Chapters Chapter 1. Part 1. The new kid.
"...Monster. The worst type of monster. They`re hiding in the place that you can see perfectly, make you love them and then tear you apart".
The bus was moving not really fast, shaking on every hummock and hollow. But passengers didn't mind. Or, as more right, passenger. He was going to Gravity Falls. There everybody, who were driving, had their own cars.
"Gravity Falls", - said the bus driver.
"Thanks", - said passenger with the most friendly voice he could say.
The driver`s answer was a lazy gesture of a hand. Stranger stand up, shaked himself, put on his cap, took his backpack and went to an exit.
The driver waited till doors would close after the boy and pressed the pedal. Bus shaked, blow off a ball of smoke and move up on it's route.
He's name was Else. Not fat, but not slim, middle-height with curious eyes that were looking on everything. He was wearing grey cap with word "Strange", long blue t-shirt, same blue trainers with black shoelaces and green shorts right from laundry. Also he had a whistle on the lace and earbuds that were hanging down from his right pocket.Probably that is the reason, why people were looking at him with such interest and curiosity. Of course Else enjoyed this interest to him. He looked like seventeen years old, maybe nineteen. But his appearance, as often teenager's appearance is, was deceptive.
Fifteen years. Nice age. You can easily watch horror films in cinema and in the same time, be glad watching cartoons. Our character was a part of a group named... "brony". Yes, almostly it is. Some people'd say no. That was, probably, the ony thing, that Els was ashamed about. He didn't like talking about that and was trying to change theme everytime when somebody said something about ponies, harmony or magic. Everyone has their own secrets.
As Else entered the closest souvenir shop, that he found in twenty minutes after he arrived to the town, he went to a shopwoman. She was young and seemed not really smart.
"Hello there, do you have a map of Gravity Falls?" - asked Else with same friendly voice. He didn't like conflicts but if such appeared, he prefered to solve it the most friendly way.
The shopwoman looked at him estimating. With such a view old ladies in shops, trying to find out, if that staff is okay or not. Without an answer, woman descented under the counter. A noize of some banks, jars and tins went from there.
It looked like she found what she wanted, because she stand straight really glad of herself. Else liked to notice stuff like that. He enjoyed describing things, that he saw around him.
"Here", - shopwoman gave a paper to him. Guy expanded it. That's right, it was a big map of neighbourhood.
"How much?"
"Two dollars".
Else easily gave two green papers to her came out of shop, looking forward to awesome rest. As it seems, the beginning is fine.
Suddenly, he remembered something, that he couldn't forget, but anyways forgot. Else actually, ran into a shop. The shopwoman, looked on him, like he wasn't in the shop ten seconds ago, but then again looked to a tiny TV.
"Excuse me, but where "Shack of Secrets" is?"
Woman explained him how to get there. "Yeah, the way there isn't short", - thought Else, when he has already gone out from a store.
***
The road there took two hours. He had to go by feet. "Well, I've listened to music after all" - he thought. The other funny fact about Else - he was an optimist and a realist at one time. As he came close to the house, he stopped. In a small distance the “Mystery Shack” looked like something between a shack and a house, that usually contains a lot of different interesting mysteries and secrets. "Secret chambers are in assortment, I suppose" - this time aloud said Else. When he really wanted to talk to someone, but no one could help him, his interlocutor was himself. As he came to a door, he knocked. No answer. One more time. Beyond appeared a quite tap of legs. The door opened. After it was standing a host of a house, mister Pines in propria persona. Despite of early time, only seven o'clock p.m., he was in his home clothes: sneakers, shirt, fez and underpants. It doesn't look like he was hesitate of his visitor. Else praised him for this. It's nice, if you don't care what people think about you. Silence dragged.
"Hello, are you mister Pines?" - asked Else just to be sure.
"Yup, it's me", - said Pines sullenly, - "Whatcha want?" - that was really rude.
"Ehm, I wanted to rent a room, so..." - started Else, but the owner of a “Shack” didn't let him end the sentence.
"No! It's not a hotel here, u know?!" - again hectored mister Pines. - "Always these freakin' teenagers wear on these goddamn..."
Else thought, that the most typical old man is standing in front of him. One of men, that always say, that earlier young wasn't so liberated and etc. Else decided to stop that stream of words. He took out of his shorts' left pocket a wallet, than took out of there a 100 dollars note.
"Only a couple of weeks", - said Else, taking out one more same note.
It worked. Half of an hour later, he was already posting in his room - a tiny den on the second floor that actually wasn't prepared for living. Of course, before giving Else a key, old man read him a lecture, what is allowed and what is forbidden in his house: do not run, no noise, do not listen to music, do not talk to anyone, do not enter this room, that, don't go to mansard, basement. Meal not included.
"And the most important! Do not leave this room after 22:00!"
"But..." - Else was confused.
"This way or get the hell out!" - Pines bluffed and that was clear.
"Okay..." - said the boy even didn't ask what he gonna do, if he'd really want to go to the bathroom. Old man gave him keys with a sight "I'm watching you". Else shivered. The silence dragged and was becoming frightening.
"Fine", - Pines went to an exit, - "Do not leave the room!" - one more time reminded old man and came out. "If I was an adult, he'd be kissing my toes, just trying to please me...", - grumbled Else.
As he ended posting his, actually, not big amount of stuff and reserve of chocolate bars, Else finally relaxed. Eyes were tired, legs were hurt after a long road. He was exhausted. He looked in a window.
A big white full moon was shining. The heads of trees were swinging, because of wind. Somewhere beyond some birds, probably crows, flew up in the sky. Dark blue clouds were soaring through. "Yeah", - thought Else, - "So beautiful".
Loud creak frightened him.
Creak was really close. Else didn't catch what's going on, when a white cap flew near the window and fell on the ground. In the same moment a dark figure appeared in front of a window. Else jumped to the corner of the room and turned on the light (before that the room was in light of small candle). Dark figure became a low boy in age of twelve with big amount of brown (right, brown) hear on his head. Stranger was wearing a dark-blue half-jacket over a red t-shirt and short shorts.
"Hi" - said chappie with pretty friendly but a little nervous voice.
"Gosh", - Else breathed with relief, - you scared me!
"Sorry. So, who are you?" - curiously asked boy.
"Well, I am... renting a room here. You are one of Pines's nephews, right?"
"Yeah", - the guy was surprised. - "How did you know about that?"
"Just a hunch", - answered Else, remembering two kids, that were watching TV in a living room, when he was entering "Mystery Shack". Pines shouted at them "What are you doing?!". A girl quickly took a swab and started to wipe a commode with a big smile on her face. A boy, probably her brother, took a broom and continued sweeping the floor. No one has seen a stranger, standing behind their uncle.
In that moment some pink wad flew through the window. As it fell down wad has expanded. A head, than arms and even legs appeared. It was a girl, that had worked with swab. She was wearing a pink sweater with a picture of falling star. The ballerinas on legs. Braces in teeth. She was holding a cap with a picture of pine tree.
"Hi!" - she yelped so loud, that Else became deff for a few seconds. She put a cap on her brother's head.
"Who are you?!" - same happily squeeled girl, - "Are you the new one? Yay! I told you, Dipper! You owe me two dollars!"
"I am Else", - he finally decided to introduce himself, - "nice to mee..."
"I am Mabel. And this is my brother Dipper! By the way, we are twins!" - she was speaking so fast, that she didn't let her brother even say a word, - I saw you going with gruncle Stan upstairs and we made a bet. I said you are going to rent a room but Dipper didn't trust me!
"Because no one wants to live here for money", - said Dipper though.
"You know, I've got no more place to go..." - thought Else, but decided not to tell about himself to people, that he know just a few minutes.
"Are you going to spend night here or you are staying here for long?" - asked Mabel same loud. She exactly liked that someone new in her house.
"Does she always acting like that?" - Else quietly asked Dipper. Boy's height was equals for Else's shoulder.
"Unfortunately, yes", - he answered tiredly.
"I'll stay for a couple weeks", - Else answered to Mabel.
A large smile appeared on her face. "Too optimistic" - diagnosed Else, - "We are losing her".
In ten minutes all three were talking unconstrainedly and free, sitting on tough bed. Else asked, what are kids doing here. Those exchanged glances. "Shall we tell him?" - asked brother by his eyes. Sister smiled.
Dipper was telling calmly and dormantly and his sister, that couldn't hold emotions, was embedding very excited words. From Else got he could find next things:
1) Gravity Falls - is strange and weird place. You can meet here fantastic creatures: gnomes, zombies, minotaures, copying machines, that can copy human beings. It's normal for this place.
2) Also, Gravity Falls is very dangerous place. It's not safe to go to forest at night, the reasons you can find above. In that part of story Else looked on the opened window. In a few seconds it was closed.
3) In first days of living in "Mystery Shack" Dipper found a weird book in a forest with a hand-written figure "3" on the envelope. In book were described all mystical creatures and dangers in neighborhood, that you can ever meet. Author is unknown. Recently, gruncle Stan has known about the book and took it away. And they've got no idea where is it now.
4) Every twins' day is an adventure. Some of it happens cause of them, another ones happens on it's own and twins just get involved in it. You'll never know, what'll bring a new day.
5) Except twins and owner Pines, there are two more people working in the shack. Soos, who is doing renovations, and Wendy, who is sitting on the cash. Soos is a funny guy, with who you can spend great time. And Wendy is actually a common teenager. So, Dipper and Mabel don't get bored.
Else had absolutely no reason to believe twelve-year-old children with whom he is familiar from strength to forty minutes. But he believed. First of all, because he loved these mystical stories about zombies, aliens, time traveling, and so on.
The story took more than an hour. All three were pretty exhausted because the last day. Else because the long road, and the twins because cleaning the house. It was decided to gather tomorrow and to go for a walk in the forest. Dipper hoped to show the «newcomer» habitat of a large colony of gnomes.
Brother and sister left the room the same way that they entered - through the window. A minute later from above Else heard a muffled “Good night!”. The boy looked out the window and softly said “Night”. Well, first day and new friends. Not bad.
The boy had already leaned her elbows on the window frame, dreamily looking at the clear sky but he suddenly remembered the story of Dipper about the creatures that live in the forest. He saw the picture, as the flock of gnomes coming out from the dark forest, stamping those little foot. Else quickly closed the window.
"Tonight I sleep with the light".
View Online
Chapter 1. Part 2. Not a fan to travel between worlds.
Next day didn’t live up to expectations. By morning Mr. Pines took the twins and they left, according to Stan, on very important affairs that don’t require delay. Else was a little bit unpleasant. Nevertheless agreed. On the other hand, they have in stock two weeks, if not more. As Ms. Lutens say, so it will be.
Ms. Lutens was kind of stepmother for Else. Can’t say that she loved him. But sometimes looked through a warm feelings from her side, but the rest of the time a woman perceived a man like some due, self-evident, like something that just is and can exist apart from her. All that she had to do – it’s shelter, food, drink… Generally, she had to contain a growing child.
He got to her a year ago, plus/minus a month. This whole story, as Mrs. Lutens told, ”extremely complicated and too difficult to perceive, to even try to understand it ”. And the truth is, that this story was the most strange event in his life.
***
It was another ordinary day. Mrs. Lutens banged the fourth decade, and she was alone. Not surprising. By her bad temper she frightened all male beings, whether that was a person on the street, or a goldfish in aquarium. She was always right, not tenable, not tolerate compliments, considering that the last was useless and don’t need to communicate. In restaurants, she always pays for herself, because “I can afford it”. She didn’t accept gifts, saying that “handouts” from someone else’s hands are disgusting. Generally speaking, she was very, very strange person. And there was a lot of desirous.
At that day, she, like always, got up exactly at 7:30 am, washed, dressed business costume, in which she six times a week went to work, and sat for a moment on the couch in front of TV, to inquire about, what happened in the world for last night. Mrs. Lutens never missed news. After hearing simulated voices, reporting that today in New-York will sunny and a bit windy weather, the lady got up from the couch, went into a hallway, there dressed her black coat, in which she looked like a crow, and left the apartment, didn’t forget to lock the door.
In the street was really warm, but “a bit windy” weather. “Finally, the correct weather forecast”- woman thought.
There she goes through the streets of New-York, closed and apathetic. Goes on a long time learned route: Now after the toy store to the right, then go to the crossroads, then cross the road and go straight… And so on… I think you already got that Ms. Lutens’s life was boring, monotonous and not interesting. Consistency and confidence in the tomorrow.
At the crossroads she abruptly stopped. Something caught her attention. Something, that shouldn’t be there. She turned her head to the left and immediately found a reason to stop her. Little boy. He was standing against the window of a bakery. It seems like his gazewas directed to nowhere. He was definitely lost. He didn’t stray from his tour group, he didn’t forget the way, he didn’t rest on his jogging. He was just lost. Spiritually, not physically. For the first time in Ms. Lutens awaked such feeling, as compassion. As she told me later ( it was only once, she didn’t like to remember that day and avoided discussions on this topic), she didn’t understand why, but she went to the lost boy and trying to make more friendly voice, as possible, asked
"You need help?"
Of course he needed help. In that day Mrs. Lutens for the first time in life took time off from work, to help him get to her home, feed him, got to take shower and in the end, get the boy settled in her home. In the future, she never tried to throw him to the shelter. Tis showed about her affection to the boy.
That’s how Else settled at aunt Lutens, as he called her, in spite of her exasperated comments about it. Problems with papers were immediately solved. With his appearance woman’s habits didn’t change. Character remained the same as it always was. But there have been changes in the interior of the apartment. Appeared the internet. Great thing, as soon found Else. That was the way he become a fan of ponies. He hadn’t say about it to aunt, not believing that it was necessary. The same way the wallpapers in the room, where the boy settled, has been changed. And indeed the whole room was strikingly different from the rest of the apartment: computer, bright wallpaper, windows without curtains and a table piled with notebooks and textbooks. Else liked here. This room was his island, where he could be himself.
Turned out, that all his habits, seem to have been with him through all his life. He also tried to follow the fashion, but at the same time, dressed in his own way, always bright and without any clothing combinations. In the company of his peers he showed himself as funny man, as clown, if you please. But unfortunately for Mrs. Lutens, and most for Else, the boy had no friends. There wasn’t even two or three people with whomyou can say hello, going to class in the morning, and with whom your communication per day stops here. It was lonely, but to despond, Else saw no point. A mixture of a realist and optimist made itself felt.
The name for him, boy chose by himself, as to the question of his name, he couldn’t give a clear answer. The same thing happened when asked questions about where he was, where he lives, who were his parents, and perhaps the most important, how did he got to that crossroads. But his birth date Else remembered. Seventeenth of may nineteen hundred and ninety-eight. Further trips to the doctors didn’t find any symptoms of the alleged amnesia. At that all over. Neither Mrs. Lutens or Else it wasn’t particularly interesting.
Boy, after a single campaign to hypnosis, could just remember, that before he found himself at a crossroads, he woke up lying on the pavement, face up, the sun was rising over the horizon. He stoo up, looked around, then brushed off all dirt, which was possible and stupidly went where he looked. He pretty tired as he walked, and wanted to eat badly, so when he saw a bakery, he started rummage in his pockets. Not found a penny there, he leaned his back at the shop window, wondering what to do and how to be. Suddenly, a woman came to him.
This summer, after Else celebrated his birthday in splendid isolation, Mrs. Lutens decided to take a break from his adolescent loneliness, and sent him far away, namely in Gravity Falls, with giving him a lot of money. When Else boarded the bus, she told him: “Please don’t mess with the bad guys. Be carefull near the roadway. Always count on how much money you need to spend and how much can you save. When you get there, find “Snack Tyne”. The chief there is Stan Pines, not the most pleasant guy. You will stay there. Offer him a hundred, if he don’t agree – two. He’s so greedy. Be careful… ”. Else noticed that Lutens’s eyes for the first time of the year ”at the wet spot”. He took her hand and said:
"Of course I’ll be careful. That’s me!"
"That’s what I’m afraid of", - Ms. Lutens said quietly.
The bus pulled away from the bus stop at 10:45, like clockwork. Else got into back seat, stuck in the ears his headphones colored cut grass and closed his eyes. A woman stand at the bus stop. She looked in the trail, slowly receding bus, calming herself.
"That’s me!"
"That’s what I’m afraid of…"
***
Twins left and, therefore, there was nothing. Aimlessly wandering around the house, on the ground floor, in the exhibition hall, and even visiting the stock of goods, where he chosen a snow globe, Else could just say that this place is at least unusual. Under "Unusual" implied old copiers, closed padlock secret door, lots of tablets with hieroglyphics and, above all, a utility room, allocated Susu as lounges.
Large, spacious room with a comfortable sofa, TV, bookcase and so on. Here's what to ask people to stay overnight. Walking through the entire area with the permission of Sousse, Else stopped at the aforementioned bookcase. The doors opened with difficulty, because nobody oiled hinges here for ten years. Wardrobe jolted, and the boy heard something fall to the floor. Looking around, he saw a little dusty book, or rather a notebook, but without cells. On the eye it was ninety pages. Picking up a notebook, Eles sat on the couch and opened it at first got here. Page was empty. He opened another. The same result. Then he quickly flipped through the entire book from cover to cover. Nothing, except for the first page, which was not the most accurate way to break out. Els has decided to leave the book itself. She might need it as a notebook, is not it?
After half an hour of wandering, Else decided on a desperate act - he decided to go into the forest alone. During the day there is not as scary as night. That's for sure. So there is nothing terrible in this. There is even fun if that's so, walking around, he finds a deer the size of a pin, or another time traveler lost in broad daylight. And especially, now that he has a "notebook". He will call the book so.
Else went up to my room to get ready in a dangerous and selfless adventure. Naturally, it was nothing more than a small hike, but the body is required adrenaline. In backpack fit things like universal Swiss Army knife, given to him by an aunt Lyutens birthday pair of warm socks, four candy bars, a thermos of hot water and a first aid kit. "Protected is forearmed, well, or whatever?" - Else thought. In the right pocket invariably went headphones with the player, and the left will fit small diameter compass. On his head wearing a cap with the inscription «Strange», on the feet - blue sneakers with black laces and slim jeans. Over a monochromatic yellow shirts wearing a black jacket. "How unprofessional for the traveler, black jacket on a sunny day!" - Mentally cursed himself for carelessness boy. Black absorbs sunlight, everyone knows it. It will be incredibly hot in a similar fashion. But it was only his jacket, and he took off himself, folded it and put it on the bottom of the backpack - suddenly need. It's Gravity Falls!
At 12:34 local time Else stood at the entrance to the forest. Forest full of puzzles, mysteries and interesting creatures. Stepping on your throat, Else slowly, like a surgeon during surgery, crossed the invisible line that separates the world from this taiga. The journey began.
At 13:48 Else stopped to rest. He did not think that will be the usual walk tiring. Now his attention was concentrated on the chocolate bars lying somewhere in his backpack behind. He pulled one out, thinking that for almost half an hour had found nothing interesting or supernatural. At all! If you believe the stories Dipper and Mabel, this place should be packed with magic and varied pleasures of Mother Nature. But no, nothing.
After his small meal he was going to go home. Enough for today. Twins may have already arrived? It is necessary to find out. He stuffed the wrapper in his pocket, preferring to throw it in the bin and not on the damp earth.
His thoughts are scattered in different directions. He could not think of anything in particular, and just walked around and enjoyed the beauty. Suddenly, he remembered something. Today should get a new series of My little Pony! "Oh, man!" - he angrily kicked a nearby stone. He flew into a large bush with a crash crashing into something. Else it was interesting. What is it? Parting the branches, he found only something vaguely resembling the inside of the hedge. Nothing interesting, again. His thoughts went back to the ponies. When he was bored or sad, he included a pair of runs to take a break from worldly cares. Cheerful children's cartoon. Sometimes you laugh, and sometimes not at all fun to watch. Perhaps that is why many people write on it fanfiksheny. All sorts of love stories, the main characters death, the ratings distribution. They even somehow managed to kill Pinkie Pie! Oh, if only his hands could reach such authors, he would have them ...
He stopped.
Ahead, a small heel of land surrounded by bushes with berries, was a man. He sat on the fifth point, clasping his feet, and barely noticeable rocked from side to side. Black patent leather shoes, which were covered with a thick layer of dried mud, lay nearby. At full body wearing an orange robe. On the wrist - watches seem with an integrated compass. Blond hair. Man often sobbed on the ground and then fell salty drops.
Else stood and stared in bewilderment at the whimpering fat man in prison garb. It was weird. And not even the fact that a man was sitting here in the midst of dense forests, and the fact that he was crying and sometimes emit an intermittent howling. Something just did not give the boy to leave.
Suddenly the man turned his head straight to where the boy stood. Their eyes met. After a moment of silence, the man asked a very pertinent question is not:
"Can you speak?" - quiet voice trembling he asked.
"Of course I can", - Else spoke slowly, to a man standing sideways, ready to flee at the slightest manifestations of aggression. You never know what to expect from these people.
Crying face lit up and he got up from the ground, then shook himself and went to the boy. Seeing that he began to back away, the man blushed slightly, but not with anger.
"I won`t hurt you, honestly".
Man slowly pulled from his pocket a small bowl, glass-looking, six centimeters in diameter. Inside this ball lightning and could see multicolored fog. Rainbow mist accurate. Else body went limp. The show was awesome. But man does not share the views of the boy. He held the ball with two fingers, as usual keep something really nasty or unpleasant.
"Here, it's yours! Take it!" - with these words, the man in the orange literally shoved the ball in the boy's hand. - Take care of it, do you hear? - the voice of the stranger began to fall apart. - And in any case, never, no way ... do not break it! Truncating?
Else nodded vigorously, seeing that man again now to cry. It happened. He knelt down and began to sob loudly and resoundingly right in front of the boy. Could only look on this show, because it was not possible to help. "Let her cry a little, - Else thought - Always need to give vent to feelings".
Ball in hand vibrated. It was not like electric shocks. Rather, it was the feeling when you put your hand on a small but very powerful device. Oscillations are so fast that you become tickled.
"Five hundred and seventh, fast to get out into the open!" - suddenly shouted a voice amplified megaphone.
The man in the orange sharply turned his head in the direction where the sound came. His eyes narrowed. Now he was terrified.
"Run!" - lightning man got up and ran to Else with a crazy look on his face. Fear, despair, excitement and joy. Else has not had time to say a word, as a man shamelessly grabbed his left hand, which still clutched the ball with lightning and iridescent clouds inside.
"Security breach!" - with these words he pitched ball on the boy's head. Asterisks flew before my eyes from this blow. Body went limp again, only this time for good. Else lost consciousness.
"Take care of yourself! Do not let them get to you! You will understand quickly what's what!"
The last thing the boy saw ... was blue cloud that enveloped him from head to toe. And the men in black who opened fire. And the lifeless body of a man in a prison uniform, fallen to the ground. And then it turned blue, then dark, then black.
***
"Damn it!" - shouted agent Jordan, seeing as blue substance rises above ground and lightning carried away to the west. "We lost him! Report, now! Enable protocol-GL-000 Gamma! Do something, you sons of a...!"
Chapter 1. Part 3. The green mile.
Blinding sunlight fall on the boy's face. His eyes opened lazily.
"How long had I been asleep?"
Boy was still lying on the same land, surrounded by bushes with weird berries on them. Air was smelling with freshness of morn forest; birds have been crossing the blue sky. Some of them landed on trees, and started to sing sweet songs with their pretty voices.
Head was throbbing badly, maybe because of long sleep. Else looked on his watches. 10.05 a.m. Not bad... He haven't any power to stand up, or even turn over. With a great labor boy turned his head to the right. Hand was strongly squeezing notepad, that one from the relax room. Boy was blankly looking at it for a while, holding his thumb on a dark-brown cover. "Why am I holding this?", he thought.
After about four minutes weakness dissapeared. At first boy started to feel his hands, then neck. Stretching, he
stood up from the dirty ground, shook himself, and quickly examined ambient forest.
Else stiffened. This forest seemed to be like usual one in Gravity falls but it was... Another? That one was completely different: nothing familiar with usual forest flora, and, probably fauna. So, that was predictable when he couldn't recognize any of birds or berries. All the trees were strangely distorted, or fallen down. Branches felt more like twitched sticks, impaled with leaves, which looked like wet rags. Trees and plants had unnatural, weird green color; somewhere they happened to be pale-green, brown and even dark-turquoise.
"Wow..." - first impression is always the true one.
Should I go discover unknown place, or stand here and wait? - Else was thinking, when suddenly he remembered about his backpack, and it's contents. He looked around. His stuff were scattered all around the land, boy was sitting on. Some of them were hanging on the bushes, covered with bright red berries. "Poisoned" - understood Else. He quickly collected all the loot, and decided to count them all, just for sure. Sweater, swiss knife, aid kit, warm socks, thermos bottle... The only thing, that disappeared were chocolate bars. Because of sweets he felt twice as offended.
None of dangerous, even wild animals, weren't noticed. Except for one little white bunny, that jumped beside the boy, when he was collecting another sock. Anyway, Else haven't even started carry about his life. Uh... dork...
Far away behind the trees boy could see a little hill. "It is about mile to travel, but It would be better to go there, if you don't want to have a walk through the dark and frightening forest. Last one doesn't seem to be friendly", -thought Else. By that time fear has completely disappeared... If this boy ever had this one.
Else remembered that man in orange cloth, rainbow orb, and humans in black who have opened fire on him... Orb's shattered pieces covered boy's face with small, almost invisible cuts... Another thing he remembered was dark blue substance, that enveloped and lifted him up...
***
Surprisingly, Else was succeed to exit the forest, by going straight forward for about 10 minutes. But he remembered the location of his start point, just in case. Anything could happen.
So now Else could see green hill with lots of flowers like daisies, dandelions, and some kind of weed. With no other choose, boy started to climb on the hill, and, despite the fact, that it wasn't really big he felt awfully tired. How would You feel, if you slept about 18 hours on dirty and hard ground in the forest? So he felt just like that. Stomach starts reminding of food, legs appeal for relax, and the head demand some explanation. Temples were beating hardly, but, it didn't cause any pain; apparently, it's a little weird feeling...
Finally, the "mount" was conquered, and by that moment, legs almost denied to work. Else took his backpack off and falled on tall grass, that was covering the whole hill. He closed his eyes with great pleasure, and felt like he wanted to sleep again. What? No way. Not now!
Suddenly boy felt, that something jumped on his chest; it was something really small, almost weightless, but boy jumped up in a moment with a fast heartbeat. What was that?! But that was just a little white bunny. Else understood, that it was the same rabbit, that he had already seen while he was collecting his cloth. On a boy's face appeared little smille of relief. Anyway that could be anything, cause there was nothing to expect from unknown creatures.
Rabbit made a quick glance on the boy, twitched his ear and lied on the grass near him. Seemed like he was a little exhausted too.
Sudden shout ripped peaceful silence:
"Angel, honey, where are you?" - nice calm voice sounded. Else paralised. His mouth slowly opened, eye pupils quickly became extremely big. Panic fear was written on his face. Figure was climbing up slowly. Else prayed that his afraids wouldn't became truth. When It came up and their sights meet... One second was more than enough for boy to jump down, trying to get as far as possible from It. Else was shouting something misunderstodable all the way down, until he stumbled... He hardly hit ground, nearly broke his neck, and fastly flew further. Unluckily he wasn't able to take control anymore, so he continued way down, like a puppet, when somebody had just torn his strings. When he finally stopped, his last words were: «H-help...» It was second time for that day, when he felt unconscious. Now because of fear... That holidays would be realy memorable...
***
Fluttershy was looking at the strange creature which was lying near the mount without any signs of life.
"Oh m-m-my gosh", - because of worry she started stuttering.
Carefully, trying to move absolutely silently, Fluttershy, with a bunny on her back, slowly came down to the moveless body. Creature was breathing really slowly. Pony stucked. She turned head to the bunny..
"Angel, can you, please, call... somebody..." - She take thought for a second "... Applejack, if that won`t be too hard..."
Rabbit nodded to agree. Everything, just to get away from here.
Angel came to AppleJack just when she was collecting apples. It took about five minutes to explain what happened with Fluttershy and him.
Five more minutes later ponies were carefully carrying boy on a hoof-made barrow from some sticks and tablecloth. They decided to get him to the closest bed, and that should be Fluttershy`s house.
Twilight by some bad luck was "busy with her new obligations". So, after monster was delivered to the cottage, and all it's injures were treated, Applejack headed to the Canterlot. Three hours later all three princesses broke into shy pony's house.
Creature was transported to the Canterlot's main hospital, Fluttershy got gratitude for the first aid, and Applejack has to give promise, that she won't tell anypony about this morning accident. She kept her word.
In the hospital visitor was put into special secret room. That was done to prevent it from being seen by anyone else to keep accident in secret. From this moment any remind on public was prohibited, but about it knew only princesses, including Twilight and her friends (and dragon Spike, of course).
Doctor, who examined patient, said, that he shouldn't have felt unconscious at all. But fate ordered to go another way...
So, five days have passed quickly. Creature haven't eat or drink anything; as was found out later, he didn't need to.
***
Eyes opened in one moment. It was dark and quiet... Too quiet... Boy gradually could recognize bed, he was lying on. Beds like that usually put in the hospitals.
Acute pain pierced boy's left leg. He threw blanket off and froze, looking at himselves: He was wearing hospital robe, left leg was plastered, right had wide scratch across all the calf. But every wound was properly desinfected. Have I just falled hard, or I met some unfriendly guys (Optimist finally woke up).
Else looked for any windows, because he a was interested in current time, but his watches and other stuff mysteriously disappeared. No windows... Am I underground, or it's just strange planned room?... Opposite the bed there was a door. Betweer it and floor Else could see light. That means, that somebody was from the other side of the door...
Now Else had load of time to think about everything that happened. Who could disturb him? Doctor? Boy started thinking about what can he expect from ponies. Interrogation? Making him a god? Giving him a freedom, and then trick in order to use him... As Else knew from the cartoon, ponies are mostly friendly, but who could possibly know about how could they react, if they see a human... Scary, very scary...
Suddenly the door opened. Before boy understood that, bright light blinded him for a few seconds. Else didn't care about who was standing in the doorway. He remembered one of the Stiven King stories, book with them he found in the attic of aunt Lutence. "Boogeyman" - that was it's name.
Eventually, boy decided to face creature, and thoroughly looked at it. That was colt with a brown mane. He was wearing doctor's coat, and on his neck was hunging a stetoscope. Doctor Whooves - boy read a badge on it's coat.
"Hi", - Else gave some signs of life, to finally get rid of this fear. He has watched cartoon after all! Especially they weren't frightening at all.
Doctor freezed for a second, then he fastly escaped the room, like he has forgotten something outside. Else could hear muffled talk. Too quiet to understand. Doctor returned back, and confidently walked to the bed.
"Hello", - Else greeted him once more.
"Good afternoon", - nice male voice answered. "Before we start primary examination, some questions if you feel good".
Doctor looked completely serious.
After some questions like "where are you from?", "How did you get on the hill?", "How do you feel?, every answer was logged.
"Great", - doctor said with no expressions on his... face. "Now let's have a look".
Everything went without accidents. But every time hard hoof touched boy's skin, Else winced. He needed to get used to it. Whooves was going to exit, when Else decided to ask:
"Sorry, but where is all my stuff?"
***
Train arrived to the Canterlot exactly in 13:20. On the station appeared five ponies, exhausted of long trip.
"Weee! Finally! I can't wait!" - Pinkie Pie yelled, pushing others to move faster, and jumping around them. "Come on bags with candies! We can't be late!"
"Pinkie, darling, calm down! Even if we get late for ten minutes, it won't change anything", - said Rarity, trying to calm her.
"Agree", - nodded Applejack.
Last one, who left wagon was Fluttershy. She reluctantly trailed, with her head lowered down.
"Fluttershy, come on!" - Rainbow Dash decided to cheer her up. "What can happen? How can It harm us?" - Dash winked. Fluttershy answered nothing.
From the moment, when Twilight have sent them a message poor Fluttershy couldn't find a place . Letter said, that the creature has woken up. Fluttershy was feeling something bad from this words. Yes, ponies helped it, gave him a first aid, but it all happened when It was unconscious. They had no idea, if stranger was smart, could speak, or even where he had come from; But when main doctor came into the room, and It greeted him... Fluttershy remembered, how creature looked like, when she found it near the mount. Element of kindness couldn't possibly just turn around and leave it. And now it's awoken, and it's not even a dragon, so they could expect anything from it! That was why she didn't want to come here. That was why others virtually packed her into a wagon. That was why she was walking so slowly now. She knew, something really awful is going to happen...
Ten minutes after the party reached castle. Guards let them pass without let or hindrance, cause everypony here knew them. Spike was already waiting visitors.
"Greetings, ladies", - he said affably, and led them upstairs.
Soon, they reached princess Celestia's main chambers. Large double doors opened. Two alicorns - celestial white, and dark-blue were in the large and bright room. Celestia was pacing by the corners of the room, Luna was lying on the bed, and her dark wings slightly trembled in the light of the fireplace.
"There you are, we thought it would take forever", - Celestia quickly said with a little tired look.
After scene of warm greetings, Twilight, and party started moving, passing one room after one through the castle.
Suddenly strange object falled on Fluttershy. Loud scream penetreated the castle.It took some time to see, that It was serpentine brown clot with a brown tail.
"Futtershy!" - Discord yelled happily, giving her strong hugs. "How happy I am to see you! Oh... And you too, I suppose", - he noticed others.
"It's Flutters-s-hy", - pony said hardly (because she still was held in an iron Discord's hands).
"Ah... Yeah... Doesn`t matter..." - Discord unclenched pony, and most of him, except for head, dissapeared. Fluttershy hardly hit stone floor.
"Discord, get out of our way!" - Celestia said quickly, "We don't have time to..."
"Ah, of course", - he interrupted princess, "Your "A-a-lien", - he sang, "I really hope he won't cut your heads off. Well, you know, these strangers".
Fluttershy was lying on the floor, trembling, and closing her face with her hoofs. Situation was critical. When princess of the sun saw that, she put her sparkling horn in Discord's direction. Grin disappeared from disproportionate face.
"I just wanted to join you", - snorted Discord and put his left hand onto his chest, showing seriousness of his intentions. Company continued slowly walking on long and dark corridor. Light was dimly penetreating through the mosaic-shaped windows. Large room was almost completely quiet, and...
***
Last hour was the most boring in the whole Else's life. He still haven't got his cloth. As doctor said, they were claimed the next Celestia's commands. Now it was really lot of time to think about what have happened in the forest.
Obviously that man in orange was a little... crazy. He was crying, then he said, that the sphere shouldn't be broken, and broke it on my head! Ouch... Isn't it crazy? And why these men in black killed him? Who were they? Why have they called him 507? What in heaven could this mean? Maybe he has escaped from the prison, and 507 was his number? Sounds like truth...
So, one problem apparently is solved... And what about that rainbow orb?..
All those thoughts were slowly floating in boy's head, when suddenly somebody, or somepony loudly knocked at the door.
***
"You should prepare for everything. We don't know what to wait from him..." - doctor whooves said quietly, and entered the room.
***
Else felt, like he wanted to run, or at least hide somewhere. Three princesses and after them, five ponies entered the room. The last one who float into was Discord. Everybody was looking at the boy.
"Hel-lo", - Else said very slowly, he was a little afraid.
"Greetings", - said Celestia. Her voice was affair and indulgent. "What is your name?"
"Else", - friendly answered boy, and felt, like something was attracting his attention... He tried to understand what was that, but without result. Suddenly his sight stopped on princess Luna. She also was looking at him. Else closed his eyes, trying to see something... Something, that nobody except for him couldn't see. Silence delayed...
"Lu-lu..." - whispered Else, "You've been called Lu-lu in the childhood... You loved when you've been called that... And you still love... *pause* Can I call you Lu-lu?" - and he peacefully smiled .
Silence started again. Princess Celestia turned her head to her sister. She looked really surprised.
"Let it be", - Luna tried to keep control over emotions. "What else can you tell us?"
Else understood, that he just made something wrong. Now room was filled with atmosphere of fear...
"Nothing..." - boy lowered his eyes. Else wasn't expecting something like that from himself. Actually, he didn't know what had he just done.
Now in the room were only princesses, Fluttershy, who tried not to look at boy, and Applejack. Others were waiting outside. Began long talk, that was slowly turning into Else's monologue, with detailed description of the picture. He told about his walk to the forest, about strange man, who was killed, about freaky blue matter, that enveloped him... Next, Applejack told them, how he felt from the hill, how did they took him into Fluttershy's house, and then Guards took him to the "secret medical centre", and how he spent five days unconscious.
Else noticed, that during the conversation, all three alicorns narrowly observed every his word and every his move. Apparently, they were making difficult decision...
Finally, Applejack's speech finished, and nodded to princesses. Celestia made a step.
"You will stand here, until you'll get over your injures; Then, we'll decide what to do next", - she said coldly.
"Don't you have any spell, or something to cure me?" - Else knew it sounded a little rude.
He got no reply, as all the ponies left him alone.
Chapter 1. Part 4. "Run, Else! Run!"
Dream still didn't want to come. Else was thinking and that caused, to that all, a headache. Thoughts didn't let him calm down. He was trying to stop thinking, because he really wanted it. To do not think at all. After boy lied like that for two, suffering from pain in his leg, he fell asleep.
***
He was going through a narrow very white corridor. Dim lights were drooping from a ceiling, what was giving a incentive to a boy to move faster. Air was smelling with fried potato. A really strange smell for that kind of place. A girl was crying in the end of a corridor. His skin crawled.
Suddenly a very loud roar heard in the back, so loud, that a couple of cracks appeared on a floor. Else didn't turn back and ran as fast as he could. Finally, a bright light appeared beyond. Meanwhile the roar was getting closer and closer, reflecting from the walls as echo. Heart was going to explode, lungs couldn't work with this kind of overload.
"Come on, mate, you can do it!" - heard from somewhere above a leaping man's voice.
Else has never dreamed rave like that.
"What's a show! Ha-ha! That's gonna be the part of a history, my friend. Of history!"
Roar has gone. Now Else could hear a loud unnatural laugh.
"Say "cheese!"! I should take a photo of it!"
A flash and sound of a photo-shutter went on this parade of strange things. Sight became white for a bit. Else was still running. But an abrupt punch to a wall stopped him and in a second Else was lying on the floor with a pain in his forehead.
"Hello", - said a soft voice. Else rub his eyes. A little girl was standing in front of him. She was looking at him, saying nothing. She had clenched lips, sharp nose, green eyes and light hair.
"I see you okay", - she said calmly, - probably, doc frightened you. He likes to have fun sometimes...
"Who are you?" - silently said Else, standing up. He was scared of her, even though she looked eight years old.
"Sigurros Stefansdottir. But call me Si", - sad girl seriously, - "and you are Else".
"H-how did you kno..."
"We are in your dream, silly", - giggled Si, - "It's all in your head. Of course i know your name".
"Yeah, sure", - mumbled Else. He touched her shoulder. It was tangible. "What a realistic dream".
"You was getting here really long time", - Si sit down and enfolded her knees. Else slowly made the same. Only than he found, that floor was dirty and walls were in moss. A chair with three legs was standing near the opposite wall. Also here was a bed with a broken drop counter on it. The room was winnowing neglect, mustiness and, probably, time...
"Don't care", - said Si, - "I'm just too lazy to tidy it up".
Else smiled falsely. "I'm in my own dream. Nothing can threaten me", - he was persuading himself.
"I think, it's time. Why we should wait? Am I right, doctor?" - girl looked up. It looked like she was talking to a ceiling.
"Yeah, you can start, sweetie", - said voice, that Else could hear in the corridor few minutes ago.
"Alright", - smiled Si and took Else's hand, - "But don't be afraid and, you know, do not think at all. Your head can explode or something.
"What are you going to start?" - asked Else as Si's hand became cold as ice.
Girl put her hand on boy's forehead and closed eyes. "Very weird dream", - thought Else.
"Do not think!" - shouted Si and kicked him in his flank. Then boy asked the final quastion: "What are you doing?"
"She is intruding memories, my friend", - said "doctor", - "now, please, could you shut up and let her finish".
This last for nealrly a minute. With one hand Si was holding Else, with another was on his forehead. Really cold, as ice, hands.
"D-done", - said girl shuttering removing her hands.
"Great job, Sigurros!" - said doctor funny, - "Now wake him up".
Si nodded, stood up, shaking her pink dress, and went to a bed with a broken drop counter. "Stop!", - shouted Else in fright.
"Calm down. It's just a dream. When i'll beat you with this thing, you'll just wake up, silly", - said girl with prettiness, - "Get ready!"
Else squinted. Long metal stick decayed on his head, dissecting air.
Heart was working extremely fast as after the worst nightmare can be. Boy momentally sit on the bed. Sharp pain went through his broken leg.
Else was sitting in the bed, looking around spasmodically and trying to find out what has happened. But his brain didn't want to perceive all this delirium. "What was that?" He had a little headache, temples were pulsating. He had feeling, like his brainpan grew up. But panic didn't last for a long time. After a few minutes his breathing became normal. "Rave..." - said Else aloud. He touched up his pillow, looked sadly on his leg in gypsum one more time and hid under the blanket. He tried to sleep, but that was bad idea. Stupid previous dream took all desire and possibility to sleep. Boy sward and discarded the blanket. Mood went bad too. Nobody likes, when he has nightmares. Especially, when these nightmares doesn't mean anything.
Suddenly something stirred on the nightstand. Else jumped away from it. In the darkness it looked like it was a big tarantula. A vase with a bouquet of daisy fell down and broke to the small pieces. Heard muted "Crap". Voice was subdued, like from the closed bank. Else extremely fast took his hand out of the blanket and switched on the light. It would be better, if he didn't do that...
On the nightstand was standing an ugly image of a toy robot with height nearly thirty centimeters. A disgusting body made with chicken bones, metal parts, wires and thick hose. A tin instead of head with safety glasses. Shocked Else was looking at this creature. Creature was looking at Else.
"Are you dumb?" - sound was going from a tin.
Else was just opening his mouth, as muted.
"You don't recognize me", - said robot affirmatively, - "do it, remember!"
Instead of remembering, Else quickly crumpled the blanket, making something like a bag and threw it on the creature. Lucky one. Now it was tossing in his hands. Boy felt creepy and disgusting.
"Stop it! What are you doing? Put me down!" - shouted robot, often repeating.
Else he had no idea what to do, Else was just holding robot on the extended hand and listening swears, going from there. What he should do? Call help? Or throw the cornet to the wall?
"Else, stop that"! - it called his name.
Boy very slow and accurately expanded the blanket. Creature noticed it and stopped trying to escape by itself. It was sitting it his knees and looking in his eyes.
"How do you..."
"Do you absolutely do not remember me?" - robot interrupted him with a hope in a voice.
But... He remember... So suddenly, that he was sitting still shocked. A smell of fried potato...
He is going through the long white corridor. People in white bathrobes is going towards him.
"Hi. Sup. Bill, how's wife? Is forty-ninth calm? See you in cabinet!" - he is saying to strangers, that he, as it seems, know for long time.
Now left and the first door on his right. He is coming into a cabinet, taking a folder of papers and reading: "...intellectual and with ability to talk, what is coming out in quotes from memories... single-mindedly doing one thing - collecting objects, usually useless, that are are attracting his attention".
Yes, Else remember that. But... It's not his memories.
"You see? You remember everything!" - happily shouted robot, when boy's face became bright.
"Stsap?" - said Else unsure.
"Yeap, it's me!" - said robot more happy, jumping on one spot. It looked like he forgot his name and now happy, that he remembered it.
"But you... Must be there", - mumbled Else with a stone face, indicating somewhere.
"Must be there, but i'm here", - laughed robot, - "Doctor've sent me. You know doctor, aren't you? He is weird guy", - gabbled Stsap, extricating from a crumpled blanket and going back to a nightstand.
"He asked me to help. How can i help? I can just bring baggage and that's all. I'm helpless", - when he was saying the word "baggage", he indicated to a small black bag near the broken vase. Stsap jumped to the floor and took out from a bag a... notebook. Absolutely the same notebook, as he found in Soos's room, just there, in Gravity Falls.
"Where you got it?!" - boy whipped out a notebook from a small robot's hands.
"I found it in your stuff. They told me, it'll help you".
"Who told?"
"People. They told me to take it out from your backpack. I did so. Also there were tasty things. In wrappers. I ate them", - Stsap was talking slowly. He had a small vocabulary. It was seen very well. In cause of that every long sentence was spmething hard for him.
"Who are these people?" - Else couldn't calm down.
"Doctors. They told me not to tell you anything. They said, i'll understand everything in time. I'm here only for help", - repeated robot and climbed into a bag. "Take this", - he said and gave Else a penknife. He took it and inspected it. No mark. No fabricator. From instruments there were: a screwdriver, a knife and a nail. A simple penknife without any signs of paranormal activity. Simple, but so familiar... Far memories gone to his head. An ideal penknife...
"Doctor said, it is your birthday present", - heard Stsap, that was delving in the bag. He stood up, carrying a simple tweed cap. Same caps are often worn by newspaper boys in films about old times. "That one's too". That was a cap of invisibility.
"...Immediately after wearing on, the wearer becomes invisible for people around, like others ignore him, don't notice his being, think about him as about something obvious" - went through Else's head.
"What am i gonna do with that?"
"I'll teach you", - said Stsap proudly, - "take this thing", - he indicated on penknife, - "and heal your leg".
That's a delirium. How screwdriver or a nail can heal a fracture?
"Yeah, sounds cool, but..." - Else looked on robot with a doubt.
"Come on, do it", - said Stsap as he didn't hear him.
Rave.
Else decided to try. Everything if only this damn robot could leave him alone.
Boy already didn't scared of him, but still wanted him to leave his life. All these was a bad dream that didn't want to end. So, he must to play by the rules. As holding penknife in right hand, he looked on his broken leg. "I just want to heal it", - thought Else. Penknife started vibrating and changing it's shape. That was so suddenly, that boy dropped instrument on the bed. "I didn't expect that it would work".
The feature of one hundred seventeenth is: "...If a user of an instrument comes across with a problem, instrument turns to an object, maximally fit to solve a problem. Space framework is not a significant restriction". Now this stuff worked perfectly. And next second in front of surprised Else and calm Stsap, screwdriver became a small copper pistol.
"Nice job", - Stsap praised Else. Then robot picked the pistol, indicated to the broken leg and "shot". There was no pain. Just a little cold went through his knee to a heel.
"It worked?" - asked Else quietly.
"I'm checking", - with these words robot turned copper pistol to a circular saw. "Don`t!" - shouted Else, but robot has already cut gypsum. He had to accept, that it was done with a great precision and accuracy. The leg was absolutely ok. Else laughed. All these is a true! Stsap laughed too, but some kind of favorite.
"They think that you are special", - Stsap was saying that time, - "they said, that we need you. We will help you and then you'll help us. You shouldn't ask anything. You should play by the rules. And we should just wait, - that is what they said. I think, it is very stupid".
"I think so too", - said Else quietly, - "They - it's doctors, right?"
"Doctors", - confirmed Stsap.
"How shall i help?"
"They told me not to say it", - noticed robot busily.
"Why should i trust you at all?" - asked Else reasonably after a short silence.
"Though because i healed your leg, found your notebook and brought you this cap", - Stsap indicated to the cap of invisibility, that was lying on a nightstand, - "but you can don't trust me. Than i won't help you. Do you want me to break your leg again?"
"No-no, i trust you", - said Else quickly.
"Fine. Let's get out of here. I`m sick of this place".
***
"Ready?" - asked Else.
"Ready", - answered Stsap, trying to settle down more comfortable on the bottom of black bag.
"Then, let's go", - Else wore on his cap and came out from a chamber.
Before starting the escape, boy took sneakers, that were lying under the bed and put a notebook with a penknife to the bag.
They found themselves in a small sweltering room. As they were expecting, nobody was there. A small table was standing in the middle of the room, covered by some papers. "It's not a secret heal center at all". Light, coming through curtains, was falling on a table. Else came to the window and saw a green garden, where ponies in hospital clothes were walking. Patients came to a noon walk. Else pulled the door. It was closed. Then he took out of his bag a penknife. Now they went to a big corridor. Doctors, nurses, patients were going through, clopping with their hooves. Nopony noticed, that a human is walking among them! Cap was working perfectly.
***
In same time, Twilight Sparkle was preparing to a departure, adding books to her bag. She hadn't got any important work to do and it didn't look like it would appear. So, she wanted to spend her free time entirely with her friends.
"Twilight, hurry up!" - said Spike. He's been waiting for her for ten minutes.
Alicorn couldn't simply focus on anything. Night was sleepless. Wings were interfering, Spike was snoring and eyes didn't want to close. Twilight felt exhausted, but didn't want to deliver the trip to a Ponyville. Now she's going to nap half an hour and everything will be alright. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash flew in the room.
"We've been waiting for you for over an hour!"
"Yeah, I'm coming", - alicorn yawned and went out from a room with a tipsy lurch.
***
"Excuse me, but where are the personal things of patients kept?" - asked Else, trying hard to do not start laughing.
"Why do you need that?" - answered a question at issue young alert nurse.
"Me... well, the chief nurse asked me to bring... a... scarf..." - said Else.
"Hmmm... Go through this corridor. The last door".
"Thanks!" - and patient ran in the indicated way.
When he got there, Else quietly opened the door and came in. Boy understood perfectly, that even though he'd find his clothes, he'd not find a backpack. It's got to be token by some scientists to explore it. "I'm sure, they'll find fantastically interesting exploring my thermos and personal med kit" . The archive of personal things was a large rooms, where were a lot of white constructions, that looked like a lockers. But instead of shelves were plastic containers. It was easier to say what wasn't there. After fifteen minutes robot, that was looking out of boy's shoulder, asked him "Is it your's?" - he indicated with his little finger on one of the lower containers. There were a lab coat.
"Are you kidding me?"
"Anyway, there are no any other clothe".
Minute later, Else came out of an archive in a lab coat.
"Exit, exit... Stsap, we are looking for exit".
"I see it".
Boy opened an oak door and felt light breeze over his skin. That was wonderful to be on open air after a week in a bed. He could see the heads of towers of royal palace from over there, near the main gates. As Stsap said, they've got to go nearly a mile.
Earlier, boy could hardly imagine, how Canterlot streets look like, but then he could see it by his own eyes. Life was in culmination. Ladies in light dresses were passing by. At the tables of cafes and restaurants were sitting enormous number of ponies. Else could feel a fantastic smell of fresh bread and cakes coming from bakeries. Everypony was so busy with their work, that even though boy wasn't wearing a cap of invisibility, they wouldn't notice him. So, Canterlot was similar to New York, but much more beautiful and kind. That was very nice.
Palace was very close, when Else noticed in a crowd familiar figures. Six ponies and a little dragon were going towards guy. And Discord was flying above them, talking about something with lollipop. "Most importantly, do not panic", - said Else to himself, - "we'll just pass them by". But suddenly, Stsap pulled him to an earlobe.
"Look!" - he indicated on Spike, - "Who's that?"
"A dragon", - answered Else as quiet, as he could. He didn't want to be heard.
"Let me take a look", - and with this words robot jumped from a bag and ran to his target.
"Stsap, come back!" - shouted Else and tried to catch humanoid, moving all his body forward, but Stsap was surprisingly dexterous and dodged.
Boy fell down and when he stood up found a hundreds of shocked and surprised eyes, that were looking at him. He slowly raised his hand and touched the head. There were no cap. It was lying in a few meters from him. Right in front of Pinky Pie... Nothing had broken the silence, until somepony in the crowd didn't scream. That's Stsap - tried to steal some shines from a dress. On the morrow of her, cried others. In a minute, whole street was in panic. Fluttershy was lying on the ground and quietly whimpered. And only rest of main six, Spike and Discord were looking on boy silently. Else wanted to grab cap and put it on his head. Then, he'd become invisible again and... but he thought too long. Applejack came to a cap, took it with one of her hooves and asked a rhetorical question:
"What`a hay?"
Suddenly the main noise shouted down a muted voice from a tin:
"Run, Else! Run!" - bawled on the line of his possibilities Stsap, that was already climbing on boy`s back.
There was no need in repeating. Else momentaily grabbed the bag and ran in the opposite direction.
"Hey, where are you going?" - shouted Pinky to the moving away figure, - "Come back!"
"On it!" - Rainbow Dash flew to him as quick as bullet.
"Stop!" - Twilight tried to calm her friend down, but she was too far already. She can't do anything, now she has to...
"You", - alicorn was talking to Rarity, Applejack, Pinky Pie and Fluttershy. The last one was still fluttering on the ground, - "go back to palace and tell everything to princess Celestia and Luna. I'll help Dash. Now"!
In a second, ponies ran in direction of castle.
"And you", - violet pony looked at Discord, - "you go with me".
"Me?" - dragonicus looked at himself appreciatively, - "Sorry, princess Twilight~, but I suppose, I won't fit in such an important and extremely..."
"It`s not time to argue. Your magic will help us anyway. Move"!
And the chase started.
***
Else was running, don't looking at the road. But saying "run" is wrong, Else was dashing with giant speed, overcoming a few meters with every step. If he would be caught by them, he would never have a chance to talk with princess Celestia. No trust, no indulgence. That was a mistake to run away from his chamber. It was so calm and quiet there. He's a fool. Fool.
Gradually, rich and beautiful streets of Canterlot changed to common lanes and then to a rare houses at all. Somewhere behind hooves were clopping, so Else could understand, that he's still a chase. Else decided to look back, to find out how deep in an asshole he is. When he'd done that, he momentally smashed into a bush. As boy spasmodically looked around, he saw very familiar trees, turbid ponds, dimly-green leaves. Everfree forest. "How long have i ran..."
Else continued moving, searching for place to hide. Hollow of the tree, pit, thick leaves. Anything!
"Incoming from above!" - shouted Stsap to Else's ear.
Boy had no time to react, because tough strong hooves caught him to his armpit. "Gotcha!" - said Rainbow Dash with a nasty smirk on her face, raising her "prey" above the ground. High was growing and growing, and the chances to save himself were smaller and smaller. Time for determined actions.
"Sorry!" - shouted Else to somewhere above him, addressing it to Dash and wrested some hair from her mane. She screamed. Her hooves unclenched and Else flew down like a sack of potatoes. But he was lucky. Instead of falling to a tough ground and die in cause of broken bones, he fell on a head of a tree. That wasn't a comfortable landing, but without injures. He seized a branch and started watching. His chasers were surprisingly looking around trying to find him. Then, after a bit of consulting, Twilight said something to Spike, that was sitting on her back. Spike took from somewhere a list of parchment, a red pen, wrote a few lines and sent a letter, giving off green fires. Sparkling cloud went up and gone. In that moment, Stsap didn't hold himself on Else's back and flew down. Boy reacted really fast, catching him in the air. But cost of that was really big. Branch, that, as it seemed, didn't get enough strength to be intact after this kind of shake and broke with a loud crunch. Hit. Else was lying on the ground, moaning in cause of pain.
"Did you hear that?" - asked Rainbow Dash, fixedly peering in the forest.
"I didn't hear anything", - said Discord with an absolute indifference, - "Listen, it is very funny, but may i already go home? There is a therapeutic bath with bubbles, that is waiting for me-e-e-e~".
Twilight's sight was saying the answer.
As he went to normal, boy stood up, picked Stsap, put him in the bag and started very slowly moving in the bush of forest.
"That's him! Over there!" - shouted Rainbow, indicating at boy with a hoof. In her eyes was real hate and anger. "I apologized..." As he had no time for thinking, Else started running. Chase continued. How they still didn't catch him? After a hundred of meters somewhere on his left Else flickered... a cave! As he made a very sharp turn, boy jumped in his new hiding place. All sounds has gone. Ponies lost him.
After long and excruciating run Else got a dizzy. But clopping of hooves back to him made him jump in the most dark corner of a cave. Boy even closed Stsap's mouth. That was a forced precaution.
"Where is him?" - Rainbow Dash was very annoyed. She wanted to hit that ragamuffin.
"Quiet!" - whispered Twilight. Pegasus with a guilty smile, landed.
"I`ll better wait near the enter", - chanted Spike and ran to an open air. Alicorn didn't stop him. Dragon wasn't the one, who'll bring any favor.
As group of three was going deeper and deeper in the cave, there was darker and darker. Finally, Twilight's horn burned lighter with a violet glow and ponies could see wet, covered with moss stone walls. Somewhere were slim streamlets of dirty water. Above their heads were stalactites, that looked like awful monster's jaws. This place was a few centuries old.
As he didn't need his eyes, Else had to touch every centimeter to not be cut by some sharp stone. Somewhere not beyond heard clopping of the hooves, but he hadn't energy to even crawl.
"Maybe we should just give up?" - boy asked Stsap, laying on a cool mass of small stones, - "We won't stay like that for a long time".
"You think so?" - chuckled robot.
"Yeah... That was a bad idea".
"Hmm... you know better", - said humanoid humbly, sitting down on Else's stomach. For Stsap all this was just a one big game.
Everything around was quiet, but the anxiety hadn't gone. Else tried to calm down... but that was early.
"What's that?"
Boy was grabbed by two big paws. Curved face was lighted by pair of red apples of the eye. Else clenched his teeth. Unexpected turn.
"Hey, Twilight, look what i've found!" - shouted Discord in the side, where alicorn's magic loomed.
"Else, in the pocket", - shouted from somewhere below Stsap, that already hid. In the pocket was a magic tool - transformator. Boy was frightened by idea, that came to his head. But he had to do something. If he'd now really gave up...
When ponies were running to him, Discord again turned his head to the escaper and inspected him at a glimpse.
"Interesting, very interesting..." - factitiously said dragonicus, turning boy upside down.
The thing, that penknife became couldn't be described. It was something like a pen with a shutter mechanism and a torch.
"Discord", - Else indicated the pen to the god of chaos.
"What?" - automatically answered Discord. The cave illuminated with very light flash, like from a light grenade. Discord cried and unclenched his paws. Else fell on the floor. Touching stone rock caused pain shock. "Aw, aw, aw!" - spirit of chaos was repeating, spasmodically rubbing his eyes, trying to retrieve vision. Else was already going to run, but saw a violet pony, that menacingly exhibited a sparkling horn. She was watching for every guy's move, ready to end it at any moment. It looked like boy had lost last hope, as he was trying to find something, that can save him. But salvation was already in his hand - penknife. All day this staff was helping him, as nothing else ever.
Twilight saw perfectly, as creature took out of lab coat a small thing. For the half of a second she thought that it's a sharp, very well cloistered knife. Reaction didn't let her down. Horn glowed lighter. Finally, a white beam came out from it.
Before Else could consider, what should he do, Twilight shot with magic fire from a sparkling horn... Flash... click... explode... Else receded in cause of fear, but more in cause of blast and caught his foot. First few seconds he didn't understand what's going on at all. Giant cloud of dust, small stones were unsparingly bombarding everything on it's way, don't letting anybody see anything. Small cuts and maims on palms and chicks took place. He stood up, revealed one eye and found out, that he is holding an object, that looked like a... titanic umbrella? Obviously, the click didn't went wrong. Magic shot ricocheted from an umbrella someway and smashed to a wall right above Rainbow Dash's head, raising a cloud of stone splinters and dust.
"Where is him? Give him to me!" - Rainbow dashed to Else, but crackle of stalactites stopped this her impulse of anger. Rocks, that before were hanging peacefully above their heads, shacked. Clear and sinister crunch heard near the ceiling.
"Run!" - alicorn took pegasus in a violet sphere and ran to an exit, - Discord, go!
But Discord didn't go. He was still furiously trying to rub his eyes. But he was already very close to a success.
"What?!" - he shouted and opened his eyes. White spots gone at all. Everything around is ruining, shaking and near to him is lying this faggot in white coat. - "You!" - Discord grabbed Else to his collar, - "You are a corpse now!" - roared god of chaos.
"Discord!" - shouted Twilight more loud, trying to outvoice noise of falling rocks.
"What?!" - repeated dragonicus annoyingly. At that moment one more stone fell down. Heard constrained "Urghh...". Long limp body fell on the ground. Actions were running too fast.
Else was standing above immovable Discord's body. Cave was ruining and everybody wanted to live.
"Help!" - shouted Else, hoping that somepony will hear him. - "Help!"
All adventure movies, that he's ever saw, went through his head. Word "Help!" is so big cliche. But what else should he shout in such situation?
Why did Else run from the hospital? He wanted to talk with princess tet-a-tet. To persuade her, that he's not dangerous and he can be useful. But... Don't you think that this story is such similar to a great amount of other typical stories about human in Equastria? He was living and then "OMGWTFNSFW" and he meets varicolored ponies. In ten minutes they are ready to be BFF (Best friends forever). Else hated such a literary garbage. He was puking after two articles of this. Friendship, hugs, daily... Who even reads this? Ok, his story, thanks God, is not such idiotic. Mad, crazy, but not idiotic. How ponies can chase human? How god of chaos can lose consciousness in cause of hit in head? He is freaking god, isn't he? How from nothing could appear a robot, made of chicken bones, springs and rodeos, carrying a bag, full of paranormal staff with unknown origin? And how doctor Whooves can be a doctor? He is some kind of parody on doctor Who, not an outstanding hospital clerk. Why a crying man, sitting on the glade in the forest is asking stranger save some orb, where rainbow and lightnings are? Why this stranger is brought somewhere up a blue liquid and a man in a prison robe is killed? This questions were going through Else's head, while he was sitting near immovable Discord's body. Boy squinted. He'll wake up in a few moments. A stone rock will fall in his head. He'll wake up in his cold and tough bed in "Mystery Shack". He'll go upstairs on the mansard, call twins and they'll go for a walk in the forest to seek legendary gnome's colony. Sun is shining, somewhere above heard quiet taps of squirrels. Mabel gabbling some illegible rave. Dipper is trying to find where the north is, looking on moss. Everything is calm and silent. "Everything's ok", - thought Else, - "I'm fine. Everything's alright. I'm going to wake up". Boy squinted stronger. He felt as he falling back, reclining on still immovable Discord.
World became silent.
Chapter 2. Part 1. Meanwhile.
Mattress shook just like jelly when she began to frantically jump on his rusty springs. "Mabel ..." - muttered Dipper, only more burying his head in the pillow.
«Dipper, get up! Hurry!» - his sister surely could raise the dead from the grave. – «We're going to take a walk with Else, remember? Get up, get up, get up, get up, get up!”
Right. Today the twins gonna have an appointment with their new neighbor. Pretty nice and friendly subject at first glance. Let a little older, but still a nice companion.
After five minutes, brother and sister were already descending the stairs to the second floor.
“Oh, there you are!» - uncle Stan came out from the bathroom. The old man smelt of old cologne. Cutting smell tickled the nostrils. – «Gather. Leave immediately after breakfast».
Children were shocked.
“But, Uncle Stan! We have such plans for today!» - Mabel ran to the head of the family, and her fingers clutching in his dark suit, hung on it.
«Sorry, but this is of extreme importance. In any case I can`t miss this».
“But ...”, - the girl started to cry falsely.
“Not discussed”, - Mr. Pines said indifferently, and went to the kitchen to make a couple of sandwiches.
Case of "extraordinary importance" was rocking chairs selling. It is unclear why Stan took the kids on a similar event, but he did. Boring three hours the three walked under the scorching summer sun. All for the sake of cheap and almost collapsed chair that the human brain can only think of. But Uncle Stan was still pleased. Of course, because he had to spend just ten dollars.
But already on the watch dial needle crept up to the mark "4". Although all the windows were fully opened, the car was unbearably stuffy. What was relieved when the door opened and the children literally spilled into the street, with gusto and inhaling the cool fresh air that blew steadily from the forest. No one had a droplet forces, so Dipper offered to postpone their "march" for tomorrow. Girl barely nodded.
So passed the first day.
On the next morning, it became clear that today unlucky trio did not shine again. The rain fell in torrents. Ice drops under the influence of a rather strong wind.
«Oh, come on!» - Mabel moaned, dramatically lifting up her hands to the ceiling. – «Are you kidding me?»
Going down to the second floor, twins looked at the Else`s room door. Dipper confidently stepped forward and knocked. The only answer was a silence, interrupted with deafening thunder. A loud knock again. Still nothing. Mabel could not stand it, so she ran to the door and began to beat it with her fists.
«Else, open to us!»
Suddenly the door opened. But not because someone turned the key, but because it was already opened. Girl`s fists just helped a little.
The door swung open. The room was cold. Obviously, due to the opened window. Two streams of rainwater were dripping on the floor. Curtains developed in the wind, like small sails. Besides this peculiarity, found no backpack master room, neither he nor his things, such as shorts, T-shirt and sneakers. But, nevertheless, it was evident that none of the room slid. A feeling as if Else went away for a moment and forgot to close the window.
On the ground floor Dipper asked Stan:
«Uncle Stan, did you see the guy from the second floor?»
«Why are you asking?» - Stan muttered, chewing his breakfast.
«He's not in the room».
«Who knows, maybe he went for a walk?»
Twins looked out the window at how massive and heavy drops fell on the primer before the house. Another zipper flashed in the sky. Then another reverberating thunder hit the ears.
«I do not think so» - Dipper said, turning back to his uncle.
***
In the New York the weather was all too restless. Else left just in time. Miss Luttens was envious a little.
Since it was extremely hard-working and able-bodied woman, then worked even during the summer holidays, which greatly pleased the bosses. Hence, a large salary. For what was to try. But, of course, there were also disadvantages. "If youre working well it means, that you are irreplaceable," - repeated all the time director of the company "Ocrop Inc." This means that there is no chance to find a replacement for miss Luttens. She worked as deputy editor. Terribly important post. Especially when you consider that the most important online has never been in the workplace. Actually, thats becauseElse went to Gravity Falls alone. Simple lack of free time and effort.
A phone call brought a woman from the dream state. It was the editor in chief.
"Hello, Mr. Pitt", - affably said miss Luttens. Ralph Pitt was decently complete gentleman of English descent. Even unfamiliar with it the person could immediately notice a slight accent. With their subordinates, the man was, as they say, at short leg. He was always asking to call him by his name and address on your "you". But Miss Luttens neglected such requests, although tried to execute them.
"And hello to you, Lauren", - Ralph cleared his throat and continued. - Well, how is it going?
"Fairly good. Now signing the last..."
"Well, my dear, you can be free".
"But, sir, its only three oclock".
"Lauren, look out the window. What do you see?"
Mr. Pitt was right. For the whole day the weather not improved for iota. If in the morning, when Miss Luttens was leaving the house, almost imperceptible wind blew and rained not so intrusive rain, now in the streets real storm raged. A couple of fallen trees, broken lamppost, water overflowing sewers. Lauren could not remember the last time she saw the weather like that. If she ever seen it…
"Okay, mr Pitt, I..."
"Lauren", - said the head of an irritated tone, - "please, call me Ralph. You know, don`t you?"
"Excuse me, mr..." - she trailed off, - "... Ralph".
"Okay", - Pitti coughed again. - "And how is it going with your “romp”? Any troubles?"
"No-no, the day before he left to the Gravity Falls. There lives a friend of mine ... In general, it does not matter".
"I'm glad for him", - his voice heard men really envious tone. - "I suppose he is now walking in the sun".
"Yeah…"
Another five minutes they were talking about such trivial things as the use of fresh air fares on buses, meteorologists forecast, and so on. Then colleagues said goodbye to each other and hung up at the same time.
Just now miss Luttens realized that over the past two days there was no a single message from Else, except: "I'm fine". Of course, that's something, but is it really so hard to call for once? She`s worrying, after all. Bad weather can cause problems with communication, as everybody knows. Surely this is what caused the lack of news from Else. On the other hand, he could use the phone when the weather was still fine. "What a careless young man!" - Lauren exclaimed, picking up a pen and starting to fill in the last column.
***
“Mabel, we must do something”, - Dipper Pines pacing nervously around the room from corner to corner. - “It's been five days. Five days! No, it must be something wrong”.
“Dipper, calm down. I'm sure that everything is fine. If he did not intend to go back, he would take his stuff, right? Uncle Stan rights. Else took a tent, backpack and went camping. He likes it, so he decided to have a rest in the forest. Is not it logical enough for your "super-duper brain"?” - and girl rapped her fist on his forehead.
Dipper did not understand how his sister and uncle could be so callous. Right there, on the street, under a rain, a lost person walks in the woods and tries to find a way out.
“Do not be silly!” - the boy snapped.
“I'm worrying too. Count up, if he really lost”, - Mabel said quietly after a brief pause. Over the last three days such dialogues have become boring. – “What if he was grabbed by manotaurs? Or the same gnomes? Or maybe he is cold so that he can`t go? Or sitting in some pit, trying to light a fire?
"Did she understand?" – thought Dipper with surprised glance.
“Listen”, - she handed, - “You're right! We should ... we should ...” - with these words she threw herself down the stairs to the first floor. Snatching up the phone and dialed the number she needed, Mabel waited until beeps will be replaced by a human voice.
Police did not help. What a big surprise. In this weather, nobody wants to pry into the street. Especially the police. But, nevertheless, when the next day the weather cleared up, the official car parked next to the "Mystery Shack".
Sir, you think it`s something serious? - asked the assistant Nelly, getting out of the car with a cup of coffee in his hand.
Maybe, Nell. Everything is possible, - and Harbury pointedly shook his head.
Gravity Falls residents is not very lucky. All knew about it, but, of course, nobody said anything aloud. Of all able-bodied workers local police all calls consistently checking out a couple of gallant "not the smartest" people with epaulets. They did not work, but fooling. And it hurts too much for work. No one could fire them, because no one except to take their position. Stalemate with which every resident Gravity Falls has long been accepted.
Guardians of the law met welcome - seated at the table and served a box of donuts. Uncle Stan quietly began his story, which briefly was: the boy came to him, took a room, the next day gone and does not appear the fifth day. Policemen slowly shook his head. Twins were sitting in their room. Stan did not want to hinder those underfoot.
Well, Mr. Pines. We all understood. You want to find a boy, isn`t it?
Well, of course! He has to pay for simple.
Okay, we'll do everything we can, - Nelly and Harbury up and headed for the front door.
You're eating to look for it, right?
No, Mr. Pines. Before that we need to fill out some documents, put the desired print ... well, you know. All this accounting red tape. Let us search for about a day or two. Now, lunch! - with these words the two policemen quickened their pace and in a few seconds in the courtyard there was the sound of the engine instigated. They left.
Morons, - murdered Stan.
