Apprentice {Gravity Falls}

Sledgehammers

"Not that I'm complaining, but why do we need to bring sledgehammers?" Dipper asked as he carried a sledgehammer into the middle of the forest.

"We're going to destroy something," Ford answered as he carried his own weapon.

"Destroy something?" Dipper exclaimed, "We could get fined for that... even arrested! Grunkle Ford, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Ford chuckled, "We're not destroying anyone else's property. Trust me, my boy, we're doing this town a favor!"

Dipper wasn't sure about this. Destroying something with sledgehammers? Sounded like something illegal; something Grunkle Stan would do, but Ford? Sure, Ford's probably done some illegal stuff, but property damage seemed a bit petty for Ford.

"If you say so," Dipper replied.

The two walked deeper into the forrest, casually chatting along the way. Nothing really happened for most of the walk. Until a figure appeared. A triangular figure, wearing a top hat and a bow tie. Sticking it's hand out as if it wanted to make a deal. It was the demon that haunted his dreams; Bill Cipher.

Dipper froze. He felt cold sweat drip down his forehead and he knew the color had drained off his face. He started backing away, slowly. However, he accidentally bumped into Ford.

"We..." Dipper swallowed roughly, "We should go a different way!" He exclaimed. Ford took in his scared look.

"Ah, so we're here," Ford stated. He looked in front of him to see the Bill statue.

"Here? What do we need to do here?" Dipper exclaimed. He didn't want to be here! He could've sworn the statue's eye was starring holes through him. Dipper wanted to go back to the Mystery Shack or hide behind Ford. Yet, he didn't want to look like a coward in front of his hero. Instead, Dipper just stood their, frozen.

Ford walked closer to the statue. Dipper started panicking. "Grunkle Ford! What are you doing? Get away from him! He's going to hurt you! Stop!" Dipper cried.

"It's not going to hurt us, Dipper. It's just a statue," Ford explained. "I'll prove it to you," he said as he reached out to touch the statue.

Dipper dropped his sledgehammer and ran to Ford, pushing the man out of the way before he could even lay a finger on it.

"Dipper?"

"Don't! It's- it's dangerous!" Dipper claimed. "I don't want to do Weirdmageddon all over again! I... I can't! Not! Not again! It was so scary Grunkle Ford! I wasn't sure if you or Stan or Mabel were even alive, and I was in a car crash, and then Mabel's bubble, and I was alone for three days during it. Without, without anyone. Not, not again!" Dipper cried out, shaking.

Ford sighed, and wrapped one of his arms around Dipper. "I know," he responded.

"No you don't!" Dipper lashed out, "You were turned into a statue! I thought you were dead! Nobody knows!" Dipper exclaimed, "You were a statue, Stan was in the Mystery Shack that was protected with unicorn hair, and Mabel was in her perfect little bubble!"

"Dipper, it's-" Ford stopped when he heard Dipper whining quietly, "Dipper?"

"I... I was so scared and alone," Dipper sobbed out, "I wish I could just snap that demon's neck, and he doesn't even have a neck!"

"That's why we're here, Dipper," Ford replied. Dipper wiped some tears out of his eyes.

"Wh-what?"

"The sledgehammers, my boy. We're going to destroy the statue with the sledgehammers," Ford explained.

Dipper glanced back at the sledgehammers on the ground, then at the Bill statue. After a few moments, he started to calm down.

"Why don't you make the first move? Take out all the anger you have on that statue," Ford smiled. Dipper took the sledgehammer. He looked back at Ford, who nodded. He swung the weapon down with all his strength. The statue cracked a bit. He smiled.

*   *   *

The sun was sitting by the time Ford and Dipper returned to the Mystery Shack. The only thing left where Bill's statue once stood was dust.