Babes And The Beast

Chapter 11: Loving

It all happened so fast. One second, Gideon was walking away. The next, he was waving the rapier around out of control. Gideon himself seemed terrified at what he was doing. It was like his arm was acting on its' own.

"AHHH! Bad Arm! STOP!!!" the unfortunate boy shrieked as he was dragged invisibly across the room. At his throat, the cravat pin glowed golden, and Bill's laughter rang through the air.

   Stan side-stepped as the boy thrust at him, keeping the kids close to his sides.

"BILLLL! You slimy smug schlemihl!! Get out of there and face me like a shape!"

   "If you insist!" Gideon stood completely still as Bill floated out from the gem. Like a reverse shadow, he loomed over the boy, separate, yet connected. Cackling he grabbed the rapier and resumed the fight.

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While the action escalated upstairs, downstairs, things were starting to wind down. Grenda had just tied Toby up with fabric from her drawers. And McGucket brained the sixth guy in a row with the flat of Wendy's blade. Even Robbie risked becoming a full-on guitar to fight alongside his old buddies.

"Hey Tambry." he called to the feather duster, "Long time no see."

"Good to see you too Robbie." She fluffed out her feathers coyly.

"She's missed you a lot, haven't you Tambers?" One of the candlesticks winked at her.

"Don't. Call. Me. Tambers!" She said each word as she whacked a different person in the face. One guy spiriled into the arms of the Librarian, who simply shrugged and carried him outside.

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    Bill thrust forward, dragging Gideon behind him. His fighting skills were much greater than that of a chubby little boy. A simple chopping motion was enough to separate Stan from the twins. They ran to different ends of the balcony.  He looked around. And then he saw the boy.

"YOU!" He lunged at Dipper. Dipper screwed his eyes shut and braced himself.

"NO!" Stan cried out and dove between them. SHHHIEK! There was a loud ripping sound. Dipper looked up to the point of the rapier sticking out of Stans' chest, right near his head. Stan roared in pain and fell to his knees. Bill pulled the sword out of his back and made for Dipper again. This time, Mabel rushed forward and grabbed Gideon by the shoulders, halting both him and Bill. Then Dipper grabbed the pin, tore it off of Gideon, flung it to the ground, and crushed it with his shoe. Bill screamed, and as he screamed, his body shattered and evaporated.

  Gideon, now that he had full control of his limbs again, ran away as fast as he could. Dipper and Mabel ran to Stan, who was still knelling on the floor.

"You kiddos alright?" he asked as Mabel pressed his cape onto the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "DON'T TALK!" she ordered, "Just take slow deep breathes." Stan gave a weak chuckle and turned to Dipper. "Ford okay?" he asked. Dipper nodded.

"He- he's fine. Everyone is fine thanks to you." A knot was tightening in his chest. His face felt hot. Dawn was coming, but everything was dark.

"Heh. How bout that?" Guess I was good for something after... all..." His voice trailed off as he slumped over the frantic twins.

"AHHH! NO NO NO!" Mabel shrieked as she tried to prop him back up and jolt him awake. "GRUNKLE STAN! HANG ON!" Dipper had to take a step back. This couldn't be happening. Not after the promise they had made.

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McGucket saw Gideon running off with the rest of the attackers.