"Chill! C'mon dude!"
Swoosh.
Soos ducked and then popped back up. "Seriously, I'm totally not trying to fight even. Look," he lifted his hands into the air, "See? No fighty."
Swoosh. The sword from the roman officer barely missed the top of Soos's head as he, again, ducked directly down and under stepped the attack.
Exasperated, he turned to his back, where Mabel was. "No joking around with these guys, am I right?" he asked her.
Mabel, who was currently mid-grapple with a much larger man in armor grunted. She tossed him up, jumped and then kicked out. It was enough to lift him up into the air and toss him back, where he and his decorated armor clattered to the ground. Mabel spun around, worn, but not backing down.
"You totally are!" she called back, and spun back to face three soldiers who charged. Their mistake; she swung her foot around, tripping one into the other two.
"You'd think-" Soos ducked and popped back up, avoiding another attack, "After seven dodges with no-" he again dodged, "Retaliation, they'd get-" he ducked, "the idea." Soos turned finally back, looking at his attacker with a sad stare. "I mean dude, I don't even have a sword or stuff. But if we gotta," he then took a step out, and assumed his best boxing position.
"Heretics and barbarians will be rooted out," the soldier in front of Soos proclaimed, "And the glory of the Roman Legion will-"
Soos jabbed during his tirade. With a tooth-breaking crunch, the face of the legionnaire was pushed back and into the head. Soos pulled back his meaty hand, a defiant glimmer in his eye. The face of his opponent was horribly vacant. A toothy, broken smile was now on his face, and his eyes rolled back up into its sockets as he fell backwards into a loud clatter and crash.
"Ow," Soos held his hand, "Like, I know you can punch people," Soos claimed to Mabel, unaware of the sudden fear driven into the surrounding men by his performance, "But how the heck do you deal with the 'ouch' factor, dude?"
"The defeat of them is soo much better than my own pain!" Mabel quoted, flipping up and kicking someone only to land and deliver three quick punches across a man's upper body and head. "But for real," Mabel then turned, wincing as she held out her hands, "They suuuuuuck. Punching faces is the WORST. Well, except for, maybe shoulders?"
"It all hurts man! Why can't everyone be nice and fat like me? Fat doesn't hurt when you punch it," Soos claimed.
"Preach it, brotha," Mabel declared, and the two took posture again.
Only then did they realize that the whole of soldiers around them had taken to a shield wall surrounding them, with spears directed right at their throats.
"Oops," Mabel gulped, her hands slowly raising above her head. She then hissed at knocked her head to the side, "Battlefield awareness, one oh one. Arline would kill me."
"Nah, more like scold you and then do more crazy martial arts with you," Soos chuckled, "but yeah, this isn't good." He too raised his arms above his head, aware of the danger.
"Surrender!" a voice rang out.
"One step ahead, dawg," Soos said.
"If you resist, we shall have you crucified," the voice cried out, approaching the circle from the outside of the army. Confident and in stride, a man came closer.
"Who could this be?" Soos dramatically called out as he and Mabel spun to face the on comer. Stepping out from the soldiers as four stepped aside, yet never lowered their spears from Soos and Mabel, a man approached. Clad in a single solid breastplate but with a draping of red and gold that went all the way from his shoulder to his knee. Short, thin brown hair and a strong brow faced them as the man eyed them. Soos gasped. "King Leonidas!"
"No," Mabel giggled, poking his arm, "that's Julius Caesar."
"Oh, I love salads," Soos exclaimed.
The man before the two, motioned for men on the other side of the circle. The battle still raging on in the distance, Mabel and Soos felt rope slowly being dragged across their wrists. "Your knowledge has not betrayed you. I am General Julius Caesar, of the Roman Republic. You two are now my captives. Once this battle is concluded, I will have my men instruct you to retain their armor and weapons; is that understood?"
"Uh, not really, cus," Mabel began to explain, "We're sort of on our mission to save the world, so we can't stick around and polish armor."
Soos added, "Also, slavery is totally abolished here in America."
The men around them chuckled, shaking their heads. Julius shrugged.
"You speak strange things. Amusing, but clearly mad," he turned to the men in the circle. "We will take them to the neutral zone for guarding over! Should they resist or attempt to flee, you may slay them." With a push, Mabel and Soos stumbled forward as Julius Caesar turned and lead the way himself.
"Well, that was fun," Mabel sighed as she felt her feet carry her forward.
"Sorry Mabel," Soos looked to her as they slugged behind Caesar, crestfallen, "I totally distracted you from being awesome, and it got us caught."
"Don't worry about it Soos," Mabel decided said, "Knowing Dipper, he's on top of things, and is coming to save us now. Just you wait. He's on top of things."
"Wendy, help!" Dipper cried out, diving under a series of cuts and thrusts from no less than five ancient Chinese warriors.
The redhead had already stolen a spear thrown at her. With her newest jacket in tatters, she turned it to it's side and swung it like a bat. Five heads met the blunt end of the spear and fell aside, letting Dipper get to his feet.
"C'mon dude!" she pleaded with Dipper before turning to fend for her own. "Mabel was teaching you things, right? What's going on?" she said, blocking a large falchion sword from cutting into her side, and punching the attacker across the face.
"I'm trying something new!" Dipper called, out, stepping back with Wendy as he continued reading into the journal.
"What is it exactly you-" a spear cut into her sleeve jacket, drawing a blossom splash of red, "-OW!" she swung the end of her stolen spear out across the man's face, "I liked that jacket!" she yelled.
"I'm trying to," Dipper dodged and kicked in between the legs of his most recent attacker, who fell to the ground moaning in pain, "Trying to do something crazy!"
"Wait, what?" she finally gave him a quick, solid look. Her eyes widened as he scanned through pages. "The journals- Dipper?!" she gasped, and jumped past him, slamming a foot into a coming spearman, knocking him aside. "Don't tell me-"
"Magic?" Dipper finished for her, "Yeah."
"No way man," Wendy said, backing up to him again, "You don't need it."
"I can't keep up with you right now," Dipper explained, "At least not physically. I need something else to help out!"
"Dude, we both know how that always turns out!" Wendy shouted. Then she gasped. Turning around, yet another spearman had gotten to her. Her leg had a large gash in it. "Stop tearing my clothes!" she shouted, and without a notice to her injury (which was already closing up rapidly) she spun around and struck him his jaw. He was cast aside, the impact loud enough and strong enough to knock teeth from his mouth.
"Just trust me!" Dipper begged, now directly behind her. "Uhh," he finally found what he was looking for- and gasped. "Yes!"
"Dipper-" Wendy turned, her eyes pleading, "You know this is-"
"Dangerous, yeah!" Dipper nodded, "But I need to keep up with you!" he replied. The green orbs that were her eyes were lost in a confusing whirlwind of emotions, each contradicting one another. She was mad he wouldn't listen. Proud that he wouldn't leave her behind. Scared of what might happen.
Dipper added. "Please? Just don't tell Mabel."
Wendy groaned, and spun around. "Make it work, man," she said.
Clearing his throat, Dipper read aloud, feeling conviction in his as he read from the pages. "Aes Appareo, Telum Tutor, Circulus Cingo!" he shouted, praying that the spell he was reading was accurate. Thus far, the notes of Stanford Pines had yet to be inaccurate.
Two dots of white light shone underneath Dipper. He had done it! He laughed as the soared ahead, one directly behind him passing under Wendy who gasped in shock. Fifteen feet forward, it arced across the cracked, dry earth until it then turned, both moving counter-clockwise.
Men rushed over the newly-created lines, ready to attack Dipper and Wendy. As they did, their weapons slowly left their hands, floating above their heads. Gasps of shock and awe, some cases yells of fear, permeated the air. Spears, swords, daggers, arrows- all manners of weapons that befell in the thirty-foot diameter Dipper made slowly lifted into the air. Holding his hands above, he called out loud enough for anyone to hear.
"Defend myself and Wendy!" he shouted.
All the enchanted weapons then shot downwards, and began to beat away those still too stunned to react to Dipper. The weapons were... inefficient, beating at those in their way rather than cutting or stabbing, but the job was done either way. Dipper and Wendy were finally alone in a circle of foes, and between them a fence of magically animated ancient weapons.
"Okay," Wendy nodded, "Kind of cool."
"Now we just need to figure out something else to get out," Dipper said, and Wendy turned to look over his shoulder, "If we can find a single enchant or charm that we could use, maybe to convince others that we need to be let go..." His eyes fluttered. Something made him feel tired. He needed a nap very suddenly. Was it the heat?
"Dipper?" Wendy said, looking up and away. The sounds of marching had grown again.
Shaking his head with as much gusto as he could, Dipper re-focused his eyes. "Maybe instead if we tried molding the earth, that would work!" he suggested. His eyes were still not focusing. He slapped his face, and felt himself awaken. "There we go."
"Dipper," Wendy mumbled, now at his back again, "You might want to look up."
"One second," Dipper waved a hand through the air, "Turning us incorporeal for an hour isn't a bad idea either. Which page was that? Shoot-"
"Dipper!" Wendy shouted.
Perplexed she was shouting at him, Dipper looked up.
Before him was the entire front line of the Roman forces. They too had amounted a large shield wall, with various spears pointing out at he and Wendy. Gulping, he turned around, and groaned. The Chinese forces had done the same, their spears and arrows at the ready should a fight continue. In the middle was him and Wendy, alone with nearly three dozen floating, animated weapons.
"Okay, so we're in between two armies now," Dipper assessed quietly, "What could go wrong?"
"Prepare a volley!" a Chinese voice called out.
Wendy groaned, "Jinxed it."
"Ready the Ballista!" A Roman voice shouted.
"Double jinxed."
"I think arrows will stop," Dipper told her, "But I'm not willing to put down money on the spell stopping ballista. That's a lot of inertia we're talking about."
"Prepare to fire!" both sides shouted simultaneously.
"Dipper, you got any more of that magic?!" Wendy snapped to him.
Dipper spun in his spot. One side was just as bad as the other. Both ancient forces were poised to continue fighting, either them, or each other with the two stuck in the middle of it. Dipper flashed through journal two yet again- the next pages were all animals and anomalies of Gravity Falls. He had to act quick. He had to...
"We surrender!" Dipper shouted high into the air.
The men on both fronts paused. Orders to fire were not given.
"We what?" Wendy stared at him.
"Just... hold out a second," Dipper explained quietly, and turned back to the sky. "I and my accomplice surrender!"
"To which side?" A voice closer to Wendy demanded. The two turned, and a shorter man with long black hair, and well-groomed moustache that fell past his chin stepped forward.
"Ah, if Mabel was here now, she'd love that hat," Dipper chuckled, staring at the small box-like top. Then he recognized the figure. "Oh my god, that's Sun Tzu."
"Man, like the inventor of war?" Wendy asked. Dipper nodded. "And I thought running into Shia Labeouf in Portland once was weird, now I'm looking at an ancient dead one."
Dipper turned and stared at her. "You met Shia Labeouf?"
"Please answer," Sun Tzu called back out, redirecting their attention, "You have not specified to which side you wish to surrender to."
"Indeed," another voice called out. Stepping out from the Roman ranks, to Dipper's continuing shock and excitement, was none other than Julius Caeser.
"This is the craziest thing ever," Dipper panted, "The greatest ancient generals of all time on the same battlefield!" he held a hand to his chest, "Breath Dipper! Breath!"
Wendy patted his back. "We can freak out another time. Remember, they're trying to kill us now?"
Dipper panted, and swallowed. "Y-yeah, right, you're right," he said.
"Surrendering to one side is necessary," Caesar called out. His eyes glazed over the forces behind the twins, and their row of still floating swords. His eyes met Sun Tzu, and he nodded. "General." Sun Tzu gave a curt bow back. Yet the Roman looked back to the two. "Now choose."
Dipper couldn't believe he was about to say anything to either of these men, and yet he could not resist the chance. "Why do we have to pick a side?"
Sun Tzu spoke up, "Surrender makes one side your masters until this conflict is over. At that point, necessary steps will be taken to consolidate with you."
"What?" Wendy asked.
"They say they need to know where we're going, so they get to claim us and not the other," Dipper rapidly re-iterated. Wendy blew hair out of her face with a low, unenthused raspberry. "Exactly," Dipper nodded.
"Now hurry and choose," Julius called out.
"What's the hurry?" Dipper called to both sides, "Here I thought you and your men would want a rest?" The two generals stared at him, a flash of cold to his words, yet no reply. "Maybe, uh, what this is a chance for a moment to break, right?" Dipper said, turning to both sides.
"My men are more than capable of turning the scales in our favor once this interruption has been ceased," Julius declared.
"I find that unlikely," Sun Tzu smirked as he shouted back, "Else you would have exploited said tactic earlier. The battle won fastest are the warriors less lost."
Julius grinned back. "I can't fool you so easily, it would seem," he called back.
"I graciously accept the compliment," Sun Tzu nodded.
Dipper was tap-dancing in place, his face whipping to each speaker as they communicated civilly. "This is the coolest thing ever. I knew Area 51 would be amazing, but not this amazing!"
"Dude, they're just chatting," Wendy said dully.
"But it's who's talking! The greatest minds of warfare having a calm chat in our days!? I wish I could record-" Dipper gasped, and then reached inside for his phone, and rapidly pressed buttons, "C'mon, c'mon! Record!" he gasped, and held his phone up.
"Yet for a man so confident in his own tactical recognition," Julius called out, "Your own progress is unremarkable thus far."
"Patience proves more than a virtue," Sun Tzu calmly retorted.
"So does seizing the moment," Julius replied.
"Rushing the moment permits the chance of accident," Sun Tzu wiggled his finger.
"Yet the scales are even when neither side has strategized. Take the moment proudly, or else someone shall take it from you," Julius replied.
Sun Tzu nodded. "Well spoken."
Dipper gasped, feeling his legs get wobbly. "How does this ever compare to movies!?"
"Hey!" Wendy shouted out, driving the attention back to her. "We're still here!"
"Aww, don't interrupt them," Dipper wined, yet he put his phone away. "That recording could make us money."
Wendy told both generals, "We don't need to be anyone's prisoner."
"A women speaking for the man?" Sun Tzu smirked, stroking his moustache. "Curious."
"Quite humorous," Julius nodded, "Yet your conviction stands firm. Speak, and be listened."
"You both have your little lines of soldiers or whatever," Wendy looked to both sides, "And you can get back to your war whenever you'd like. But we don't need to be anyone's captive. We just want out of your dumb fight!"
The two generals stared to her, their eyes as cold and analyzing as they had been to Dipper. After the pause took to the air following her words, Julius spoke up.
"You seem to think you are in control, young woman," he said.
"And we're not because..?" she replied.
"Because you are horribly outnumbers, and now flanked on either side," Sun Tzu reminded her happily.
"Wait," Dipper called out now, "Except you both knew that at the beginning!" he looked to either general, "You both are exceptionally smart, and tactical. If this wasn't a problem, you'd have your soldiers run us over and be done with us. Instead, you're negotiating with us..." Dipper gave a wide smile, "Which means you need us to agree."
"Disrespectful!" a soldier on the Chinese side shouted, "Our General needs nothing from you!"
"Calm, captain," Sun Tzu chuckled, "He is not wrong. They have created an impasse. Weapons cannot penetrate their circle without them turning against us."
"So," Julius called out, "Come with us. Or I'll have my siege weapons fire upon you."
Dipper whipped to him. "You'd also have done that!" The corners of the generals mouth twitched in a smirk. "This battle is important to the both of you, probably because you want to control the area – as a staging ground. Holding a cease fire interrupts the flow of this battle; you'd rather see it continue while your men are in the middle rather than stopping and starting again fresh."
Julius nodded, the first signs of a smile creeping in his lips. "Clever. Children in this region are educated."
"And trained in magic," Sun Tzu stroked his moustache, "A problem should all of them be this proficient."
Dipper looked around. This civility was... his chance. Sure, the war was cool, at least at a distance. Now that he was here, with drawn blades and spears could cut and stab into one another, the bloodshed was less appealing. He had a possibility to stall it all. He could use his position. He had the next move. Dipper had to be smart, at least just a bit longer.
"He is my proposal, generals," Dipper called out, "You let us move to a neutral zone, some area in which we can remain out of your conflict, and you will call a cease-fire for one day."
The men and soldiers gasped and cried out. "One day?" some shouted. "The galls of this boy!" another roared. "Storm them now!" another would cry.
"A cease fire?" Sun Tzu replied.
"Yes," Wendy nodded.
"And you think you can order our forces to do such because...?" Julius mimed Wendy's previous words.
"Because you know if we can do magic," Dipper said, gritting his teeth to make the most of his bluff, "There's a whole lot more we can do. This was just a... novice spell."
The men in the front of both shield lines murmured. As he had prayed, Dipper's words infected them with superstition and fear. Now he was in control again. He checked with Sun Tzu first, who lifted his head slightly, observing and studying Dipper with a twinkle in his eye. Then Dipper turned away and spied Caesar, who bowed his head and sighed.
"Perhaps so," the roman general nodded. He rose his head, and slowly withdrew his sword, and cast it to the ground. As he did, he approached the circle of swords and spears. Sun Tzu did the same, gently lowering his long sword to the ground and approaching the circle. The arrows, swords, and spears inside the sphere following their progress as they approached Dipper and Wendy, yet made not stabs or thrusts.
Finally, Julius extended an arm to Julius. "A single day ceasefire can be arranged."
"I agree," Sun Tzu nodded, and took his arm in a solid grip. The two stared into each other's faces, a moment passed of tension that Dipper suddenly worried meant something would happen. Without weapons, the two could attempt a fight; with fist and foot. Yet they broke their arms away, and both stared at Dipper. Sun Tzu said, "Now, move to the Neutral zone, per request."
"Right. The shield of swords goes with us," Dipper explained.
"Understandable," Caesar gave a curt nod and turned, walking out, "Still, leave the battlefield. We must attend our wounded, General," Caesar said to Sun Tzu.
"As must we. Find the day a faithful break, my grand enemy," Sun Tzu smiled.
"Of course. After all, Caesar turned, and vanished behind the ranks, "The die is cast."
Dipper sighed and looked to the sky. "That was... I can't... so... cool."
Giving Dipper's shoulder a small shake, Wendy told him, "We should move now. C'mon."
"The Neutral zone," Sun Tzu called out again, "Is to your lefts," he pointed as he lifted his sword back into his hands. The two turned, and a large hanger was off in the distance, by what was, to Dipper's continuing excitement, the actual base of Area 51. "Now, be on your way, and uphold your end of the bargain."
"We will," Dipper nodded, and watched as both ranks of soldiers began to file back, never lowering weapons, but retreating from their circle. Sun Tzu, walking back with his men, did finally turn and march away. Dipper lowered his hands to his side, and the thirty or so weapons floating around him fell to the ground, harmlessly. "Phew," he sighed.
"Dipper, are you okay?" Wendy asked, grabbing his shoulder.
"Yeah," he nodded, "just certain spells are kind of tiring. Having weapons float around you like that are... ugh," Dipper heaved a long, drawn-out breath. "I'm good," he nodded.
"C'mon," Wendy grabbed his arm and tugged gently, "I'm liking the idea that we can stop war long enough to get the stone and leave. I mean," she looked down to her jacket, "I need a new one! I just got it yesterday and everything."
"The battle isn't going to stop," Dipper said as he moved forward, stilling holding his chest.
"Huh?" Wendy chuckled, "Yes it is, they both agreed to it."
Dipper eyed her, and shook his head. "Both of these men are the greatest military minds of their age. They said a day, but they're going to use this as a chance to set up a new front. That's what they'd do," he said, looking over his shoulder to the retreating armies, "Use peace to martial forces in different positions to better prepare for war. I wouldn't be surprised if they do it in only a few minutes."
"What?!" Wendy gasped, "What kind of back-stabbing nonsense is that?"
"Sun Tzu wrote that 'Secret operations are essential in war', and Julius Caesar said that 'Men believe what they want to'," Dipper explained, "They'd both use this opportunity to lull the other into a sense of security, only to spring back into action."
Wendy, grimacing slightly, muttered, "These people are crazy."
"It's war, Wendy," Dipper sighed, "Nothing's pretty about it. Best kind of wars are the ones never fought, right?"
Wendy stared at him as they walked together. "Are you trying to be deep, mister philosopher?"
"Yeah, my bad," Dipper chuckled.
Walking forward to the bunker was less troubling than the two had expected. It was a large hanger with enough space with the open doors to harbor a the largest of conventional planes. On either side, a cluster of guardsmen stood, staring at Wendy and Dipper as they approached. One side was Sun Tzu's men, and the other was Julius Caesars.
To Dipper's shock, inside was a simple airplane. It looked dated by a decade or so, with various windows removed and one of it's wings half-way through repairs. In a cluster of fifty or so, a gathering of men and women of various ages, lab coats and security detail, all sat together. Dipper noted that the guards looked worse for wear, without their weapons or armor, and had more vicious slashes across their forms.
"Dipper!"
Rushing up from the gathering, in a blistering fast flash, was Mabel. With a collision that could have broken a bone or two should she had tried, she slammed into Dipper with a hug.
"Ow! Mabel!" he groaned.
"You're okay!" she sighed, wiping at her face and eyes, "I knew it!" she turned back to Soos, who was huffing over.
"Never doubted you for a second, hambone," Soos grinned. "Thank goodness you guys showed up. Mabel and I have been trying to come up with some crazy escape plan, but we're drawing blanks because those jerks over there," he put a thumb over his shoulder.
Wendy and Dipper leaned past them, surveying the ranks of what could only be the staff of Area 51, who had been captured.
"That's all of them?" Dipper asked, "It's only like thirty."
"They said there's more of them," Mabel grumbled, "And that's all they really want to talk about. They were chatting more before we showed up," Mabel added, "but ever since Soos and I tried planning with them, they decided to shut up. Rude," she added.
Wendy, already tired of the scientists, grumbled sarcastically, "I wonder why."
Soos took her words in earnest. "I think it's because they're still harboring super-secret things, and if they tell us, they could get in trouble." The three looked to him. "Oh. Right. We all knew that, right?"
Dipper stepped forward, approaching the first scientist he saw. An older man, with balding white hair and thick glasses looked up to him, and squinted. Dipper cleared his throat. "The armies have decided a cease fire for a bit. We have time to act if we can plan something, before they have a chance to fully re-consider their positions."
"They are?" a few voices from the crowd of staff gasped.
"I thought that's what I saw," Mabel gasped, "How?" She looked to Dipper, who said nothing. "You did it somehow, didn't you?" she said with a wide grin, giving his shoulder a gentle punch.
With his own satisfied grin, Dipper shrugged. "Well, uh, yeah."
"Wow! How'd you do it?" Mabel begged.
"Just talked to both generals," Dipper said, "You know, spreading fear into their ranks with a little show of force," he stuck a thumb at Wendy.
"Wait," Mabel blinked, "That's it? You just chatted with them?" she asked, leaning in and staring at him. Dipper nodded. "You stopped a battle between two forces of ancient armies just by... talking?" she clarified.
"Yup," Dipper nodded, feeling sweat growing on his forehead. Mabel was... not being as believable as he had hoped. Was it so unbelievable that he talked down two of the world's greatest generals in history from fighting one another? Then again, when he thought that in his head like that, it really did come off as ridiculous.
"Wendy?" Mabel asked, looking to the red-head.
Dipper turned, his eyes at Wendy as well. She stared at the twins, her face like stone. Her years of hiding emotions must have paid off, because had Dipper been in her position, he would be trembling with uncertainty and fear. After a long moment where her eyes looked at Dipper, Wendy shrugged.
"Yeah dude," she sighed, putting her hands in her pockets, "It was super boring and everything. They couldn't get me down, so Dipper told 'em to stand down or else I'll get crazy, and I acted like an animal. That's all."
"Wow," Mabel gasped, and looked to Dipper as he turned to her, "Nice one bro-bro."
"Thanks," Dipper quietly said, and glanced back to Wendy. She provided him a short, troubled smile, and pointedly looked away.
"I'm sorry," the head scientist called out to them, the one with quite the bald spot and white hair, "You said you parted the forces by means of negotiation?"
"Yeah," Soos nodded, "Something like all those fancy words."
"Just who might you four be, exactly?" the scientist asked, brushing himself up as he walked over.
"I'd say who we are, but you've not introduced yourself yet," Dipper stated.
The balding scientist readjusted his glasses, and affirmed, "United States clearance does not permit me to reveal my identity to civilians, but you may call me Doctor Finer."
"Doctor Finer?" Mabel repeated, and giggled. "Cool."
"Yes," the man glared at her, "Now, am I to assume you three are sight-seers?"
"Yeah!" Soos exclaimed.
Glaring ahead, Dipper corrected Soos with a quick, "No."
"No, we're not!" Soos corrected himself without skipping a beat.
"We're on a mission to save the world," Dipper bluntly said, "And it involves stones."
"Stones," the scientist repeated.
"Specifically, Starkissed Stones," Dipper pointedly said, "You seen any recently?" The doctor could have been a brilliant minded man, but his ability to lie and bluff was not one well-developed. He gurgled for a moment, and then closed his mouth, adjusting the tie around his neck. "I was afraid of that."
"The stone has something to do with all of this, doesn't it?" Mabel asked. "People and warriors from the past fighting now."
"I'm sorry," Doctor Finer cleared his throat, "But I have no reason to assume your intentions are anything you say. As far as I know, you are spies from other agencies, academies, or governments. I cannot trust you."
From ancient generals to uncooperative geeks, Wendy was getting fed up. "Oh, spare us the secrecy," she grumbled, "I bet half the things you keep locked away we've already seen once or twice."
"Pardon?" the scientist demanded.
"Yeah," Dipper nodded, "For example," he pointed to Wendy, "She's undead."
"Hey!" she barked at him, "Don't go telling anyone that!"
"Oh," Dipper flushed horribly, "sorry."
"The undead is a myth," the scientist barked. "People infected with numerous infections and diseases is perceived by the common as 'undead'."
"Then explain the torn jacket," Soos pointed, "but no wounds?"
Mabel eyed Wendy and added, "By the way – torn leather jacket looks great on you. Your stomach rocks that look."
"Thanks girl," Wendy smirked. She turned and gave Dipper an eye, who had looked to her stomach at Mabel's mention. He also whipped away, still red in the face.
"The soldiers must have missed her constantly. Count her ability to dodge and avoid harm a skill," the Doctor nodded to Wendy, who sighed.
"I was stabbed at least seven times!" she shouted.
"Besides," Soos added, "We know about aliens!"
"Oh, you and every other unwanted visitor on the perimeter. Which ones is it today? Grays? Long-legged? Cat people?"
"First of all," Soos held out his finger in a super-sassy fashion, "All of those could exist. But no, the Alien's name was Yuki, and he lived with my boss in a tourist building in Oregon, helping me fix and upgrade all the appliances. And he had leaves growing out of his head."
The scientist, along with a few others behind him, stared. Dipper couldn't tell if their expectations had been shattered or brought to a new low. Either way, Dipper stepped in.
"He's not lying. His full name was Uki-dohth, and we shortened it to Yuki-"
"Because it was cuter!" Mabel added.
"And he came from a race called the Xabvri," Dipper continued, "A peaceful race of sentient plant-like species that-"
"You said... Xabvri?" Doctor Finer gasped.
Dipper let the smirk grow all on his own. "Why, yes I did. Any reason why?"
The doctor turned to his compatriots. Their faces were just as shocked as his, and a few more made to stand up. Doctor Finer moved to them, and began a quiet conversation.
"Oh, sure!" Mabel barked at them, "Just leave us out! Jerks."
"I think they're talking about using us in experiments," Soos gulped.
"No," Dipper shook his head, "They'll be figuring out to trust us or not."
"Oh good," Soos sighed and wiped his forehead, "Ever since I was a pig that one time, I've never wanted to be in someone else's body." The three turned to him slowly, their eyes wide with shock. "What? You guys don't remember that?"
"Uhh... you became a pig?" Mabel asked.
Suddenly Wendy laughed. "Hah! See?! This is how it feels when you guys start talking about stuff I missed!"
"Man," Dipper shook his head, "that feeling sucks."
Her arms wide, Wendy told them, "Welcome to my life."
Doctor Finer turned back, flanked by two scientists. "We have reason to believe, with the development of the warriors behind you, and your extensive knowledge of certain fields, that we can trust you to act in our interests."
Dipper clarified, "You'll work with us?"
"Yes," the scientist nodded.
"See?" Dipper nudged Mabel, "I'm good at making people think we're necessary."
"Think? Bro, please," Mabel replied with a grin, "We are necessary."
"So, with the interests of acting quickly," Doctor Finer cleared his throat, "I will be forward. We are missing many faculty beneath the surface. Those warriors were sent down to retrieve more of us, but the chances are that they have met resistance. We are all that's left until the forces up here are dealt with."
"How do we do that?" Dipper asked, "Are there pilots for the advanced aircraft developed here?"
"Yes, under the surface currently," the Doctor grumbled, "And even if we could get them up, the equipment currently on the surface is not made for warfare."
"What?" Wendy barked. "You mean that Area 51, notorious for shooting on sight anyone who gets too close, is only developing secrets in 'surveillance'!?"
"It's important no one knows our methods," the Doctor mumbled, adjusting his glasses with a mild shove.
Dipper grumbled. "Less cool than I thought."
"What we need to do is break the attention to our guards," the Doctor said, "Then we can send these soldiers back to their own times."
"Wait, what?" the four gasped.
"Yes. You see," the Doctor sighed, "We received a sample to study of this 'Starkissed'. We were going to project it for a Spectroscopic study. Once the atomic and molecular structure had been analyzed, we could have given it a full, proper, scientific identity."
"But it went wrong," Soos pointed out.
"Of course, it went wrong!" the man barked, "What else could make ancient warriors from the past materialize inside the base and begin attacking everything in sight?!"
"Well, magic?" Soos suggested.
"But if we send these people back," Dipper blinked, his mind growing numb with realization, "then all the things they've seen, the stuff they've done, secrets they've discovered- it'll all be brought back to the past with them! We could have a time-space paradox on our hands if we just send them back!"
The Doctor sighed. "The stone inside allows them within our 'dimension' of time. Once the source of power projecting them is removed, that source being our powered equipment, the residual field that prompts their intersection in our realm will be severed, and they will never have existed here to begin with."
"Oh," Mabel gasped. "Really? Man... that sounds... familiar," she said, turning to the others. Dipper and Soos both looked more to the ground, aware of the concept of removing people from existence.
Wendy growled. "Guys, these people already had lives, in their time. This isn't like Gravity Falls."
"She's right," Dipper nodded, shaking off the weight in his mind. "We need these people gone, or else they could stumble across more dangerous things here."
"Well, I don't know how they'd use a hadron collider," Doctor Finer mentioned, "But there are sensitive materials inside, yes."
Dipper stared at the Doctor. After leaving a mental note that under the earth was a hadron collider, he shook his head and continued with the conversation. "If we can get the soldiers armed, we may be able to fight our way into the base, right?"
"That is a conceptual plan," the doctor nodded, "But we would need a distraction. Something to both pull away the guards and the armies at large so they would not notice us."
"Something..." Dipper said, feeling the spin of his journal in his jacket.
"Bro," Mabel reached out for him, "We've gotten this far without using Grunkle Ford's crazy spells. We can figure this out without going crazy."
Dipper felt his throat tighten. He managed to smile at his sister, and say, "Yeah. But it would be easy, wouldn't it?"
"Magic makes people crazy," Mabel told him with a calm smile, "Remember?" Dipper pursed his lips as he studied his sister. The heat of lying ate at his chest worse than the tension of the spell he had used earlier. She patted his shoulder. "Don't worry bro. You're stronger now. You got this, even without magic."
Dipper gritted his teeth. Maybe it was better now to tell her, and just get it out of the way. "Mabel," he started, "Listen, okay? Earlier I-"
Men cried out in waves of sound. Those held prisoner inside the hanger stood up. Outside on the battlefield, a rush of red and gold shields ran from left to right, charging an unseen foe.
"That was quick!" Wendy laughed. "It wasn't even a few minutes to calm down!"
Dipper, half laughing, half shouting, over the chaos, told them, "I told you they would jump at each other instead of fight honorably!"
"This is good news," Doctor Finer said, "Now we merely need a way to quietly removed the guards on either side," he pointed.
The guards in question were now bolstered. Each side of the huge hanger had five men, each with sword, shield, and spear at the ready. Even if the gang could sneak from one side in the shadows and catch five off-guard, the other five would see, and could react in time.
That was until one of the five was knocked out cold. A man jumped out of the shadows, clutching a crowbar in one hand as he, with more speed than could be imagined for one wielding an industrial crowbar, swiped again and again at his foes.
"Look!" Wendy pointed.
"Go!" Mabel decided, and lunged forward. The three closely behind, the gang rushed down the five Roman guards while the Chinese men were all taken by surprise from a strange man with the crowbar. Mabel gave a loud, "HOOIIYAA!" and leapt up, driving her kick across the face of the first victim. Dipper and Wendy came in closely behind, knocking over or knocking out the two closest to Mabel. Mabel was already back on her feet, and somersaulted a kick, knocking another down.
"Sorry dudes," Soos said before he gave the last of five a strong head butt. The man collapsed to the ground motionless, like his comrades.
The doctors arrived just in time for the newcomer with a crowbar to arrive. Finer sighed. "Looseman! You're late again!" he chuckled.
The man with glasses and straight brown hair stared at him, lowering the crowbar. He nodded to the gang.
"Allies for the moment," Finer clarified, "They are aware of the circumstances, and wish to rectify our mistakes. Looseman," Finer asked as the cluster of prisoners caught up with the gang, "Tell me you have a way inside the base not guarded?"
The lip-sealed man nodded.
Dipper told the silent man, "Get us inside before the armies have a chance to react to us."
The man identified as 'Looseman' nodded, and turned, his crowbar held proudly above his head, a weapon ready for combat. The gang, and all the prisoners of Area 51, rushed after him.
"Look!" Dipper pointed across the battlefield, "Caesar set up his ballista on the hill for a vantage point!"
"That's very nice Dipper," Mabel calmly stated.
"And Sun Tzu's men are flanking from behind! The Ranks of the Romans have a two-sided front now!" he added.
"Cool story, dude," Soos stated.
"I told you guys that Area 51 would be awesome!" Dipper cried out in one of his highest pitched voices yet.
Wendy pleaded with him, "Remind us after we get out of here."
"Fine, fine, later!" Dipper whined.
Behind another hanger, a secret door had been pried open. Leading to a single ladder that disappeared deeper underground, the man named Looseman leapt inside, climbing down rapidly.
Dipper's teeth clattered with excitement. "We're actually going inside the base!"
"Remember," Doctor Finer glared at the four, "Every single thing you see is now confidential. We get rumor you've been spreading word; we could have you arrested or executed."
Scowling at their threats, Wendy reminded him, "Worry about your problems before making threats," as the twins descended into the base.
Twenty feet or so of climbing in a narrow, metal-encased shaft lead them into some sort of service room. Inside, another broken open door remained, and Looseman stood next to it. He peered into a hallway that went two separate ways, and the man checked again and again for company he desperately wished not to see.
"Wow," Mabel said, leaping inside, "This all looks... really boring," she noted.
"It's not boring!" Dipper shouted. Looseman spun to him, and put a finger to his lips at Dipper. "Oops. Sorry," Dipper winced. "But seriously," Dipper quieted his voice, "How can anything inside Area 51 be boring?"
"I don't know, how about any expectations I had did not match old-pre sixties metal sheet walls that aren't even chrome?" she asked, poking the wall. "Look at this. So dull. Ugh."
"Hm, hate to agree," Soos said as he landed next to them, "But Mabel is kinda right."
"But..." Dipper looked around. His eyes, currently coated with excitement and wonder, slowly began to realize just how drab the inside of the base actually looked. Gray walls and old lights saturated the air with a dim glow. Consoles of technology were vacant. Even the door that Looseman stood next to seemed entirely manual, and not automatic.
"This base sucks," Dipper shook his head sadly.
"We make do with it," Doctor Finer sighed as he landed after Wendy, "Nothing quite like work."
"This place looks like a lost b-movie set with no budget," Dipper growled at the doctor, "I expect that next time I try to sneak inside area 51 you put some financing into making it look like the modern powerhouse it is!"
The Doctor laughed. "Area 51? Modern? Cute. If only we were the number one spot for developmental technology still."
Dipper froze in place, his heart skipping a beat. "What. Did. You. Say?"
"Now listen," the doctor turned to them all, "The device that powers the stone is in a separate section of the underground facility. I and my personal assistants will head that way. You and your team will follow Doctor Looseman here. He can take you to the lab that this 'Starkissed' stone waits. Do not attempt to remove it without the power supply being down, do you understand?"
"Sure," Mable shrugged.
"Good," Finer sighed. "Jordan, I leave them to you," Finer said to the younger researcher, who nodded. "Gentlemen," the doctor spoke to his comrades, "To section 'seven-nine-A'."
Dipper watched the others file past them. "What's in section seven nine A?" he asked Jordan Looseman. The researcher shrugged.
Without another word, he then turned and moved in the hallway that led away from the other scientists. The gang followed closely.
"So, you don't talk much, do you?" Mabel asked, looking up to the brown-haired scientists. He shook his head. "Strong, quiet type?" she asked. He shrugged. "Uh... mute?" she timidly asked. He gave her a look, yet still said nothing.
Soos suggested, "Maybe he just doesn't want to talk ever?"
"Let him be," Wendy rolled her eyes, "he's already helping us, so we shouldn't try pulling more out of him."
"Okay," Mabel nodded, "Doctor mysterious man can be silent if he wants. Still weirds me out." Down a hallway, and to an elevator the gang turned.
"HALT!"
The five spun right at the elevator. No less than fifty men in Roman gear were marching at them in formation, spears at the ready.
"We got company," Soos said melodramatically.
"Yeah!" Wendy rolled her eyes, and jammed her finger into the call button for the elevator. "C'mon stupid thing, hurry up!"
Ding.
The elevator opened, and Jordan Looseman rushed inside. Wendy sighed. "Wow. Asking actually worked."
"Inside!" Dipper shouted as he and the others stepped inside, and the doors began to close.
"They're getting away!" a voice called from the approaching line of soldiers. Yet the elevator doors closed, and the five were now in the case of metal and steel. Gentle, yet upbeat elevator music began to play.
"Hm, catchy," Soos bobbed his head to the tune. Dipper glared at him with bags under his eyes. "But, uh, not important to the mission. Nope."
The elevator doors opened again half a minute later. Inside was a torn and somewhat ruined observation lounge filled to the brim with computers and computer terminals. Jordan Looseman stepped inside, and made directly for a shattered window with Dipper. Mabel spun around; her mouth open.
"This is more like it," she nodded, "Super-sciency and kind of cool. But only kind of. Needs waaay more stickers."
"Here's a sticker," Soos peeled one off, showing a cartoony space-ship that read 'My other ride is a shuttlecraft'.
Dipper stepped over and looked with Jordan into the room below. The massive room had a platform that lead to the center of the pit, where, floating in place, was a absolutely perfectly polished stone. "There it is," Dipper gasped. "So close." He turned to Jordan. "How do we get down to it?" he asked. Jordan pointed to his right, and Dipper saw against the wall another elevator door.
Behind them, the opened elevator began to close.
"I think it's been called," Soos gulped.
Mabel gasped. "The Roman elite are using elevators!"
"Great, now what?" Wendy called out, "We can't just wait until power goes out if the soldiers get down here!"
Jordan Looseman gulped. As Dipper looked to him, the scientist nodded his head to the other elevator. Dipper stared, and an idea floated in his head. "Guys, can you three hold off the soldiers for a bit?"
"Why?" Mabel asked, coming to him.
"Doctor Looseman and I may have something we can do below," he said.
"But we can't do anything until the power-"
"That's what that stuffy old scientist said!" Dipper cut in, "bBt this isn't the time to play it safe!" Dipper shouted, "Those people are coming, and they'll be into to killing us again."
"Which is why I need you here," Mabel assured him, "I need my brother to back me up."
Dipper stared at his sister. The cold pit in his stomach that hard formed while the battle had ensured softened. She... thought him useful in a fight. Still... Dipper looked to Jordan Looseman, who shrugged towards the door.
"Mabel, I need to do this," Dipper pleaded with her, "Besides, knowing me, I'll just mess up, and you'll need to come save me."
"Don't say that," Mabel said.
"It's okay," Dipper chuckled, "I'm going to help with the doctor now."
She clenched her jaw, shaking her head. "Fine... just don't let my brother be hurt," she said to Doctor Looseman, "Or else I'll take that crowbar and-"
"They're coming!" Wendy shouted, as the elevator began to beep again.
"Shootles! Coming!" Mabel called over her shoulder. With a sad, resigned sigh, she patted her brother. "Go figure stuff out, and stuff."
"Sure will," he nodded, and with Jordan Looseman next to him, he turned to the second elevator and stepped inside. As the doors for theirs closed, the others opened, and Dipper saw glimpses of the fight that began: six shielded soldiers versus his two friends and sister. "They'll be fine," he said to himself.
Jordan's hand drifted onto Dipper's shoulder, where it gave a quick squeeze of reassurance.
"Thanks," Dipper quietly said.
Looseman nodded curtly.
The doors before them opened again. Now they stood in a brightly humming room. Energy filled the space, and all of Dipper's hair stood on end. Suddenly his mind was blank. He remembered this feeling from before; uncontrolled, unrestrained, magical power. The feeling of outracing a tearing reality that was merely feet behind on Mabel's motorcycle never left him. This was that exact feeling. He turned and stepped out with Doctor Looseman, and stared at the orb.
Now closer, he saw the distortions of light that constantly swayed and bubbled around the rock.
"This is what happens when a Starkissed goes crazy in a different way," Dipper noted, and pulled out his own journal. Flipping to a blank page, he began to scribble more notes. Jordan Looseman pried over his shoulder as Dipper filled in more notes on a page already covered with questions, theories, and ideas about Starkissed stones. Dipper noticed him, and flinched away. "Hey! You guys never show and tell, why should I?" he remanded.
Looseman shrugged.
Dipper held the journal out, staring at the orb. "Now what?" Dipper asked Jordan. The scientists put a finger on his armor-covered wrist. "What, we wait?" Dipper asked. The man nodded. "There's got to be more we can do," Dipper grumbled.
"DIPPER!"
The voice rang from overhead. Racing out with the doctor, Dipper slid into place at the edge of the outer-platform, nearing the bubble of magic. Upstairs, Mabel's face could barely be seen, poking through the shattered glass to speak to them.
"Get up here!" she begged, "We have even more coming down!"
"Uh," Dipper looked back and forth, weighing his options, "Just hold them off!"
Exasperated, Mabel cried out, "We're trying!" and then ran back inside.
"Damn it," Dipper grumbled, and looked back to the stone. He glanced back to Jordan, who's face was sweating as he glared at the stone. "Can you take it now?" he asked the scientist.
The man looked down to Dipper, a resolute stare more than enough to explain his next actions. He then marched forward, adjusting his glasses as he stepped up into the bubble of magic.
Almost like a gunshot, there was a loud bang. Jordan Looseman was rocketed back away from the bubble, nearly missing Dipper. Jordan Looseman slammed into the walls next to their elevator. After slumping to the ground, he clenched his teeth as he slowly pushed himself back up.
"No," Dipper groaned, and looked up to the window. He could see Mabel fending of a spear-user, dodging the attacks in attempts to grasp the weapon and pull it away.
Still... even more would be coming soon.
He had no choice. He wouldn't lose friends and his sister to wait for a stuff scientist.
Away with his own journal, Dipper pulled out the second journal. He stepped back into the shadowed area, out of sight. Page after page provided nothing helpful. Levitation? Not needed. Extra sight? Not wanted.
There. He found it. In the page detailing spore-plants that unleash acid to defend themselves, he found the spell he wanted: a ward of protection.
Reading from the journal, Dipper closed his eyes to concentrate. He could do this. Cast a second spell. He opened his mouth and chanted.
"Aura Alumni, Tueor Tenerior, Scutum Contemtim!"
Dipper closed his eyes after the spell, hoping he would feel differently. Yet no wash of feeling came over his skin or hair. He opened his eyelids, and checked himself, patting his arms. Kicking gently the back of his foot. He even pinched his cheek.
"Ow," he grumbled. Had it not worked?
From the distance, Mabel again shouted, "Dipper!"
Damn the results. He had to try.
He rushed forward while pocketing the journal. The bubble was a few feet from him. A foot. Then-
It struck him like wave of water. He was now inside the vortex of sounds and light, pushing forward what felt like the thickest, coldest water he had ever stepped through. But he could keep going. Step by drudging step he made it. It was in arms reach now, and as he panted in the aura of magic, he struggled to raise his hand to the ball. The weight of Gravity here felt so immense...
His sister depended on him.
He reached out and with a cry of frustration, wrenched out the stone from it's placement. In his fingers, the ball went from burning hot to freezing cold.
Ward spell or not, Dipper was hurled back a dozen feet and slid next to Jordan Looseman, who had only just begun to stand up. The field of magical energy swirling around the center platform then dissipated like vapor.
Calls of fright, and then shrill screeches of success from above told Dipper... it had worked.
The warriors were removed from time.
He stood up next to Jordan Looseman, who stared at Dipper, wide eyed.
"We did it?" Dipper suggested.
Jordan smiled, and nodded firmly.
The elevator ride back into the over-chamber was quick enough, and the reception a warm one. Mabel again tackled Dipper in a huge hug, swinging off his neck like a swing-set.
"You guys did it!" she shouted, and then noticed the stone in his hands, "I can't believe it, but you actually got it!"
With a golden smile, Wendy said, "Dipper said he would, didn't he?" Even more of her jacket had been shredded, along with her nice green flannel shirt. Dipper quickly made note of her exposed skin and partial bra, and then looked away.
Mabel, eying Dipper carefully, asked, "How'd you do it?"
Dipper opened his mouth. Words were there, inside his mind. 'I used magic. See? It saved the day', was what he desperately wanted to say. It would prove to her that he could use it responsibly. Why was he unable to? She looked so thrilled with him...
He couldn't disappoint her. Not now.
Instead, he looked up to Jordan Looseman. "He got it," Dipper said, "With his suit, he was able to walk through the defense field and grab it. I just had to push him through the field."
"See?" Mabel grabbed him and rubbed his hair, "You are strong enough to help!"
Dipper nodded, desperately trying to keep his smile up. Jordan nudged him, shaking his head. "He, uh," Dipper added as the Scientists glared at him, "Okay, did most of the work." Looseman rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"It's okay Dipper," Mabel assured him, "One day you'll be as strong as me. At least as strong as I am now, I mean," she laughed.
"So," Wendy's voice called out, "Not that we shouldn't be happy we survived, but maybe we should get out before the guards of Area 51 decide that we should be locked up?"
Soos commended her, "Oh! A wonderful self-preservationist idea."
"Despite being undead, I have a few," Wendy stated.
"Agreed," Dipper nodded. He moved away from the scientists, who watched them go, his own bags under his eyes.
"Thanks for your help, Mister Looseman!" Mabel waved at him as they stepped into the elevator.
Half an hour later, running over a field of dirt and sand that had been torn apart by a battle of long-vanished warriors from the past, the four made it back over the hills, toting yet another rock in Dipper's hands. There, waiting in the shade of the car, was Waddles, who squealed and ran up to them.
"Waddles!" Mabel shrieked, and scooped up the pig, carrying him around. "Are you okay, little buddy?" she asked as he licked her face.
"Thank goodness we decided to leave him behind," Soos sighed, "I'm pretty sure that was one adventure a pig could not go through."
"To say the least," Dipper sighed, but patted the pig. "Good boy."
"So, one more is ours," Wendy sighed, "That's three now."
"I wonder how many Zander will need," Mabel asked, looking to Dipper as he stared at the stone. "He never really said, did he?"
"Not to us, at least," Dipper sighed," Typical." Mabel glared at him. "But forgivable," he assured her.
"So, dorkus maximums," Mabel grinned as she lowered Waddles, "How was going to your favorite place on earth?"
Dipper stalled, his eyes blank. Yet he finally found words to the question he hadn't even considered. "Well," he started slowly, "For one, it was exciting. But for all the rumors and theories behind it, for all the years of secrets, it really didn't hold up to what I thought it would be, would it?" He asked to the others.
Their faces blank, and their eyes wide as they looked over the hills.
"Exactly," Dipper nodded, "Like that. Like, fighting Roman and Chinese soldiers was dangerous and cool, but what about the actual mysteries of Area 51? This entire trip, I never saw one thing that had anything to do with the original theories!"
Mabel gulped. "Dipper..."
Dipper sighed. "I know. Maybe I was too optimistic. After all, things never seem to turn out..." he paused, staring at the three and the pig, distinctly looking past him. "What?" he turned, and his mouth fell open.
A chrome flying saucer, true to the sights of hundreds of poorly taken photos, spun rapidly in a circle right above where the base ought to have been. From a rapidly closing window, the four could see the scientists from earlier inside, preparing the ship's various complicated instructions.
Soos commented, "Huh, a flying saucer."
As he did, the ship darted into the sky, disappearing in a split second.
Wendy nodded, cupping her chin, "That explains why they knew about Yuki's race. They'd probably taken technology and information from that ship and recorded it."
"Wow," Mabel sighed, "To think, somewhere inside that base was an actual, alien spacecraft that had been there the entire time."
Dipper's body shook.
"You okay, bro-bro?"
Dipper's tone leapt up a pitch. "Oh, you know," he said through gritted teeth, "Just entered and escaped one of the greatest secrets of America, hoping to see some Alien technology up close, and... Then it just goes and flies away!" he shouted, swinging his arms in circles around him, swinging at nothing. "URRAAAGH!"
"Uh, Mabel?" Wendy asked nervously as Dipper spun around, flailing as he yelled and shouted into the hills. "He going to be okay?"
"Seems a little upset," Soos commented.
"Don't worry guys," Mabel sighed, "He's just upset. See, when nerds get mad, they go through a magical transformation into a sad display of," Mabel blew a raspberry, "That is commonly known as 'Nerd-rage'."
So, first things first, I needed to say this: I am aware that there were ancient Romans in the story now. And yet, they spoke fluent english while Dipper used Latin to summon spells and magic.
My explanation?
Blah. It's gravity falls, sorry it's silly. Nah nah nah.
Anyhoo, that's episode four of Season three. A few of you got the idea of Groom lake correctly, and I was proud of that, but I'm proud I can keep you on your toes once in a while. Warriors? At Area 51? Wassup with dat?
And Dipper... careful buddy. You aught know what can happen... ;)
Well, that's this chapter for you guys. Sorry again for not getting back to everyone this week- I can't say this is really a 'complaint', but enough reviews piled up that I got sort of mixed up a few times, and couldn't remember who I had sent replies to and who I hadn't. Got a tad bit disorganized. :( Sorry dudes/dudettes. This time I'll do better! HOO!
*EZB flexes, intent on doing right, and spontaneously catches fire and explodes*
Deep within the base of Area 51, Jordan Looseman sat against one of the still functional terminals.
The rest of the staff had long since departed. True to the plan, they would be going onto the secret space-craft that powered the entire base, and use it as a means to escape. After letting civilians into the base, all with the project could have been put to death for their treason, and so they chose to flee.
Except poor Jordan Looseman. He was lying on the cold ground, his hair a mess and part of his lenses cracked. Taking it off, he sighed as he examined it. It wasn't that expensive of a pair to replace, but he imagined that now he was probably out of a job, he'd have to do with glue and duct tape.
Then something caught his ears. A beeping.
He stood up, confused. The power of the base should be all but gone.
There it was. The source of the beeping. It startled him, and then disturbed him.
A screen was still on.
Words were typing themselves across the screen.
He moved close and read the words, reflected in the glasses of his cracked rims. 'The weight of the past shall break the back of the now'.
Then it deleted. The moment he had noticed what it had said, it was gone. The computer was off. No power had been on it.
Did... had he imagined it being there? No, that was impossible, he remembered it so vividly. Yet all his senses now told him that computer never had power recently.
Only as a chill went down his spine could he hear the distant and muffled laughter of a cool voice echoing in the darkness.
Bnlancb jan tnyc, onnurwpb unoc rwcjlc, bxxw lxvn lajbqrwp frcq cqn fxaum bnnw cqn ojlc.
-AND-
Kzgiloormt gsv Nlqzev zonlhg nzpvh blf drhs uli z Tizergb Uzooh Drmgvi.
-AND-
4-5-1-4-12-9-5-19-20 23-1-18-18-9-15-18, 1-14-25-15-14-5?
-AND-
(Vigenere)
Sezxph fb prjb gzjs ticgy phv siqbo ow kwrru. Acjw, fviedsmf kk crct mfqr ivtokevvj, gcl jemvz fviedsmf kk df kpok phzj bwda ow pmoi. Fujk i tieeeutm iamzelsi.