Blood and Ashes

Live your life

like you're gonna die tomorrow.

Study as if

as if you were meant to live forever

 

Mahatma Gandhi

 

To reach for justice

at the gates of palaces

is only possible

with rifle butts

 

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

 

_______________

 

Gravity Falls. A place where logic loses all meaning and the term “physics” simply doesn't exist. How much time has passed? Ten, 20 years? Or maybe thirty? I can't imagine there are so many anomalies in this place. More than anywhere else on Earth, and more alluring than in other dimensions. They're everywhere, on every corner, on every tree, it's been a long time since I've been here. This journal is the last thing I had left when I left this dimension. I can't imagine what Stanley's like now that we've had a fight. He's looking for me, and I'm here in this dimension, which is indescribable. 

 

 

My name is Stanford Pines, and I'm going to tell you about the true secret of all existence. My story began a long time ago, from the moment my brother, Stanley, and I parted ways. After the catastrophic failure of my science project, I moved here to Gravity Falls, where I saw a bunch of anomalies. For example, there was an anomaly that literally ate my car. With the money I had from college and my parents who continued to provide for me, I built myself a cabin in a secluded corner of the woods so that no one would ever find me here.   Every day, I conducted hundreds of experiments, some scarier than others, painful, horrible, gory. I tortured my mind to recognize the true greatness of this place. My body couldn't take it anymore, it was losing strength, my energy reserves were running low, but one day I came across someone who helped me with this. His name was..  

Bill Cypher

 

***

  1978, December, it's cold, the whole road is snowed in. It took me about two hours to get here, it was hard to walk through the snowdrifts. The snowstorm was hitting my already weakened body, so it was hard to stand: I fell to my knees just before the entrance to the hut, almost dropping an important artifact - a time ring, which is supposed to return me to my normal body state. Silhouettes flicker around, black, with white eyes, reaching for me with their hands... my mind is going crazy, definitely going crazy. Catching the box I held onto the door handle and managed to get inside, literally dropping to the floor.   I thought I was going to die then, but apparently death decided to play a simple, obvious joke on me. Once again, I cheated death itself, my whole body hurts, snow is coming into the hut... need to close the door, and I don't have the strength. A helping hand. They're reaching out to me, they don't want to hurt me. No! I won't give up. I won't let them take over my mind! With the last possible and already impossible strength, I got up and pressed myself against the door and started to close it. Slowly, because of the pile of snow that had formed while I was lying on the floor. All the stuff - on the floor too, as well as... damn, the journals! The heaviness... the clouding of consciousness, everything indicates that I'm about to pass out again. Can't let... no one can know that prophecy is coming. I...I can't explain now, the door...the door closed, God, what a fucking relief. I slid down the same door, remembering to lock it with several latches and a titanium chain. The voices faded, the blizzard continued, and I made it, made it to my hiding place.   Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What's happening? Why is time slowing down? Everything's turning gray... grayish-red, what the hell, am I completely insane!? Voices... them, there was one. Loud, harsh, like.. like the klaxon on a dump truck. The silhouette of a triangle, a yellow triangle, with one eye and a cane.

Well, well, well, well... who's going crazy here on a regular schedule?

It's not a good idea to leave a man so smart but so closed-minded, is it, Ford?

Who the hell are you? And what do you want in my head?

Well, I've noticed you've been going a little crazy around here,

and you could use some help, right?

Help? Huh? From you? Never in my life, at least I'll die a man instead of a monster.

Hey, I got a name, you put it on your card.

or whatever it is you have, you know, that thing,

you always carry around with you,

a bunch of books or something.

You obviously had me on record, didn't you?

If I knew who you were, this meeting would never have happened. Unfortunately, I don't know who you are, you triangular monster.

Ha-ha, amazing! This is the first time the human race hasn't heard of my name, which is pretty strange for a worldling here. I'm Bill, by the way, and I know you, Pines. And we share an interesting line, a common line.

Line? There's nothing between us but an endless chasm, oblivion and nothing between us, and there never will be.  

Oh-oh-oh-oh, I was scared, I ran away! Haha, are you serious? You have a goal to build a portal to other worlds, and I have a goal to get out of mine, because I'm oppressed in it, called “Prophecy Fulfilled” or “Blood in the power of an angel of god”. I know a lot of things, by the way. A LOT OF THINGS.

You're not the first or the last person to enter my mind. The only thing I'm interested in is that when you appear, time in the neighborhood stops, completely. How?

Ha-ha, I thought you'd ask that! But wait, I knew that from the beginning, but whatever. Is that really all you care about? I'm just a phantom mistake in this world, I shouldn't even be here, that's why time breaks. Just the two of us, we're kind of frozen in the positions we were in. Ahem, so Stanford Pines, I'll make you a deal.

Again? You didn't get it the first time, huh?

Well, if you don't want to do it the hard way, we're gonna do it the hard way.

 Your mind is my mind.

 

My body, I could barely feel it. Everything in front of my eyes blurred. Time flashed by in frames, I couldn't see anything. The heartbeat increased, whispers, voices, they're here again. They're following me, I can see them. No... this is my body, my mind - there is no room for this creature or these animals. No, goddamn it, my legs are failing. I don't know where I am. What's happening? God, blood, I'm coughing up blood. My body's weakening. What's that triangle doing? A vision, realistic to the core. Gravity Falls is on fire, in flames, some huge creature, a bunch of black, faceless mutants. Silhouettes, nuclear explosions, who are these people? Aaah...I can't take it anymore, I can't, I can't! It's squeezing my head, changing my blood vessels, my nerves... I don't understand, I'm losing my memory. Quickly, notebook, writing, I'm crawling on the floor, me, your division, the pain is unbelievable! I see thousands, tens of thousands of people, their souls. They're trapped somewhere deep, screaming in helplessness. God, Stanley, wherever you are right now, help me. This is the last thing I can write. AHHHH!!! Damn it, it's getting worse, they're screaming, they're already here. Their silhouettes, black as oil, white eyes, like they're fucking angels. Bill Cypher, he's in there, I can feel him, I can feel him, I can feel that asshole digging into my mind, into my memory, he's not gonna take anything from it, not ever. I reached for the cabinet with all my might, and God, it was painful and hard. Agrgh. One last time, my body's no longer holding on.   The gun.. I put it to my temple, tried to fire it, and there were no bullets. ARPGRHHHHHHH.. Oh, shit, how am I? Who am I? My hands.. are all bloody. What year is it? What time is it? I'm...tied up? Wait, WHAT!? My hands and feet were tied with powerful ropes and I was chained to the bed. Who did this!? Why!? And where am I? A light, I saw a light that leaked from the opening door and a body piled into this room, smoking a cigarette quietly, exhaling acrid smoke into the air. Why a body? You can't see a damn thing in the darkness, or is it just me? — I thought you were gonna die in here, Ford. I walk into that shack of yours and you're pointing a gun at your temple. Imagine my fucking reaction to that kind of scene. What's gotten into you, huh? - Who. That. Fuck. That? — Who are you!? And why am I attached to this.. - NO. NO NO NO NO NO, IT'S STARTED AGAIN, WHAT THE HELL?! I'm-- I'm remembering, he's inside-- Bill Cypher is inside my mind! And he made a deal with me.  

***

  Gravity Falls, 2015. Wonder Shack. Inside. 16:23. — Dipper, hurry over here, don't be stupid! - Books were falling out of my hands. Screaming. Mabel? Dipper was trying to comprehend everything that had happened in a matter of minutes. Stanford had told him everything. The first time he met Bill, he took over his mind.   — I-I don't understand, Uncle, how? You have a huge mind, and he still managed to take over it!? To make a contract inside your head!? - This was definitely a surprise, for Stanford had said very little about his past before this, before the invention of the portals. And now that Bill was getting tougher, he had decided to give up this secret to his grandchildren.   — I realize this sounds wild, but we have no time for discussion now - if Bill carries out his plan, we are in for the most terrible disaster! We can't let him bring creatures from different dimensions to us in Gravity Falls. And I can't do it without your help.   — What's he talking about, Dipper?! - Mabel. She was just as hysterical and panicked as the guy himself. But here's the truth: Dipper knows what Bill can do, and he knows for a fact that they can't let this end. — Grandpa Ford, what exactly do we need to do? - All right, so listen to me. I love you to death, sorry I haven't seen you in a while, so the plan is pretty simple, you distract the one-eyed man and I'll use my firearm to try and burn the bastard's brain out. It should work, but I'm not sure, - The wind picked up outside the Shack, and Ford touched his nose, and it bled. Damn, he didn't have much time,   — Listen to me, Dipper, if the plan doesn't work, if Bill can still get in, then you hold this, a time ring, it should weaken him, or hopefully put him in a time prison. It can heal the wearer, but I haven't figured out exactly how it works in years. — I.. I understand, Grandpa Ford. We'll do whatever it takes to stop Bill. He's not gonna do what he wants to do! He's not gonna do what happened to you again. — Okay, okay, uh, damn, I'm running out of time. Only hours until my consciousness will no longer be mine. Please, Dipper, take care of Mabel, and Stan, you're the leader now. I gotta go, the dawn, it's gonna come when the sun first lights up our town. I have a place to be and wait for him, I'll wait out the night, get ready, and hopefully the plan will work, - Ford walked over to the children and hugged them as if it was the last time. His hands began to tremble, he wanted to pull away from the children, but he couldn't. His body... it was as if it was no longer under his control. Hismind.. was foggy..   — D..ii..pper! Tra...nxiztr...hurry! In...in...mo...o...y k...karma...ne! - Stanford fell to the floor, Mabel screamed in horror as Dipper began to rummage through Ford's jacket with quick movements, but damn it, there was nothing there! What the hell was Tranxiztre? What was that, a cure? An antidote? What the hell is going on with his grandfather!? Finally he fumbled for a strange jar, opening it brought a foul odor of rot and something unknown. There were capsules inside, but what they contained was unknown to God. He turned Stanford's body over, grabbed his water bottle, and lifting his head a little, stuck a pill in and filled it with water.  

Ford didn't regain consciousness immediately.

Not after an hour

Not after twenty-four hours.

Bill was about to come to.

The beginning of something that never happened

 

Morning, dawn, the sun's rays had just touched the tall trees, passing through them, coloring the town of Gravity Falls with a beautiful, orange light. It wasn't that simple.   Space, time, everything slowed down... and in an instant went on, except one thing had changed: Bill was here.   — Oh. Gravity Falls, it's been so long since I've seen you. What, like, 50 years? 50? Yeah, Stanford Pines, of course. Well, as befits the man who set me and my monsters free! Long live Stanford Pines!   Long live ARMAGEDDON!   Bill snapped his fingers, and a rift began to form in the air... which shot purple energy at him. He started to fall down from shock, but came to his senses in time to fly up, glaring fiercely at whoever had done this. But the rift was gone.   — WHAT!? WHO DARE DO THAT?! I, BILL CYPHER, MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE, MASTER OF ALL LIVING AND DEAD! You miserable dead people who dared.. what? - What he finally noticed was that his rift was gone. Literally, it was gone! The anger was gone, all that was left was bewilderment and not understanding what was happening.   — What the fuck!? Where are my animals, WHERE ARE THEY!? Why did my portal close? - Bill flew up to the sky, hands clinging to something invisible, trying to tear his way through, make another portal - but it's closing again, and again the purple energy is shooting straight at him!     — What did you do, Stanford!? Defense? When did you have time? I've been watching you, you've been in other universes, you can't be here doing this stuff. Why the hell doesn't ARMAGEDDON show up here!?   — I'll find another way to destroy this city! I'm not gonna.. -  Bill looked up into the sky and saw huge shells. Holy shit. Nuclear bombs, --... will get in the way. WHAT THE FUCK? - They touched the Earth, Bill got his first fright and flew farther away, trying to shield himself. Thousands of nuclear mushrooms formed around the city, but he wasn't touched. The dome... Bill saw some kind of dome glowing, keeping out whatever was happening outside now. That's what was keeping him here... keeping him out, out to the planet, out to the GALACTIC and the universe! The dome. but what happens outside the dome?   — Stanford. He knows exactly what's going on, and the first thing...WHAT? I can't get into his mind, how?! It's like something's holding me back, my powers, I can't use them? No, what the hell, it can't be! Who's keeping me here, why and what for? To capture? For nothing!  

Meanwhile, back at the Shack

 

Soos is thrashing from side to side, unable to find his place while Wendy helps Stanford dial everything he needs. Yes, he was awake, but he was in a very terrible state. Dipper was counting the time when approximately the end of everything could begin, Mabel wasn't sitting idle: checking her harpoon, kneading her fingers, changing her look. She looked different now. Not shiny, but in plain, tattered clothes, her hair dyed black and pink, her face in black stripes, gloves on her hands.   She looked at herself in the mirror, and was even a little scared, not recognizing herself right away, but she was ready for anything. Why all this outfit? Dipper. He was serious about this, very serious. It was like her sibling had lost his mind. Just like that.. flashes outside. Dipper scrambled like a madman to open the door, but froze when he saw what was happening. Nuclear blasts... and the dome that kept them out, but not the light. His eyes stung immediately, and he didn't even get a good look before Ford pulled him back.   — Dipper, it's happening, it's really happening. I don't know, I don't know what's happening, but it's coming. I...I feel terrible, I don't have long to live, Bill...he was trying to find out something now, but some force couldn't let him in on me. For the first time in my life, I don't know what the hell is going on here.   — Maybe it's a trap from that triangle guy? - Soos suggested.     — Maybe there is, but faking a nuclear explosion? And the dome.. No, it's not Bill, I don't know what it is. Wendy, try the FBI!    — FBI? Are you out of your mind, man? What the fuck is the FBI? What are you, some kind of important guest or something? We're not getting through to them!   — Stanley, where the fuck is Stan?! He should be in his room, go to his room, Wendy, second drawer on the right, there should be a phone, code 2342, call Joseph Allen, he should know what's going on.   — Dipper, where's the last place you saw my brother?    — Uncle Stan, uh.. at the diner, I think. At that woman who's blocking her eye, like..   — What? A diner, you say? Change of plans: Wendy, Soos and Mabel are going in now, Dipper, you're staying with me. Wendy, come here!   Wendy came back with a cell phone that didn't work. Well, it was working, but there was no connection.   — This phone can't do a damn thing, there's no internet or any other kind of connection.   Ford went to the latest messages, there were a dozen of them. From different numbers, from different people. And there were two messages from Allen.   "Stanley, I don't fully understand your situation yet, but when... case X happened, we detected strange anomalies in the Los Angeles area, more specifically, in its center. Surges that had never been there before. Not earthquakes or fires or any other, these were unknown clots of energy that formed a mass that disintegrated with atoms, turning into some kind of field. We haven't fully explored this yet, but we suspect something is wrong. Since we are aware that you have such anomalies in Gravity Falls, we demand that you come to our agency immediately. You know the address. Delete my number."   Anomalies, that's it! But wait... in the Los Angeles area? That's, uh, well, it's not that far from Oregon. 890 miles, and their instruments picked up an anomaly there? It's in the middle of nowhere. That's what Stanford was afraid of-- that the anomalies would extend beyond Gravity Falls. And the second message, the one that's already giving me the creeps.     "I swear to God, they're out of their minds! I'm going crazy myself, what the fuck is going on in L.A? Some fucking castle, a bunch of robots and a whole lot of horror! There's thousands dead in the first minute! The government? There's no fucking government! I don't know what those idiots were thinking, but our plan is off, okay?! Fucking abort, total abort! They want to launch nuclear missiles from all over the Earth at those bastards! How do they envision that, huh? Those robots are everywhere, all over the goddamn Earth! They've infiltrated our headquarters, I'm the last surviving member of the council. Stanley, if you stay in Gravity Falls.. you stay in Gravity Falls, understand? Don't go outside! It's too.."     That's where the message ended. A castle.. what kind of castle in the middle of L.A.!? And robots, what robots? Nuclear strikes, no government, what the hell is this?! Castle, robots, invasion, no way.. no no no!   — Dipper, the journals, my journals! Now! - Dipper ran to find where the journals had last been. And when he found them, he brought them to Ford.   — Page twenty-one, a strange world filled with amorphous talking frogs, toads and newts... your division, it's Amphibia!   — Amphibia?   — Yes, and it's not Bill, it's the secret the king told me about. Look, it's Andrias, - He points to a note with text and a drawn figure of a large unknown mutant, - He was the one who ran the whole of Amphibia, or the city, I don't quite understand. The point is this: he was talking about the oldest technology hidden in the planet's lands, and I found it then! It was factories, warehouses, robot factories, they were autonomous and didn't require outside intervention. But they can't run themselves either, they need something that fits the book. I knew it, and now it's here... it's probably him, I'm not sure, it's not a photo, there's nothing else attached except the text.   Stanford's gotten worse. The drugs weren't working, he was losing consciousness. Hands shaking like a junkie, his mind slowly drifting away.   — Dipper.. protect Mabel.. - He falls unconsciously to the floor. Dipper is not himself, seeing the death of his Grandfather who appeared just a short time ago.    — I'll protect her, Grandpa Ford. - Dipper puts his hand on Ford's chest, holds it for a few seconds, and salutes.   — Tantrums, tears aside, we don't have the best ahead of us. Time for the diner.  He took the journals and a few things belonging to Ford with him and reloading the revolver Stanley had left behind, he walked out of the Shack. Darkness. It was the first thing that met him. Impenetrable, as if his eyes were closed and he were in a dream. The lighter at least gave something, lighting the way before him. Looking at his watch, he saw that the time for Bill's attack was up. And how long had it been since darkness had enveloped the entire city? It was indescribable. How to describe what he himself was unable to comprehend? It was scary to go, but Dipper kept going, he needed to get to the diner and protect Mabel. That's the main thing bothering him right now. The forest had started, so it was close to the road. Lush trees covered in foliage, huge sized cones, and... not clean air. There was something strange in the air, a gas?   Finally, Dipper came to a sign that said Gravity Falls would be right down the road. He looked at his watch again, and when he wanted to go he grimaced, spitting blood. There was something poisonous, dangerous in the air. Dipper wiped the blood from his mouth and moved down the road toward Gravity Falls. To say how horrific he saw along the way was to say nothing: cars involved in accidents, huge amounts of bodies, organ parts, blood. They were everywhere, as if a dump truck had driven by and scattered them everywhere. There, the cops had driven into a tree, their car was smoking, sirens still blaring. There's an ambulance in the distance, overturned. — The dome, it protected us. I wish I'd had time to ask Grandpa Ford about that, because he's the one who protected us from nuclear warheads? Well, it makes sense that it's so dark, the ash is up in the air, covering the entire dome. We can only hope that.. - There was a voice on the radio. It was Mabel.   — Dee, where are you? We're waiting for you at the diner!   — I'm on my way, Mabel. I just got on the road. It's so dark, it's like it's piercing your eyeballs!   — Yeah, old man Magkaggett said it was ash! Is it true we're surrounded by chaos?   — Don't start, M. I'll be right there.   — Oh, right..   — Stand down.   Dipper didn't tell Mabel about Stanford's demise.  

It's still a long way to go, about two kilometers.

Started coughing, not good, not good.

 

***

 

Sasha sat in the cage, groping the spot where her hand used to be. An unpleasant pain radiated throughout her body, making her clench as hard as she could. And again the images before her eyes. She remembers everything, down to the smallest detail. The resistance didn't believe the Zamours, Sasha refused Thrush's help, she didn't believe they'd just come back. And she was right, insanely right.  

12 hours before

  — Za..murs? What the hell is this, those things named themselves!? - One of Sasha's fighters screamed, pacing from side to side. The robots have temporarily stopped attacking, perhaps coordinating a simultaneous assault.   — Sailat, calm down. They saved us! - Says another fighter, marveling at how the squad has changed.   — We come in peace, Sasha. - Drozd. It was Drozd who spoke. How can this be, how?   — In fucking peace? You..your race killed our people for peace and justice, too, huh? - Sasha burst into anger, coming to her senses.   — Zamuras are intelligent creatures, but unfortunately there are some who disobey orders from above. I'm telling the absolute truth, Sasha. You can't fight this war without us! Understand, your energy is still too weak, and we..   — Robots again? - The fighter didn't even finish, he was torn apart in seconds.   — Reload your weapons, resistance! - Shouts Sasha, leaning her back against Thrush, and he against her.   — I say you can't handle this, Sasha, get out! - He tells her, fighting back with his tentacles from underneath the ground.   — We haven't seen each other for almost 40 days, Drozd, I'm not going anywhere. Besides, my fighters are experienced, and..   — They're not fucking experienced, wake up! How did you train them, huh? Get out before they start burning the place down.   — Drozd, no! - Sasha swung at the robot, but the sword was twisted, resulting in a cut on Thrush's forehead, Sasha's panic and lack of understanding of the situation.   — I'll see you around, Sasha.   — Resistance, we're pulling back! Get back, everybody back! Regroup and into the tunnels! - Shouts Sasha, waving his arms and putting his sword away, starts running away, helping his wounded comrades along the way.    

The real one, behind bars.

  "Everything's in deep shit. No, the greatest. It's a failure... a fucking failure! I-I tried to be a good...what the fuck kind of leader, what kind of idiotic plan is this, huh? A frontal assault? Are you out of your fucking mind, you idiot?! You're not James Bond or Keanu Reeves, you've seen the fucking movie. This is real war, not something you can watch at home, drinking. You're not a bitch of a leader, you're not even a good fighter! What were you hoping for, that the robots wouldn't have backup? That they'd be stupid enough to build their own clamping tactics? What the fuck were you hoping for? I don't even know... fucking mirror, fucking water, fucking Amphibia!"   Sasha hits the mirror with all her might, it cracks, shatters. She's lucky it didn't hit anything.   — Shit, that's what your decisions lead to, leader.   She fell back onto the cold concrete, banging her head against the wall.   How could I have let this happen? - Her knees buckled, and she hugged herself.   My fighters, my squads.. they're all dead. Because of me! Because of my stupid, horrible plan, they were right! Everyone was right, even Anne. She once told me to stop playing the leader, because it wouldn't do any good. Oh, for fuck's sake! It's going to the fucking grave!   Sasha didn't know what to do next. Tears are streaming down her face faster than she realizes.   I wanted to be strong, I know how to command, I know how to make plans. I don't have a problem with that, I'm not broken, enough...enough, shut up, why again!?   Voices. Out of nowhere, blaming her for everything.   — I trusted you, Sasha. My death is on your hands.   Wald? You're not dead! You weren't even on the battlefield, you were in the bunker with the civilians.   He literally began to burn right in front of Sasha, which made her shudder and scream, trying to shut out the thoughts in her head and the voices. They kept repeating the same fucking name.   — You'll be here forever, Jizz   — You're gonna die with me, Jizz   — Nobody's gonna save you, Jizz   — I believe in you, but not your ideas, Jizz   What the Jizz? Will you at least let me see who she is and how I got her name in my head?!  

 Admit you're weak.

  Yes, I am weak! Do you understand, you faceless devil?! I'm a terrible leader, and I've admitted that before. I don't belong here, and I don't belong on this planet! I belong on my home planet, Earth, but I can't go back there. And that's where my friend is!

I'd show you things you haven't seen, but I don't want to.

  What are you talking about? What do you mean, “I haven't seen”? What haven't I seen, huh? That I'm not only a terrible leader and fighter, but I'm also a friend? Yeah, I know that, and it's no surprise to anyone. I still hate myself to this day for those days in the past. Even if I talk myself into believing that the past is in the past, it doesn't work!

What have you become? Where is the Sasha I know?

  Marcy, not now! And there is no Sasha, okay? I buried that Sasha when the resistance fell, and you know it! Now go away. I need to be alone.   The voices kept going on and on, whispering in the background. Suddenly, a robotic voice interrupted it all.   — Prisoner 234, out.   Surprisingly, it was a walk. Before the other bars, she was being transferred to another prisoner camp. She looked out the window, and was horrified.   Sanctuaries with civilians were being burned out. Sasha clawed at the bars, her fingers bleeding, her throat hoarse from screaming. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!   — Bitch, what are you doing, you scum!? Stop it, I'll blow your fucking screws out. I'll blow you motherfuckers up, stop it! - She hit the bars, one, two, three, four, an infinite number of times. It didn't make any sense. Exhaling loudly, Sasha slid down the cold, metal wall to the floor. There was no need to guess what might be going on outside: after the failure, it was logical that the robots would take action. They're not stupid. And Sasha was too arrogant to send three squads to certain death.   A straining howl of sirens sounded across the planet. It was the shelters, trying their last ditch effort to divert attention so that more civilians would survive. The sounds of fire, the smell of burning meat and grass mingled together, creating a black shroud that covered the planet's surface, preventing the sun's rays from getting through.

Sanctuary 13

 

 

The sirens were blaring, the gates were closing, and civilians and military personnel were crowded into the common room. Whoever had taken cover in what they could find. Tribune, we need to calm the people. Grime, who had taken command because of the death of the command of this shelter, stood on it and asked for silence.   — I will ask for a second of silence! Please, it is for your safety and the safety of your family," the crowd would not be silenced. Do something drastic? How? They don't have the proper weapons to shut up over a hundred civilians.   — Your command is dead, and I am your new commander, so please listen to me and follow my orders! - There's no stopping the panic. Makes sense. How do we do something drastic? How do you shut up a crowd of toads, frogs and other species? Lying for the greater good?   — I asked you all to shut the fuck up for the only fucking time! Is that so fucking hard!? - It is. The crowd quieted down, briefly. But it was long enough for a little speech.   — We, of all people, understand what's happening. Your homes are being burned by the enemy, and this place is the only place that can protect you. I will ask anyone with medical skills to step forward! - The hum continued, sirens blaring, the crowd whispering about the new commander, and who they even were.   — Good. Now we'll divide you into groups, each with a different task. Today's defense will determine whether we live or die and never get up again.

In the place of the slain, a new slain.

How much blood, how much horror on their faces, more corpses than living people. They had a dozen soldiers left to fight for territory. The horror that was going on up there now could not be described in any possible words or terms: the entire surface scorched, all the shelters bombed, wiped off the face of the planet. Once comrades have become enemies, mushrooms. Grim recognizes them out of thousands. He knows who, and on what initiative, decided to cooperate with the core. Now their loyal fighters, civilians are all under the control of these mushrooms. How painful it was to watch your home planet being scorched, turned into a cash cow, and you are powerless to prevent all this horror for the reason that your resistance will fail. Sasha, most likely - very likely - was killed; Captain Grime does not know for certain, for then, in escaping in the catacombs. He remembered everything clearly. Three. Only three toads came out, who possessed medical skills to the fullest extent. Two more frogs were at a basic level, and two were only in training. Not great, but it's better than no medical care at all.   Bombardment, the robots began to use their strongest artillery - poison gas and rockets. Grime snapped out of his seat, the Zamurs bursting after him, but he managed to spill the unknown liquid and fire his new weapon. Flames instantly covered the passageway, giving him free rein to escape, leaving the tentacles behind.   He rushed as fast as he could towards the hermetic doors. What was behind them, God knows what, it could have been anything. The screams did not subside, a very bad sign.   Finally, after a few rotations, the door gave in and opened, giving a view of all the horror that was happening on the surface. Sirens were blaring, explosions, gunfire and gunfire could be heard everywhere. Everything was mixed into a single mess, in which it was impossible to adequately discern who was to be saved and who was to be thrown to their doom.   The epicenter. Holy shit, Sasha was there. He saw it and froze, unable to take any action. Think it through, think it through. The risk was too great. He noticed those remnants starting to retreat, as well as the black tentacles that fought the robots.   — Sasha, here, quick! - Shouted Grime, and Sasha rushed at the voice, commanding the others to follow her. But the robots, they wouldn't just let her escape. They opened fire, turning into a sieve the fighters that didn't have time to duck. Sasha, Adler and Tonica ducked, saving their lives.   - Grime, no questions, take them and come down. I'll be right behind you! - She pulled something out of her jacket that looked like an improvised explosive device. Grime realized what it was. The fighters quickly ran inside, thus saving themselves from being killed.   - No sacrifices, we need a leader more than ever! - But he didn't have time to say anything, as the missiles came right next to them. From the blast wave, Grime fell on his back and rolled down the steps, and the passage... he was buried. He didn't know what was happening on the surface. Blood spread through his body as the fighters tried to carry their wounded comrade to a safer place. Everything was changed by the collapse of a column supporting a certain part of the ceiling, causing it to start falling. One of them was crushed to death while the other soldier managed to jump back and hide in the tunnel, which then collapsed.  

***

 

A new camp, a new place of being and a new job. Working in a mine, extracting minerals, with no protection at all. That was the only way to describe the place of existence where Sasha was now. Work from 10 to 20, every day, without breaks and trivial things. The horrors of routine befell here as never before: the same thing every day, no change... almost no change. Once a week, 10 of the best workers were sent to an unknown place from which they never returned. It was always at a chaotic time, when most of the workers were in the open mines. Two robots would arrive, and on their orders, they would identify those who had worked the hardest and take them away.    And so, another day, another shift in the mine, Sasha chisels rare minerals with a pickaxe, breaking them into pieces. Next to her are a dozen other laborers like her. Just trying to survive. Is this really how it's going to end? These endless self-condemnations at night, the inability to just take a break, no way to contact anyone. Is this what life is all about now?    Time went on for hours, days, weeks, the mental state was getting worse. The surface of the planet was collapsing, water was going to cool the factories, robots and energy bays. The clouds became covered in dark, impenetrable dust, the alternative of the sun faded into oblivion. 

The planet began to freeze

 

Sasha sat in her cell, shivering from the cold. A week ago the cold had been bearable, but now it was unbearable. The temperature had dropped to minus 10, and for this planet, that was unthinkable! But Sasha realized that the robots would also have a temperature limit, when the oil would be unable to circulate, and then... the plan would work. Her plan must work. This time.  

***

  There was silence on Earth, only the howl of the wind in the ruined cities interrupting the utter darkness and powerlessness of the entire human race that had perished in a matter of hours. The planet itself had entered a period of permafrost, even though it was the last days of May. In the dungeons, the survivors found a drop of calm, though from the sounds from above, you couldn't tell it was the purest calm. Huge, metal structures were falling, something was exploding, something was whistling. And then there were the robots that guarded the entire surface with drones and their satellite network, reprogramming humanity's satellites.   A sense of emptiness came over them more than ever, for the former planet was gone, and now it was the world of the Core. But somewhere not far away, deep underground, sits the Planter family, accused of all the deadly sins, and hated in general for their appearance.   - Listen to me carefully, we didn't come here of our own free will, and you know it. All I ask of you is to rally against the enemy that has taken over our habitat, not to express your anger at your neighbors, and to conserve food, electricity. Also, our habitat is decades old, which means it could use some laborers," were Glam's words. The one who had taken command of the facility, and the one who had saved the Planters from certain death. It had been a few days now, and the people had calmed down a little, though it wasn't exactly calm. He was walking away from where he was saying those words when Hop-Pop came up to him.   - Thanks, honey, you really helped us out. Without your help, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened. - Gratitude is better than silence.   - You guys are weird, but who am I not to save you in this situation? - Glam said quickly and disappeared behind a door that led to who-knows-where. Hop-Pop couldn't guess where that door could lead. No inscriptions, no directional signs: nothing. He sighed and hurried back to his family. When he arrived, Sprig was gone, and Polly was gone.

 

Holy shit.

 

***

 

Project Blood and Ashes.

 

Written by: Klira

 

Original story taken from Disney's animated project “Amphibian” and another animated project also from this corporation “Gravity Falls”.

 

Voiceover (in the future)

 

Animation (comic book, in the future)

 

Patreon (in development)