Dark World

Chapter 17 - Homeward Bound

The next morning arrived quickly and before long Dipper and Pacifica were saying goodbye to Mrs. Northwest. Pacifica took him to the cave via the hummer. Both Dipper and Pacifica had said everything that needed to be said the night before. So today was more lighthearted. Dipper joked with her and told her stories about Mabel that had her laughing so hard she almost steered off the road. Dipper smiled. How he loved her laughter. The way she scrunched her nose. God, it was so cute! How he missed his wife.

As they reached the cave Ford was ready to take them through the caves to the deep underground temple and finally the portal. Wendy had shown up. Dipper waved excitedly to his friend. They could have used her help kicking butt earlier he thought with amusement. Dipper noticed they had filled all the traps in with sand or cement in some of them. They made their way to the temple after much walking. The temple was just how he had remembered it. The room was large and the ceiling was far above the room with a single hole in the room that funneled the light into a cone shape into the matching shaped pool tiled with bricks of Lapis lazuli.

Ford instructed them to bring the gate keystones. Dipper and Pacifica presented her pair followed by Mabel. Then to Dipper's surprise, Wendy presented the last pair. After they each placed the gate stones in the six plinths that surrounded the pool like hours on a clock. Or every other hour anyway. The gate stones glowed faintly when they were placed in the stand. Dipper's eyes grew wide. Wendy smirked at Dipper and Pacifica. She leaned in. "I know your alternate Dipper, but nice move pines." Dipper grinned while Pacifica blushed. She was not as comfortable with Wendy as Dipper was. They had been friends for years now and things were super chill ever since he had moved past his feelings for her and got to know her more as a friend.

Ford once again made the incomprehensible sound with his mouth. The 3d hologram projection of the planets surrounded them in stunning glory. Dipper turned to watch Pacfica's reaction. Her stunning blue eyes searched the planets out rapidly taking in every beautiful detail. She turned to see him watching her with a smile. She smiled back warmly. Ford reached out but this time he didn't touch the innermost planet. Instead, he put his hands out and drew everything in like how you shrink an image on your phone but in three dimensions. He reached up and tapped a few unrecognizable symbols on the top of the projected data that was near him. It was all in Terrelian so Dipper did not know how to read it. His face changed to one of resolution. He had so much still he need to learn from his mentor! Ford Tapped a few more symbols. He scrolled through a three-dimensional wheel of projected symbols till he found the ones he was looking for. It said "46'/"He tapped it and then he blew the screen up gain the opposite way he did earlier. This time he started in the center and pulled outward with both hands expanding the image zooming in. As he did it zoomed in on galaxies. He typed in the top bar and taped a few symbols. The screen zoomed in so rapidly it almost made Dipper feel like falling over. It was so surreal! Then suddenly the earth appeared. A blue and green gem in a vast humanly uninhabitable universe with sparse hidden pockets of life throughout.

Ford selected the coordinates near the same place Dipper had forcefully been taken from. Ford put his hand on the alternate version of his great-nephew. "God speed son." Dipper nodded and thanked him. Stan said, "Kick that yellow pointy prick in the eye for me." Dipper laughed and smiled at Grunkle Stan. Dipper waved at Wendy who gave the casual two-finger salute. Dipper smiled. He turned next to Mabel. Her eyes were misting up. "I told myself I wasn't going to get attached," she sniffed as the tears welled up. "But we both know better than that," she said with a smile. Dipper hugged her. "I'll miss you Mabes. But in a way, you'll be getting me back too." Mabel smiled. Give that pointy jerk Bill what for!" Dipper nodded, "I will."

Dipper turned to Pacifica and said, "Don't let him weasel out it because he's nervous, awkward, and sweaty. Hound him if you have to. Trust me he needs you. He just doesn't know it yet." She smiled. "I will." Dipper hugged her and turned around to walk through the portal. Everyone in the large temple room was watching him. Dipper was about to walk through when Pacifica said, "Yo Dipper," Dipper turned around to look her in the eyes to see her smiling. "Take back the Falls!" She raised her hand in a fist and shook it. Everyone raised their fists. Wendy shouted, "Give 'em' hell Dipper!" Dipper smiled and raised his fist as he walked through the portal. He was going home. And he was taking the spirit of battle with him.