Symbols ~A Gravity Falls Fanfic~

Putting Things to an End

     No one spoke further, but the tension was at its peak. I was staring Bill Cipher down. I had defeated him...but... 

     "Go on...do it then," Bill spat. "You know you want to."

     Bill hugged himself and laid his head against the rubble. His eyes were bloodshot from the mace and they were both staring into space, holding the same direction. "Just...end it. After all I've done, after all the centuries of planning - for what? To be beaten down by someone barely older than a decade. It's not worth it anymore."

     I felt uneasy. I couldn't tell if it was a trap or if he was being sincere.

     His yellow-brick jacket shifted to a sorrowful blue. "I just wanted all of you...your entire, horrible species to suffer like I did. I lost her so long ago. I've missed her so much." He buried his face into his hands and began to cry. "Oh, what would she say if she knew what I was doing?! What have I done?! I'm so stupid!"

     Stan stepped forward. "We're not falling for it, Cipher. Stand up and take your defeat like a man," he commanded.

     Bill's head popped up, his jacket burning red to match his face. "FALLING FOR WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! I'M SORRY! I SURRENDER! JUST KILL ME!" His face was stained with tears, and I felt awful. The demon's jacket faded back to blue and his head returned to the rubble, his hands recovering his face. "Just kill me," he sobbed.

     I turned to Stephen, who was focused on the ground. His face was still, unmoved in concentration. He didn't know what to do either, I could tell.

     Before us lay a broken man. I didn't understand it at the time, but I knew it wasn't right to just end his life. I couldn't do it. Not anymore. But that didn't mean Stan wouldn't: "Move, I'll do it." He shoved me aside and extended his arm with his palm aimed at Bill. He began saying the Latin for the spell we had planned to use. There were only six words to say.

     "Abeo -"

     I urgently turned to everyone else.

     "- cohibeo -"

     Mabel had teared up and was frantically shaking her head.

     "- compes -"

     Soos was at a loss of words, his mouth gaping and his breathing rapid. Wendy stood by him in a similar state, her own breathing nearly stopped.

     " - festino -"

     Eliza's parents were in each other's arms, looking away.

     "- impello -"

     Stan was about to say the final word and I knew I had to do something - anything! I sprung forward to tackle him, but instead, Stan flew into me, knocking me into the ground and ultimately crushing me. He didn't get up, and I had to squirm my way out from under his weight with Mabel's help. Once I was freed and on my feet, I was faced with a dissipating cloud of glittering energy. A cloaked figure stood in front of Bill, her familiar eyes gleaming with a pink flicker.

     Grandpa Stephen's voice broke the short silence: "Octavia?"

     Bill's head popped up, his face contorted into confusion and horror. His jacket faded back to his signature yellow.

     Octavia pushed her hood off with disdain. "You're really going to kill a man while he's down? Is chivalry dead?" she asked Stan spitefully.

     "Ain't you Bud's wife? Why are you protecting this monster?"

     "This monster is my real husband, and if you so much as singe a single hair on his head, I will end you." She shifted her gaze in my direction and sighed. "You've done enough already." Octavia took a second and looked back at Bill. "Judging by all the chaos you've caused, you may have actually gotten what you deserve."