Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dipper never understood the dream demon.

Within the shade of the wood, the warmth of the sun seeped through the rows of forests and trees, accompanied by the occasional growls of beasts and rustling of leaves along with the smell of wet soil mixed with spring rain, the wisps of steam curling up from bubbling patches of pool, the green kelpy tendrils twinning up branches and stems. Everything is suffused with a delicate, gentle green glow, the chirping of birds blending in with the quietness and peacefulness Dipper longed for.

(“Get out of here! You have no dominion in our world!” The voice, both foreign and familiar, buzzed in his ear.)

His shoulders relaxed, his hand unclutched and dangling freely against his sides, his hair its natural mess underneath his trademark hat, the blue pine tree shining as he strolled down a shady path. He kept walking until halting at a small clearing. Sitting right in the middle, a small figure rested motionlessly.

(A shrieking laugh echoed. “Maybe not right now, but things change, Stanford Pines! Things change!”)

Moss climbing through the cracks embedded in the statue. It was in a rather strange shape, seemingly a triangle with one eye, a hat and an outstretched hand. Dipper stared at the hand, remembering too clearly the familiar blue flames engulfing the demon as he shrieked, plead, the sheer panic rising higher and higher as his magic were stripped away from him before he could grasp it, as he stood there powerless and helpless, letting them slip through his finger like specks of sand in a gust.

(“It’s part of growing up. Things change. Summer ends.” His own voice sounded like someone else's.)

Why was Dipper remembering that? He wasn’t Bill Cipher, the trillion years old being who wished to rip the universe apart to party. He wasn’t the being of pure energy with no weaknesses, the one that threatened to destroy his family, his friends, his home and his universe. So how could Dipper have memories that weren't his own, memories of a defeat that should only be lived by the demon and his Grunkle Stan?

(“A darkness is approaching. A day will come in the future where everything you care about will change…”)

Five summers had passed since that fateful day, since Weirdmageddon came to a close, since Bill Cipher was erased from the third dimension. Three summers had passed since all the damage was repaired, all the cracks and rifts to the Nightmare Realm patched, and all the nightmares and images of the apocalypse stopped flashing through the dreams of everyone that remembers. One summer has passed since the last visit to Gravity Falls, since Dipper and Mabel decided to move there once they graduate highschool, to the place more like home than anywhere else, to the woods and mysteries, to adventures and laughters, to their family, both blood related and not. One night has passed since Dipper returned to the place he belonged to.

Yet here he was, at the break of dawn, being with no one but the cause of everything traumatizing about his first summer here. The abandoned, triangular statue with a hand outstretched, its eye watching the world’s every movement, its hat slightly tilted. The last trace, last reminder, of Bill Cipher.

“Hey. Yeesh, you’re almost completely covered with moss. Has it been that long since I last visited?” Dipper sat down in front of him, reaching forward to peel away a tendril of moss curling towards the eye.

“I know what you’re thinking. It’s been a while since my last visit. It’s not that I didn’t want to come back. Well, maybe not to your statue, but I did want to go back to Gravity Falls. Actually, Mabel and I decided to move here! All our friends are going to be helping us and our Grunkles is considering settling down as well! I can’t wait to reconnect with everyone, including the paranormals. Wonder how they’re doing.” A male voice said, its pitch a little too high to be average.

Bill Cipher still remembers the blue flames that erupted from the door of Stanley Pines’ mindscape before surrounding him in a haste. He still remembers yelling his voice hoarse, pleading and begging as he could almost feel the heat bubbling around him, as he saw his dream and his plans burn into dust before him with one solid handshake. He was beaten at his own game, tricked by his own puppets, betrayed by his own ‘partners’.

The same flame he used to get the power was there to steal it from him. The same deals he used to bring about the event one trillion years prophesied was there to stop him. The same useless chains and waste of DNA he used to start Weirdmageddon was there to punch him into oblivion.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, as he frantically shrieked out his last words, “A-X-O-L-O-T-L, MY TIME HAS COME TO BURN, I INVOKE THE ANCIENT POWER THAT I MAY RETURN!”, he spotted it. A gap, a loophole, an escape route created by none other but the 12 years old boy he grossly underestimated. Had the boy not stood so close, had he not been so focused on staring at his Grunkle Stan in confusion and disbelief, had he not shook Bill’s hand prior to Weirdmegaddon, Bill’s powers would have been lost.

His sheer panic, fear, anger and helplessness was overridden by hope. At the last second, as the fist of a man he swore vengeance upon smashed into him, he spilled all his being, all his power, into the small crack at the side of the walls. “STANLEY!!!”

“Anyways, some of paranormals never liked you, did they? Not that I blame them, and you don’t seem to care, anyway.” The voice kept talking.

His mind was shattered and scattered into the Mindscape, lost as fragments and remnants along with Stan’s memories. For three years, his consciousness drifted, lost in the middle of broken pieces before Stanley Pines froze in front of the attic window, narrowing his eyes at the triangular shape of the glass. All at once, the eye of a yellow blur opened with an explosion of laughter before disappearing into a buzz of the ear as Stan shook his head, muttering to himself, “Today is the day Dipper and Mabel are settling in. You have to stay sharp, Stan.”

Bill Cipher opened his eye and found himself in a tight space of darkness, a vacant void of coldness as frightening as the vacuum of death. Trying to find out how long his eye had been closed was senseless, but nevertheless he tried to find out where he was. Has his plan worked? Had he escaped to the Mindscape of Dipper Pines? He tumbled, trying to explore the frozen air, yet he found that he couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t smell or feel. What frightened him more was the fact that he couldn’t see. Him, the being of pure energy, the master of the mind, the one who knows and watches everything, could only see endless, bottomless space of dread around him, with no one but him and his shattered mind. The silence was unnerving and dull as they gnawed and bit, forcing him to review his mistake, to remember the boiling anger and the ecstasy of power, as well as the foolishness of how he lost it. Time slipped by his fingers like specks of sand, for he paid them no mind as he did nothing but think and think until it pushed him to the brink of insanity.

He didn’t know he could hear, either, until an eerie breeze brushed against him, awakening him to the sound of light footsteps.“Huh… It’s strange how I almost feel pity for you. I keep coming here, talking to you as if you’d understand. I don’t know. Sitting here, you almost look like you’re listening.” The voice was familiar, too familiar, and his mind begged him to recognize the source.

He was content and grateful for the distraction, for the voice of someone other than his own to shout in his mind. A peacefulness entered him, and he decided that temporarily, as he had no control over the current state of his situation, that he would enjoy the company of this unknown entity. The more he listens, however, the more he recognizes the names of the people the figure mentions, the more he remembers hearing this voice more than once, always coming to visit him over inconsistent leaps of time. It was as if this voice, which most likely belonged to a boy, was the only one that cared to remember him.

Bill Cipher might have even admitted to be pleased with the boy’s visit until he realized who the boy was. Mason ‘Dipper’ Pines. Through his time stuck in the endless darkness he had exhausted his anger and feeling of vengeance, convincing himself that holding grudges was too classy for a powerful being such as himself. No, he was no longer pulled by the impulsive emotion that left him cocky and furious, no longer feeling the itchy, murderous sensation dancing at his fingertips at the mention of the Pines. No, compared to the indifference he felt for the rest of humanity, the drowning boredom he felt in this prison of sheer dread and agony, he much, much preferred to see how much his Pine Tree has grown.

He could feel the boy staring at his outstretched hand just now. Excitement but at the same time a sense of confusion washed over him as he tempted the boy.

“Summers are so much more relaxing now. Sure, I still occasionally go on mystery hunts with Mabel or Grunkle Ford, but hey, no more apocalypse to stop!” Dipper chuckled lowly before staring at the hand stretched before him again. It seemed so fragile and harmless.

Every vacation was spent in the small town ever since the first. Each time there will be heartfelt welcomes and goodbyes, new things to discover and remember, new memories to create and collect, more and more reasons to come back, to settle, to return to his rightful family, Gravity Falls. The first summer back had been too busy. There was so much and so many people to see, to say, to laugh and talk and enjoy. It was also the summer he discovered the statue.

He had kneel down in front of it, surprised at how small it was. He failed to forget how this small figure had turned into a monster, chasing him and his sister down halls, grabbing for them with enormous golden claws. He failed to forget the fear that clung to him, that screamed itself hoarse as the symbol on Bill’s eyes flipped through a pine tree and a shooting star as he mocked, not caring that he was deciding the fate of two lives. He failed to forget the blinding panic when the symbol landed on his sister, the helplessness and anger roaring in his veins.

The small, stone hand had seemed threatening back then. Of course it had. Flowing through the hand was the possibility to bend physics and control time, a power so wild and infinitized only fitting for the most insane and twisted being. Perhaps not even a being. Now it only felt inviting, as if welcoming Dipper to the woods, a friendly gesture, a silent thank you for his company. Now it only felt right to shook it.

Dipper froze at the thought though he continued to talk. “I wonder if you changed your mind about us, about the universe you were going to destroy. The paranormals, the woods, the human. I mean, you can’t possibly stay angry at something so beautiful, right?” He gestured to the horizon, where a gentle ray of light had blossomed on the horizon as the sun rose from its sleep and emerged from the distant mountains. Red, cider orange, yellow and indigo blue painted the sky and warmth splashed into the clearing, soothing his tightened shoulder.

Dipper slipped his hands in his pockets, breathing out heavily into the air. Dipper missed the mystery, craved the thrills, the adventures, even the danger that made California life so dull. With their first summer the excitement and unknown had disappeared and would never come back. There were still tons of mysteries left in the Falls... but the biggest one was already solved.

He remembered the burning passion, the feeling of exhilaration as he unveiled and discovered everything around him. He remembered the glint in his eyes whenever he learned something new, the feeling of triumph and pride as he decoded passages after passages. Entering this strange town he was thrown into a new world hidden in forests, cryptic rhymes and secrets, and he would give anything to feel the same sensation of wonder again. To feel like there's so much to learn and so much he could learn.

“Life is far from perfect, but we should learn to love it as it is. You know, when I first came to Gravity Falls, I started by being afraid of the paranormal. Then, I started to understand them. Why they were here, where they came from, their frustration, their reasons. I wonder if I would have understood you, had I been in your shoes. I wonder where everything went wrong for you, when and why you went crazy. Destroying the world so you could party? That I personally can’t relate to.” A laugh escaped him again and he relaxed, laying down next to the stone figure. Eyeing the hand he warned himself again not to shake it. “But after all, you understand us. You knew that Grunkle Ford wanted his family more than power. You knew that Mabel wouldn’t want to leave her bubble on her own. You knew that… that I would have only made that deal at the Sock Opera because of the pressure of time and… at the moment I was holding a grudge against Mabel. You knew how to manipulate emotions, and to do that you mustn’t be the megalomaniac, power-lusting monster people think you are. You must have emotions too.

“Maybe I’m just crazy to think this way, to try to understand someone that tried to kill my family, my friend, my home. Perhaps I really am foolish. But all the other paranormals are so… people-like. It made me realize they were all just beings, like me. They’re just slightly different, which is like me too!” Dipper snickered at that before his voice grew quieter, as if almost ashamed of saying it.

Barely a whimper of rustling leaves, he whispered. “So I can’t help but think you might be a being too.”

Bill, in a twisted way, was the source of those mysteries. Indirectly the demon had helped with his journey in Gravity Falls, his adventures. He was the middle of everything, an infinite, unpredictable being of unimaginable knowledge and power. He seemed to know so much, see so much, and it felt impossible that he was gone, that he could be defeated.

“I just don’t think you’re gone. You’re too smart for that. Maybe, at the last minute, you found a back door, a loophole to crawl through, like you always do. Maybe you had another plan, something you can escape through. Or maybe you were just too cocky to think fast enough. I really don’t know.” He voiced his thoughts.

(Did Dipper believe Bill was inside the statue? That the demon could hear the boy’s voice, the boy’s worries, the boy’s thoughts? Dipper didn’t know.)

“How’s this. If we meet again some sunny day, I would like to hear your story. I will treat you with honesty and respect if you treat me the same.” He couldn’t help staring at the stone hand again, its arm straight and confidently held in front of him. A warning buzzed through his ear and it almost sounded like Grunkle Ford.

Don’t shake his hand.

Dipper ignored the voice this one time. Reaching forward, he grasped the little hand in his own, feeling his own warmth spreading across the cold, hard surface of the stone. “Deal?”

The woods were dead silent. Birds ceased singing and not a husk of wind blew. The air was deadly still and the world seemed to bleed of colour as the sun stopped rising at the horizon of the sky, as the waves of grass stopped shivering against him, as his vision turned into a monotone space. The sound of his roaring heartbeat was deafening as he felt the small hand squeeze against his own, as the rock surface of the statue broke apart, revealing a bright familiar yellow.

One eye was closed in the center of the triangle, and with one firm shake of his hand and one burst of blue flames it opened, the spitted pupil and long lashes not traced by the six years he was trapped in stone. Bill Cipher, with his black top hat floating above him and his bow tie adjusted firmly below his eye, was back.

Still holding his hand, Dipper closed his eyes but surprisingly, no maniacal laughter, flaring anger or biting remarks was given. Instead, when he opened his eyes again, Bill Cipher looked like he was smiling. His voice, so familiar to Dipper’s ear, ringed cheerfully. “It’s a deal, Pine Tree!”

Chapter Text

The clouds were roaring as the earth grumbled beneath her. She kneeled uponed the cold floor of the Fearamid, watching through the window as monsters and chaos continue to flood through the cut in the sky. Thunderous footsteps shook the floor along with the drumming of her heartbeat.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we need to trust Bill.” Grunkle Ford’s voice was a murmur behind her, but she could hear whispers of agreement. She turned around, seeing a familiar triangle drawing the cipher wheel on the floor. Nostalgia filled her, yet the wheel was different from the last. Instead of the dream demon in the middle, Bill drawed a large pine tree and a triangle in its original place. Confused, she stared motionlessly at the wheel while the citizens of Gravity Falls took their position accordingly. A golden glow lit up the wheel and everyone held hands, including Bill Cipher, before looking at her expectantly for her to join the circle.

Something hesitated her. Suddenly, a booming yet familiar voice howled. “Come out, Bill Cipher, this party doesn’t have enough room for two immortal hosts!” An unearthly laugh crackled after it. Everyone tensed before looking desperately at Mabel. Their mouths were moving but Mabel couldn’t hear them, couldn’t hear anything but the approaching footsteps of a figure too similar to her brother’s.

“Come on Shooting Star! You want your brother back, don’t you?” Bill shrieked, jerking her back to reality, and with purpose she stepped forward, finishing the wheel, and watched as a golden light filled her vision.

Mabel woke up with a jolt. She sat up and looked around, her messy brown hair spilling against her shoulder as the warmth of the morning sun splashed into the bedroom through the triangular window, making it shine a bright gold. Beside her, Dipper’s bed was already empty.

“Ugh… have I overslept?” She mumbled, before smiling a little at her surroundings. They had spent their first night up the attic in the Mystery Shack, as usual. Everything was still like how it was six summers ago. At one side of the bed was a picture of a pirate ship with a dull, almost messy bed underneath. Beside it were binoculars, flashlights and a small bag along with a forgotten sock. On the opposing side had bright coloured sheets and blankets matched with colorful posters and a row of sphere lights dangling above it. A pink notebook and some thread were scattered along the corner along with a bowl for Waddles. Said pig snored as he snuggled next to her, causing her to chuckle.

Suddenly, the window was blown open with a biting gust of wind, and Mabel shivered in her pajamas. Looking to the other side, she found her brother’s jacket laying on the floor. “Brrrr, It’s cold today. I bet Dipper forgot his jacket. I should bring it to him!” Determined, she changed and left the shack in haste, as an unexplainable ominous feeling hung over her head, though she didn’t forget to wave at Grunkle Stan, Soos and Wendy on her way out.

Outside the door of the shack she suddenly stopped. “Now, if I was a nerd, where would I go?” She thought out loud, giggling a little at her words before picking a shady path of the wood and running down it. After endless rows of trees she arrived at a small break in the thick forest. An empty clearing with nothing in the middle.

She rubbed her eyes, for something told her a figure should have been resting in the middle of that circle of grass, yet nothing was there. Turning, ready to continue down the path, she came to an abrupt halt with a sharp inhale as her eyes caught something. Her thoughts raced as she bent down to pick it up, dusting of a layer of dirt and specks of rock.

A blue and white hat with a pine tree on it.

“Ah, Gravity Falls! I’ll admit, not so good to be back. Either way, it’s good to see my old meat sack hasn't changed, am I right Pine Tree? Did you miss me? Admit it, you missed me.”

Dipper stammered, his tongue tied in a knot and his lungs stuffed with too many questions for him to breeze. He should have known better to tempt fate. He should have known better to invoke the same demon that tainted his childhood, traumatized his friends and family and almost destroyed his universe.

As he watched the triangular demon glance around his surroundings, he noticed how the world slowly seeps back into its colors and with it Bill Cipher’s bright yellow was replaced with a dull grey. Before he could ask about it the demon stretched his hand and waved it in front of him, his expression slightly tensed. “Hey kid, I don’t know if you noticed but someone is heading our way. If you don’t want this meeting to be interrupted then you better let me take you to a more private space.”

Finding his voice again, Dipper inched back from the demon with a wince. “Yah no, Bill, I haven’t forgotten who tried to take over the third dimension.” Careful not to provoke him and pondering whether Bill was saying the truth, he slowly crawled backward.

“You can learn to trust me later, but this is not over and I’d rather talk privately.” Almost forcibly the triangle grabbed his wrist and practically dragged him into the adjacent woods, past countless rows of trees as Bill sent him trembling through roots and stumps before stopping in front of a cave.

He turned around, giving Dipper a glance before continuing, putting his hands on his hips(?). “So, where were we?”

“Nowhere! I-I don’t know why or what you… How is this even possible?” Falling back on his butt Dipper grimaced as he picked the tangled twigs and leaves from his matted hair.

“Reality is an illusion and the universe is a hologram, so I’m not sure what you want me to tell yah. But if you’re referring to me still existing, then I’m disappointed, Pine Tree. I thought you were better than Sixer, or anyone foolish enough to believe me, a being of pure energy, could be erased, at least not by a memory gun whose effect lasted for less than one day. If your ‘Grunkle Stan’ could remember you, Shooting Star, IQ, Question Mark and Red, then what were the odds that he wouldn’t remember ME?” His eyes grew bigger and glowed a deep grey before returning to its normal size as Bill stopped floating and landed on the ground.

Taking a breath and considering that he was not attacked yet, he organized the thoughts in his head. Ok, that makes sense. If what was erased was memories of Bill Cipher, then along with the other memories Grunkle Stan could have regained that, therefore bring him back. “How do I know you’re speaking the truth?” Dipper inquired anyways, trying to stop the shaking of his voice as Bill focused his gaze upon him. The picture of the apocalypse, the chair made out of citizens, the golden claws and black tongues flashed before him. The demon in front of him was, needless to say, dangerous.

“Well I did shake on the whole honesty and respect thing, so at least that’s a guarantee!” Bill was the one to break the eye contact as he looked around once more, as if searching for something. “Though to be HONEST, you’re not doing a great job on the whole respect part.”

Before Dipper could respond to that, Bill’s whole body glowed. He climbed back, expecting it to turn into the familiar red hue, but there was only the same deep shade of grey. “Ugh damn that Shooting Star. When has she grown to be so persistent? Well, guess we’ll have to end this early. You forgot your hat in the clearing, by the way. Buy gold and bye!” A portal opened behind him as the same blinding light flashed.

At the next blink the triangular demon was gone. At the same time Dipper noticed the hurried footsteps approaching him. Shooting Star… Wait, it was Mabel?! She must have been worried! Just how long have he taken to talk with Bill anyways? He jumped to his feet at the thought and just before he could turn he saw Mabel standing from behind a tree, facing him.

They were silent for a moment. He didn’t know what brought the silence, but none of them spoke and just looked at the other from head to toe. Mabel was huffing, her brown hair a mess dangling down her shoulder, her hand clutching his blue and white hat a little too tightly, showing the whiteness of her knuckle. She wore her trademark sweater, one Dipper knew she only wore when she had no time to pick her outfits, the one with her zodiac, the shooting star, embedded onto the pink fabric. She must have been searching for a long time.

Guilt settled in his stomach but he found himself taking a step forward and beginning, “Hey Mabel guess what I found in the-”

At the same time Mabel approached too and said, “Dipstick I had the strangest dream where you and-”

Silence settled between them again, this time staining the atmosphere with awkwardness as the full gravity (no pun intended) of the situation dawned on Dipper with a sharp realization. He just revived the indestructible ancient being, the one they merely delayed even at the cost of Grunkle Stan’s mind, the one that was this close to bringing his chaos worldwide and this time, he was certainly going to be completely careful to eliminate all threats and make sure nothing stops in his wake. Not to mention what the vengeful demon might personally scar the Pines family, the direct cause of his previous defeat. He had just endangered not only his family, his friends, his home, but his entire universe and/or even the multiverse for as stupid of a reason as feeling slight pity. His mind screamed at him as his thoughts raced, his heart sinking heavier and heavier.

His eyes found themselves studying his sister as the words were caught in his throat. If Mabel were to know this, he would be putting her into farther danger than he already has. Right. This was his problem, and he would fix it before anyone noticed. Hopefully.

Oh, the battle between Bill and this universe was never over, was it?

Mabel knew her brother very well. She knew where he was ticklish, what he liked to eat for breakfast and when he was feeling down. She knew why he wanted to move to Gravity Falls, what those bullies at school said about him and that he was lying when she asked him if he was having nightmares. Nightmares about Weirdmegaddon and one triangular dream demon in particular.

It was the same for everyone the first month after that memorable summer. Shadows, nightmares, whispers when nothing was there, but it seemed to hit her brother the strongest, like most things that are traumatizing. She remembers how he winced whenever someone laughed too loudly or wildly, how the first few weeks he completely refused to learn geometry, how he screamed in his sleep, how just the mention of anything remotely similar to the name Bill Cipher sent him vomiting in the washroom. Gradually, just like the rest of the citizens of the town, the apocalypse was forgotten or at least, pushed to the back of their minds and his conditions improved. They transformed into normal, restless sleep and the occasion tenseness when he stared at what was trending and called the ‘Illuminati’ or the Eye of Providence.

Now, staring at the half smile on her brother’s face she found herself unable to remind him of the demon that they both obviously hated. He was finally sleeping better too, as he felt secured in the safety of the Mystery Shack. Did she really want him to go through a possible mental breakdown just because of a probably meaningless dream she had?

(Soos and Melody had eagerly welcomed them and prepared the bedrooms until their new apartment was ready, to which Mabel was so grateful.)

She bite her tongue, forcing the words back down her throat. (She was so busy collecting her thoughts she missed the fact that Dipper was doing the same.) With a strained laugh she said, “You first.”

“Nah, you can say it first.” Putting his hands in his pockets Dipper looked at the ground, kicking a small twig.

A pearl of sweat rolled down her forehead. “No it’s alright, you can go ahead.”

“I’m sure yours is more important-” Dipper urged.

Mabel shook her head, taking a step back, “Trust me it really isn’t-"

“Just tell me what it is already!” Dipper slightly shouted before covering his mouth with his hands, but Mabel caught the annoyance and impatience in his voice.

“I just thought you might be cold and brought your jacket. Found your hat, too.” Despite herself her voice trembled, making her sound like a quivering autumn leaf. Guilt immediately splashed into Dipper’s eyes and he scratched the back of his head before opening his arms.

“Sorry Mabel, I was taking a walk and fell asleep. The hard ground was so uncomfortable and I might have sleep-walked… Awkward sibling hug?” His eyes seemed clouded, but Mabel passed it off as drowsiness as she opened her arms as well.

“Awkward sibling hug.” They embraced and chuckled before saying ‘pat pat’. Together they walked back to the shack as she smacked Dipper’s messy hair with his hat, giggles escaping into the air, and she was grateful to find the stiffness of Dipper’s shoulder relaxing and the atmosphere relaxing with it.

(She couldn’t help, however, but feel an ominous feeling, like a pair of eyes digging into the back of her head as she approached the familiar figure of her home. Was the triangular shadow she caught in the corner of her eye only her imagination?)

Chapter Text

Dipper walked absentmindedly down the sidewalk, his hands clutching a bag of groceries. It has been a week since the incident in the clearing. Out of a ridiculous fear he had refused to go back there, to confirm what he might have done. As he found himself alone he began to whisper under his breath, pondering like he did almost every chance he got on what to do.

Like he had thought earlier, it isn't wise to alert anyone. Yet. He didn’t want the fragile peace built so carefully around his Grunkles disrupted. He didn’t want the fragmented memories pieced so carefully around the town to be shattered.

He didn’t want anyone to learn of his mistake, either.

He made a deal with Bill. Freed him from the statue and all he gets in return are respect and honesty. Now the demon is free to roam in the third dimension again, thanks to his careless actions. And knowing the demon, this time he will do whatever it takes to not only start Weirdmageddon 2.0, maintain it and take it worldwide but kill anyone that even entertains the notion to go against him. If arrogance, cockiness and being short-sighted was the reason to his downfall, this time he will do whatever it takes to not only torture his friend and family but make sure he is impossible to stop.

Stopping his unconscious pacing he felt as if he was sinking into a bottomless pit as his mind thrown him images of an unavoidable future, one worst after the other. A weight so heavy clogged his lungs before he could take a breath as waves of regret, of doubt, of feelings of eyes digging into his back washed over him, threatening to drown him at the prospect of facing the consequences of his actions.

Bill is going to win. He is going to find his powers — can’t be harder than last time —, tore the threadbare layer of barrier that blocked out the Nightmare Realm completely and rule with no one and nothing to stop him.

And it was all Dipper’s fault.

The words gnawed at him, stinging his eyes. He needed to do something. First, he needed to contact Bill. He needed to know how powerful the demon currently is. How much time Dipper has to formulate a plan to banish him forever or stall him. How much time he has before it is necessary for him to inform the others. How much time till the second apocalypse.

If only he didn’t shake his hand.

Interrupting the turmoil in his mind and shooting him into reality was a rude bump on the shoulder from two hooded teenagers. Upon the contact Dipper dropped his bag of cans and hurried to pick it up. Without apologizing the two boys walked past him before chuckling underneath their breath. “Freak. Did you see how he whispered to himself? He looks like such a nerd, too.”

With so much on his mind Dipper snapped. “Hey you! Come back here and help me pick these up!” He shouted, annoyance and frustration fueling his bravery as he demanded. For a moment the two boys were surprised, but the taller one soon snickered.

“So, what if we don’t huh? What are you going to do, low-class?” The boy retorted, pointing at Dipper’s fallen wallet, which only held a few coins.

Suddenly, a rage that wasn’t his overflowed Dipper’s body and boiled under his skin as his vision turned into nothing but flames engulfing a small universe, his ears filled with nothing but piercing screams and pleas while all he felt was a sense of pleasure as he watched the small beings — they seemed flat, almost 2-dimensional somehow — fade into ashes. Before he understood what was happening he stepped toward the tall once and clutched his collar. With a might he didn’t know he had he lifted the boy a solid two feet from the ground and hurled him into a bag of trash.

Nobody moved, for a moment, as Dipper himself was too shocked to speak, to apologize before the two scrambled up their feet with their tails behind their legs and ran without a glance back. Alone again, Dipper was left staring at his hands, the scene of that small world plunging into chaos and indestructible flames dancing too vividly in his mind along with the feeling of fury and sweet vengeance at the word ‘low class’. What terrified him more was the sensation of triumph, of pleasure, of ecstasy as he watched the flames destroy and swallow, as a universe — he could only assume what that was — with potential and future, as innocent citizens’ screams were silenced by the crackling of a voice that didn’t belong to him.

What was wrong with him?

He turned, quickly collected his groceries and his wallet into the bag again before catching a glimpse of himself in the reflection of a store. His breath was choked out of him and he found himself unable to take another as he saw it.

His eyes were a chocolate brown color, yet in the mirror it glowed a faint yellow with silted pupils.

Bill’s eyes.

As grateful as he was to escape the vacuum of death and the darkness of oblivion, he was at once hesitant about the next step of his plan. Having spent five years petrified in stone, he roams around Gravity Falls without knowing what to look for. The absence of a plan frightened him as he tested his powers, limits and conditions on the unaware citizens and beasts.

Boredom quickly drooled over him, vanquishing any elation he had felt at his escape, for he soon discovered that he was trapped. The Axolotl, who was no doubt behind this, had spared him but seemingly at the terrible cost of his power and freedom. Even with a physical form, the most he could lift was a wooden chair and he was invisible to others, except for Dipper, much to his amusement. Like before, he could still see into the Third Dimension and he could enter human dreams if he desired. Otherwise, he was trapped in an empty vacant limbo, infuriated by his humble state with little difference from his experience petrified in stone.

He had felt the exhilaration of power as it coursed through him, as everything changed to obey him, as no law could bound him and nothing could stop him. He had felt ecstasy as his own maddening laugh deafens the sky, the earth, time and space itself move to his command. He had felt insanity.
He had also felt defeat. Humiliation. Anger. In the Mindscape he had screamed and raged at the void around him, pleading with Axolotl to let him out, speak to him, give him the slightest clue of what he needed to do to escape this prison, only to be met with silence. In a blind furry he had stormed through the minds and lives of random individuals, venting his anger by furnishing them with monstrous nightmares. Nothing helped. Nothing changed.

Within this prison he couldn’t plan. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t do ANYTHING. Bill Cipher, the master of the minds, the being of pure energy, the previous lord and master of the 3rd Dimension, was helpless, useless and clueless. And he couldn’t stand it.

When his tantrums had finally drifted, like it did when he was still a statue, he floated listlessly through the void, resigning himself to what was clearly a punishment.

Or a cruel joke.

He begins fumbling with the thought of torturing the Pines family. He and Pine Tree still got their strange deal going on, and tormenting them is so much better than the almost frightening emptiness he felt with the rest of humanity, this world and this entire multiverse.

Just as he began planning a low rumble sounded behind him as a huge shadow looked over him. A sense of knowledge and power resonated within him as Bill turned around at a low hiss and an incomprehensible combination of screeches and sounds was hurled from the figure’s throat. "William."

A smile broke out of his shrouded mind. “Ah, Axolotl, my good pal. You know, the name’s Bill Cipher now.”

“My apologies, I forgot how that name brings unwanted memories.” The figure, Axolotl, did not move, his voice too calm and deep for Bill’s liking. Annoyance flared inside him. Did Ax just come to mock him? Oh he will make sure the mythical creature regrets entertaining that notion!

Tapping his foot impatiently, Bill spat. “Yah yah enough with the small talk. Why are you here?”

The space around them shook as the Axolotl grumbled, his scale glowing as his eyes narrowed, “You invoked my name, Cipher. You know WHY.”

How dare he threaten him? Bill’s pupil was replaced with his wrath as a boiling flame flickered before him, surrounding him, suffocating him. Blinking twice he returned to his normal eye before snarling. “Put it away, big guy. Tell me, what do I need to do?”

“When you were defeated, three of your components were separated. Your memories, specifically your consciousness, were trapped within the mind of Stanley Pines. After it was recalled, they travelled to your body, which was sealed in the statue. Now that you recovered both components, the last is the power that came with your birth and your physical form.” The low voice explained slowly.

“I am here to provide a clue,
For a boy that will live in someone else’s shoe,
For a mind that will learn to pick its duel,
For a demon that fell with one small fluke.
Time will decide the future and the price,
Of a plan that depend on a dice,
Of a star that’s in need of advices,
Of a pine that will learn of unpleasant surprises.”

Bill was familiar with its tricks and poems. He knew exactly where his powers were trapped in. Just like his consciousness, they were collected in a human. A fat wet bag of meat withering under the oppressive tyranny of time and puppeteered by the arbitrary whims of natural selection. And this time it’s a boy. A boy with brown hair and eyes, a boy whose zodiac is a pine tree, a boy whose forehead marks a constellation. “So not only are my powers not gone, they are within Mason ‘Dipper’ Pines! Why haven’t you said so earlier, Ax? All I need to do is either extract the power or manipulate him to do so for me! Thanks Ax, you can go now!” Turning around, a plan was formulating fast in his mind as Bill swept his hand together in excitement. Finally, finally, a clue, a plan, a PURPOSE in this pathetic world!

“Cipher. You have been given another chance. Shouldn’t you try to change your impending fate?” The Axolotl warned, yet his voice was long forgotten in the midst of Bill’s thoughts.

“Fate is just another rule that bounds things, another law I will break along with physics, space and time!” Bill crackled before continuing his planning.

Bill Cipher has eyes on many places. Through them he watched the world in silence, keeping its inhabitants in a blissful unawareness of his plans for the future. With one snap of his finger he searched the mind of Dipper Pines and found that the boy had matured into a fine man. The unconfident little sapling had grown into a strong Pine.

Yet mental scars never cease to heal, and Bill quickly discovered that insecurities are still embedded deeply into him. To the demon’s disappointment, however, the wild sense of curiosity and determination to unravel mysteries have been buried underneath the trivial daily matters of California life, as he was discouraged and bullied upon for his creative ideas and thoughts. His thirst for adventure was battered, his secret seek for danger and the secrets of the universe tempered by the harshness of reality.

Yet these qualities were awakening since Dipper’s move to Gravity Falls, and all Bill needed to do was play the right cards, say the right words, nudge and push in just the right angle and direction to bring about Weirdmageddon 2.0. It would be no easy task, for the Pines were stubborn and hard to change once their thoughts are set, not to mention wary and aware of Bill’s plans, but Pine Tree has always been different. He won’t and can’t disappoint Bill now, not when he is needed the most.

Watching the demon before disappearing with a sigh, the Axolotl whispered one last time. “You choose your own fate, Bill, you choose your own fate.” Bill ignored him, his smile too smug and his mind too pleased as he dived deeper into the fated boy’s mind.

After no short amount of time he felt a familiar tug interrupting his thoughts, which brought — had he had a mouth in the first place — a mischievous grin so wide it reaches his ears(?).

He let his instincts take him and found himself, expectantly, in the mindscape of none other than Dipper Pines. Eyeing him up and down, the triangle stopped floating and straightened his bow tie. “Ah, it’s about time we finish that little talk of ours, don’t you think?” With one glance Bill looked around him, taking note of the dark shade of grey compared to the usual monotone of the boy’s Mindscape.

“Quit the games Cipher, I need you to explain!” The boy, though Bill supposed he is a man now, took a step forward with surprising purpose, though Bill didn’t miss the slight trembling of his arm.

“Look, if you’re not going to stick to the end of the deal and treat me with some respect, I don’t have to tell you anything and definitely not honestly!” Bill expanded his size and loomed over him, his eye a dangerous red hue. Of course, Bill wouldn’t break that little deal of theirs so easily. It was the deal that freed him of his petrified self. Who knows what would happen had he called it off. Thinking of the blind and silent state within the stone Bill winced, not looking forward to returning to being an inanimate object.

However, his words, which were not a lie but obviously not the truth, shot through the boy as Dipper widened with realization. “Okay. I won’t do that.” The boy mumbled, his eyes staring at the floor.

“Good. Now, you’re going to need to tell me what I need to explain about. Elaborate, will you? And hold your horses on the temper. No need to get angry or fearful if I haven’t done anything wrong.” (Yet. He haven't done anything wrong yet, Bill would have added, but how does that benefit him?)

Dipper’s eyebrows furrowed as he pointed a finger at the demon. (Bravely, Bill added with a smirk.) “Don’t play dumb with me! You know exactly what happened! On the street, with the two teenagers? How my eyes were…?” Gesturing his eyes with his hands the boy waved in the air, mimicking a scene even Bill couldn’t understand .

What was the boy talking about?

Chapter Text

The dream demon narrowed his eyes. “Listen, I’m a busy demon, and I don't have time to pay attention to every small incident ever meat sack in this pathetic world experience. Why don’t you try to explain it in words and not with your hands?” Annoyance was seeping into his voice at a steady increasing manner along with impatience, but all Dipper felt was confusion.

Bill’s plans have always been blunt, however disadvantageous it has been for the demon. Destroy the journals, crack the rift, take over the world. It has always been so unbelievably simple. What was Bill hiding this time? What was stopping Bill from just admitting that he had access to Dipper’s mind somehow? That he was possessed and that’s what happened on the streets today? That must be what happened, right?

Had the demon learned? Is he less open than ever now, thanks to his previous mistakes? If the demon was on his guard how could Dipper outsmart him? At once he felt like he was drowning again, the questions deafening and more demanding with each not provided an answer. The unbearable future loomed over him with the same whispers:

“Bill is going to get what he wants-”

“Your family and friends are all going to die-”

“The whole multiverse is in danger-”

“And it’s all your fault, Dipper, ALL YOUR FAULT.”

“Mason Dipper Pines! Get a hold of yourself! This is not the end of the world (yet)! Don’t have a mental meltdown on me!” In the midst of all the whispers Dipper decided to grasp onto the only one that almost sounded concerned. He loathed himself when he realized it was the demon’s voice yet he clutched onto it and slowly he was pulled back into the present, back in his own Mindscape. Opening his eyes — not knowing they were shut in the first place — he realized his Mindscape had melted into a complete blackness.

Stumbling a little bit, Dipper stood up and let his mind cool as he watched the blackness slowly drool into the plain shade of monotone, “Did you just call me Mason?” Turning around, Dipper arched his eyebrow and asked.

Bill shrugged. “You weren’t answering to anything else and if your mind collapses onto itself I’m not here to clean up the leftovers.” (Dipper should have known that the demon didn’t care, yet for some reason Dipper’s heart sank with those words.)

“But yeesh, and I thought the Nightmare Realm was unstable. And that was a lot of self-blaming voices. Jeez, can’t you block them out or something? At least enough so I don’t have to hear it as well?” Dipper’s heart dropped with a loud thud. So Bill heard that. His throat was incredibly dry as his mind processed this. Meanwhile, the demon materialized his cane and twirled with it before turning, his eyes widening into a grin. “ Say, if those voices are bothering you, I can help. Plus, if it’s so hard to explain what happened, you could just let me peak in your mind and the story will tell itself. Probably better than whatever you were going to do to describe it. What do you say?”

Before even allowing his mind to entertain the thought Dipper shot, “Never, Cipher! There will be no deals!” Biting his tongue he let the thoughts sink before adding, “Not unless you tell me about your current power state. And don’t leave any details!”

Doing a spin in the air, Bill ignored the hostility in Dipper’s voice. “With pleasure! Though someone sure is demanding lately, especially since you don’t know just what I can do to your family and friends…”

“First, I am about as strong as I was before gaining my solid form. Controlling the Mindscape, giving nightmares, sighting the future, you name it! However, if you noticed, when we first made our deal I wasn’t in the Mindscape, but the 3rd dimension, though I kept a monotone appearance, as if I was in the Mindscape. This is explained by our deal. Apparently, you’re the only one that can see me in the 3rd dimension, and while capable of interacting with objects, I have the physical power of a 12 years old meat sack, much like how you used to be back then. Judging from dragging you in front of that cave, however, not much has changed since, huh?” It just wasn't Bill to add an insult to the end of his words, though a part of Dipper was relieved at the words. This Bill was predictable — he was familiar, even — this Bill was defeated before.

“Wow. You sure figured out a lot.” The words rolled out his mouth before he could hold them, and Dipper turned away, embarrassed.

“Of course! I am the ultimate being of energy! The master of the mind! If you have forgotten, Pine Tree, then I have been gone for far too long!” Bill turned away in a dramatic pose and Dipper almost giggled. The demon had almost seemed to be teasing, his words so non-threatening and filled with hints of humor.

What was wrong with him today? Bill Cipher, non-threatening and humorous?

“You know that within the Mindscape I can hear your thoughts right?” Bill’s voice sent his thoughts to a halt. He internally facepalmed. How could he not think of that? Of course the dream demon can read minds. What else can’t he do?

This is like the 137th mistake I made today, Dipper thought. While humoring himself with the boy’s thoughts, Bill was growing impatient. When he studied the horrifying blackness this seemingly innocent boy’s mind had transformed into moments before, he had discovered what made the boy so mad for an explanation.

The incident was an accidental outburst of Bill’s energy, obviously. Apparently, the boy can use them but he doesn’t know how. With unknown powers like that, the boy could unconsciously give rise to Weirdmageddon 2.0 himself. However much Bill was amused with the thought, Dipper could potentially use the power against him as much as he could use it to help him. Now what to tell this unstable boy…

It was no doubt a touchy subject and there was also no doubt, if his power acted anything like his memories, that the power would be attracted to its original owner, which meant the outbursts would increase. It seems Bill’s last attempt to save himself from oblivion has created a delicate situation, though Bill knew exactly how to place the cards.

“I saw what happened on the street during your mental breakdown, by the way. To put it simply, apparently, you now possess my powers. Controlling physics, space, molecules, even time itself, you name it! If I am not wrong, you can access them when your eyes are in a yellow hue, which is like flicking a light switch for you! Now, there’s a problem. As you may have noticed, you don’t know how to use that power or how to control it. This can result in the little eruptions that happened today! Now… I COULD help you out...” Blue flames erupted in Bill’s hand, calmly balancing on his palm.

Dipper was breathing heavily, his little human mind scrambling slowly to process the information. It was either shock or surprise that shushed the boy as Bill talked but he tensed immediately at the flames, his entire shoulder going stiff and his eyebrows automatically furrowing into a tight knot as he shook his head. “I said before Bill, if you think I am going to make a deal with you, you are sorely mistaken. I’m not playing by your games this time, and I never will again!”

Bill frowned. “Come on kiddo, if it bothers you so much, nobody said you have to shake on it! Just hear me out, alright? No harms done!”

Reluctantly, Dipper nodded as he stared blankly while Bill extinguished his flame. “...fine. What are your conditions?”

“Like I said before, there will be more incidents like today. And next time, it won’t be strangers on the street. It would be friends, families, your shack, even your universe. If you can’t control my power you are dangerous, even more dangerous than I ever was or am. You are going to hurt people you care about and they’re going to be afraid of you. Soon, others will notice and be attracted, interdimensional creatures dreaming for powers like mine, and it would spell disaster for this pathetic place. You will be your own worst enemy, and no matter what you say, what you do, you will be feared… Unless you learn to control this power. You don’t have to use it. You don’t have to do anything with it but restrain it. And who’s a better teacher than me, someone with firsthand experience?” Toyfully he twirled his cane, adding taps of sugar to his words while studying Dipper in the corner of his eyes, capturing every flinch and trembling, ever twitch on his face.

“Think about it! I can teach you so much more than Sixer or anyone ever could! You could know the secrets of the universe! There’re so much, so much I could offer, not just fame or money or power. Knowledge, Pine Tree, priceless, permanent, infinity knowledge.” Waving his hand Bill projected a hologram of the milky wave, then the universe and the multiverse as he wrapped an arm around the boy.

Dipper was frowning, yet his Mindscape brightened at the prospect and Bill almost grinned. There were only two things that stopped Bill from getting what he wanted. First, the stupid, pathetic compass human fool themselves and bound themselves with called morality. But morality can be twisted, just like truth can be bent. If Dipper thinks he is doing the right thing, then morality and sympathy will only aid the dream demon in his path to domination.

The second thing was his stupid meat sack family. Stanford Pines is too paranoid, too suspicious, too selfish. If he believes Bill was manipulating the boy, Dipper will be betrayed and he will have nobody but Bill to rely on. Stanley Pines is too blind, too short-sighted, and will only notice things when waved underneath his nose.

Shooting Star… Mabel Pines, was the problem.

As Bill reached out his hand, the blue flame dancing with excitement and Dipper raised his hand almost unconscious, the Mindscape shook, bringing Dipper back into reality and he drew his hand back with a jolt. A hiss escaped Bill’s throat but he held back, hiding his frustration and anger. “Well, look like your sister is having a nightmare and instead of waking herself up, she woke you with her screaming. Good luck, Pine Tree, and remember the deal I offered! Trust no one, bye!”

Chapter Text

Mabel blinked as she lay in bed motionlessly, slowly grasping the edges of her blanket as she familiar herself with the solidity of her bed.

It was the same dream again. The weird zodiac on the ground, the eyes of a demon she cease to forget on her dear brother, his maniacal laughter so familiar yet hurled from the wrong throat. Everytime Mabel tried to join the circle she was frozen by the look of betrayal Dipper shot at her as he clawed a wall in the Fearamid, yet if she refused her family would incinergrate with a snap of her brother’s hand before Dipper offered her to join them.

It wasn’t Dipper in her dream. It wasn’t her brother. It was a monster with golden eyes and slitted pupils, a smile inhumanly wide taking the shape of a kind boy that loved the woods and the mysteries. Dipper loves his family. Dipper would never, ever be foolish enough to make a deal with Bill, right?

Right...?

She heard her brother, the one with soft brown eyes and a sneeze like a kitten, wake up in the adjacent bed with a jolt. A feeling of guilty content found her knowing that she wasn’t suffering alone and her shoulders relaxed for a moment as she considered telling her brother about the dream.

Before she could decide she heard her brother sit up and watched his shadow bump into various objects as he stumbled out of the bedroom. Turning, she eyed the clock. 3:00AM. Where was Dipper going? Slightly curious and having no interest in returning to sleep, Mabel tip-toed out of her bed. She was greeted with a slash of frosty air as she watched her brother slip behind their bathroom door and let it close behind him silently. Her heart pounded and within her mind a Mabel with a glowing halo and a pair of white wings appeared on her left shoulder while a Mabel with red horns and a pointed tail placed a hand on her right shoulder.

“Maybe you shouldn’t check this out.” The angel Mabel whispered, her eyes glittering with worry as she eyed the door. “If something is wrong Dipper would have told you. He wasn’t someone to have secrets. You need to trust him.”

“You know your brother. He listens to his brain, not his heart. Sometimes he makes mistakes and it is your role to prevent that. Plus, maybe you could just say that the reason you are here is to tell him about the dream you had. That’s not a lie, right?” The devil Mabel pushed her body against the door before urging, pouring a bottle of glitter on her words. “You’re his sister. You deserve to be worried for him.”

The two Mabels disappeared and with a confident nod the Mabel with her pajamas and a tangle ball of yarn as her hair pushed the door open enough to allow a peek to the inside.

At first, nothing was unusual. Dipper was standing in front of the mirror, the darkness covering his face. Then, she noticed how he was clutching the sink a little too tightly, his knuckles a snow white, how his skin was an ashened pale and the circles underneath his eyes were a little too dark. With a sharp inhale she caught her gasp as she found her brother’s eyes.

Mabel stared, transfixed, at the golden hue of her brother’s brown eyes, at the slitted pupil that blinked back from the mirror.
Then, she tried to scream, tried to shriek at the top of his lungs, scrambling back and away from the door, slamming her head against the wall. It was so real, too real. “Get out of there! Get out of my brother!” She tried to say again, but her throat was suddenly so dry that she couldn’t speak, couldn’t make a sound. Mabel quivered like a leaf as she pressed against the wall. She tried counting to three, tried thinking about what she does when she’s having a nightmare or panicking. Dipper. Dipper was always there when she panics and now he’s not and she couldn't, just couldn’t calm down. Couldn't stop trembling. Bill was back.

After moments of silence Mabel looked back through the crack. Dipper was still standing there. He was still looking through the mirror, studying his golden eyes.(“I was going to make a deal with Bill.” Dipper whispered, but Mabel couldn’t hear him. “I was going to make a deal with Bill. How stupid can I get?!”)

Dipper raised his fist and with an inhuman force launched it toward the mirror, cracking it with a sickening crunch. He didn't flinch as the mirror shattered, leaving fragments of distorted reflections of Dipper - no, Bill’s - eyes. Mabel shut her eyes at the piecing sound as pieces clattered against the floor, waiting for Dipper to laugh, if he was Bill, or for him to scream had Dipper still been behind those terrifying eyes but nothing came. All Dipper did was look with indifference, the emptiness so much more frightening than anything else as the blood trickled from his knuckles down the floor, the echo of each crimson drop ringing in Mabel’s ears until she couldn't stand it, couldn’t stand to keep watching.

So she clapped her hands onto her ears and without thinking she ran down the hallway, back to their bedroom. It was as if her nightmare never ended, a voice screamed. The thought terrified her further and despite how childish it seemed she tucked her head entirely underneath her blanket with shaking arms and stayed there.

She pinched herself. “Wake up. Wake up!” She whispered, yet all she could see was those glowing eyes, those maniacal laughter, those pupils that replaced the glint of an excited boy she called her brother staring at her from the darkness. Feeling suffocated and trapped, she lifted her blanket to feel the slithery sensation of a pair of eyes burning into her back.

If only she could wake up. If only this was just a dream.

Stanford Pines and his brother arrived at Gravity Falls after countless sea voyages on a cold day in June, with frost dusting the trees and the puddles iced over. and ever since Ford stepped off the car, he'd heard nothing but people talking about how unusually cold it was. It had been 5 long years since Bill shattered the peace of the small town, and though everyone pretended not to remember Ford was, not surprisingly, unable to forget.

“This weather sure is weird...” Stan muttered beside him as Ford rested his chin on his hand, staring out the frosted window, watching the trees sway in a twisted dance in the distance, the biting wind deterring most people from leaving their homes.

Ford took a slow sip of his coffee.“I wish it was warmer. I didn't pack warm enough clothes to go out and check out the woods.”

“Mabel can probably lend you a sweater. Those kids sure have grown taller.” Stan mumbled, his slipper stomping grumpily across the floor of their new apartment as he walked around randomly, as if searching for something.

Ford wrinkled his nose, sweeping his hand across the window, melting the ice on it. His great niece and nephew had visited them the other day, and though he wasn’t the most observant, he couldn’t help but feel tension and distress in the air between them, along with the strange aura radiating from Dipper. “Yeah. I guess I'll have to borrow a couple of her sweaters.”

Ford remembers wearing one of his great niece’s creations, and as much as he loves Mabel’s creativity he didn’t enjoy feeling like a marshmallow in all those layers of wool. The itchy fabric was a plethora of colors, none of them colors he would wear otherwise. Ford suddenly rose from his chair, placed his mug down and put his hat on tight, heading toward the door.

“Hey! Pointdexter, are you going out?” Stan questioned, standing over a box of what looked like rocks and stones. He straightened up, brushing his arms off, wincing as he rubbed his lower back. “Ah – geez, I'm getting old.”

Ford reached into the pocket of his new trench coat, removing a small white list from his pocket. He held it out to show his brother, who glanced at it dismissively with little interest . “Yah, I’m gonna go collect some moss samples, a vial of ice from the lake, a few bottles of residues...” Ford rubbed his chin. “I feel like something weird's going on out there and I'm gonna look into it.”

“Something is always weird in this town. It’s nothin’ new. Just come back before dinner. Now don’t leave the door hanging.” Stan waved his hand and practically pushed Ford out the door.

Ford had intended to go around town and see the folks, maybe even ask some questions. He was never good at socializing but if it’s for research he was willing. Making his rounds around town, he stopped first at the usual diner, spotting the patrons all huddled around with coats on, talking about the unusual cold snap. He greeted Lazy Susan, before moving to the library where he ran into Grenda and Candy, and they talked for a while before Ford decided to move on again.

Everything was just as he remembered it, except for everyone pretending that summer hadn't happened. Those events, though terrifying and traumatic – after all, Bill had haunted his dreams for the last decades – had shaped a very important part of his life. He was finally part of something larger than himself, and now he not only has his brother but his great niece and nephew. He had more than he could ever dream for and Weirdmageddon had essentially been the tie that bound them together. No matter how much people may wish to forget, it was an important summer.

The trees rattled their frozen leaves, the biting wind blowing hard as Ford entered the woods. Ambling through the forests of the falls he thought about all the things he had experienced there. Every mystery, ever paranormal, every cryptic code, it all led to one and only one demon. Bill Cipher. Does the weather have something to do with him as well?

He shook away that thought as he continued down a familiar path. The wind howled, whistling against the shells of his ear as he practically dragged his foot behind him but he couldn’t rest. He needed to know, needed to see, needed to meet a particular someone.

Ford first discovered it before he aboard Stan O’ War. He was taking his last walk around the woods, reminiscing in the moments he had spent there thirty years ago, the times he explored the world with curiosity and his head in his journal, his eyes searching for adventures with such passion and spirit. He stumbled upon the empty space and noticed a ring of dead grass surrounding a small, stone figure. There, he saw it amidst the soil, a hand stretched eagerly outward as all the air drew from his lungs. Ford had almost expected to hear that nightmare-like laugh, that high-pitched voice crackle at his reaction as he collapsed to the ground in shock but nothing came. After he calmed, the first thing he did was try to destroy it, but almost unsurprisingly, nothing worked. No natural forces could erode the small statue and only moss survived in the one meter radius of death surrounding it. No animals, paranormals or not, would approach it and upon entering the clearing birds would cease their songs, wind would cease their howls and everything would be frighteningly silent. Ford had tried to hide it from sight, afraid that one would be urged to shake its hand, would be willing to tempt fate yet nothing but living organisms doesn’t incinerate at touch. With every attempt ending in failure Ford had given up stonewalling the demon’s plans and left.

On this cold day he finally arrived at a small clearing and the wind suddenly stopped. Birds ceased their chatters and not a rustle of anything or anyone could be heard. The waves of grass were perfectly still like the frozen air around him as he exited the shades of the trees of wood. His eyes glanced from side to side, casually at first, before they started darting frantically. His heartbeat began to race, to pound violently as he searched, breathing out clouds of frost.

Where was it?

Where was the statue?

Where was he?

Where was Bill Cipher?

And that’s when he felt and heard it. Knew it. A pair of golden eyes silently watched him, burning a mark on the back of his forehead. The wind began to blow again, but it sounded like crackling, like the high-pitched laugh of a particular demon. The statue was gone, with only fragments of stone scattered about.

Bill Cipher was free. And everyone is in danger.

Ford’s mind raced. He can’t panic, not yet. Questions, millions of them at a time scrambled in his head as he hurried home, but when he arrived at the doorstep Stanley greeted him with almost the same haste. “Sixer guess what? Mabel is here and she said she has something very important to tell you!”

Chapter Text

“I have eyes in many places. I have friends with many faces. I keep the Pines in their proper places. Don’t look now - I untied your laces!”Bill mused as he twirled his cane in the Mindscape, talking to himself as he watched the scenes. Mabel’s little nightmare, Ford’s little discovery, they were all so amusing to him. Suddenly, he was interrupted with a shook. Grinning, he let himself appear in front of a certain boy, completely unaware of the previous events.

“So, Pine Tree, have you decided on taking the deal? I don’t know if you’re aware, but we are on borrowed time.” He said, straightening his bowtie as he floated an inch above the floor.

Dipper was staring at him furiously. “I made a mistake by shaking your hand. I am never, ever, ever going to agree to your deals! How many times do I have to repeat myself?” He was pacing around, almost frantically, as BIll recognized the place Dipper summoned him at: the clearing where his statue was. So perhaps the boy knew of Ford’s visit afterall?

Furrowing his eye Bill ventured. “What’s with the attitude? Did something happen?” 

“I thought about your words last night and you’re wrong! My family will never betray me! I will never hurt them and they will never be afraid of me!” Dipper took a step forward with surprising purpose and strength as Bill took in the bandages around his hand. His mischievous smile widened as he thought the look of fear on Mabel’s face. It was so adorable, how just hearing his name will make the Pines freeze up like he dropped them into a pool of ice water.

“Never say never, kid. And believe me or not, I am definitely not wrong on this one! You are going to burst, one day or another, if you keep trying to contain something you can’t control. Then, when you slip up, your family are going to be either hurt, dead, or completely terrified of you! They will think that I’m possessing you and they will try to stop me by killing you with me in it, except that the only one that will suffer is you! If you die they will think I am gone for good, and little Dipper sacrificed himself. They will be really, really sad when they bury you in a wooden coffin, your sister will have snot all over her face and Stanley won’t even show up while ol’ Sixer can only try to convince your sister and himself that they did the right thing. To be honest, it will be a blast! For me, that is.” He did a loop in the air though he kept an eye on Dipper, watching his expression.

“No! They’ll believe me! They’ll trust me!” Something boiled within the small boy, and excitement quickly bubbled up.

“Keep telling yourself that kid! Sure, ‘Grunkle Stan’ will believe you just like he did five years ago when you told him about the paranormal! And Sixer will trust you when he writes in his silly journals to trust no one! Don’t make me laugh!” Bill could feel the power within Dipper rising with his anger and frustration. He could see the boy’s eyes turn yellow, his pupil turning abnormally thin as the grass beneath him started to give away.

One last straw would be all that it takes. “And Shooting Star, your dear, dear sister, will both trust and believe you just like she did five years ago when you told her to shut down the portal!”

The energy in the air bursted into its wildest form - fire as Dipper shrieked. Blue flames roared to life as a wave of heat exploded from within Dipper, setting everything ablaze in a five meter radius. The earth, covered in a layer of frost, rumbled as the boy, shocked by his own action, tumbled backward with wide eyes.

“Yup. You do indeed have my powers, and not just the ones in the mindscape. Boy, you have the power to destroy the world and you don’t even know it!” Bill said as he twirled with the blue flames. They climbed up his arm before disappearing.

“Suit yourself kid! But you’ll see, they will betray you. They always do.” He crackled.

Suddenly, a twig snapped, and the air went awfully silent.

Bill mused. “Well well well, look like that will be sooner than expected.”

Dipper turned around and all his focus went to Grunkle Ford, whose eyes were wide and mouth hung open. Immediately he felt the flames around him cease, letting the cold air gnaws at him once more. Dipper stared, trying to see the eyes behind the reflection of Ford’s glasses. He suddenly became acutely aware of the heightened vision Bill’s eyes gave him, how he could count the individual hair on his Grunkle’s head, how the human vision had two blind spots the size of lemons, how the world was so much duller than he thought.

“Grunkle Ford? I-I can explain…” Dipper’s voice cracked as he took a step forward, nervousness seeping into his thoughts.

“They will think that I’m possessing you and they will try to stop me by killing you with me in it. They will think little Dipper sacrificed himself.” Bill’s voice ringed in his head, but Dipper didn’t dare look back at the demon now. Bill couldn’t be right. His family wouldn’t… Mabel wouldn’t...

“Stop pretending, Cipher. You’re not fooling anyone.” Ford’s voice sliced through the air and stinged him, bit him, gnawed at his little hope and vanquished it, crushed it completely.

Despite himself Dipper said, “It’s not what you think! I-I…” He what? Accidentally freed Bill from his statue? Accidentally set the forest on fire? Accidentally have eyes that look like Bill’s? “Please Grunkle Ford you have to believe me. I’m not Bill. I’m Dipper. Dipper Pines.” Dipper stopped, aware that his eyes were still golden so he blinked, trying to switch it off.

Blink. Blink. Blink. He looked at Ford again and found that his sight was still abnormal. What was going on? Why can’t he switch it off?

“Then how do you explain your eyes?” Ford approached him, though Dipper did not miss the hand that stayed behind Ford’s back. Ford took out a small mirror, and in it Dipper could only stare at his eyes, the thin pupils and the yellowness. He blinked again and again but the mirror didn’t change.

He stepped back. “I… I don’t know. It wasn’t like this before…” Scrambling for a reason, for proof, for anything that might convince his Grunkle he looked around him but Bill, the real god damn dream demon, was gone.

Maybe he should have accepted that deal. Maybe then he could’ve been able to control this power. Maybe then his family would have believed him more.

“How did you escape? Why are you here? Why Dipper?” Ford’s voice cracked as he took another step forward, his glance almost threatening as Dipper cower underneath it, still searching desperately. Yet there was nothing. Nothing he could say, nothing he could do to convince anybody. Panic rose within him as he thought of what Bill had said once more.

“Please Grunkle Ford! I’ll do anything to prove it!” For a moment he felt nothing but a raw fear of death overriddening his panic

Ford’s voice was bitterly cold. “Come to the shack. Enter the shack with me and convince Mabel. If she believes you, then I will.”Relief washed over him in waves at his words. Hope, as wavering as a candlelight sparked as Dipper followed Ford back the shack.

Bill was wrong. He will convince his family. They will never betray him.

He can trust them.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Mabel’s hands were shaking terribly as she crossed them and placed them behind her. The suffocating lump nesting in her throat made her choke as she approached Soos with a smile so strained her jaw hurt. “Hey Soos! Grunkle Stan just told me that he had something important to tell you and Melody and that you guys should go ASAP!”

“Sure thing dude! But are you sure Mr. Pines said that? Why can’t he just call or text?” Soos asked, placing the Mystery Shack fez on the counter.

“Peesh, you know Grunkle Stan. He hates technology.” Mabel batted her hand, her eyes not meeting Soos’. “Now, he also hates waiting, so you two better go fast!” Mabel pushed Mr. Mystery out the door before he could respond and sunk down to the door behind it. Carefully she hears Soos start his car and drive away with Melody, who had been outside.

She breathed out. She hated lying, especially to her friends. “It’s for Dipper.” She whispered, though her words did nothing to reassure her.

“Are you sure this is necessary Grunkle Ford? We could hurt Dipper!” She remembered shouting in Ford’s apartment, her arms on her sides as her head started spinning.

Ford had shook his head slowly. “I’m afraid so. This is Bill we are talking about. Do you want another apocalypse?” Mabel had looked down, the spiraling sky, the deafening shrieks, the petrified citizens, the golden claws and black tongues of a monster chasing her had flashed before her eyes. Ford continued, “I thought so. Nobody does Mabel, and though I don’t know why Bill hasn't done anything yet, if you’re positive you saw Dipper… Bipper, as you call them, then we have to act before things go out of hand.”

“The Quantum Destabilizer is at Fiddleford’s place. Don’t tell him anymore than you have to, got it? Mabel, are you listening?” Ford was shaking her but she couldn’t see well amidst the tears blurring her vision.

“It’s just that I- I’m scared, Grunkle Ford. Bill… who knows what he has already done to Dipper?” She had said, her voice barely a whimper.

“Listen Mabel, I am scared too, but the universe is at stake. Please hurry. I will find Dipper and convince him to come to the shack. There, you will have to take the shot at my signal. Aim carefully for we won’t get a second chance.” Ford had turned away, his eyes a little watery as well but that could just be Mabel’s imagination.

Footsteps shot her back to reality and quickly she took out the quantum destabilizer and hid into the hallway. There, pressing his ears against the wall, he heard the creaking of the door as two figures entered the shack. The weight of the gun was light compared to the one on her chest as she breathed in and out, waiting for Ford’s signal. Despite the deafening drumming of her heartbeat she could hear the sound of the clock as dread washed over her at each tick.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick-

“So where’s Mabel?” Her brother's voice, so familiar yet it made her freeze, her breath coming to an abrupt stop.

Ford spoke next. “Wait in this room and I will call her down.” His voice was so devoid of any emotion it almost didn’t sound like her Grunkle.

Following the voices were noises of movements as Dipper took a seat on the sofa. Ford tapped a pen on a desk five times before continuing. “Answer some questions while you wait. What is Dipper’s real name?”

Their conversation blurred as Mabel inched toward the living room, her hand sweating as she struggled to clutch the gun. Soon, Ford and Dipper came into view. Her brother was sitting on the sofa next to the TV, distracted by the random questions Ford was throwing at him. Grunkle Ford didn’t look up but he nodded for Mabel to aim.

Dipper suddenly turned around. “Mabel!” He said, and his smile widened. He looked so happy to see her, his voice filled with eagerness as it struck her like lightning at what she was doing, what she was going to do.

“Mabel NOW!” Ford shouted, trying to pin Dipper in place. The aim was ready. All she needed to do was pull the trigger.

Tick tock. Through the rear sight Mabel could see Dipper’s eyes widen before the same look hunting her nightmares sink in slowly and quietly.

Tick tock. He looked so disappointed, so shocked, so BETRAYED.

Tick tock. “He trusted you, but you never trusted him.” A voice said. Her heart wretched, squeezed painfully as her head pounded.

Tick tock. It’s now or never.

Tick tock. Tears overflowed her already wet face as she shut her eyes tightly and pulled the trigger.

There was a loud blast, a piercing shriek. She dropped the gun, something screaming in her mind louder than anything else. Her hands felt numb, her eyes stinging and everything was suddenly so cold. When she opened her eyes, Dipper was gone.

Chapter Text

Dipper turned around just in time to see the blast charge. He froze completely, so petrified by the scene in front of him. That’s when it happened. He shuts his eyes, waiting for the pain, for the blast to strike, as he puts his hands in front of him.

Yet nothing happened. Heaving heavy breath he laid down his arms to see what happened. The room, with Grunkle Ford’s arms still on his shoulder and Mabel’s eyes still closed, was deadly silent. He had stopped time.

Moving out of the sofa he wobbled as he stepped shakily out of the way of the gun before it hit him hard. A boiling, raw sense of rage controlled him as it overridden all his hurt, his shock, his surprise. The room reddened in front of him, the faces of his family once so dear turned twisted and the shack he called home turned dark and unwelcoming. Without realizing it he floated above the ground, his arms to sides as he snapped his finger for time to resume. The blast came, barely missing Ford’s shoulder, before Dipper shrieked, his fury rumbling the ground as everything within twenty meters turned into gold. The quantum destabilizer, the rotting pillars, desk, tables, stairs, beds, floor. Outside, golden grass glistened too brightly for the naked eyes.

“I trusted you. I trusted ALL OF YOU!” Blasts of energy shot through the walls of the hut as Dipper howled with a voice unlike his own, each word louder than the last. His sister and great uncle only stared as they stood frozen, unable to comprehend what happened.

“Your dear, dear sister, will both trust and believe you just like she did five years ago when you told her to shut down the portal!” Bill’s voice ringed in his ear. Bill. He was right all along.

“Mabel how could you?! You trusted Grunkle Stan even though we just met him that summer! If you can put the universe at stake and still trust him, how come you can’t trust ME, YOUR BROTHER WHO HAS BEEN WITH YOU FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE?!” He continued to scream his voice hoarse, his feet floating higher and higher as more beams destroyed the golden furniture of the shack.

“Dipper wait! I-I can explain!” Mabel shouted, reaching for him but Dipper shook his head.

“No. Too little, too late. Forget it. I don’t need ANY OF YOU!”

And with a snap of his finger he left, teleporting himself into a random space and falling to his knees, his arms trembling as something wet rolled down his cheeks, drenching the soft grass beneath him.

He sat there motionlessly for a long time, letting the tears roll endlessly as he swallowed the immense emptiness he felt in his heart. His heavy chest tried to hold his breath as he clenched to the point the jaw started to hurt. Everything flashed like a shadow, as if he were in a nightmare, his body refusing to awaken. Something told him to calm the turmoil of emotions, to try and think but his body was too tired and too pained to listen to command. His eyes shuddered as he took breath after breath like it was never enough.

A shrill wind blew, shaking the pine tree hat off his matted hair. His eyes laid upon it before narrowing painfully as he gritted his teeth. The hat reminded him of the Mystery Shack.

Despite his fatigue, despite having no reason to, he ran, leaving the hat behind.

He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn’t help it. He couldn't stand that shack anymore. That shack filled with lies, half-truths and betrayals.

Everything was torn apart and broken at the seams. Everything shattered, like that mirror he crushed that morning. In a single, heart-wrenching moment, everything had changed just like it had that summer five years ago.

“A day will come in the future where everything you care about will change…”

No, he couldn't think about that. He refuses to think about Bill.

He kept running, his tears joining the biting wind, bushes and branches swept by him as he moved, slicing open his pale skin, allowing rivets of crimson to trickle down his uncovered arms and legs but he couldn’t feel, couldn’t care. Drops of blood splashed onto the ground, staining the brown and green a dark red color.

Despite the stinging pain, despite everything, he kept running. Away from the betrayal, the hurt, the coldness, the bitterness. Away from the glances of guilt that would scorch him if he turned back, the utter quietness that would plague the room, the feeling of suffocating isolation.

They didn’t trust him, didn’t believe him, didn’t want him.

They betrayed him, tried to kill him. Mabel. Oh dear Mabel, his own sister trusted everyone but him, believed in everything but him.

He couldn't breath as a hiccup escaped his throat but he had to keep running. It was the only thing that distracted him from the steering pain rooted in his chest.

He started to slow down, his breathless gasps coming out harsh and cold. Bending over slightly, he grasped his chest, only now feeling the cold burning of his lungs and the rapid pounding of his heart. For a moment he forgot why he was here, a feeling of blankness washed over his mind and for a moment, just a moment, everything was okay.

Then the pain came.

Hissing, he sunk to his knees, gripping his torn arms. His legs felt like lead bars, heavy and useless. Cramps were forming deep in his sides as well, muscles tired from the excretion and exhaustion but he didn’t care.

Closing his tired eyes, he allowed his body to rest. He felt as if he would never be able to move again. With a light groan, he laid down onto his wet back, staring up at the treetops high above. Without the dread, without the pain, without the anguish, he felt numb. Rubbing his face lightly, he tried to erase the dry tear-tracks from his skin, ignoring the fact that he was smearing sweat and blood onto his face.

Alarm filled him as he noticed how terribly lost he was in the woods he explored day in and out. He would have laughed if it hadn’t been so frightening to stare at the dark, identical angles of the wood, as if waiting for something to jump out. He noted how deep he was within the woods, how every tree looked the same, how only weak, faint sunlight was filtered from the thick canopy.

Flopping his head back down into the coarse grass, he ran a weak hand over his forehead, feeling a little bare without his hat. Laying there, he couldn't help but notice how utterly peaceful the forest was. The only sounds that pierced the cooling air was the light twitter of bird songs.

His mind didn't wonder about the strange normalcy that seemed to take place around him. No, his tired mind wandered back into a more past, somewhere he didn't want to go. Back to a moment where things changed and were never the same.

“Look into my eyes, Mabel! You really think I'm a bad guy?”

Stan had lied to them that entire summer. But it didn’t matter. It didn’t change Mabel’s mind, didn’t change anything.

“Kid, you don't understand what you're getting into. This work...it's not for children. Not for adults, either. Not for anyone.”

He had been searching all summer. His young, twelve year old self had dedicated countless sleepless nights working on the mysterious journal. He had pinned to know who wrote the book that had helped and intrigued him but the reality was so much more cold than his dreams. The author, at the time, saw him as nothing more than a child getting into something way over his head. Dipper remembers his disappointment, his rage. Just because he was twelve didn't mean he didn't understand the risks, the danger. He had almost died too many times to even count. Had fought and beaten gnomes, ghosts, zombies, mechanical monsters. Heck, even dinosaurs! He knew the risks. He knew the danger. To disregard his intelligence like that, his experience… How could Ford possibly…

“Grunkle Stan...I trust you.”

Those four words. Four words was all it took to tear everything apart. He could clearly see the look on Mable's face, the hurt. The uncertainty. The awkwardness.

Everything changed that day, that moment. Bill Cipher has been right.

As he stared into the leaves of the trees, he felt, almost against his will, his eyes get heavy. The scenes swayed before him, their colours bleeding out as his eyelids drooled. Before he knew it, he was plunged into a bottomless darkness.

He was making his way through the trees, unsure where he was. It was dark now. The little shreds of sky he could see through the thick leaves was pitch black. He knew he was getting himself more lost.

It didn’t matter, he told himself. No one is waiting for him at home. No one is searching for him, calling his name. No one wants him, needs him, cares about his whereabouts. He was all alone.

It kept getting darker and darker somehow. The forest around him seemed to change. Poisonous tendrils, glowing fungus crept up along tree trunks, sapping the pines of their strength. Despite the darkness, despite the eeriness, despite the faint but audible noises that mocked his every step, he kept walking. In the strangest of ways, he felt safe. Like no one could touch him. Like no one could harm him. He was safe among the pines.

Stepping out of some bushes he came across a small pond. Approaching it, he turned to stare at the sky.

It was pitch black. No stars. No moon. Only endless darkness.

His heart skipped a beat. Alert filled him as he noticed the pond was the shape of a perfect circle. The water was black, reflecting the sky perfectly. Sitting down next to the small water source, he peered into the liquid, unable to see his own reflection.

He knew he should be worried and wondering where he was, should be trying to find a way out, should be getting back to the shack, but he couldn't seem to hang onto any solid thoughts. Every thought drifted away, forgotten as quickly as it came.

For a while, he sat next to the pond, staring at the darkness that reflected off its surface. He was completely transfixed, unable to tear his eyes away. Everything felt surreal, but it didn’t matter. His thoughts, his past, his memories, they all felt so blissfully distant, as if talking about the lives of another person.

Staring into the pool with such mindless intensity, he quickly noticed the golden sparks flashing in the center. Cranking his head upwards, he watched as a small, familiar, triangular being popped into existence.

“Heya, Pine tree! Fancy seeing you here!” Bill sang in his annoying, pitched voice of his. The demon was the same as Dipper remembered him to be. Single eyed, long lashes, bright gold, tall top hat, neatly tied bow tie, and his trademark irritating voice.

“Why are you here, Bill?” He hissed, jumping up to his feet. He meant to sound alerting, but it came out tired. He sounds exhausted.

“Just passing through, Pine tree. Do I need a reason to see one of my favorite humans?”

Dipper raised an eyebrow at the statement. Despite his tiredness, he kept himself at the ready. Alerted, he refused to reply, his fists tightened at his side.

“Ah, I'm just joking with ya, kid! Don't have to take everything so seriously.” Bill continued.

When Dipper still refused to respond, Bill rolled his one eye as he floated lower, almost eye-level with him. Almost. “So, what's bothering ya, Pine Tree?”

Dipper stared at Bill, distrust radiating off him. “And why do you care?” he spat, annoyance seeping his voice, coating it like venom.

Bill shrugged. “Oh, I don't, really. In fact, I already know what's wrong. I am all-seeing and all-knowing, after all!” He summoned his cane, twirling it in the air playfully as the demon peaked at his surroundings.

Dipper huffed. “Then why are you here? I already told you I’m not making any deals.” He stared cautiously at Bill, who eyed him amusingly.

Bill rolled his eye again. “I already answered that. Haven't you been listening? You really need to start listening to what all powerful demons are saying.”

“Well, sorry for being so distrustful.” Dipper snarled, though his voice turned smaller. “Last time I made a proper deal with you, you stole my body, destroyed the laptop, almost destroyed the journal. In fact, last time I saw you at your full strength, you almost destroyed my universe, almost killed everyone I cared about, including myself and my sister...” At the mention of Mabel, Dipper felt his shoulders droop. His own sister…

“Oh, you're still on that? Hehe, a deal's a deal, kid!” Bill replied snappily.

Dipper protested.“But you didn’t even fulfill your end of the deal!”

Bill responded. “Ah, but I did. How else did you figure out who the laptop belonged to?”

“You promised the password!”

“No, I ‘promised’ a hint. And you got a pretty good one.” Bill finished.

Dipper shouted. “What about destroying the world?”

“It was going to be the best party ever! And the key word is ALMOST and TRIED. Sure, I almost did all that, but I didn’t succeed. On the other hand, your family TRIED to kill me multiple times and you DID get to trap me for five years. If I’m not seeking for Stanley to bleed to death or Stanford suffocate on his own breath then you are no one to hold grudges.” Bill was starting to turn into an orange hue as he retorted, his cane disappearing as he straightened his tie once more.

Dipper scowled at the golden triangle, unable to argue back. He turned away slightly, still keeping an eye on the demon. Bill was always right. He was never wrong. Never. “Just go away, Bill.”

Bill stared at Dipper. If he had a mouth, he would've been giving a grin even the Cheshire Cat would be jealous of.

“Ah, don't be like that Pine tree~” Bill practically sang. “Why don't you tell your good 'ol pal Bill what's bothering you? You humans always like talking about your problems, after all!”

Dipper glowered at him, but said nothing. Bill smirked.
“Where are we?” Dipper finally asked, letting his eyes flicker up to the blank sky once again.

Bill laughed. “You don't know? We're in the mindscape, of course! Your mindscape, to be exact!” He put his black fingers on his hip and hovered over Dipper. “Boy you’re slow today. Maybe it’s because of all the bottled depression, hurt and loneliness!”

“I’m not depressed. Or lonely!” Dipper snapped, though his voice wavered.

“Suuuure, keep telling yourself that, Pine Tree.”

The boy’s Mindscape had changed again since his last visit. Simply looking around gave Bill a nice demonstration of how that family confrontation went, not that he needed one, of course. Bill returned his glance to the boy, whose eyes were red and dull. Dipper's shoulders sagged as he sat back down onto the ground, no longer having the energy to stand. The forest around him seemed to get even darker and the colors faded away.

Bill moved so he was floating over the pond, listening intently to the poor boy’s thoughts.

Dipper put his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do anymore, what to think. Everything had been torn away from him.

Everything had changed.

“They have every reason to be afraid of you. To act like that. It’s all your fault.” Dipper begins, poking the ground weakly.

Bill returned, not skipping a beat, as if his answers were long prepared. “Perhaps. But is it my fault they chose not to trust you, to believe you when you told them the truth?” His voice echoed, pounding against the boy’s head as his words sinked in.

He is always right, Dipper thought bitterly. Bill grinned. Dipper suddenly let out a small laugh. A condescending, surprisingly cold laugh as his shoulder shuttered.

Bill's metaphorical grin grew wider.

“It's- it's hilarious.” Dipper finally muttered. You were warning me this entire time, weren't you? You knew this would happen, but I ignored you.”

“It's called irony, Pine tree. Life's full of it!”

Dipper turned his face upwards to Bill, eyes wet and lost. Bill knew the boy doesn’t know that the golden eyes and slitted pupils had returned to the neutral brown. The broken shards of brown.

Weak. Vulnerable. Gullible. A puppet without strings. A source of energy and potential without a leader. A pawn to be used. Excitement bubbled within the demon as he realized what he needed to do. The cards he needed to lay. The words he needed to say. The roles he needed to play.

“...What...What do I do now?” Dipper finally ground out. “What can I do now?” He muttered again, quieter. Desperate. The boy was desperate.

Bill reminded himself to be patient. It was no time to be cocky or arrogant. That cost him handsomely before. So he waited, listened as Dipper's thoughts raced back to the journal, remembering the page.

Trust no one.

Ha, Dipper thought. Turned out to be true, hadn't it? Dipper had been given so many warnings, both written and spoken. How had he not seen it? How could have he been blind for so long? How could he believe, how could he trust…?

Trust no one.

Bill thought over this quickly. Who hadn't lied to the boy? Who hadn't betrayed the boy? Who could Dipper depend on now besides himself?

No one.

Just as it should have been all along.

If Bill was honest, pity was starting to resonate within him. The boy was all alone, yet this couldn’t work better for Bill’s own interest. Dipper's thoughts were like a self destructing hole and Bill watched with glee as it swallowed Dipper’s reason, faith and hope.

“I've been so stupid.” Dipper said clearly, straightening his back. Staring down into the pond, Dipper watched recent memories play out, not aware that Bill watched along.

Some of the memories were distant. Five years ago. Three. Two. Some were not. A couple of moments ago.

Shooting Star letting him down, time and time again. Her betrayal as she aimed and pulled the trigger.

Every lie Stan had ever told him.

The author, Sixer, shutting him down. The coldness of the hero this boy once admired.

“Humans aren't trustworthy, Pine tree.” Bill noted, his only eye studying Dipper with close attention.

“Oh, and you are?” Dipper shot back.

Bill tutted. “At least I keep my word.”

Dipper fell silent again.

Bill relished in Dipper’s thoughts: Despite their past grievances, Bill had always kept his word. The strange, triangular demon had never out-right lied to him, straight faced. He didn't lie about who he was and what he was towards him either. There was no betrayal and there wouldn't ever be a betrayal by the strange demon because Dipper knew exactly who the demon was. Knew how he was like.

“Don’t get cocky now little Pine Tree. You have no idea what I’m like.” Bill thought to himself, though he didn’t voice this.

Finally, the child spoke and eagerly Bill listened. His words were harsh, filled with maturity beyond his years as well as all the hurt and desperation that went along. “Ironic, isn't it? Out of everyone I know...” Dipper trailed off.

“...I haven't ever lied to ya, Pine tree. Demon's are more classy than that.” Bill added in, lightly pulling on his bow tie.

Dipper shook his head, slight laughter filled him again at the situation along with bitter tears at the shards left behind.

How could everything come to this? This insanity? Dipper shook his head sadly, tiredly.

Dipper slowly stood up again. Keeping his eyes on Bill, he waded into the black pond, the waters reflecting the night sky again. The dark waters sloshed around his legs and shoes. The liquid washed away the thick blood stains that he had forgotten were there. The mud squished underneath his sneakers.

Bill watched the child stand before him, his eyes reflected broken mirrors, reminding him of another man, in a different time and place, nearly thirty five years before who had the same eyes, the same slump of shoulders, the same dreary and gray mindscape filled with nothing but inner monsters, paranoia, and sorrow. And just like all those years ago, Bill gently reached out an arm, resting his black hand gently on top of the child's shoulder, feeling the rise and fall of his chest.

And just like all those years ago, he uttered four simple words. Four simple words that would bring the child to him, just as it did to the man before.

“You can trust me.”

Dipper turned around, his eyes, even to the demon, frighteningly hollow as he answered. “Okay. I want to learn how to control this power. With you.”

Chapter Text

Dipper’s conscience wanted to clap his hand over his mouth as those words escaped him but he was too tired to fight, too tired to listen. His head was aching again and he just wanted to forget. He just needed something to distract him, if only for a little bit. After all, what does he have to lose?

He watched as the demon literally started glowing, excitement way too obvious as the yellow turned into a bright gold, his only eye widening in pleasant surprise. For a moment Dipper almost laughed at how happy Bill looked, his eyes glistening like a child given a treat. “Really? It’s a sudden change of pace but I like it!” Dipper watched as the pond disappeared, so did the frighteningly empty sky and the dark woods with the snap of Bill’s finger.

“The secrets of the universe, Dipper Pines, a glimpse behind the grey curtain of reality into the kaleidoscopic anarchy that lies beyond, all the answers to all of your questions! It’s a pleasure to do business with you, Pine Tree!” Bill crackled, stretching his hand outward eagerly. Dipper reached forward as well.

“I always wanted to learn more. I never fit in with California life and that's why I moved to Gravity Falls. I was just always so afraid of what… what they might’ve thought of me if I had…” Dipper mumbled, his head low. Bill’s eye watched him carefully.

Just as Dipper’s fingers lace around Bill’s, as the familiar blue flame erupted, Bill abruptly withdrew his hand. The flame extinguished in an instant and Dipper stared at the demon with confusion.

Bill turned around, no longer keeping eye contact. “You know what Pine Tree, you’ve been through a lot. Consider this one of the freebies I will give you. No deals, no compromise.”

Dipper’s eyes widened. “Really? Why…? I mean… thank you.”

Maybe he was wrong about the demon. Maybe Bill wasn’t just using him for some secret plan that he had yet to unveil. The chances were slim but his action just now was so strange, so...out of character.

“Yah yah. The first deal is still in place though, so remember the whole honesty and respect thing. Specifically, you or I can’t lie when directly and specifically asked about something. Capiche?” Dipper nodded, his thoughts temporarily drifting to the background as Bill grew larger.

“We don’t have much time today since you need to wake up soon but let’s at least have the ground rules established. I’ll be teaching you not only how to control my power but how to use them, and that can’t be accomplished without learning some of the basics of magic! Your lessons will take place at night and you can put what you learned at use in the day.” Bill worked as he talked, waving his hand to instruct materials to pile in the empty Mindscape, constructing a classroom of his own. “And if you behave, I will show you some cool stuff! Around Gravity Falls, around the world, around the multiverse! Who knows?”

Desks and chairs arranged themselves as chalk danced to the white board. Everything organized themselves at Bill’s command and Dipper waited until everything stopped to ask. “Um… what about you? What do you get from this?”

Bill didn’t respond for a moment. “As previously established, my powers are still mine, except they’re trapped in you. If I have any hope of getting them back, this would be, in my opinion, the best way to do it.” Bill was staring at him cautiously, almost nervously, as if afraid Dipper would change his mind. “Oh, and this is for you!” The demon’s tone changed abruptly as he curled a finger.

A blue, felt-covered book embellished with golden embroidery floated in front of him. A golden pine tree glimmered in the middle of the journal. Dipper’s heart skipped a beat, a smile cautiously widening on his cheeks, a hint of pure happiness breaking out for the first time in what felt like ages. “You always keep your nose stuck in that old journal of Sixer’s. Now you can have your own! You can write everything you learn down and best of all, not only is it undestructable, nobody can read this book except for you! And me, of course.” Bill explained in the background as Dipper gently brushed his hand over the cover before opening it, the sound of flipping pages music to his ear before he flipped back to the front. Carefully yet unable to contain his excitement, slightly shakily he wrote on the cover: Property of Mason Dipper Pines.

For a moment, next to the demon, he was content. For a moment, he felt safe. For a moment, no matter the fact that he was still being used, he felt like he was needed. That he was cared about. For a moment, the gentle glow of the demon was warm and Dipper enjoyed his presence. For a moment, Bill offered something nobody else, not his family, his friend, his home, could and it wasn’t magic, wasn’t knowledge, wasn’t power. Happiness. Genuine happiness.

For a moment, Dipper Pines was happy. For a moment, everything was okay.

Soos returned to the shack after a lecture of how to exaggerate the price of little things but still making people want to buy it. “It’s good to have Mr.Pines back in town.” He said to Melody in the car, who just shook her head, chuckling.

“Sure, Mi Amur, I just don’t understand why it’s such an emergency.” Melody said. “Oh, don’t forget to drop me off at the grocery store. I need to buy dinner. Check the fridge and see if we’re missing anything too. Also ask Dipper what his favourite dish is. The boy looks like he needs some good news.”

“No problem!” Soos had responded. Pulling into the driveway of the shack, he entered the wooden house to found Ford mopping the floor and Mabel sitting in the corner, her head not visible from the collar of her sweater.

“Oh, nice to see you Mr.Pines!” Soos, suddenly aware of the gloomy atmosphere, half-shouted cheerfully.

Ford winced, covering his ears before greeting. “Ah, it’s good to see you too Soos. Listen, there might’ve been an accident that petrified the furniture into gold. I did all I can to turn them back to normal but on random occasions the effect might be reversed.” He put a hand on his neck before whispering. “I… did something wrong and Mabel is upset. I can’t cheer her up and I really need to see Stanley right now. Could you help me out?”

“Anything for you Mr.Pines!” Soos said, eyeing Mabel in the corner and watched as Ford left the shack.

Slowly and cautiously as to not provoke her, Soos inched forward to the sagged sweater. “Mabel? Are you in there?” He grabbed a stick and poked the bundle of thread and cloth. A whimper escaped the pile. “Listen Mabel I think it will help if you get out of Sweater Town so we can talk about what happened. Maybe it will make you feel better.”

All Soos got off a response was a grimace as Mabel shuddered. “Ohhh! You know what makes me feel better? My infinite slice of pizza! I can give you a bite if you come out!” Soos tried again.

Hesitantly Mabel popped her head out of her collar to reveal a red, teary face. Her hair was a mess around her, her fingers frozen and her eyes were swelling.

“Ah dude what happened?” Soos winced, backing away ever slightly.

Mabel suddenly lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Soos as she choked out a long list of words, “DippergotpossessedBillorsoGrunkleFordthinksandnowDipperisgoneforever!” Her words were like the mysterious broken mirror in the bathroom, shards of broken pieces scattered on the floor.

Soos took a breath, clapped his hands together before pointing them at Mabel.“Wait a minute, let me get this straight. The triangle guy from five years ago is back, possessing Dipper, Mr.Pines told you to shoot him with the Quantum gun thingy, and you did, and Dipper got mad, turned the furniture into gold, and now you’re not sure you did the right thing.” Mabel widened her eyes and took a deep breath before nodding.

(“You guys are a lot more clever than you look, especially the fat one!” Bill’s voice echoed somewhere.)

Soos frowned, put on the Mystery Shack fez with a serious expression before whispering. “Wait here Mabel, I have a phone call to make.”

Leaving Mabel on the couch with a cup of coffee and, like he promised, his infinity slice of pizza, Soos dial in a familiar number. The long beep that follows felt like years until a voice answered. “Hello?”

Soos responded hastily, “Melody! We are missing plastic dinosaurs, a bucket of glitter, tomato juice, candy worms and three different kinds of fruits! Also, we might have to find out about Dipper’s favourite dish later.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Stanley Pines blinked, curling his eyebrows together before rubbing his sore eyes with a groan. His dream was another chaotic mix of weird, multi-faced monsters, a large hole in the sky that transformed into swarming colours as a high pitch laughter echoed over the town, a large goat and for some strange reasons, a strange, floating triangle. “Must be geometry class hunting me again.” Stan shook his head dismissively, his ear still ringing with that strange yet familiar voice.

(“All right, Ford! Time’s up; I’ve got the kids! I think I’m gonna kill one of ‘me now, just for the heck of it!” Bill howled, his eye switching from the symbol of a pine to a shooting star. “Eeney, meeny, miny-”)

Sitting up from the sofa he has been napping on, he winced as a random body pain struck him from his elbow. “Ugh, I hate aging!” He shouted to the silent air, suddenly taking note that his brother has yet to return.

“Geez that old nerd. What’s he up to now?” Stan mumbled to himself, scratching his back as he slipped into his shoes.

Just then his brother, the same messy haired, lined face and sterned eyebrows barged into the apartment. He held on to the nearest table, taking deep breaths before sitting down, his clouded eyes pinned to the ground. “Woah poindexter, you look like you got run over by a truck! What happened?” Stan took a seat opposite to him as he teased. But Ford’s shoulders only sagged. That’s when Stan noticed a golden gun in his brother’s hand.

“Never mind what happened, what’s that?!” He pointed, swiping his hands together as a grin widened. “It looks like that could sell for some cash!” Ford didn’t respond. In fact, he wasn’t even looking at him.

“Oh come on Sixer, what’s wrong?” He nudged, and at the word ‘Sixer’ Ford broke down into a mix of shouting and mumbling.

“Stop it, Stanley! There are more important matters at stake! I-I can’t afford to make another mistake! I… don’t know! I don’t know if I did the right thing, much less convince Mabel! I shouldn’t have let her take the shot but I had no choice! He- that demon ruined my family once and twice, I can’t let him do it again!” Ford waved his arms around as he paced, each step a loud stomp with his eyebrows knitted.

“Woah woah woah slow down here. What matters? What mistake? What demon? What shot? What thing? You can’t just leave me in the cloud here! I might not be as smart, but when it comes to guns and families, I think I actually know more than you do!” Stan shouted back before tapping an arm on his brother’s shoulder. “Listen, whatever it is, you’re like, the smartest person I know. I’m sure you will figure it out.”

Ford stared at him, his eyes slightly wet before a small, comforting smile appeared on his pale face. A hand went to cover Stan’s as he said, “Yah. You’re right. Thanks, Stanley.”

Chapter Text

Bill watches the boy wake up with a jolt. He watched as Dipper scratched his head, yawned, before taking notice in the two objects beside him. It was the blue covered journal and the blue and white hat, both marked with a blue pine tree. He watched as the boy gave a small smile as he put on the hat and placed the journal carefully into his jacket, a smile he quickly tried to hide when he noticed the demon’s presence, the monotone grey shades of the triangle indicating that he was out of the Mindscape.

“Bill did you watch me sleep? Cause that’s creepy.” Dipper stood up quickly, dusting himself as he realized the time of day. The sun was almost setting. “Woah. It’s late. I-”

Bill watched as Dipper swallowed the words: I better get back to the shack. Dipper stared at the demon weakly as his memories returned with his consciousness. “What do I do now? I have nowhere to return to.” Dipper kicked the ground beneath him, the blood staining his legs and arms had long dried along with the tears along his eyes.

“I’m glad you asked! Return to that sad shack of yours, of course!” Bill finally responded, and took note of how the boy had already started asking him for answers and the relief that washed over Dipper’s face as he heard Bill’s voice.

Dipper’s frown widened. “What are you talking about? You probably saw what happened the last time I was there. Why would it change this time? They will just try to kill me again.” The boy’s eyes darkened as his eyebrows furrowed, his hands a tight fist. “Still can’t believe they did that…”

“Humans need a place to sleep and food to eat. Needy, if you ask me, but I doubt you can practise and learn magic properly if your physical and mental state is… unstable. Plus, they believe I possessed you, so just… play dumb! I usually solve things like this with murder, but alas, no can do.” Bill shook his head dramatically before peeking around at the woods.

“Oh, and catch!” As if an afterthought, Bill tossed something toward the boy and watched amusingly as the boy fumbled to catch it. It was a black, hard case. Taking in Dipper’s confusion as he stared at him for an explanation while he opened the case, Bill replied. “It’s brown contact lenses and a small watch that can turn into a mirror! You can wear the contact if you can’t disable the yellow eyes, though if you haven’t noticed, it will disable on its own if you’re calm enough. The watch will come in handy, even if time is meaningless, and the mirror will tell you if you look like you’re possessed by me! Don’t shatter this one though, it’s costy!” He chuckled before continuing, “I suggest taking off the contacts around Fordsy though. The man is not smart enough to wrap his head around this but despite his age his sight is good enough to tell. That’s as much as I can help you. Don’t forget tonight’s lesson and don’t be late!” With a snap Bill left the boy’s side and returned to the Mindscape where he continued to watch the scene.

It’s all going according to plan, give or take a few setbacks. Bill could barely contain his glee at his discovery and as he popped a comfortable bean chair into existence he swept his hands together with a mischievous smirk.

It turns out, after Dipper uses Bill’s power, a small fraction of the energy discharge will return to Bill. This means as long as the demon is careful with his word choice and actions of keeping Dipper blissfully unaware and continues to encourage him to use Bill’s magic as ‘practise’, Weirdmageddon 2.0 along with Bill’s victory is a fixed, impending future.

Dipper felt a cold emptiness beside him in replacement to the demon’s presence. Shaking away that thought, he brushed a shaking hand against the nearest tree before steadily lighting his eyes into the yellow hue and thin pupils. Through Bill’s eyes he could see acutely every fur of the moss curling up a tree, every twitch made by the wind or every tremble of a small beast hiding in the shadows. Distantly he could smell a scent of cooking coming from a wooden building, one he use to call home, and, trusting his sight, he begrudgingly followed the trail back home.

Dinner was probably ready in the Mystery Shack, and Dipper could imagine Mabel sitting by the table, pretending like nothing happened, like nothing was wrong, just like the day after she trusted Grunkle Stan over his very own brother, and the day after that, and the day after that. Hurt had sunk its teeth deep into his pounding chest as he clutched his fists, the nails digging into his palm and marking his skin.

His only solace was the journal. As he made his way through the woods, not even needing to look up with his heightened sight — a small voice reminded him not to rely and get use to Bill’s power but Dipper didn’t really care to listen — he swept the cover of the journal — his journal; he can barely believe it, finally, a journal that is his and only his — once more with a loving touch before feeling the words Property of Dipper Pines slide underneath his fingers. A small smile blossomed once more on his frozen cheeks as he tuck the journal back into the depth of his pocket, almost unwilling to share this feeling of pleasant uniqueness, though he knew at the same time that no one would understand or appreciate it as much as him.

Loneliness loomed over him as he walked with no haste through the shady path, knowing nobody was expecting him to show up at their doorstep, knowing that no bowls will be prepared at the table and nobody were waiting anxiously, fearing that he is lost in the woods or even cared enough to want to know if he is alive or dead. The forest, the tall pines, were seemingly all he had left.

Then again, there was Bill. Bill Cipher. To Dipper’s surprise, when nobody was there for him, the strange triangle was. When nobody understood or cared to listen, the dream demon was. When nobody knew what he wanted and sometimes even himself was at a loss of what to get for his own birthday gift, the trillion years old being of pure energy knew. It was ironic, in a sense, that even when Dipper did nothing to loath the demon for the apocalypse, Bill only helped and comforted.

So perhaps he was used. Being used sure seemed a lot better than trying not to get killed by your own family. Betrayal never comes from enemies. “Plus, you know what they say, keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer, right?” He chuckled dryly to the air. After some amount of time, the shack finally came into the naked eyes’ view and hesitantly he walked up to the door and knocked.

Not sure what he was expecting but strangely enough not a hint of nervousness washed over him, he listened quietly as footsteps approached. The door swinged opened, and there stood his sister, her eyes wide and her jaw to the floor.

Dipper narrowed his eyes, a frown threatening to break out as he studied Mabel’s face. Not a trace of tears were visible, not a sign of distress. Her skin was not pale or dark, her eyes not circled or red, her hands not clutched but casually dangled at the side. She looked, upsettingly, normal. Then you have Dipper, his hair a wild mess, his arms and legs still trailed with blood, his face, though no longer stained with tears were still a little puffy from crying.

Anger burned him, but with Bill’s eyes he found it almost easy to lie, to pretend. A voice wondered if Bill pretended a lot with the help of his power, but it was left unanswered and ignored as Dipper spoke as casually as possible. “Hey Mabel! Sorry if you were worried. I fell asleep in the forest. When I woke up, it was already this hour. Did anything happen while I was gone?”

Mabel continued to stare, as if too shocked to answer. Dipper continued without a hint of guilt (which he didn’t feel) or anxiousness, worried that the awkwardness would expose him. “Before I fell asleep I also went to the shop. Saw some cool things there. See, this watch and best of all, this journal!” He took out the book to show her before he scratched his back. “Ugh, sleeping on cold ground and hard rocks is not comfortable. Mind if I… um… come in? What’s wrong Mabel?” He slightly smiled, faking a worried face as he waved a hand in front of his sister, who stood there frozen by the door, blocking the entrance.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Mabel studied his brother, taking in the bruises and cuts, the messy hair, the journal and the watch but she couldn’t speak as the air was drawn from her lungs.

“You don’t… remember anything?” She finally asked, hesitantly. She still remembers Dipper’s howl, the betrayal and hurt ringing from that hoarse voice as he screamed to his sister down below.

Her brother only cocked his head, raising an eyebrow. “No…? Remember what?”

He looked genuine, sounded genuine. Her brother was never good at lying. His voice always goes higher in pitch, always misses eye contact as drops of sweat roll down his forehead. Mabel would have known if Dipper was lying.

(Right…?)

For once in her life, Mabel was at a loss for what to do.

She doesn’t know how to pretend nothing happened. All those tears, those mourning, all those silent pleas for forgiveness. She knew things have been... different between them ever since the first summer. Ever since the portal...ever since meeting Grunkle Stanley.

Difference was not always a bad thing. Because even though Grunkle Stan had lied, even though the portal could have destroyed the universe, even though she put everyone she cared about at stake when she released her arms from the button… When she pointed the Quantum Destabilizer at Dipper, that look of betrayal, of anger, of hurt and disbelief, was a look she’s only seen when she muttered those five final words.

(“Grunkle Stan… I trust you.” Tears blurred her vision as she shut her eyes but she could still see that Dipper’s look, his eyes digging into hers with something so foreign to her. Hatred.)

Well, Grunkle Stan was still Grunkle Stan. As she had said before and will say a thousand times over; Grunkle Stan loved both her and Dipper. He would never intentionally hurt them. She knew that for a fact. So though she felt no regret for not hitting that button, no regret for reuniting her Grunkle with his brother, but her innocence was not ignorance.

She knew something was broken. Something no amount of glitter and glue could patch up.

Ever since that incident, ever since the truth was revealed, she remembers how Dipper has been acting...different. Every time he passes by he would be staring at the ground, his eyes dull, his hands crammed deep in his pockets and his hat pulled low over his head. His voice would always be even, devoid of any hints of emotion, a voice so different from the squeaky voice she’s grown to love. His words were always short, cutting or in haste, as if he wants to get out of the conversation as soon as possible.

He was just so… different. There really wasn't any other way to describe it, at least one that didn't completely scare her.

He had been pulling away from her. There was a rift between them that seemed to be growing stronger, no matter what she did. He had been isolating himself from her. Cutting off all ties. He would find excuses to not hang out anymore, to not to play anymore, to not go on the adventures he was so fond of before.The air between them, once filled with hearty laughs and jokes was dried up and arid. Awkward.

Back then, she didn't even know how to talk to him anymore. Didn't know what noises to make to form into words to fix what had been broken.

It had been a first for her. She had never encountered a problem that was impossible to fix. Even in the most grim situations, she knew she could count on her own abilities and Dipper… Except Dipper was no longer Dipper. He was moody and angsty. And not in the good, hot way! He was… like a stranger.

Back then, she didn't like letting her mind wander over these thoughts. Didn't enjoy the nightmares that came with them. Back then, she had no clue on how to fix it.

Then... things got better. Then, for a short period of time, everything was normal. Then, there was Ford’s apprenticeship, and for the first time she had regretted not pressing that button. She was so afraid that Dipper would leave her, just when they were getting better, so afraid he would turn the other way without glancing back. Then… there was Weirdmageddon. Then... they were the mystery twins again, they worked together and saved the day, like they always do!

Putting obvious fake cheer on her face, suddenly reminding herself that Dipper was tired and cold as he stood there on the front porch, waiting for an answer. “It’s…! It’s nothing! Actually, it’s something, but let me tell you about that later! Come in! Dinner is cold! I’ll be right behind you!” Dipper didn’t lower his eyebrow, but he nodded, a small smile warming his cheeks as he passed through Mabel into the shack.
She walked a few steps outside, letting the door close behind her. Leaning on a tree just beside the shack, she lightly rubbed her throat with one hand as she picked brambles and leaves from the sweater tied around her waist. Staring up at the trees, Mabel was met with a darkening sky and a few, lonely stars blinking out for her. Roving her eyes over the night sky, it took her a few minutes and briefly, she thought it was too early to find the constellation.

“There it is!” She cried out. Up above her, winking dimly in the setting sun, was the North star.

Part of her favorite constellation, The Big Dipper.

Staring up at the sky, Mabel let memories wash over her. How Dipper used to always give her the last slice of cake, or the last cookie. How he always watched her back, sometimes even taking the blame on stuff he didn't do, covering for her. How, though he didn't like it, helped with her crushes when asked (well, begged, sometimes...) How they paired up with one another since coming to the strange and crazy town of Gravity Falls; Mystery Twins for life! How he- he was always there for her….

Mable slipped down, curling up at the base of the tree. How he always soothed her if she had terrible nightmares. How he (usually) let her pick what show to watch. Mabel fisted her skirt in her hands, watching without seeing her knuckles turn white from the pressure. Mabel let out a small, cute sniff, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

She did not let them fall.

Standing up, she furiously rubbed her eyes. Staring back up into the sky, she saw the bright mixture of orange and pinks were fading away into a deep and dark blue-black. Leveling her gaze back to the forest, she huffed, squaring her shoulders with purpose. She was suddenly met with the shout of her brother, cheerfulness in his voice.

“Hey Mabel it’s late! Come in! Melody baked cookies, your favorite type with gummy worms on it too!”

Everything was going to be okay. Dipper is safe and happy. There wasn’t a rift between them again. He wasn’t hurt, or betrayed, or angry. Mabel smiled as she shouted back, a grin breaking out for the first time in a long time. “Coming!”

Chapter Text

Dipper was more excited than he should be as he found himself in the black and white Mindscape. Bill's back was to him as Dipped quietly took a seat and watched as the demon busy himself by filling the white board with symbols and charts.

Finally Bill turned to look at him, his eye shimmering with enthusiasm as he greeted him. "Pine Tree you're late! I have a whole lesson planned and if time is money you're wasting it!" Bill said, materializing a stick to tap impatiently against his palm. Those Bill's words were biting, his tone was playful and Dipper doesn't remember the last time someone had been so excited to see him.

"Magic is the art of shaping, controlling and using energy and physics to one's will. Magic is affected by many things and when mastered, it is controlled with psych. At the beginning, however, language and thus symbols are used to drew out the energy stored within. Today we'll be going over the basic, fundamental sets of symbols." Dipper found himself at the edge of his seat as he opens his journal and starts taking notes. "It's boring but I want you to write down these symbols and write only with them. We'll practise pronunciations too. A language is only mastered when you use it, so chop chop, get to work!"

Dipped asked questionably, "I can't possibly learn a new language in one night!"

Bill laughed. "Time is meaningless in the Mindscape! It may be only one night, but in the monotone space it will feel like days, months if I have to! We will take as much time as you need."

They spent equivalent to two days in the Mindscape for Dipper to speak and write fluently. Now, the symbols rolled naturally off his tongue as Bill looked over his shoulder, nodding in approval. "You definitely have talent and potential, kid! Colour me impressed!"

The compliment gave a warm flush to Dipper, though he tried rather poorly to hide it. Looking at his notes of the symbols came a feeling of pride and triumph. Everything felt… normal. Right. He felt complete, like it was meant to be.

His feeling must have shown on his face because Bill was giving him a weird look now. Slightly embarrassed Dipper quickly added, “Yah, I’m surprised too. It feels… natural.”

Bill beamed. “Great! How’s things at the shack, by the way?” The demon didn’t seem surprised by his description, making Dipper wonder if Bill had learned magic this way and if it was natural for him, as well.

Dipper raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you know everything already?”

“Of course! But humans like to talk about themselves so go ahead!” Bill did a loop in the air before crossing his leg, sitting on the empty space.

“Well, you were right (again). It is easier to pretend with the… eyes on. I should really name that better. Anyways, nobody noticed anything.” Dipper looked away from the demon, his eyes darting to the ground. “You’d think your family knows you well enough but apparently not! Saves some trouble for me now, I guess… Speaking of, can I ask you a question?” Nervousness crept into his voice as he returned his gaze to Bill.

The demon snapped a cup of tea into existence and slipped on it slowly as he replied. “You worked a lot today, so I suppose you deserve a question…”

“Why would your powers help me lie?” He half-blurted, saying the first thing that came to mind. “Does this mean you lie a lot?”

“Hm… first question, maybe some of my personality residues within the power. Second question, you know the answer to that.” Bill took another sip.

“Why do you lie? Don’t you feel… guilt?”

Bill finally sat upright as he descended himself so he was almost at the same eye level as Dipper. “First of all, I lie because of the same reason you lie and everyone else lies. Here’s a little tip from someone who’s been around the block — ‘truth’ is a tattletale with no friends. ‘Truth’ is your annoying uncle that spoils the movie. ‘Truth’ is a concept invented by powerful liars to guilt you into giving them more power. Don’t fall for the trap. Lie until what you want to be true becomes true. Lie until you can’t remember what is a lie and what isn’t. Lie until you aren’t lying anymore.” Bill’s eyes reddened for a moment, though he looked as if he was grinning.

“Second of all, ‘guilt’ is a morality thing, and morality is the tragic borderline meatsacks defining good and bad, the pathetic rule they bound themselves with to delude themselves of the harshness of reality and the cruelty and selfishness within themselves. I don’t feel ‘guilt’, because when you’re the most powerful being in the universe, ‘guilt’ doesn’t exist and is as meaningless to me as physics, time and space.” Bill concluded. Gripping his cup until it shatters into pieces and squishing the shards into dust, he let them fall to the ground to be scattered in a gust of wind.

Dipper found himself jotting his words down in his journal, a voice telling him that the passage was wise no matter how wrong it sounded. Suddenly, the Mindscape shook, and Dipper was in the monotone space enough to know that he was waking up. Before Bill could speak Dipper said, “Thanks Bill. See you in reality.”

Before he opened his eyes he thought he saw a smile as the demon waved.

Mabel blinked awake. It was the first time she didn't have that nightmare, the one with Bill drawing a twisted version of the zodiac, the one with his brother tearing Gravity Falls apart. Her smile widened as she recognized the bump underneath the blanket of the bed beside her to be Dipper. Perhaps her brother’s presence shielded her from the dreams. (That was unlikely but a pleasant thought nonetheless.) For a moment she just closed her eyes, listening to the calming sound as her brother breathed in and out.

Dipper. The memories of yesterday were dropped upon her all at once, choking her for a moment. She reassured herself that everything was fine and taking one last look at the rise and fall of a bundle of brown hair she slipped out of bed and into the hallway.

Dipper usually woke up before her, but he must have been really tired yesterday, she thought as she made her way down the stairs, the creaking of the steps like music to her ears. Everything was normal. Everything was the same as before.

“Come on Mi Amore! You saw how sad she was yesterday!” Soos’ urgent voice stopped her at the last step. She peaked into the kitchen to find Melody cooking some pancakes (for Dipper, probably) as Soos held his arms to his sides, looking defiant.

“That demon caused an apocalypse, honey! I know I wasn’t there but the town is finally normal and I love the people here! I don’t want to put them, or you, or Mabel in danger! We have to contact Mr.Pines!” At those words Mabel stopped completely, suddenly hesitant to interrupt the conversation. Pressing her ears against the wall she listened intently.

“But you heard Mabel! It was Mr.Pines who insisted on shooting him and-” Soos argued before noticing Mabel at the corner. “Oh hey Mabel! Melody’s got pancakes! You want some?”

Melody turned to Mabel as well. “Mabel I’m sure you heard us. You told us that Bill possessed your brother and I’ve heard how awful that monster was! I’m sure your great uncle Ford could-”

“No.” Mabel deadpanned. Melody widened her eyes, surprised. “I… just want my brother back.”

It was selfish. It was terribly terribly selfish. She was putting the world at stake for the second time. Everything she cared about. She was being so childish, so short-sighted but what if Grunkle Ford tries to kill Dipper again? She just got her brother back!

“At least...” She trails away, her voice barely a whimper. “I won’t be the one to make that phone call.”

Her world was crumbling, piece by piece, without Weirdmageddon’s help. Her heart squeezed, her own words pounded in her head, gnawing her little by little as she shut her eyes and went back upstairs as soon as possible.

No soon enough, apparently, for she still heard Melody’s voice on the phone. “Stanford Pines? We’ve got a situation.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Bill, invisible to everyone else, floated into Dipper’s bedroom and told him about this small morning argument. “Sooner or later he was going to find out. Just continue doing what you’re doing and it will be fine. He is not as smart as one might think.” He added, taking in Dipper’s knitted eyebrows as he took the contacts off like Bill instructed.

“But without your powers I can’t lie that well. Plus, he betrayed me, never trusted or believed me, what if I got angry and my eyes turned yellow? He will try to kill me. Again.” Dipper said, worry evident on his face as he turned his watch into a mirror, making sure his eyes were still a gentle brown.

“Confidence is important, Pine Tree. Plus, you will learn how to control your emotions and therefore restrain your powers! Don’t worry, he can’t kill you, not with the power of my physical state, which I bet is a lot more than his estimate of how much I’m capable of.” Dipper doesn’t look convinced. “Relax! You got to trust me on this!” Bill urged, though his own thoughts were racing. The endless possibilities of failure, of Dipper making a mistake and spilling the beans will cost the demon dreadfully.

Dipper seemed to calm down at his last words, however, to Bill’s relief. Sitting upright, Dipper nodded while he comforted himself by flipping through the pages of his journal. A smile appeared as Dipper found the notes from last night carefully embedded into the pages.

Bill sensed a knock. “Quick! He’s here!” He warned Dipper, who immediately tensed for a moment. There were voices of ‘where is he’ before footsteps ringed in Bill’s ears. Cautiously Bill emerged into the triangular window, just in case Ford could somehow see him.

The grey haired man barged into the room. Dipper jumped, acting startled as he widened his eyes. Ford looked equally shocked as they both just stared at each other for ten awkward seconds. Dipper spoke first, “Grunkle Ford! I didn’t know you’re coming to visit! What’s the occasion?” Snapping his journal shut, Dipper walked up to the man, who backed away just a little bit.

“Is… something wrong?” Dipper added, and Bill internally complimented the boy. He was doing well!

“Excuse me Dipper but I must check something.” Ford stepped toward his great niece with a flashlight before shining them directly into Dipper’s eyes, causing him to wince.

After checking, he let go Dipper who fell to the floor with a thud. Holding his head Dipper groaned. “Grunkle Ford is this about what happened yesterday?”

“Mabel said you didn’t remember anything.” Ford said coldly.

Dipper shedded a sweat. “Mabel told me the short and long of it. Is it true that Bill is back?” He asked, bringing alertness and surprise into his voice.

Ford didn’t respond, as if examining Dipper’s answer before nodding. “There is that possibility. I don’t know how he got access to your body but… Tell me, what did Mabel tell you?”

Dipper stepped back to sit on his bed. “Well… I got possessed by Bill and turned the furniture into gold? She was… vague about it.”

“She didn’t tell you about the Quantum De-” Mabel stepped into the room, interrupting Ford before signalling him to come out. Reluctantly Ford left, leaving Dipper looking confused.

The door closed behind the man. Then, Mabel spoke. “Grunkle Ford we can’t tell him about the Quantum Destabilizer! Or about shooting him! Or about… anything!” Through the door Bill could see Mabel scratching her head nervously. “Even though it was Bill… Bipper, you saw how mad and betrayed he was! That might be all pretending but it was pretty realistic! I… I don’t need to lose my brother. Again.”

Bill grinned as he thought. “Nope, sorry Shooting Star, you already lost him.” Judging from Dipper’s face as he sat straighter Bill knew the boy was listening as well.

“... You’re right. It seems Bill is no longer possessing him, though he could still have access to your brother. You must be careful around him and report to me immediately if Bill is here again. For now, however, there is nothing we can do.” Tiredness seeped into Ford’s voice. “Listen Mabel I’m so sorry to bring you into this. Dipper, too. I told him the dark, weird path I walked through was not one he could follow yet… This, this had to happen!” Ford waved his arms, gesturing at the shack. “I’m very sorry Mabel. I’ll take my leave now. See you later.”

“Sixer you sure have been missing out on a lot! That dark, weird path you took? He has been walking on it for a very long time.” Bill mused, twirling with his though before appearing in front of Dipper, taking a seat on the boy’s shoulder with a grin.

Dipper blinked, his eyes turning yellow and slitted as frighteningly, an identical grin spread across his face. “They bought my story.” The boy said quietly, but triumph failed to be excluded in his voice.

“This time.” Bill reminded, though he added proudly, “They underestimate you, Pine Tree, treat you like a child, ignore your potential, your skills and your talents. But I promise, Pine Tree, and a demon don’t promise lightly, that I won't.”

Dipper looked at him straight in the eye. “I believe you.” He said straightforwardly, and though Bill was trying not to get too cocky, trying to warn himself that it wasn’t this easy, the two exchanged a mischievous smile that filled the demon with a warm, floated sensation.

Chapter Text

Dipper faces the triangular demon as he stepped outside, hardly able to contain his eagerness as he whispered. “Is anyone around?”

Bill shook his head. “The walls have ears and the shack have eyes. Your friends have senses and your family have lies. The trees have secrets that the woods can hide. Let’s go to a deeper area just in case.”

Dipper gave the demon a weird look. “Do you always speak like that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Bill returned the face, getting Dipper to chuckle lightly. Dipper caught himself before (hopefully) the demon could hear it, though he wondered why he bothered to do so.

Silently they walked into the wood, the smell of wet soil and autumn rain soothing his strained shoulder. In the shack he kept catching glimpses of golden furniture, hearing whispers and voices behind closed doors and through cell phones, seeing the caution in Mabel’s eyes whenever he was around. Despite her behaviour during the day, during some of his sleepless nights, Mabel sleeps soundly, dreaming of comfort and happiness, a delusional world of forgiveness and safety. The small wooden structure he once smiled so widely to see and called home became more like a prison with eyes hovering above him, glaring at him skeptical as if trying to find something wrong with him. Even Soos winced at his glance from time to time.

They didn’t trust him. It was as if they wanted him gone. Yet they didn’t trust him enough to let him leave the shack even once the past week , always finding excuses and sharing glances and winks as if Dipper wasn’t there to see it all. He was treated like a blind, innocent child at the shack as he pretended to be unaware of all their knitted eyebrows and whispers. Overtime, it became suffocating to pretend, and his temper grew harder to control as Bill’s power begged to be released. Opening the door just now, letting the wind whistle against the shell of his ears as icy fingers of the air brush against his face gently brought a breath he didn’t know he was holding out along with relief.

Strolling down the path he allowed Bill to lead the way, temporarily content with engulfing himself in the shade and protection of pine trees. He was so distracted he didn’t realize how much he was trusting the demon as they strolled down a path he didn’t recognize. (He didn’t realize how much Bill was trusting him by giving him his back either.)

Suddenly the demon turned around, coming to an abrupt halt. “Here should be fine.” Bill whispered, looking around. Dipper followed his glance, turning his eyes yellow to look within the trees. No one was in sight.

“Are you excited? Let’s try the symbols we have been practising all week on some real, physical spells! I have three things in mind… pick your favorite!” Bill drew out three cards, each with an eye in the middle that blinked curiously at Dipper, and held them for him to choose. “And tell me what the card is doing after you take one!”

Dipper was excited, but he didn’t want to give the demon wrong ideas as he hesitantly took a card. The card leaped out of his hand and floated in the air. He raised an eyebrow. “...flying?”

“Only meatsacks would describe levitation as flying! Levitation is when you use energy to bend gravity and control it to your will. Here’s the chanting and symbols that will help you, and try to imagine focusing the energy to the bottom of what you lift!” Bill materialized his cane as Dipper nodded, a sense of excitement washing over him as he chanted. Then, he stared at the nearest rock and did as he was told.

Nothing happened. Confused, he looked at Bill, who was watching intently.

“Close your eyes and imagine a dial that controls the forces of gravity. The more you turn the dial, the higher the object floats.” Bill advised, poking the rock with his cane.

Dipper closed his eyes and imagined the dial of a stove. The more he turns, the more energy collects beneath the rock. A sudden burning sensation erupted from him as a ray of yellow flashed over his mind, forcing him to open his eyes. Stumbling backward, he was astounded to find the rock floating an inch or two above the ground. Bill quickly approached it. “Nicely done! It seems your will plays a big role in directing energy. It’s still a little shaky, but practise will fix that. How does it feel performing your first spell?”

Dipper hummed in thought before beaming. It felt natural, just like when he learned the symbols and the chants. It felt right, like he belonged. Eagerly closing his eyes he imagined the dial once more, feeling the energy course through him before the rock floated steadily upward once more. Repeating the process he gradually became used to the burning flash of yellow, and slowly the rock was able to float up and down just with focus, the symbols and psyche.

He turned to different objects with excitement as he challenged himself with bushes, a handful of sand and sticks. Meanwhile the demon slipped his tea quietly as he watched, seemingly amused.

A meaningless amount of time passed and Dipper forgot about the suffocating weight on his chest, the mistrustful eyes and whispers of his family. It was relaxing, almost, as he effortlessly lifted bigger and heavier things, as the demon complimented from time to time before providing more hints and advice. The chant was nothing but a buzz now, so familiar he could say it backward with ease. As he landed a fallen tree down with a gentle thump, Bill did a flip and swipe his hands together.

“Alright Pine Tree! You’re surprisingly talented! Colour me impressed, you are ready to try to levitate yourself! Trust me, once you get used to it, walking becomes a hassle! Since you’re sitting, focus the energy onto the bottom, where you contact the ground.” Bill directed. Dipper stared at the ground, suddenly nervous. Sweat rolled down his back as his mind turned to the darker possibilities.

As if reading his mind, Bill added, “Don’t worry, if you fall I’ll laugh before picking you right up!”

Slightly more assured he closed his eyes, imaging the dial. This time, the energy did not come. Furrowing his eyebrows he tried again, picturing himself floating off the ground as the dial turned. Still, he felt nothing. Confused he opened his eyes to find Bill staring at him at eye level, the demon’s metamorphic smile wide as he poked Dipper in the forehead. He doesn’t remember ever seeing Bill this close or this low on the ground.

Surprised Dipper scrambled backward, only to find himself a foot in the air, floating steadily on nothing. Panic rose for a moment and he wobbled, dropping down before stopping again as he struggled to focus. “Not bad. Not bad at all. Don’t remember what I was like when I practised this but I definitely took longer…” Bill hummed in thought as he extended a hand to grab Dipper’s, helping him steady.

Dipper tried again, familiarizing himself with the solidity of the air, the sound of wind as he levitated higher and higher, the complete weightlessness. Bill, who followed him upward, beamed. “Well aren’t you brave today! Not afraid to fall again, little sapling?” Dipper gulped at the prospect of falling, but followed his curiosity as he ascended above the canopy of the trees. He looked up, finding the clouds so close, so within reach. A newfound peace rose within him as confidence took the place of fear. There was always Bill to catch him anyways, right? Shakily he grasped upward, almost wanting to take a piece of the blue sky when suddenly, his pocket ringed.

The sound was so loud it startled him, disturbing the sense of peace he felt amongst the clouds as he was sent downward. Fear washed over him, branches and leaves scratch his skin as he fell downward at high speed, the wind screaming against his ears. Suddenly he stopped falling and Dipper shut his eyes, expecting the sickening crunch as he clashed into the ground but he only felt an electrical buzz shot through him as Bill caught him bridal style.

Bill crackled, but Dipper had heard it so much it didn’t sound maniacal anymore. “You should have seen your face! Oh boy.”

The demon slowly descended onto the floor with Dipper in his arms, singing a haunted tune. “Here is what they don’t tell you:

Icarus laughed as he fell.
Threw his head back and
yelled into the winds,
arms spread wide,
teeth bared to the world.

(There is a bitter triumph in crashing when you should be soaring.)

The wax scorched his skin,
ran blazing trails down his back,
his thighs, his ankles, his feet.
Feathers floated like prayers
past his fingers,
close enough to snatch back.
Death breathed burning kisses
against his shoulders,
where the wings joined the harness.
The sun painted everything
in shades of gold.

(There is a certain beauty in setting the world on fire and watching from the centre of the flames.)

and he smiled
with a mouthful of bloody teeth
(and he fell from the sky to join the ocean’s roar)

and he laughed
with his wings beginning to melt
(and the was seared his skin to forever display his pride)

and his eyes sparkled
with tears ripped from his eyes
(and his father cried from above to see his son fall)

and he watched the sun shrink
(as his father watched his son shrink)

and Icarus fell
with his arms reaching
(and he began to realize that reaching the sun wasn’t what he thought it would be)”

Dipper’s feet finally reached the floor. He stepped back from Bill, suddenly shivering at the absence of Bill’s arms, which radiated energy, making it feel warm. It was strange, how he almost felt safe in those arms. “And that’s why, little Pine Tree, that you shouldn’t be like Icarus, because Icarus is dead.” The demon sing-sung before suddenly tensing. Bill’s single eye darted almost frantically around them, his yellow glow bounded tighter to the triangular shape as he whirled around.

“What’s wrong?” Dipper asked, almost wanting to assure the demon by putting a hand on his shoulder(?) before giving himself a confused look at the thought.

“Fun time’s over Pine Tree. Someone’s coming.” Bill snapped his fingers, and the wind picked up in speed. Dipper frowned at this. Can the demon change the wind speed? How if he said he didn’t have any power?

Can Bill be trusted or is he just like his family…?

Pacifica Northwest twisted a curl of long, straight strand of golden locks around her finger absentmindedly as she stared out the window. In her other hand was a cell phone with Dipper Pines on the front of her contact list. She stared at the name for a long time, memorizing the lines and strokes of each letter before peeling her eyes away when she realized what she was doing.

“That jerk. Said he is moving into Gravity Falls and arrived a week ago and still he didn’t call me.” She said out loud, knowing fully well that all the maids were out of the mansion. “I had prepared so much to tell him, too. How I managed to get rich again by opening this fashion store, how my parents are now living at my expenses, how horrible it was to work as a waitress at Greasy’s during the first summer. “Ugh. Why isn’t he calling me?”

Fumbling with her phone she dove herself into the newspaper section, which she scrolled down so fast the words were incomprehensible. Then she arrived at the fashion gallery part of the internet, where she amused herself with by taking a casual saunter through the broad strokes of some websites and pictures. Eventually she found herself in her message section, staring at none but that same name again.

Dipper Pines.

Even Mabel had visited her since they’ve settled in. What was curiously strange was how she avoided the topic of her brother and instead directed the topic to clothing and fashion. It was unlike Mabel in multiple ways. Has something happened?

The air had been chilly recently. Something told her things were wrong. A few gnomes ruined by, though Pacifica was too deep in thought. A cricket chirped, disturbing the eerily silence of the streets.

A dry leaf scratched against the window before falling inaudibly against the pavement. She studied the colours of the leaf, how golden it was at the edges. A shiver runs through her. For a moment, she felt like she was watched. The woods waved with the wind, the shadow weaving within it whispering silent warnings.

Something was very wrong.

Squeezing her eyes shut she pressed the call button with a deep breath. Why was she so nervous, anyways?

She only opened her eyes when a familiar ringtone buzzed in the near forest. Sitting up, she looked into the shadows to see a gust of wind blowing her way before the ringtone stopped and simultaneously, her phone buzzed to tell her that the line was busy.

Pacifica pondered this for only a moment before grabbing her leather jacket and slipping out the door. She had to bite her lips not to announce her whereabouts. Her parents used to force these habits upon her, though they were only worried about how much the cloth on her back cost instead Pacifica actual safety.

Stepping into the woods she gave a disdained look at the muddy trail, mumbling, “There goes a perfectly fine pair of leather boots embellished with real fox fur.” Her mind briefly wondered to how much Dipper enjoyed these hikes and, swallowing her disgust she stared straight ahead, ignoring the squishing sensation of the wet ground, the splashing of the bubbling puddles and the pearls of rain occasionally dropping on her hair as they roll of the leaves dangling from above.

Soon she started hearing voices, distinctive ones whispering loudly. Just as she stepped closer a swirl of wind blew, sending her hair into a parade as it bit at her perfect skin. The air was suddenly frigid, the gusts’ howls successfully hiding the voices as the branches danced to the rustling of leaves.

As quick as it came the gust was gone, and the woods returned to its silent state. Suddenly Pacifica became hyper aware of how quiet it was, how unusual Gravity Falls’ forests were lacking the singing of birds and the rumbling of beasts. A shadow passed by her and she almost screamed, her vision a flash of yellow and black.

“Pacifica! Woah, are you okay? It’s me, Dipper!” The same voice mumbling in the woods beckoned her. She blinked, her eyes finally taking in the figure in a dark blue sweater and, most important of all, wearing a blue and white hat. In surprise and shock she stumbled backward, tripping over a stump and just as she was landing backward, Dipper caught her by the hand.

Her heart leaped to her throat before pounding violently as a gush of red spread on her cheeks as their eyes locked. Brown and gentle meeting a dark blue, like the depth of an ocean. Quickly they seperated, each looking embarrassed.

Snapping out of her trance she opened her mouth, hearing herself say with her usual accent, “Could I pay you to pretend that never happened?”

Dipper gave a small laugh, “Nice to meet you too Pacifica. I see you haven’t changed.” Pacifica took a moment to enjoy the laugh, the sound similar to a cheerful jingling of bells. She realized how smooth it was, how calming and relaxing and…

How fake it was.

She widened her eyes, stopping her action as she studied Dipper, who was looking at her curiously. It was then that she caught a glimmer of light caught in Dipper’s eyes. Whatever words she had wanted to say were bitten back as she asked, pointing, “What is that?”

Dipper frowned, trying to follow Pacifica’s glance. “What? Where?”

“Your eyes.” She leaned closer, despite herself, and realized it was contacts. There’s no way that she, the leader of a famous cloth company wouldn’t recognize anything made related to beauty, especially to avoid the humiliation of those large framed glasses. Ugh, they’re almost as awful as braces, though how Mabel somehow survived will remain a miracle. “You wear contacts?”

“Oh! Yah. Wow, can’t believe you noticed. These are supposed to be super invisible. Didn’t want my family to know that my eyes needed checking. Didn’t need the teasing at school either. Nice catch.” Dipper said, though he suddenly sounded nervous.

Pacifica noticed how close their noses were and with a blush she stepped back. “What were you doing in the woods, anyways?” Dipper asked, changing the topic. “I was collecting some samples and familiarizing with the woods again. You, however, don’t strike as a hiker.”

“To be honest, I tried to call you and heard your ringtone. When did you change it into monotone instead of Disco Girl?” Pacifica, hiding her red face which was getting hotter with every passing moment, teased.

“Since Mabel called me during a class and the whole class got to enjoy a solid two minutes of it before I found my phone burried underneath three textbooks and a stack of paper?” Dipper shook his head.

Pacifica laughed awkwardly before turning to the path she came from and saying. “Well, you can continue being a nerd in this muddy and cold forest. I need to catch dinner. Call me later.”

Dipper said, “Alright, talk to you soon.” Pacifica watched Dipper’s shadow wave before she turned and headed back to her mansion.

Just before she left, however, she heard Dipper respond to someone in a whisper, his voice unusually low and clouded, so different from the embarrassed, high-pitched one she knows. “You’re right. She noticed.”

Chapter Text

Gideon Gleeful stabs the end of his pen into the desk with boredom before tilting his hat over his white, freshly combed hair with a sigh. Staring at the board pinned with pictures of missing or floating objects makes his eyes daze and his head spin. What’s with all the reports of people feeling watched, anyways?

Shaking his head he opened a nearby drawer to think about something more pleasant. Plucking his phone out of his desk he scrolled down his contact list to find her. Mabel Pines.

He has so much to tell her. How he enhanced and strengthened the police department, became elected the sheriff of the town and earned the respect and trust of the citizens with his own skills. Yet recently the citizens had been increasingly rattled by the anomalies, spooked by the eerie weather and on their toes with the paranormals. The paranormals that people have befriended have also been alerted, some of them acting strangely frightened and tense. Everything was a headache to Gideon as it was his job to calm the folks and assure them that they are safe, while his other job was to investigate whether or not 100% safety is possible in this strange town.

According to Mcgucket and recently Ford, the cloth that shielded the third dimension is thread-bare. The hole that Bill ripped open five years ago has allowed new monsters to leak from the Nightmare Realm along with other influences. They have managed to patch all they could but it would only be a matter of time before the cloth completely collapses. Their only hope was that the Nightmare Realm would destroy itself before then. None of that news was pleasant, and Gideon had excused hearing more details about the matter.

The mayor and the police department had established and agreed on a rule. The citizens of Gravity Falls are well aware of the presence of abnormal creatures lurking in the woods, especially after Weirdmageddon, but to tourists, a major contributor to the budget of the town, these creatures are all tricks pulled by none other but Mr.Mystery, currently Jesus ‘Soos’ Ramirez. This will avoid a possible global panic, curious researchers like Stanford Pines, or the government who has been increasingly curious about the strange town. Right now, while the rest of Oregon remains warm and comfortable, Gravity Falls reaches its coldest temperatures, attracting the attention of the government even more. Gideon sighed again as he took a glance at the stacks of paper on his desk, the weight threatening to crush the wooden office table embellished with careful carvings and decorations, a gift from Mabel about two summers ago.

Mabel. He had just been way too busy to visit or call her.

“Hey sheriff, my shift is done.” One of his henchmen reported before adding. “And there is someone at the door. Mabel Pines, she said her name was.”

Gideon immediately sat up, brushed his hair and straightened before talking in a slightly deeper voice. “Mabel?! Tell her to come in!”

Mabel entered, wearing a yellow sweater with a bright smiley face on it. An equally cheerful smile was on her face as she marched into his office, carrying in a bag. “Well honey what brought you here? Still got the usual sparkles I see!” Gideon said, gesturing her to the seat.

“Hi Gideon! Thought I’d take a moment to visit everyone in town! I didn’t know you became sheriff last summer! How are you doing?” Up close, Gideon realized that Mabel’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, and her hands were curled tightly together.

Gideon waved his hand, his cheeks gradually growing warmer. “Oh lil’ old me is doing just fine, a little busy but what’s a sheriff without piles of paper on your desk? But enough about me. I see you seem a little tired. How’s it been moving into the neighborhood?”

“It’s taking longer for the apartment to be ready than expected, though Soos and Melody is very welcoming. The Mystery Shack has always been our home, anyways, and Dipper loves the woods around it too much to be apart from it.” Mabel suddenly turned, her previous cheerfulness lost in her voice. “Speaking of that, do the police department have… security cameras? Like, mini-ones? Almost invisible ones?”

Gideon raised an eyebrow. “I believe so… Mind if I ask for what purpose, darling?

“Grunkle Ford wants to study the strange behaviours in the woods by placing cameras on animals, paranormals included. He said it will be more effective if the animal doesn’t know they’re being recorded.” Mabel blurted out, her creative juice working fast to form a reasonable lie.

She hated lyin, hated pretending, hated acting so paranoid, almost as paranoid as Dipper had been before. The camera was requested by Ford, but obviously not for her said purpose. It was to watch Dipper, just in case Bill came back.

She hated being so distrustful of her brother. She knew it was the right thing to do, and it was something Dipper would have done without hesitation but it wasn’t her, wasn’t Mabel-like at all.

She felt like a different person, and that even without Dipper’s help the two twins were distancing.

Speaking of her brother, Dipper has always been paranoid of everything, super cautious and sensitive to anything strange around them. She had found them ridiculously silly and unnecessary before, preferring to be carefree and blissfully unaware of the danger, allowing Dipper to catch her when she falls so she could do the same, so she could remind him to be the child that he is when things are too tense or serious. They were a team. Now, Dipper didn’t mention a thing about her behaviour, her whispers with Grunkle Ford, her eyes constantly giving him worried looks, as if he never noticed anything. He seemed so… carefree. So relaxed. So unaware of danger. It was unlike Dipper, especially after he was told that Bill Cipher may be back to cause Weirdmageddon 2.0.

And now she was the one being Dipper, the cautious one, the serious one, the paranoid one. It was tiring, always being on her toes, while a voice kept telling her that had it been Dipper he would have found a way to solve this already. That Ford would have wanted Dipper to run these errands instead of her. That Dipper, who is smart and quick thinking, who is so fascinated by adventures and mysteries, is so much better at this than she is.

Sometimes, it was like he didn’t care at all rather than he didn’t know. It was like he didn’t care about Mabel, about his friends, his family, or his universe anymore. It was like he was watching, letting the world fall into destruction without doing anything, without trying to stop it and maybe, just maybe, he even tried to hasten the process by nudging the world into its doom, into Bill’s palms. That thought was more frightening than anything else.

She snapped out of her thoughts as Gideon said. “Alright. I’m not sure that will work but we have two or three spares. Here you go honey.” Handing her a bag, Gideon winced as their fingers touched when Mabel reached for it.

“It’s late and I should head home. Sorry for the short visit Gideon, I’ll try to stay longer next time.” Mabel beamed at the white hair boy, who was looking at her with a hint of worry but mostly admiration, before waving and leaving the building. Carefully pocketing the small devices, Mabel didn’t look up as she walked down the street until she bumped into a figure.

She looked up to find Grunkle Stan, his back crouched and still wearing his slippers. “Heya kid. Whatcha doing with cameras?” Her Grunkle pointed, and Mabel was alerted to find the cameras scattered on the floor, so small they’re invisible with the gravel and sand on the street. Like glistening pearls underneath the setting sun they sparkled, decorating and lighting the street nicely, though Mabel failed to notice this as she scrambled to collect them.

“Grunkle Stan! I didn’t see you! How did you know these are cameras?” Mabel said while her eyes search frantically.

“Well being a con man and all, these are common knowledge! Sometimes you can find them hidden in hotel rooms or government buildings, steal them and sell them for a much higher price. Now… this is about Dipper, isn’t it?” Stan rubbed the back of his neck. “Poindexter gave me an earful about this demonic dorito and told me to watch out. He didn’t say that you are involved too… Who else knows this?”

“Soos and Melody.” A breath of relief escaped her along with a sniff. She was afraid she had to lie to her Grunkle as well, and the guilt that had long settled in her stomach quenched and twirled at the mere thought.

Stan kneeled down before Mabel with a worried frown. “Look, don’t get too involved with my brother and his nerdy stuff. Keep being you, you know? Don’t think that Dipper or Sixer is too smart or better at this than you cause’ you’re the best when you’re yourself. You need to remember that.”

A smile, a real one, broke out as she wrapped her arms around Stan, who was pleasantly surprised and hugged back. Grunkle Stan was right. She can do this. She can save Dipper. She can save the world.

Because she is Mabel.

Chapter Text

Dipper stared at his journal as he documented some notes while waiting for the demon to appear. Around him, the monotone Mindscape occasionally felt more at home than the shack, hence how many times he had been here.

It has been several weeks since he and his sister moved into Gravity Falls. Due to the unusual weather, construction of their booked apartment has been delayed times and times again, forcing them to stay at the Mystery Shack. He didn’t mind, however, due to the high density of woods around the shack, it provided many ideal hiding places for him and Bill to train.

Ford had started to grow less suspicious as more time passed. He became more relaxed, seemingly convinced that Bill will not possess me again. He began to think that it wasn’t even Bill, but a ghost instead, which is so much less threatening. With no proof Ford had stopped keeping an eye on Dipper, except for the cameras. With Bill’s help, however, Dipper was able to alter the footage of the cameras that he ‘hid’ on his clothing effortlessly. Ford really isn’t as smart as he thinks. Or maybe, Dipper really isn’t as dumb as he believes.

According to Bill, Mabel runs Ford’s errands. She seems unwilling to, which is good, he guesses.

Dipper no longer know what to feel about them. He’s not angry anymore, or hurt, or betrayed. All that’s left is a cold indifference, a void left in the place so much use to be before. It scares him, sometimes, but most of the time he leaves it at the back of his mind.

“Well would you look at that; Pine Tree’s early! Never thought I’d see this day! What! Is that doodling I see in your precious journal?” Bill appeared beside him, peaking over his shoulder. Dipper nudged the demon playfully, giggling slightly.

“Actually, I think you’re late!” Dipper said, a mischievous grin spreading over his cheeks as he forgot about the notes in his journal and the rotting state of his family.

“I can’t be late! I control the time here!” Bill argued back (maturely) and Dipper laughed as the demon summoned a clock pointing at a random time.

Dipper held his pencil firmly and flipped his journal to a new page as he asked, “Jokes aside Bill, what are we learning today?”

“You’ve already mastered many basic concepts of magic as well as how to direct and control energy. The only thing there for you to explore is the different spells the energy can shape into and how powerful each of them are. While those are done in the day, there’s a few things I need to explain.” Bill said before snapping his fingers. “I know I always went around questions like these but they’re too important to be ignored.”

Dipper blinked, suddenly finding himself on his bed with Bill gesturing for him to go outside. Following the demon he stepped into the frozen air, a shiver running down his spine as the air gnawed at his exposed skin. Quickly he grabbed a sweater before coming out again. Bill was already waiting for him on the nearest lawn with a fork.

Sitting down, Dipper sneezed as he watched clouds of frost come with every breath. “As important as it is, can’t it wait for tomorrow morning? And maybe we don’t have to learn today, we can just… ask some questions about the secrets of the universe? Those are always fun and it is what your end of the deal was.” Dipper reminded him. To see in the dark Dipper’s eyes turned into a yellow hue, his pupil slandering.

The demon suddenly grabbed his arm and with what looked like every ounce of his energy stabbed a fork into Dipper’s palm. Immediately the boy winced, hissing. “What was that for?”

“A demonstration.” As soon as Bill’s words rolled off the demon’s tongue Dipper noticed. There was no pain. He felt it like a touch with a tickling, buzzing sensation. He stared at his palm, the two red marks in the middle of his hand.

“As you may have noticed, with my powers switched ‘on’, you can’t feel pain. Or rather, pain is hilarious!” Bill said as he watched Dipper observantly before handing him the fork. “Try it!”

Dipper poked his skin gently at first before putting more pressure into it. Every time he expected the pain but he was always greeted with the same feeling, as if he was tickled. The deeper he stabbed, the more he felt an urge to giggle. It was like Bill said, pain is… hilarious. “Wow. This is how you feel pain?” Dipper asked.

Bill nodded.

If Bill, the trillion years old demon is honest with himself, he was nervous. He was good at hiding this nervousness too, lying with his face, with his words, to everyone he met, even himself. He was so good at hiding, so used to lying that he sometimes needed to think twice upon people who question his sincerity or honesty.

He was nervous because everything has been going according to plan. Dipper is a great student, that he won’t deny, and by using his power for training or pretending, the energy released had been, just as expected, returned to Bill. He had a little storage built up already, and if this continues, he would be able to rip a hole in the sky of Gravity Falls before Shooting Star could say bye bye to summer. The energy was causing his body, which was usually a mono tone grey, as if he is a projection from the Mindscape, into its usual gold, though Bill hid the colours from Dipper to avoid suspicion. The colours also allow him to be seen by people other than Dipper, which is not handy when the demon is near a particular scientist by the name of Stanford Pines.

Excitement filled him at the mere prospect of power coursing through his veins(?), for he hated being so useless and vulnerable. He was the being of pure energy, after all, and he was going to be the lord and master of the third dimension. When the event one trillion years (and five) prophesied comes to pass, he will award Dipper handsomely.

But of course Bill knew Dipper wouldn’t take the news lightly, just like he might not take this one. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and since Ford and Dipper are great uncles and niece, it didn’t take much thought to predict what would happen once he took control. “I will die before I join you!” The same man that once adored him like a god had said. Quite a harsh rejection, though it wasn’t a surprise. He stared at Dipper, who was still wrapping his mind over the strange, numbing feeling that replaced what meatsack perceived as pain, and found the idea of the boy, who is seemingly fond of him, turning against him almost unbelievable (even though he did do it once but back then, they barely got to know each other! It didn’t count!) and it just… didn’t sit right.

Dismissing that feeling Bill continued. “The point is, and I don’t want to drop this on you the wrong way but, your immortal now! With my power, you’re basically just like me! Well, give or take, and maybe you’re not a demon yet, and maybe you still lack some other touches, but almost there! Forget about your eighty years life insurance, forget about school, forget about all your fellow meatsacks because life is short, love is shorter, and school is even shorter than all of that.”

Dipper was looking at him with widened eyes. The boy sat there for a good two minute, his mouth hanging open yet no words were said. Bill watched for any signs of panic attack while his own mind raced through the possibility of Dipper being so overwhelmed that he would stop using Bill’s power. Fear and uncertainty has always been tightly chained together, though Bill has never hesitated to gamble against fate before. He won’t lose now, not when he’s gone this far.

The only choice he had, he supposed, if Dipper refused to work with him any longer, was to kill the boy and see if the power would be able to escape the dead vessel back to the demon. The thought rose a twirl in his stomach, making him frown.

Dipper finally spoke shakily, a cause of excitement or fear Bill couldn’t tell. “R-really? I’m… immortal?”

“Well, that is exactly what I said, so I guess the answer is yes?” Bill was starting to feel bored as he summoned his cane to toy around with. Whatever the human’s reaction is, he better makes it quick.

Dipper took a deep breath and lay down on the grass. Bill, following his glance, lay down as well. The two, demon and boy, didn’t speak for a long moment, yet the atmosphere wasn’t awkward but pleasantly… peaceful. Bill was at once confused about what was happening but pretending to be like Dipper, he stared into the starry sky and enjoyed the company of the stars.

“It-it’s a beautiful sky tonight.” Dipper broke the silence with a whisper.

A few crickets chirped. “It’s not bad. I’ve seen better ones, but for the residence of such… small beings it’s impressive, alright. The solar system of Teegeeack is one of my favorite constellations for a reason, after all.”

“Where have you seen better ones?”

“Universe XB-372. A quiet planet, it’s conditions too hostile for life as it has no atmosphere, but it’s unique coordinate in the multiverse allows whoever capable of standing on that ice block can see every planet, every universe ever to exist. A very, very splendid sight indeed.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Dipper stared at the calming sky as he pondered Bill’s response. There was technically no reason for Bill to tell hi and definitely not honestly. Voicing a question he had waited to ask for a long time, he said, “Are you compliant to your deals? Like are you forced to obey them or is it voluntarily?”

Bill frowned before sighing. “Pine Tree I’m starting to think you don’t know how a deal works. I’m forced to provide my end of the deal, though as you already know, crawling through loopholes is allowed. Like with the honesty thing, I can bend the truth and word it differently all I want, but in the end it can not be a lie.”

The demon let the information sit before standing up. “Now, I think today’s lesson needs some… sinking in. Remember, I’m a busy demon, I have places to be and alternative reality to temper with. See you soon, but don’t forget; reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold bye!!!”

Bill turned and with a snap, his monotone body disappeared. Dipper twirls with the feeling of emptiness at the absence of Bill’s almost calming presence. Abruptly it hit him, colliding down all at once in such a speed his head spun and his vision blackened.

He is immortal. All the things he has ever done — forcing himself to socialize, studying hard, going to school, staying healthy — was useless, pointless, and meaningless. He was hit with an infinite amount of time and suddenly the purpose of life was blurred and dimmed. Then, something else registered to him. Mabel, Ford, Stan, Soos, Wendy, Pacifica, heck, even Gideon and everyone he knew. He was going to have to watch them die, one by one. Sure, his grunkles’ funerals were always something unsaid but prospected, but his own, twin sister… She might have betrayed him but losing her forever was something he never considered before. Everything, everyone. The world will move on but him, an immortal, will be seemingly trapped in the past, with no one to walk down now an infinity road and lifespan. He could imagine himself being plagued with loneliness and an absence of purpose.

(“Hey, at least whatever happens after this summer, you'll still have your brother along with you through thick and thin. Not everyone can say that, you know.”)

Dipper suddenly wanted to laugh at it all, but instead he struggled to breathe. It was like someone was standing on his chest, slowly putting on more pressure. He dimly realised he was having a panic attack, but at this point it was too out of control. Clutching his chest, he fell to the ground. He wanted to turn to someone – anyone – but no one was there to see him collapse, no one was there to save him from drowning in his own, endless thoughts, to tell him that everything is okay. No one.

Trust no one.

“And I knew a simple meatsack won’t take the information that calmly.” A voice reached for him in the midst of all the thoughts and he took it, held on to it, trusting it and letting it pull him back into reality. “A panic attack. I was almost afraid it wouldn’t come.”

A single-eyed, bright yellow triangular demon with a top hat and a bow tie pat him on the shoulder. “Alright, alright. Calm down. Like I said a couple weeks ago, it’s not the end of the world. Yet.”

“B-bill… what am I going to do? What can I do? They… they’re all going to leave me, all going to die and leave me sad and alone with nobody and no one… So many funerals… oh god Mabel’s funeral…” He whispered, the mere notion touring his throat as he felt the tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. His heart thumped, his breath hitched as his arms trembled.

Bill didn’t answer his questions, instead just sat next to him quietly. “It’s all going to be okay. You won’t be alone. There are other immortals out there and there’s always the next generation. Plus, I’m still here, and apparently not leaving very soon, so hang on to that, will you?”

Dipper directed his glance to the sky, hoping it would calm him but he found the stars that were once so brilliant too overwhelming at once. He stared back on the ground, back into Bill’s eye which lacked any panic or fear. There was a strange calmness in the demon’s eye that Dipper didn’t notice before. Slowly he let himself calm, let his heart stop racing, let his thoughts wash through, let his chest take deep, heavy breaths.

When he could finally speak again, he said, “You know, for a guy that wants to tore up the universe for a party, you’re pretty good at this.”

“Life is a party! And I’m good at plenty of things, Pine Tree, so I hope you’re entertaining the notion of underestimating me.”

And Dipper allowed himself to laugh at Bill’s response. Out loud this time, and he didn’t stop it, didn’t hide it, didn’t restrain it. The demon blinked, slightly surprised, but eventually chuckled along as the two sat on the grass underneath a grand, starry sky, their silhouettes linked tightly together.

Chapter Text

Dipper tapped his pen against his journal in boredom. Bill hadn’t visited him in days and he was starting to almost, just almost miss the demon’s presence, his voice and his bright, cheerful yellow.

The demon had said that some emergency issue had come up, that he wouldn’t leave his student hanging if it wasn’t urgent, and promised that he would repay his absence with something exciting. Yet, day after day, night after night, and no words came from the demon. Dipper tried to amuse himself by thinking of possibilities of that ‘something’ the demon described as exciting, but it quickly dulled.

His mind briefly wandered away to the memory of a recent incident he would rather zap himself with the memory gun to get rid of.

It started out to be Dipper’s fault. Ford gave another one of his surprise visits and barged into his room while he had his journal wide open in front of him and Dipper, out of panic, tried to hide it. The journal was HIS. His Grunkles had taken away his sister, owned everything he held precious to and teased him, disrespected him, belittling him to no end. This time, this time, everything in this journal were things he saw with his own eyes and recorded with his own hands during his explorations, adventures or lessons with Bill. If anyone deserves to see it’s content other than him, the owner, it’s the triangular demon.

However, Dipper forgot that only he and Bill could see the content of the book anyways. When Ford saw him, he immediately launched for the journal, ripping it from his hands rudely before flipping through the pages. Dipper was shaking with both fear and anger as Ford glanced dismissively as he raced through the journal before closing it and placing it roughly on the table.

“What is this, Dipper?” He had asked coldly.

“It’s… a journal. I saw it in a store.” Dipper had said, careful at his choice of words.

Ford stepped forward as he pressed, “Which store?”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember.” Dipper looked pointedly into the man he once respected and praised so highly off and saw nothing but mistrust. “There’re many stores in this world.”

“Mabel told me you bought it in Gravity Falls. Gravity Falls is not a big town. There’re only so many stores here.” Ford hissed, almost threatenly. When Dipper didn’t respond, he continued, “Dipper. This looks like an exact copy of my journal. The same felt for the cover. The same golden decoration. The same, faintly yellow pages. All except that it’s a blue cover and instead of a six fingered hand, there’s a pine tree.”

“I know. That’s why I bought it. I love (loved, Dipper thought to himself) and admired your journals. That’s why I wanted an exact one. The six-fingered hand was your symbol, so I thought a pine tree could be mine. The only reason I didn’t tell you was… well… I thought you’d jump to conclusions. I wasn’t wrong. As you can tell, however, I don’t know what to write yet. ” Dipper lied skillfully, yet Ford didn’t buy it.

“The pine tree was your zodiac symbol!”

“What zodiac? From the Cipher wheel? So that is what this is about! I thought we’re over this, Grunkle Ford. I thought you trust me!” The last words weren’t false once upon a time, but Dipper was proven wrong time and time again. “Look at me! My eyes! Anything! I’m not Bill Cipher!” He specifically used the words both his gruncles had used before.

“I want to help you, Grunkle Ford, but you don’t believe me. (You never believed me.) I don’t want Bill to be back. It’s just… beside the possessing part, which I wasn’t there to see and you seem so vague about, there really isn’t much more evidence that Bill is actually back. You told me yourself that he’s gone. Forever. Maybe it was a ghost that possessed me instead. Sure, the strange weather, but the tear from Weirdmageddon was never fully healed. Gravity Falls was bound to receive more strangeness over time. You know that.” Dipper’s voice had been straight, not trembling or shaky, confident even, as he stared directly into Ford’s eyes without a hint of nervousness and lied, straight to his face. And terrifyingly enough, Dipper didn’t even think twice. Not a pinch of guilt haunted him as he bent the truth till it snapped, breaking it into scattered pieces. If Bill had been watching him, the demon would have been so proud.

Lie, a voice dangerously similar to Bill told him, lie until you don’t know what is a lie and what isn’t. Lie until you’re not lying anymore.

Ford had let the journal thing go, though his suspiciousness didn’t decrease. It was so tiring to have the man over his back again. Ford was so persistent too. Just why exactly does he hate Bill so much?

Dipper almost laughed at that last train of thought. He knew the answer. Bill, his conquer of the universe, his betrayal and lies as Ford’s muse. But Bill is powerless now. He can’t do anything bad. He’s been doing better recently, too.

Dipper didn’t realize it as his eyelid grew heavy and his head wobbled, his arms which had been supporting his cheeks shaking before collapsing, letting him fall over his journal and desk. When he opened his eyes however, unlike what he expected, he didn’t see the familiar shades of grey that represented the Mindscape.

Instead, colours flooded his eyes and he was brought to a strange image. It almost looked… 2-D somehow. Watching it was like watching a movie, and he stared curiously as the ‘screen’ as colours blurred into images, specifically shapes.

There was a yellow, equilateral triangle standing in the middle with a scalene triangle and a isosceles triangle. The yellow one posed, as if taking a photo. He (it?) was shorter than the other two triangles but his single eye was smiling as he made ridiculous faces. The ‘camera’ zoomed out, revealing that a photo was taken of the three triangles.

Dipper was at once confused, and even more so when strange, sharp noises appeared in the background. He covered his ears and turned his eyes into its golden hue. With Bill’s power he realized the noises were another language.

“William! William! Come on, let’s go play!” Someone, a square it would appear, was calling out to the previous yellow triangle, who was staring at the photo pensively.

‘William’ yelled before running after the square. “Coming!” The voice was strangely familiar, but Dipper couldn’t quite put a finger on where he’s heard it before.

The scene twisted, showing the two shapes crouching behind what appears to be a bush. “I was right, there is a protest against the circles. According to the deal, that means you owe me four dollars.” The triangle says. Beyond the bush were mixes of shouting and roaring as groups of triangles, squares or pentagons marched on a street holding flags. The flag had a circle with his eyes the shape of Xs.

The square pouted. “What’s with you and your deals, William? Fine. But I bet you don’t dare to go out there.”

“Join the riot? No way Tad! That’s so dangerous!” William protested, slightly flushed. It was clear that despite what he said, the little triangle was excited at the challenge.

“I thought you wanted to be a hero, William. I thought you were going to prove to everyone what happens to heroes in this world and how it’s 100% victory. I thought-” The square, Tad, was cut off. Dipper’s head raced at those words.

(“Don’t be a hero kid! This is what happens to heroes in my world!” Bill’s howl was just out of the reach of Dipper’s thoughts.)

“Fine. I will show you not to belittle me like those circles!” William bravely stood up, marched out the bush and disappeared into the crowd. For a moment, everything continued as it was, too many shapes to distinguish or notice the small yellow blur. Then, a loud noise sounded, and half of the crowd disappeared in a second. It was completely silent for a moment before screams deafened Dipper’s ears. Despite this, Dipper continued to watch and saw more rays flash out along with thunderous booms. Something narrated to him what happened. Those shapes, those people in the crowd, were dead. Killed by that ray, it’s colour suspiciously close to the ray of a Quantum Destabilizer.

Almost not consciously he looked around the bodies, which were nothing but ashes, to see if he could find the yellow triangle that snuck in, but the scene changed before he could. William was standing in what looked like a living room now, his face red and lined with tears. “I saw them, Liam, with my own very eyes! I saw them all die! Shapes with families, friends, jobs, feelings, LIVES!!! And they were all killed, brutally murdered by those circles, who god forbids are as empty and cold as they think themselves to be smart and superior! Something needs to be done!” He screamed, his voice torn and hoarse.

Liam, the scalene triangle in the photo, sighed. “I know what happened. First, you shouldn’t have witnessed that. You shouldn’t have been near the protests at all.” William opened his mouth(?) to interrupt but he was hushed as Liam continued, “Second, as the representative of the triangles, there’s nothing I can do.”

William sulked, looking extremely disappointed. “What were they protesting about, anyways?” He looked so tired.

Liam hesitated before sighing once more. “You are going to know this anyways. The circles. They need new shapes… new servers and cleaners for their new castle. They requested the four lowest stages of shapes to each give up 10,000 citizens for this…” Liam gulped, looking away from the yellow triangle, whose eye was wide as Liam finished. “Your mom, my wife, has been chosen as one of them as well.”

William visibly snapped. Desperation, fear but mostly anger returned tenfold as he roared furiously, “Julia? JULIA WAS SELECTED???!!! You know they will be nothing but slaves in that castle, treated worse than pigs, worse than dust on the floor, worse than the mud stained on those circles’ fancy walls. You KNOW this. The reason they needed more SLAVES was because their previous SLAVES either died of torture, hunger, thirst or KILLED THEMSELVES. You said 10,000 citizens like it was just a number, not lives ruined, not goodbyes to families knowing they will never see their kids, husband or wife ever again, not shapes sent for a suicide mission!!! How could you agree to this?”

“I had no choice! They were going to do it with or without my consent! I was only trying to prevent you from being chosen as well! I didn’t want to lose you too!”

“Unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE. I won’t stand this. It’s because of triangles like you that we keep being belittled and discriminated against. I’ll show those arrogant jerks. Too bad, Liam, because you ALREADY lost me.” William shouted before slamming the door closed with a loud thump.

The next scene was William, who looked a little bigger and a little taller, marching down a road paved by gold. Circles peeked out of luxurious buildings curiously as they watched William, along with a crew of squares, triangles, pentagons and hexagons walk pass, their heads raised high. William whispered, “Pyronica, your turn. Show me the hole in the wall that leads to the king circle’s throne.”

“No problem Will! Show them that we don’t deserve this. Show them that they’re wrong. Show them what you got!” A pink pentagon said. William winked, spreading his hand and Dipper watched amazed as a small blue flame burst from William’s black palm. Something was starting to click but Dipper couldn’t peel his eyes away from the images.

“And if they don’t see it, burn them!” A red hexagon said.

William laughed, his crackle too familiar to Dipper’s ears. “You said it Hectorgon!”

The yellow triangle’s face suddenly turned distorted, and a voice, this time Dipper does recognize and knew too well, said behind him in a low tone. “This just had to happen. EXACTLY as I feared.” Dipper staggered back and watched as the ‘screen’ twisted, William and his friends smudged into a mix of colours before disappearing completely at the vortex. Dipper looked around, finding himself in the Mindscape, with Bill Cipher looking directly at him with a sharp glare.

Realization sinked into Dipper all at once at that exact moment.

Chapter Text

Dipper stammered, at a complete loss of what to say. “You- that-...”

Bill was frowning immensely but he didn’t speak. Dipper tried again. “Why did you stop it? I wanted to know what happened! William… Did he become a hero? Did he save the triangles and defeat the circles? Why… why was he so like… like you...?”

The demon still didn’t respond as Dipper’s eyes widened. “It… it was you, wasn’t it? William? Your…” The boy knitted his eyebrows, as if the thought was incomprehensible, “your childhood?”

Bill realized he collected enough energy to free himself from the Mindscape. At once he took a turn to the Nightmare Realm, crossing his fingers that the lawless universe he calls home hadn’t destroyed itself yet. Thankfully, he was able to regroup his henchmaniacs and even though the Nightmare Realm was less stable than before, he still had plenty of time to corrupt the third dimension and squish the two worlds into one.

Re-familiarizing himself with everything, he decided to temporarily not announce his return to anyone more than necessary. This was a delicate situation. He doesn’t need anyone to get in the way.

When he returned he didn’t expect to find Dipper in the Mindscape already. He had almost poured, wanting it to be a surprise, before realizing what the boy was doing. Well, unconsciously doing. Bill had known a long time back that his power contained some of his consciousness. This included his personality and memories, which are all passed down to Dipper. While Bill was within the boy’s mind, he successfully deflected any side effects this might give, but during his absence… It was only a matter of time. Bill just didn’t think it would be so soon…

Hastily he had stopped the replay of his childhood. And now it was time to face the human who was still wrapping his mind around this news. Bill cursed himself to be so careless and wasting so much time in the Nightmare Realm.

“Listen Kid, I’m not answering any of the millions of questions you have in your head.” Dipper frowned deeply, the sparkle that glittered in his eyes vanishing. Bill hated seeing the kid like this. He sighed before smirking. “Unless you beat me at inter-dimensional chess.”

It was a match you already lost, Pine Tree, he thought amusingly. “If you do, I will answer… maybe one or two 100% honestly. Deal?”

Dipper smiled before drawing back his hand, giving him a funny look. “Bill… this is kind of a casual thing. You know, it’s like a game or a bet! Your deals are making them too formal!”

“What can I say, I’m a businessman! Well, business demons more like. I love deals! And none of my students can dislike deals either.” Bill, slightly relaxing, threw daggers glances jokingly at Dipper.

Dipper laughed before begging. “Please…?”

“Fine. A handshake, then? No flames, I promise.”

Dipper almost couldn’t hold the explosion of laughter that threatened to engulf him completely as he looked at Bill’s bewildered face. The demon’s only eye widened to its limit, and had the triangle had a jaw, it would have probably hit the floor. Dipper coughed to hide his chuckles before the temptation could suffocate him. The demon’s arrival made him forget all about the incident with Ford, all about any and every trivial little worries and problems of his life. In the Mindscape, he is genuinely happy.

And right now he is about to die of laughter at Bill’s dumbfounded expression. He just couldn’t hold it anymore as he released all that laughter, letting it echo in the monotone space. Bill was still too shocked as he looked at the hologram chess boards, so the demon couldn’t even get mad at Dipper for his reaction. After a while, clutching his abdomen, Dipper rose from the floor where he had been rolling around in, too hysterical to stop. He took a deep breath, wiped the tears at the corner of his eyes and let out the last few sensation in small giggles.

Bill leaned back, crossed his legs as he finally said. “Alright alright. I’ll admit, I broke my words, I 100% underestimated you. Are you done laughing? Just get it over with. Ask away.” Dipper could hear Bill mumble, “I can’t believe it. I don’t think I’ve ever lost so badly at my own game before. A perfect checkmate, even though I keep bending the rules to the point they ceased to exist…”

Dipper suddenly paused. He almost forgot why he was here at all. He was just having so much fun. Cupping his chin he thought for a moment before asking. “Is Bill Cipher your real name?”

Bill stared at him for a moment, seemingly surprised. Then he began to laugh. “Oh, that’s a nice one, kid!” he said. “Of all the things! Alright, I’m game. Short answer: no.” He adjusted his bowtie, then summoned his cane into existence so he could twirl with it as he disintegrated the chess board, no longer willing to stare at his loss. “Long answer: my real name is impossible for you to say, and would drive you crazy if you tried. ‘Bill Cipher’ is basically a dimensional username — a primitive grunt designed for meatsacks’ analog ears! If anyone heard my true name they’d evaporate to dust with an expression of horror and ecstasy on their face! Which would be fun but would probably ruin the rug and the deals I’m about to make with them.”

“In this language, my name’s technically translated as ‘William’. Nobody’s ever actually called me that, though, and if you try, you’re gonna regret it.” Bill chuckled. “You got a thing for names, don’t you? I heard you real name is Mas-”

“Where are you from?” Dipper cut in.

The smile on Bill’s face vanished so fast Dipper barely caught it. The air was starting to compact, becoming uncomfortably tight.

“...You really wanna do this, Pine Tree?” The demon growled. “I told you, one or two questions. That’s all you get.” He hesitated, then added, “And I’m from a second dimension. The Flatlands. ”

“What’s it like there?” Dipper pressed on, his curiosity flooding over his sense of danger. He didn’t notice the Mindscape starting to redden.

Bill hissed, his words sounding like they were pulled from his mouth. “It’s like nothing. It doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Why?”

Suddenly, in a flash of light and mist, Bill was no longer sitting and he was no longer that friendly, almost cheerful in his chaotic, twisted way, yellow. He was a dark crimson, his size expanding indefinitely as he hovered over Dipper

Dipper couldn’t help his initial response of shrinking back and away, cowering from the demon. He could feel his blood run cold as Bill stared at him with his horrible black eye, darker than anything Dipper had ever seen before. His heart stopped, his eyes locked with Bill’s.

“Because I burned it to the ground!" Bill screamed, his voice echoing throughout the Mindscape. “They were all flat minds in a flat world with flat dreams!” His voice boomed louder and louder, his howls unearthly and inhuman. It was so loud the forces pinned Dipper to the nearest tree, causing him to cry out in fear. “I liberated them! I freed them from their endless torment of being in the most pathetic dimension in the multiverse! They should have thanked me as they all burned and twisted into dust!”

Panicked and terrified, Dipper squeezed his eyes shut and willed himself away from Bill and out of his grasp. Bill extended his hand, now a large claw, and smashed it toward Dipper. Out of panic, Dipper could only focus on trying to live. In a flash of a second a raw fear of death thrashed a wave of energy out of Dipper.

Bill backed away, blasted by a wave of air. Dipper opened a slit of his eyes in time to meet Bill’s eyes, which was staring at him in awe. Dipper opened his eyes fully to find the ground cracked open, along with a wave of blue flames surrounding him in a spiralling circle. “Dear Axolotl. That was… splendid! I’ve been meaning to teach you a defence technique that doubles as offence! You just keep surprising me Pine Tree.” Turning around with his hands behind him, Bill continued, “It seems my teaching won’t be required soon! It’s perfect timing, too. I was meaning to show you the…! Well, I’m getting ahead of myself.”

Dipper clenches his fists, still huffing. Bill dropped to the ground in front of him, almost looking apologetic. “Sorry Pine Tree. I went over the line with… that. You can keep asking your questions, if you want.”

“Really?!” Dipper couldn't help the excitement and surprise in his voice. Bill has always been the center of all the mysteries. It was only until Weirdmageddon that Dipper realized how knowledgeable and powerful Bill exactly was, and how few he knew of the demon.

And it was only a moment ago that Dipper realized that the center of mystery was a mystery itself. He was getting to know Bill Cipher. Bill TRUSTED him enough for the truth. Unlike his own family. An unexplainable warmth spread through him, burning his previous fear into ashes.

“Sure!” Bill replied with a toothy smile. “What’s it matter anyway? It’s the past.”

It was strange, Dipper thought, how fast Bill could ricochet between emotional states. Or maybe it wasn’t strange at all; Bill was a master of chaos. Dipper began, quietly at first, trying not to provoke the yellow triangle sitting across from him.

“I wanna hear the whole story. From beginning to now.”

Bill’s cheerfulness faded, but the anger from before didn’t resurface. “I guess that’s fair enough,” he said. “It’s nothing you can do any damage to anyway. Plus, better tell you my narrate first than letting you watch the movie alone. ”

“You just don’t like talking about it, do you?” Dipper asked gently. Somehow, he felt he could relate.

Bill chuckled softly and shook his head. “Kid, I haven’t said most of this stuff aloud to anyone, ” he said. “I don’t even like thinking about it. But you’ve impressed me, so think of this as a little positive reinforcement. A prize, for lack of a better word.”

Bill began to float again as he began with a deep exhale.

“Trillions of years ago, I was born. And when I say ‘born’, I don’t mean I came squealing out of my mom - but it’s the closest approximation to what really happened that I can give you. I came into existence in a place called The Flatlands, a second dimension made up of all sorts of what you humans call ‘geometric shapes’. We called ourselves something else, but I can’t even begin to translate my native language into yours.

“In The Flatlands, we had a strict hierarchy. Think of it like your medieval kings and queens, all the way down to the serfs and servants. It was categorized by the number of sides a shape had. The highest of society were the circles - big, commanding guys who could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. And at the bottom? Triangles. Yeah, you heard me right, kid. I was born into the bottom of the food chain. Imagine that! Me, the lowest of the low! Mom, Julia, and Dad, Liam, always tried to say it was just the way things were, but after a few hundred years, I was pretty sick of it.

“Now, here’s where things get interesting, Pine Tree. See, once upon a time, I was kinda like you. An aimless idiot trying to make sense of his place in life, a hero wannabe. I had powers, though at the time it was only a small handful of flames. I didn’t know the cost, the price, the consequences of anything. I was far from a professional businessman, from who I am now. My mom was, actually, while my dad was the representative of triangles, but we will get to that.”

“You saw what happened then. There was a command for more slaves. Liam, the coward that he is, complied and my mom was sent to die along with a couple million of low-class shapes. I was so upset left my house.”

“Turns out an uprising is hard to do in that kind of society. No one agreed with me - ‘this is just how it is’, they said. Finally I found some orphaned kids who lost their parents to this unfair demand as well and we stood up for our ‘race’. Some families, the brave ones of course, even cheered me on.”

“My gang and I marched down that road with pride, thinking we will come back with justice for each of our families and friends. Naive idiots, we were, thinking that we could impress those proud, arrogant shapes. The circles and other bigwigs weren’t threatened by my abilities. Or if they were, they sure hid it well. They basically told me I was practicing parlor tricks and told me to get lost. And it’s not like I could just kill one of them to see how they’d react - they’d kill me right back. And then where would I be? They were so amused they left me alive and chased me back to where I came from. My friends, not so lucky. For all I know they got slaughtered. Or maybe became slaves.”

I returned to my homeland lost and fearing that I disappointed my shapes. I don’t remember if I even thought there was a chance they’d forgive me. I came back empty-handed, with no one behind me while I went with a not small group. The family of those kids that went with me, the ones that still have family, were torn and outraged. My father chased me out of my own homeland. So I had to make a decision. Live life in the slums with or without my friends and family, or liberate the entire dimension for the greater good.

“Obviously you know what I picked.”

“I broke out of the dimension myself, but no one followed me. They couldn’t. That was about when I started to realize how powerful I really was. I had to do something with that power, something great; I travel between worlds for ages, though ironically just like The Flatland, I wasn’t welcomed anywhere. Eventually I arrived at the place between dimensions. You should know it — we call it the Nightmare Realm. It was like the perfect world, everything I’ve ever hated GONE; Space and time have no meaning there, and the rules of physics and everything else are entirely irrelevant. There were no rules, no laws, no hierarchy, nothing to bound me, nothing to stop me. It was a chaotic place, and it needed a chaotic god! So over the course of a few years, I impressed a couple of henchmonsters with my abilities and got them to follow me, and together, we took over the Nightmare Realm for good.

“Y’see, kid, the lawlessness of the Nightmare Realm is kind of its undoing. It’s always been fated to eventually self-destruct under its own weight. I was pretty mad when I found out; I didn’t want my new reign to fall into pieces! Especially not while I was living it up as ruler! But there was a silver lining, and it was in the third dimension.”

“There was a prophecy. It stated that if a portal were to be constructed into the third dimension, the Nightmare Realm could survive by merging with it. Thing is, out in the Nightmare side of things, I had no way to connect anything. But that’s when I learned of another ability I had - the ability to enter the Mindscape or the Dreamscape.

“Without a physical form, I could never enter your world, but I could break into the dreams of humans as much as I wanted to. So that’s how I started my plan to merge the two worlds and create eternal chaos! Pretty ingenious, right? There was just one problem. Y’see, when I started entering dreams, humans had only just begun building civilizations. Their technology with a primitive mess, and even though I could inspire them to build towering monuments in my likeness, there was nothing I could do that would bridge our worlds together. The ability to do so was still out of reach. I had to wait for the right humans to come along.”

“Well, as it turns out, I’m not a good judge of what the right human is. Not at first, at least. kept visiting the dreams of each civilization I could find, picking out the leaders and the scrappy underdogs, basically throwing darts at a board in the hopes that I would land on someone with the ability to do what I needed. Magic isn’t terribly common in humans, but I sought out the magic-users as best I could, figuring maybe they could do what I wanted if technology couldn’t.

“That’s how I came across Modoc.”

“He was the shaman for a tribe of natives that lived in the valley you now know as Gravity Falls. Believe it or not, he and his tribe are the reason I started focusing on Gravity Falls in the first place. Maybe that’s what caused the weakness in the barrier there. Or maybe it was always there. I’d love to take credit, but I honestly don’t know. What I do know - or did know - was that Modoc seemed like my best bet for a portal.”

“He wasn’t a super technical guy, but he had magical abilities out the wazoo. It’s what made him shaman of his tribe, see, he could genuinely do things most shamans just prayed to their gods to do for them. He seemed so promising that I took a real shine to him; guess that’s how I became such a revered figure in their culture. They made all sorts of stuff with me on it - rugs, blankets, pottery, wood carvings, you name it. Modoc told them that I would herald them into a new age of spirituality. Of course, that’s just… lies that I fed him when I was getting on his good side.”

“Things were going well. We were discussing making a bridge between worlds, Modoc trusted me, his whole tribe trusted me - things were good. Then he finally gets around to making a portal, and… Well, it was made out of twigs. And the magic poured into it didn’t do squat. I was disappointed and angry, and I let Modoc know. I told him he needed to try harder, build better, use more power - so the wise guy decides to confer with the spirits. Figures maybe they can help him please me. I don’t know what spirits he contacted, but they were a real blabbermouth and told him some things I’d rather they didn’t.”

“He came back with a prophecy to warn his people. His interactions with me would lead to the apocalypse, he said. The spirits had given him ten symbols that could be used to ‘defeat’ me, but the natives didn’t have any of those symbols. So they wrote down how to summon me, and they wrote down the symbols, and they left a warning for anyone who would read it to never involve themselves with me.”

“The final straw for them was Modoc. I kept trying to get him to understand what was at stake, what I needed, what I would do to get it. He tried to stay awake to avoid me, tried to exorcise me - nothing worked. So in the end, he set himself on fire, killing himself and making me lose access to a powerful mind. The rest of the natives packed up after that and left everything behind. Called this place ‘cursed land’ and would never set foot on it again.

“It was a long time before I got another break, kid. Maybe not that long in the grand scheme of things - I am, after all, trillions of years old - but long enough that I got frustrated. I could see the little cracks and tears in the Nightmare Realm, things no one else noticed. I knew I needed a gateway to the third dimension and I needed it fast. I hopped from mind to mind, and I found myself constantly returning to Gravity Falls, drawn by more frequent occurrences of magic users. How the pyramids were built, how my face made your meat sacks' dollar bills value something were all water under the bridge. When it came down to it, though, magic ended up flying out the window in the face of technology, because someone was finally adept enough to do what I needed with science.”

“That person, as I’m sure you know, was Stanford Pines.”

“Sixer was just as enamored with me as the natives before him, and the Egyptians way before that. I was his ‘muse’, you see. I was the mysterious key to unlocking everything he needed to know, because the walls of the cave said I had unending knowledge. He summoned me into his head, Pine Tree. And in that head I found everything I ever needed. I told him everything he needed to hear, every lie I could come up with, and one truth: the weirdness of Gravity Falls was coming from a ‘weird dimension’ that he could make a portal to.

“If Glasses hadn’t slipped in and caught me at a bad time, it could've happened, kid. I was so close. But Sixer got suspicious, and I got cocky, and I told him the truth. I thought I’d already won. But he shut the portal down, tried to keep himself awake… I didn’t let him know, but I was scared he would be the next Modoc. I thought he’d kill himself before I got what I wanted. I was so close!”

“But then he made a mistake. He trusted his brother. And that brother knocked him through the portal, right into the Nightmare Realm. I hunted Sixer for a long time, kid! He slipped out of the Nightmare Realm before my guys could catch him, but I kept my eye out for him for thirty years.

“Then, in a petty act of revenge, Gideon summoned me from a passage in one of Sixer’s journals. I had access to a mind again, and more importantly, I was near the blueprints for the portal, which Sixer drew across all three of those books of his. You know that part of the story. Hell, you lived it. Need I say more?”

“And now, here we are. Everything I did, saw, knew, and it did me so much good that I’m here with a sad amount of power and — your company is not unappreciated and I definitely means no offence but comparatively — talking to you. ”

“Wow,” Dipper said as he looked up at Bill from his place. “That’s… wow. You’ve lived quite a life, Bill.”

Bill grinned and tipped his top hat. “Sure have, kid,” he said.

Dipper leaned back against a tree and looked up into its branches, considering everything he’d just heard. Some of it he already knew from Journal 3 and Ford; other things were brand new. Though his view of Bill had changed since then, it was still almost shocking that the story really did show a glimmer of humanity in Bill, something just a little bit more than his chaos, fury, power and knowledge. Dipper took a deep breath. He understood somehow. He meant everything he said when Bill was petrified in stone, though he would’ve rather the demon not hear some of the embarrassing things he said.

Finally, he just almost understood the one paranormal he never managed to relate to in his previous summers. Sure, Bill’s done plenty of horrible things in the past, but so have everyone else. If things change, who is to say that this demon can’t? Gathering courage and a handful of hope Dipper asked one more question.

“Do you regret what you did to your home dimension?”

Bill’s grin vanished once more. He looked at Dipper for a moment, frowned, then turned away. His yellow paled, darkened, and slackened. Even his hat slightly curled downward. Bill snapped his cane, letting it disappear alongside him.

“What did I tell you about asking questions, Pine Tree?” he said. “You already went over your limit. I was willing to forgive you, but…” He hesitated for a moment, one foot tapping against the ground. Dipper waited.

“...Yeah,” Bill finally said, and it was like the word was being forcefully dragged from his lips. “I… sometimes feel like… maybe I could have done things differently. Maybe there were… other options. They... cried for… for my help. Screamed and pleaded and begged. But I ...didn’t do it, couldn’t stand to stay any longer, couldn’t bear it...so I left and never turned back. When… when I finally did return, it was gone. There... wasn’t even ashes. Sometimes, I… miss… home.” He hunched his shoulders and didn’t look back. “Happy?”

“I’m sorry, Bill.” Dipper reached for the demon and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Bill flinched. Now he did look back, eyes wide and face unreadable. Was he surprised? Angry? Dipper didn’t know. He looked back at Bill steadily, challenging him to reply. It had taken a lot for him to muster up the guts to even say those words. Dipper wasn’t evil, wasn’t insane, wasn’t maniacal or chaotic. At least, he never thought he was. He never thought he could feel sorry for Bill Cipher, and in a lot of ways, he kind of still didn’t. He still remembered Weirdmageddon, the sleepless nights that hunted him afterward, the anger, the desperation. But the way Bill spat out each word as he resisted emotions he obviously felt…

Dipper believes Bill can change. Or rather, already changed. (He didn’t realize that Bill might have changed but he changed as well, if not more than the demon.)

Then Bill’s eyes narrowed, and he turned his whole body back towards Dipper. “Thank you but...I don’t need your pity.” he gritted, and with a snap of his fingers the Mindscape vanished and Dipper was dropped into unconsciousness.

During Bill’s absence he had had a few restless nights. Half of him wondered if Bill could keep nightmares away, just like how he could create them. That night, however, he had no nightmares.

Chapter Text

Mabel’s voices sounded a little different coming from the phone, more squeaky and stuffed. Because of this, she could be easily mistaken for Dipper, whose voice barely changed.

Ford jumped as he picked up his buzzing phone to hear a voice too similar to the one that yelled at him about a journal. “Grunkle Ford, I think Dipper is right. Look at him! He even fell asleep on his desk, like he used to! There is no risk anymore! He’s my brother and I trust him!” Mabel shouted in the voicemail, causing Ford to wince before rubbing his ears.

Ford stared at the open pages of his three journals. Since the end of Weirdmageddon they have been returned to their previous state, retrieved and stashed by Ford. The three red words bold in the corner of the page made him want to look away.

Trust no one.

It wasn’t like he wanted to continue. He just doesn’t want to repeat his mistakes, re-watch Gravity Falls and the sky becomes one, re-loose everything he and others had fought so hard to get and keep. Ford threw a glance at Stan, who was moping around the kitchen, searching for his coffee. Ford’s back creaked as he straightened it, sitting up from watching the securities tapes attached to Dipper. It all seemed normal, just like it has been ever since he started the surveillance.

Thankfully, Stan hadn’t questioned too much about Ford's actions. Maybe his brother had grown to know of his stubbornness. Maybe he just simply dismissed this as some kind of nerdy project, which was unlikely for Stan has always been protective with the younger twins. Maybe he just simply knew nothing can be done with Ford once he’s made up his mind. Ford didn’t know.

He and his brother were too old for another apocalypse, despite what Stan might argue otherwise. He’s had his share of adventures when he first arrived at Gravity Falls, when he wandered through the multiverse, when he went through Weirdmageddon, even going out of his way for sea voyages as a revision of their childhood dream. By returning to the town it indicated that he wanted to settle down. Sure, the walks in the woods still intrigued him. It seems there’s never an end to learning! 

His excitement was always paled in comparison with Dipper’s though. There were many things he shared with his great nephew, and having such a loyal fan was a feeling he could get used to. Dungeons, dungeons and more dungeons, the fascination with the paranormal, the curiosity and passion to solve mysteries and find answers, the desire for adventures. It was like looking at his younger self.

Through the multiverse he learned how to be tough and when to be tough in order to survive. Perhaps it was because Dipper held such a strong resemblance to his younger years that he wanted him to not repeat everything. Every mistake. Every scar. Everything he’s ever done. Ford thought of himself far from being a hero. He could have been one, sure, but he trusted the wrong person, listened to the wrong mouth, watched from the wrong eyes, and in the end he was only grateful to be the hero’s brother.

He didn’t want Dipper to walk down that road. He didn’t want his great nephew to learn everything the hard way. He didn’t want the young man’s passion to be worned and broken by the consequences of being so intrigued, just like he was. 

Stanford Pines has always been selfish. Perhaps, he just didn’t want to see himself fail a second time.

Stanley Pines was capable of many things. 

He was adaptive and flexible, capable of bending and escaping any situations and consequences, hence his long list of criminal records and enemies.

He was a great con man. While he spent his days above, showing tourist and showering them with fakes and lies around his shack, denying the existence of paranormals and fooling around with his great niece and nephew, he spent his nights beneath the squeaky floorboards, working with radioactive waste and fixing a portal between dimensions.

He was a hero as he clutched the frame of a picture, watching the blue flames engulf him and his mind, satisfied as he closed his wet eyes and smiled.

He was the brother of a nerdy boy to an eccentric man. 

But, most of all, he was a Grunkle, the caretaker of two young twins during a summer that changed his life. Despite everything he’s done, he has finally proven to everyone that he puts family above everything else.

He stared out the window, a hand supporting his head. He remembered the days after the portal as clear as the evening he was thrown out of his own home. He remembered Dipper, being so sullen, quiet, and very not Dipper.

It had hurt him, as much as he hated to admit it. Dipper's distrust of him cracked his hard and prickly heart. Cracked it open, ever so slightly, a thin line, but still there. He loved the kid. Of course, he would never say that out loud, never really admit to it. He’d dance around the question, give half-answers and distractions. It was simply the kind of person he was.

So, seeing the barely veiled dislike in the twelve-year-old's eyes, seeing those same brown eyes, warm and loving before so cold and distant now put a wedge inside him. Back then, the boy had even actively done his best to avoid pretty much everyone.

Back then, Stan had looked out the window of the shack and found the woods taunting. The woods, so full of mystery and wonder, terror and death. The woods that held a natural beauty and charm, but hid dark and deadly secrets. He had felt slight nostalgia wash over him as he watched the woods. How the younger twins would always gallant off into the woods before, not a care in the world, smiling and laughing, looking for adventure wherever they could find it.

They reminded him of his own glory days in the woods, where he would follow Ford who was always scribbling what seemed to be every detail of nearly every blade of grass in his journals.

The fights. The laughs. The near-death experiences. The adventures. The mysteries. The cool images and samples, ancient tapestry and artifacts, bones and pots. Everything that made him and Stanley who they were today.

“Stan? Why are you staring out the window?” The familiar voice asked from behind, interrupting his reminiscing. Stan squared his shoulders, tightening his fists in his pocket, slipping on his old brass knuckles. 

Stan turned around to greet his brother. “Nothing. Just thinking and looking out into the woods.”

Slight fear touched his brother's eyes, like it always does now at the mention of the forest, and a small pang of sadness resonated within Stan. He remembered when mere mention of the woods would cause a bright, excited twinkle to gather in Ford's eyes. How he would nibble on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from bursting out random facts and trivia of the supernatural.

Back then, his brother had shined. But now? Now it seemed that passion had burned him out. Burned him good. Burned him like when Icarus touched the sun.

Oh, he was still his brother, no doubt about that. From the weird quirks, to the glasses, even to the way he let himself get lost in books.

But there were differences. Subtle, but still there. 

It was in the way he looked around, like he was waiting for someone or, more likely, something to pop out and grab him. The way he looked all around before entering a room, briefly giving everything a mental once-over to make sure everything was safe and good. It was in the way he took in everything. Cautious and careful while at the same time have a childlike wonder on how the world developed in the past thirty years, which both mixed and contrasted to his personality.

It was everything, really. All those little differences that made his brother a stranger to him since he came back from the portal, or, more like, since he got his memories back.

Yet, it was all the little similarities that kept Stanford, well, Stanford.

“Are you still worried about Dipper and that geometry shape? Heh, never though math would haunt you one day. ” Stanley chuckled but Ford didn’t reply. It was a yes, then.

“He'll be fine.” Stan reassured him. “He's a sweaty young man who is completely obsessed. Kinda reminds me of someone I know.”

Ford winced at his description before shaking his head. “Not anymore.”

Stan felt his slight smile wilt a bit. Yup, his brother had definitely changed. Change wasn’t always bad, though. In fact, change was needed. 

“I’m going to visit them again. This time, properly.” Ford suddenly said, his eyes looking determined and decided. “I need to make this right.”

“Uh, good idea.” Stan gave his brother a confused look before shrugging, not really listening anymore, though he did follow him out the door.

And just like Stan predicted, his brother made sure to pause and slowly creep through the doorway, staring all around at every crack and crevice he could find, making sure everything was completely and totally safe.

Yup. Weird quirks.

Turning back to the window, Stan sipped his coffee and sighed, talking to himself. “I just hope it isn’t too late.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Saying one last goodbye to Stanley, Ford entered the forest near the apartment, the closest route to the Mystery 

Shack.

It didn't take long for the woods to completely swallow him, separating him from the outside world. The forest sharpened his senses as he strolled down the almost hidden path. The slight snuffling of questionable animals off in the distance, close enough just to hear but not enough to figure out what it could belong to. The slight rustling of both leaves overhead with the breeze and the dead leaves underneath him feet, slightly damp with the soil and decay. The coldness of the air as he pushed through it, the clicking of his boots against the ground.

The maddening sound of both his own thoughts and heartbeat. He came to a sudden realization of how quiet it was.

He murmured under his own breath, trying to move his mind away from darker thoughts of the impending future while trying to fill the almost frightening silence that stretched before him. He muttered about anything that came to mind. From the weirdness of Gravity Falls to the chaos of the multiverse. To the different kind of paranormals to the wide range of vocabulary he learned. To the memories of his childhood to the people around him in daily life.

He muttered about Mabel being a morning person.

Mabel Juice as well. Nothing else really needed to be spoken on that matter.

Her optimism, which was endearing at best and irritating at worst. She had wilted recently, her smiles more strained, her eyes more dull, her words more forced. It was something else Ford can blame himself for.

Ford moved on to another topic; the topic of the other twin.

The way his voice constantly cracked. How his hair was always a brown mess underneath the hat that gave him chills thanks to the trademark symbol of a pine tree.

The way he held himself up.

How similar he was to his early years, buried in the journal, enchanted by the woods. The way he talks on and on about the supernatural or the forest or conspiracies.

How uptight he could be.

How his eyes used to light up when he found out something he didn't know before.

How he used to laugh and goof off with Mabel.

How he always did his best to be there for her when times get tough.

How he always fought back.

“I-I need to fix this.” Ford said out loud to himself, glad no one was around to hear him say it. He was done. He was done and tired of the distrust, the avoidance, the clipped tones.

He missed Dipper.

The Dipper that was always so full of energy and intelligence. The Dipper he used to see but was now clouded by mistrust.

And he continued on, deeper into the forest.

It didn't take long for it to get dark. It was the late evenings already, after all. He paused, staring up at the sky, which was now mostly blocked by the leaves above. Even though the Milky Way shone bright, a band of stars only starting to be understood, he still couldn't see anything past dark shapes. The sounds of the forest muffled around him. The snuffling had morphed and crescendoed into a symphony of beastly growls and snarls. 

Something told him things were wrong. Originally, he thought the feeling was describing his relationship with Dipper and ignored it.

The shadows of the woods seem to watch him. Watched and laughed at him. He ignored them, the darkness that traced his steps, the gleaming eyes in the background, burning into his back. The flash of yellow at the corner of his eyes.

The shack finally came into view, and a deep breath was released. Marching up the steps Ford knocked on the door, his heart still pounding.

The feeling was back tenfold. It was a warning, screaming at him that something is wrong. That everything was wrong. He could no longer ignore it.

Drumming on the door and still receiving no answers his mind assumed the worst.

Bill. Bill Cipher.

He knew. He knew like he did when he saw that the statue was gone, he knew as a cold chill ran down his spine. He could almost hear the demon’s laughter, his hand blue and blossoming with eager flames. He could sense the unholy aura around the shack, a scent of lies, or secrets being hidden, of truth being bent.

He barged down the door and ran breathlessly upstairs, a sense of fear seeping into his legs as he moved them as fast as his age would allow. He slammed open the bedroom door, shouting, “Don’t!”

Chapter Text

She found him on his desk, his position hasn't changed since the last time she checked.

It was dark. She didn’t switch on the lights, and with only the almost nonexistent sunlight splashing from the window, she couldn't see anything. Her heart dominated her ears, filling them with the sounds of her erratic and worried heartbeat and nothing else.

Kneeling to her brother's side, she gently nudged him. Slow and long breaths broke through his nostrils, his ribs expanding and contracting. His skin was slightly flushed and scratched up. 

“Dipper.” She whispered. “Wake up. You already skipped dinner. It’s time to sleep, now, so let’s do that on your bed.”

There was no response.

Biting her lip, she shook his shoulder, calling his name out softly again. “C'mon, Dipping-sauce, you gotta wake up.”

Again, not even a twitch.

Her hands shook as she carefully checked her brother over. Nothing seemed to be the problem. The only wounds he had were shallow scratches, probably from his adventures in the woods. There were no bumps or lumps on his head; he hadn't been physically knocked out.

So why wouldn't he wake up? Dipper had always been a light sleeper.

She scowled slightly, hissing through her teeth. Stupid Dipper. Why did he refuse to sleep, staying up all night over mysteries and puzzles in his early years? It had all caught up to him, probably. Ugh. Insomnia can kill someone, didn’t he know? Did he have a death wish or something?

Her thoughts made her suddenly very, very cold.

No. No. No. Dipper wouldn't do that. It wouldn't even cross his mind. He could never just leave their family, their friends, her. No, Dipper could never do that.

Even if he's been more sad lately. More empty. 

Even if he didn't seem to trust anyone recently, despite the somewhat amazing act he’s been putting up.

Even though he's turned away from everyone, whispering only to the trees and finding solace only in the shadows of the woods.

No. Dipper still loved her. Still loved all of them. He was just a bit angry from Ford’s last visit. That's all. Dipper has always been the one to carry a grudge and he is sensitive to this trust thing, after all. But that didn't mean anything. He forgave Pacifica, after all. Dipper couldn't hold a grudge forever now, could he?

Of course he couldn't! Mabel didn't let her mind dwell on those darkening thoughts anymore. There was no point to it. Worrying and wondering wouldn't help Dipper wake up. Wouldn't do anything helpful whatsoever.

Mabel raised her voice some, shaking Dipper with more gusto. “C'mon, Dipper. It's dark now. Sleep somewhere else or you’re going to get cranks in the morning!”

Dipper still didn't move.

Chills creeped along Mabel's spine, deadly and sharp. She whipped around, her fluffy hair bouncing around her round face.

There was nothing behind her, obviously. She was in their bedroom.

She stared into the darkness, hard. She could practically feel the eyes of something on her. Right out of sight, in the darkness, watching, waiting. She went to turn on the light but the lamp failed her, buzzed with a couple sparks before becoming dull and silent. “Great, gotta change the bulb.” She mumbled, but something told her to stay by Dipper’s side until he woke up.

Another shudder passed by the warm girl, icicles of fear collecting around her heart. Subconsciously, she opened her mouth to breathe better, feeling an out of character weight of anxiousness fall around her.

Mabel turned back around. “Dip?” She squeaked, her voice small in the night. Clearing her throat, she winced at the loud sounds she made. They echoed around her too loudly.

Eyes darting around, she spoke again. Just as quiet, but with more confidence in her voice. “Dipper. Please wake up.”

Ha…

Mabel jumped, falling backwards and scrambling to her feet. She heard something. She didn't know what, but she heard something.

Laughter.

It was faint. So faint, that she could barely hear it over the sounds of her own breathing. But it was there, playing with the edges of her mind, teasing and testing her all at once.

How long would it take?

How long would it take to make her scream?

She shuddered once again. She could definitely feel its eyes, burning her with its gaze, digging into her eyes. She didn't know who they belonged to, but it was there.

Right behind her. 

The room seemed to change in size, the protective walls merging with the darkness, swallowing her surroundings. She gripped her brother tighter, wanting him to wake up. 

To hold her.

To tell her it would all be okay, that they were fine and it's all going to be okay because nothing will hurt you because I love you and I'll protect you and we will be fine, because I’m here.

But now who was protecting who?

She buried her face deeper into the crook of her brother's neck, feeling too hot tears starting to prick at her eyes. She didn’t know why, almost. She was safe, in the shack, at home, yet she felt so exposed, so scared. 

She remembered how she'd always climb into his bed after she woke from a nightmare when she was little. Dipper would always turn and face towards her and tell her it was just a dream and dreams weren't real and it was all okay.

She also remembered how the same young boy, who always told her it would be okay because dreams weren't real would crawl into her bed at night, trembling from the hidden monsters that would plague his nightmares. His eyes would be wet; the same eyes that would reflect the moon as she curled up next to him, feeling safe in his presence. She, like he did, would roll over to face him.

But she never told him dreams weren't real.

She would wrap her small arms around his squishy body, burying her face in his hair. He would shake against her, violent at first, fear leaking from every pore. Then, his shaking would slow until it finally stopped. Until he relaxed completely, his arms loosening where they were tight around her as he fell into another, dreamless sleep.

Mabel felt laughter bubble at the back of her throat, choking and hard.

It wasn't a dream anymore now, was it?

Looks like both their nightmares had come true.

She could feel the shadow pass over her. Not a physical presence. No ghostly hand, no faint whisper trickling into her ears.

Just a shadow. 

Her heart rammed against her rib-cage as the shadow seemed to pass by once again.

And again.

And again.

The eyes, hidden in darkness, still seemed to scorch her. See through her. Judge her.

Of all her faults.

All her mistakes.

Taunting her, mocking her, laughing at her.

“ It's your fault, you know. Your fault your brother doesn't trust you anymore. If only you had hit that button… ” A breath whispered.

But if she didn't, they wouldn't have Grunkle Ford. They wouldn’t have been able to defeat Bill.

“Your fault that he isolated himself away from you and doesn't trust anyone but his journal.”  The voice persisted, pressing at her from all sides.

Mabel was silent to that.

“Your fault that he is so tired, feeling so betrayed. That moment, when he stared at you in the eye as you aimed a weapon that you knew would kill him…” 

Mabel gritted her teeth, her jaw beginning to hurt as her knuckles turned white, her nails digging into her palm.

“Your fault he doesn't love you anymore.”

“You're wrong.” Mabel whispered out loud. Her tears, once shed with fear and sadness, flowed faster in her anger.

“You're wrong.” She said once again, stronger.

“Oh?” The shadow asked playfully, as if it was all a game.

“Dipper loves me. He always has and always will. He's my brother, my twin, but most importantly, my best friend. He would never ever stop caring. Stop loving. He loves me, and I love him. You're wrong!”

She had shouted the last sentence, rage bubbling in her heart, boiling in her gut, searing through her veins.

(Her shouts were similar, too similar to the ones of said brother in the woods, screaming to a triangular demon that his family would believe him, would trust him.) 

Mabel tensed around her brother as pressure built up around her, negative, mind-numbing oppression that wanted to drag her down.

“YOU'RE WRONG!”

Mabel ripped her head out of the crook of her twin's neck. Her eyes illuminated the dark with her conviction, a proud and flaming fire that would never go out. Not for anything. Not for anyone.

She whipped around her and met…

Nothing.

No creature.

No eyes.

No shadowy grin.

No oppression.

Mabel stared around the room, her cheeks tear-stained. Her eyes could now make out the furniture, the two beds at each sides, the cloth in the closet. She froze when she realized that the only thing behind her was the triangular mirror, showing her the empty night sky outside. The acute, single eye in the middle silently watching her outburst. Sniffling slightly, she rubbed the back of her eyes with her hand, disliking how the tears were already drying to her skin.

The door was suddenly slammed open, the light from the hallway pouring into the dark room. Grunkle Ford stood in the open doorway, shouting something but as relief and a sense of safety washed over her Mabel couldn’t tell what it was. Strangely, Grunkle Ford looked relieved as well.

Ford immediately approached Dipper when he saw him, his eyes suddenly narrowed and skeptical. “He-He's not hurt. But he won't wake up.” Mabel supplied, scooting as close to the older man as she could. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

Ford narrowed his eyes. If he was wrong, and Bill is back though he didn’t possess Dipper… Well, sure, that was always the last option by entering his dreams, but what would Bill want with Dipper otherwise? There’s nothing the boy can offer and there’s nothing Bill can offer either. In fact, making Dipper aware of his existence would cause the boy to be alarmed and warn others, losing the demon’s element of surprise

This- this wasn't proof. Sleep had simply caught up with the boy. Sleeping wasn't proof.

But then, why was his stomach sinking down into his toes?

Ford shook away his thoughts. Right now, Dipper needs to wake up.

He stared at the close eyelids, wondering if those eyes were as dead as they were when he left. If they were as cold as they were when he left. If they were as sad. A shiver raced down his spine.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Bill could see a kaleidoscope of temporal probability with fluctuating range. He can also see the infinite alternative version of endings with infinite variations.

He was watching Sixer and Shooting Star beside the sleeping boy. He could see a future where Dipper would wake up and Ford would be allowed to apologize to him, and they would trust each other again. He could see a future where Mabel and Dipper would reunion, stronger than ever, just like in Weirdmageddon. And the family would be a whole again. Everything will be happy again. Things will be normal again.

Dipper would wake up with a moan, his eyes weakly cracking open.

“Dipper!” Mabel would cry out, tackling the now awake twin in a bone-crushing hug.

Dark brown eyes flashing open, Dipper would mutter, “M-Mabel? What're...huh?” Becoming more lucid, he would struggle to sit up, however failed with his sister practically crushing him.

“OhmyGodOhmyGodI'msosososorryDipperIthoughtyouwerehurtwhatwereyouthinkingbutyou'reokaynowandIthoughtIlostyoubutyou'reawakeandIloveyouandohmyGod...!” Mabel would gush, her words running together until she was a blubbery mess. 

Ford would look relieved while trying to pry her off Dipper so she wouldn't crush the poor kid to death.

Mabel would slowly pull back, eyes sparkling with unshed tears once more, a wide grin on her face. Ford would step back, letting the twins do the job.

“Dipper...you, you still love me, right?” Mabel would murmur. Her words would be butterfly wings on Dipper’s eardrums. Soft, quiet, and shocking.

She would feel him tense against her, and she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from fearing the worst.

That is, until she would feel two noodly arms wrap tightly around her in return, giving just as much strength, if not more, into the hug.

“How...” Dipper’s voice would be like sandpaper, dry and rough. He would still be confused, having Bill’s memories bouncing randomly through his head in addition to the life story he heard in the dream.

“Why would you even ask that? What sort of-” He would gulp as he became lucid. He wouldn’t be able to lie, to avenge himself for his sister’s betrayal. 

“Of course I love you.” He would hiss into her ear, his voice strong and true.

Mabel would feel tears well in her eyes but she would be smiling. A real smile, so wide, so happy. Ford, having listened to the exchange, would approach Dipper next.

“I-I'm sorry.” He would say, softly. 

For acting like a jerk.

For not believing you.

For not trusting you.

For making you feel betrayed and sad and alone.

For hurting you so deeply.

Those words wouldn't need to be said. They would be understood and Ford will know as Dipper pulls him into the hug as well. And all will be forgiven.

Bill thrashed his hand, the same sensation of almost guilt washing over him as he did it but he didn’t stop. He can’t lose now. He trusted Dipper with everything he had and no one needed to stand in his way. No one. 

Bill had enough power to force Dipper to stay asleep. He waved his hand, whispering a magical tune that only Dipper, in his sleep, could hear, blocking out all the shouts outside. And Dipper didn’t wake up, blissfully unaware of what he’s missing out and trapped in the silent space humans enter during a deep sleep. 

The wonderful future Bill just saw, so possible, with so much potential, so happy with so much forgiveness and warmth and love and joy, twisted and burned into ashes right in front of him.

The demon turned away, disappearing into the night sky, no longer able to hear Ford and Mabel’s cries and attempts to get Dipper to wake up before giving up and just moving him onto the bed. No one but him would know what he has done, what and which future he destroyed, how and whose life he ruined. His heart sank with his choice but he didn’t look back. 

Just like the time his home universe burned.

Chapter Text

Dipper went through his day like normal. Mabel launched herself into him when he went downstairs in the morning, blabbering about something that happened last night, but like always Dipper made his eyes yellow and his pupil slitted behind his contacts and tuned out, not bothering to pay attention but pretending good enough to pass.

His mind was racing, jumping from one spot to another as he reviewed the information he got last night. The more he thought, the more Bill’s past intrigued him, throwing him into a storm of thoughts as more questions emerged. There was so much he wanted to know and so much Bill could provide. 

He didn’t know what to think of Bill’s hasty departure, either. Usually the demon was keen to stay. He just came back from his business trip too. Could Dipper have pushed too far? Could the demon actually be upset right now?

Why was Dipper overthinking and caring so much anyways? Why was his heart sinking as he entered the woods and can’t sense the familiar presence, hear the familiar laugh, see the familiar bright yellow? 

The questions were too much as they buzz all at once in his ear, looming over him as they crashed into each other, forming a giant blur of demanding noises. Dipper took a deep breath and ventured deep into the trees, farther than he usually does as he wanted to escape his own mind for one moment. 

His hands clutched his journal. He brings it with him everywhere, its weight feeling natural in his palm, bringing him a touch of comfort in the midst of a sense of loneliness. He stumbled upon a stream and spotted a golden speck. A smile appeared on his sullen face as he reach into the water, letting the golden blur underneath the water approach. A feeling of soft, smooth scales brush against the back of his hand, filling him with an elation and euphoria. His mind wandered back to the times in between lessons where Bill would be pleased enough to show him the undiscovered paranormals of Gravity Falls. Joy fish, the golden waves beneath the water, was one of them. 

Thanks to Bill’s extensive knowledge and familiarity with the area, so many paranormals that Dipper would have never found without the demon were observed and noted in his journal. Flipping through the pages always sent him a wave of triumph and pride. It was because of that reason, when Ford glanced through what he thought were filled pages so dismissive that Dipper snapped within him. Had the Author not been so focused on Dipper, he might have noticed a few objects floating off the shelves, shaking terribly.

The gold reminded him again of the triangular demon, and a hole the Joy Fish couldn’t replace gasped. The Joy Fish slipped out of his hand and disappeared into the sparkling water. Dipper stared into the river, his reflection showing him a young man with pensive, almost sad eyes and slumped shoulders.

Suddenly, he got an idea. Raising his hand to the sky he unleashed a wave of energy into his palm. He was never taught this but letting his instincts take him a burst of blue flames erupted expectantly onto his hand. A little surprised, he stumbled back, not expecting the size of the flame. The fire was only a tickling sensation against his skin and staring into the dancing blue Dipper found himself entranced. No wonder Bill liked fire so much.

Something popped out beside him but he was too focused looking into the depth of the flames, as if trying to see through it. A black hand was clasped over his own and Dipper felt a drooling disappointment as the flame extinguished. The disappointment was short-lived when he noticed who appeared.

“Bill!” He shouted, letting his pleasantly surprised sensation brighten his voice.

Tipping his hat, Bill gave a toothful grin, clearly happy at Dipper’s tone.“Yellow! In the flesh, Pine Tree! Did you miss me? Admit it, you missed me!”

Choosing not to answer that question, Dipper continued, “You left in such a cutting and hasty manner last night! I thought you promised something exciting after your return.” Pretending to be upset he tapped his feet impatiently against the ground.

“My life story is the most exciting thing in this entire multiverse!” Bill fake pouted, putting his hands on his hips. “But you’re right. I did promise that and I had something planned! Something exciting, indeed! Close your eyes and take my hand!”

Dipper couldn’t help his initial reactions of shrinking away. Afraid Bill would notice it he forced himself to stretch his own arm but it quickly dropped to his sides as he stared blankly at Bill’s black fingers. 

Bill, of course, took note of this, and though his heart dropped, disappointment caused him to slightly withdraw his hand he wasn’t surprised. It was expected, in fact, for he was prepared and knew exactly what to do and say, what nudge in which direction will get him what he wanted. “Pine Tree… I just trusted my entire past and present on your shoulders last night, so asking for a little speck of trust is not too much, don’t you think? Plus, if I was able to and wanted to kill you, I would’ve done so before letting you drag some life story out of me. What do you say? I’m not offering this twice, but I promise you you won’t regret it!”

He poked Dipper gently on the shoulder before flattening his hand once more. Dipper visibly gulped, his glance so hesitant Bill, for just a moment, thought he’d refuse. But then the warmth of flesh was upon his palm and with a grin the Cheshire Cat would be jealous of he gripped Dipper’s hand. 

Bill was careful with this. Nothing can go wrong. Leaping into the air he steadied the boy before snapping his fingers. He studied Dipper as they teleported, dazzling colours swirling around him in random formation and patterns before slowly growing still, forming images. It felt as if they were falling through the air, arms outstretched, though Bill was more than familiar with the sensation of sudden weightlessness as they arrived.

Dipper was watching the world around him change with fascination as the colours twisted into glistening darkness, planets and galaxies. His hand was tightly wrapped around Bill’s, and it was evident that he was at once shocked, confused and depending on Bill with his life.

The smirk remained as the triangle let go of Dipper, letting the boy float in the air. “Welcome, Pine Tree, to the multiverse!” He exclaimed, his single eye glittering with excitement as he threw his arms in the air, presenting everything around them. Dipper’s eyes widened and the ‘O’ shape of his mouth quickly transformed into an astonished smile. 

“Wait, really? What- how? Why?” Bill could tell that Dipper was trying really, really hard to contain his excitement. The question ‘how’, however, was one he didn't want to answer, so instead he directed Dipper’s attention to the swirling, shining masses around them.

“Even though I was busy, I am always watching! You’ve made amazing progress without my assistance, like lighting a flame just now,  and it’s only reasonable to put that on the test! Power is only useful if you use it, after all! Here in the multiverse it’s not different from that wood behind your shack; fascinating , perhaps, but dangerous and thrilling at the same time! ” Tapping his fingers Bill summoned a clock, the sound of its rapid ticking echoing through the multiverse around them.

“This is a lesson but a test at the same time. You’ll need to defend yourself to prove your worth and your strength! All my students need to learn this the hard way. They say experiences that don’t kill you are the best teachers, but this one might just lead you to your graves! Until the clock runs out I’ll be running some otherworldly errands. By the time I come back I better see some growth! Be an independent pine, Pine Tree, and explore the multiverse at your will! You’re a powerful being now, believe it or not. I’ll be back, but remember, Nostradamus was a hack! Morality is a mental cage designed by the weak! How's Annie? Byyeeeeeeeee!!!”

Bill disappeared without time for Dipper to respond, teleporting back to the 3rd dimension to have a peak on what ol’ Sixer is doing. He knew that Ford would do whatever it takes to destroy him, and he would like to put the man who directly contributed to his previous defeat in an endless cycle of dazzling torture (death is way to merciful for this waste of DNA and his brother), but for the sake of the better good and Dipper, he couldn’t accelerate the instability and insanity of Ford’s slowly slipping mind. Yet.

Admittingly, it was a bold and almost reckless move to put Dipper, who plays such an important role in Bill’s return, into the hands of the endless brutal death of the multiverse. However, while his henchmaniacs from Nightmare Realm referee to Dipper as a pawn, Bill intended on keeping him much, much longer. The boy, the child of the stars, with the most peculiar birthmark that holds so much magical potential was too good to be just a small piece of interglacial chess. But if Bill wanted Dipper to survive, this would have to be the best way to train and teach.

The only reason Bill hadn’t used him prior to Weirdmageddon was because of his position in the zodiac and, of course, the fear that the boy would turn this power against him. If he is kept blissfully unaware, like the rest of his stupid, extremely not observant family, then he would never pose a threat. Now, however, was a different story. He’d never imagine the boy to have a heart so big and foolish to shake his statue’s hand. It was a gateway to new beginnings, new choices and paths. Had he had someone from the zodiac on his side, the prophecy that hung so heavily over his mind (though he’d never admit that) would be lifted!

The boy himself was precious despite his position and talents. His mind, though it doesn’t contain a vocabulary as varied as Ford’s, was an abundance of resources. Sure, he once was a sweaty twelve-years old, but the experience in Gravity Falls had grown him in unimaginable ways. The small sapling had grown into a fine pine. 

Trusting Dipper’s life into Dipper himself’s hand, Bill had turned without looking back. A minuscule part of him was worried, not just for his plan if an incident were to happen, but Dipper’s actual life. He didn’t dwell too long on why.

Dipper blinked, his mouth still open to protest after Bill disappeared with the familiar snap of his fingers. It too several long seconds to register what just happened. 

He was in the Multiverse. Excitement and thrill had overwhelmed him at first as he studied the unknown around them, trusting his safety to the all-seeing and all-knowing demon beside him. Fear, however, quickly washed over him now as he stared at the absence of a yellow triangle, his almost maniacal laughter and his twirling cane. 

He was alone in the Multiverse. Alone. Free for the gnawing of interglacial monsters, the torture of varies dimensions, the completely endless and infinite possibilities of horrible future timelines and perhaps most important of all, without Bill .

Dipper was one tiny step away from another panic attack as he registered this, though he doubted Bill would rescue him a second time. Actually, Bill had rescued him plenty of times, either from falling to his doom thanks to learning levitation/telekinesis, or from drowning in his own misery and depression. Ever since Bill returned he’s done nothing but help Dipper with his physical and mental problems.

He discarded that thought for a moment. Bill was also the one that left him here, in the middle of a mass danger and uncertainty. Could Bill have actually wanted him dead and found this the most amusing way to do it? It’s twisted but somehow almost fitting, had the demon wished for revenge upon his previous defeat. But knowing Bill, something as personal as crushing and delaying his plan for at least five years would cause the demon to want to torture the people that contributed himself, wouldn’t he? (Dipper didn’t fully understand what it meant to think in the demon’s shoes or why it’s possible that he is doing it so well, especially since he believes he probably can’t feel sympathy for Bill. Yet.)

So if it’s not that, then perhaps Bill was fulfilling his deal and actually wanted Dipper to learn from this incredibly most-likely-going to-be-traumatizing experience? The questions were starting to pile as he couldn’t find an answer for any of them and create buzz in his ears the longer he tried to think of a justifiable reason for Bill's action. Why was he bothering, anyways?

Finally deciding to act instead of floating in space, he tried to be courageous. The Multiverse was a place he always wanted to explore one day and by far one of the greatest but at the same time completely awful surprises he ever had. In a way, it was just like Bill to throw this at the most unexpected time. 

Taking a deep breath Dipper was determined not to die as he wandered through the dazzling space.