//------------------------------// // The End? // Story: Friendship and Mysteries // by The Cake Devil //------------------------------// Chapter 10 (Now edited by Neko Majn C) A bright flash of light illuminated the forest floor as Twilight and Dipper manifested within the safety of their camp. Twilight still clutching Dipper’s hand as they laid on their stomachs breathing heavily, neither one speaking to the other. Dipper was the first to break the silence with a series of loud rasping coughs that caused Twilight to jump in her spot. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said as he turned to face Twilight. “Um, I think you can let go of my hand now.” Dipper said with a weak smile across his face. Twilight’s eyes widened, she quickly removed her hoof from Dipper’s hand as a small blush shot across her muzzle. “Sorry about that.” Dipper gave a small laugh before he quickly changed the subject. “So, that didn’t go exactly as planned, huh?” Twilight hung her head low and slowly shook her head. “Hey, but look on the bright side, at least we’re in one piece. Plus, now we know where he is so we can—” “No, Dipper, not we, just me.” Dipper stared at her in stunned silence. “Wha—what do you mean?” “What do I mean?!” Twilight shot up from her stomach and onto her hooves. “Dipper, I didn’t stand a chance against him back there, if it hadn’t been for that one in a million miracle, the both of us would be dead right now!” Twilight’s eyes pooled with tears as she continued to speak. “I’m sorry, Dipper, but this is just too dangerous, if something were to happen to you, I’m not sure I would be able to live with myself.” Twilight sniffed as tears now flowed like tiny rivers down her face “Just go home, Dipper, forget you ever met me and just go back to your life. Discord and I will take it from here, we’ll figure out a way to stop Sombra, but it’s better if you get as far away from me as possible.” Twilight turned around and lightly placed her horn onto Dipper’s back. As it made contact with him, the horn glowed with a bright aura, followed by a sharp crack as Dipper’s shoulder popped back into place. Twilight took a few steps back from Dipper once more, who had risen to his feet and was weeping as well. “Twilight, you don’t have to do this. Look, I’ll be okay, really. You don’t have to go.” Twilight merely shook her head and turned away. “Goodbye Dipper, and thank you, for everything.” That said, Twilight vanished into a flash of light. “Twilight, wait!” Dipper screamed as he bolted after her, only to be met with empty space. Dipper’s head hung low. He stood there, motionless, clenching his fists as tears began to slowly pour from his eyes. Silver’s eyes filled with wonder and curiosity as he stared at the crown. He slowly approached the crown and reached one of his hooves out in an attempt to seize it. “Ah-ah-ah,” Diamond scolded, dropping the sheet over the artifact and out of the reach of the now frustrated prince. “I just want to try it on, just to see how I look.” “Absolutely not!” Diamond shouted causing the colt to jump. “The crown’s power of influence is capable of taking even the most brilliant of ponies and turn them into raving psychopaths. I do believe you’ve heard enough for one night, so I will kindly ask you to show yourself to your room.” Diamond turned back to the table and continued in his note taking. Silver nodded weakly as he slowly shuffled out of the library, a disappointed frown upon his face. “I presume I will be seeing you the same time tomorrow night?” Diamond shouted from his desk. Silver picked his head up and nodded furiously. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, thank you, Diamond!” Silver rushed over and wrapped his forelegs around Diamond’s waist from behind. Diamond smiled as he turned around, giving the colt a small pat on the head with his hoof. “Now remember, your majesty—” “Our secret, I know, Diamond.” “Good, now off to bed with you.” With that said, Silver released his hold of Diamond and rushed out the library. Diamond smiled and shook his head, turning back to his work he picked up his quill only to drop it moments later as he was besieged with a fit of deep, rasping coughs. “You’re wasting your time, Diamond.” The voice of the crown echoed in Diamond’s head. “Why not just put me on and save your life instead of trying to help all those ungrateful ponies?” “I will not be tempted by your twisted lies once again, do you hear me?!” Diamond said, glaring at the crown. “No, your twisted powers will finally be put to good. I may pass, but not before then, not before justice can be done.” “Very well, Diamond, but let me ask you this. Who would you rather I bestow my powers upon, you, or her? Because, my darling Diamond, the time will come when you can no longer protect me, and when that happens, it’s only a matter of time before she comes for me.” Diamond gave a heavy sigh and turned back to his notes once more. “Soon, soon my work will be done, and then there can be peace, once and for all.” Setting the last candle down, Discord hovered over his circle of eight candles, with a semi-annoyed expression on his face. “Oh, for pity sake,” he groaned. “I swear, as soon as our business is done, I’m introducing that needle brain to a more efficient means of being summoned.” He gave a sharp thud on his chest, causing a jet of flame to shoot from his muzzle and ignite the wicks. “I mean candles; really, I mean, could you be any more clichéd?” He gave a small huff before landing on his back legs and opening the book. “Well, might as well get this over with, knowing Bill, he’s bound to hold a grudge.” Discord opened the book and read aloud in a monotone droll. “Trianglium, entangleum, veteforest dominous ventium veteforest fedensidinium.” As if by saying a magic word, at the very last word, Discord was struck with a sharp pain that shot through his stomach, momentarily forcing him to his knees as he grasped his stomach in agony. His eyes, once clenched shut in pain, suddenly shot open as a blinding blue light poured from his eyes as he chanted, “Egassem sdrawkcab , egassem sdrawkcab , egassem sdrawkcab !” The world around him grayed, the sky seemed to rush by at an unimaginable speed whilst the world around him slowed to a halt. A sudden flash of light appeared above the circle of candles, and it was if someone had cut a triangle hole in the fabric of space and time itself; the outside of the triangle suddenly sprang to life with dozens of small, individual golden flames. A small, cackling laugh began to echo throughout the forest as an eye opened near the point of the triangle. With one jerking motion, the skies came to a complete stop as the triangle entity’s body filled the void that was itself, turning into solid gold, sprouting arms, legs, a bowtie, and a charming top hat floating just above his point. “Bill Cypher is back, everyone!” The creature said with a delighted look in his eye. His gaze quickly shifted to Discord as he hovered toward the miss-match god, still on his knees. “Well, would you look who it is. Discord, you old rapscallion you, you’re a sight for a sore eye, that’s for sure. Ha ha, get it, because I only have one eye.” Bill remarked as he promptly removed the single eye from his body and held it out in front of Discord. “See, see, ahahahah! But no, really, good to see you again, buddy.” Discord rose to his hind legs, brushing himself off, giving a forced smile as he addressed the demon. “Biiill, what an absolute pleasure it is to see you again, Have you gotten pointier? Can I offer you refreshment?” He asked as he snapped his claws, and creating a small glass filled with chocolate milk and a tiny paper umbrella. Bill’s eye narrowed “Hmm, chocolate milk, huh?” He asked taking the small glass in hand and dumping the entire thing into the inky black void of where his eye use to be. “With tiny umbrella included. What are you up to Discord?” he said as he placed his eye back in place and proceeded to rub his hand under it. “Well, you see,” Discord cleared his throat as he tentatively tapped his claws together. “I kind of wanted to maybe ask your help in doing something—” “Wait, wait, wait, wait.” Bill interrupted. “Let me get this straight, I don’t see you for over two thousand years, you don’t write, you never visited—” “It’s not like I didn’t try—” “I’m not finished!” Bill’s voice boomed as his eye became noticeably darker. “Do you know what it’s like in there, in the void!? Floating around for all eternity, with no one but yourself to keep you company, it’s enough to drive you sane! In fact, it did for a few hundred years and I hated it! But no, I’m not mad about the intense loneliness and boredom that you brought upon me. What I'm mad about is that you thought I wouldn’t know who helped put me there, DISCORD!” With that Bill changed from a bright yellow into blood red as he towered over the stunned Draconequus. “So, you knew about that, huh?” Discord asked, loosening his nonexistent collar as he backed up against a tree. “You know darn well I know lots of things! Like how Benjamin Franklin was a woman, the name of the Doctor, and the fact that Stan Pines is right above me waiting to strike… wait, what?” “Now!” Discord shouted. “Wait a minute, let me see if I’ve got this right,” Soos said as he swept the shack and conversed with Mabel as Wendy listened with an amused grin. “Do you mean to tell me that Stretchy Snakes and Gummy Koalas aren’t the offspring of majestic chewy creatures, but just made in a factory?” “I know, weird right?!” Mabel said. “Aw dude, you have no idea how glad I am to hear that.” Soos said, wiping his brow. “Ever since like, forever, I’ve never been able to eat those things because I was worried about what would happen if the parents found me, and like, smelled their babies on my breath.” Their conversation was cut off by the front door opening. They looked up to see Dipper standing at the door, his hands shoved into his pockets and his hat pulled down over his eyes. Averting his gaze, he made his way past Mabel and Soos. The both of them watched as Dipper disappeared behind the entryway. The door to the attic slammed shut and all three of them sported a look of concern as they quickly made their way up the stairs, Mabel taking the lead. “Waddles, you’re in charge of the shack!” Mabel shouted down. To which the pig replied by rolling over in his sleep and giving a quiet snort. Dipper sat on his bed, clutching his pillow tightly as he stared at the floor. His silence was quickly broken by the sound of hushed voices behind the door. He groaned as he rolled his eyes and plopped onto the mattress. “I don’t want to talk, guys,” Dipper said. “So you can just go back down stairs.” The voices stopped. “So, do you think he was talking about us or some other group of people?” Soos asked, attempting to whisper. Wendy and Mabel gave a collective sigh before Mabel made her way into the room. Dipper groaned once more flipping over and sticking his face into his pillow. “Mabel, I’m fine,” Dipper muffled through his pillow. “I don’t need, or want, any help. I just want to be left alone.” “Dipper, you’re not fine,” Mabel protested. “You’re on the verge of tears and you’re bruised from head to toe! What happened?” “Does this have something to do with your new girlfriend or something?” Soos asked, looking in from the doorway. “Soos!” Mabel screamed. “Mabel!” Dipper yelled, springing up from his pillow, glaring. “You told them?!” “My bad, dude—Ow!” Soos yelled as Wendy gave him a swift punch to the arm. “We’re going to head back down stairs,” Wendy said. “Let us know if you need anything alright?” The twins listened silently until the sound of footsteps faded. Mabel turned back around, averting eye contact with Dipper and awkwardly shifting her shoulders as she spoke. “I may have maybe, kinda, sorta, told them a little bit of everything.” “Gah! Thanks for keeping a secret, Mabel, glad I can count on you!” Dipper said, throwing his face back into the pillow. “Dipper, look, whatever it is, you can tell us, alright? It’s not like we’re gonna laugh at you or something like that.” “Fine!” Dipper shot up in his bed, his face a deep red and tears welled up in his eyes. “You want to know what happened, I screwed up! Something happened and we both ended up getting hurt. She blames the whole thing on herself and now she’s gone! She didn’t even give me a chance to say anything, she just…left.” Dipper returned his gaze to the floor as he brought his knees to his chest. Mabel looked at her brother with concerned eyes before hopping onto the bed and scooting next to Dipper. “Dipper,” Mabel said, placing an arm on her brother’s shoulder. “What you need to do right now is find her, and say exactly how you feel right now.” Dipper’s head turned to Mabel, sporting a face of shock and confusion. “Do what now?!” He shouted. “You heard me, Dipper Pines,” Mabel said. “Right now she’s out there all alone, probably beating herself up about what happened between the two of you. The right thing to do right now would be to find her, and tell her exactly how you feel.” “Mabel, are you nuts?!” Dipper retorted, throwing his arms up in the air. “I can’t just tell her how I feel, what if she doesn’t feel the same way, and what then, huh?” Dipper curled back into the fetal position and returned his gaze back to the floor. “Besides, she’s probably long gone.” Mabel scowled before she clenched her fist and placed a hard punch to Dipper’s arm. Dipper yelled as his eyes immediately shot back to Mabel, clenching his slightly bruised arm as he glared back at Mabel. “What the heck was that for?!” “It was to stop you from being a big, whiny crybaby!” Mabel shouted back. “Right now you’re in here crying and feeling sorry for yourself, when your friend needs you now more than ever!” Dipper’s scowl slowly began to fade. “I’ll be gosh darned if I let the best thing that has ever happened to you, slip away from you just ‘cause you’re bein’ all weepy.” Mabel placed her hands on Dipper’s shoulders. “And so what if she doesn’t return your feelings, at least if you do and she doesn’t, you’ll know for sure instead of always wondering, right?” Dipper’s expression lightened as he wiped his nose and straightened his hat with a small nod. “Right.” “Now, get out there and find your girlfriend!” Mabel shouted triumphantly. “She’s not my girl—” Dipper stopped himself as he jumped to his feet. Filled with new determination and hope he proudly strode to the door. He stopped for a moment, turning around to face his sister once more. “Hey, Mabel?” “Yeah?” “Thanks again, I—” Dipper was abruptly cut off as a sudden explosion that shook the very walls of the shack and caused him to almost lose his balance. The twins stared wide eyed at each other before rushing out the door and down the stairs. A huge hole was blown into the side of the shack; the door was flung to the floor and wooden high beams were split in half. In the center of the shack was Gideon with a sinister expression on his face and his arms behind his back. “Gideon?!” the twins screamed. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite twins, what a pleasant surprise,” he said with an air of cockiness. “What the flop did you do to our shack?!” Mabel screamed. She gasped placing her hands to her cheeks as she turned her head frantically, “And what happened to everyone else?” “Oh, your friends are just fine, for now anyways.” Gideon reached into his jacket and pulled out a dark crystal. Holding it in front of him, the twins were greeted with a horrifying sight. Inside the crystal were Soos, Wendy and Waddles desperately pounding from the inside of the crystal. “Waddles!” Mabel gasped. “Put them back you little creep!” Mabel made an attempted lunge at the small foe only to be held back by Dipper. “Dipper, what the what, let me go!” Mabel struggled under his hold to no avail. “Come on let me go we have to save them!” “Mabel,” Dipper hissed. “Just calm down—” “Calm down, calm down!? Our friends are in trouble and you want me to ca—mph” Mabel was interrupted by Dipper placing his hand over her mouth. “Look,” he whispered. “We’re going to get them out of there, but we’re in no position to help them right now. I’m going to let you go now, but when I do you need to not go crazy, okay?” She glared at glared at Dipper for a moment before reluctantly nodding. Dipper slowly released Mabel from his hold. “What do you w—” “Let them go!” Mabel screamed as she once again lunged toward Gideon. Dipper once again intercepted her, grabbing Mabel from under her arms as she kicked and swung her arms. While Gideon reeled back in terror, shielding his face with his arms. “Gideon,” Dipper said, struggling to hold back his thrashing sister. “What do you want?!” “Oh it’s not what I want boy,” he said, uncurling from his protective stance and placing the crystal back into his jacket. “It’s what my master wants.” Gideon raised his hand in the air and snapped his fingers together. Within an instant the remaining timberwolf was at Gideon’s side. “My master feels that this game needs to come to an end.” He lightly patted the side of the beast which, in turn, lowered itself, allowing Gideon to climb on. “Tell your friend to be at the crystal quarry in twenty-four hours, and if she doesn’t show, well, let’s just say the shack is gonna need to dust off their ‘help wanted’ sign.”