The Moon Rises

Chapter 5

(Dipper pov)

I walk balancing on a log as Bill walks next to me, holding my hand to help me keep balanced. "So, is it your sister who said you don't deserve respect or that you were-"

"A low life or stupid or anything else I say about myself? No. I mean she is the reason I think those things but no she never said them directly."

"What do you mean then?"

"She doesn't say it directly but I can tell that she feels more important then me because of our different powers. I mean, people have written over a dozen songs talking about hers but no one ever really bothers to remember that I exist. Why is the sun even that great? You can't even look at it without your eyes burning."

"You said before that you had light sensitivity. Is that because your powers revolve around the moon?"

"I don't know. When it was little, and my skin made contact with sunlight it would burn and blister. Others didn't even know that Mabel had a brother until we were teenagers. I had to constantly be kept in a room with blacked out windows and dim lights just so I wouldn't burn up. I don't blister like that anymore, it just really hurts my eyes and gives me a migraine. Sometimes it makes my skin sting but not usually."

"And no one knows why?"

"A few tried to figure out why my body had this reaction. I just think that they didn't care enough to find the actual reason."

I look at my watch as it beeps. "You have to go back I'm guessing?"

"Yeah. The moon needs to be set. Mabel will be up in a few minutes to raise the sun and then it's back to my all day nap."

"Pretty sure that's just called sleeping, not a nap." He lightly jokes earning a half laugh from me. "Let me fly back with you at least."

"You really don't have to."

"I know. But I want to."

"Well lets go then."

We fly back up over the treetops and through the clouds. I fly with my back towards the groiund so I'm facing up towards the night sky, it feeling so peaceful up here like nothing could ever go wrong again. Reaching out I trace the big dipper again before weakly reaching out towards the moon. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bill flying next to me.

"You ever think of running away from everything?" I ask him, breaking the silence.

"Sometimes. Wouldn't really have anywhere to go. What about you?"

"I think about leaving everything all the time. I wish I could just fly up to the moon and live there. It would just be me and the stars forever. No one to ever bother me or hurt me ever again."

"Then why don't you?"

"I've tried before. But the air gets too thin so I can never reach it without nearly passing out. If I pass out then I will fall to the earth and be gone for good."

We climb in through my window and reach out my hand to lower the moon just like always but stop when the moon is halfway set. Something about tonight just starts this burning fire in me. Something that I've never felt before. Looking back up at the sky again, I put the moon back in the sky just the way it was before I slowly back away from the window.

"Dipper? What are you doing?"

"I don't know....but I can't set it...."

"What? Why? What do you mean?"

"I...."

I rush out of the room pushing my door open going out into the halls. I hear Bill following me close behind.

"Wait up!"

"Bill please just...." I look at a candle nearby seeing a blue flame lighting up the area from it but I know the candle wasn't lit just a second ago. I reach out towards the flame and surprisingly I feel a slight warmth from it but no real heat. I turn around as another candle lights up with the same blue flame. "That....that's new....."

I make my way down the halls again as every candle I pass by lights up with the same blue flames as I make my way to the throne room.

"Dipper, come on just talk to me. What the hell is going on? What's going through your head right now?"

"I-I don't know. I can't explain it."

"Then just try at least please."

Letting out a shakey breathe I look towards the balcony. I walk over to the balcony throwing the doors open as I step out onto the balcony, hearing Bill come up next to me as I look up at the moon.

"Now the hour has come at last
The soft and fading light
Has crossed the west horizon
And has bidden us goodnight
And what a lovely night it is
To walk a moonlit field
To see the softer shades
That are by starlight now revealed

So why is it that now
When all is quiet and at rest
When candles glow and all the world
Is at its very best
The people of Earth
Should lock themselves away
To shun the moon and wait instead
For Sister's sunny day?"

My hands tightly clench the railing before I turn to Bill. I can feel tears flooding down my face, my chest heaving with a whole lifetime of pent up anger and frustration just ready to burst out.

"Am I so wrong to wish that they
Would see things like I do?
And am I so wrong to think
That they might love me too?
Why shouldn't they adore me?
Is it not within my right?
I'll not be overshadowed!
Mine is not the lesser light!" I look back at the moon, for once feeling I have finally found clarity and now how to make things right.
"I've waited long enough now
For them all to come around
And though the Sun may plead and threaten
The Moon will stand her ground"

I thrust my hand out as it glows blue, just like those candle flames. This has never happened before. This blue glow feels connected to my powers, my true powers beyound just lowering the sky whenever I'm told. A blast of blue light goes from my hand up to the moon and the entire sky becomes blood red.

"And all will know the wonder
Of my dark and jeweled sky
When all the world is wrapped
In an eternal lullaby" I walk back to the thrones, standing in front of them before I turn back to the empty room, Bill standing right next to me, power and anger radiating off of me.
"So say goodnight at this
The final setting of the sun
Tomorrow dawns in darkness
The nighttime has begun!"