The Green Flash

Chapter 13

"Alright kids. Are we ready for this?" Stan asked, and Steven was the first to reply with "Yes, Gruncle Stan!"

"Kid, I'm not your uncle." He grumbled. Stan was grumpy, but Steven liked him anyway. He had been very helpful with Dipper's plans, and now he was going to help them fight the moth too!

The entire group walked carefully up to the diner, and to Steven's surprise, the door creaked open when Stan approached it. Steven heard that same familiar humming noise that had echoed through the crystal cave. A shudder of apprehension passed through him. What if someone got sucked through the portal again?

"Hey." Someone whispered in his ear, "You OK?"

It was Mabel. Steven was embarrassed; was he not a crystal gem?

"It's just... we need to be careful." He replied. Hearing Dipper explain it, the plan seemed so simple, so neat. But nothing ended up being simple... and if the gems couldn't beat the moth, what chance did this group stand? But they didn't have to "beat" it...

As his eyes adjusted to the dark of the diner interior, appealing smells of breakfast still in the air, Steven watched as everyone's heads turned upward. He felt a trill of joy; he'd told them about how the moth had ambushed the gems from the ceiling, and they wouldn't be fooled by that trick again.

There it was. Glowing green, wonderful emerald wings resting against the wood ceiling, bushy antennae twitching. He saw the dart gun in Stan's hand as he slowly raised it, aiming steadily at the massive insect, which was so far ignoring the group of people.

"HEY! No civilians allowed in here!" Voices blasted behind them. Two policemen stood angrily at the open door.

"Dang it all to heck!" Stan "cursed," as the moth roared to life at the all the noise.

A blast of silver nearly cut Steven in half, who gasped as Soos snatched him out of its trajectory.

"No way!" Wendy was swinging an axe, an altogether awe-inspiring sight. She slung the weapon with a grunt, and everyone watched in rapture as it narrowly missed the moths torso and pinned a wing to the wall.

"Hit it now, Stan!" Mabel was screaming, holding her hands over her head as they were showered with silver blasts and the ear piercing screams of the moth.

Stan was on his butt, raising his weapon again. Steven called a bubble up around himself and Soos, fearful a stray beam would strike them. The others were too far away... his heart pounded as he watched Stan focus his eyes and steady his aim once again...

The gun gave a sharp hiss as it launched a dart fitted with the gps tracker towards the moth.

"Heck YES!" Soos yelled as the tracker embedded itself deep within the moths furry chest. The creatures wing tore painfully as it pulled clear of the axe, the wound closing up swiftly just as it had when Pearl wounded it. It started to scream, and Steven mind rocked with recognition of the cry.

"EVERYONE! We hafta leave! Now!" He howled over the moths agonizing cacophony. Soos held Steven under his arm as they all fled the diner, dodging silver beams along the way.

The restaurant glowed with an unearthly white light as the moth opened up its perfect portal. Clear of the pull zone, Steven's group huddled together as their prey disappeared into the pastel light of Steven's world, the portal shuddering to a close.

Still dizzy, Steven spoke up, "Wait. Shouldn't I have like, followed it...? That was my own world..." He felt confused. Had he just made a huge mistake?

"It'll be back, right?" Mabel said shakily.

"How many rounds of this will we have to take?" Wendy asked, breathless.