He will not long for this world, soon. This trouble he has caused-"
If the chill a winter wind could cause was made into a voice, it was the voice that rang out over the crowd. "Remove him. Now."
The guardsman had again spoke. Daggard swallowed loudly: the Guardsman now pointed to Fulbrow. As Daggard nodded and lifted Fulbrow, walking him away. The Guardsman turned and addressed the table.
"Conclude this meeting."
"O-of course!" Twinkle-Moon stammered, his already high-pitched voice shaking in fear. "All those in favor of forming a 'neutrality pact' towards one another, which prohibits all combat with one another without another meeting, say aye." Many ayes called into the air. "All apposed, say nay." No nays spoke into the air. "Ah, and for those in favor with an 'omission to violence' policy towards regarding humans innocent to the actions of the man and the prohibition of violet actions towards them without specific, detailed evidence to suggest they intended to, such as Graupner Kinley, say aye." Louder than before, the ayes had it. "Nays?" None spoke up.
"Then by the powers you all just kinda gave to me," Wendy shrugged, "This meeting is done. Go home, or whatever."
Hurriedly, worriedly, and still uncertain, the bands of creatures began to wander off into the forest. The cloaked figure, unmoving the entire time, continued to watch.
"A neutrality pact and an omission to violence," Yuki repeated as he spoke to Multibear, "Without really clarifying those policies, these races may attempt to violate laws."
"They stood witness by him," Multibear nodded to the still visible Guardsman. "Under his watch, no law will be broken."
Yuki took note, "An impressive authority figure. Strange that my people could not detect him."
"C'mon," Pacifica quietly asked of him, grabbing his arm, "Let's go. He creeps me out."
"Yes, we may leave," Yuki nodded. "Would you accompany us?" Yuki asked to Grenda and Candy. Pacifica looked discouraged that he asked, but said nothing.
"Sure," they nodded happily and followed suit.
"You two," Multibear said to the twins as their friends started up the hill without them, "Have prevented much catastrophe this day."
Mabel grinned at their mutated bear-pal. "Ah, well, you know how it is – stopping wars and catching bad-guys is our motto!"
"After solving mysteries," Dipper corrected her. "And we've still got a few to solve. Just because we caught Fulbrow finally doesn't mean that this is over."
"Indeed," Multibear nodded to them, "The charm used by the fae would not let the werewolf lie. He truly believes we are doomed."
The twins glanced to each other. Yet, after a pause to let this information settle in their brains, they smiled. Mabel rubbed Multibears snout, saying, "Yeah, we've dealt with creeps who've thought that before."
"I hope for your sake," Multibear smiled, "That you will remain as cautious and strong as you always have. And you," he turned to Wendy, still at the table, "You did well this day."
Wendy crossed her arms, unsure she wanted the compliment. "Eh," she said, "Could be worse. Guess having younger brothers taught me how to break up fights or something," Wendy shrugged.
Dipper chuckled. "Told you you'd be good at this," he reminded her.
Multibear nodded, his great tufts of fur swaying in a brief breeze that swept through the forest. "Good luck on your future endeavors, my friends."
The twins watched as Multibear left the grove. It was now just them and the silent figure. He watched them at his distance, unmoving and, as always, silent.
Dipper patted his sister's arm. "Let's go. Grunkle Stan will start really freakin' out if we take too long."
"One second," Mabel told him. With a big, wide grin, she strolled around the table. Without a fear in the world, she walked up to him: the Guardsman. She held out something to him, a complete set of crayons and coloring book. "Here," she said, "Grabbed it from the Mystery Manor before we came here."
The cloaked man reached out and took from her. He examined the colors, rubbing a black-gloved hand over the crayon case. He flipped open the pages, seeing a book filled with small, baby animals. The veiled face tilted back up. He nodded to her.
"Thank you."
"No problem, dark and brooding!" she grinned and ran back to Dipper. She returned, happy and warm as a summers sun. "Ready to go?" she asked her brother.
"Oink!" Waddles declared, rubbing her leg.
"Aww, and I bet you did great as a mediator too," Mabel grinned. She glanced back up to her brother, who was looking back to the man in black. "Shall we?" she asked.
"I guess," Dipper half-agreed, "I mean, you don't think we could try weaseling out some story from him, do you?" Dipper asked Mabel. She shook her head. Dipper let out a sigh, "I thought so. Well, let's go – still got to catch up with the others."
A grin shared between them, the twins bumped fists, and left the grove to the tall, cloaked figure.
Another job well done.
Once the twins had been gone, along with their friends, the figure on the hill spun about, walking towards the grove. The golems were awaiting his returned. They then were stunned. They all watched as the cloaked figure sat down suddenly. He pulled open the crayons, and began to eagerly color in the book.
Hold on, I know EXACTLY what you're thinking. "The HECK!? EZB- explain this! It's Saturday! You only update on Sundays!"
And I say, Indeed! But, alas, stuff has come up. I've been swept away this weekend by a new tidal wave of work that I'm terrified to be doing. So, to make sure I upload this EVER (and I do mean ever) I'm posting it now. Enjoy the early release while they happen! :)
But onto the chapter- BOOM! There you go! Monsters, Politics, evil plots, sinister watchers! All under one chapter! Didja like? Before people ask, Vistile and Daggard are both OC's. Very minor, and they won't be showing up much in this story. They're here to represent the monsters who also linger in the woods, and that's about it. My little backstory is that both parties, at one point or another, tried expanding their territory into the town (the vampires with a club, and the werewolves by attack meat-shops) and the twins, in both cases, stopped them three years ago.
And... the Guardsman is finally revealed. I know we briefly met him last time, but for you attentive readers, you'll note that this isn't the first time we've heard mention of him. :O
*cough, cough* Also-are-you-putting-together-the-dots-from-A-Summerween-Carol-and-how-the-future-almost-went-bad? *cough, cough*
Next episode is called 'Draconic Tendencies'. Some of you will be more than excited for it, especially if you can guess what kind of beastie will take focus... ;)
(A massive plume of flame streaks over EZB and his room, and he is set ablaze as something massive flies above, roaring.)
AHH! GOD NO! AAHHH! (EZB dives out of the window, trying to put himself out. Unfortunately his home, it would seem, is next to the grand canyon. When did that happen? Talk about prime real-estate though.)
In a mine that spanned a mile under the surface of earth, a gaggle of suited men walked past workers from town. Vigilantly digging away at sections of rock to smooth out the surfaces, the laborers paid little mind to the well-dressed and muscular men. Walking through a tunnel, they found themselves overlooking a drop.
An antechamber had been dug out from the solid rock, and made into a make-shift study. A small desk was made from cheap wood. Yet it whistled gently; a huge drop less than fifty feet to the right of the desk showed a massively wide hole. It was easily a hundred feet across. The hole had sturdy, spiraling stairs that lead around the edges.
Sitting at the desk, his eyes closed, was Graupner Kinley. The two men in suits approached him.
"Kid," one stated, his voice gruff.
Graupner opened his eyes and glared up at them. He glared at them, as he seemed to do with anyone who spoke to him without his permission. "What do you want?" he asked. "I told you not to interfere with my studies."
They eyed the desk. There was a strange looking book before him. The book displayed a heavily stained page of scribblings and ancient artistry. One particular artistry seemed to be of an encircled skull, with eight arrows pointing away in cardinal directions. Some creepy looking ritual lay out, with more recent notes like 'Phylactery', and 'binding to life' written on sticking notes nearby.
Eager to ignore such literature, the man who spoke to the Warlock stated, "Boss was on the line. He wanted an update," the other said.
This stirred Graupner, as he looked to the desk. He clapped the book shut, and under it a map lay spread out. He studied it, and then looked back to the men. "I will tell him when I have something significant," Graupner snarled.
"Yeah? Well do it soon, because we're getting pretty tired of him breathing down our backs as well," the other grumbled.
Graupner's wrath was quick, and his fury instant. "Do not presume you have any authority to tell me what to do!" he roared. Both men, easily a foot taller than him and twice as wide, stepped back. Graupner began to breath slower, massaging his neck. His heaving chest slowed as he calmed down. He told them with a venom that could kill, "You're just company grunts. Hired fodder. I am infinitely more special than you. If boss thought that by killing you, he could keep me alive; would he?"
The other men looked to one another. Their shock played like a holiday light in the Warlock's eyes.
He told them firmly, "I know he'd do it. And you know what? I would too," Graupner told them, not breaking eye contact for a second. He let out a pained moan, scratching at his collarbone. The men stared back. They regarded him with pure hatred. Their wrath was only kept in check by their greater fear. Graupner Kinley leaned into his chair, relaxing. He told them, "Go tell him I've found a new possible resource to use. That'll keep him happy."
With a stiff nod, the two men rushed out, their footsteps echoing down the hall. Graupner snorted and shook his head. "Idiots. Think they can boss me around."
Then, he closed his eyes again. His lips moved silently, uttering words and sentences without speaking them. Then, he snapped his fingers. Wisps of blue light began to shimmer from the air, expanding like dust and taking shape. He had created some strange holographic memory-image. When Graupner Kinley, the Warlock, opened his eyes, he could see a still image of the Uki-Dohth. He was mid-air, about to punch Fulbrow. Behind him was the twins and their friends.
The Warlock held the image like some sort of trophy. He examined it, twisting his wrist about to allow the angles to change. "Yuki. Xabvri... so I know what you are, finally," Graupner grinned as he looked closely at the alien. "Friends of the twins? Hmph. We'll see."
He waved his hand to one side. The image dissolved, and began to re-form. The Warlock muttered, "Things can always change. You need a companion who actually appreciates your intellect. You'd be more useful alive than dead, that's for sure," he said as the image changed. Now, the magical hologram of Folbrow tied to the table by the fairies was presented, all the various species leaning in to see him. "And there you are again," Graupner pointed to Yuki, standing nearby the twins. Graupner chuckled, "I have to admit, this spell is much cooler than I thought it'd be. Memory recorders? This book is filled with surprises," he said, patting the cover to an ancient tome before him.
He grasped the image, holding it by his hand, and spun it. That wasn't what he wanted to find. "I know I heard you mentioned before he was taken," Graupner quietly mumbled. Then he gasped. "There you are."
He stared at the blue image of a cloaked man, standing alone by the trees.
Graupner Kinley leaned back, his eyes wide. "So, the Guardian is alive and is in Gravity Falls. I guess he was right," Graupner sneered. "You're here. You wouldn't be unless… Which means..." Graupner waved his hand, and the image dissolved fully.
The Warlock looked down to the old, very old, map. Outlines of rivers and hills and valleys were all marked, but not roads or buildings, streets or highways were present. Then he pulled next to the map one of modern-day Gravity Falls. The geography was almost identical. There were markings all over the map, little red x's.
The Warlock's eyes shone as he held a nasty smile across his lips. "We've almost found it."
Slqb Tbkav clo Doxsfqv Cxiip Jxvlo 2015! Xka Txaaibp clo Sfzb-Jxvlo!
-AND-
(Vigenere)
Cbee bgg srglcy igd tuk berul, ut fnulc wzqn uoxe. Nkwz yba qaegwd af lir nddws fgee, zw ktayr jrvvape. Auq wrwuteq hs a crfs-gbty pirlqcgul, ik'v kmfrzs adlke: fnrme gugyifkm bilfs hbvys kr s ialcuru psz oa zbe suazk bl ubpvk.
-AND-
Sv olevw gsv xlolirmt yllp.