The small group of five carefully trudged through the woods. They stepped over the small limbs that had fallen from the trees. The leaves crunched underneath their boots, and occasionally they had to reach up to push some of the greenery away so that they could pass.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Leonard asked.

Deserey shrugged. "A journal hidden in the trees?"

Leonard raised an eyebrow at her, clearly not understanding her reference to Gravity Falls.

She smirked walking forward. So far, today had been much better than the previous night. Deserey figured Leonard, Mick, and Rip were probably thinking their troubles were over. That her suicidal thoughts, her depression was long gone. That maybe it was just a one time thing.

But she also knew that it was never a one time thing. It always came back, just like a boomerang. It didn't matter how hard or far she threw it, it always came back. One day she would be on the verge of offing herself, unable to move, not even to eat or shower. All she could do was lay and bed, cry, and sleep. She'd feel useless, hate herself. Sometimes she would even try to kill herself.

Then, the next she would be perfectly fine again. Numb, mostly, but fine. She would get up, go to work, run through the motions like everyone else; she might spend the day longing to climb back into her bed and sleep for ten years, but she would be fine. Sometimes, she even managed to smile and joke around, like she was now.

This was why most people assumed she was just faking it for attention. In their minds depression was nothing more than a constant sadness. An emotion. But that's not how it worked. You had good days and bad days. Sometimes you can deny that anything was wrong, that you were normal, happy even. Then, when the bad days struck, you realized just how alone and afraid you really are. Though, Deserey never really blamed people for their ignorance. You couldn't possibly understand such things until you've experienced them first hand.

Rip ducked under a tree limb, letting out a small, thoughtful hum. "Well it's no journal but..." He nodded to a crater that had been formed.

It was a hole, ten feet wide all around. Deserey couldn't tell how deep it was, but she guessed it had to at least be a foot. The group stepped closer, careful not to trip and fall inside.

Below, in the center of the crater, was a massive, black rock the size of a boulder. There was an odd, blue substance glowing upon its surface, like maybe it was something out of this world. "So...aliens, right?" Deserey guessed. "That's what's causing all these monsters?"

"Or Savage is using their technology to create them, at least," Ray said. "Well...probably. I mean, I'm just guessing that he has something to do with it. I guess we won't know for sure until --"

"Logan and the others figure out the connection between the vics?" Deserey interrupted.

The men looked at her for moment, frowning in confusion, before they realized she was talking about Stein. Ray nodded. "It's actually Martin, but -- Wait. Do you mean Logic?"

Deserey grinned. "I didn't think you were gonna get it."

Ray smiled a big broad, dorky smile. "That actually makes a lot of sense." He frowned curiously for a second. "I wonder if he likes Crofters."

Deserey clapped her hands in excitement, startling Leonard and Rip. "We have to get him to eat it. If we do anything on this mission. We have to do that!"

"Definitely," Ray agreed. "But wait. If Stein is Logan then who's the other three?"

Deserey leaned on the nearest tree, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Well, I'm Roman, of course, because I like art. You're Patton. Obviously. Not sure about Virgil though..."

Ray gave her a curious look. "Wait why am I 'obviously' Patton? You have way more dad jokes than I do. Plus, you like cartoons."

Deserey nodded, pointed at him. "That's true. I do." She stared at the ground, unaware that Len, Mick, and Rip were staring, perplexed. "Okay. Maybe I'm Patton? And Sara's Roman?"

Ray shrugged. "She does have a sword..."

"Yeah," Deserey nodded. "But I don't think she's really the Disney type. And honestly, I don't think you're the Virgil type. Something about you just screams Morality..."

Mick raised an eyebrow at them, like he might be questioning their sanity. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

Ray turned to look at him, grinning sheepishly, like he had only just remembered the other three were still there. Deserey couldn't blame him, though. She had almost forgotten about them herself. "Thomas Sanders," Ray explained. "Sanders Sides."

Leonard stared back and forth between the two, looking a little annoyed. "Is that supposed to clear anything up?"

"Sure is, Kiddo!" Deserey said, giving him the biggest grin she could muster up.

Ray gestured at her, going back to their previous conversation. "See. You even have the kiddo thing down to a T."

Dez frowned, thoughtfully. "Can we both be Patton?"

Ray shrugged, looking uncertain. "Eh, not unless one of us are Deceit."

"Which is probably me," Deserey noted. "I'm a parent. All parents lie at least three times."

"How so?" Ray asked.

Deserey held up her hand, flicking out another finger as she listed of the three lies that almost every parent told their kids. "Easter Bunny, Santa Clause, Tooth Fairy."

"Oh," Ray nodded. "That's a good point. Also, Kant says that it's always wrong to lie!" He put on a goofy accent and huge grin as he spoke that last sentence.

"Except for sometimes!" Dez said, using that same accent and weird grin.

"...Anyway," Rip said, turning to look at the rock at the center of the crater. "We should figure out what exactly this is."

Deserey looked at him, giving him her best devious grin. "Well I don't know, Thomas," she said darkly, making everyone glance at her weirdly, "you might not like what you find."

Rip stared at her, clearly very concerned. Maybe he even thought she had lost it from all her anxiety earlier. He glanced at Mick and Leonard accusingly. "What did you give them?"

"Don't look at us," Leonard said. "It's the Professor who drugs people."

Ray seemed to be the only one who understood the meaning behind her words, as he grinned back at Dez brightly. "You do a good Deceit, too!"

"Thanks, Kiddo!" Dez grinned back.

"So, Patton," Ray said, "now that you're here, why don't you tell us your a opinion on lying?"

"Oh! Lying is always bad!" Deserey nodded.

Rip rolled his eyes at them. Mick stared at them, looking very annoyed but also mildly amused at the randomness. Leonard just sighed, "Can we just get this done already? Or are you two just gonna stand there talking nonsense?"

"Yeah, yeah," Deserey nodded. "We can start with Some Day My Prince will Come!"

Leonard frowned. "What?"

Ray started singing. "Sooome --"

Dez interrupted with a very different song. "Body once told me the world was gonna rule me!"

Dez and Ray continued together. "I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed!"

Rip shot them a very annoyed look. "Do I have to send you two back to the ship?"

Deserey grinned, as she and Ray tried to contain their laughter. "Nope. Sorry."

He shook his head and started to make his way down the crater. The two crooks followed him, while Dez and Ray continued goofing off.

"What ass," Ray said. He waited until everyone stared at him, stunned, to finish the word, "et to your personality!"

"I didn't know you made jokes like that," Deserey told him.

"Jokes like what?" Ray asked, looking confused for a moment before the pair broke out into a fit of laughter. 

Leonard scoffed at them. But he was secretly glad Deserey was having a good time. It was a nice change from the way she had been acting a few hours earlier.

He turned back to Rip and Mick. The captain was examining the boulder, doing his best not to let Deserey and Ray distract him with their loud laughter. Mick was just lazily standing around, probably wondering what the trees would look like if he lit them all on fire. (He had a real problem with setting things on fire. Most people never really got passed it, but Leonard had just learnt to deal with it over the years.)

Rip took a small, glass vile from his coat pocket. Leonard frowned at the sight, wondering just how many random things their captain kept in his pockets. There was really no reason for it unless he was a horder or a thief. (And since the Waverider looked pretty tidy, Leonard was leaning towards the latter. Still, the idea took Len by surprise. He didn't think the captain was the type. Then again, everyone had a rebellious side, he supposed.)

The two crooks watched, as Rip drug the vile over the rock, gathering some of the blue liquid on its surface into the glass container. Once there was a good amount inside the container, the captain stood up right, looking back at the rest of them. "Alright. That should do. Let's get back to the ship and see if Gideon can identify this."

"Allonsy, Alonso!" Deserey shouted.

"So we're on Doctor Who now? Okay, cool," Ray nodded. The two ran off, leaving the other three to struggle getting out of the crater.

I'm sorry. This is trash. Like me and my life. I hope you enjoyed it anyways.

One of my friends recently got me hooked on Sanders Sides, so that's why there's a bunch of random crap about that. I was just too lazy to be too serious. So...this is what you got. Next chapter should be more ... Well better.

Here's one of the Sanders Sides vids if you need anymore clarification/want to check out that nonsense.

Christmas too! I thought that would be appropriate, considering Christmas is just around the corner. Also, since we're on the topic, here's a collage I made of all of Thomas's sides!

Also, sorry that this was such a long wait for an update again. I'm having trouble getting motivated for this episode's junk. Plus I'm trying to plan stuff for later on and work on other things at the same time and...blegh. (Though I did warn you not to expect consistent updates so...)

Any who... Hope y'all have a Merry Christmas/happy holidays/whatever the hell. Lemme know if you spot any major grammar errors!