Falling Universe [Complete]

Chapter 12

[Picture above is not mine nor is it a character... yet. Next chapter is already finished. :D Will be posted later/soon.]

"Solana!" Sodalite cried. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Solana!" By now her cheeks were purple and her eyes were a bit puffy. She sighed a broken whine before tip toeing a bit farther. The water rippled sadly with each gentle step. She lost her balance as the overwhelming dizziness of failure shadowed over her. The ripples continued onto the nearby shore.

The emotionally scratched gem fell to her knees and she sighed with a large breath. Wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dark blue blazer, she took control of her breath and steeled herself to march on. "I swear on this earth if cipher has done anything to these kids he'll pay."

"Chysobereeree! I swear if you've done anything to my bro bro you're going to pay bigtime! Solana's here to break the ice, baby!" Riding on her trusty steed Ariel, Mabel screamed her battle cry. Rearing on the double handed wrist monster, she grinned in her righteous fury. "Ha! I knew you were here! Give it up!"

From her gem, she whipped out her sunset themed bow and arrow and drew back. She aimed at right at Bill's stupid gem eye.

After a small moment of shock, Bill's lips tightened into a malicious grin. His focus that was turned away, slowly spun and zoomed in on Mabel. "Come to disturb our training, sunshine?"

A bit off from her main vision, she could see her brother. He was hidden behind Bill along with the monsters, similar to the tame creature she rode on.

"Give me my brother back, you-... you demon!" Mabel drew back further.

Bill let out an exasperated sigh. "I would... if he were your brother, wendigo."

Wendigo? Mabel's brow furrowed in confusion.

Dipper snapped up. Wendigo? He sat down, leaning against Bill's leg. "The shapeshifter..." he heard himself whisper. Bill said that there were more. He peeked from Bill's side and glared at his sister... but in his quickly influenced mind she was easily registered as a monster.

A threat against all he cared about and more.

Show no mercy.

"Wendiwhat?" Solana's bow was lowered in her confusion. Her face dropped at Dipper's deathly glare. "Dipper?"

Bill tilted his head and gave a crazed look. His hair suddenly lifted and his eye widened... his teeth looked unbelievably sharp when he gave her a wide grin. His dark grumbling laugh echoed in the cave before Bill stopped abruptly.

His voice was more dark and tempting than normal. "... D͡ip̀͢ṕe͠ŗ.̶.̧.͏"

It wasn't a call nor was it a question.

It was an order.

It happened so quickly... Mabel had no idea what had happened.

A second. Maybe three.

There was a lunging jump, Dipper's sword was drawn and the end shone. The blade was only inches from his sister's face.

There was another beat. Another beat of her artificial heart and the harsh clank of metal against metal rang in her ears.

"Solana!"

Dipper tried to attack her. Her brother tried to hurt her. Kill her. This wasn't right.

"Solana! Go!"

Bill changed him. Chysoberyl changed him. She frowned deeply.

Sobs that could've been mistaken for laughs echoed in her ears."Please!"

Snapped back to reality, two sweater clad hands reached to stifle a gasp seconds too late.

Sodalite's gun was now bladed, the small point barely doing the job of holding back Dipper's determined attacks. It seemed they moved only a little ways away from Mabel. "Solana! Move!... please. Get away! Bill's hold on him is stronger than-" She grunted, pushing Dipper a few steps back. "Than I thought it'd be."

"Bill holds nothing, monster. Even if he did, he's done nothing but help me become-" He swung at Sodalite, and she was hardly able to guard herself. "Stronger!" He grunted as he swung the sword again, getting a bit of her arm. He scowled. His teeth seemed to sharpen in his feral rage. "And I'll be ever so useful." He chimed.

He was about to make another attempt at her, but everyone was cut off by a gurgling shreik.

Mabel whacked Ariel and the creature jumped back, screeching. She steadied her bow and aimed for her brother. "Bro! Stop! You don't have to do this!" She yelled. "I'm not leaving, bro. Not without you."

Everything stilled.

Bill glared.
Dipper froze.
Sodalite watched Mabel.
Mabel heaved.

"Dipper..." She began. "You were never useless. I need you. YOU. Not whatever monster Bill's trying to morph you into. Look at him bro. Do you really want to look like that?"

Bill straightened up and scowled at Mabel. His hair still stood on end and his teeth were still pointed. His claws were bigger than normal.

Dipper flinched back. "Bill?"

"Don't listen to them. We still have a chance, Moonstone. You still have a chance. Come with me." Bill's eyes and face screamed crazed desperation. He couldn't risk losing his battery.

Not when there was someone closer to him that could swipe him away in an instant. Dipper couldn't say anything.

The gem stood there, confused. How'd the wendigo know? Is that- did Bill lie? Why would he lie? Dipper's sword vanished and he curled himself into his own arms.

Can't trust Bill.

The yellow gem's desperation became anger. His yellow into a blood red. "I say N̷͘͢Ớ̶͠͝W̧͡, you dumb battery!"

Dipper shrank. "B-battery?"

Bill dropped on all fours and steadily crawled towards Dipper. He didn't look okay. He looked like a feral cat. He even let a low growl escape his throat as he closed in.

Sodalite pulled Dipper away, she wrapped him defensively in her arms.

"Unuseful. You can't even do nothing right. You're nothing but a clod with too much energy. A power source that doesn't know how to expell itself. Pathetic."

"Chysoberyl stop. Now." Sodalite pulled the smaller gem closer to herself.

Bill was close now and Dipper can feel his guardian's shivers.

A struggled noise squeaked out of Bill. An monstorous squelch. An arrow, shot into his chest.

Mabel glared, loading a new arrow.

Sodalite's breath hitched. "Oh no." She grabbed Dipper and climbed onto the monster. "Go!" She yelled and Mabel whacked Ariel's side.

The monster sprinted off, it squeaked. Ariel was terrified. "Why we running?" Mabel asked, hugging her brother.

Sodalite's eyes widened. Mabel's too when she seen Sodalite on the brink of tears. "You made him mad."