Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Twenty year old Dipper Pines sat quietly in the back of his great uncle’s old car.  The hood of his navy blue jacket was pulled over his head while he concentrated on the book in his hands.  He was easily able to filter out the gushing of his twin sister in the front seat.  She was excited to be moving up to Gravity Falls from their California home and start the next chapter of her life.  Dipper felt himself more along for the ride than anything else, but he was determined to remain at her side.  They were both taking a big step in their life when they decided to stay with their great uncles in the little Oregon town.

Mabel twisted in her seat to look out her window.  Her face was pressed to it like a child looking in on a toy shop.  Her normally flowing hair had been cut to shoulder length in preparation for this change in her life.  It would likely get in the way of her training otherwise.  Mabel wasn’t entirely sure what it would entail, but she knew it was important.  Her salmon colored Salmon sweater had the left sleeve rolled up to reveal a violet square on her forearm.  It was because of this that she had made the decision to come up here.  The area around it tingled ever so slightly as if in anticipation for finding the one with her corresponding symbol.  Mabel would soon meet her Guardian, and through them learn to harness her magical abilities.

It was a rare occurrence for marks such as the one she bore to appear, but everyone knew what they meant.  Mabel was one of the few truly gifted in magic.  Their world was not always accepting of those with the talent.  She would have her family backing her, and her demonic partner.  They would teach her all she needed to know about magic.  Mabel just hoped she would prove worthy of the task put upon her.  She would become the best of friends with the demon in charge of her training.  Once she learned of their matching symbol she could knit herself a matching sweater to go with the one she had brought along.

Those that did find themselves with a demonic guardian were known as a Charge in this world.  Magic had become a prominent fixture in human life ages ago.  Not everyone had a knack for harnessing it, but for those that could Charges were the most powerful of magic users.  They were also the most distrusted despite the role they played in keeping peace between humans and demons as well as other magical creatures.  Humans just naturally did not trust what they couldn’t understand.  Demons preferred to keep to themselves, hidden from mortal eyes.  It was rare for a demon to make themselves known to humans unless they had a Charge.  Rogue demons were a problem from time to time.  That was why the world needed a bonded pair to protect the less capable.

The occurrence of a bonded pair was rare.  The last one had been documented only a few years ago, but prior to that there had been decades separating the instances.  Dipper had gone into more research on the subject than Mabel had.  They had shared the few classes that covered the topic, but many were biased against the bonding of humans and demons.  Again it was Dipper that put stock into what was actually stated in those classes.  Mabel wasn’t about to deny her new partner a chance just because of some ignorant superstitions.

Dipper for his part could admit that perhaps their teachers had not known enough on the subject.  He still wasn’t about to let his sister take this leap of faith on her own.  He understood the risks better than her.  There were enough books documenting the accounts of a bond going south.  Dipper had found a distinct lack of information on whether a human had ever refused bonding to a demon, but there were plenty of warnings should the reverse occur.  There was no way Mabel was becoming the victim of another feral demon.  It didn’t matter that a demon had not turned feral for over fifty years.  If anything such information made it far too likely to happen again.  Dipper wasn’t about to let that happen to his twin.  Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford would be there, too, so should the bond be rejected at least the demon could be kept from hurting Mabel.  It was hard to believe that anyone would wish the brunette harm regardless of species.

“There’s the sign,” Mabel squealed.  “Dipper, look!  We’re finally in Gravity Falls!  Just think of all the new people we can meet.  And we’ll get to see Grunkle Ford again!  Oh, I can’t wait!”

“I know, Mabel,” Dipper said in a much calmer tone.  His face was still occupied with the words in front of him.  A hand reached up to scratch at the back of his neck.  “We can catch up with Great Uncle Ford and explore the town once we’ve unpacked.”

“Then we can start searching for my partner,” Mabel announced excitedly.  She had waited two years for this moment, longer if one took into consideration the years it had taken for her mark to fill in after the outline had first appeared on her skin.

“How about you channel that energy into helping unpack once we’ve reached the Shack, pumpkin,” Stanley said with a fond smile despite himself.  He wasn’t looking forward to getting out of the car after a long drive.  It would all be worth it to have his great-niece and -nephew around.  “I’m sure your Guardian isn’t going anywhere while you settle in.”

The car slowed before turning off on a dirt path.  Mabel continued to practically vibrate in anticipation.  Dipper closed his book while his right hand fought with the continuous itch just below his nape.  He sighed when it finally subsided, but continued to feel like his skin was crawling around that area.  Perhaps it was a reaction to the change in air or something.  It would pass given enough time.  The drive up to the Mystery Shack was silent until Grunkle Stan put the vehicle in park.  Mabel wasted little time jumping out of her seat.  Stanley shook his head at the girl’s impatience.

“You mind grabbing Ei-erm… my cane there, Dipper?” Stan asked while shifting to get out of his old car.

“I got it, Grunkle Stan,” Dipper said when he reached for the object.

It was a simple black cane aside from the eight-ball resting on top to grip.  Stanley rarely went anywhere without it for one reason or another.  He didn’t talk about it much, and the twins didn’t ask.  Dipper questioned that fact sometimes, but never voiced it.  Some things just weren’t talked about with their family.  At least two of those things involved Grunkle Stan:  his favored cane, and what happened to his right arm.  The man wore a pair of black gloves to hide that one of his hands was made of a titanium alloy.  The twins knew that Great Uncle Ford had a hand in crafting the fake limb for him, but the circumstances making it required were lost to them.

“Thanks, buddy boy,” Stan said as he took the cane in hand.  He held it in his right hand while making his way to the trunk of his car.  Dipper followed shortly after securing his satchel of books over his shoulder.

The trunk was opened to reveal the twins’ luggage.  Dipper had one of the suitcases full of his clothes and the bag he was already holding.  The other three cases belonged to Mabel.  One held her clothes, another her crafting and knitting supplies, and the last one had been dedicated to all the things she just couldn’t leave at home.  Mabel had cut her hair just before their trip was decided, but just because it was shorter didn’t mean she should slack on its maintenance.  Dipper had learned not to ask questions when it came to a lot of his sister’s supposed logic.  Mabel pulled out two of her suitcases with little issue while Dipper grabbed his.

“Did you pack bricks in this?” Grunkle Stan asked while pulling out the last suitcase.  Only Mabel knew which of them contained what belongings she brought.  Stanley was just unlucky enough to be left with the heaviest.  It must have been one of the others that he helped load up.

“No, it just contains my supplies,” Mabel giggled.  She put on a more serious face to convey the challenge she was setting for herself.  “I need it all to make sure everyone is supplied with a sweater for every occasion.”

“Don’t you think you’ll be too busy for knitting?” Dipper asked with a raised eyebrow.  “Learning magic takes a lot of study and practice, Mabel.  I doubt you’ll have time for much else, and even if you do have spare time it would be best used for rest.”

“Pfft, says Mr. Insomnia,” Mabel teased.  “I doubt Grunkle Ford will allow you to stay up through the night to finish your books.”

“I’ll have you know I plan to be the very essence of responsibility,” Dipper said while puffing out his chest in a show of self importance.  His pose lasted for about a second before he shared a laugh with his twin.  He composed himself with a flick of his wrist as though he could physically dispel the mild concern.  “Great Uncle Ford won’t mind so much if I spend some extra time studying.”

“It’s a good thing such decisions are not solely up to him, then,” Stanley butted in.  He placed the suitcase he was carrying on the porch.  “The three of us already discussed a schedule for teaching both of you.”

“Three?” Mabel and Dipper questioned simultaneously.

“Myself, Stanford, and T-,” Grunkle Stan started listing off.

“It appears I should take time from training Dipper to instruct you on proper grammar again, Stanley,” the eldest of the Pines cut his twin off.  He gave the other a pointed look before turning his attention to his great niece and great nephew.  “It is good to see you again, kids.”

“Great Uncle Ford,” the twins said excitedly.

Mabel was the first to reach Stanford and tackle him into a hug.  He managed to stay upright despite the running force his niece had behind her.  It had been too long since they had seen their great uncle.  Stanford tended to stay at the Mystery Shack when his twin visited the two and their parents.  He stayed in contact through phone calls, but it didn’t compare to seeing their smiling faces first hand.  He had missed Mabel’s hugs.  The brunette finally let go so that Ford could better see the young woman she had grown into.  He could remember when she barely reached his knees, and now Mabel was almost up to his chin.

“It really is good to see you again,” Ford said with a loving smile.  He shifted his attention to his great nephew.  It appeared that the young man had had a growth spurt of his own since Stanford had last seen the two.  Dipper had finally surpassed his sister.  Ford ignored the hand extended to him and pulled the brunet into a hug.  “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“How about we get these suitcases inside before we start getting all sappy?” Stanley interrupted with his arms crossed.  The smile tugging at his lips was a dead giveaway that he was mostly joking.

It would be good to let the twins settle in before too much time passed.  They had a lot to adjust to in Gravity Falls.  Mabel once again bounded up to her luggage and rushed to the door.  Dipper smiled at his mentor before following the slightly older brunette.  Stanley huffed as he took up the suitcase he had pulled from the trunk.  He was regretting letting his employees have time off.  No doubt the twins would meet with them soon enough.  He glanced to his brother who had diverted his attention to the forest.  Stanley’s mouth morphed into a frown.

“The square run off or something?” He asked with mild concern.

“Yes,” Ford replied barely above a whisper.  “He claimed he shouldn’t be long.  It wasn’t long before you pulled in that he left.  I just hope it’s not anything too serious.”

“Probably just some mindless creature running at the barrier again,” Stanley said with a wave of his free hand.  “I’m sure he can handle whatever it is.  In the meantime we can let the kids settle in until Strange gets back.”

“I suppose you are right,” Ford said, not as convinced as he should be.  He shrugged and followed his brother back inside.  “Mabel will certainly be happy to meet him.  Do you think we should break the news to them, or…”

“We should wait for the square,” Stanley decided.  “We already have so far.”

Ford agreed with a nod.  It wasn’t like the other would be long.  He would probably be back by the time Dipper and Mabel were done unpacking.  For the time being they could show the kids to their rooms.  Stanford had cleared out most of his things from the one bedroom for Mabel to use.  He spent most of his time in his lab anyway.  Something Stanley always complained about.  He couldn’t really fault his brother for accusing him of rubbing off on their great nephew.  Ford was still nervous about letting Dipper take the attic.  There was no reason to be so worried, though.  He just had to get over his paranoia, as he had repeatedly told himself for years.

Meanwhile, out in the forest surrounding Gravity Falls leaves and foliage crunched underfoot.  A pair of finely polished black dress shoes carried a figure through the woods.  They somehow remained pristine and untouched, likely through magical means.  Dark slacks covered just enough to hide the reach of lavender socks.  A matching glove pressed against the bark of an old tree as the man rounded it.  His covered hands adjusted the purple pinstripe suit and black tie.  He had rushed to this location deep within the forest, and his attire showed it.  One hand reached up to make sure the bowler hat was still placed securely atop his black hair.

Violet eyes focused on the strange clearing.  A small sigh escaped the male before he took a step closer.  He had admittedly feared the worst when coming to this place.  He had sensed the shift and darted off with barely a word to his compatriot.  Hopefully it had not worried the other too much.  Perhaps this was cause for worry, though.  Tad Strange took another step towards the middle of the parting of branches before he felt the pushback.  The wind was nearly knocked out of him from the force.

The demon was watched unblinkingly by a single wide eye seemingly sculpted from stone.  The oddly shaped statue held a hand out as though attempting to grasp something.  Despite the unmoving eye Tad could tell the being within would be glaring at his very presence.  His brief surprise at the unseen attack changed to sadness at the thought.  Strange could not say that he did not deserve such hatred from the other.  Perhaps that is what made it hurt so much.  There was a small sense of relief that the triangular statue remained.  It did not answer the questions he had.  Such answers could not be gained from the being trapped within either.

“Why awaken now, brother?” Tad questioned despite knowing there would be no response.

There was no verbal response, but he felt the push of energy once more.  He was not welcomed here.  Tad knew that the other would not want the reminder of his existence.  He had visited this clearing all the same for decades, if not centuries.  It granted him no answers, and even less closure.  Perhaps it was a means to punish himself for his transgressions.  If that was not the case then Tad had no idea why he kept returning, especially after the other demon was returned to his proper vessel.

The other was still sealed away at least.  One could only imagine the panic and destruction that waited should that not be the case.  Tad could not say if he would be the first to feel the consequences, or the last.  If his welcoming was anything to go by it was likely the former.  His teeth dug into his bottom lip for a moment as he contemplated what this meant.  Why would his brother wake up now of all times?  It didn’t seem like anything had come of it as yet.

It was likely that the other was trying to take in their surroundings within that shell.  Not much came through this clearing besides the vegetation already growing.  There was no telling how long that would last.  Tad knew he couldn’t be the only one to sense the shift when his brother woke up.  Would others come to see?  Would she show up to investigate the change?  It was hard to say.  In a way she had less reason to come here than he did, or maybe she had more of one.  After all, it was Tad who helped put his brother in this state.  Dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything.

“The world has changed a lot,” Tad said conversationally.  He wasn’t even sure the other could hear him.  Perhaps that prison only allowed for sensing the outside world and not truly knowing what was happening.  Tad wasn’t likely to ever find out.  “I have a Charge now.”

A small smile was forced onto his face.  Tad had honestly never thought such a thing would happen to him after all this time.  He supposed the right match just hadn’t been found until now.  He should be back at the Mystery Shack now, meeting her.  Instead he was once again talking to this unmoving statue that would never answer him.  Tad supposed it was different this time.  He knew the other was in there, and even if he was not heard his presence was felt.  The other would likely accuse him of being there to gloat.

Tad couldn’t say how much longer he remained standing there.  It wasn’t like he was waiting for an answer.  Maybe he was, though.  Perhaps he thought if he stuck around long enough the other would force himself out of that prison.  It was a stupid thing to hope for on Tad’s part.  It would only end in him being beat into the ground for all he had done.  Tad sighed and shook his head before turning from the unmoving triangle.

“Goodbye, Bill,” Strange whispered just before he vanished from the scene.

Chapter Text

Mabel bounced around her room putting up various posters.  It had once been her Grunkle Ford’s bedroom, but he had taken all of his belongings down into his lab.  She was a little worried about forcing him out of his only proper bed.  Both of her grunkles had told her that it would get more use now.  Sometimes Grunkle Ford did sound a lot like Dipper.  It certainly explained how Grunkle Stan had been so good at putting them to bed when they were younger.  She promised herself to help the old man when they had to force the two to get proper sleep.

The brunette stepped back once she had all her posters up on the wall.  A couple of them were from bands she had managed to go to concerts of; others were stereotypical motivational posters like a kitten on a tree branch.  Placed right at the head of her new bed was a rainbow unicorn with cartoonish large and cute eyes.  Mabel took it all in before she decided it was sufficient to live in.  She was likely to try rearranging them a few more times throughout the year.  Her craft supplies had been shoved under the bed to be out of the way, but still have easy access to.  Mabel switched to going about putting her clothes in the dresser drawers.

A label maker was picked up from the bed.  She had instantly fallen in love with the idea of labeling things when she was little.  Mabel wasn’t as out of control with it as she once was.  She still used the labeler on her clothes, and the sweaters she knitted for others.  Luckily for others she had since learned that labeling people with it was possibly going just a little overboard.  Mabel went to work labeling each of her drawers from her socks and sleepwear to her shirts and jeans.  There was a closet for her sweaters luckily.

Dipper was settling into the attic space while his sister Mabel-fied Stanford’s old room.  He didn’t have nearly as many clothes to worry about.  The brunet was still of the belief that if certain clothes didn’t stink they could be worn for multiple days.  It was something that both Mabel and their mother groaned about to no end.  They had managed to make him cut back to only wearing said clothes two days in a row.  Mabel had literally tackled him a few days before their big move to wash his hoodie, and hadn’t let him wear it until the day they made their way to Gravity Falls.  A smile tugged at his lips at the memory.

There wasn’t really a system for the brunet when it came to his clothes.  He figured he might as well use the dresser his grunkles had bought for the attic.  His bed was on the right side of the room.  There was a large space on the left, or there would have been if it wasn’t for the books piled up there.  Great Uncle Ford had told him they would help with his magic training.  They held information on the creatures living in the forest around Gravity Falls, and others that the older twins had come across in their travels.

It was hard to contain his excitement at the prospect of finally learning magic.  Mabel was waiting to meet her Guardian at long last.  Dipper was anxious to begin his training under Great Uncle Ford.  He could fully admit that he had a sense of hero worship for the man.  Who wouldn’t, though?  The man was proclaimed to be the greatest magic user of their time, without a demonic partner.  Dipper could only hope he lived up to expectations.  There were likely people out there that would kill for a chance like his.  Perhaps Dipper could prove that it was in their blood, but he supposed he was getting ahead of himself.

The attic room was rather bare.  No doubt Mabel had already decorated her walls with all the posters she had.  At least Grunkle Stan had put a rug down over the likely splinter riddled floor.  The man had actually purchased multiple small rugs by the looks of it.  They certainly didn’t match.  There were dark blues and light blues, various shades of browns and tan, and a few reds and violets thrown in.  Right at the foot of his bed was a green rug even.  Dipper supposed it kept him from getting splinters at least, but they were all separate rugs.  Perhaps Mabel could be convinced to sew them into one.

Other than that the only thing Dipper found himself taking note of was the oddly shaped window in the center of the far wall.  Straight across from the door into the attic was a triangular window.  The lamp on the nightstand did a good job of hiding it actually.  He couldn’t say why he felt drawn to it.  Perhaps it was just odd enough to garner his attention.  Dipper shrugged it off and turned his gaze to the books stacked up on the left side of his new room.  He should probably wait a bit before getting started on reading them.

The closet that opened beside the entrance would suffice for his clothes and the few jackets he had brought along.  If the weather called for anything heavier Dipper figured he could find a coat in town eventually.  It was a little strange to him that there would be both a closet and a set of dressers.  The positioning of said dressers was also off.  He paid a bit more attention to their placement while trying to decide why they looked so weird to him.  There was no wall behind them.  Dipper raised an eyebrow in thought.  There was apparently more to his room than first glance.  Why were there dressers blocking the rest of it?

Dipper ignored it for the time being.  He had likely taken enough time getting set up in here.  Today would be spent acclimating to their new surroundings.  Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford likely had some ground rules to set up with them.  Dipper pulled open his door with one hand while the other itched at the back of his neck.  The sensation went away quickly enough this time around.  He pulled up his hood more out of habit than anything else.  Maybe Grunkle Stan would let him have one of the hats he had seen in the gift shop.

“All settled in, bro-bro?” Mabel asked as she came out of her new room.

Great Uncle Ford had given her his little used room at the end of the second floor hall.  Grunkle Stan’s bedroom was close by.  The two joked about his snoring keeping Mabel up at night.  The bathroom was located there as well, on the opposite side from Stan’s room.  Their grunkles seemed to manage with only the one, but they were just two people.  Only time would tell if the twins would be able to share it without issue.  Mabel was usually good about not wasting all the hot water and Dipper didn’t take much time at all with his method of the bare essential cleanliness.

When the twins made it past the last step back to the first floor they could hear their great uncles talking.  Dipper was the first to see the two conversing with another man.  He was taller than them and well dressed.  The brunet glanced to Mabel to gauge her reaction to the new person.  The young woman ignored her twin and walked a little faster to reach the three.  Dipper sighed at the thought of his sister returning to her boy crazy days.  He could sense a tenseness in the air, but it seemed to evaporate when Mabel interrupted the conversation.

“Hi, I’m Mabel,” she greeted warmly.

“Tad Strange,” the man said without missing a beat.

A lavender gloved hand removed the bowler hat from his short, dark hair while another took the offered hand.  Mabel blushed as Tad placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand.  She could feel him smile against her skin briefly before he pulled back and released her.  Sure enough there was a warm smile on Tad’s lips.  Mabel couldn’t help but find a hint of nervousness in that look.  She met his violet eyes with a welcoming smile.  Tad’s pupils were almost lost in the dark color of his iris.  It took a moment for Mabel to realize that his pupils resembled that of a reptile.

“You’re a demon,” Dipper pointed out before Mabel could voice the realization.  His comment seemed more accusatory than Mabel would have put it.  The brunet caught on a bit too late that he did come off as rather rude for blurting it out.  So much for first impressions.

“That I am,” Tad said with a small nod.  His small smile remained, showing that he did not take offense to Dipper’s tone.

Tad took a moment to remove his pinstripe jacket before rolling up the left sleeve of his white button up shirt.  Mabel watched the admittedly slow process with a sense of breathless anticipation.  The demon stopped just before his elbow.  There on his forearm was a colorful mark; a yellow shooting star with a rainbow tail was emblazoned on the pale skin.  Mabel’s hands covered her mouth in a subconscious reflex.  It was hard to describe the influx of emotions she felt in that moment.

One hand moved on autopilot towards the revealed mark.  Mabel forced her body still when she realized she was about to touch the other.  Brown eyes lifted back to Tad’s face with a questioning look.  It took a moment for violet eyes to focus on the young woman again.  Tad had been paying attention to the hand nearly about to touch the symbol that proved him a Guardian.  He felt himself gulp at the anticipation.  He was actually nervous in this moment.  Tad smiled to reassure his young Charge.

It was Mabel’s turn to gulp as her hand hesitantly made contact with the shooting star symbol.  Tad breathed through his nose.  The feeling was overwhelming and grounding all at once.  How did one describe the sensation of finally being whole?  What words could be used when one found their purpose?  Nothing and no one else seemed to matter in that moment besides the human in front of him, touching him.  He was both drowning and breathing clearly for the first time.  The contact was briefly broken as Tad pulled Mabel against him.  It didn’t take long for the brunette to return his embrace.

“Sorry about that,” Tad said while he composed himself enough to let Mabel go.  He knew the first contact always had the most intense reaction, but he honestly hadn't thought he would react so strongly.

“It’s okay,” Mabel said with a supportive smile.  She found herself quickly succumbing to the nervousness that Tad had been feeling.  “I’m sorry you had to wait two years.  Admittedly I could have used a heads up to be more… presentable.”

“Well, I think you look wonderful,” Tad said, somewhat sounding like the nervous teenage boy he never was.  His smile looked more relieved than anything else.  “And two years is nothing compared to the centuries I spent not even knowing if I would have a partner.”

“I guess the near decade I waited to meet you doesn’t sound so bad compared to that,” Mabel tried to joke.  She smiled until a thought seemed to hit her.  “Oh, wait here a moment.  Please.”

Mabel darted off before anyone could say anything.  Tad blinked in confusion after her departure.  He glanced to the Stan twins who shared equally unknowing shrugs.  The two had been silent throughout the exchange.  They seemed to understand that it was a special moment between the human charge and her demonic guardian.  Neither of them really knew what Mabel ran off for.  Dipper shook his head fondly at his sister’s departure.  There was little doubt in his mind what she was up to.  Tad Strange was something (or someone) Dipper did find himself doubting.

Dipper knew that a demon couldn’t fake being a Guardian, but there was just something compelling him not to trust this being.  Dipper crossed his arms more out of a lack of knowing anything else to do with them.  Perhaps he was just being overprotective of his twin.  Their father had sat them down when it became apparent that both would be leaving for Oregon and made them promise to look after each other.  Dipper could admit that he had always been the more paranoid, less trusting of the two.  Mabel on the other hand always wanted to see the good in people, even nonhuman ones.  Dipper couldn’t really think of a reason he shouldn’t give Tad a chance.  He also couldn’t shake this urge to not trust the demon.

“When did you arrive in Gravity Falls?” Dipper asked.  He was having trouble dealing with the extended silence with nothing else going on.

“I have lived here for some time now,” Tad admitted.  There seemed to be a history behind his words that he wasn’t ready to divulge in its entirety.  “I took it upon myself to protect this town from the less friendly forest denizens.”

“So, you have a hut or something there?” Dipper questioned further.  He felt rather confused by this new information.  If Mabel’s Guardian had lived here for a long time why were they just learning about Tad now?

“Tad stays here with us,” Ford said.

“He lives here?” Dipper didn’t seem to believe his great uncle’s words.  In fact this news seemed to upset him a bit.  “Then why are we just meeting him now?  If you knew him, why didn’t you say anything when Mabel’s mark filled in, or even just appeared?”

“Calm down, Dipper,” Ford tried to soothe.

“We figured it was best to wait until you got up here,” Grunkle Stan said over his brother’s words.  “Tad is kinda stuck here, protecting the town and all.  Plus I admittedly was hoping to avoid the backlash from your mother.  No offense to her of course.”

“Oh,” Dipper said rather lamely.  He could understand that reasoning a bit.  Granted he didn’t really see how Tad was trapped in Gravity Falls without some force that actually kept him here.  He didn’t think demons were ever confined to a specific area unless it was the work of another.  Truthfully the mention of his mom is what really made sense.  “Yeah.  She was still kinda upset about us coming up here.”

That wasn’t entirely true.  Their mother was happy letting them spend time with their great uncles.  It was the reason for their move that upset her.  Well, perhaps put her on edge was a more accurate means of describing her reaction.  She really hadn’t taken the appearance of Mabel’s mark well.  She was just concerned, as any mother would be.  Dad had been proud, especially once Dipper decided he wanted to join Mabel and train under Great Uncle Ford.  He had made sure the two would have each other’s backs, not that they wouldn’t have otherwise.  Their mother on the other hand seemed to take it as if they were leading one another into a war zone.

Magic was a dangerous thing, no doubt.  Without the proper training it could be drastically volatile, but that was why Dipper wanted to learn from his great uncle.  The man had learned some highly advanced spells throughout his travels, and without a demon at that!  Grunkle Stan could work up some great spells as well from what the twins had been told.  Sometimes their mother could be rather overbearing, not that they could or ever would fault her for that.  Mabel and Dipper would just have to prove that they could handle what was set in front of them.

“Don’t worry about it,” Stanley encouraged.  “Once you kids have gotten the hang of things I’m sure she’ll be proud.  Doesn’t mean she’ll worry any less, but at least she will see that you can handle yourselves.”

“Right,” Dipper agreed with a smile and slight chuckle.  “When are we getting started then?”

“We will discuss then once Mabel returns,” Ford said.  His focus appeared to be a little behind Dipper.  “Speaking of Mabel.”

“Sorry,” Mabel said slightly out of breath.  She had clearly rushed to get whatever it was she had retrieved.  Sure enough the brunette held out a purple sweater with a darker violet square on the chest.  “I knitted this for you.  I hope it fits.”

“Thank you, Mabel,” Tad said.  He was surprised to receive the gift.  He held it almost delicately as though the knitted fabric was actually glass.  Mabel watched him with a reassuring but still expectant smile.  Tad decided against undoing his tie before pulling the sweater over his head.

“I tried to make it big,” Mabel said half conversationally and half nervousness.  She really wanted her partner to like it.  Her smile grew when Tad’s head popped out of the collar.  “Do you like it?”

Tad looked down at the sweater’s design, a simple violet square over the lighter purple fabric.  The fit was a little off, but not uncomfortably so.  Mabel had likely tried to use Stanley or Stanford’s measurements.  Tad was taller than either of them, but not as broad chested.  His dress shirt made it less noticeable.  None of that really mattered to the demon.  This was a gift from a person he had once never thought existed, or would exist.  He had a Charge, and Tad knew he would come to cherish her above all else.  His heart was already swelling at the hopeful smile on Mabel’s face.

“Thank you,” Tad repeated breathlessly upon realizing that he had not actually given an answer.  His gloved hand ran over the design again.  It was his mark; the one he knew was on Mabel’s left forearm.  He hesitated in asking his next question.  “May I see it?”

“Oh, of course,” Mabel said excitedly.  She quickly rolled up the left sleeve of her sweater.

The simple violet square was revealed on her forearm.  It was located in the same spot as Tad’s own marking.  The demon caught himself about to touch the changed skin.  His eyes looked to Mabel who just smiled at him in a reassuring manner.  It was only fair to let Tad touch hers since she had his.  They were connected after all.  He still seemed hesitant, likely unsure of how she would react to their bond further solidifying itself. Tad pulled his hands back to remove the gloves covering them.  His left hand gently took hold of Mabel’s while his right supported underneath.  Tad eventually let his thumb run over the mark in a soothing gesture.

Mabel closed her eyes involuntarily.  It was hard to describe the feeling from Tad’s contact.  It was soothing, almost lulling her to just rest.  It may also be the fatigue finally getting to her from the long car ride and bounding around to fix her new room to her liking.  That likely wasn’t the case, at least not fully.  Mabel felt her head tilt down a little, and then she was cushioned by something solid yet soft.  Her face was pressed into something warm with a tiny throb like a heartbeat in the distance.  Mabel sighed at the idea of just falling asleep to the small sound as she felt arms wrap around her.  Distantly there were other sounds that she tried to ignore.  She slowly blinked her eyes open again and yawned.

“Mabel,” Dipper called out to his twin.

It was at her brother’s worried tone that Mabel fully came back to herself.  She looked around slowly before focusing back on her new partner.  Tad was holding her again.  He felt rather warm, and Mabel found she did not want to pull away.  His hands moved to rest on her shoulders to make sure she could balance.  It didn’t take long from there for Mabel’s thoughts to drift back into place.  First time contact certainly was something, she decided.  She giggled at the thought of what she must have looked like basically passing out like that.  Clearly it wasn’t funny for everyone else, though.  Tad was smiling at least.

“The first contact affects everyone in different ways,” Tad said in hopes of calming Dipper as much as Mabel.  Not that the latter appeared to need much calming.  “Some humans have the same reaction as their guardian and some do not.  It is hard to tell how, but it is only on the initial contact with their symbols.”

“At least you won’t be passing out every time then,” Dipper said with slight teasing, but mostly relief.  Mabel just turned and stuck her tongue out at him.  They shared a chuckle.

“So when do we start training?” Mabel asked as she turned back to her partner.  Stanford cleared his throat then to get everyone’s attention.

“The three of us came to the decision that you should settle in before starting on that,” Ford said.  He stood with his arms held behind his back in an authoritative pose.  “It would be best for you to get used to the change of scenery.  We settled on starting your training in a week.  During this time you should familiarize yourselves with the town and its citizens.  Afterwards Tad will go about showing Mabel how to call upon her magic, while I help Dipper tap into his.”

“Just relax, kids,” Grunkle Stan translated from his brother’s long winded response.  “You’ll learn when you’re ready.  First, why not make a few friends and see what Gravity Falls has to offer?”

“Can we go into town now?” Mabel asked with a hopeful grin.

“It’s getting late, pumpkin,” Stanley said with a glance at his wrist that did not have a watch.  “You two can socialize tomorrow, and work in the gift shop while you do it.”

“Grunkle Stan,” Mabel and Dipper whined in unison.  They didn’t realize they would be put to work besides learning their magical abilities.

“Don’t you ‘Grunkle Stan’ me, small fries,” Stan warned with his arms crossed over his chest.  “You’re going to earn your keep, and prove to me that all I taught ya hasn’t gone to waste.”

“I’m as tall as you,” Dipper protested like a petulant child.

“Stanley, please use proper grammar,” Ford said in exasperation while rubbing between his eyes.  “‘Ya’ is not a proper substitute for ‘you’ in any situation.  You are setting a bad example, as usual.”

Stan rolled his eyes at his twin.  It still seemed like there was something Ford was always on his case about.  Bad grammar was only the latest.  When wasn’t he a bad example anyway?  The kids had turned out fine in Stanley’s opinion.  They were better than him when it came to being model citizens.  Such a feat was not that hard of course, but there were surely worse people out there.  It wasn’t like Stanford was a saint either.  Still, Stanley wouldn’t trade his brother for anything, but that was something someone would have to torture out of him.

“Shove it, Poindexter,” Stan grumbled without any real bite.  He turned his attention back to Mabel and Dipper.  “Well, come on you two, off to bed.  You’ve got a big day tomorrow.  I’ll even get ya ice cream or something if you do a good job.”

“Stanley,” Ford growled at the continued misuse of the English language.  His brother just looked smug about getting under his skin.  Stanford sighed and addressed the younger twins.  “One more thing:  under no circumstances are you to venture into the woods alone.”

“Yah, and definitely not at night or alone,” Stan added in.  He began ushering the two back upstairs.

“What’s wrong with the forest?” Dipper questioned as he reluctantly started moving toward the staircase.  “I thought you venture into it all the time.”

“There are dangerous creatures in the woods that would love to tear your flesh from your bones, kid,” Stan said perhaps too bluntly.  In his personal opinion the nocturnal ones were the worst.

“Will we have to fend them off?” Mabel asked.  It almost sounded like she wanted to encounter the creatures.  In a way that was true, but only after she got the hang of her magic and could kick their butts.

“The town is protected from any hostile beast,” Tad said to reassure them.

Dipper grumbled as he headed back to the attic.  He wanted to learn more, but their grunkle continued to force him up the stairs.  It was bad enough that he would have to wait for his lessons.  The least Great Uncle Ford could do was tell him about the creatures native to Gravity Falls.  He didn’t think it was fair, but he also didn’t want to work in Stan’s tourist trap.  There probably wasn’t enough business to worry about, but then he will just end up being bored.  Dipper sighed at the thought of the next day.  He still yawned as the long trip was apparently taking its toll.  Maybe he should have slept in the car rather than reading.

Chapter Text

The attic of the Mystery Shack wasn’t exactly a cozy place.  It was actually rather drafty.  Dipper had trouble getting to sleep because of it as well as this disturbing feeling of being watched or something.  He chalked it up to just him adjusting to his new surroundings.  One would think such fears didn’t plague him into adulthood, but he just wasn’t that lucky.  By the time he settled into a comfortable position his neck would get unbearably itchy.  He would have to talk with Great Uncle Ford about some heavy duty bug spray in the morning.

Eventually Dipper managed to burrow himself into the covers and get the itching to tolerable levels.  It seemed better to ignore the sensation all together, since itching it only had an angry flair rush through his spine.  How did it get this bad in only a few hours?  The mosquitoes around here must just love new blood to feast on.  Dipper quickly decided that he hated bugs and the Shack itself was not much higher on his list of liked things at this point.  He twisted under the blankets again so he was facing the far wall.  Light from the moon streamed in through the triangular window, broken up by the lamp on the nightstand.  Dipper forced his eyes shut and buried his face in the sheet.

This was not a good experience for him.  His eyes had already drifted to that accursed window twice tonight.  There was something compelling him to look at it.  Either that or it was an urge to get up and look outside.  He wasn’t hearing anything apart from the drafty air that made its way through the boards.  Dipper grumbled about his inability to sleep, the apparent mosquitoes assaulting his neck, and the bright moon outside.  That was likely the cause.  Everyone got weird during a full moon.

It was hard to say when he finally drifted off in the night.  He clearly did not get to sleep quickly enough despite the dampness of his pillow.  Of course the second he starts to stretch that damnable itch returns with a vengeance.  He’ll probably need some ointment for it, but for some reason it is not a priority.  Dipper’s eyes drift to the oddly placed dresser at the other end of his room.  He still questions what is beyond it.  He isn’t sure if it’s the drowsiness or something else, but his feet carry him half way towards it before he realizes he is moving at all.  He rubs at his eyes and blows it off.  It’s not like he was about to push it aside to get passed, and he certainly wasn’t about to try climbing over it.  That was just asking for a broken neck.

Dipper stretched, itched, and went about grabbing clothes to wear for the day.  He picked up Stan’s yelling from downstairs.  That was likely what woke him up.  He threw on a red t-shirt and pulled on a pair of worn jeans.  He grabbed his hoodie on the way out just to be safe.  There was no telling what Grunkle Stan had in store for his newest employees.  Knowing the man it was likely something illegal, mind numbing, or mentally scarring.  If either of them took too long it would no doubt be the last one.

“Look alive, kids,” Stan hollered as he fixed up his coffee.  It was likely his second or third cup.

Mabel was already at the table with her unholy concoction known as Mabel Juice.  She was wearing a purple, sparkling kitten sweater today with a matching but thankfully not glittery skirt.  Great Uncle Ford was skimming through the local newspaper while sitting opposite the chair Stanley ended up claiming.  There were only four seats around the table.  Surprisingly it was Tad working the stove.

It may not really be that surprising if Dipper’s still sleep addled brain would function.  No one looked forward to Grunkle Stan’s Stan-cakes, especially after finding out why he called them that.  Stories from Stan painted Ford as a walking fire hazard around the kitchen, or anywhere really.  If there was an option besides the two it was only logical that that person handle food preparations.  Maybe this Tad Strange was a master chef at one point even.  He likely knew a lot given his time among humans and just living in the world in general.  Tad wasn’t about to poison them at least.  The thought of the demon still made Dipper suspicious for seemingly no real reason.  He decided to shrug it off and grab a beverage before joining the table.

“Good morning, Dipper,” Stanford greeted with a bit too much cheer for the early hour.  Dipper wasn’t sure if he wanted in on what kept their great uncle so chipper or if he should avoid it like the plague.  “Did you sleep well?”

“Not exactly,” Dipper said.  He slumped in his chair with a yawn and tired grumble.  “Getting used to everything I guess.”

“Here, broseph, this will put a zing in your step,” Mabel said excitedly.  She passed her pitcher of Mabel Juice towards him.

It really seemed like Stan was the only one remotely not a morning person besides Dipper.  Granted once the man had his coffee he was more tolerable of his surroundings.  Dipper turned down his sister’s offer.  He didn’t need that much of a pick-me-up.  There was a time when Grunkle Stan encouraged her to mass produce the stuff, until he tested it for himself.  Now the man wanted the deadly concoction far away from any of his mugs.  That didn’t mean he had stopped backing Mabel’s decision to make the stuff, but he had since abandoned the idea of selling it.

Dipper was just fine sticking to his caffeinated sodas.  He wasn’t much for coffee without adding tons of crème.  Unfortunately their grunkle was a bit of a Coffee Puritan.  Ford was more of a tea drinker, but he only made certain kinds and hoarded it all like dragon’s treasure.  Dipper had to wonder what quirks Strange had outside of whatever was normal for demons.  Surely not all that took a human form dressed as he did, but it wasn’t like Dipper had a point of reference.

Admittedly the references he did have were quite resentful of the species.  It was interesting what sources were revered for their insight on demons and magic in general.  Stanford Pines was an accomplished man in the magical arts, but his views on such matters were considered eccentric at best.  Dipper had tried not to think about it too much when researching to help Mabel.  The tales of destructive beasts and seducing devils were a far reach from having a sharply dressed demon cook breakfast.  Perhaps it was best to leave those books closed and play it by ear.

A plate piled high with pancakes floated onto the center of the table for them.  Dipper watched as scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast followed.  He wondered if maybe Tad was showing off for Mabel, or possibly trying to sway them both with so much food.  The growl of his stomach made him push the thought aside.  Tad wasn’t about to poison any of them.  He just had to watch for the knife aimed at his back.

“These are great, Tad,” Mabel said after swallowing a mouthful of syrup drenched pancakes.

No one paid attention to Dipper’s lapse in eating.  His thoughts seemed to draw a blank.  Why did the thought of trusting Tad put him so on edge?  He shook his head and went back to his food as Grunkle Stan squirted ketchup over his eggs.  Dipper focused on his food rather than the conversation around him.  He was still a bit tired after not much sleep.  Once he fully woke up his mind wouldn’t feel so disjointed.  Perhaps if he got to know the demon better he wouldn’t be so suspicious of Tad.

“Aren’t you going to have any?” Mabel asked when she moved onto her bacon.

“I am fine, thank you, Mabel,” Tad answered with a soft grin.  He leaned against the counter beside the fridge.  “Demons do not require food.  There are those that enjoy eating, but it is not a requirement and yields very little energy.”

This was information Great Uncle Ford had likely recorded in his personal logs, but not discussed anywhere else.  Dipper certainly hadn’t read about demon eating habits in the various reports he had discovered.  It actually debunked the tales of demons eating humans in the past.  There was a wealth of information he could gain from Ford and Tad outside of spell casting, not that Dipper hadn’t known that beforehand.  It was just a matter of asking them without being forced to wait until his training officially started.  It appeared that along with Grunkle Stan they were set on the twins settling in before getting into the actual spells and magical theory.  Dipper lacked the patience for that apparently.

A ringing sound from the gift shop caught his attention.  Mabel looked up from her plate as well, but the others seemed to treat it as a natural occurrence.  The Mystery Shack wouldn’t be open for another hour at least.  That was definitely the sound of someone coming through the door, though.  Dipper decided to take his cues from Great Uncle Ford and continue eating.  It didn’t take long for their mysterious guest to reveal themselves.

“Good morning, Mr. Pines,” a young man greeted from the entrance to the kitchen.

“‘Morning, Soos,” Stan said gruffly while getting the newspaper from this brother.  “Grab a plate.  Strange made enough food that there will likely still be leftovers.”

“Hi, I’m Mabel,” Mabel waved enthusiastically at their guest.  She offered her syrup covered hand in greeting.

“I’mma Soos,” Soos smiled and shook the offered hand without hesitation.

They were instantly sealed together by the stickiness.  Soos stared at their connected hands while Mabel gave him an embarrassed smile.  Grunkle Stan lifted his mug to his mouth and seemed to become engrossed in its contents.  Dipper shook his head fondly at his sister’s antics.  It didn’t take long for both Mabel and Soos to dissolve into giggles.  The two managed to pull their hands apart and wipe them clean a moment later.

Soos joined the Pines family in filling up on pancakes and bacon.  There wasn’t much conversation had until each felt full.  Stan allowed his trusted employee to show the young twins around the shop area.  Soos was definitely happy working for the old conman.  He apparently fixed the shelves and worked on the Shack itself when needed.  Stan didn’t really include Soos in his more illegal dealings outside of a lookout, but that alone showed the trust he had in the young man.  Soos for his part was just happy to help out, as he saw the Pines as a second family.  Mabel and Dipper warmed up to him quickly as well.  They could use a guide around town closer to their age range.  No offense to Grunkle Stan, but they weren’t keen on relying on him for the latest hangouts.  Dipper on the other hand found himself mostly interested in the area surrounding Gravity Falls.

“Have you ever seen any of the creatures in the forest?” Dipper asked while Mabel was finding out about the best hangouts.

“Uh, I think I saw a gnome once,” Soos said with a shrug.  He pondered for a moment to try recalling any other strange inhabitants.  “There is this one mailman I’m pretty sure is a werewolf.  Most of ‘em stay on the other side of the trees, though.  Wendy knows more about them I’m sure.  She practically grew up in the forest.”

“Wendy?” Dipper echoed curiously.

“Is she like a forest hobo?” Mabel questioned.

“Forest hobo?” Dipper side glanced his sister before he realized what she was likely referring to.  “They’re called hermits, Mabel.”

“Oh, no, Wendy is nothing like those,” Soos said, cutting off the small tangent.  “Her family are lumberjacks.  She used to explore the forest with her dad and brothers.  She works for Mr. Pines, too, but usually comes in late.”

“So people do go in there,” Dipper commented under his breath, but not so low that the other two missed it.  Perhaps he could convince Wendy to show him around it some time.

“Well, sort of,” Soos mumbled while rubbing the back of his neck nervously.  “No one goes too far in.  You don’t want to get lost in there and be stuck after dark.  Mr. Pines and his brother are the only humans that deal with those sorts of creatures.  That’s why we got Tad to keep them from attacking the town.”

“Neither of you need to be worrying about what’s in that forest for a good long while,” Stan interrupted.  He shoved a broom into Dipper’s hands before turning to Mabel with another one.  “You just worry about dusting around the aisles.  And make sure you don’t bump anything.  These knickknacks cost money to make.”

“You charge twenty for a bobblehead of yourself,” Dipper pointed out.

“And each of those beauties took time to make,” Stan responded with finality.  Time was money after all, and it was currently being wasted enough.

Dipper grumbled as he swept the floor.  Mabel started humming to occupy herself during the mundane task.  It appeared that they were in for a boring first week in his opinion.  He understood the merits in getting used to a new place before settling in to explore what they were really here for, but if it was going to go like this every day Dipper didn’t think he would survive.  Maybe if he accomplished enough Great Uncle Ford could be convinced to show him something of use.  Alternatively he could find a way to get a break and just check out the woods nearby.  On the other hand perhaps it was best to wait.  Dipper knew he might be a bit too eager to learn magic.  Patience was a key factor to concentration and learning after all.

Grunkle Stan walked to the door in order to switch the sign over.  Dipper hadn’t realized how much time had passed.  Maybe he could learn more about the citizens of Gravity Falls before actually venturing into the town itself.  Granted he had no idea how much business his grunkle got, but there should be at least a few people walking through the door throughout the day.  Dipper watched as the older man went into the back area once again.  He was likely getting his eye patch to complete his Mr. Mystery get up.  Dipper just hoped he wasn’t expected to do too much, but also didn’t want to be bored out of his mind.  He sighed and went back to sweeping, slowly making his way to the cash register.

“Woah, hey newblood!”

The new voice startled Dipper into dropping his broom with a rather embarrassing scream.  His eyes met with mischievous green.  The redhead at the counter chuckled at his expense a bit.  Dipper blinked in confusion, not remembering hearing someone else come in.  She smiled at him looking slightly apologetic.  The brunet cleared his throat nervously before picking up his broom.

“Sorry about that,” she said genuinely.  “I’m Wendy, and you must be Dipper.”

“Uh, y-yeah,” Dipper responded nervously to the point that his voice cracked a little.  He cleared his throat again and quickly averted his gaze so he wasn’t staring like a creep.  “It’s all good.  Just sweeping here.”

“Yeah, Stan starts most newbies on broom duty,” Wendy continued on.  She was either not noticing or simply ignoring the ball of awkwardness Dipper was dissolving into.  “Just be glad you’re not scrubbing the bathroom.  Soos usually does it no problem, but I wouldn’t go in there for a hundred dollars.  Well, not for fifty at least.”

“How exactly did you get in without ringing the bell?” Dipper asked when the thought refused to leave him.  Surely he wasn’t that lost in bored sweeping that he hadn’t heard the door.

“I used the window,” Wendy said while gesturing to the window with her thumb in a nonchalant manner.

The window in question was barely halfway open.  Getting in and out through it would be a tight squeeze, but possible.  The fact that Wendy had managed it without notice was remarkable enough in Dipper’s opinion.  The redhead didn’t act like it was such a big deal.  She had likely used it to enter and exit the Shack a few times before.  Dipper found himself conversing with Wendy while a few customers made their way around the gift shop.

A few of the people took note of the newcomers rather quickly.  Mabel interacted with them more than her twin.  Dipper remained near Wendy for much of the day despite a pointed look from Grunkle Stan between tours.  He tried to make himself look busy, but it wasn’t like he was the only one slacking off.  Wendy propped her old boots on the counter as she sat on the provided stool.  Stan had purposely made it uncomfortable to use so his employees were less likely to shirk their duties.  Unfortunately for him Wendy had mastered how to balance on the shoddy seat.  She told Dipper about some of the mischief she got up to with her friends and a few of the better places to visit in town.

“So, which of you is paired with Tad?” Wendy asked during a lull in customers.

“Mabel,” Dipper responded while absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck.  It seemed to alleviate the irritation better than scratching at it.  “I don’t have a mark.”

“You just wanted to be sure your sister was safe,” Wendy said more than questioned.  She smiled in a way that Dipper interpreted as being impressed or proud.

“Yeah, and I wanted to learn from Great Uncle Ford,” Dipper confessed.  He fidgeted a moment as he thought about it.  There was a nagging doubt that had plagued him throughout the years regarding magic.  “It’s in my blood basically, so I figured I’d learn from the best.”

“No one better outside Gravity Falls,” Wendy smiled.  Her expression changed as though she was reminded of something.  “My family used to have magic, supposedly.  It was really useful against the creatures around here.  It just went away at some point, though.  We’re still a force to be reckoned with of course!”

Wendy went on to describe some of the lumberjack games her family regularly participated in.  Dipper found himself distracted by her words on magical use.  Granted he knew magic didn’t just vanish from a family.  It took generations of neglect before it went away completely, but reigniting it didn’t always result in a sudden spark of magically inclined children to follow.  It may take time for Dipper to find that spark of energy buried within him.  He was honestly a little scared of the possibility he didn’t have enough to be harnessed.  Surely he did have magical potential even if he never came close to Ford’s abilities or Mabel’s potential.  In the end it wasn’t worth dwelling on and working himself up, so Dipper focused on talking with Wendy and keeping the area around the register tidy.

Chapter Text

The town itself was not very large at all.  There were a few shops lined up along a single block that included a thrift store, an old diner, a candy store, and a hair salon.  Other small stores littered the town, but these seemed to be the main ones where most citizens mingled.  Stan had been convinced to let the twins out during a lull in customers, not that there had been many that day to begin with.  Wendy had been designated as their tour guide with a bit of monetary bribery.  She was happy to take Mabel and Dipper around regardless, but a little extra cash was always a plus.

Wendy led the twins to the arcade after seeing the little the town had to offer.  There would be time to look at the other stores through the week, surely.  Mabel quickly rushed over to the dance machine as soon as she saw it.  Dipper glanced around at the game cabinets while sticking beside Wendy.  He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.  The redhead made her way to the food court section after checking her phone.

“Hey, Tambry,” she called to a purple haired girl sitting at one of the tables.

“Hi, Wendy,” Tambry responded without looking up from her phone.  She paused in her texting to grab one of the cheese fries beside her.  “Who’s the new guy?”

“This is Dipper,” Wendy introduced as she sat down.  She motioned for the brunet to claim a chair while she stool a few of her friend’s fries.  “He’s staying at the old shack with his sister.”

“So you’re a Pines,” Tambry said, still not really looking up from her phone screen.

“Yeah,” Dipper said a little uncomfortably.  He glanced over at the crowd gathered around the dance machine they had left Mabel at.

“Are you the one paired with Strange then?” Tambry asked as her eyes finally drifted from the screen in front of her.

“No, that’s Mabel,” Dipper corrected.  He offered up a smile to the other, but Tambry’s face remained neutral if not completely bored.  He turned his attention back to the crowd.  “She’s dancing over there.”

“Go Mabel,” Wendy shouted before whistling further encouragement.

It was hard to tell what was going on up there.  The crowd was thick, and it seemed like the participants were getting into the music.  Dipper had no doubt Mabel was all over the place.  He hoped she wasn’t being obnoxious with her dance moves, but he supposed as long as she was having fun it was okay.  At least she wasn’t likely to drag him into it.  He would rather not make a fool of himself with so many strangers around.  It did appear that whoever Mabel was on stage with was keeping pace rather well.

Dipper wasn’t sure how they were able to move in their clearly baggy clothes.  Perhaps they weren’t so much baggy as they were layered on.  He swore he was sweating just watching them.  The ball cap and hood somehow stayed on their head despite their movements.  The jeans at least had to be baggy, or just made of a worn material.  It was the jacket that made him worry about them exerting themselves.  He could guess that whoever it was they were trying to stay unrecognizable.  If they wanted to go unnoticed they had certainly failed already.  Wendy continued yelling encouragement that the crowd quickly picked up on.  Mabel’s name was chanted as the outro came up.

The crowd began to wind down as the possibility of an encore decreased.  When enough of them had left Dipper started walking over.  He caught the scoreboard display denoting that the other player had the higher score.  It was hard to believe that someone had beat out Mabel in a dance competition.  He could swear that his sister had been dancing before learning to walk.  He was unclear, but it looked like Mabel was talking to her competitor.  She always did have an easier time making friends.  There were still a few stragglers as the other player left the stage.  Mabel was clearly intent on continuing the conversation while the other walked away.

Sometimes Mabel just did not know when to let things go.  Dipper could admit that he may have this quality as well.  This was one of those times where his sister was perhaps too insistent.  Her unknown dance rival was obviously in a rush to leave despite the brunette’s attempts to talk with them.  Dipper sighed at the possible escalation of the situation.  He failed to step out of the way when the nameless person decided to book it away from Mabel.  The resulting collision knocked him down while the other also fell on their backside.  Dipper blinked as he righted himself to see the other’s hat had fallen off.  He quickly picked it up to try helping them out.

“Sorry about that,” Dipper apologized.  He offered the ball cap back with a hesitant smile.

The person looked up at him like a startled animal.  Clearly she hadn’t wanted to be caught.  Her hair had easily cascaded down her back without the hat to stop it.  It was the brightest platinum blonde Dipper could ever recall seeing.  It wasn’t an unusual color from their high school years, but it was shinier than he once thought possible.  His eyes traveled to the adhesive bandage covering her right cheek.  Sapphire blue eyes suddenly seemed to focus as the girl snatched her hat back as though Dipper had stolen it off her head.  She quickly got up and pushed him rather forcefully as she continued on her mad dash out of the arcade.

Mabel stopped at her brother’s side with her cheeks puffed in anger.  She hollered after the blonde, scolding her for her rudeness.  Dipper dusted himself off after being helped back to his feet.  The girl was long gone, but Mabel now seemed intent to track her down to give her a piece of her mind.  Dipper tried in vain to talk her down.  He agreed that the purposeful push was unnecessary, but he figured the blonde had been too concerned about being noticed to care about manners.

“You okay there, Dipper?” Wendy asked.  She cast a glance to the door before shaking her head in dismissal of whatever thought had been in her mind.

“Yeah,” Dipper assured both his friend and his sister.  “Who was that anyway?”

“And what was her problem?” Mabel questioned.

“Ah, that would be Pacifica Northwest,” an almost timid voice answered in place of the redhead.  A young dark haired woman had managed to join them in a minty green striped shirt and lilac pants.  She briefly adjusted her glasses.

“She’s mega-rich,” the girl’s surprisingly deep voiced friend added on.  The buff girl had auburn hair and a pink top with blue jeans.  An iguana sat on her left shoulder with eyes swiveling in different directions.

“Doesn’t give her an excuse to be mega-rude,” Mabel said with one last glare to the doors the blonde had exited.  She focused on the new faces with a warm smile, letting the thought of Pacifica drift away.  “I’m Mabel, and this is my brother, Dipper.”

“Candy Chiu,” the dark haired girl introduced herself.  “And this is Grenda.”

“And Grenda Jr.,” Grenda said while flexing to display her pet iguana.

“You showed some sick moves on the dance game,” Candy said.  “I believe that is the closest anyone has gotten to besting Pacifica in anything.”

“It was fun,” Mabel smiled while pushing the mentioned girl out of her mind.  She moved her arms in a noodle wave.  “You just gotta let the music flow through you, and have fun.”

The three girls seemed to hit it off pretty well and continued to converse at the food court.  Dipper sat with Wendy after convincing her to let him buy an order of fries and drinks.  He drifted in and out of his sister’s conversation about boy bands.  Wendy and Tambry began talking about plans with the rest of their group.  Dipper remained silent, but felt eager to meet more of the younger citizens.  Tambry slipped her phone into her pocket, something that Dipper guessed didn’t happen that often.

“Hey, dudes, Tambry and I are going to meet up with our group,” Wendy said while standing from the table.  “It was fun hanging with you.  I trust you can find your way back to the Shack.”

“Yep,” Mabel responded cheerfully.  “Thanks for showing us around, Wendy!  We’ll see you at work tomorrow!”

“Yeah, thank you for the tour,” Dipper said with a bit of nervousness.  He was disappointed to see Wendy leave, but he understood that she had other plans for the day than hanging out with the new kids.

“I look forward to it,” Wendy said with a chuckle and smile.  “It’s about time something happened in this town.  I’ll get the guys to come around and introduce you.”

“Sounds great,” Dipper blurted out before catching himself.  He cleared his throat and forced a more composed demeanor.  “I mean, that would be cool.”

“Have fun,” Mabel added on as the two older girls went on their way.

Dipper quickly found himself as the fourth wheel to the trio of girls.  He barely knew Wendy and already felt bummed out that she hadn’t hung around.  Did he feel ditched?  Obviously Wendy had friends around town.  He couldn’t expect her to introduce them right off the bat.  The others probably wouldn’t appreciate the sudden addition to their plans.  Dipper tried to push back the disappointment.  He would see Wendy tomorrow.  There was no reason for him to feel this lonely all of the sudden, so isolated.  Dipper shook his head and went back to tagging along with Mabel’s little group.

Hours passed by the time the odd quartet started to go their separate ways.  Mabel and Dipper didn’t want to keep their grunkles and Tad waiting to make supper, even if the two had tried just about every stand in the food court.  Dipper remained silent while his twin made plans with her new friends.  He rolled his shoulders in discomfort, deciding he was eager to return to the Mystery Shack.

“You okay there, bro-bro?” Mabel asked, dragging her brother from his thoughts.

“Yeah, just getting tired I guess,” Dipper said with a shrug.  He hadn’t slept well the night before after all, not that anyone needed to know that.  There was no reason to make Mabel worry about him.

“Are you sure that’s all?” Mabel continued to pry.  Her twin wasn’t paying attention to the teasing grin she directed his way.  “You seemed awfully disappointed when Wendy left.”

“I would have liked to hang out with her more,” Dipper admitted.  He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.  “We’ll see her tomorrow.”

“Oh, does Little Dipper have a crush?” Mabel teased.

“What are you talking about?” Dipper demanded as he came to a sudden stop.  He stared at Mabel’s expectant expression for a moment before turning with a scoff and walking faster.  “I’m not crushing on Wendy.  She’s cool; she works at the Shack, and knows the town.  Besides, we have our training coming up.  I don’t plan on getting distracted by unrealistic romances.”

“Our training isn’t happening for a week, Dip-dop,” Mabel pointed out.  She jogged a bit to catch up to her brother’s brisk pace.  “And who says Wendy couldn’t like you back?  It’s not like learning magic forbids one from pursuing potential relationships.  This could be your chance to get back in the game!”

“I was never in the game to begin with, Mabes,” Dipper said with a sigh.  He really didn’t care to discuss his past failures with his twin like this, but it wasn’t like Mabel would drop it so easily.  “I appreciate your attempts to help my love life in the past, but please leave it alone.  You know my track record.  The last thing anyone needs is the awkwardness that would result from the fallout.”

“Okay, bro-bro,” Mabel relented, for the time being.  Dipper knew better than to think this was truly the end of it.  Her next words proved his fears.  “You should definitely settle in before looking.”

Dipper whined as they continued toward the Mystery Shack.  Why did Mabel have to persist in this one thing?  Not that she wasn’t persistent in other areas.  He just didn’t want to be involved in her match-making schemes, because that’s what they truly were in Dipper’s mind.  He continued on without a word, watching his feet and the path they traveled rather than what was actually up ahead.  Deep down he knew Mabel just wanted to help.  It was just that if anything her attempts to set him up with anyone had proven he was hopeless.  Dipper had no interest in continuing that tradition in Gravity Falls.

“Uh, Dipper?” Mabel tried to get his attention.  “Dipper, the Shack is this way.”

The brunet suddenly looked up from the path his feet were taking him.  He had started to walk further into the forest rather than turning along the dirt road.  Dipper glanced back at his twin with a confused expression.  They both shrugged and pushed the occurrence aside.  It would take time for them to get used to Gravity Falls.  Until then it was probably best that both of them watched the path they were walking.  The last thing Dipper needed was to get lost in the woods, not that Mabel would let that happen.

“I could have sworn I was headed the correct way,” Dipper said with a light chuckle.  He adjusted his path despite some part of him still wanting to continue forward.  He hadn’t realized his urge to explore the forest was so great until that moment.

“Seems like you have a lot on your mind,” Mabel commented.

“Not really,” Dipper claimed.  “I just want this week to go by so we can start learning magic.”

“Dipper, it’s not good to wish your life away,” Mabel said in a tone reminiscent of their parents.

“I’m not wishing my life away,” Dipper said with a sigh.  “I just want this week to be up, or that our grunkles hadn’t made that dumb stipulation.  Aren’t you eager to learn from Tad ?’

“I am,” Mabel informed rather haughtily.  She failed to ignore the way Dipper spoke the demon’s name.  “I just think it is good for us to get used to Gravity Falls first.  And maybe you could use that time to try trusting Tad.”

“He isn’t my demon,” Dipper said in retort.  His thoughts derailed momentarily as he realized how Tad’s very name appeared to upset him somehow.

“But he is mine,” Mabel countered.

The pair stopped as Mabel stared pleadingly at her brother.  Dipper looked back with confusion as he tried to process his own thoughts.  Was he this distrustful simply because Tad Strange was a demon?  He was already breaking one of the promises he made to Mabel before they journeyed up here.  Dipper wasn’t even giving Tad a chance.  He shook his head with that thought.  This was important to his twin, and Dipper would always support her in any way he could.  Ultimately Dipper and Tad both wanted Mabel to be safe, right?

“You’re right,” Dipper said.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t know what’s going on with me lately.”

“New environment,” Mabel offered as explanation.  “New responsibilities getting to you, to both of us really.  This is still a lot to take in regardless of how long we’ve known it would happen.”

“Yeah,” Dipper breathed out.  He looked at Mabel apologetically before his expression turned hopeful.  “You know I support you completely in this…”

“As I would support you if you had a Guardian,” Mabel finished for him while opening her arms.  The twins briefly shared a sincere hug.

Their continued walk was much less awkward with them practically shoulder to shoulder.  Dipper would take the time to get to know his sister's demon.  They would be a force to be reckoned with just like their grunkles.  Perhaps their training would consist of learning about the creatures of the forest.  Dipper still really wanted to explore the woods, but surely what was left of their one week wouldn't be that long of a wait.  He reached back to itch at his neck, debating if he should bring it up to Mabel.  Surely if he had a bug bite or irritation it should be treated, or at least looked at.

Dipper came to a halt with his twin as they both spotted another approaching from the direction of the Mystery Shack.  The boy couldn’t be much younger than them, yet his hair was white as a sheet and styled in a ridiculous pompadour.  He seemed to be grumbling about something, but neither twin could pick out the words said under his breath.  Dipper moved to the side so as not to repeat his meeting with Pacifica Northwest earlier.  He wondered if the two could be related, but despite the powder blue tuxedo this boy didn’t strike him as being on that level of upper-class.

“Hi,” Mabel greeted with a wave and cheerful smile.

“Wha-uh?” The boy startled and stared at her.  His mouth opened and closed a few times while trying to articulate a proper response.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Mabel apologized as her smile turned a bit embarrassed.  “I’m Mabel, and this is my brother, Dipper!”

“G-Gideon, my name is Gideon,” said boy stuttered out.  He cleared his throat to compose himself before continuing with more confidence.  “You two must be the new Pines that moved in.”

“Yeah,” Dipper said with a hint of suspicion in his stance and gaze.  “Just yesterday actually.”

“Well, you know little towns,” Gideon waved off with a smile that Dipper swore was fake.  Gideon’s attention returned to Mabel.  “I’m guessing you are headed back to the homestead now.  I won’t keep you up, but I hope to see you again soon.  Have a nice day, dear Mabel.  And Dipper.”

Mabel giggled as the white-haired boy ran off.  Dipper watched Gideon with clear distrust before starting toward the Shack once more.  It was clear Mabel had this stranger’s focus.  Dipper was used to Mabel being the favored twin for most.  It was just that something about Gideon screamed creep to the brunet.  He could likely ask Stan or Ford about him later.  It could just be his protective brother instincts acting up, but the last thing Mabel (or any of them really) needed right now was a stalker.

Chapter Text

“Well my ‘paranoia’ could mean the difference between you learning magic in a week or being kidnapped,” Dipper said as the twins reached the door.

“I’m sure Gideon is harmless,” Mabel dismissed his concerns.  Her arms crossed over her chest in irritation.  “Do you suddenly have something against people in suits?”

“It has nothing to do with what he was wearing,” Dipper grumbled while following his twin inside the Mystery Shack.

The pair had been discussing Gideon since meeting the young man.  Mabel thought he seemed nice enough, but her brother seemed to have concocted a dark secret for the other male.  She accused Dipper of being an overprotective brother, bringing up the fact that she was the older twin.  They would get nowhere with such an argument, of course.  If Mabel wanted to give someone a chance there was no way Dipper could stop her.  He was batting zero for two at this point, and it was clear if he continued Mabel would actually be mad at him.  Dipper didn’t want that, so his best option was to just drop it all together.  He silently hoped the week would pass quickly and Mabel could be too engrossed in learning from Tad to interact with Gideon ever again.

There was no one in the shop area when they entered.  Mabel was the first to pick up on talking coming from the living room.  Dipper managed to make out a series of growls that made deciphering the actual words harder.  There was something in the Shack that should not be there.  Tad and the Stans were probably taking care of the problem.  All the same Dipper kept close to Mabel in case anything jumped out at them.

“I say we run them out like we should’ve the last time,” Grunkle Stan’s gruff voice was the first they could make out.

“They would just become a nuisance where they end up,” Tad pointed out.  The twins had no idea what they were discussing, but it didn't sound good.  “I'll go run them back to their own territory.”

“You have already done so much for me,” a new voice neither recognized.  It sounded cultured, but there was a growling edge to it.  “I just need some time to heal and then I can get my cave back.  They surprised me is all.  I don't want any of you targeted for helping me.”

“I can handle Manotaurs fine,” Tad said.  He almost sounded offended which likely meant he was.  From what Dipper gathered the demon did come off as ever level headed.

“We should at least wait until tomorrow,” Ford finally chipped in.  “We want to relocate them, not kill anyone.”

“Fine,” Stanley grumbled like a petulant child.

The younger twins made it to the doorway of the living room to find their family.  Stan and Tad were standing opposite the doorway, behind a crouched Stanford.  It was the creature on the couch that shocked them, and the fact that their great uncle was so close to it.

The beast in question was a massive bear.  Truthfully neither Mabel nor Dipper had seen a bear up close, but this one had to be enormous.  One of the many heads zeroed in on the twins with a growl.  A large paw quickly reprimanded it with a smack.  All eyes were suddenly on Dipper and Mabel.

“I'm terribly sorry about that,” the multi-headed bear apologized.

“Mabel, Dipper,” Stanford greeted as he stood up.  He smiled after quickly glancing to the beast on his couch.  “This is the Multi-Bear.  Multi-Bear, these are our great niece and great nephew, Mabel and Dipper.”

“It is nice to meet you both,” the Multi-Bear said with a slight incline of his main head.

“Cool,” Mabel blurted out before approaching.  “Does only your one head talk?  Do you fight over food?  Are there other multi-headed bears?  Does each head have its own personality?”

“Slow down there, pumpkin,” Stanley said with a fond smile.

“Yes, sometimes, none that I have met, and in a way,” Multi-Bear replied while counting off one of his paws.  He appeared to be smiling, if bears could smile.  “It is an honor to meet a budding Charge, and one bound to such a noble demon.”

“Thank you,” Mabel said with a bow of her head.

“And I take it you are seeking out your demon,” the beast turned his attention to Dipper.

“What?” Dipper was caught off guard.  “No, I...I don't have a demon.”

“Hmm?” The Multi-Bear hummed curiously.  “Following in Stanford’s footsteps then.  You both have much potential.”

“And you know this, how?” Dipper questioned a bit defensively.  Something about the multiple black eyes staring at him was unnerving.

“I can see it.”

“The Multi-Bear is one of many beings able to see the magical energy that surrounds us,” Ford clarified.  “He can even see the dormant magic within a person, much like Tad.”

“Many powerful magic manifests as symbols,” the bear added on.  “The symbol that Mabel’s has taken is the same that rests on Tad’s skin.  I just assumed there was a demon marked by the blue pine tree yours has taken.”  He turned his head to Tad.  “You do not know of such a demon?”

“No,” Tad said a bit defensively.  “Demons do not manifest these symbols until the corresponding mark fully forms on their Charge.”  He seemed to be distracted by this turn of events.  “I actually have not been able to pick up on Dipper’s magic, potential or otherwise.”

“What does that mean?” Dipper asked.  He wondered when this would have been brought up otherwise.  Without the Multi-Bear would they have assumed he had no magic what so ever?

“It may be harder to bring out,” Tad admitted.

“It's nothing to worry about now,” Stanley said to brush off the issue.  “You two still have time before your training.”

“Perhaps it would be a good idea to speed it up, though,” Ford debated.  His hand lifted to scratch at his stubble in thought.  “We should at least have them learn basic healing magic.”

“We agreed to wait a week,” Stan pointed out.  His arms crossed over his chest in a sure sign that he had no plans on budging.

“Stanford does have a point, though,” Tad said.  He didn't really seem to be picking sides, but the merit was there.  “But their magic would have to be awoken to begin even the most basic of spells.”

“Bah,” Stanley shouted.  “We said a week, and we will wait a week!  They don't need to be jumping into this so soon.”

It was clear that the conman wouldn't be backing down.  Dipper and Mabel both noticed the concerned look on Ford’s face.  The man didn't say anything more, however.  They were hiding something from the youngest two.  Mabel pursed her lips, but ultimately shrugged it off.  They would be told if it was truly important.  Dipper narrowed his eyes at the thought of being left out of the loop.  This was pertinent information, clearly, and Mabel and he were being treated like children.

“I think Mabel and I can handle learning the basics,” Dipper said.

“We can discuss it more tomorrow,” Ford said to stop any further debate.  Dipper and Stanley both grumbled at this, if for completely different reasons.  “For now I think we should get supper ready.  Would you care to join us, Multi-Bear?”

“Thank you, but I must decline,” the multi-headed bear said while shifting on the sofa.  “I believe that a rest will do me good, and you have already done so much to help me.”

“It is no trouble,” Ford insisted.

“We protect all of Gravity Falls,” Tad said.  “Not just the human citizens.”

“And I thank you for that, my friends,” Multi-Bear smiled before shifting into a comfortable position and closing his eyes.  “It was a pleasure to meet you, young Mabel and Dipper.”

“I’ll get you a blanket,” Mabel declared as she rushed off to do just that.

“I will get started on the meal,” Tad said while making his way to the kitchen.

Dipper silently followed behind the demon.  He took a seat at the kitchen table while Tad went about preparing the ingredients.  The lavender gloves Tad wore were placed on the back of another chair.  Tad quickly pulled out various food items from the refrigerator before moving to the cupboards.  Dipper rested his head in one of his hands, not caring that his elbow was on the table.  He watched the demon preheat the oven and get started on mixing the ingredients.  Surely it would be faster if Tad used magic, but the demon seemed to prefer doing it by hand.

“So,” Dipper started.  Tad easily turned his attention from cooking for the brunet to continue.  “Did you just figure I wasn’t magical then?”

“It was a possibility,” Tad admitted.  His attention returned to the food long enough to stir up everything.  Dipper hadn’t been paying enough attention to know what the demon was making.  “I figured your magic was just buried deeper than most.  It is quite rare for one twin to be magical while the other is not.”

“You said my magic would be harder to unlock,” Dipper pointed out.  His irritation was showing, though it was more at himself for one reason or another.  He tried to keep it from his voice.  He had promised Mabel after all.

“It could be,” Tad said without looking away from his work this time.  “For some, their magic is unleashed when their life or that of someone they care for is threatened.”

“So you’re saying I might have to be put in a dangerous situation before I’ll ever use it,” Dipper said.  He looked down at the table in disappointment.  He hadn’t thought about the difficulties of just tapping into his magic, let alone if it hadn’t existed at all.

“We are looking into other ways to bring it out,” Tad said to reassure him.  He put the casserole dish in the oven before setting the timer.  “You won’t be put in any life threatening situations any time soon.”

“Unless such methods don’t work,” Dipper said aloud.  He looked up when Tad took a seat across from him with a serious expression.

“Listen to me, Dipper,” Tad said in a more caring than stern manner.  “I am partnered with Mabel, but I understand how important you are to her.  I will protect you both.”

“Uh, thanks,” Dipper replied rather lamely.  He pursed his lips in thought as his gaze went to the floor.  He supposed Tad’s interactions with the Stans would have shown him what sibling bonds were like.  “Demons don’t have siblings, do they?”

“We do not have blood ties, no,” Tad said.  He turned his attention back to the oven, though he didn’t seem to be focusing on it.  There was almost a conflicted expression on his face.  “We do have a concept of siblings, in a way.  It’s closer to the mortal concept of comrades, I suppose.  Close and constant allies are typically referred to as brothers and sisters.”

“Oh,” Dipper said, not really knowing how to respond.  He didn’t know how to comfort the other, but it seemed that Tad could use something.  “So, you’re even more of a Pines with your connection to Mabel than just the camaraderie you had with Stan and Ford.”

“I guess I am,” Tad said with a small smile.  It was a bit sad, but also grateful.  He focused back on Dipper with a more collected expression.  “Would you mind answering a question or two of mine?”

“Sure,” Dipper accepted.  It was only fair, and perhaps it would help ease both of them.  Although Tad appeared comfortable enough around him, at least in comparison to how Dipper felt around the demon.

“Dipper is a nickname, yes?” Tad asked.  “I can’t really recall when you started using it.”

“Yeah,” Dipper replied, feeling a bit defensive all of the sudden.  He really should be over such feelings when this question was brought up.  “I just prefer it to my given name.”

“It does refer to the constellation, correct?” Tad appeared hesitant to continue.  He clearly didn’t want to put Dipper more on edge around him.

“Yes, sort of,” Dipper said, more debating with himself on how to answer.  He subconsciously patted down his bangs to hide his forehead better.  “It’s because of a stupid birthmark I have.  Can...can we move on from it?”

“Of course,” Tad said after a beat.  He did seem intrigued by Dipper’s response, but he respected his wishes to drop the subject.

Tad got up before the timer went off.  Dipper could swear he saw a smile twitching at the demon’s mouth.  He leaned over to try catching Tad’s face, but the smile wasn’t there at all.  If Dipper had to guess it looked like Tad was conflicted over something.  He hoped he hadn’t said anything to upset Mabel’s partner.  The oven was opened, but Strange did not reach in.  Instead the casserole dish floated out with an orange glow before resting on the stove top.  Tad went about sprinkling cheese over the dish he was making.  Dipper tilted his head in curiosity.  Tad put it back in for a few minutes.

“I do have one more question, Dipper,” Tad said without looking at the human.  His expression looked conflicted again from what the brunet could see.  Strange breathed in to calm himself before continuing.  He turned to watch Dipper’s reaction.  “Do you trust me?”

“I...uh,” Dipper stuttered out unintelligently.  He didn’t want to offend the demon, but he didn’t want to lie either.  He really didn’t know Tad enough to say.  Of course that didn’t explain his internal insistence to not trust Tad.  “Honestly, I think I need to get to know you better.”

“Understandable,” Tad responded simply.  He turned back to the oven once more to wait out the last few minutes on the timer.  Dipper was unable to gauge the expression Tad wore.  “Would you mind letting the others know that my Italian chicken and potato bake is just about ready?”

“Okay,” Dipper said.  He walked out of the room a bit briskly, leaving Tad to his thoughts.

(Mindscape)

Darkness….

There was nothing but darkness around him.  He was in a dark room.  No, a dark box!

He was trapped!  He needed out.  He needed air.

He needed out!

Dipper floundered in the dark abyss.  He couldn’t see.  He just floated in an endless nothing, without going anywhere.  All the while he could feel that he wasn’t alone there.  Something else was trapped here, and that something else was furious.  Dipper looked around.  Everything was darkness.

Then he saw it.  A distant ball of light.  Dipper had no idea how to reach it, though.  His struggle to move proved fruitless.  Everything was quiet.  When had it gotten so quiet?  It was deafening nothingness.  Was he going mad?  Dipper couldn’t even hear his own thoughts.  He struggled to move towards the light once more.  It was so small, or far.  He wasn’t sure which, maybe both.  Surely it would show him the way out.  Surely whatever else was here wouldn’t find him first.

Was the light getting closer?

Was it getting bigger?

Dipper could feel himself gulp in uncertainty.  The sphere of light dwarfed him considerably.  He tried to reach out.  He tried to touch it.  Before he could, darkness split the sphere.  Dipper watched on, terrified that his only light source was being eaten away.

No, the truth was even more horrifying.  The dark line expanded, and then shrunk.  Dipper saw his reflection in it like black ice.  The yellow light he had wanted was staring at him with a reptilian pupil.  Only the light wasn’t yellow any more.  It had turned red.  Dipper could see his reflection shaking.

(Waking World)

Dipper screamed himself awake.  He was panting as he rubbed his hands over his face.  His eyes slowly took in his surroundings once his arms flopped back down at his sides.  He was in the attic, not some endless abyss with horrific eye monsters.  Then the back of his neck flared up in pain.  A curse was on the tip of his tongue, but the pain was so great it silenced him.  It was as if something was clawing at his skin from inside and out, centered on that one spot where shoulders and neck connected.

Then it stopped.  Dipper breathed in blessed air as his mind was able to focus.  There was no pain.  He slowly tried to sit up; afraid he would set it off again.  Thankfully, he did not.  Dipper looked at his hands, flexing his fingers.  He needed something to focus on; still worried he was trapped in that darkness.  He felt trapped.  He was scared to move.

What was that?

The brunet flopped back onto his pillow.  Exhaustion seemed to take hold of him.  Like hell Dipper would be going back to sleep.  And yet there was a yearning to do just that.  He could feel a pull at the base of his neck.  It wasn’t painful like the clawing and itching from before.  It was almost like a hand trying to soothe him.  He found himself comparing it to an owner’s hand on a pet, trying to calm them down from bolting or just petting them during a nasty storm.  Dipper cringed at the thought of being the pet in such an analogy.

There was a creaking sound from the door.  Dipper craned his head to see it slowly opening to reveal his twin.  Mabel for once didn’t have her headband on to keep her bangs in check.  A long lilac nightgown with a cassette covered her, going past the boy shorts Dipper knew she wore with it.  Mabel padded across the floor on her ankle socks to her brother’s bed side.

“You okay, Dipper?” Mabel asked, still sounding groggy with sleep.  There was concern on her face.  She must have heard his scream.

“Yeah,” Dipper said with a reassuring smile.  “Just a nightmare.”

“Were you planning to go back to sleep?” Mabel questioned.  “If not I’m sure Tad wouldn’t mind us having a late night snack.  I kind of ran into him coming to check on you.”

“That loud, huh?” Dipper chuckled.

“Well, you know how Grunkle Stan sleeps,” Mabel said.  “And Grunkle Ford is all the way down in his lab.  I’m pretty sure Tad has super hearing, so he could have been on the other side of town.  I just have my twin senses to let me know you’re distressed.”

“Thanks, Mabel,” Dipper said.  He scooted over to give her more room to join him.  “I don’t really feel like getting up yet, but I don’t think I’ll be sleeping again so soon.”

“Just don’t go eating your shirt,” Mabel teased.  She crawled in next to her twin to share his pillow.  “Do you want to talk about the nightmare?”

“There isn’t much to talk about,” Dipper said.  “Just endless darkness, the sense of drowning while also being trapped, and feeling like I'm being watched.”

“Sounds like nightmare material to me,” Mabel said before giving her twin a comforting hug.  “Sure you don’t want that late snack?”

“Alright, you’ve convinced me,” Dipper accepted.  The two sat up and Mabel went to the door.  Dipper wasn’t far behind after pulling on his socks.

Chapter Text

It became clear early on that Grunkle Stan still wasn’t budging on the decision to wait on teaching Mabel and Dipper any form of magic.  Tad had left with the Multi-Bear to make sure the Manotaurs gave back his cave.  Ford was off in town somewhere.  Stanley had claimed he was visiting an old friend, but neglected to say who or where exactly they lived.  To make matters worse it was a slow day at the Mystery Shack.

Dipper found it to be the perfect opportunity to read through one of Ford’s old notebooks cataloging the various magical beasts the man had encountered.  He had skimmed through many to find a passage on the Multi-Bear.  Curiosity had taken hold at the implication that the intelligent creature did not have a group to combat these Manotaurs.  Given what Stanford had written down the Multi-Bear was the group.  There were similar instances of groups of animals becoming one:  wolves, lions, ducks, and rats had all been recorded to have such mutations.  From his readings Dipper gathered that they all had one thing in common; it occurred in the vicinity of a portal.

Portals were the connection between the mortal plane and the Nightmare Realm, where demons originated.  The magic of the demonic plane had seeped into their world ages ago.  Mutations had been prevalent in those days; at least that was what was taught now.  Through the centuries everything just kind of got used to the influx.  That had changed forty-odd years ago.  There was once again a magical backlash, and then the portals vanished all at once.

It was still a mystery what happened to cause such a widespread event.  There were those (like Dipper) that wanted to find the answer by studying the areas that once housed these tears in reality itself.  Unfortunately it was widely believed that poking around could bring them back, or some such nonsense.  In Dipper’s mind it was a missed opportunity to learn more about the origins of magic.

“Earth to Dipper,” Mabel said with a light push to his shoulder.

“I’m reading,” Dipper protested, but looked up at his twin anyway.

“I’ve been saying your name for five minutes,” Mabel pouted with her arms behind her back.  She likely had something hidden in her hands.  Her voice dropped to a whisper as her eyes shifted around to make sure no one was listening in.  “I found something in one of Great Uncle Ford’s desk drawers.”

Dipper raised an eyebrow as he waited for her to produce this secret discovery.  Mabel shoved the object in his face, blocking his vision.  After leaning back Dipper realized it was an old photograph.  He studied the faces of the people, able to make out younger versions of their grunkles.  There was another man standing beside the possibly thirty year old Ford that neither recognized.  It was the character standing next to Grunkle Stan’s younger self that made Dipper’s eyes widen.  They had to be at least seven feet tall, and certainly not human given the large under bite and bulbous eyes.

The pair was standing back to back, as best they could given the height difference, with their right arms bent to thumbs up the camera.  Stanley had short sleeves on, but the other wasn’t even wearing a shirt.  It was possible that finding a shirt that fit was next to impossible given the bodybuilder physique.  The torn jean shorts showed that they had not neglected strengthening their legs as well, if they had indeed worked for such a form.  Dipper squinted at the tiny image barely legible on the muscular shoulder.  He alternated bringing the photograph closer to his face and pulling it away with no real difference.

“Where did you find that at?” Wendy asked leaning over the counter.

“Mabel found it in Ford’s old room,” Dipper whispered after a moment of surprise.  “It seems to be him and Stan, only younger.  I don’t know who the other guy is, but…”

“...But?” Mabel encouraged while stepping closer.  Wendy silently leaned further.

“I think this means Grunkle Stan has a demon somewhere,” Dipper said in disbelief.  He turned the photo over to see if anything was written on the back.  “Fidds, Sixer, Eights, Crescent.”

“Must be codenames,” Mabel said before enthusiastically taking the photograph back to look over.  “Sixer must mean Ford, given his six fingers.  I think Eights would be Stan… since he almost always has that eight-ball cane with him.”

“So that leaves Fidds and Crescent,” Dipper finished.  He brought his left hand up to his chin in thought.  “Can you make out what’s on the demon’s shoulder there?”

“Nope,” Mabel responded cheerfully.

“Could be short for Fiddleford,” Wendy said to help them out.  She stood back up and took her seat, which was more of an old wooden bar stool.  “That would be crazy Old Man McGucket.  I’ve heard your great uncles talk about him...well, argue about him.  I guess he was college buddies with one of them.  Gotta say, he did not age well.”

“That must be who Ford is visiting,” Dipper said a bit too loudly.  He was just excited to find some answers to possible mysteries.  He covered his mouth immediately after.

“I hear talking,” Stanley said gruffly as he entered from the back room.  He kept whatever paperwork for the business in there, and the cleaning supplies.  “Which means people aren’t working like they should be.”

“There aren’t even any customers,” Wendy pointed out with her arms gesturing to the otherwise empty shop.

Stan grumbled in disapproval, likely thinking that the customers weren’t showing up because his employees were too busy flapping their gums to welcome them.  How was he supposed to swindle others out of their hard earned money when his workers were this absent minded?  He knew Wendy was immune to any threat he may imply.  She still had that teenage ‘fuck all’ mentality.  Stanley admittedly admired that in her, but he would wring anyone’s neck that found that out.  Instead he figured his stern parental figure pose could at least make Mabel and Dipper think twice about any funny business, at least while he was present.

“What are you up to now?” Stan questioned with suspicion.  He didn’t miss that Mabel was trying to hide something behind her back.  The fact that she wouldn’t meet his eyes only further gave it away.  Dipper was much the opposite, stubbornly looking Stan in the face with defiance like he didn’t believe they had done anything wrong.  “Hand it over, Mabel.”

“Hand what over?” Dipper challenged.  A glare made him stiffen, but he certainly wasn’t backing down.

“Mabel,” Stan demanded again with his left hand extended.  Mabel glanced to her twin silently before producing the photograph.

“It was left in my room,” Mabel said as way of passing the blame to whoever left it behind.

The room became uncomfortably silent as Stanley looked at the picture taken.  Dipper swore he saw the man gulp as if swallowing whatever emotion such an image invoked.  He quickly shoved it into a pocket in his pants.  His right hand tightened around the cane handle.  The way Stan tilted his head caused a glare in his glasses making it hard to see his eyes.  It only went on for a second or two, but it felt much longer to those involved.

“Get back to work,” Stan said finally.  His voice was neutral, not demanding and angry.  Mabel bit her lip realizing this.

“What happened to them?” Dipper asked.  He couldn’t help still wanting answers, but he tried to be understanding in the situation.  Surely something had gone down for a guardian to leave their charge, or the other way around.

“It doesn’t matter,” Stanley insisted after a beat.  He turned to head back into the house.  He likely planned to put the photograph somewhere.

“They were your guardian, weren’t they?” Dipper pushed on.  He took a step towards his grunkle.  He just wanted to understand.

“My stupidity and blindness cost us,” Stan said when he eventually relented.  His eyes focused on his right hand and the cane clutched in it.  “It cost him…  Don’t bring this up to Ford.”

The twins were left with Wendy in the gift shop.  Stan was still being vague, too vague for Dipper’s liking.  Still, the brunet had pushed far enough.  His first response would have been to seek out his great uncle for answers.  Given how it appeared to affect Grunkle Stan, however, it couldn’t have been something good.  It just left Dipper with more questions.  Had this demon turned on them?  Had they sacrificed themselves in some way?  Furthermore, if Tad had been with them for so long, why wasn’t he in that photo?  The answer to the last question was likely that he just hadn’t been involved yet.

“I didn’t think it would bring up bad memories,” Mabel said softly.  She clearly felt bad for bringing it up at all now.

“I don’t see how you could have,” Wendy said, thinking up ways to lighten the mood.  She hadn’t known the young Pines very long, but she didn’t like watching them be upset.  “I’m sure Mr. Pines will be back to his grumpy old self by the time he gets back.”

The bell rang to signal an entering potential customer.  The trio let the mood melt away as they focused on the newcomers.  Wendy leaned over to whisper something to Mabel.  The brunette looked at her for a moment, then to the two men before heading in the direction Stanley had gone.  Dipper regarded the strangers much the same that Wendy did, with suspicion.  He approached them regardless; Stan wouldn’t want him allowing potential suckers to get away.

“Welcome to the Mystery Shack,” Dipper greeted in the way Stan had taught him.  Mabel was better at it given her natural cheerful disposition, but Dipper could fake a smile rather convincingly when the need arose.  “How can I help you gentlemen?”

The shorter blond of the pair continued to survey the area as if Dipper wasn’t even there.  The balding, dark haired, mustache sporting man took off his shades and tucked them into his shirt collar.  They looked like government officials, even wearing devices in their ears like secret service members.  Stan had taught the twins not to trust such people.  The government was out to get everyone, or at least get dirt on them.  It made people easier to control if one had leverage.  Dipper did his best not to let his suspicion show.

“I am Agent Powers and this is my associate, Agent Trigger,” the mustached man said.  He quickly pulled out his badge, his partner doing the same.  The blond agent started walking through the aisles, inspecting the merchandise carefully.  “We understand there are reports of a demon frequenting this place of business.”

“I don’t believe such things are illegal,” Dipper said.  He knew it wasn’t, unless the demon was actually endangering people or being a nuisance.  Granted it was likely assumed that the only reason a demon was sighted was because they were making trouble.  “There is no damaged property.  Has someone been hurt?”

“No, no reports of that,” Agent Powers assured him.  There was suddenly a crash in the aisle with the snow globes.  Agent Trigger glared at Dipper when their eyes met as if it was his fault.  Powers cleared his throat.  “We are simply checking into such reports to be sure citizens are safe.  I’m sure you understand.  One can never be too sure with demons.”

“I’d be more worried about people entering uninvited,” Stan interrupted from the other end of the gift shop.  He marched up to Agent Powers, frustrated to see that the man was taller than him.

“This is a public establishment,” the agent pointed out.

“For paying customers,” Stanley said challengingly.  “I didn’t realize government officials were allowed to barge in and destroy property without a warrant.”

“We are simply here to investigate reports of a rogue demon,” Agent Powers repeated what he told Dipper.  Agent Trigger was back at his side, now relieved of his shades as well.

“Then you are wasting your time here,” Stan said, clearly sick of their presence.  “The only demon is part of a registered Guardian-Charge pair.”

“And where is this demon?” Powers questioned.

“We want it brought out,” Agent Trigger finally spoke.  His voice was rather annoying, and it appeared he only existed to parrot his superior.

“Tad is checking the protections around the forest,” Mabel said.  She marched up to the agents, visibly agitated.

“Ah, you must be the Charge,” Agent Powers deduced.  He whispered some order to his partner before turning back to the brunette.  His expression appeared to soften.  Mabel’s did not.  “What are these protections exactly?”

“Tad put them up to keep the more dangerous creatures from the town,” Mabel said with her arms crossed.  Despite being shorter she actually seemed to be intimidating Agent Trigger at least.  The blond moved back towards the door to talk into his mic.

“I see,” Powers commented.  He pondered silently before continuing.  “And does this also keep people out, or is there a separate barrier for that?”

“It is further in,” Stanley answered for her.  The twins hadn’t known about that, if it was true.  “The deeper parts of the forest are off limits to keep idiots from getting lost.”

“And there is no chance this demon could turn on you?” Agent Powers asked Mabel.  He was clearly fishing for reasons to pursue this investigation, or spread doubt.

“He wouldn’t hurt anyone,” Mabel said calmly.  That calm masked the fury burning in her eyes.  She was offended on Tad’s behalf.  It was probably good that the twins hadn’t tapped into their magic yet, as Mabel looked like she wanted to blow the agents up.

“Unless he was protecting you,” the man added on.  Mabel narrowed her eyes at him.  Dipper took a step closer to his twin, interpreting the words just as she had.

“Sir,” Agent Trigger interrupted.  His hand lowered from his earpiece.  “Tad Strange.  The story checks out.”

“Very well,” Agent Powers responded.  He nodded to the family.  “Thank you for your time and cooperation.”

No one said a word as the two left.  Stan walked over after the door closed to make sure the agents went on their way.  Mabel and Dipper remained rooted to their respective spots.  The sound of cars peeling off and driving away signaled that they could all relax.  Stanley nodded to Wendy in thanks and to let her know she had done the right thing in having Mabel retrieve him.  He glared out the shop window one last time before turning the open sign to closed.

“Clean up your station and go on home, Wendy,” Stan told her.  “If Soos has fixed up the ‘S’ let him know he can leave, too.”

Wendy didn’t have to be told twice.  She smiled at the twins as she stuffed her magazine in her back pocket and headed for the door.  Stan waited for her to leave before signaling for Dipper and Mabel to follow him into the kitchen.  The twins shared a silent look.  They followed, unsure what was about to happen.  Mabel was tense after dealing with the agents.  She somewhat wished that she had punched Trigger for his lack of courtesy towards Tad.

“You two okay?” Grunkle Stan asked when they both took a seat.

“Yeah,” Dipper said.

“Those guys were jerks,” Mabel said with her arms crossed.  She relaxed after being seated for a bit.  Her arms stretched out over the table in front of her.  “What was that even about?”

“A shake down, basically,” Stan informed them.  He debated waiting for his brother, but figured he could just relay the events to him later.  Making sure his great-niece and -nephew were on guard was what mattered in that moment.  “The Northwests likely sent them.”

“Like Pacifica?” Mabel questioned, clearly confused.

“So you’ve met Preston’s kid,” Stan commented.  “Yeah.  Rich family thinks they can own everything.  Thinks they do own everything, and everyone.  They’ve been after the Shack for years now.  Both through legal bribery and less reputable means.”

“Why do they want this place?” Dipper asked.  The Northwest didn’t sound like they were in the tourist trap business.

“Location mostly, I figure,” Stanley said with a shrug.  He wasn’t entirely sure outside of them wanting the Pines family run out of Gravity Falls.  “Great place for when you want to explore the woods.  Mostly they just want us gone.  Preston thinks we’re hiding something in there and he wants it.  There are others that want it as well.”

“Is there something in there, or not?” Dipper asked, not entirely understanding if this was just perceived by the Northwests and others or actually true.

“It doesn’t matter,” Stan brushed aside.  “Just don’t trust them.  Thanks to Stanford’s inventions and research and my business we can stay afloat.  If that ever gets put in jeopardy you can bet Preston will make a move.  He’s already tried bribing Soos and Wendy before.  Had to bail the girl out after punching the bastard, almost twice when he attempted to blackmail her over it.”

“He’s bad news basically,” Dipper concluded.  He still wasn’t forgetting about what the man was possibly after.  “Why doesn’t he just go into the woods himself, or pay some expedition team to do it for him?”

“An expedition team would likely take the riches for themselves,” Stan said.  “Provided they find any and don’t get mauled by something in the process.”

“So is it just dangerous beasts and potential treasure hidden in there?” Dipper pressed on.

“Sure, why not?” Stan agreed just so Dipper would drop it.  He didn’t pay attention to the glare his great nephew gave him for it.  “The point is, if something like that happens again come to me.  You could go to Ford if need be, but he doesn’t really know how to talk them up.”

“So long as they stay away from Tad,” Mabel said.  “Now I really wish I had beaten Pacifica.  Sounds like her whole family needs an ego check.”

“Preston is the one you want to watch out for,” Stan told them.  “His daughter is just a pawn.  A spoiled brat, but ultimately a pawn to further his family legacy and similar nonsense.  The Northwests sort of fancy themselves demon hunters.  Anyway, go keep yourselves occupied.  When Tad and Ford get back we’re heading out to Greasy’s for food.”

Chapter Text

Mabel was understandably upset that Tad wouldn’t be joining them at the diner.  She could follow the logic behind it, but that didn’t mean she liked it.  Tad was her partner, and he had protected the town for years.  There was no reason for anyone to fear or distrust him.  Perhaps she was still angry about those agents coming into the Shack.  Mabel sighed when the door swung open and the four went inside.  She put on a friendly face.  She would make him something when they got back and then spend time with her guardian.

The elderly woman that welcomed them was pleasantly cheerful, if a little odd.  She kept trying to flirt with Stanley.  He was strangely polite about it, but didn’t really encourage further interaction.  They all just ordered burgers and fries.  Mabel was still thinking about Tad being left at the Mystery Shack, despite him telling her to enjoy her time in town.  It just felt wrong not having him there on a family outing.

“You okay there, pumpkin?” Grunkle Stan asked.

“Yeah, just thinking about Tad,” Mabel confessed.

“You don’t have to worry about him,” Stan said.  He offered an encouraging smile to his grand niece.  “Tad can keep himself occupied while we’re away.  And I’m sure you can spend all the time you want with him when we get home.”

“Oh, I can show him how my sweater is coming along,” Mabel said with sparkling eyes.  “It’s almost finished, and then we can be Sweater-Buddies.”

“I’m sure he’ll love it,” Stan agreed.  He was glad Mabel’s mood was lifting.  The pair had certainly taken to each other quickly.  Stan imagined it wouldn’t be long before they were punching out monsters together.

“Dipper?” Ford’s concerned tone pulled their attention.  The man was holding the boy’s glass to steady it while Dipper seemed to be steadying himself.  “You didn’t sleep well did you?”

“Not particularly,” Dipper said.  He tried to play it off as nothing, after checking that his shirt wasn’t halfway to his mouth.  “It’s just a little hard to get comfortable at night.  The attic is a bit drafty, and I’m still getting used to the new surroundings.”

“That is understandable,” Stanford said with a nod.  He watched the younger man a moment before deciding it was safe for the drink.  “Plus attics do tend to be creepy.”

“Well, I hear basements can be as well,” Dipper joked with a tired smile.  He reached up to itch the back of his neck before thinking better of it.  He didn’t need a flare up in the middle of the diner.  Perhaps he should get it checked out when they returned to the Shack.  Dipper had since forgone the thought that he was dealing with a mosquito bite.

“Aw, the Pines family,” a sickeningly pleasant voice caught them all off guard.  Dipper and the Stan twins glared at the dolled up, white-haired teenager watching them.

“Hi, Gideon,” Mabel greeted, making her great uncles glance at her in confusion.

“Oh, Mabel, dear, how good to see you again,” Gideon almost tripped over himself to be polite.  His false pleasantness to the others melted away into a love struck puppy look.  “Have you been enjoying the town?  I know it isn’t much, but Gravity Falls can surprise you with what it has to offer.”

“It seems nice,” Mabel said.  She smiled at him in hopes of easing the nervousness she perceived.  “Is your family eating here, too?”

“Oh, no,” Gideon answered with a small smile.  “Father has his business to run and won’t be cooking until later.  I like to stop in every now and again.  Has your meal been paid for?”

“No, we just ordered,” Mabel said, a bit confused by his question.

“Don’t worry about it, my dear,” Gideon said.  “I’ll make sure to get your tab when I leave.”

“What?” Mabel’s eyes widened in shock.  “No, Gideon, you don’t have to do that.”

“But I insist,” Gideon lightly argued.  His fake smile was back for only a second before becoming more genuine.  “After all, the Pines are the protectors of this town.  I do hope to see more of you, sweet Mabel.”

“Just Mabel is fine,” she said with an uncomfortable frown.  Mabel could admit that she was slow when it came to realizing others were flirting, but she was sure at this point that that was exactly what Gideon was trying to do.

“Of course, of course,” Gideon seemed to wave off her wishes.  “Enjoy your meal, Mabel.”

Gideon turned to leave just as Lazy Susan was bringing their plates.  She paused when they crossed paths.  There was a clear exchange of words before Gideon headed over to the register.  Mabel looked away with an uneasy feeling.  She didn’t feel right having this practical stranger pay for them.  She also didn’t like the thought that she may have lead him on.  Mabel was just trying to be polite and friendly, and thought at first that Gideon was much the same.  Clearly, however, he had interpreted their brief interactions differently, or he just had a harmless crush.

“What a nice boy,” Lazy Susan commented as she set their plates down.  Mabel didn’t look up.  “You’re one lucky gal!”

When the woman walked away Mabel tried to bury her face in her hands.  She felt absolutely terrible.  Grunkle Stan’s encouragement about free food actually did not help.  Mabel suddenly didn’t feel like eating, or knitting sweaters.  She wanted to curl up under her blankets and never come out.  She was at least halfway burying herself in her Mabel sweater when she felt a comforting hand rub her back.  Mabel looked up and turned her head to meet similar brown eyes to her own.

“It will be okay, Mabel,” Dipper whispered with a sympathetic smile.  “If Gideon wants to be nice, we’ll let him this time.  Next time we see him you can talk and try sorting this out.”

“I like that plan,” Mabel agreed.  She briefly leaned against her brother as the anxiety left her.  “Thank you, Dipper.”

“We’re twins, Mabel,” Dipper pointed out.  “We have each other’s backs.”

“And fronts and sides?”

“Everything and always.”

“So when did you meet the little creep?” Stanley asked as they left Greasy’s.

“Yesterday, when returning from town,” Mabel answered.  Despite the arguing with Dipper she had forgotten about Gideon with everything else that went on.  “We sort of met Pacifica at the arcade.”

“Hm, well, I guess it’s good to know about their existence sooner rather than later,” Grunkle Stan said.  “The Northwests aren’t the only ones to worry about in this town.  Gideon Gleeful is bad news.”

“He seems nice,” Mabel said.  “He just may have a little crush on me that I need to address.”

“That ‘little crush’ is the only reason he is being nice,” Stan warned.  “You’re better off avoiding him altogether.”

“If there’s bad blood between our families I don’t want to make it worse,” Mabel countered.  She really didn’t want Gideon to be offended if she just blew him off.  Surely he could be reasoned with.  Maybe she could even help with the issues their families had.

“Absolutely not,” Stan put his foot down.  “Gleeful is the worst scum there is.  You will stay away from him.”

“I just want to clear up a misunderstanding, Grunkle Stan,” Mabel shouted back.  She hated arguing with her family, but sometimes she had to show them reason.

“You’re better off leaving it alone!”

“You two need to stop,” Ford interrupted.  He glared more at Stanley than Mabel, but they both got the disappointed look.  “We should head home.  If Gideon comes up again Mabel can discuss the issue then.  We won’t seek him out ourselves.”

Mabel kicked a pebble before reluctantly following.  Dipper fell into step with her in a silent show of support.  He was with Great Uncle Ford in the belief that they didn’t need to go looking for Gideon just to talk about his possible crush on Mabel.  At the same time he would support his sister, as they promised one another.  Besides once they were back at the Shack Mabel could hang out with Tad and bond with her guardian further.  

Dipper rolled his shoulders as his neck started to feel weird again.  It wasn’t so much an itch anymore as it was a pressure.  He just felt like someone was right behind him either breathing down his neck or seconds from touching it.  Maybe he was just paranoid.  The younger twins hopped into the back of Grunkle Stan’s car.  Their great uncles hadn’t felt like walking all the way to Greasy’s Diner.  At least it meant the trip back wouldn’t take long.  No one said anything.  Mabel was likely still thinking about Gideon, or her spat with Stan.  Dipper glanced out at the trees they passed by.  His mind became occupied with the thought of exploring the woods.

Everyone pretty much decided to do their own thing once they returned home.  Stan went into the back room of the shop presumably to do paperwork.  Ford shook his head with a sigh before hiding in the basement.  Hopefully Stanley would remember to check on him later to make sure his brother got some shut eye.  Speaking of sleep, Dipper figured he should attempt it after making sure Mabel was okay by herself.  She wasn't by herself, though, as Tad was more than happy to keep her company while she finished the shooting star sweater she had been working on.  They all just needed some down time to unwind and let the stress of the day wash away.

Dipper thought he was tired.  He should be after the lack of a proper sleep the previous night.  Only his mind felt overloaded with thoughts that had nothing to do with sleep.  That sensation of a hand at the base of his neck was back.  There was a pressure to it as if trying to guide him into doing something, moving somewhere.  Perhaps Ford was right about attics just being creepy.  Dipper decided to walk back downstairs.  He wasn't getting any sleep now either.

Mabel and Tad were in her room talking.  Dipper headed down onto the first floor without paying much mind to it.  He doubted either of them noticed his presence.  Stanley kept the employees only door closed, so he wouldn't be seeing Dipper as he checked the gift shop.  Dipper didn't know what he was doing; basically letting his feet carry him wherever in the Shack.  Still on autopilot he started putting on his shoes again.  There really wasn't anything inside to do, so he might as well sit on the porch or something.  Dipper didn't want to strain his already tired eyes with reading; he just also didn't want to go back to sleep at that time.

The porch swing was a little creaky.  Dipper doubted it would be comfortable to fall asleep on, not that he thought he would.  His eyes kept wandering to the tree line.  Would it be so bad if he just had a quick peek in?  Knowing himself as he did that glance would become a short stroll at least.  Surely no one would notice his absence, though.

“Oh, Dipper,” Gideon was suddenly in the yard.  He had likely walked up to the Shack like a normal person, but Dipper had been too distracted.  His surprise must be evident.  “Hello again.  I didn't mean to startle you.”

“It's fine, Gideon,” Dipper said.  He was agitated at himself for being so easily crept up on.

“I was hoping to talk with Mabel actually,” Gideon said.  His overly friendly smile wavered a little when it became apparent Dipper wouldn't be going to fetch her.

“Yeah, she’s kinda winding down like the rest of us,” Dipper commented.  Something about Gideon’s presence was making him angry, but he tried to push it down.  “We’ve had a bit of a stressful day.  Thank you for the free meal, by the way.”

“Think nothing of it,” Gideon insisted.  His smile was definitely forced.  It was quickly replaced by a look of concern.  Dipper was pretty sure this was fake, too.  “Did something happen?”

“It's not really important,” Dipper brushed off.  How was he to get this guy to just leave?

“I might be able to help,” Gideon said.  “I wouldn't want any of you to be under unnecessary strain.”

“It has been handled,” Dipper said.  Truthfully he wasn't sure if the issue was settled.  Given what Grunkle Stan had said they actually probably would be seeing those agents again.

“Your expression tells me you aren't so sure,” Gideon pointed out, much to Dipper’s continued annoyance and aggravation.

“It doesn't concern you,” Dipper countered.  He no longer cared about being polite.  This white haired creep needed to go.  “You should leave.”

“What?” Gideon didn't expect the sudden shift in Dipper’s mood.  “Now be reasonable here, Dipper.  I'm only trying to help.  Mabel certainly doesn't deserve to be put through such stressful situations.”

“You mean like the stress and anxiety you caused at Greasy’s earlier?” Dipper challenged.  This further visibly shocked Gideon.  Dipper tried to calm his building anger with a deep inhale.  “Again, thank you for paying, but Mabel really didn't want you to.  Stay away from her.”

“Wha-bu-I,” Gideon stammered over syllables to in an attempt to form words.

“Leave,” Dipper said with finality.  He stood his ground and glared until Gideon got over his shock enough to move.  The younger glared back, but ultimately turned and left.  Dipper watched his retreating back until he was out of sight.

Chapter Text

Tad watched the meticulous knitting of his charge.  He was aware that Mabel had taken up sweater knitting as a hobby near the beginning of her teenage years.  The purple one he wore was testament to her skill in the craft.  Mabel’s latest piece was nearly completed.  It was pink and sported a rainbow tailed shooting star.  Mabel was perched at the edge of her bed while Tad stretched out beside the wall, leaning against the headboard.  She had insisted that he relax, claiming that she could feel his stress.  That wasn’t true, surely.  Their bond was not quite strong enough for feelings and thoughts to be shared so effortlessly.

Mabel was the one clearly stressed out from the day she had.  She shared what happened at Greasy’s with Gideon.  Tad didn’t trust the kid any more than the Stan twins.  He wouldn’t stand in the way of Mabel giving the town favorite a chance, but he would watch out for her should things turn sour.  Tad knew about the government officials showing up from Stanley’s account.  This was truly a new world for Mabel and Dipper.  Tad wanted nothing more than to hug her and protect her from the hardships likely to follow.

“What did they even want?” Mabel griped in regards to the agents.  She paused in her work while complaining so as not to mess up.  “It’s like if you were there they would have happily cuffed you for just existing!”

“I suppose that is rather on the nose,” Tad said with a sigh.  It was best not to dwell on it, but they did need to be prepared for such reactions to their existence now.  It made his core pulse painfully thinking of how he essentially dragged Mabel into this state of being.  “It is the job of their division to protect citizens from potential magical threats.  Your grunkles took care of the registration when you turned eighteen, so there is no real reason to worry.”

“I think Dipper mentioned something about registration laws,” Mabel said with a frown.  Her lack of reading up on the subject was coming back to bite her it seemed.

Dipper was the bookworm of the twins.  Mabel had purposefully avoided that specific subject because of the bias she knew many held.  She hadn’t wanted to be judging a demon she should be trusting due to some stupid prejudice.  Not that she didn’t understand that there were dangerous demons out there.  Still, being afraid of her own partner just sounded counterproductive.  Plus now knowing that he was great friends with her grunkles proved that such fears would be unfounded.

“It is for the safety of the unbonded and non-magical humans,” Tad commented.  He understood the fears of many more than they realized.  “No one wants a feral demon after half a century.  Rogues are bad enough at times when they get too bold.”

“I, uh, don’t really get the distinction,” Mabel confessed nervously.  She really should have listened to Dipper seeing as she certainly hadn’t picked up any book on the subject.  “I get that feral demons are more dangerous to the point of basically being rabid, but what causes it?”

“Rogues are just random demons that decide to antagonize humans and their settlements,” Tad clarified with the most basic definition he knew of.  Truthfully they tended to be easily run off, and were greatly discouraged by the loosely assembled council.  His tone and expression became much more somber.  “Feral demons are created when one that should have been a guardian turns on their charge.  The sudden snap of the connection they shared results in this ‘rabidness.’”

“That’s terrible,” Mabel exclaimed.  She all but forgot about her sweater as she turned to Tad.  He inclined his head in agreement.  He appeared to become distracted in his thoughts briefly.  Perhaps he knew some demon that turned, or just felt the blow of fate dealt to the charges lost in such a way.  Mabel bit her lower lip as a thought came to her.  “What happens when a charge refuses the bond?”

“Hm?” Tad took a moment to answer.  His thoughts must have been plagued by this turn of conversation.  Mabel regretted bringing it up, especially with the look that Tad almost seemed to blame himself in a way.  “It is much different, but ultimately a demon’s energy slowly lessens until they are unable to hold any form beyond their basic shape.”

The demon allowed his thoughts to drift more.  This was not a subject he wanted to continue, and Mabel seemed to understand that as she focused back on her nearly finished sweater.  He didn’t mention how the human was affected by their refusal of a partnership.  While the symbols connected a guardian-charge pair, they could very well be seen as a curse.  The magic that created them wanted the bond to be strengthened, and when refused… well, the would-be charge tended to become desperate to be rid of their mark.  Tad didn’t want that for anyone, but between a feral demon and a charge in denial the world was better off with the latter.

There had only ever been a few handfuls of bonds throughout history.  Of those handfuls five demons had become feral, and two had made attempts on their charge’s life.  Tad had actually come across one of those two.  The implications of the account they gave still haunted Tad.  He knew some demons were completely against the idea of being tied to a mortal.  Sure pairs were random in who became a part of them, but those that actually detested humanity had always been left out.  Humans, though, could become a charge regardless of their personal belief on the subjects of demons and magic.

One would think that if a demon didn’t want a charge they would just avoid the human from the start, and there were those that did.  This, too, had its consequence.  While the emptiness that both human and demon tended to share was unpleasant just to envision, it certainly appeared to be the best option when compared to the other results of rejected bonds.  No, it was the idea that a seemingly healthy bond could slowly but inevitably crumble.  For the demon Tad had talked to this came in the form of intrusive thoughts that the human was holding them back and not worthy to share their magic.  Where such thoughts had come from they could not say.  Tad wished he could say the same.

“What do you think?” Mabel asked, dragging Tad out of his thoughts.  She held the completed sweater up to show him the results of her work.

“It looks very well crafted,” Tad said with a fond smile.  He decided the past should stay in the past.  He certainly did not want to waste their time dwelling on such things.

Mabel made a joyous sound.  She stood from the bed to change her current sweater.  Tad turned his head to give her a moment of privacy to do so.  Mabel always had a short sleeve shirt underneath.  This time it was a light grey.  It did not take her long to change.  She adjusted her headband afterwards and made sure the new sweater fit correctly.  Once satisfied she turned back to Tad and threw out her arms to display her outfit.

“Now we match,” she declared to get him to look at her again.  That fond smile was back on his face.  Mabel liked seeing that smile.  Tad tended to come off as a serious type, which did balance out her upbeat and overzealous mentality.  Mabel just wanted to turn that neutral line upwards more than it downturned.

“Shall we show off to everyone then?” Tad suggested.  His eyes sparkled with a mischievous light.  “I bet we can make them jealous.  It wouldn’t take much for them to come flocking for one of your masterpiece sweaters.”

“And how much would we be charging for them?” Mabel asked, starting to giggle.  “You’re starting to sound like Grunkle Stan with his ‘get rich quick’ schemes.”

“The price would be completely up to you,” Tad said.  He actually did like the idea of Mabel making her own business out of it, but he knew she just did it for fun and to show her appreciation to those she made sweaters for.

“How about I get paid in hugs?” Mabel decided.  It was a silly payment, especially since she wasn’t a child anymore.  She let out a surprised yet happy squeal when Tad picked her up and held her close.  She hadn’t even realized he had moved.

“Then consider my sweater paid for,” Tad said as he lightly squeezed around her middle.  He released her soon after only to have Mabel wrap her arms around him and rest her head against his chest.

“Let’s go show Dipper first,” Mabel suggested after slowly pulling away.

“Lead the way, my shooting star,” Tad said with a small gesture at the doorway.

Mabel’s seemingly boundless energy was evident as she made her way to the bottom of the attic stairs.  Tad held a fond smile while following at a more subdued pace.  The sounds of Stan and Ford arguing could be heard from downstairs.  Mabel was unable to make out what they were actually saying.  She would be sure to get them to hug it out later.  She looked up at the open door to Dipper’s room.  Her brother was usually more protective of his privacy.

“Dippin’ Dots, my sweater is finished,” Mabel yelled up at the open door.  Her cheerful smile faltered when there wasn't even a grunt in response.  Could Dipper have fallen asleep? Mabel decided on a different tactic to draw her twin out.  “If you don't come down to look I'm coming up to jump on your bed!”

“Perhaps he is having a nap,” Tad suggested after still no response.  “We could come back after showing Stanley and Stanford.”

The brunette didn’t respond or move.  Mabel bit her lip in thought.  Sure Dipper hadn’t slept well the night before, but something just didn’t feel right to her.  Clearly her twin senses should be followed.  Mabel walked up the staircase to the open door.  She could at least see if Dipper had indeed fallen asleep, or if he was engrossed in a book again.  Unfortunately looking inside the attic room revealed that her brother wasn’t even inside.  That sense of dread grew at this knowledge.  Mabel rushed back down and toward her great uncles.

“Oh, hell no,” Stanley protested, clearly exasperated from arguing with his twin.  “You will never sleep!  I know what happens when you don’t sleep, and it ain’t pretty.”

“Clearly Dipper isn’t able to sleep up there,” Ford said.  He grumbled about Stanley’s horrible grammar, but didn’t want to change the subject.  “We shouldn’t even have opened the attic.”

“You know as well as I do that...,” Stan paused as Mabel rushed into the television room.

“Dipper isn’t in his room,” Mabel said in a rush.

“What!?” Stanley didn’t take the news well.

“I'm sure Dipper is fine,” Ford said with a more level head than the other Stan.  The shifting of his eyes as he thought showed that he was still bothered by this information, or perhaps something else.  “He is likely just on the porch.”

Mabel didn’t waste any more time on words in that moment.  Even with Great Uncle Ford’s logical reasoning she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.  Her fears strengthened once she was outside.  Dipper was nowhere to be found.  He wasn’t on the creaky old swing, or sitting on the couple steps leading up to the porch.  Mabel walked down onto the dirt in hopes of catching some sight of her twin.  It wasn’t like him to run off without a word.  She worried her bottom lip.

The older Pines were just as confused by this turn of events, and becoming worried themselves.  Surely Dipper couldn’t have gone far.  He had just been up in his room, hadn’t he?  Stanley was the one to call for the missing brunet.  All eyes tried to scan for any movement, their ears straining to listen for a sound.  There was still nothing to give them a clue as to Dipper’s whereabouts.  Stanford grabbed onto Mabel’s shoulder as she began walking toward the tree line.

“Hang on, Mabel,” he said calmly despite his own growing fears.  “We don’t need you to vanish as well.”

“But Dipper needs me,” Mabel countered with her eyes still on the forest.  “I can feel it.”

“I’m sure he’s fine, Mabel,” Ford said in an attempt to coax her back.  “Stanley and I will look for him.”

“I’ll find him,” Tad interrupted, suddenly appearing beside the two.  They hadn’t really been paying attention to the purple clad demon.  Mabel did not miss the narrowing of his eyes when he stared ahead at the woods.

There was something in his stance that put her on edge.  Mabel felt the air crackle around them.  She made a split second decision to grab onto her guardian.  Great Uncle Ford was no longer holding onto her shoulder to stop the movement.  The Stan twins could only watch the aftermath as not only had Tad Strange vanished in sparks of purple and orange, but Mabel was now gone, too.  Dread further crept up Ford’s spine while Stanley’s frustration caused him to shout.

Tad opened his eyes to the dense forest around him.  He recognized the area to an extent.  He knew what was nearby; who was nearby.  His eyes darted around in search of a clue on where to go.  The energy he had felt was still around.  It was weaker than he expected, but Tad would know that power anywhere no matter how much time had passed.  He still hoped that he was wrong in his assumptions regarding it.  Tad paused when he suddenly became aware of another beside him.  His head snapped down to find his charge retching against a tree.

“Mabel,” he said in a whisper holding all his concern.  Tad crouched down beside the brunette to rub her back in comfort.  “I’m sorry, my shooting star.  I never warned you of the dangers of teleporting for a mortal.”

“It’s okay,” Mabel managed after pulling back from the tree with her arms around her middle.  She smiled a little without her usual cheer.  “I guess I should have thought before grabbing onto you.  And to think I believed teleporting would be fun.”

“Humans aren’t meant for it,” Tad clarified carefully.  He continued to soothe her back until Mabel seemed to be well enough to stand up straight.  “The sudden repositioning of your molecules can be rather jarring I’d imagine.  Demons don’t have organs to worry about getting back in all the right places.”

“I think everything is in the right place,” Mabel said, though she wasn’t so sure in that moment.  She groaned in pain and shut her eyes to fight off the dizziness.

“I believe Stanley has equated it to a rollercoaster ride at a questionable amusement park,” Tad recalled with a slight smile in an attempt to lighten the mood.  He glanced behind them to make sure they were still alone.  This was the last place he wanted Mabel to be, but there was little he could do about it now.  He needed to know for certain.  “Do you think you’ll be alright to walk?”

“Yeah,” Mabel said after a deep breath.  She was starting to feel better.  As long as they didn’t have to run she should be good to go.  She just hoped the queasy feeling would wear off sooner.  “I’m good.  Let’s find Dipper.”

“Stick close to me,” Tad advised.  He kept himself positioned in front of Mabel just in case something should come at them.  His typical calm stride was much more cautious and unsure, and his charge picked up on it quickly.  Tad lowered his voice, not that he felt it really mattered if his fears were confirmed.  “If I tell you to, run as fast as you can back towards the town.  You should make it by going in a line the way we came.”

“What about Dipper?” Mabel questioned in a whisper.  She was too concerned for her twin to think about running away.  Were they not here to find him and take him back?

“It’s not fair!”

Tad didn’t get to answer.  Instead they both heard Gideon’s voice.  Mabel caught up to Tad as they came around the bushes to find the white-haired teenager in a clearing.  Gideon was shaking with rage once he stood up.  His once pristine powder blue outfit was covered in grass and dirt stains.  His hair was a bit disheveled as well, but whatever product he used seemed to have somewhat saved it.  He attempted to fling an unearthed stump.

“How can you have such magic already?” Gideon shouted as the attempted attack was intercepted.

Cerulean energy snapped the offending wood to pieces.  The whip of magic raced toward Gideon with the ground below splitting a few inches down.  The human barely managed to bring up a shield of foliage.  He was pushed back with a few more scrapes and bruises.  He grit his teeth in anger.  He just couldn’t understand how this was possible.  Gideon glared at the barrier the blue magic had formed into.  It wasn’t a sphere as most magical shields tended to be.  It appeared to take on the shape of a small pyramid.  The energy slowly became transparent, revealing Dipper Pines within.

“Dipper,” Mabel called to her twin without a second thought.  This caught both males’ attention.

“Mabel,” Dipper’s call was weaker than Gideon’s.  The brunet was low on energy.

The energy surrounding Dipper evaporated faster.  He couldn’t maintain the force field.  He could barely stay upright after all the magic he must have suddenly done.  It had been inconvenient for Gideon that Dipper had tapped into his powers.  It was clear the younger male retained the upper hand in that moment, but Gideon became distracted by Mabel’s presence.  He gulped at the sight of Tad Strange also being there.  The young Gleeful wasn’t too keen on being near the demon.

“What is going on here?” Mabel asked, more like demanded an answer.

“Mabel, dear…” Gideon tried to begin, but was cut short by the latest thorn in his side.

“Get out of here, Mabel,” Dipper shouted.  “Gideon is insane!”

“Now, Mabel, this is all a simple misunderstanding,” Gideon attempted again.

Judging by the glare she suddenly leveled at him she was not in the mood to hear it.  Purple magic struck Gideon then, sending him into a tree a short distance behind him.  The energy held him against the tree as Mabel marched forward.  Tad blinked in surprise as he watched his charge.  He teleported to Dipper quickly to make sure he was okay.  Strange continued to keep an eye on Gideon.  Restrained or not he did not trust Gleeful.

“Are you really trying to pull some ‘this is not what it looks like’ garbage?” Mabel asked with fury in her eyes.  It was rhetorical of course.  Tad and Mabel had seen and heard enough to accuse Gideon.  Mabel certainly wasn't letting an attack against her twin go.  “Grunkle Stan was right; you're a scummy creep!”

“Now, Mabel, surely you don't mean that,” Gideon said.  He struggled in the magical purple chains holding him captive.  Mabel’s words hurt him, but he knew they weren't true.  She couldn't really believe that about him.  It was the rest of the Pines and that accursed demon poisoning her against him; his poor, sweet, trusting Mabel.

“You attacked my brother!”

“I only wanted him to see reason,” Gideon tried again.  He chanced a glare at the male Pines.  Dipper was standing, but was clearly in no position to continue their confrontation.  Granted Gideon couldn’t do much to capitalize on that fact.  Not to mention Strange was a short distance from the brunet.  Gideon quickly focused back on convincing Mabel to his side.  “They have no right to keep us apart.  Don’t you see, Mabel?”

“I do,” Mabel said.  She couldn’t look at Gideon any more.  She felt so stupid for thinking of giving him a chance.  She felt stupid for fighting with her grunkle over it when the man clearly knew Gleeful.  Mabel could very well have lost her brother to this lunatic.  She took a breath in an attempt to calm herself; the faint sensation of a supportive presence helped further ground her.  “I understand that I was wrong about you, Gideon.”

“What?” Gideon questioned as the magic holding him evaporated into smoke.  He just barely stopped himself from falling face first into the grass.  Mabel was glaring at him again when Gideon righted himself.  He felt his chest constrict painfully.  “No, Mabel, please, you can’t let them sway you.”

“Stay away from my family,” Mabel warned.

Gideon just stood rooted to the spot.  He had no idea how to proceed.  He couldn’t be angry with his darling Mabel even if she had figuratively ripped his heart out.  They would pay for turning her against him.  Dipper Pines and his ilk would rue the day they crossed him so.  He would see that the Pines family was ruined, and that horrid demon would rot.  Mabel didn’t need Tad Strange, or at least she wouldn’t once she accepted being Gideon’s.

Tad walked over to his charge calmly.  His eyes glanced to the Gleeful boy.  It seemed they had settled this dispute, for the time being.  The demon didn’t miss how the teen flinched from his presence.  Tad took no pleasure in it, but he was not bothered by it either.  It was hard for him to keep from scooping Mabel up and holding her close.  Such things would have to wait until this little standoff was truly done with.

“Fine,” Gideon finally shouted.  His hands balled into fists at his sides.  His anger was still clearly aimed at Tad and Dipper rather than Mabel.  “Enjoy this little victory, because you haven’t seen the last of little ol’ me.”

No one really batted an eye as the young Gleeful backed into the woods.  Surely if Gideon found his way here he could get himself back out.  No, Mabel was more concerned with getting her brother out safely.  She quickly rushed over to him.  Dipper was a bit sluggish on his feet, but he didn’t look too bad.  There were no injuries that Mabel could see.  The force field he had managed must have been formed just in time.  Mabel suddenly recalled that her twin had created a magical barrier.

“Oh my god, Dipper, you did it!”

“Yeah, I did it alright,” Dipper groggily replied.  Clearly his sudden use of magic had taken a lot out of him.  It was strange for him.  Up until now he didn’t even feel like that magic was his.  The after effects were there, but he hadn’t felt in control of the energies spilling out of him.  Was it supposed to feel that way when first tapping into one’s dormant powers?  “Can we go home?  I really need to rest.”

“Okay, okay,” Mabel said. She would just have to be happy for the both of them in that moment.  Dipper would likely come around when he wasn’t weighed down with fatigue.  Mabel was actually feeling a bit tired herself, but it was nothing a little Mabel Juice wouldn’t fix.  “Oh, I can’t wait for Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford to see your magic!”

“Not until I’ve rested, Mabel,” Dipper insisted.  He had to have her help him stay upright a few times as they headed back to the Mystery Shack.

“I’m sure Mabel can show off her power to them in the meantime,” Tad said.  He was following behind them, ever alert for what may come along their path.  He did not miss the way Dipper jumped at the reminder of his presence.  Tad tried to play off the frown it brought to his face by darting his eyes around the path.  Dipper was the only one actually looking back at him, though.

“Wait that was me?” Mabel asked as she suddenly came to a complete stop.  She whipped around to face her guardian.  “I thought you were restraining him.”

“That was all you, Mabel,” Tad said with a smile equal bits proud and fond.  “My magic is orange.  It seems yours has manifested purple.”

“And Dipper’s is cerulean,” Mabel added on with a smile.  She lightly shoved her twin with her shoulder.

“I guess,” Dipper said, not really joining in with the upbeat conversation.  He was tired, but he couldn’t get his mind to stop thinking.  “It didn’t really feel like mine, though.  I know it was from me, that it was coming out of me, but it wasn’t listening to me that well, and something about it just felt… different.”

“Well, I wasn’t exactly controlling my magic either,” Mabel said in an attempt to help her twin.  “I mean I guess I was on a subconscious level maybe, but I wasn’t like ‘restrain Gideon to that tree.’”

“The initial use of magic can feel odd for many,” Tad added in.  He couldn’t help but ponder what Dipper’s use of magic meant.  It didn’t help that he recognized the exact shade of blue.  This wasn’t the time or place to mention such things, he decided.  “Once you begin training and learning to control it magic easily becomes like an extra muscle.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Dipper said more so as an afterthought.  He would need time to sort his thoughts on what had happened back there.

Something kept him from mentioning more to Mabel and Tad.  They weren’t asking his reasoning for going into the forest, so he certainly wasn’t bringing it up.  He had truly been foolish to think a nap in the woods was a good idea.  Then again something had just saved his ass back there.  If the magic that poured out of him did belong to a foreign entity, then they were looking out for him.  Of course if it had been foreign magic he would likely be in a lot worse shape.

Chapter Text

The chewing out Dipper received from his great uncles was to be expected.  They had been worried.  They were just looking out for him.  What did they really expect, though?  Dipper was a curious young man, and the surrounding forest provided quite the collection of mysteries for him to discover.  Besides, he had come back just fine.  He had come back better than fine really, as he had actually tapped into his magic.  At least that was what Mabel kept telling Stan and Ford.

Truthfully Dipper still wasn’t so sure.  Yes, that power had come out of him.  Yes, he was exhausted from the whole ordeal with Gideon.  Granted he had been tired before that, and a short eye rest in the woods was not a sufficient substitute for a good night’s rest.  The Stan twins didn’t need to know that.  Dipper just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else at work.  Was it possible for another to channel magic to a different person?  Dipper could admit that he didn’t know enough about magic to answer that.  There was still something stopping him from asking it aloud.  Perhaps he was just tired.

“You two look like you’re about to pass out already,” Grunkle Stan said as he looked the two over.  Mabel and Dipper had had a rough day he supposed.  He would also need the rest, for his blood pressure’s sake.  “Go get some rest.  You should probably call your parents tomorrow to check in.  We’ll discuss this magic business more later.  Now off with you.”

Mabel whined about being sent to bed.  Dipper on the other hand was already making his way up the stairs to the second floor.  His mind was still too much of a mess for him to believe he would actually get any shut-eye.  Perhaps just being alone in his room would help sort his thoughts.  He glanced down at his left hand as he tried to call forth a spark of magic.  There was still nothing like when he attempted to show Ford and Stan.  It was probably for the best since he would likely just exhaust himself more.  That didn’t mean it frustrated him any less.  Dipper let out a tired sigh as he turned towards the attic steps.

“What will we learn first?” Mabel could be heard questioning their grunkles.  Now that she had had a taste of her magic she wanted to do more with it.  Dipper did, too, but he knew his limits.

“I said we would discuss it tomorrow,” Stanley grumbled.  “Off to bed with you.  You’re not so big that I can’t throw you over my shoulder and carry you there.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Mabel challenged.  She really should know better even now that they were older.

Dipper didn’t bother hanging around for the conclusion.  He shut his door and removed all but his t shirt and boxers.  He exhaled as he flopped onto his bed.  It creaked a little, making him slightly concerned.  He certainly didn’t expect Grunkle Stan to shell out the money for a brand new bed, but at the same time Dipper hoped the man had at least tested this one before setting it in the attic for whichever twin to claim.  He turned over to stare up at the ceiling.

Perhaps he should have at least told Mabel what had led up to his encounter with Gideon out there.  Then again it wasn’t like they had been alone for him to tell just her.  Dipper bit his bottom lip at the thought.  Should he sneak down later and tell her what had transpired?  It wasn’t like he truly understood it himself to be sharing it.  Besides, Mabel would just accuse him of going back on his promise to give Tad a chance.  Dipper groaned and ran his fingers through his bangs.  He needed to sort his thoughts out before going to his sister.  It was Gideon’s fault for interrupting whatever had been happening.  Dipper wasn’t sure if he should call it a dream, or a vision, or what it was.  All he knew for sure was that Tad Strange had been involved.

That was a bit of a lie.  Tad had something to do with… whatever that was.  He wasn’t the only one, though.  Dipper didn’t recognize any of the other faces he could recall now.  He only knew that they were other demons, given the overall appearance of some and just the reptilian eyes of others.  It had all seemed so real, for the few seconds Dipper had experienced it.  Perhaps it was the emotions that sold it.  He had felt anger and betrayal, mostly at Tad.

Had the demon done something to Mabel for Dipper to feel that way?  Strange hadn’t looked feral in that moment, not that Dipper really knew what that would look like.  Could he really have seen some sort of future vision, or had it just been another nightmare?  Why would Tad do something to hurt Mabel?  Even Dipper could see that the demon cared for her above all else.  He tried to use that as common ground to give Strange a chance.  Surely nothing could convince Tad to turn on Mabel.  Dipper was just as confused by this possible vision as he had been after his nightmare the night before.  Maybe that’s all this was as well.  His distrust of the purple demon must be manifesting in his subconscious as these nightmares.  Of course he had no idea what Tad had to do with glowing eyes and darkness.

Dipper couldn’t say how long he lied there staring up at the ceiling.  He should sleep, but the thought just wasn’t appealing any more.  He was too concerned with what he saw out there in his own mind.  It didn’t help that he felt there was so much missing from it.  It felt like he had forgotten bits as soon as he woke up with Gideon practically in his face.  Dipper could very well have died out there to the teenager’s attack.  The moment Dipper had come to that attack had already been stopped.  It was another thing that convinced Dipper that he was not the one in control of the power coursing through him then.  What (or more accurately who) had been in control then?

A knock at his door made Dipper jump.  He stared at the closed barrier for a moment as his shock faded.  He had no reason to be so jumpy in his great uncles’ home.  Dipper calmed himself and slowly got out of bed.  He would rather whoever was on the other side not see him in such a state of undress.  He pulled his jeans back on and padded over to the door to see who it was and what they wanted.  Dipper could say with certainty that he hadn’t expected Tad to be standing on the other side.

“I am sorry to disturb you at this late hour,” Tad apologized.  Something about his posture spoke of nervousness.  He didn’t miss how Dipper narrowed his eyes.  “I feel we should talk.”

“Is there a reason for this ‘talk’ to be private?” Dipper asked with a rather short tone.  He wasn’t thrilled to see the demon, though he had no real reason to feel so.  It wasn’t like this Tad Strange had knowledge of his dream counterpart’s actions.  Furthermore if it had been some future vision Dipper had somehow tapped into, there was the possibility that his actions here could be the catalyst or prevention of it.  Dipper tried to calm down a bit.

“I didn’t believe it was a good idea to bring it up after everything else that transpired today,” Tad said.  It was clear he was trying not to fidget as Dipper scrutinized him.  Surely it was something important that Strange felt the brunet should know.  “It concerns your magic use earlier.”

“Fine,” Dipper said eventually.  He was still running on a lack of sleep, but Tad’s presence somehow had him on high alert.  Dipper rubbed a hand down his face while he walked back into his room.  There was the thought that turning his back on the demon was a foolish move, but surely Tad would not harm one so important to his charge.  Why was Dipper so distrustful of him?  “So, what are your thoughts on it?”

“We’ll get to that,” Tad said with more confidence.  He made sure to shut the door behind him before continuing.  He made no move to walk further into the room than that, though.  Clearly Tad had caught onto Dipper’s distrust and was trying to help the mortal feel safe around him.  “First I would like you to tell me a few things.  If you don’t mind of course.”

“You’re the demon here; making you the magical expert,” Dipper pointed out.  He sat down on his bed.  His eyes followed the moon’s light coming into the room from the triangular window.  “But ask away I guess.”

“Mabel tells me you have done research on the bonds between humans and demons,” Tad began.  He waited for Dipper’s answering nod as a signal to move on.  Strange glanced to the window as well.  He felt uncomfortable in this room, but he imagined Stanley and most definitely Stanford would be much worse coming up here.  He knew it, in fact.  “You understand that there is a pull they feel, yes?”

“Yes,” Dipper agreed.  He didn’t know where this was going, but he might as well play along.  Tad must be trying to gauge how much he would have to divulge for Dipper to get up to speed on whatever this conversation entailed.  “The magic that creates the symbols on each person and corresponding demon draws them to one another in order to solidify and strengthen the bond.”

“Do you recall how this affected Mabel?” Tad asked.  He was certain that Dipper knew plenty on the theoretical aspects of bonds and magic in general.  Truthfully he was buying himself time while debating whether to just say what he thought could be going on with the brunet, or to subtly work around it and see if Dipper followed along enough to catch the hints.

“She did have a few sleepwalking incidents,” Dipper confessed as he tried to recollect any other odd behaviors of his twin.  That was really it, though.  “Didn’t it affect you in some way?”

“It did,” Tad admitted.  Part of him still regretted waiting those two years, but the town truly needed him.  “I very much wanted to venture down to her.  It didn’t help that I had learned of our connection four years before I really should have.”

“What does that mean?” Dipper questioned, suspicion growing once again.

“Demons do not learn of their charges until the mark solidifies on them,” Tad said.  This was common knowledge for his ilk.  Humans weren’t normally as aware aside from those that were bonded or trusted with such information.  “This doesn’t happen until the human’s symbol fills in.  Stanley told me about Mabel’s outline when you were about fourteen.”

“Doesn’t a demon gain their mark last as a means to protect the human and give them a chance to back out of the future partnership?” Dipper asked.  There were theories on this.  No one really knew of a way to break the bond, but there were rumors that it was possible.  In Dipper’s opinion, though, if there was a way it would have been made common knowledge.

“I suppose it can be seen that way,” Tad said with a slight shrug.  “It is also believed that this method protects the would-be charge from being targeted before the bond can truly form.  It is just the way it works and has always worked.”

“Okay,” Dipper said with that same suspicion in his voice.  “So what does this have to do with me and my magic?”

“What were you doing in the forest, Dipper?” Tad asked suddenly.  It wasn’t accusatory, but it was clear Dipper was taking it that way.

“You don’t get to answer a question with another question,” Dipper said with narrowed eyes.  He had asked first, so Tad should be answering him, then the demon could ask his question.

“Do you know why you were out there?” Tad asked again, differently.

“I already said I wanted to explore,” Dipper growled.  He crossed his arms in irritation.  He didn’t need read the riot act from Mabel’s demon after Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford already drilled him about going out alone.  “None of you will tell us anything about it!  You wouldn’t teach us magic for a week.  All Mabel and I know is that the Multi-Bear lives in some cave in the mountains and has to contend with these Manotaurs.  And I wouldn’t even know what those were if I hadn’t read Ford’s notes, which he had suggested I ignore until starting our training!”

“Okay, you were just curious,” Tad said with his hands raised slightly in a placating manner.  He certainly hadn’t intended to upset Dipper.  Perhaps dancing around the subject wasn’t working out in his favor.  Tad tried to switch tactics then.  “Have you noticed anything off since coming here?”

“I noticed that all of you are hiding something,” Dipper accused.  He probably shouldn’t be getting mad at Tad, but dammit he wanted to be mad at someone.  He hated feeling out of the loop like this.  Dipper exhaled, his anger becoming fatigue rather quickly.  “Like how Grunkle Stan had a guardian he won’t talk about.”

“It is a bit of a sore subject for various reasons,” Tad said.  He fidgeted then, not caring to relive that time any more than they would.

“Did they turn on him?” Dipper asked.  He turned his head to Tad, hoping to gauge if there was a lie.  He just wanted to know what happened, why no one talked about it.

“No,” Tad denied with a shake of his head.  “No, Eigh-... He would never have done that to Stanley.  It is a rather complicated and long tale.”

“Eights, that was his name?” Dipper questioned, recalling the names (or nicknames rather) on the back of the photograph Mabel had found.

“It was a name he went by,” Tad confirmed.  He cast his gaze to the floor in silent grief for his fallen comrade.  There were many others as well, but Tad supposed Eight-Ball was the freshest wound in that regard.  The freshest, perhaps, but admittedly not the deepest for him.  Tad shook his head to dispel the thoughts and sighed.  “I suppose I’ve danced around this enough.”

“What are you talking about?” Dipper asked with a slight tilt to his head.

“You said that you didn’t feel as though that magic was your own,” Tad said, recalling what Dipper had confessed to Mabel when he was present.  His eyes shifted a bit as he debated how good of an idea this truly was.  “You are not entirely wrong in that thought.  You had no real control over that magic, because you were not truly the one using it.  If I am correct, you were essentially just the conduit.”

“Someone was using me as a magical puppet!?”

Dipper looked truly appalled by such a notion.  His reaction was understandable, and justified.  It could be risky having magic forced through the body that did not belong there.  It was one of the reasons manipulation magic was frowned upon and in most cases even forbidden.  If Dipper was being honest, he had wondered at one point if that was what had happened to Grunkle Stan’s right arm.  If that was the case than the man was truly lucky that that was all he lost.

“I suppose that is one way to look at it,” Tad said, not really comfortable seeing it that way, but unable to deny it all the same.  “But again, it was technically not yours.”

“It’s either mine or it’s not,” Dipper said.  “The only way to bend such concepts would be between a bonded human and demon, as they are said to share magic yet have their own at the same time.”

“I am aware of this,” Tad said with a pointed look directed at Dipper.

“Well I don’t have a demon,” Dipper pointed out.  Surely Tad knew this, but he was acting like he did not.  “I don’t have a mark besides my birthmark.”

“Are you sure about that?” Tad questioned with a raised eyebrow.  Clearly he was trying to get Dipper to follow some train of thought.  “A bond symbol can appear just about anywhere.  Even in places you yourself cannot easily view it.”

“But I should at least feel it there, right?” Dipper was more pointing out this fact than truly questioning it.  He rolled his shoulders at the slight pressure against the nape of his neck.  His eyes suddenly widened, and it was clear that Tad noticed this.

“It’s on your back,” Tad said.  He took a step closer, but paused.  “May I take a look?”

“Would you know the demon from the symbol?” Dipper asked.  Something told him not to do it, but he wanted to know.  He needed to know.  How had he not noticed until now?  Why hadn’t his demon found him if they were out there?  How would he find them?

“I might,” Tad hesitated in his answer.

That hesitation made Dipper more unsure.  He tried to swallow his doubts.  He needed to know this.  If Tad could give him answers then he had to take that chance.  Regardless of where this led, Dipper wanted that knowledge at least.  The possibility of Tad knowing his demon could give Dipper a better idea of what to be prepared for.  Maybe the demon wanted nothing to do with him.  Maybe the demon was dangerous.  Whatever the case Dipper needed answers, and right now Tad Strange was his best option for them.  Dipper nodded, not trusting his voice in that moment.  He turned as he lifted his shirt to reveal his back, and then decided to just remove it entirely once recalling where the sensations originated.

Tad didn’t move at first.  He was actually scared of what he might find.  He couldn’t say if he was fearful of being right or wrong.  Strange shook himself of any doubts or hesitation and approached Dipper carefully.  He could tell the mortal was nervous and uncomfortable.  His violet eyes landed on the patch of skin where neck and shoulders connected.  Directly in the center rested a yellow triangle, almost golden in color.  Tad pulled back his hand when he realized he had lifted it toward the mark.  Him touching it was the last thing either of them wanted.

“You do have it,” Tad whispered.  It was all he could really manage, and even that was a struggle.  He was relieved that he hadn’t blurted out the name on the tip of his tongue.  It would not be wise to let Dipper know it.  It would not be wise to say it aloud.  Tad was already risking much by just thinking it.  “Just above your shoulder blades.”

“What is it?” Dipper asked as he pulled his shirt back on.  He turned to Tad eagerly.  He could barely believe how much he wanted to know the answer.  There was a bit of giddiness in finding out, but also fear.  Fear that he wouldn’t find them, that he wouldn’t be good enough, and that his demon would hate him.

“It…,” Tad stopped himself from answering.  He didn’t want to put Dipper in this position.  He knew exactly what would happen if either of the Stan twins found out.  He should tell them, should have already told them when he had simply suspected.  Still, there was a part of him aching for this.  There was a swelling sense of hope rising within him, and yet his dread persisted.

“What’s wrong?” Dipper questioned.  Was his guardian someone Tad didn’t trust?  Was he right to believe they could be dangerous?

“Listen to me carefully, Dipper,” Tad said in a commanding yet careful tone.  He looked worried as he collected his thoughts.  His eyes focused on the brunet intensely in hopes of getting his point across.  “This discussion cannot leave this room.  Do you understand?”

“I… Why not?” Dipper asked rather than just following along.  He didn’t like these secrets that seemed to be piling up around his family.  He couldn’t very well push for answers from his grunkles if he, too, was hiding something big.  Not without being a hypocrite at least.

“It’s dangerous,” Tad said.  Dipper didn’t miss how this referred to the situation and not his guardian.  Tad seemed to understand that he would need to bring more to light for Dipper to go along with it.  Surely Dipper had a right to know.  “He is powerful, and there are many that seek that power.  There are those that would jump at the opportunity to wound him in any way possible.  That mark is a target on your back and you must keep it hidden; keep it secret.  It would endanger you, and those close to you.”

“So, this demon won’t protect me,” Dipper came to realize.  He felt a stabbing pain at the thought.  He didn’t even know this demon and already he felt let down and cast adrift.  That’s what a Guardian should do, right?  They defended their Charge.  If they didn’t care for the human they at least cared for themselves and the power they would lose should something happen to that human.

“If he could he would, I am sure,” Tad stated.  He didn’t want Dipper to feel let down like that.  He just didn’t know how to protect him on his own.  If the incident with Gideon had proven anything it was that Tad was incapable of doing so for Dipper.  He at least had a basic connection to Mabel; if she was in danger he would sense it.  He didn’t have that with her brother, and that left Dipper vulnerable.  “But he cannot help you in his current state.  As I said, many fear the power he holds, so they sealed him away.”

“Then how do we unseal him?” Dipper nearly shouted the question.  He felt like he had emotional whiplash.  If his demon wasn’t here because they couldn’t be then he had to at least try to help them.  Is that why he hadn’t felt them until now?  Was this seal stopping them from connecting as a bonded pair should?  Dipper had to fix this somehow.  There must be a way.

“I will look into it,” Tad promised.  He tried to keep his fears and uncertainty hidden from the mortal.  He did want to help Dipper out, but there were so many ways this could go wrong.  Dipper deserved to know his demon; they deserved to have that chance with the boy.  Regardless of how foolish it was, Tad wanted his brother back, and Dipper seemed his only chance.  “But you must keep this quiet.  If Stanley or Stanford knew they would do everything to protect you, even deny training you if it might keep this from being discovered.”

“They would send me back to Piedmont like I never discovered my magic,” Dipper agreed.  He knew his family meant well, but if his symbol was a target and his demon couldn’t be there to protect him there wasn’t much other option.  At least that’s how they would view it.  They would brush it under the rug and just hope they could hide the mark.  Still, Dipper couldn’t shake the thought that trusting Tad even now was a terrible idea.  “Okay.  So you’re saying I can’t even go to Mabel with this.”

“You have a right to know this,” Tad started.  His eyes shifted to the window as he struggled with himself.  Luckily Dipper was focused on looking at the floor instead of Tad just then.  “It is ultimately your choice to make it known, but should word get out it could put many in danger.  I will protect both of you as I said, but putting a target on your backs is the last thing any of us want.”

“You’re right,” Dipper said.  He sighed in defeat.  He would just have to hope that Tad could find a way to free his partner.  “Where are they sealed exactly?”

“In the forest,” Tad replied without stopping himself.  He didn’t really think about it.  It was clear Dipper wanted to know, and he had every right to that knowledge.  “Once you and Mabel have been trained in more basic magic I can take you to him, but I would rather not chance it just yet.”

“I understand,” Dipper said.  The disappointment was there, but he couldn’t fault Tad for his caution.  Dipper would feel the same way if it were Mabel in his position.  He wished he could share this with her so badly.  It was a bad idea, though.  Mabel would have encouraged him to find his partner’s tomb, or whatever they were trapped in.  He looked up at Tad with a determined look in his eyes.  “Just promise me you’ll let me know if you discover a way to help them.”

“I will,” Tad said with a decisive nod.  “I will leave you to rest then.”

“Yeah,” Dipper said as an afterthought.

Tad was already closing the door behind him.  Dipper crashed onto his bed.  His arms stretched out across the twin size.  This was a lot to take in.  He had a demon, a guardian, a partner out there waiting for him, denied him essentially.  How was he to help them get out?  Dipper hadn’t even asked Tad who they were, or he had just neglected to tell him.  Perhaps Tad felt that keeping that from him would protect him from the dangers.  Being a charge could be dangerous enough, but if his demon was powerful enough to warrant fear from others specifically then Dipper could understand Tad’s unwillingness to share.  It didn’t make him want to know it any less.

It was hard to say when he finally dozed off.  He couldn’t have been asleep that long really.  Dipper found himself waking up in another cold sweat from yet another nightmare.  At least he figured that must have been what happened.  He was already forgetting what he dreamt about, or if he dreamt at all.  He groaned at the forming headache from trying to piece together what just didn’t seem to be there anymore.

Suddenly pain flared up just behind his left eye.  Dipper pressed his hand against the area as he doubled over in bed.  It was a searing pain like someone jabbed a hot poker into his flesh, not that Dipper actually knew what that felt like.  He could swear his eye had been ripped out of his skull.  The sensation began to dull into an ache, but Dipper still pressed his palm against his closed eye.  Had the dream done this to him?  Why was he dreaming about losing eyes?  With the dulling ache came a cool touch at his nape, like a soothing hand.  It was related to his mark in some way.  Had his demon gone through something like this?

Dipper actually felt panic at the thought.  What had his partner gone through without him?  He wanted to meet them, to go to them and stop this pain.  They shouldn’t have to endure it alone.  These feelings were likely influenced by their bond.  Dipper knew there were those that suppressed such things, but he was starting to wonder how.  How could anyone deny this connection?  He had only realized it for what it was barely hours prior and he was already so deep in it.  Was it the same for his guardian?  Was it the same for everyone?  If that was the case then how could one ever turn on the other?

The light of the moon was no longer filtering through the window.  Morning would be coming soon.  Their training would be decided on today.  How was Dipper supposed to focus on that after Tad threw this bombshell at him just last night?  He was glad the demon had told him, but he had no idea what to do now.  Could he really go about his days as though that late night conversation had never happened?  No, Dipper knew he could not.  Who was he to go to then, if Mabel wasn’t an option?

Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford were also out because they would not react well to the news.  Tad was right.  Dipper loved them, but they could be rather overbearing.  Not to mention throwing this at them after the whole incident yesterday wouldn’t be fair for anyone involved.  Dipper didn’t need another lecture.  There was one option that Dipper felt could be impartial, or even on his side.  Dipper shifted around to reach for his phone.  He was thankful for the signal bars that rarely showed up in this backwoods little town.  It was quite early for him to be doing this, but he needed to talk to someone about this.  He just hoped they wouldn’t be angry with him.

The phone rang a few times.  Dipper questioned if he should just hang up and try again at a later time, or let it go altogether.  The fifth ring stopped, signaling that he had gotten through.  Dipper didn’t really know how to start, especially with the grumbled answer he could barely make out as words at all.  If he didn’t say something, though, she was sure to hang up likely not even realizing who had called.

“I’m sorry for waking you, Wendy,” Dipper said into the phone.  “I just needed someone to talk to.”

“Oh, Dipper,” Wendy seemed to perk up at his voice.  There was worry there, too.  Obviously he wouldn’t normally call at this hour without something being up.  “What are you doing up already?”

“Hard time sleeping,” Dipper confessed.  Should he really be discussing this with her, over the phone of all things?  Well, it was now or never he supposed.  “I kinda have a lot on my mind.”

“Well, you got me up, so spill it, man,” Wendy encouraged.  Dipper could envision the smile on her face to show he could trust her with his secrets.  Wendy liked being in the know with her friends, and she would punch anyone that dared imagine getting those secrets out of her.

“Well, I kinda had a magic fight with Gideon Gleeful yesterday,” Dipper began.  It sounded like a good place to start.  He didn’t want to throw out his bonded status right off the bat.

“Oh, god, that guy is a certified creep!  I swear he stole my moisturizer a few times.”

“Yeah, he kinda has this thing for Mabel I guess,” Dipper shifted the phone around to his other ear after that.  He crossed his legs to sit against the wall.

“Get a restraining order, stat,” Wendy suggested.  Dipper could tell how serious she was.  She would likely beat the teen for coming near Mabel.

“We’ll work on that,” Dipper agreed.  He didn’t get to continue from there as Wendy apparently had a realization.

“Wait, you said you had a magic fight with him,” Wendy sounded like she was getting worked up in much the way Mabel did when a boy band was to be playing close by.  “You unlocked your magic?”

“Well, sort of,” Dipper hesitated.  He started playing with a string from his pillow case.  “It wasn’t exactly me controlling it.”

“Bet you whooped his ass,” Wendy praised.  She clearly wished she had seen it.

“Well, I held my own well enough,” Dipper said.  He didn’t want to lie to Wendy, but he didn’t want to sound weak either.  Still, he wished she had been there to see it.  “Mabel was the one that really gave him a verbal smack down.  She had him against a tree with her purple magic.”

“Dammit, why do I miss all the fun stuff with you guys?” Wendy asked.  “I’m glad to hear you’re okay.”

“Of course,” Dipper perked up, forgetting about the unraveling fabric.  “Tad was there, so nothing was going to happen to us really.  But, uh, on that subject… I guess Mabel isn’t the only one with a shape shifting energy being watching her back.”

“A whose-a-what now?” Wendy got lost somewhere in Dipper’s word choice for a moment.  “Please tell me Gideon does not have a demon.”

“No,” Dipper immediately shoved that dreaded thought away.  No one needed that to happen.  “No he doesn’t, but it seems I might.”

“Holy shit,” Wendy blurted out.  If there was any bit of drowsiness clinging to her it definitely sounded gone now.  “When the fuck did that happen?  You said you didn’t have a mark!”

“I didn’t,” Dipper repeated to defend himself.  “At least I didn’t think I did.  But I do!  Tad looked at it, and he knows who they are!”

“Well, when do I get to meet them?” Wendy asked.  She was getting caught up in Dipper’s excitement as well.  “Where the fuck have they been?”

“Well, that’s the little issue we have now,” Dipper calmed back down.  He glanced around his room nervously.  “Listen, I haven’t told anyone else about this.  Not even Mabel knows, and I’d like to keep it that way for now.  The thing is my guardian is kinda sealed away because I guess he was super powerful and super feared.  That’s what Tad said anyway.  I just needed someone to talk to, and I don’t really know what to do from here.”

“Hey, man, I’m here for you,” Wendy said, likely with that same warm smile Dipper could envision.  “I’m pretty surprised you didn’t go to your sister, but I won’t say anything if that’s what you want.  Do you know where this guy is sealed exactly?”

“Not exactly,” Dipper confessed.  His mood had deflated quite a bit, but he was glad to get this off his chest.  “I do know that it’s somewhere in the forest.”

“Sounds like we should go searching some time,” Wendy suggested.

“Maybe,” Dipper wasn’t so sure, not after his last venture.  “Tad said he would show me once Mabel and I know some basic magic techniques.  I don’t really know how long that will be, though, and I already have this urge to go back out there despite the whole mess with Gideon.”

“This is your demon, so it’s entirely up to you,” Wendy said.  She really was like a really cool older sister for the twins.

“Do you think you could cover for me if I decided to take another little look-see?” Dipper asked.  He was weary to do so, but if Wendy wasn’t down for it then he knew it was a bad idea.  If she encouraged it, however, it was still pretty bad, but at least he had someone in his corner.

“I don’t know, Dipper,” Wendy began, sounding more like the responsible adult Dipper likely needed to listen to.  “The forest can be pretty dangerous, and you’re not exactly familiar with Gravity Falls.  But this is to find your guardian, so it’s not really something to put off.  Tell you what:  we can say you came to hang out for a while, and you’ll text me every so often so I don’t think you got mauled out there.  I trust you can handle yourself, Dipper, but some of the things out here you do not want to cross paths with.  Doesn’t Stanford have a book detailing the territories of the creatures here?”

“I’ll have to look into that, but I would be surprised if he didn’t,” Dipper said.  It would be a good idea to avoid the more dangerous beasts.  Great Uncle Ford was thorough enough that he should have something to help his great nephew out whether he knew it or not.  Dipper smiled at the support his friend gave him.  “I really owe you one, Wendy.”

“You can thank me by letting me meet this demon of yours,” Wendy said.  Dipper could hear her yawning faintly, meaning she had likely pulled the phone away to do so.  “Now if you don’t mind I have the day off, and I plan to sleep in a bit more.”

“Of course, thanks again, and I’m sorry for waking you.”

“Hey, man, this is important stuff that needs sorting out.  You know I have your back.  Just let me know the next time Gideon or anyone needs a good ass kicking.”

Chapter Text

The fact that there were three more days to the week clause meant Grunkle Stan still refused the twins’ request to learn something in regards to their newfound magic.  He was certain they were lying, too, and that Tad was in on it.  And he called Ford the paranoid one?  Mabel just pouted, despite knowing full well that it rarely changed Stanley’s mind.  Dipper tried to focus on forming some type of energy field or magic ball, but he was apparently not recovered enough.  No one noticed the relief this brought Tad.

It would seem that Mabel and Dipper would be forced to relax once again.  Dipper wouldn’t put it past their grunkle to extend it a day, claiming that the first day hadn’t counted since they had just arrived then.  Stan meant well, but it was really getting in Dipper’s way.  He also worried that Tad would find a way to back out of his promise.  Dipper wasn’t about to bring it up around his family, though he was sure that was what Tad was counting on.  At least he had managed to get a bit more sleep after his phone conversation with Wendy.  Dipper couldn’t recall dreaming anything during that time, but that sensation reminiscent of a steadying hand is what lulled him back.  Perhaps he wasn’t as cut off from his guardian as first thought.

Once again the argument concerning their magic training was settled in Stanley’s favor.  It might turn out differently if Tad or Ford actually contributed.  No, instead they were content to make Dipper and Mabel wait.  Mabel wasn’t even really that bothered by it.  Obviously she wanted to learn magic, but having more time to goof off was clearly more appealing.  It wasn’t like finding her demon relied on her knowledge of casting.  And Dipper couldn’t even bring up that grievance because their great uncles could very well deny him magic altogether!

Dipper went back up to his room in a huff.  They didn’t even pretend to understand his plight.  He was angry, but his time in the attic was spent looking through Ford’s books.  If he could find one on the territories of Gravity Falls’ beasts he could more easily navigate the forest.  Well, he could more easily avoid said creatures.  It didn’t really help him locate his demon, sadly.  Then again, maybe Dipper already had a means of finding them.  The pull drawing him to the forest should take him right to his demon.  At least in theory that was what should happen.  Dipper would just use the notes to avoid anything that might want to eat him.  First he had to find them, though.

The creaky opening of the attic door interrupted his search.  Dipper had just picked up his sixth book, too.  He turned to find his twin standing there.  He offered her a smile as he stood from the arranged pile.  Well, formerly arranged.  Dipper had messed it up quite a bit by now.  He would fix them up later.

“I just thought I’d see what you were up to up here,” Mabel said as way of explanation.  She could see that she interrupted something clearly important to him.  This in a way made the point of checking on him moot.  Dipper wouldn’t want to leave in the middle of a research binge.  “Candy wants me to meet this new boyfriend of hers, so I was heading into town to meet with them.”

“Oh, well, have fun,” Dipper said with an easier smile.

“Are you going to be okay then?” Mabel asked.  She knew how Dipper got when he was denied information.  He would fuss over it and find any way he could to work around the obstacle.  It became even worse when that obstacle was family.  He really took it personally.

“Yeah,” Dipper said without really convincing her.  Mabel knew him too well.  “I’m just looking through Great Uncle Ford’s notes.  I was thinking of seeing what Wendy was up to.”

“That sounds wonderful, Dipper,” Mabel exclaimed.  Her bubbly cheer had been brought back by this news.  Dipper just hoped she wouldn’t try to play matchmaker for them.  That was definitely the vibe Mabel was giving off, though.  “It will be good to get out of the Shack, spend time with friends.”

“I know,” Dipper said.  “Have fun with Candy and her boyfriend.  Don’t scare them off, okay?”

“If they get scared off by me then Candy can find better,” Mabel huffed in a faux snooty tone.  She shared a laugh with her twin.  She made sure to shut the door behind her, knowing how Dipper liked his privacy.  He would be alright, and Mabel would force him to hear all about her day when she got back.  Then she would force his day with Wendy out of him.

Dipper waited for Mabel to have enough time to get down the stairs before he cracked open the book he had pulled out of the pile.  He couldn’t believe he had just lied to his own sister, his twin even.  Mabel would wring his neck if she ever found out.  He couldn’t let her in on his plan, though.  He loved Mabel, obviously, but she wasn’t the best at keeping secrets.  Dipper wasn’t about to risk their grunkles getting wind of his true plan.  Thankfully it seemed he could implement that plan at last.  This definitely looked like the book he had been searching for.

The issue that followed was finding out how best to get it out of the Shack.  Hopefully Stan and Ford wouldn’t be too suspicious about his sudden leaving.  Dipper’s real worry was Tad.  Would the demon think he would sneak off into the woods so soon?  He doubted that Tad knew him that well, or would feel that he knew Dipper well enough to suspect such a thing.  Of course it all depended on what all Mabel shared with her partner.  Dipper decided he would just have to take his chances as he pulled on a red button up flannel and jeans.

“I'm off to hang out with Wendy,” Dipper called out as he made a mad dash down the stairs.  He rushed to pull on his shoes, but wasn't fast enough to avoid Great Uncle Ford.

“Slow down there, Dipper, I'm sure Wendy will wait,” he watched his grandnephew haphazardly tie his laces.  They would likely come undone soon enough.  “What are you two doing anyway?”

“Just hanging out,” Dipper said in a manner that he hoped wouldn't raise suspicion.  He could lie to Ford more easily than lying to Stan at least, despite the man’s penchant for paranoia.  “Wendy didn't really say what was planned.”

“I see,” Stanford mumbled as he rubbed at his growing stubble.  “Just don't do anything Stanley would get up to.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Great Uncle Ford,” Dipper assured with a humorous smile.

“Hey, I can hear you two,” Stan shouted from his seat in front of the television.

Dipper didn’t waste any more time in getting out of the Shack.  He didn’t want to risk Grunkle Stan trying to get information out of him.  Thankfully neither seemed to think to check that he knew the way to Wendy’s house.  Dipper would no doubt learn where his friend lived, but there were more pressing matters at the moment.  He started heading down the path towards town just in case one or both of his great uncles thought to watch him leave.

The second he was out of sight Dipper dashed beyond the tree line and doubled back.  He pulled out Stanford’s journal to make sure he avoided the nastier beasties.  It appeared that most roamed deeper areas, so he shouldn’t have to worry for a little while yet.  Dipper just hoped he wouldn’t be out too long.  He would have to give himself time to get out of the forest before the nocturnal monsters started lurking about.  It was likely a good idea to let Wendy know he had started his investigation.  The service in the woods was even worse than the Mystery Shack unfortunately.

The pull that Dipper had expected to guide him wasn’t there.  He came to a stop to try and figure out where to head next.  If he couldn’t rely on the bond he was basically guaranteed to wander in circles.  Clearly it was faulty enough with whatever had kept Dipper’s mark from even materializing.  He tried not to panic at the thought of losing the one method he had to find his guardian.  He knew it was a foolish idea, but Dipper started walking again with the hope that he just needed to get closer to the site of his partner’s sealing.

The realization that he had come quite unprepared reared up like a slap to the face.  He had too readily convinced himself that this wouldn’t take long.  Dipper didn’t bring anything to keep hydrated.  He hadn’t even brought anything to defend himself with.  No, all he had was the book containing Great Uncle Ford’s record of Gravity Falls’ supernatural inhabitants.  Dipper decided it would be a waste to turn back now.  He would just have to deal with the consequences should they come up.

Even with the notes of his great uncle Dipper found it a struggle to avoid the creatures of the forest.  Practically every patch of land could hide any number of dangers.  Dipper stuck to the bushes as much as possible, but even that was risky.  Pixies liked to make their homes there, and their “pranks” could apparently be quite life threatening if one wasn’t careful.  Streams and any sort of pond Dipper made a point of avoiding as they could very well hide some dangerous water spirits that loved drowning male humans.  He was starting to understand why everyone avoided the forest, if these weren’t even considered the truly dangerous inhabitants.

Dipper did manage to glimpse a few pages of other creatures within these woods.  He shouldn’t have to deal with the likes of a Gremoblin or Killbillies at this time as they were nocturnal and typically resided deeper in.  The latter were pack oriented pursuit hunters with a humanoid appearance.  If not for the barrier to protect the town the only safe haven would be convenience stores and any other place that required footwear to enter.  Gremoblins on the other hand were solitary creatures with a gaze that forced to looker into a vision of their deepest fears.  They were quite tough, and getting them wet reportedly resulted in an even deadlier beast.  Dipper would definitely not be hanging around when things like that started stalking about.

It was getting close to the time he should be checking in with Wendy.  Dipper figured he was far enough away from any of the creatures for a short rest.  Perhaps turning back would be a good idea, but he had to press on.  That pull he should feel still had yet to come, making him worry more.  Maybe he wasn’t far enough in yet, or maybe he had taken a wrong turn at one point.  There wasn’t any indication that the path to his guardian started from the Mystery Shack.  Dipper may need to enter from a part of town, seeing as the forest did surround it.

A low growl forced him to go still.  Dipper had his hand hovering over his pocket to grab his phone.  His eyes darted around, trying to find the origin of the sound without actually moving his head.  A twig snapped to his right.  Dipper gulped as he failed to not turn towards it.  He stared into white eyes.  For a moment Dipper wondered if the creature was blind, but a cautious step proved the beast could plainly see him.  The razor sharp beak and impressive talons and claws did not bode well for him.  Dipper found himself face to face with a griffin of all things.  They were not native to the Falls, however.  What was one doing here then?

The beast lunged for him with a beat of its massive wings.  Dipper managed to roll out of the way.  He didn’t even think about the dropped book left in the process.  All that mattered was not letting this thing eat him.  He had been so careful in avoiding the inhabitants of the forest, too.  This griffin did not belong anywhere near Gravity Falls.  Did that mean there were creatures migrating that Tad and the Stan twins were unaware of?  Dipper would have to inform them of this development, regardless of the trouble he’d be in for venturing out alone, again.  First he would have to escape.

The griffin released a cry somehow mixing a squawk and a roar.  He ran away as fast as his legs would take him.  Dipper didn’t even think about which direction the Shack was in.  He was doomed, pure and simple.  The creature pursued him, not caring to be silent in it either.  It only pushed Dipper to run faster.  He tried to alternate between the trees to throw it off.  Surely this thing had better things to hunt than him.  Dipper felt the rush of wind behind him indicating the griffin had just missed closing its beak on his shirt.

Dipper tried to double back around one of the trees.  The griffin was too large to change course as quickly.  He could only hope that bought him the time he needed.  Unfortunately he found it didn’t matter.  There was a stronger burst of wind as the creature beat its wings for just that effect.  Dipper was forced to the ground because of it and tumbled a short distance.  The griffin tried to pin him with its talons as its beak came into view overhead.  Dipper looked into those pure white eyes with growing terror.  He attempted to punch it.

Energy swirled out of his fist.  The previously blue color was quickly replaced with golden yellow.  It was enough to make the griffin back off, if only briefly.  It was brief enough for Dipper to get his bearings and continue running.  He could feel dampness at his right side.  Adrenalin seemed to numb the pain for the time being, but he could tell one of the claws had dug in.  The bigger concern was the return of the griffin’s pursuit.  Dipper was only thankful that the trees were too dense in this area for it to properly take flight.  That advantage did not guarantee his escape, however.  He needed a plan, a better escape route, or just some direction to go.

“ Left .”

There wasn’t really time to think about where the thought had come from.  Dipper took it.  He rolled out of the way of the griffin.  The beast could be heard colliding with a tree.  He didn’t dare look back.  Dipper kept running in the direction he thought of.  He had thought of it, right?  Such things didn’t really matter until after he officially got away from the predator on his tail.  Dipper heard its cry of fury and the large footsteps signaling that he was still in danger.

“ Right, Pine Tree !”

Dipper turned at the large coniferous up ahead.  The griffin snapped its beak at his back.  He tumbled as his foot caught one of the roots.  Dipper tried to curl in order to roll more easily.  He collided with something solid.  Dipper kept his eyes closed a bit longer as he tried to get air back to his lungs.  He had to keep moving.  He had to get up and keep running.  Dipper opened his eyes with a chance look at where the griffin should be.

It was pacing just in front of the tree Dipper had turned at.  Something in its posture appeared agitated.  Dipper shifted from being on his back to his hands and knees.  He carefully walked his hands back to be more in a crouched position.  The griffin was not coming closer for some reason.  Dipper was afraid to question it.  The pure white of its eyes meant he had no real way of telling where it was actually looking.  There could very well be something worse just behind him.  Dipper wasn’t about to chance a glance to find out, much as he probably should.  His back was pressed against what he guessed was some kind of stone.  It was what had halted his roll.  Dipper brought his hand back to it in order to push himself up.

There was a burst of light at his side.  Accompanying it was that steadying hand at his neck again.  Dipper felt a flood of determination, and also anger with a hint of giddiness.  Surely he was losing his mind from blood loss and the waning of adrenalin.  Dipper got to his feet and stood his ground while staring down the griffin.  It shrieked at him, still appearing conflicted about attacking.  Before Dipper could think more on this it apparently made its decision and pounced.  Without much thought Dipper brought his left arm up to block, despite the knowledge that the beast could easily tear through his limb.

The wind was knocked out of him as he was brought to the ground once more.  Dipper hadn’t realized he had closed his eyes until he opened them.  The griffin's talons were held off by a golden shield.  The creature’s beak was another story.  Dipper felt panic as that jaw prepared to snap around his head, only for the griffin to cry out and back off.  A series of spikes had appeared on the shield that must have punctured the creature’s skin.  Dipper felt more confidence rise within him, along with that odd giddiness that almost seemed to be caused from the beast’s pain.

“Interesting choice, Pine Tree.”

The voice that had echoed in his mind was back, only Dipper wasn’t so sure it was in his head now.  A look around meant taking his eyes off the griffin, however, and the creature looked rather pissed off now that it had been injured.  The wind began to swirl around him, carrying with it what sounded like deranged laughter.  The griffin started charging at him.  Instead of panic, Dipper felt a rise in anger.  This thing just didn’t know when to give up.  It deserved all it had coming for attacking him, for attacking what was his!

A mix of cerulean and golden magic shot from the center of the shield.  The griffin managed to get into position to pounce just as the blast struck it.  That laughter continued, deafening, over the beast’s shrieks of agony.  Dipper watched as the smoke cleared and the creature was left heaving breaths.  It struggled to get up before crying out again.  The pure white of its eyes were now yellow with a large black pupil.  Dipper blinked at this.  Had... had it been mind controlled?  That would certainly explain why it was out here.  Dipper felt bad for the creature, even if it had tried to eat him, or maul him.  The griffin kept struggling to rise to its feet.

The sudden stillness of the air alerted Dipper to something else being off.  The griffin even seemed to flinch and stiffen in its own realization.  The laughing had stopped.  Dipper felt the shield on his arm vanish, but didn’t actually look.  The same light that had signaled its appearance was enough to tell him it had changed, again.  He was afraid to find out what it had turned into.  Should he be scared, though?  The shield had been a great help, and if it was sentient they would be a much appreciated ally.  There still felt like there was something Dipper was missing.  Unfortunately with the loss of adrenaline, blood, and the sudden realization that that last blast of magic had encompassed his as well, Dipper felt truly drained.  He started falling back as consciousness left, only barely taking note of something (or someone) catching him before he hit the ground.

Chapter Text

It was hard to say when he had finally woken up again.  He couldn’t even be sure he was awake at all.  A sea of nothing but black stretched out before him just like before.  Darkness, nothingness, the void, whatever one wanted to call it.  That was all he saw.  Could it really be considered seeing, then?  Despite the amount of time he must have slept, he felt utterly drained.  It shouldn’t really be that surprising considering all he had been through.  Life didn’t like to pull its punches, much as he wished it would.  So what was the point of him waking up at all?

The thought of just going back into that slumber was oh so tempting.  It wasn’t like it would matter.  He couldn’t do anything like this.  Then he felt a pull, a sense of not being so alone in this place.  The last time he had woken up to this sensation (possibly not that long ago; possibly eons prior) it had been to the presence of that traitor.  That damn square was still lurking around.  Likely trying to make sure he stayed where he was left.  What must the square think then?  To know that he was awake couldn’t sit well with him.  Perhaps the fool was having trouble sleeping or just relaxing in general.  Maybe his former pawns were still around to learn of his reawakening.  It was only slightly comforting to know that he could be the ever present fear lurking in another’s mind.  To think it had once brought him such entertainment.

That pull became insistent.  There was someone else here.  No, that wasn’t right.  Nothing came here.  No one but the traitor.  There was nothing around him, and yet he could swear there was someone.  How?  Where could they be?  Surely his mind had finally snapped.  He felt so alone out in the middle of the forest.

There was a faint light within the darkness.  It was blue.  It was the color of his magic.  He watched it getting closer, taking shape.  Two triangles stacked one above the other with a tiny box underneath.  A blue tree?  Odd.  Why was that in his head?  The closer it got the more he realized it was an aura around something else.  If he could tilt his head in curiosity he would.  Why was he envisioning this?  Then it came into focus.

It was a human.  They were relatively young.  Modestly attractive if he were being honest.  Wait… there was a human?

In.

His.

Mind.  

No!  How dare they?  No one got in his head!  He was the Master of the Mind!  He ruled the Mindscape!  No one should be able to break into his!

The human’s scream of terror echoed through the darkness.  It served them right for thinking they could just waltz in here.  They would rue the day they crossed paths with him.  It only showed how far he had fallen that some mortal had just ventured into his mindscape without any problems.  He was truly off his game.  How had they even managed it?  He had never come across anyone that could do that before.  Humans could barely take control of their own mindscape, let alone stumble into someone else’s.  His should be impenetrable!

Wait.

There had just been a human here!  He had finally had contact with someone.  He had scared them away.  What was he thinking?  Now he was alone, again.  No, they had to come back!  He wanted them back.  Please.  Don’t...

“Don’t leave me alone again.”

There was no answer.

He tried to reach out to each flicker of emotion he felt wasn’t his own.  There was no sense of time in the Mindscape.  He could have been there for hours, days, centuries.  That human could be dead for all he knew.  He hoped they were alive.  He could feel that faint aura just beyond his reach.  Surely they were still out there.  He had been a fool to chase them away so suddenly.  He had been a fool many a-time throughout his existence it would seem.

There were times he could feel that aura so close, yet so far away.  It was as if they were right beside him, but he knew that was only in his head.  He was connected to this human somehow.  How was that possible?  Well, there was one way he knew of.  Surely that couldn’t be it.  There was no way he had a human out there waiting for him.  But… He did have a human out there.  Fucking nightmares, what had the square done?  He had a human out there that was defenseless because he was trapped in here!  That traitor would pay for this!  Oh, he was going to eviscerate him before finally putting an end to him.

No, his first priority getting out should be the human.  What was his little Pine Tree enduring out there without him?  Was the mark they bore visible to just about anyone?  He really hoped not.  His human didn’t need that target on their back.  If anyone laid a hand on Pine Tree he was going to tear them apart molecule by molecule!

He could feel that aura again.  The kid wasn’t asleep, but he could sense him.  Pine Tree was getting closer!  He was physically close!  Was his human searching for him?  Faintly he could see that dim pine tree shape in his head space once more.  They were here, yet not quite near enough.  If only he was free, he would hug them.  He would hold them close and never let anything come near his human!  He didn’t care if this was Strange’s plan somehow.  If the square thought this human would make him soft he had another thing coming.

Pine Tree must be taking a nap in the forest.  Not the best idea, but it brought him close.  His little human had stumbled upon his memories.  He wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about that.  They were connected, so sharing such memories would just be natural.  He just didn’t want to think about them himself.  Plus there was no telling what Pine Tree could actually stumble upon in there.  It would be the perfect opportunity for him to do the same.  He should get to know this human, but surely once he was free his Pine Tree would share his experiences.  He could be a patient demon when he wanted.

The sudden realization that they weren’t alone threatened to jettison his human once again.  He didn’t want to force Pine Tree out, but he had to know what was going on.  Another human had appeared near Pine Tree’s resting spot.  He instantly decided he didn’t like the strange human.  What was the blueberry with whip topping saying?  It became quite clear what their intentions were as they concentrated to lift the stump Pine Tree was resting on.

His human was dropped onto the ground as the stump was turned over.  Clearly this intruder planned to crush Pine Tree.  No!  He wasn’t about to let that happen.  This was his human and trapped or not he wasn’t letting some upstart hurt his sapling.  The falling stump bounced off the sudden magical energy that surrounded his human.  Whip topping wasn’t happy about this turn of events.  It wouldn’t matter soon enough.  No one was going to target his human and live to tell about it.

He didn’t realize how much concentration was required to unleash his power through Pine Tree.  His human was getting tired.  Truthfully he was as well.  This accursed prison was keeping most of his magic in check.  The more he tried to pour out the more it took.  Another attack on his sapling was blocked.  He was getting annoyed by this human.  They were more resilient than he thought, if only because he hadn’t thought about the restrictions he would be dealing with.  It was hard to force out another attack.  Keeping the force field around his human and fighting off this insect proved too much.

There were others around now, too.  He could just barely sense them as he weakened.  He felt so drained.  Pine Tree seemed to be relieved about something.  Maybe he knew the newcomers.  He hoped so.  They could protect his human for the time being.  No, wait… that traitor!  No, he couldn’t get to Pine Tree!  Dammit, Strange!

He was too weak to do anything.

The first thing he realized when consciousness returned was that Pine Tree must be sleeping again.  The kid was likely viewing another memory.  He had a few guesses what one when his human suddenly woke up in pain.  He could feel it like a phantom limb almost.  He didn’t want to relive that.  Pine Tree didn’t need to know how it felt.  He did his best to soothe him before trying to rest again.

The next thing he knew there was panic lacing through his being.  No, not his panic.  Pine Tree was in trouble.  Where was his human?  He had to get to him.  That wasn’t possible.  Just reaching out seemed to take so much.  He would have to get Pine Tree to him somehow.  Whatever the kid was running from it had already gotten a piece of him.  He could feel his human’s pain along with the fear.  Pine Tree was close, though.  He shouted through the Mindscape for his human to avoid an attack while also bringing him closer.  Almost.  His human was almost to him.

There was a sudden shift in perspective.  The seemingly unending darkness was gone, but he couldn’t really say what replaced it.  He could feel the auras around him.  Pine Tree was right next to him, then right beneath him.  There was something else above them.  It was large whatever it was, but only in size not real power.  The fact that it was after his human meant it had to go.  It was as the beast retreated that he realized his human, his Pine Tree, had tapped into their connection to form a shield.  Wait, this was his first weapon form?

“Interesting choice, Pine Tree,” he decided to comment.

The brief confusion was put aside as their opponent decided they weren’t done yet.  It was a griffin.  Odd, that shouldn’t be here.  So why was it?  Such things could be answered after it was kept from attacking his human.  The magic they unleashed on it was enough to bring the griffin down.  Pine Tree appeared to be content with that.  They had used a pretty powerful attack, plus Pine Tree didn’t seem all that used to magic yet.  He felt himself shift again just before his human began to fade from the waking world.  He wasn’t about to let them get even more injured from hitting the ground.  His gloved left hand cradled his human’s head.

That’s right!  He was whole again!  He was free and in his own body.  Oh, he could feel his power coursing just below his skin.  And it was all thanks to this mortal.  His mortal.  Ha!   After all this time he was finally free of that accursed prison.  He could actually use his body again.  How long had it been since Strange and those Pines had trapped him?  It didn’t matter now.  He was free!  Whole!  And he had more pressing matters to worry about.

His focus turned to the downed griffin.  It was struggling to stand, but it was up.  Its aura had changed somewhat.  He narrowed his eyes at the beast and the thought of something being off.  The creature seemed more skittish.  Of course who wouldn’t be when they were injured?  He gently placed Pine Tree down before approaching the griffin.  It wouldn’t be able to run in its condition.  Still, it was a good idea not to trigger its fight response.

It ducked its head in an attempt to avoid further injury.  His hand came to rest on its beak.  If it dared bite him he would tear it apart.  His eye narrowed at what he pieced together from its foggy memories.  Someone had been controlling this griffin.  That explained why it was in Gravity Falls.  Pine Tree must have figured that out and chosen to spare it.  Well, he wouldn’t go against his human’s wishes on the matter.  He wasn’t about to let this griffin get off so easily either.  It had attacked his human, in control of itself or not.  It was time that others were reminded not to mess with him and his.  It was time to return their nightmares.

He left the creature go after branding it with his mark.  It would remember this, and whoever crossed its path would remember his image.  That would make them think twice about even breathing near his Pine Tree.  Speaking of, he should really get the kid to a safer place.  It would be easy enough to heal him.  Hopefully his sapling wouldn’t be out for too long.  He easily picked him up and used a small amount of magic to fix up any damage the griffin had caused.

His magic was then pulled to the kid’s neck.  He studied his human for a moment.  Well, it seemed the mark wasn’t easily visible at least.  He felt a sensation at the back of his neck that made his skin crawl.  He didn’t enjoy the thought of being branded like this.  This was all the square’s doing.  He had better things to concern himself with, however.  He was taking Pine Tree home.

Chapter Text

Wendy was pacing around the kitchen with her phone in her hand.  It was honestly starting to worry Manly Dan.  He hadn’t seen his daughter like this since she was a teenager.  The occasional mumbled word to her phone did not help matters.  Judging by the few words he had picked up Wendy was waiting for someone to contact her, likely through text rather than calling.  He wasn’t sure why she didn’t just send a message first, but Dan had learned not to question that long ago.  That didn’t mean he was unable to ask if Wendy would be okay.

“Wendy,” Dan’s voice carried, drawing her attention.  “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, dad, everything’s fine,” Wendy responded too quickly for it to be true.  The frown her father held showed that he did not buy it for a second.  She sighed to collect her thoughts and calm down as her green eyes returned to her blank phone screen.  “I’m just waiting for a text.”

“Is it a boy?” Dan asked.  His frown deepened at the thought of someone standing his daughter up or upsetting her in any way.

“No, dad,” Wendy huffed.  After a short breath she felt a bit calmer.  “Well, he is a boy, but it’s not like that.  He was supposed to contact me… twenty minutes ago.  Dipper is typically on time with these things.”

“Dipper, huh, that the Pines boy?” Dan pondered with his hand rubbing under his red beard.  He didn’t know much about the new twins that moved up with the Stans.  They seemed like okay kids at least.  Dan just hoped whatever this Dipper had gotten into wouldn’t spread to Wendy.  Not that his daughter couldn’t handle herself just fine, Dan would just prefer that she didn’t have to deal with some situations.  “Is he doing something illegal?”

“No,” Wendy said with an exasperated and overdramatic sigh.  She bit her lip in thought, clearly worried about her friend.  “I’m just kinda supposed to cover for him… and he should have checked in by now.  I… Maybe I should call Mabel.”

The young Corduroy turned and headed out to the porch.  Manly Dan didn’t really have an answer for his daughter.  He trusted that she would handle the situation at hand.  The Pines were a capable bloodline, in some cases more so than his own.  Dan decided to go back to yelling at the hunting channel.  He swore some of the people they showed were complete idiots.  What were they thinking, using a left handed axe when they were clearly right-handed?

Out on the porch Wendy returned to her pacing almost as soon as the door clicked shut behind her.  She was worried about Dipper, but what if he had just gotten distracted by some undocumented plant life.  Wendy doubted there was anything in these woods that Stanford Pines had not come across and studied extensively, though.  The simple fact was that Dipper had not contacted her in regards to his progress.  Per their agreement she had every right to at least get in touch with Mabel, but she didn’t want to make the brunette worry when there was just a small lapse in communication.  No, Wendy had to be the mature one here and let Mabel know what was up.  It was going on twenty-five minutes now.  This was the only way to be sure that Dipper was safe.

Wendy bit her lip as the phone kept ringing.  She should have just sent a text, but this really felt like something that needed to be said rather than messaged.  What kind of friend was Wendy to let this happen?  She had covered for friends plenty of times.  This, however, she didn’t even know how to word it.  This was just irresponsible.  Why had she let Dipper go into the woods alone?  She had encouraged it, even.  Sure Dipper was searching for his demon, but Wendy should have gone with him!

Mabel’s voice greeted her, and then revealed a generic voicemail.  Wendy couldn’t find her voice at first.  She had let the twins down.  She should have told Dipper to share with Mabel.  Surely the two didn’t keep secrets that often.  What reason had Dipper had that made him not tell his sister?  Wendy took a breath to force down the urge to slap herself for such carelessness.  Not to mention the fact that both Mr. Pines would be coming for her ass.  That was of little consequence now.  The priority was making sure they knew that Dipper was likely in some kind of danger.

“Mabel, it’s Wendy,” she started off a bit shakily.  Her voice managed to hold the confidence the twins had seen from her.  “Listen, I don’t know what Dipper told you about his plans today.  He was supposed to check in with me a while ago, but hasn’t.  He’s off in the forest, looking for his partner.  I… I’m heading over to the Shack.”

There was only one option Wendy felt was left.  She would help find her friend.  It didn’t matter what Dipper had gotten himself into.  Wendy went back in to grab a few things and tell her dad what was up.  There was no reason to make him worry.  He knew she could handle herself, and would have the Pines to back her up if things got hectic.  She was going to make this right and make sure Dipper was safe.

Meanwhile within the town Mabel and her friends were dealing with their own mess.  It seemed Candy’s boyfriend wasn’t who (or what) she thought he was.  Norman, as he had introduced himself, was actually a group of gnomes in disguise.  They had planned to convince the girl to be their new queen.  Tad’s realization of their true identity had put a bit of a wrench into that plan.  The demon and the three girls were left to take out the suddenly numerous tiny men.

“I do not like tricksters,” Candy said as she kicked one and ran after her also retreating friends.

“I thought the creatures can’t come into the town,” Mabel mentioned to her partner.

“Only those that have ill intent,” Tad said.  He blasted one of gnomes.  He kept the girls moving in order to avoid being swarmed, or worse losing one of them.  A glance at each showed that they were holding their own.  “The gnomes’ wanting a new queen doesn’t register as a threat.  It’s only if they were planning to harm humans.”

“They are acting very harmful if you ask me,” Grenda pointed out.  She punched one into another.

If they had been in the forest it was possible that they could trap the gnomes on the other side.  Gnomes had always frequented the town.  They were typically harmless aside from taking things that weren’t meant for them.  There were times in the past that they had coerced a random tourist or just unsuspecting person into the woods to be their queen, but said queen tended to be happy with their new position.  Of course that didn’t mean that the odd gnome didn’t cause some form of trouble.  Tad had just never known the collective to be an issue.  This of course also brought to light the glaring problems with the current protections set up around the town.  He would have to work on strengthening the wards.

“Give us our queen,” the seeming leader of the gnomes ordered.

“You have no queen here,” Candy said, making her stance on the subject clear.

The gnomes did not take this denial well.  Grenda punched at a few more to force them back.  It appeared that their numbers just kept growing.  Thankfully they were ignoring anyone that wasn’t the three girls and Tad.  Most of Gravity Falls’ residents had turned tail as soon as the tiny men started popping out of bushes and trash cans.  Candy knocked one away with a rake she picked up from a random yard.

Tad kept close to Mabel, not that any of them were that far apart.  She was proving to be competent with her weak energy blasts.  If she concentrated a bit they might do more damage, but they would also drain her faster.  Tad waited until all three were right next to him to bring up a force field.  The gnomes were stopped by the transparent orange cube.  That didn’t mean they gave up of course.  Countless tiny fists were beating against Tad’s barrier.  The demon breathed in slowly.  He exhaled, and with it released the energy to force the gnomes away.  Every tiny man was flung into shrubs, benches, street lamps, and the side of houses.

“When can I learn to do that?” Mabel asked as she looked up to her demon with an excited smile.

“It is a bit more advanced, but we will get to it,” Tad said in promise.  Perhaps it was time he went against Stanley’s wishes and actually showed her what she could be capable of.  He would be right there with her as would the rest of her family.  Still, when a Charge started to truly tap into their power there were always those that came forth to cause problems.

“We will remember this!”

The shouts of the gnomes signaled their retreat.  Tad was certain they weren’t lying.  They would be ready for the little nuisances next time.  Mabel seemed to deflate as their victory was declared.  She was just as happy as her friends, but at the moment she was starting to feel the strain from her magic use.  It would be some time before she could actually contend without tiring out right after.  While Candy and Grenda cheered their triumph Mabel came to realize that in the battle she had dropped her phone.

“I guess it was a good thing you brought Tad along, Mabel,” Candy said.  She nodded to the bonded pair.  “Thank you for keeping them from taking me.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Mabel said with a wide smile.

“Yeah,” Grenda agreed.  “We kick tiny man butt together!”

“Would you mind helping me find my phone now?” Mabel requested.  “I dropped it sometime during our fight.”

“Your phone will have to wait, Mabel,” Tad said cryptically.  His focus was somewhere else.  The three followed his gaze off toward the Mystery Shack; towards the forest beyond it.  “We need to get back.”

“What’s wrong?” Mabel asked.  She didn’t like this.  Tad was clearly worried about something.

“I will explain on the way,” Tad promised with a smile to help ease her worry.  It didn’t appear to ease his, however.  Tad turned his gaze back toward that same direction as Mabel said her goodbyes.  He couldn’t help but feel that he had made a mistake.  “Please tell me he didn’t.”

“Who didn’t what?” Mabel interrupted her partner.  The two started to head back to the Shack.  Tad’s clear concern was worrying her again.

“I fear your brother may have gotten himself into trouble,” Tad confessed.  He couldn’t lie to her.  It was bad enough that he had kept this from her.  He just hadn’t thought Dipper would venture on his own.  Why, though?  Why had he thought the boy would wait?  Clearly it was because he was a fool.

“I thought you couldn’t sense when Dipper is in trouble,” Mabel said.  She watched Tad with a hint of suspicion.  She didn’t think he would have lied to her, but he was showing some glaring inconsistencies.

“I can’t sense that,” Tad clarified.  His eyes narrowed at the thought of what could be happening out there.  He didn’t want to believe it was that serious, but he couldn’t know for sure.  “But I can sense other things.  I need to inform Stanford and Stanley.  Why didn’t I think this through?”

“Think what through?” Mabel questioned.  She followed her partner as he seemed to take a more brisk pace.  “You’re not making a lot of sense, Tad.”

“Dipper likely went into the forest again,” Tad said.  He hated to admit it, but this was his doing.  He should have known better.  He should have thought it through.  He should have done a lot of things.  All he could do now was find Dipper and get him back safely.  “And it’s my fault.”

Mabel understood more of the situation then.  She started running.  Surely Dipper would be okay, but she would keep worrying until he was right there in front of her.  Why hadn’t her twin senses gone off this time?  Perhaps what Tad had sensed hadn’t been near Dipper.  Regardless they would go to her grunkles and track her twin down.  What could have driven him to venture off again after what had happened only yesterday?  Clearly Tad knew the answer.  Mabel wanted to know, but perhaps her partner was waiting until they got to the Mystery Shack.  It would be easier to say it all at once than needing to repeat such information.  Mabel still didn’t like it, but she trusted Tad’s judgment in this.

A familiar red head was making her way to the Shack as they reached the dirt path.  Wendy was certainly in a rush.  Did she know something was up too?  Mabel could see an axe at the older woman’s hip.  Whatever was going on it was starting to look worse, and it had seemed pretty bad already.  Mabel decided to call out to her friend.  The redhead stopped in her tracks before turning around.  She looked worried.  Wendy didn’t get worried, did she?  Surely it was bad if she was.

“Mabel,” Wendy called back.  She rushed up to the brunette and her demon.  The three matched pace as they made their way to the Shack.  “I tried calling you.”

“I lost my phone when fighting some gnomes,” Mabel said as way of explanation.  There was no time to go back for it now.  Hopefully Candy and Grenda had thought to look for it and would give it to her later.  It wasn’t weighing too heavily on her mind.  Mabel just wanted to know Dipper was okay.  “What’s going on?”

“Dipper went looking for his guardian in the the forest,” Wendy explained.  She pushed aside the shame she felt at letting her friends down.  “I said I’d cover for him if he gave me updates.  He didn’t check in.”

“What’s the rush?” Stanley asked as the trio made it to the porch.  They looked a bit tired, and worried about something.  He glanced at each of them in turn before deciding to focus on Tad.  He was the least out of breath and rundown of the bunch.

“Dipper went into the forest,” Mabel blurted out rather than Tad saying anything.

“Of all the,” Stan stepped back into the Shack with an exasperated expression.  “Stanford, get out here!  We got a nephew to hunt down!”

“Are we splitting up?” Wendy asked.  It wasn’t the best of ideas given what could ambush any one of them in there, but they could cover more ground in their search.  She didn’t want to believe that Dipper was truly in danger.

Stan came back out with his trusty cane held more like a baseball bat over his shoulder.  Not far behind was Stanford securing a strange glove on his left hand.  He adjusted his tan coat to hide the laser gun at his hip.  There was no reason to take any chances against the creatures of the forest.  He would have to stress this to Dipper more it would seem.  Ford hadn’t expected to find Wendy and Mabel waiting there on the porch.

“Mabel, you hold down the fort here,” he ordered.  There was no reason to risk his great niece along with his great nephew.  Mabel didn’t know what was out there waiting for them.  He politely turned his attention to Wendy.  “Your help is appreciated, but unneeded, Miss Corduroy.  We will be sure to inform you once Dipper is home safe, however.”

“If you think I’m heading home when my friend is out there you’re getting senile, old man,” Wendy said, bypassing any politeness.  She took her axe from her belt and hoisted it up much like Stanley held his cane then.

“I’m going to find Dipper,” Mabel said with unwavering determination.

“I say we let them help, Poindexter,” Stan agreed.  It would save them time if they didn’t argue.  Dipper was out there dealing with shit trying to eat him or something.  He certainly wasn’t about to waste time chatting it up.  He would just have to admit defeat when they got the boy home and start training him and his sister.  “Let’s get to searching and hope he’s not too far in.”

“I’ll start looking further in,” Tad said.  None of them realized that he had been silently debating about something.  Mabel did pick up on his unease, however.  “Just in case.”

“Mabel should stay with you,” Ford decided.  Stan nodded his agreement with it.  She was Tad’s charge after all.  They didn’t miss how he seemed uneasy with this decision.

“I will know if she needs me,” Tad said, a bit more defensively than he had intended.  His calm returned quickly, or the façade of it did at least.  “It would be best to keep her and Wendy closer to home.”

“No way,” Mabel protested.  It appeared that the argument Stan had wanted to avoid would commence regardless.  “I should have been out there helping find his partner in the first place.”

“Partner?” Both of the Stan twins questioned in unison.

“Dipper doesn’t have a partner,” Ford added on.  He looked over each of them to figure out what Mabel meant.

“Someone better fucking start filling me in on this shit,” Stanley shouted.

“Dipper went in to find his guardian,” Wendy informed them.  She looked away as her guilt resurfaced.  “I said he could claim we were hanging out at my place while he searched for them.”  Wendy huffed through her nose as she shook off the self pity party.  “We can hash all this out once we find Dipper.”

“Fine, but you all owe us an explanation,” Stan relented.  He started marching towards the forest with Wendy and Mabel close on his trail.

“Or we can get the details on the way,” Ford said as he caught up.  Tad wasn’t far behind, actually pulling ahead of the rest rather quickly.  “Dipper doesn’t even have a bonded mark!”

“It’s on his neck,” Tad said.  He cringed at revealing this information, but he was far enough ahead that the others wouldn’t have seen it.  This was all his fault.  He could only hope that Dipper was safe and that this could all be handled without much trouble.  “He has the mark on the back of his neck, just above his shoulder blades.  It’s easy to miss, easy to hide, and in a place he himself would have trouble looking at.”

“What is it?” Mabel asked.  She was excited to meet her twin’s partner.  Surely if they were out here they had already helped her brother out of any jam.

“Dipper said you were sure you knew the demon by the symbol,” Wendy said, revealing that Dipper had told her more than Tad would have liked.

“Tad is familiar with many demons,” Ford pointed out.  He knew a few of those demons as well thanks to the purple one.  The only other one in Gravity Falls he was aware of already had a charge, however.  “That doesn’t explain why Dipper rushed off into the forest to find them.  Why not wait for them to come to him?”

“Dipper said they were sealed in here somewhere,” Wendy said.  She knew far more than Tad had hoped.

Chapter Text

Dipper drifted in and out of consciousness.  He registered being carried.  Strong arms were holding him like a child against a solid chest.  The fabric against his face felt nice.  That soothing touch was at his nape again.  He was safe.  He wasn’t injured anymore.  His arms wrapped around what appeared to be the shoulders of whoever was carrying him.  The chest he was against vibrated ever so slightly.  Dipper mumbled before letting sleep take him once more.

There were soft cushions beneath him.  Dipper felt the tiredness finally fade from his body.  He was resting on a pile of pillows.  His hands moved to find the actual bedding he was on top of as his eyes opened.  He was met with a high ceiling made of some dark stone.  Dipper’s fingers came into contact with smooth, solid rock.  He carefully tried to sit up to take in his surroundings better.  Was this some sort of cave?

“Pine Tree, you’re awake!”

The voice that had invaded his mind during the griffin incident greeted him.  Dipper screamed at the sudden appearance of a gold reptilian eye in his face.  The pillows shifted under him as he leaned away to regain some semblance of personal space.  That eye stayed focused on his face looking expectant and excited.  Dipper shakily gained the courage to take in the being before him.  

That golden-yellow eye was set on a goldenrod face framed by blonde hair.  The sheer yellow was inhuman, much as he suspected this being was.  Bangs hung over the left side of their face, blocking the other eye from sight.  They stopped just at the high cheekbones.  Dipper wasn’t sure if it was the lighting casting shadows, or if there was a much darker patch of skin just under the hidden eye.  He stopped on the mouth that slowly curved into a too wide grin, displaying the pointed teeth of a certified predator.  Dipper tried not to gulp in response.

“Wh-”

“I was waiting for you to regain consciousness,” the golden demon interrupted.  Dipper was feeling a bit overwhelmed with his lack of personal space.  “I figured you were close to waking up when your breathing changed.”  They looked rather pleased with themselves.  “I kept your dreams pleasant.  You certainly looked like you needed sleep after that griffin attack.  It was being controlled by someone.”  They brushed aside their own statement with a wave of their blue flame covered, black skeletal right hand.  “You likely already realized that.”  They leaned in slightly closer, making Dipper drift back just that much more.  “I let it live.”

“Uh, well, that’s… good?” Dipper wasn’t sure how to respond.  He didn’t know how to take this all in.  He did gulp then.  “I mean, it wasn’t the griffin’s fault it tried to attack me.  Thanks for the help and all.”

“Of course, Pine Tree,” the demon’s voice was a bit grating when using a higher pitch.  They returned to a less piercing tone, though it was still rather high pitched and seemed to have some kind of echo.  Dipper wasn’t sure if this was an attempt to ease him or just the demon calming down.  He did know that the echo was a result of the demon’s barely contained magic.  He was dealing with quite a powerful being here.  “I can’t let anything happen to my human after all.”

“Your human?” Dipper echoed more than truly questioned.  His eyes widened as he finally caught up to all that had and was happening.  This was his guardian!  Dipper didn’t realize he had latched onto the other’s arms (one clothed and one encompassed in cool magic) to pull himself closer and hold himself up.  The demon he had gone looking for, the one he hadn’t realized existed until barely a day before, was right in front of him, solid, free.  “You aren’t trapped!”

“Not anymore, sapling,” the demon’s smile seemed to soften.  Those fangs were still very much on display, but there was something about it and their eye that halted Dipper’s previous unease.  Dipper was picked up by the same arms that had carried him to wherever they were now.  “All thanks to you!”

Dipper was held against his newfound partner.  He felt a bit awkward with his legs now dangling, but returned the embrace.  This was incredible and overwhelming all at once.  He had a guardian of his own.  One that would clearly protect him; one that wanted him.  He had someone that wouldn’t turn their back on him for once.  Dipper was placed back on the cushioned stone he had been sleeping on.  He looked back up at his demon with a growing sense of awe.  They were taller than Tad.

“So what do you think, Pine Tree?” His demon gestured to the odd dwelling they found themselves in.  Dipper still thought it looked like a cave, but it seemed manmade somehow.  “I know it’s not much at the moment.  Maintenance hasn’t really been kept up.  What with me being a statue and all, and kind of bodiless before that.”

The golden demon gestured around at a few of the things in this place.  It looked like there was a cave in at one end.  Dipper admittedly paid their words little mind in that moment.  He took the opportunity to really take in his partner.  Unlike Tad they didn’t appear to care about hiding what they were.  They had a similar taste in clothing to Mabel’s guardian; wearing a bright yellow tuxedo over a white button up with a black bowtie and small floating top hat.  The right sleeve of the tuxedo and dress shirt was nonexistent, torn off to reveal the burnt looking skeletal arm that was wrapped in cerulean flames.  Their left hand was covered by a black glove that may or may not have been genuine leather like the expensive heeled shoes.  The slacks that covered their legs matched the tuxedo.  His demon just screamed golden-yellow to the point of being obnoxious, yet there was a classy charm to such a fashion choice.  Either that or their bond was influencing Dipper to be rather biased.  If he had to guess Dipper would say his partner was as tall as Stan’s must have been, minus the bulging muscles.

“Like what you see, Pine Tree?” His demon raised an immaculate golden eyebrow.  Their leering smile made Dipper’s heart pause while his stomach fluttered.  He gulped involuntarily, hoping his face hadn’t flushed enough to be noticeable.  He was starting to feel nervous and sweaty.  His guardian’s admittedly unnerving laugh made it all worse.  “Relax, sapling!  I’m only teasing.  Mostly.”

“M-mostly?” Dipper stuttered out.  He managed not to flinch as his guardian leaned into his space again.  That gaze was most assuredly predatory, and Dipper wasn’t entirely sure in which way.

“Well, I’m not opposed to suggestions,” his demon was barely an inch from his face now.  That gold eye felt like it was boring into his very soul.  The elongated pupil sharpened its focus, drifting from his eyes ever so briefly.  It was clear enough to point out the intention to Dipper.

“I… I don’t think we know each other enough,” Dipper said, hoping the other would back off just a little.  He never really handled compliments well, and the mere thought that someone would flirt with him seemed ludicrous.  He knew it was a thought process resulting from his low self esteem and years of ridicule as a child.  Dipper would almost prefer that the intention would be to literally devour him.  He tried to settle his breathing before saying anything.  “I don’t even know your name.”

It had the desired effect of making his demon pull away.  Dipper started to feel that he had said the wrong thing.  He had wanted space, but now that he had it, it felt like too much had been put between them.  Surely he hadn’t offended the other.  No, no, he was just feeling anxious now.  Dipper just needed to reign in his anxiety here.  The sensation at his mark location helped a great deal.  The reassuring smile from his guardian was more soothing.

“Oh, right, poor manners on my part,” his guardian conceded.  It appeared easily brushed off.  The black top hat teleported to the gloved hand as his demon bowed.  They lifted their head to give him that shark’s grin and intense stare.  “Bill Cipher, at your service!”

“D-Dipper P-”

“What?” Bill suddenly straightened up with shocked confusion.

“My name is Dipper,” he said, silently thankful he didn’t stutter or crack.  Dipper found himself looking down and fidgeting immediately after, however.  “Well, nickname really.  Everyone just kind of started calling me it rather than my given name.  I-”

“Dipper,” Bill repeated.  He seemed to be testing the name.  Dipper felt that fluttering again at the way his guardian said his name.  “Like the constellation?”

“Yeah,” Dipper nodded, still fidgeting but watching his demon.  That single eye almost appeared to watch him more closely.  Was his partner trying to take him in more carefully like he himself had earlier?  Dipper tried to laugh it off.  “I have this really embarrassing birthmark.  My sister is the one that started it, and it just kinda stuck.”

“I see,” Bill said it as though he didn’t fully understand.  His calculated gaze appeared to be more focused on Dipper’s body language.  Perhaps their connection was telling him of the brunet being uncomfortable about the subject.  It passed quickly as Bill Cipher was in Dipper’s space once more.  That excited, and quite deranged smile returned just before he blurted out.  “I have an endless void instead of a left eye!”

Dipper blinked in confusion then.  He almost felt like he had whiplash from the shift in his partner.  The expression Bill had didn’t help Dipper in believing the other was playing with a full deck.  Still, his demon appeared harmless enough.  Dipper was well aware that wasn’t the right word for it, but it would have to do.  Bill was his guardian.  He would protect him.  He cared about him.  Perhaps it was just his demon’s way of changing the subject from something that was clearly making Dipper uncomfortable.  Surely he could share his birthmark with his partner.  Perhaps another time, though.  They had plenty of time to get to know one another after all.

Dipper hesitantly shared the events of his younger years back in Piedmont.  He described the social butterfly his sister had been in contrast with his bookish wallflower disposition.  He decided to skip over most of the teasing and bullies he encountered back then.  This was mostly because he unthinkingly name dropped a past tormentor from early grade school and something about the look in Bill’s (briefly red) eye spoke of vengeful torment.  Dipper didn't see the point in seeking out someone he hadn't encountered since the age of nine.

“So Mabel and I are now living with our grunkles while we harness our magic,” Dipper said.  It may not have been the best closing, but he had little else to add.  Bill had a confused look on his face.

“What’s a grunkle?” He asked with the slightest tilt of his head.  It was enough to move his bangs to show more of the apparent void replacing his left eye.

“Great uncle,” Dipper clarified.  It wasn't the first time he had to explain it.  The continued confusion on Bill’s face was unexpected, though.  “They’re my grandfather’s brothers.”

“Ah, more of those blood ties you humans are so fond of,” Bill said, seeming to brush off the entire conversation point now that he had his question answered.

“What about you?” Dipper asked eager to learn about his new partner.  “I mean, if you don’t mind sharing.  I don’t know how long you were… you know.”

“Trapped,” Bill finished for him.  Dipper nodded slightly, looking rather guilty for bringing it up.  His demon didn’t seem all that bothered by it.  “Well, to tell the truth I don’t know how long I was in there either.  It could have been centuries!  Or it could have been a few days for all I know.  Most of that time I wasn’t really aware of anything.  The first thing I remember when awareness took hold was this thing acting up.”

Bill gestured to the back of his neck.  It was clear to Dipper that he was referring to the symbol there that corresponded with the mortal’s own.  Dipper still didn’t even know what his looked like.  Given what Bill had called him, and what the Multi-Bear had said, he was apparently represented by a tree.  At least that was the aura his magic displayed.  Dipper didn’t really know if that affected their bond marks or not.  He wanted to know, but something held him back.  Surely he didn’t need to see it to know that Bill Cipher was connected to him.  Still, Dipper did want to know.

“Well then, what was the Nightmare Realm like?” Dipper questioned to change the subject.  He was curious about a demon’s take on the place they came from.  There must have been a reason so many fled that world for the mortal plane.

“Ack! Dreadful,” Bill said, showing his disdain for the place he once dwelled.  He supposed most humans didn’t know what had happened there.  Mortals never really had been given the whole story.  There was no telling how convoluted their history had gotten over the centuries.  Bill glared at the caved in wall.  “They deserved what they got.”

“So, what did you do?” Dipper asked.  “Were there jobs or set tasks for demons?”

“For some,” Bill said.  He took an interest in his gloved nails as if to show his disregard for the subject at hand.  Dipper couldn’t help feeling the barest hints of anger and regret, almost despair.  He knew such feelings weren’t his own, but they could not be anyone else’s.  His connection with Bill wasn’t strong enough to share such things.  It shouldn’t be at least.  “I was a Seer.  I could glimpse possibilities; view past events exactly as they were.  I saw the repeat cycle; the past failures to change the status quo; the inevitable destruction of that world.”

“And no one listened to you,” Dipper didn’t pose it as a question, more just his understanding of what transpired.

“No more than the Seers of the past,” Bill scoffed.  He sighed at the memories.  His gaze turned to Dipper.  There was something unhinged there, but the brunet held that one-eyed stare.  “So I used the insight the past had given me.  And as reward for my attempt, they stole my Sight.”  Bill lifted his gloved hand to his cheek, pressing just below the location of the eye socket.  “I suppose this is how it manifested in my current form.”

“I’m sorry,” Dipper had nothing else to say.  He wanted Bill closer in that moment.  The desire to hug his demon was as strong as when Mabel went into Sweater Town.

“It’s not your doing, sapling,” Bill reassured with a fond smile.  It was still too wide and full of teeth, but it didn’t make Dipper uncomfortable.  He was just partnered with a demon that wasn’t afraid to show his true nature.  “The way I see it, you’re the best that’s happened to me since.”

“W-well, I’m glad I could help,” Dipper said.  He turned his head down to hide his embarrassment from the voice crack.  His teenage years weren’t far enough behind him it would seem.  He was tempted to look up at Bill’s laugh, but stopped himself.

“I like you, sapling,” Bill said, closer.  Dipper hesitantly lifted his head to find his guardian standing over him.  That fond smile was back, putting the brunet at ease.  The gleam in Bill’s eye, however, made that fluttering of Dipper’s insides return.  “You and me, we’re gonna stick together; have each other’s backs.”  Bill plopped down beside him with his left arm around Dipper’s shoulders.  Dipper allowed himself to be pulled in closer.  He was a little self conscious about the smile he felt taking over his face.  Is this what it was like for Mabel meeting Tad for the first time?  “But right now I need you to think of a safe place.”

“What?  Why?” Dipper blurted out.  Bill’s sudden seriousness threw him off.  That gold eye was glaring into the distance, almost appearing to have a red tint.

“I need you to think of some place safe and secure for you,” Bill repeated calmly.  He sneered at the thought of something.  Dipper could feel his guardian growing angry about whatever it was.  “Those that had a hand in my imprisonment are close.”  Bill’s anger appeared to take on a self deprecating edge as he turned his head away.  “That’s what I get for coming back here where they would obviously start looking.”

“How do we handle them?” Dipper questioned.  He didn’t want to fight, (probably couldn’t fight at this point) but there was no way whoever was coming would separate them again.

“We lay low for now,” Bill said.  He didn’t like taking such a route.  He couldn’t risk Dipper, though.  The square and his former pawns wouldn’t lay a hand on his human if he had anything to say about it.  They weren’t ones to target a human if they could help it, but they would try turning his Pine Tree against him.  “Just think of something and I’ll get us there.  I just need a place they aren’t likely to think I’ll go.”

“I don’t know about the last part,” Dipper said nervously.  The Mystery Shack wasn’t far from here, probably.  If this was like a former home for Bill then it’s no wonder his past tormentors had tracked them down already.  The Shack would give them cover for a time.  Plus his family could help them.  “But my grunkles’ place is close to the forest.”

Bill didn’t wait a second longer.  He pulled Dipper against him.  The brunet was confused at first.  Images of the Shack littered his mind as he felt a crackle of energy.  Wait, was Bill teleporting them?  Oh, this wouldn’t end well.  Dipper just knew this was a bad idea.  He forced his eyes shut and buried his face in Bill’s tuxedo covered chest.  There was a sudden lightheadedness rather than the nausea Dipper expected.  He clutched at Bill’s back despite the sense of calm that started washing through him.  There was a cool touch at the back of his neck.  It was soothing, grounding.  Dipper couldn’t remember what had caused him to panic a moment ago.  He only knew that he was safe and loved.

Chapter Text

“Shouldn’t this be, like, common knowledge?” Wendy questioned as they trekked through the forest.  There was a distinct lack of creatures around the forest that unsettled her.  No doubt Tad was taking a route that avoided the nasty beasties, but surely they should have seen something scurrying about by this point.  “I mean, the town has enough reasons not to come in here, but a locked away psychotic demon sounds like something to be wary of.”

“It would likely have only resulted in mass panic if we had told anyone,” Stan said.  He kept glancing around to their darkening surrounding.  He was ashamed to admit (to himself) that he hoped Dipper had run into the lunatic, if only because there was nothing likely to go near that demon.  “Stanford and I worked our asses off to make sure the world forgot about him.”

“That still makes no sense,” Wendy said angrily.  She was trying to keep her voice down so they could keep the element of surprise.  Tad should tell them when they were getting close, but she wasn’t entirely sure how good a demon’s hearing could be.  “Forgetting a threat leaves everyone vulnerable.  Why not make sure they’re prepared should something like this happen?”

“We didn’t think it would,” Ford answered.  He had since given up trying to convince Wendy to go home.  He felt like a fool for not taking this threat more seriously.  With the demon waking up in that prison only days prior Ford should have prepared for the worst.  “We certainly never expected a human to be tied to him.  Let alone that it would be Dipper!  Stanley and I had to make people forget about Bill to deplete the power he could have come back with!”

“Stanford,” Stanley shouted at his twin for the slip up.  It couldn’t be helped then.  Surely it had only been a matter of time before one of them slipped up what with how their thoughts were focused on the golden demon.  “Dammit!”

“Alright, everyone, move it,” Ford called to the other four.  He tightened his grip on the handle of his laser gun.  The first chance he got he was putting a blast between the bastards eyes if he could.  They would get Dipper back and keep him safe, no matter what it took.

Tad let most of them pull ahead of him only so he could check on Mabel.  The horror story the Stan twins had been painting was unfortunately quite accurate, but they didn’t know everything.  Tad should probably have filled in the blanks long ago.  It wasn’t as if Ford or Stan cared, however.  They knew Bill Cipher could be a monster through and through, and that was enough for them so long as they could defend against said monster.  Tad knew, as well however, that Mabel needed more information.  She especially needed to know what situation her twin was likely in by this point.  Tad couldn’t say definitively what Dipper was going through, but he could possibly ease some of his charge’s worries.

“Mabel, we’ll find them,” Tad reassured her.  He waited for her to focus on him before continuing.  His eyes shifted to watch the others ahead of them to make sure they didn’t get too far ahead.  “Dipper will be fine.  He isn’t going to hurt a human connected to him.  For a variety of reasons.”

“Do you think we can talk this out?” Mabel asked.  She didn’t want them to fight, especially with someone that should help Dipper feel safe.  Maybe this Bill would be willing to put the past behind them for Dipper’s sake.

“I… We will try,” Tad said.  He didn’t want to lie to her, but he had no intention of dashing her hopes when he had been trying to lift them up.  “He likely won’t be happy to see your grunkles.  Least of all myself.  But we will work this out, somehow.”

“Right,” Mabel said with a bit more confidence.  She appreciated Tad being honest with her.  She had promised that she would have supported Dipper if their positions were switched.  Well, they may not be switched, but if her twin had a demon out there she would give them a chance and help Dipper convince their grunkles.  “Then let’s find Dipper and Bill.”

Mabel kept pace with her grunkles well enough that Tad teleported ahead of the group.  He was confident that his brother would keep the boy safe.  He just wasn’t sure how easy it would be to find them.  Bill would no doubt put as much distance between them as possible the second he sensed their approach, if he hadn’t already.  Dipper should be safe with his guardian, but not every bonded demon cared about the wishes of their human.  If the boy’s happiness got in the way of Bill’s revenge… Well, Tad would rather not think about what Dipper or any of them could be put through in that situation.

They weren’t that far from what remained of Bill’s ancient seat of power.  Tad came to a halt as he sensed the shift of energy indicating teleportation.  He knew it was a taunt from his brother.  Unfortunately it was enough to put all of them back at square one.  If Dipper wasn’t with Bill at the former pyramid Tad had nothing to go on.  Where would Bill take him?

The answer was not far from the forest where the group of five had started.  Dipper opened his eyes slowly as the cool touch was removed from the back of his neck.  He missed the calming sensation.  There was still the grounding presence of his partner close to him.  He blinked a few times before looking up at Bill.  His guardian was watching him with an unblinking stare, seeming to analyze Dipper.  There was a degree of concern drifting through the bond.  Should he be sensing that already at this stage?

Bill stepped back to give Dipper space.  He seemed reluctant or hesitant to do so.  Dipper felt fine aside from wondering where they were now.  Bill had teleported them.  Then why wasn’t Dipper feeling the effects of teleportation on his mortal being?  That calming touch came back into his mind as a phantom memory.  Bill must have touched his mark as they were transported.  Dipper would have to find out if Great Uncle Ford had notes on that.  Dipper could only imagine what embarrassment he had caused himself while their bond was settling.

“I’m okay,” Dipper announced after breaking their odd not quite staring contest.  Bill had no doubt won it long ago anyway.  Dipper felt his cheeks heat up at the thought of what all could have happened while he wasn’t in his right mind.

“You make adorable noises, Pine Tree,” Bill commented with a laugh.  It was apparently hilarious enough for him to fall over in the air while laughing.  Bill continued to float off the ground in his amusement.  He drifted there with his front parallel to the ground while using his left hand to support his head.  “You seemed awfully content.  Aside from clinging to me for your life.”  Bill flipped onto his back to watch Dipper upside down with that fond yet unnerving smile of his.  “Really, sapling, have a little faith in me.  I wouldn’t let your molecules drift away or rearrange wrong.  You’re too cute to allow disfiguring!”

“Uh, thanks, Bill,” Dipper said, not entirely sure how to respond to many of his guardian’s words.  He would likely be confused in that regard for a while.  Bill was a weird one, in a somewhat charming yet totally creepy way.  “So where…”

Dipper started looking around to see where they had ended up.  They were in the gift shop of the Mystery Shack.  Dipper supposed he felt safe here.  It didn’t have the creep factor of the attic.  Dipper just figured he would have pictured the kitchen or TV room more.  Then again the gift shop was probably the part of the Shack that he was in most, aside from the attic.  He turned back to Bill to find his demon drifting among the knickknacks of the aisles.  Bill was twirling a snow globe like a basketball until it fell on the floor.  He laughed at the shatter of glass and all the liquid running out.

“Bill no,” Dipper called as he rushed to find something to clean it up.  “You can’t break stuff in here!”

“Relax, Pine Tree,” Bill said as he waved his gloved hand.  The broken glass gathered around and secured the liquid and other bits back inside the object as though nothing had happened to it.  Bill let the snow globe settle back onto the shelf.  “See, no one will know the difference.”

Bill floated through the other aisles while Dipper calmed down.  He actually smiled slightly as his demon started scattering the clothes.  Hopefully Bill would put those back, too.  Dipper just hadn’t wanted Grunkle Stan’s first impression of Bill to be the broken pieces of merchandise.  A lot had already happened since he left the Shack earlier.  Despite the rest he had after Bill was freed Dipper felt exhausted.  He flinched when Bill suddenly appeared in front of him, shoving something on to his head.

“There,” Bill declared, appearing quite pleased with himself.  He tilted his head, showing that void on the left side of his face.  It was like a compacted galaxy, until one looked for too long and felt the pull of the darkness within.  Bill snapped his fingers and straightened up with his wide, sharp-toothed smile.  “Now that’s better!”

“What are you doing, Bill?” Dipper asked as he removed the hat Bill had stuck on him.  It was one of the trucker hats the shop sold.  It had a tree symbol in the front center over a white background while the back was blue to match.  Dipper stared at it with a confused expression.  He only recalled them coming in green.  Had Bill changed the color?

“I think it suits you, sapling,” Bill said, still floating in front of the brunet.  “A pine tree for you, Pine Tree!”

Bill started laughing at his little joke.  Dipper chuckled a little from it.  He put the hat back on to appease his guardian.  He tended to have something on his head to cover up his birthmark anyway.  Hopefully Stan wouldn’t care too much that it had come from his stock.  Surely he could dock it from whatever pay Dipper and Mabel would be getting.  Granted Dipper wouldn’t put it past the man to be expecting “free” labor from the twins, considering they were given food and board.  Dipper watched as Bill floated off to another shelf.

“Oooh, what is this positively hideous thing?” Bill questioned as he flicked one of the bobble heads.  He touched one after the other to get them to move quite out of sync.  He turned his attention back to Dipper like a kid hoping to purchase some popular toy.  “Come look at these abominations!”

“That’s a likeness of my Grunkle Stan,” Dipper said with a chuckle despite himself.  “It’s his Mr. Mystery get up in bobble head form for the tourists.”

“He has a large nose,” Bill said.  He picked up one of the likenesses to examine it more.  He turned it to see the side angle.  “Ooh, is that actual ear hair?”

“No, that’s dust bunnies,” Dipper corrected as he tried to clean off the bobble head.  He had admittedly neglected dusting that day, and the day before really.  Grunkle Stan would have his head for slacking off so much.  Well, it was for a good cause obviously.  “Come on, we should find the others.”

The golden demon dropped the bobble head back on the shelf and allowed himself to be guided along.  He glanced around at the gift shop area as they moved into the rest of the house.  Bill couldn’t help feeling a sense of familiarity from it.  He paused at the bottom of the stairs while Dipper ascended them.  There wasn’t just a sense of being here before for the demon; there was the presence of another coating this place.

Bill clenched his fists at the familiar energy.  Why had the square been here?  It wasn’t just that the traitor had visited this house either.  No, the place was drenched in his energy.  There was the presence of mortal magic here as well, but it was overshadowed by the demonic power.  Bill didn’t like it.  Was the square stalking his Pine Tree?  Did he know about their connection?  It seemed this place wasn't as safe as Dipper thought.  They needed to leave, now.

Dipper was at the end of the second floor hallway.  He was starting to get worried about his family not being around.  Sure Mabel could still be out with her friends, but Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford had no reason to leave the house.  Unless something had happened that called them away.  Ford had talked about being a consultant with the authorities on magical instances.  He had also mentioned later on, however, that Gideon was looked to more often.  Maybe Gideon was involved somehow.  Dipper knew his grunkles could handle themselves just fine, but it didn’t make him worry any less.

“Augh, where is everybody?” Dipper questioned, frustrated.  He rested his head on Mabel’s bedroom door.  It hurt more than he thought it would to let his forehead collide with the worn yet intricate wood.  “They should be here!  It’s not like I snuck out behind their backs and they would have rushed off to find me.  Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford think I’m with Wendy!”

“Pine Tree,” Bill said when he stopped just behind his human.  He had planned to tell Dipper that they needed to find someplace else to lay low.  Instead Bill watched his sapling with growing concern.  His human was upset and whether it was the influence of their shared branding or not Bill wanted to comfort him.  This wasn’t something Bill was actually any good at, though.  “Who’s Wendy?”

“Shoot, Wendy,” Dipper gasped in realization.  His hands went to his head as panic started to rise and take hold within him.  “Oh, shit, I forgot to keep in touch with her!  Wendy is going to kill me!”

“She m͜͢͜o͏s͏t ͞c͟͟ȩ̸r̛t͡a̷͏i̢͝n̶͟͠ly͞҉ will not,” Bill growled, already prepared to beat this possible new threat down.  No one was laying a hand on Pine Tree.  He would make sure they lost the ability to for even contemplating it.

“What?” Dipper turned to his partner.  The shift in Bill’s voice was startling.  He had to admit that for that brief moment his guardian had sounded more like what he thought a demon’s voice would.  It was booming, echoing, all-encompassing, and noticeably angry.  In that moment Dipper couldn’t deny that fear had crept up his spine.  “No!  No, Wendy is a friend.  I just meant that she’ll be angry from worrying that I didn’t check in.  She’s a friend; she wouldn’t actually threaten my life.”

“You are certain…,” Bill cut himself off as he carefully studied Dipper.  He could sense his human’s fear, initially perceiving it as uncertainty directed towards this Wendy.

That was not the case, however.  Bill could not claim it confidently on the intuition borne of this connection they shared.  This was because it was very much possibly a conclusion from multiple factors.  He could not deny the familiarity of Dipper’s expression.  Bill was no stranger to others being afraid of him, and he knew what that fear could drive them towards.  Pine Tree had nothing to fear from him, but it was all too possible that his human wasn’t so certain of that.  Trust took time to build after all.

“Of course,” Bill said.  He suddenly found mild interest in the door on his right despite its plain wooden appearance.  It was more a means to avoid the unease in Dipper’s eyes.  It shouldn’t be there.  He didn’t want it there.  “Perhaps we should make sure your friend knows you are fine.”

“Right,” Dipper agreed.  He checked in his pockets for a moment before pulling out his phone.

It appeared all too easy for him to forget about the brief exchange momentarily.  Surely Dipper had merely been shocked by the sudden readiness Bill showed to defend him.  He was already aware of his guardian’s potential power, both due to Tad’s eluding and the implications of Bill’s own natural speaking voice.  Dipper just didn’t want that power directed at the wrong people.  This was all quite new to him.  He just needed time to adjust and learn to trust in his guardian.  Bill would look out for him, as he had already proven.  They were partners after all.

Bill turned his attention back to the intricately carved door behind Dipper.  The brunet was pulling up his contact list before bringing the cellular device to his ear.  It was more than just the presence of Tad Strange that made this place so familiar to the golden demon.  He had been here before, in a manner of speaking.  Obviously it had been during the lengthy time when his consciousness was adrift from his vessel.  That would mean he could have seen this place at any given time throughout history, but the fact that he recognized it left only one possibility.  There was only one way to know for sure, however.  Pine Tree was preoccupied with getting in touch with his friend.  It was the perfect time for Bill to investigate this place.

It was likely that the sudden shift in energy would alert Dipper to Bill’s departure.  He didn’t plan to be long.  He just needed answers, much as he didn’t want to confirm his suspicions.  Bill found himself in the attic room.  Someone was clearly sleeping in it, given the bed and sparse furniture.  There were books scattered across the mismatched pieces of carpeting.  Bill turned away from them to face a dresser blocking off a different section of the attic.  It was clearly placed to stop anyone from venturing beyond.  Well, it wasn’t enough to stop Bill Cipher.

The obstructing object was easily moved with a wave of Bill’s hand.  He concentrated just enough so it wouldn’t be flung across the room and cause a mess.  He hesitated after the magic dissipated from the dresser.  Did he really want to do this?  Of course he did.  Bill was here to get answers, and the sooner he got them the sooner he could return to his sapling.  He didn’t miss that Pine Tree had clearly spent time up here.  Perhaps his human was the one to claim this as his living space.  Bill didn’t like the thought of his human sleeping on the bed he noticed.  He would concern himself with that later.  Bill headed into the much darker area the dresser had been hiding.  He quickly adjusted to the distinct lack of light.

There was an uncovered light fixture hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the hidden room.  The chain dangled in invitation to pull and bring blessed light into the room.  That was impossible to do when there was no bulb, however.  Whoever had closed this part off wanted to be sure no one would be snooping around in here for one reason or another.  Most of the darkness could be attributed to the only window being covered up.  A garbage bag had been taped over it to block out any sunlight, or moonlight for that matter.

Why go through so much trouble to hide this one room?  Granted there could be other hidden rooms within this place that Bill just hadn’t come across yet.  With a snap of his fingers the bag went up in cerulean flames.  There was still something on the other side keeping light out, but the window was visible.  Bill stared at the stained glass depiction… of himself.  He placed his right hand just under the eye and concentrated on moving the wooden blockade on the other side.  The lowering sun was allowed to shine through, bathing the room in a mix of red and yellow from the colors of the glass.  Bill knew this place; he recognized it, because he had a hand in constructing it!

A sense of dread shot through Bill, though he couldn’t entirely claim it as his own.  Something was bothering Pine Tree greatly.  The revelation that they were in his old pawn’s likely home would have to wait.  Bill appeared at the bottom of the attic stairs to find Dipper still in the same place at the end of the hallway on his phone.  It seemed that he had gotten in touch with this Wendy character, but it didn’t look like any good was coming out of it.

“Wendy,” Dipper called into the phone.  His panic was growing once again.  “Where are you guys?  Wendy!”

Dipper stared into his phone as the call cut out.  Wendy was in trouble.  His family was in trouble.  It was his fault they were out there all because he didn’t check in.  He didn’t even know what they were dealing with out there.  From the shouts in the background Dipper knew that Tad was there, which meant Mabel was likely also with them.  Whatever was threatening them sounded like it was overwhelming them, even with the purple demon on their side.  Dipper had to find them.  He had to make sure his family was okay.

“Pine Tree?” Bill placed a hesitant hand on the brunet’s shoulder.  It seemed the only reason his human wasn’t a panicking mess was because of shock and an inability to figure out what to do.  If he had stayed with his sapling Bill likely would know more about the situation.

“I have to find them,” Dipper said in a whispered tone.  He knew that’s what he needed to do.  He just didn’t know how he was to accomplish it.  Besides, what help could he possibly be if Tad was struggling?  Dipper didn’t really pay attention to Bill as he ran for the stairs to go find his family.

“What’s the plan, sapling?” Bill asked as he materialized at the door just as Dipper reached it.  He wasn’t going to stop his human, but he obviously wasn’t letting him go it alone.  Not to mention the fact that Dipper appeared to be running into some kind of danger without an actual idea on what to do.

“I don’t know,” Dipper confessed.  He pushed on anyway.  They were out there because of him.  If any of them got hurt, or worse, it was on him.  “I have to find them and help.  I just don’t know how.  If Tad can’t handle whatever this is I don’t see how I can… I have to try, though.”

Bill narrowed his eye at the mention of the square.  It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that his human knew the other demon.  Bill shook his head; such things could wait until later.  If his human had blood ties on the line then Bill would help.  Even if it meant dealing with the traitor for a short time.  He grabbed Dipper just as they reached the tree line and jumped to the branches.  The high road would be faster.  Now that Bill had a clue on how to find their targets he could navigate this place.  He just had to look for Strange’s magical signature.

“Bill, what?” Dipper couldn’t fully get his question out.  He tried to get more comfortable in the other’s hold.  Bill accommodated him easily enough.  Dipper didn’t care for their distance from the ground, or the speed Bill proved capable of going.  Surely his guardian wouldn’t drop him, though.

“You mentioned Tad,” Bill said.  There was something in the way he spoke the other’s name that indicated a clear disliking.  “I assume you mean the square.  I can sense him a ways ahead.”

“Well, a purple square is the symbol on Mabel’s arm,” Dipper said as he remembered the mark connecting his twin to the purple demon.

“Your sister?” Bill questioned in momentary shock.  His movement was very much on autopilot, keeping him from outright stopping in that moment.  He tried to keep his feelings on the new development hidden.

If his sapling had blood ties to the traitor’s own human then it very much complicated things for Bill.  He couldn’t take down the square without targeting the human he was connected to, and that was now hindered by Dipper’s reaction to the whole thing.  Plus it wasn’t like Bill could just avoid Strange now.  Clearly Pine Tree shared space with this sister, which meant Strange wouldn’t be far from him either.  Bill forced down a laugh at the situation.  That traitor sure had made quite the contingency plan.  Bill was backed into a corner here, yet so was Strange.  If he tried to send Bill back into a state of dormancy it would leave Pine Tree vulnerable.  Surely Tad’s own human wouldn’t like her brother being cast into such a situation.  Perhaps Bill was somehow the one coming out on top of this.

They stopped at a clearing not far from where Bill could sense the other demon.  Bill dropped down and headed for the other end where the trees started again.  There was clearly a lot of magic being thrown around, along with the slight scent of blood.  He kept his sapling close to make sure he wouldn’t run into any oncoming attacks.  Dipper clearly wanted to find his family, but he understood that the element of surprise could be key here.

“Tad!”

The shout from Mabel threatened to throw the previous stealth approach out the window.  If it wasn’t for Bill’s solid hold on Dipper’s shoulder he would likely be running straight into danger.  Instead Bill pulled him back and forced his human to crouch in the darkening tree cover.  A cubed force field had been summoned, encompassing four humans along with the familiar purple demon.  Tad wasn’t wearing his typical pinstripe suit; instead some awful woolen cloth covered his torso.  Bill decided to ignore it as he took in the other players.

A pack (flock?) of griffins had swarmed them.  The barrier likely wouldn’t hold for long, given that the purple demon already appeared weakened.  Dipper wondered if they were here to avenge the one that had attacked him.  Perhaps these creatures thought they were behind the mind control.  He didn’t know much about griffins, admittedly, but they weren’t part of the typical inhabitants here.  What other reason would they have to come to Gravity Falls if not in search of their missing pack-mate?

“Hm, someone’s been busy,” Bill noted.  His comment brought Dipper’s attention to the eyes of the few he could take note of.  They were the same white-glassiness of the other.  They were being controlled as well!  “Griffins don’t normally come in groups like this.  A mated pair and some chicks, maybe.  These are full grown, and would have been cast out by now.  Wonder who wants an army of the beasts.”

“We can worry about that later,” Dipper decided.  He was curious about it, too, but his family was at risk now.  He watched as Ford shot at a few as Tad’s barrier weakened from their assault.  Dipper stood up with the intention of grabbing the griffins’ attention away from his family.

“Get down, Pine Tree,” Bill ordered as he pulled his human back.  He glared at the fighting group, more annoyed than anything.  Clearly without him around the square had gone soft if he was struggling with these creatures.  “Stay put.”

“I’m not waiting around while these things sink their claws into my family,” Dipper protested.  He wasn’t going to be sidelined here.  If Bill had a plan then he was taking part in it.

“Mabel, get back,” Stanford shouted.

The familiar voice distracted Bill.  Sure he was aware that Pine Tree had been in the man’s home, but for all he knew Sixer had been long dead.  Instead the man was just old, yet still spry, clearly.  He could guess the man at his side was Stanley then, given their similarities.  Not that Bill was any good at telling most humans apart.  Stanley’s outfit was quite similar to the bobble head things Pine Tree had talked about.  Surely the square had planned this.  Once again Bill could find a way to swing this in his favor.  His distraction, however, was enough for his sapling to go racing towards the fight.  Bill growled as he shot forward after him.

Mabel was trying to keep her partner from getting more injuries from these creatures.  Tad had assured her after the first lucky strike on the griffins’ part that he would heal, but after so many he was looking quite worn down.  Mabel knew that demons could take a beating.  That didn’t make seeing her own in this condition any easier of course.  She blasted as many back as she could with her great uncle’s help.  Grunkle Stan was busy trying to break one of the griffins like a wild horse.  Wendy was doing her best to dodge them while attempting to reclaim her axe that was just out of reach each time.  Ford had mentioned mind control being involved, but that hardly mattered at the moment.  Mabel attempted to bring up a force field of her own to defend her partner.

It held against one blow, but shattered soon after.  A blinding light forced her to close her eyes and turn her head.  The second attack didn’t come, but a shriek from one of the beasts pierced the air.  Mabel looked to find her brother standing between her and the newly injured creature.  The griffin’s talons had been punctured by something.  A golden shield adorned Dipper’s right arm as he stared the pack down.  They were closing in again.

“Dipper,” Mabel called to him.  She was relieved to see him, but also worried that he was in just as much danger as them.  Where had he gotten that shield anyway?

“We’ve got this, Mabel,” Dipper said.  It was unclear who this ‘we’ was to anyone else.  He glared at the growling griffins.  The slight weight on his arm gave him confidence in that moment.  He smirked behind the raised shield.  The expression quickly faded, however.  How had he blasted the griffin before?  “Bill?”

“ You haven ’ t recovered enough from the last time we used that ,” Bill appeared to be directing his voice into Dipper’s head.  “ Just relax and let me handle this .”

Dipper wanted to protest.  Surely there was a way he could help.  Surely he wasn’t so weak that one concentrated blast would drain him.  Then again, he had passed out the last time, but he had also been exerting himself before that and there was the blood loss to think about.  This was no time to be arguing, though.  Bill could take these griffins, hopefully.  Dipper breathed to calm himself before nodding, not that he thought his partner could see him do so.  It was hard to say what all Bill was aware of in this state.  Dipper backed up as the light that indicated his guardian’s shift blinded him momentarily.

The griffins were not so accommodating as to let the transformation complete.  They ran at the boy and those he had rushed in to protect.  The golden light solidified into a barrier, forcing the creatures back.  Instead of fully retreating into the humanoid silhouette a few branches remained to grab six of the griffins.  They shrieked as they were slammed into the ground.  The impact settled just as the golden strands darkened into inky tendrils.

Bill stood from a crouched position with a deranged smirk directed at the remaining two in front of him.  His six tentacles retreated to drift at his back.  He cocked his head, looking even more unhinged just before darting toward the apprehensive creatures.  They could clearly sense the power he radiated.  Manipulated or not there was still a strong self preservation instinct within them.  Unfortunately their flight-or-fight response settled on fighting still.  Bill’s smirk revealed more teeth as he realized this.  His right hand came into contact with one griffin’s face, the blue fire singing the feathers.  The left griffin snapped its beak, just missing Bill as he used its comrade as leverage.  His momentum carried him into position for a kick to the left griffin’s side.  It was sent into one of the trees.  The sound of snapping bark signified the strength of the collision.

“Bill, snap them out of it,” Dipper shouted.  These creatures were dangerous, but they weren’t attacking of their own volition.  If they broke the mind control then the griffins were sure to retreat.

“Right,” Bill sighed under his breath.

This wasn’t the time for him to lose himself in the thrill of battle.  These beasts were hardly worth his time anyway.  Besides, he had Pine Tree to think about.  Their connection was solid enough, but his sapling’s trust in him could use a lot of work.  The last thing Bill wanted was to give Dipper a reason to doubt him, or fear him.  His eye flashed blue as he placed his left index between the singed griffin’s eyes, just above the beak.  Its eyes regained their pupils just before the creature collapsed.  Bill flipped through the air to the one that struck the tree to repeat the process.

There was a recurring theme he found in each of their minds.  They shared a scene of swirling magic trapping them before ancient words echoed.  Bill recognized the words.  They were similar to a means of subduing a hostile animal.  He recognized the modification to such a spell.  It was indeed mind control, if temporary.  Whoever was behind this would have needed to recast the spell not so long ago.  Such a spell was not easy to come by.  Bill knew one such person that obviously knew it, but given the circumstances this was not his doing.

Bill landed beside Dipper after he had relieved each griffin of its controlled state.  He readjusted his glove, seeming bored after the encounter.  Bill tried to ignore the sense of accomplishment his branding tried to convey.  Pine Tree was happy and safe, and that was all well and good, obviously.  Bill could do without the brainwashing positive reinforcement, however.  He was protecting what was his, not looking for praise from some master.  Dipper didn’t seem the type for that kind of relationship between them anyway.  A spark of worry from his human’s end caused Bill to look down at him.  Pine Tree watched Bill with a silent concern.  Bill smiled to reassure his sapling.  His concern was adorable, if unnecessary.

Dipper gave his partner a smile in return.  He knew Bill would be fine.  Okay, he knew his guardian wouldn’t let anything happen to him.  There had been a moment of worry that Bill would be injured by the outnumbering griffins.  He just needed to have more confidence in his partner’s abilities.  Bill knew what he was doing.  It’s the griffins that needed to worry, or anyone else that happened to piss Bill off.  Dipper turned to make sure his family was fine.  Bill suddenly pulled Dipper behind him.

“Shit,” Great Uncle Ford cursed, something he did not do very often.  Actually it was something he typically reserved when reprimanding Grunkle Stan.

“Stanford,” Grunkle Stan shouted.  It sounded like the two were fighting.  Dipper managed to see around Bill to confirm this.  Stanley forced the laser gun out of his twin’s hands before shaking him.  “Have you lost your fucking mind?  You could have-- Ah!”

Stanley cut off when he was pulled away from his brother.  He struggled with the sudden tentacle squeezing around his middle.  Stanford was in much the same situation, only the tentacle had wrapped around his throat.  It wasn’t squeezing, but the presence of it was enough.  Stanley was thrown into a tree much at the one griffin had been, with a bit less force.  Ford’s back slammed against the bark of another with the tendril tightening its grip.  He attempted to pull it from around him to no avail.  His eyes locked with the crimson gaze of Bill Cipher.  He could only guess that this was Bill’s human form, as he had never actually encountered the demon in a solid form outside of that triangular statue.

“He has a point, Si̷͏҉x̶ȩ̴͝r̨͜͝,” Bill growled as he glared at the man.  “You almost hit my Pine Tree!”

“You have no claims here, Cipher,” Ford protested as he struggled in the demon’s grasp.  He tried kicking out.  Bill wasn’t nearly close enough to be struck, however.  The demon suddenly dropped him anyway.

“Ahh, bu͞t͟ t͝ḩ͞͝a̸̧t̡͘’s̷͞ ͢͝҉w͝͏͡he͘re͘͟ ̸̵y͢o͢͝u̶’r̵͘e wro̸n̢̛g͢͟, Sixer,” Bill taunted.  He smirked as he watched the man struggle to get control of his breathing and heart rate.  His old pawn could still be played with in so many ways.  Bill rested his hands behind his back once his tentacles retracted.  “Dipper is very much mine.”

“Bill, wait,” Dipper shouted.  He was at his demon’s side, reaching out to place a hand just above Bill’s magic coated elbow.

“Dipper, get away from him,” Stanford warned his great nephew.  He struggled to his feet, still a bit disoriented.

“What’s going on?” Dipper questioned, along with Mabel.  She had gone to help Grunkle Stan up from his meeting with a tree.  Tad was keeping her back from the three, however.

“We have a history,” Ford said with a glare directed at the golden demon.

“Well that’s not fucking vague as fuck,” Wendy pointed out sarcastically.  She stepped closer to the three, prepared to pull Dipper out of there if need be.

“Oh, and what a history, eh Sixer?” Bill taunted with a smirk to match.  “I noticed you attempting to erase my influence within that little shamble I helped build.  And it looks like Stanley’s arm is doing well these days.”

“You didn’t build anything, Cipher,” Ford growled with his fists clenched at his sides.  His eyes drifted to Dipper every so often.  The boy was too close.  He tensed in preparation to defend his grandnephew from this monster.

“No?  Just like I didn’t unlock that magic of yours?” Bill questioned, still clearly taunting the man.  His smile quickly vanished as his eye narrowed.  “Just like you didn’t just shoot at Pine Tree here?”

“I was aiming at you,” Ford shouted, getting in Bill’s face as much as he could.  The demon had over a foot on him, making it rather hard.

“And your aim is shit,” Bill tossed back without raising his voice.  He pulled Dipper closer and more behind him.  His left hand shot out to stop Stanford from using that glove against him.  Bill could feel the magic pulsing through it, and he wasn’t about to let it touch him.

“Keep your hands off my nephew,” Ford warned.  He struggled to pull his wrist out of the other’s grasp.  He was shoved back against the tree for his efforts.

“Bill, let him go,” Dipper pleaded.

Stanford rubbed at his wrist as soon as the demon’s grip left him.  His glove was tossed to the forest floor by Bill.  Ford shifted his gaze from the demon to his nephew and back again.  Surely Bill hadn’t just listened to Dipper freely.  The demon was manipulating the boy.  He didn’t have the means to stop it in that moment, however.  Ford glared at the demon.  He glanced to his twin for some idea of what to do.  Stan stretched to put his back into alignment.  He had no interest in continuing to fight if they didn’t have to, and for now it looked like they didn’t really have to.

“It’s getting late out,” he pointed out.  “We shouldn’t be out here at night.” Stan started heading towards the Mystery Shack, hoping the others were smart enough to follow.  He physically directed his brother to be sure.  He didn’t like the thought of turning his back on that monster, but it looked like Dipper had a handle on things.  “Wendy, I don’t suppose now you’d be willing to head home?”

“Dad is likely getting worried about now,” Wendy relented.  She turned to Dipper to make sure he was alright.  She gave him a hesitant smile.  “I expect an explanation the next time we see each other.”

“Uh, sure, Wendy,” Dipper agreed.  He rubbed the back of his head nervously.

“I’m just glad you’re okay, man,” Wendy said with a more confident smile.  She glanced to Bill to find the demon assessing her.  She put her axe handle through her back belt loop and breathed to steal herself.  Wendy marched forward with as much confidence as she could muster.  Bill raised an impressed eyebrow as the redhead glared up at him.  “If any harm comes to him, I’ll give it to you tenfold.”

“Only ten, Red?” Bill challenged with a smirk.  His eye briefly took on a crimson tint.  “I assure you those responsible will be wishing for only that much pain.”

Wendy kept her eyes on him for a moment longer as she settled down.  She was suspicious of this new demon, but he appeared to have Dipper’s best interest at heart.  If demons had hearts.  Wendy didn’t know, or really care so long as her friends were safe.  She turned to Mabel with a nod before following Stan to leave the forest.  She pulled out her phone to text her dad so he would know everything was fine.  Bill turned his attention to Pine Tree with a smile.

“She seems nice,” he said.

“Yeah, Wendy is pretty cool,” Dipper agreed, not meeting his partner’s eye.  He missed the shift in Bill’s expression.  The demon watched the green flannel back more closely for a moment.

“Dipper,” Mabel said to get her brother’s attention.  She quickly pulled him into a hug.  Tad stood close behind her with his eyes shifting from watching her to making sure Bill didn’t do anything.  Mabel pulled back with a watery smile.  “Don’t you dare do that to me again.”

“I’m sorry, Mabel,” Dipper apologized.  He hadn’t meant to make her worry.  He just wanted to find his demon.  It just looked like that had brought up a number of new problems at this point.  Dipper tried to smile to lift both their spirits.  “But, hey, you’re not the only one with a guardian now.”

“I guess I’m not,” Mabel agreed.  She turned her attention to Bill confidently.  Tad bit his lip as his charge stepped up to his brother.  She offered him a handshake and welcoming smile.  “I’m Mabel!”

“Bill,” the golden demon replied less enthusiastically.  He glanced at her offered hand, but clearly refused to shake it.  His eye shifted to Tad with a clear warning.  Bill crossed his arms and slouched a little.

“It is good to see you again, brother,” Tad said with a slight nod.  He hoped this would work out for Bill.  It already appeared to be.  His brother was willing to protect Dipper at least, and that was a great start in Tad’s book.

“We are not b̵r̵̵͏o̷̧͢t͏̸̸h̷̴e̴r̸͠s̛,” Bill growled back.  His eye narrowed at the purple demon as the cerulean flames of his right arm flared up.  His arms fell to his sides as he directed his gaze at Dipper.  His head tilted to indicate the direction the others had taken.

Dipper didn’t know what to say in that moment.  He stared down at the ground as he started walking.  He missed Mabel’s worried look, and the glare Bill spared Tad before following him.  This was going to be an awkward living arrangement to say the least.  They would make it work, though.  Dipper tried to remain confident in that.  Bill just needed time to adjust to not being trapped any more, and the others would adjust to him in time.  There would just be some tensions for a while.

Chapter Text

Stan and Ford were already arguing when Dipper made his way into the Shack.  Bill wasn’t far behind him.  Dipper was too tired to deal with his grunkles by then.  He walked past the television room that the two had chosen for their argument as quickly as he could.  Bill stopped only long enough to cast a spell that silenced the room.  The pair didn’t even notice.  Bill found Dipper flopped face first onto the bed when he reached the attic.  He drifted over to float in the air beside the bed.

Dipper mumbled something.  It was too muffled by the pillow, and quite frankly he wasn’t even sure what came from his mouth.  Two griffin attacks, his family arguing, his grunkles and Bill apparently having a history, Tad possibly being involved there somehow; it was all too much in one day for him.  Surely finding one’s guardian didn’t entail so much baggage for everyone.  Mabel was proof of that at least.  Then again there was some history between Bill and Tad.  It was probably a good thing that Dipper was partnered with him in that case.  His fear of what his grunkles would do to protect him was coming back.  They didn’t like Bill.  They clearly thought he was dangerous.  Dipper couldn’t deny that, not entirely.

“Pine Tree?” Bill enquired in hopes that his sapling would at least remove his head from the pillow.  He knew humans needed air, and it was likely being blocked in that moment.

“What was that?” Dipper asked, still tired.  He sat up on his bed with his legs pulled up to his chest.  He didn’t care in that moment if he looked like a pouting child.  His eyes looked to Bill, questioning.  “What happened between you and Tad?”

“He helped put me in that statue,” Bill said.  His glare focused on the lamp blocking the triangular window.  He didn’t want to go down the road of memories, but if Pine Tree asked Bill didn’t feel like denying him answers.  “As did Sixer and Stanley.”

“Oh,” Dipper breathed more than voiced.  Surely there was a reason for it.  He would have to seek answers from them, though, and his grunkles had already shown an unwillingness to share their past.  Tad could be more forthcoming, but Dipper didn’t want to go seeking him out.  It wasn’t like it was hard, but he didn’t want to deal with anyone else for the rest of the night.

“I manipulated Sixer so I could get my body back,” Bill continued on.  He could feel Dipper’s curiosity through their connection.  This could bite him pretty hard, but he couldn’t fully say that his sapling trusted him if he was hiding things from him.  Seeing that Dipper was a Pines with a sister bound to Strange it wasn’t hard to understand that there would be doubts.  “Strange had a hand in that requirement as well.”

Bill glanced over to find his human watching him.  Clearly Pine Tree hadn’t expected him to continue.  Bill shifted his gaze back to the lamp.  That fear was growing in his human again.  He didn’t want to elaborate more, even though there was a lot more.  He had just found Pine Tree and already his human had reasons to despise him.  Well, fear him, but from Bill’s experience they went hand in hand much of the time.  Not too long ago he had fooled himself into thinking that he had found someone that would trust in him.  That’s what he got for thinking that “no matter what” was actually a possibility.  Bill sighed at the thought.  He didn’t know where to go from here.

“Thank you,” Dipper mumbled.  It shocked his partner enough to have that golden gaze directed at him.  Dipper stared at his sock covered feet.  “For telling me the truth.”

“I have nothing to gain from lying to you, sapling,” Bill said.  He really didn’t, especially when Pine Tree could easily have found out the truth.  Besides, hiding his past would be hiding a large part of himself.  He certainly couldn’t claim that his human truly trusted him if he didn’t even know him.

“Would you at least try to get along with them?” Dipper hesitantly asked.  He wrapped his arms tighter around his legs as he pressed his cheek into his knees, looking at the wall his bed rested against.  “I know they won’t-”

“Yes,” Bill agreed before Dipper could finish.  He perched on the edge of the bed near Dipper’s pillow.  If it meant his Pine Tree giving him a chance Bill would take it.  It wouldn’t be easy by any means, and likely not just because of Stanford and Stanley having admittedly legitimate reasons to hate him.  Bill had that wide smile on his face, though it wasn’t quite as big.  “For you, sapling.”  His smile vanished as he watched Dipper.  “Especially if it will get you to stop compacting yourself like that.”

“Sorry,” Dipper said as he slowly uncurled himself.  He looked down at the sheet under him.  “Lots of people do that when they’re nervous or upset.”

“Who upset you?” Bill asked, clearly shifting into the mindset of protective guardian.  He could handle an adversary much better than he could deal with emotions.

“I’m not upset at anyone,” Dipper said.  He was just tired and rather overwhelmed after today.

“Well, you certainly have nothing to be nervous about,” Bill stated simply.

“I don’t?” Dipper questioned.  He raised an eyebrow at his partner’s declaration.  There was plenty to be nervous about in his mind.  Bill was taking it all in stride, however.  “And why is that exactly?”

“Because you’re mine,” Bill said.  He pulled Dipper against him and rested back on the bed.  Dipper squirmed to get free for a few minutes before giving up.  Bill smiled at his sapling.

“Well, then you’re mine, too,” Dipper decided.  He hadn’t expected that smile to turn predatory.  Perhaps he should have thought his words out more carefully.  He tried not to show any unease.  “Bill.”

“If you insist,” Bill relented.  His left hand carded through Dipper’s hair.  It seemed to calm his human down.  Dipper relaxed enough to settle on top of Bill and rest his head on his demon’s chest to enjoy his ministrations.  “Get some rest, Pine Tree.”

Dipper didn’t need to be told twice.  He drifted off from a combination of his own exhaustion and Bill’s soothing touch.  Bill remained awake, watching his human sleep.  He breathed in Dipper’s scent as he relaxed.  With a snap of his fingers the light was switched off to make sure his sapling slept peacefully.  He still had a chance that he would not let himself waste.  Dipper was his, and Bill wasn’t about to lose him.  His fingers tangled in the soft brown curls as his grip around Dipper tightened slightly.  He had only just met his human and there was already such a possessiveness coursing through Bill.

This human was tied to him, for better or worse.  Why not make the best of it?  Dipper was dependant on Bill for protection and in learning to harness his magical potential.  Bill’s own power was tied to Dipper as well, and it would only become more dependent on his human as time went on.  He could fight it, sure, but that would accomplish nothing.  Nothing in Bill’s favor at least.  Bill would be the first to admit that he was a selfish being all throughout his very core.

Meanwhile the Stan twins were still arguing.  It had become silent despite the anger they still clearly showed.  Stanley was bandaging his hand after cleaning out the wound from a griffin bite.  He was lucky the creature hadn’t taken off his hand.  Stan didn’t complain about the pain, though.  He was no stranger to what could arguably amount to torture.  He spared a glance at Ford and the tear in the man’s turtleneck sweater.  Stan picked up the disinfectant in his right hand and silently debated.  They needed to work this out calmly.  He knew he was only arguing with Ford at this point for argument’s sake.  He had no real stake here, but Dipper did.

“Can you patch yourself up?” Stanley asked his brother’s back.

“It’s not deep,” Ford said in a more subdued tone.  He was tired, but still quite on edge.  They had a monster in their house now, and he was with their great nephew.  He knew Stanley would stop him if he tried marching up there, though.

“That doesn’t really answer my question,” Stan pointed out.  He plopped onto the sofa next to his brother.  “You need to treat it at least, deep or not.”

“Fine,” Ford sighed.  He moved to pull off his sweater.  The kids were up in their rooms, not likely to come back down for a while.  Ford returned to silence as Stanley cleaned out the gash at his ribs.  He hissed at the stinging, though.  It was hardly his first encounter with a clawed beast, as his torso could attest to.

“You should be dead now,” Stan said in a low tone.  He almost sounded disbelieving.  Then a humorless chuckle rumbled from his chest.  “We could both have died back there.”

“As could have Mabel and Wendy,” Ford added on.  He turned his head slightly when Stanley paused in fixing him up.

“I’m not talking about the griffins, Stanford,” Stan said, more deadpan.  Ford quickly turned his focus ahead once more.

“I know,” Ford sighed.  He was just as shocked by it as his brother, honestly.  Cipher had him right where he wanted him.  Unless the demon planned on torture, he should be dead.  Perhaps, if he hadn’t taken that shot, Ford wouldn’t even have been acknowledged by the unhinged demon.  “So why aren’t we?”

“Dipper, obviously,” Stan pointed out, not that he actually thought it needed voicing.  He went to patching up the gash once he was satisfied with its cleaning.  “Look, I don’t like this any more than you do.  You think I want that lunatic running around?  No, and I certainly don’t like him around the kids.  But this bonding thing puts a wrench in just about everything.  Eights was once friends with him, and, well, we know what happened there.  Tad has some history with him…”

“Yes, Stanley, many have come into contact with him,” Ford said irritably.  He got up to retrieve his sweater and throw it back on.  He hissed at the pull on his injury.  He wouldn’t be sleeping on that side for a while.  He turned to his brother with an impatient expression.  “What’s your point?”

“Dipper has a guardian,” Stan said.  He didn’t want to get into a shouting match again.  He wasn’t used to being the level headed twin, but he knew this was one situation where he had to be.  Stan knew what Cipher could do to Ford without even trying.  He just didn’t want Dipper to get burned by it all.  “I say we wait a bit and see how this goes.  The kid seems to have this under control.”

“You think he has this under control?” Ford yelled.  He couldn’t believe his brother.  Of all the people to jump to the demon’s side he never expected Stanley.  He angrily paced as his thoughts went between murderous and desperation.  “After what he did to Fiddleford!?  You want to give that monster a chance!?  He incinerated your arm, Stanley!  There is no controlling Cipher!”

“Then why didn’t he finish us off?” Stanley questioned to get his point across.  Deep down he was on Stanford’s side here.  He didn’t want the kids to get hurt, but he also didn’t want to force them into a position they didn’t want.  He didn’t want them to lose a partner like he had.  “I’m not saying he is one hundred percent domesticated, but it seems pretty clear that Dipper’s perception does play a part here.”

“Then Dipper will see the monster Cipher is,” Ford determined.  He managed to calm down with that thought.  Dipper would cast the demon out as soon as he knew what all the bastard was capable of.  Yes, Dipper and Mabel needed to know what they were dealing with, and then Cipher would be right back in that statue or whatever.

“Ford,” Stan reprimanded.  This was not what he wanted.  Ford was missing the point, deciding on his own solution that would likely spiral into more problems, worse problems.  “Yes, he is a monster.  Yes, he has made our lives Hell.  But the simple fact is, Dipper.  Is.  His.  Charge.”  Stanley gave his twin a heated stare in hopes of getting his point across.  “Dipper has a guardian, Ford, and it seems to me that said guardian wants to protect him.”

“Cipher doesn’t care about that,” Ford shouted.  He was spiraling back again.  His hands went into his graying hair as he went back to pacing and panicking.  One hand moved to rest over his back as he tried working on some way of making everyone else see reason again.  “He only cares about himself!  He’ll torment the boy!  He’ll drive us mad just for his own twisted entertainment!  We’re nothing but playthings to him!”

“Okay,” Stan breathed as he stood up.  He calmly approached his brother with determination in his eyes.  A hand carefully resting on Ford’s shoulder to make him focus.  “Go back to your first point, Stanford.”

“He doesn’t care.”

“After that.”

“He only cares about himself?” Stanford was clearly unsure where this was going.  He watched Stanley with a careful eye.  His twin had a point, he knew he did.

“And now he is bound to a human,” Stan said carefully.  He gave Ford a pointed look to make sure he was following along.

“He is bound to Dipper,” Ford said, proving that he was following along.  He didn’t sound entirely convinced, however.  His mind appeared to be processing the information.

“Mabel finally fell asleep,” Tad said as he came down the stairs.  He blinked at the two, unsure of what he had just interrupted.  “Uh…”

“See, Tad here understands,” Stan said.  He turned Ford to face the purple demon before doing so as well.  “The kids are safe, right?”

Tad blinked at them again.  He could see that Stanford was conflicted, and discerned that Stanley was trying to ease his worry.  The problem was he was unable to hear anything they said.  Clearly they were able to hear each other fine, though.  Tad shifted his attention from one to the other for a moment.  Stanley’s seemingly confident smile fell at the lack of answer.  Tad sighed and reached out with his magic, then sighed again with more exasperation.  He shook his head as he walked into the room.  Tad rolled his eyes, but there was a twitch to his lips threatening a smile.

“Okay, what is going on now?” Tad asked, figuring he was past the silencing barrier.

“Dipper and Mabel,” Stan emphasized.  He was no longer so calm.

“Will he adhere to the bond?” Ford asked, a bit more to the point.  Stan’s lack of confidence was not helping.  He didn’t want Cipher here.  He didn’t want him anywhere near the kids.  Surely Stanley didn’t want that either.  Their argument and his actions said otherwise, however.  “Are they safe?”

“Bill will protect Dipper,” Tad said without hesitation.  He appeared to think on something.  “I have never heard of a bond solidifying so quickly.”

“What are you talking about?” Stanford questioned.

“They have already achieved a weapon form,” Tad said, more appearing to think out loud than truly answering.  His left hand lifted to rub his chin in thought.  “It takes years for a bonded pair to achieve that, likely decades.  Yet it hasn’t even been a day for them.”

“I wouldn’t really call a shield a weapon form,” Stanley pointed out.  He crossed his arms, seeming to not really care about the conversation piece.  Truthfully it did surprise him.  He glanced to the side of the couch where he had left his cane.  “But I guess some can be unconventional.”

“It could very well be a trick,” Stanford said.  The other two snapped their full attention to him at this declaration.  Ford placed his hands behind his back and started pacing with his head down.  “I would hope Dipper was more observant in these situations, but it is clear Cipher already has his hooks in the boy.”

“You can’t be serious,” Stanley sighed with a shake of his head.  He raised a hand to rub between his eyes, lifting up his glasses in the process.

“Such a form can’t be obtained without a strong bond,” Tad said.  He was coming to understand what Stanley had been attempting to do, or avoid.  It was clear Stanford was still greatly affected by Bill.  Tad couldn’t blame the man, but it was becoming increasingly worrying that it was blinding him to any potential good this could do.  “If he didn’t care about Dipper, or if Dipper didn’t have a degree of trust in him, it would not be possible.  I think we should wait, see how they interact without something threatening them.”

“No, you think we should let him run about for old times’ sake,” Stanford accused.  He glared at Tad, huffing slightly as he was clearly getting worked up again.  None of them understood, but how could they?  They weren’t living with the knowledge that they helped such a monster further his goals!  They weren’t manipulated into thinking they could trust such a vile creature!  “You’re hoping for a past that isn’t even possible, Tad!  Whatever memories you have are just that!  He’s a monster now!  Whatever Cipher was before is long gone!”

Tad turned his focus away in shame.  There was more to the story than either Stan twin knew.  This wasn’t the moment that either of them would be asking, either.  Tad bit his lip as he felt flashes of his regrets race through his mind.  He couldn’t tell Stanford he was wrong, because he was actually rather on the nose.  Tad had spent countless years wishing he could have that lost time back.  He wished for the past before Bill’s imprisonment, before everything crumbled around them.  Stanford was right.  The Bill Cipher that Tad knew as his brother was long gone.  He was dead and buried by Tad himself.

“And what do you have to say for yourself, Stanley?” Ford questioned with the same accusatory tone.  Stan wasn’t looking at him either.  The slightly younger man seemed to be clenching his jaw to keep from speaking altogether.  “You were the one worrying about exposing them to magic too quickly.  You were the one wanting to keep things simple and safe for them to get their bearings.  What happened to that?  Do you actually want Dipper to be manipulated by that monster?  Do you not care that he could be waiting for the chance to kill Mabel in her sleep?  How is that protecting them?  Well, say something, Stanley!”

“I don’t want Dipper to suffer as I have,” Stan finally shouted at his brother.  It was enough to make Ford flinch and actually appear to regret pushing him.  Stanley glared at him for a moment longer before breaking away with a look at his cane.  His fists clenched as he marched over to retrieve it.  His sudden anger was replaced with a sullen tone.  “He has a partner now.  I don’t want to take that away from him.  I wish it were any other demon.  But thems the breaks, right?  Dipper doesn’t need to go through what I did.”

“Stanley, that’s not…,” Ford tried to say something in hopes of not going down this path.  He knew it was still a rather sore subject.  He didn’t know what it was like for Stanley.  How could he?  Perhaps his time without his twin could compare, but just barely, probably.  No, certainly not.  Ford hated himself for it now, but much of that time was spent only thinking about Stanley resentfully.  Stan clearly didn’t resent his lost guardian.  If anything the man resented himself for that loss.  “This is different.  Eight-Ball wanted nothing but to protect you…”

“And how do we know Cipher doesn’t want that for Dipper?” Stan interrupted angrily.  He knew where Ford was trying to go with that line, and he wasn’t in the mood to hear it.  He just felt so frustrated.  Stan could see where his brother was coming from, but he also didn’t want to force Dipper to live with a decision he clearly didn’t make.  Stanley couldn’t deny that he was still bitter over what had happened to his own guardian.  He knew it was Cipher’s doing, that everything had at least mostly been by that nightmare’s design, but there was still a part of him that very much blamed Stanford as well.  “I can’t do that to him, Stanford.”  He tightened his hold on his cane.  With a deep breath Stanley turned to his twin with a hard look.  “I won’t let you do that to him.”

“I didn’t… Stanley,” Ford hesitated again.  He dropped his gaze in shame and pursed his lips.  He knew Stanley wasn’t over what he had done.  He couldn’t even say it was unwillingly.  Ford had since told his brother what he had thought would happen, and it certainly wasn’t any better than what Bill tricked him into doing.  Either way looking back, in a sense, Stanford got what he wanted.  His arms wrapped around himself protectively.  “You’re right.  Maybe… maybe we’re all just tired and stressed.  We’re just lashing out because we don’t know what to do.  I… I’m sorry.”

Stanford didn’t wait for a reply as he retreated to his lab in the basement.  Stanley stood with his back to the man and his head lowered.  He squeezed his eyes shut.  When he finally did look up Ford was likely already deep into his lab, hopefully to sleep and not tinker with his gadgets.  Stan wouldn’t be checking on him tonight.  He hadn’t meant for it to come out as it did.  How could it not, though?  Despite the time that had passed they still were not beyond this.  Perhaps they never would be.  Stan sighed.  Ford was right about tiredness playing a role.  He looked over to see Tad using the entryway to the room as support at his back.  Stanley tried to think of something to say.

“Maybe,” Stan started nervously.  “Maybe just stick by Mabel tonight?”

“I can do that,” Tad said with a slight nod.  There was clearly a lot going through his mind, but he had no interest in sharing.  Tad headed for the stairs, leaving Stan in the room alone with his thoughts.

Chapter Text

The night sky over the forest was full of stars.  Since Gravity Falls was not a large city there was very little light pollution to blot them out.  The citizens were likely all cozy in their homes, snuggled away from the threats looming just outside their little yards.  The Pines family had been their protectors from the great beasts that would do them harm for years.  It was more so the demon they kept as company that defended the town with some magical means.  The people of the town were likely not so cozy and easy to sleep this night.  Word travelled fast after all, especially the not so pleasing ones.

There were those that had been hoping for a day like this to finally arise.  A day that the Pines family was shown for the incompetent fools they were had come, but not everyone had taken notice.  Well, not yet anyway.  They would, soon.  Until then those that were out of the loop could find their peaceful rest.  When morning came those waiting for this day would strike.  With any luck those fools would be driven out of Gravity Falls and seen for the incompetent idiots they were.

At that moment, however, one such rival of the so called protectors was stuck wandering the forest.  The night was cool at least, meaning her hair wouldn’t frizz.  The lavender scrunchie helped in keeping her long blonde hair in check regardless.  She probably should invest in outdoor boots that weren’t white.  Her parents would be furious if she tracked mud and whatever else into the mansion, but that was something to worry about later.  Her purple skort matched the dyed denim vest jacket that covered her shoulders where the white tank top would not.  She detested this forest and everything in it, likely waiting to make a meal out of any unsuspecting mortal.  Luckily she wasn’t unsuspecting, and not alone.

“I still say you should have stayed home,” the pink demon beside her spoke with a lisp.

It was likely that a number of demons took on more human like appearances to blend in around mortals.  Those that avoided them probably didn’t care so much.  The pink one in question preferred a bit of a compromise.  Humans weren’t known for having such vibrant pink skin, or horns like the one that protruded from the undercut on her left side.  Her magenta hair cascaded past her shoulder blades while the hot pink cape snapped over her shoulders reached down to her knees.  The pale gloves and high heeled boots also had a pink tint to them with flames licking at her forearms and shins.  She adorned a sparkling leotard matching her cape.  It was an odd ensemble, but few would question a demon’s fashion choices.  Her partner had since given up on fixing this problem as well.

“You honestly think I’m going to let you investigate something alone?” Pacifica asked, not really expecting an answer.  The large bandage that typically stuck to her right cheek was gone to reveal the image of a pink flame.  “Really Pyronica, I’m not about to let a rogue demon run about.  I’m a Northwest after all.”

“Well, hopefully we’ve missed him,” Pryonica said under her breath.  She fidgeted slightly by pressing her index fingers together.  It was her own fault for sensing the release of her brother.  Former brother?  Either way she had made the mistake of letting her charge find out, and now they were here.  She focused herself to be more alert.  Pyronica flipped her hair out of her face, revealing her right eye and the pale image of a simple llama.  “Just keep your wits about you.  And stick close to me.”

“I know how to handle myself, Py,” the blonde said with a roll of her eyes.  Sometimes her guardian acted like more of a doting parent than her real ones.

“I know that,” the pink demon said.  She was confident in her partner, but this was a different situation than they were used to.  “I just don’t want you too far from me in case he is around.”

“So this is a demon you’re familiar with?” Pacifica questioned, again without caring for a real answer.  It was clear that Pyronica did know whoever this was.  “Good, then this will be over as soon as we find their sorry ass.”

“He’s likely long gone by now,” Pyronica said, a bit hopeful that that was indeed the case.  She didn’t think they had to worry too much, not as much as some at least.  It was just preferred that Pacifica not piss off the demon they were dealing with, and the best way to avoid that was to make sure they never met.  “I had initially planned to see what Tad knew about this.”  She lowered her voice, more thinking out loud.  “Provided he was still around…”

“Ugh, the Pines’ pet demon?” Pacifica grumbled.

“Well, he’s the one that knows where to look,” Pyronica said with a shrug.  She didn’t care about the rivalry her charge’s family had with the Pines.  Sure it was likely to become a problem down the road, but she was planning on things being a bit different by then.  It was only semi-working out for here at that point, however.

“Is this about what the Pines are hiding?” Pacifica shifted her eyes up at her partner.  She was aware that Pyronica knew more than she let on most of the time.  This was one topic specifically that she had been trying to get out of her guardian.  Pyronica wasn’t about to let Pacifica’s father in on it, though.  Preston Northwest and the Gleefuls were convinced it was some treasure hidden deep within the forest.  “Is this demon after their secret as well?”

“There is no treasure to be had, if that’s what you’re implying,” Pyronica said simply as she kept her stride short for her partner to keep up.  She really had no idea where to look.  Tad was the one that knew the site, and she had never asked to see it.  It was possible that they could go to the pyramid, but they were not likely to find anything.  “But I suppose I could show you a secret of sorts.”

Pacifica said nothing to that, simply following along.  She kept her eyes peeled as well as she could.  This might be something she could take back to her father.  He was getting impatient with her lack of progress with information gathering.  The problem was that Pyronica knew whatever she told Pacifica would get back to Preston eventually.  If it was something he could use against demon-kind it would never be shared.  The level of trust she showed to Pacifica was only so great.  That wasn’t to say there was no trust at all, but Pyronica was well aware of the hold Preston had over his daughter, and she did not care for it.

It appeared that something had already spooked most of the animals that called these woods home.  They could only hope that whatever had done so had scared the more dangerous ones as well.  That did pose another problem, however.  What was powerful enough for even the most mindless of beasts to steer clear of?  Pacifica figured she would be finding out one way or another.  She took a deep breath and cast a simple spell to better see in the darkened forest.

Pacifica was not an outdoors person.  She had lived a sheltered life dictated by her parents, and even with the forming of her mark and the addition of her guardian not much had changed in that regard.  Obviously she was no stranger to sneaking out behind their backs.  Her ‘adventures’ rarely consisted of traversing wooded areas as she currently was with Pyronica.  This wasn’t a leisurely excursion anyway.  Pacifica liked to get out, away from the mansion and the suffocating presence of her ever disappointed parents.  She would just rather be doing it with more lighting and less nature.  At least she was with Pyronica without worrying about the judging gaze of her father.

The Northwest family had earned themselves a sort of reputation for seeing demon-kind for what they were, a plague on this world.  They were hardly the first or only ones to view the otherworldly creatures in such a way.  The thing that separated the Northwests from all the others was that they had actually been doing something about the menace.  There was still no known way to end a demon’s existence permanently, but the Northwests had amassed quite the collection of means to greatly damage them.

That was until some decades ago when the mansion experienced a sudden, inexplicable fire that cost them much of that collection.  What had been salvageable was still invaluable and devastating to their adversary, but it was nothing compared to what once was.  They would make do with what they had, and for once they had a trump card of sorts in Pacifica’s bond.  It allowed her to gain insight that no other Northwest had ever possessed.  It was just a shame that her blemish was on such display, as her father put it.  The man couldn’t even bear looking at his daughter’s face for extended times unless she had that bandage over her right cheek.

Pyronica, for her part, was an interesting demon.  Not that Pacifica had personal experience with the species to base such thoughts on.  The pink demoness would have been happy to remain away from humans if the bond hadn’t connected them.  Since their meeting Pyronica had shown an outward aloofness towards her charge for the most part.  She didn’t care what Pacifica did in or out of her spare time.  She didn’t seem to care that her charge was part of a bloodline that hated her very existence and was working to eradicate her kin.  At the same time there was a protectiveness that she only showed for the blonde.

Pacifica darted her eyes around at the sudden rustle of leaves and twigs.  It was her own doing, but she had to be sure nothing else was alerted by her inattentiveness.  The blonde glanced down at the object that had nearly tripped her up.  She expected a root, but instead stared down at a book.  Pacifica bent to pick it up for closer inspection.  It was bound in burgundy faux leather.  She opened it, her earlier spell allowing her to read the flowing script.  Pacifica had never cared for reading cursive despite constantly using it.  She didn’t recognize the handwriting that had clearly been repeated multiple times to make the words just right.  Likely whoever wrote it was trying to make sure it was legible to others.  It gave detailed insight into the creatures of these woods, greatly narrowing who was likely behind the penmanship.

“Looks like the Pines were out here at some point,” she commented.  There was nothing indicating a scuffle that would have made whoever drop it, but perhaps such a thing had happened at a different point after the journal was dropped.  “Do you think they’re looking for our rogue demon as well?”

“Likely,” Pyronica said with a shrug.  She bit her lower lip and sucked it between the gap in her teeth.  She really didn’t like this situation, especially with Pacifica here.  Her moment of unease appeared to be mentally brushed off.  “We should get moving.  If they are out here, they are extremely stupid.”

The pair traversed the woods in relative silence after that.  Pacifica had tucked the journal away to show her father when they returned to the mansion.  It gave quite the detail on the territories of the various creatures here, making it much easier to progress on finding the secrets of the forest.  That would have to wait for later.  Pacifica was eager to discover where her partner was headed.  It wasn’t all about gaining ground and her father’s favor after all.  She actually did have an interest in her demon’s knowledge as simply a part of Pyronica as a being.

Admittedly Pacifica had not expected to be led to a barren mountainside with a cave entrance.  It was disconcerting how even grass and moss appeared to simply refuse growing too close.  The mountain itself looked far too smooth to be natural.  If Pacifica didn’t know any better she would say it was the remains of a petrified estate much like the mansion.  Despite the stone appearance it was almost like the gray did not belong there.  She didn’t like this at all.  The lack of growth, the eerie silence; it was almost a setup for some horror cliché.  Pacifica half expected some beast or even an axe murderer to jump out of the darkness at them, but there was simply nothing else around.

“What is this place?” Pacifica asked, proud of herself for not showing the unease she felt.

“Home, once upon a time,” Pyronica said in a tone that was clearly meant to be bored, but came off more melancholy.  “When we settled in this realm this was the land we claimed, away from humans and others.”

Pacifica didn’t say anything to that, not entirely sure what to say.  This was the dwelling demon-kind had claimed for themselves?  No wonder they had left it and scattered.  Pacifica figured it had seen much better days, or at least hoped it had back in its prime.  The cave opening was oddly shaped the more she looked at it.  It had crumbled in many places, but it almost resembled a large triangular opening.  Even with her magically enhanced vision it was hard to take in the entire mountain.  She could swear it was a pyramid.

“He’s been here,” Pyronica whispered.  She was clearly uneasy at the thought.  Their rogue had left by now at least.  Pacifica glanced over as her partner gazed at the ground in thought.  Pyronica must be trying to discern where the demon had gone.  “His power hasn’t fully been regained as yet, but it likely won’t take that long to do so.”

“So, are we going hunting?” Pacifica asked in a bored tone.  Regardless of her parents not being around she kept a certain disregard for anything that could be considered undignified.  That covered a large range of activities and thought processes given the Northwest mentality.  Any bit of relaxing from such a mindset would only set Pacifica up for a slip up around her parents anyway.

“No,” Pyronica decided.  It wasn’t safe for her charge.  It likely wasn’t safe for her either.  She didn’t want to deal with the demon many had followed all those centuries ago.  For now it appeared that they would not have to.  “It’s late.  We should head back.  We found that book at least, proving that we are not the only ones aware of this development.”

“Ugh, fine,” Pacifica huffed.  She started heading for home without delay regardless.  It was late, and she wanted to rest.  Perhaps she could convince Pyronica to training tomorrow so their skills were better honed.  It seemed they would need those skills given her guardian’s reaction to this rogue demon’s appearance.

Within a little house with a white picket fence Gideon Gleeful paced in his room.  He needed something to show those Pines who they were messing with.  He needed a way to get them out of his way.  He was well aware of the events of the day.  Gideon truly wished he could have been there.  How dare those diminutive creeps attempt to hurt his sweet Mabel!  Even if she had broken his heart.  It was only because of her family and that confounded demon.

Gideon knew he had an opportunity here.  The town would be furious that the supposed protections had not kept such threats out as they should have.  Likely the demon would have a viable excuse, and the other Pines would back that up and reassure the citizens.  Gideon would have to put a wrench in that plan.  Sure, he could play the town like a well tuned fiddle, but that didn’t change the fact that the Pines family had protected them for years and the demon longer still.  Unfortunately Tad Strange was the most civilized demon that likely existed.  It was no secret that he did more than protect the town, though.  The demon cared about the creatures of the forest as well.  Perhaps it was time that his loyalties were questioned on that front.

It was hard to concentrate on his next move.  Gideon was still reeling from the sensation of losing a number of his minions.  He glared at his little work desk where a burgundy journal rested.  How had the Pines broken his spell?  It surely was them behind it, of that Gideon knew without a doubt.  He had worked hard to get all those griffins under his control.  It was one of his greatest accomplishments when using his tour as a cover for his plans.  Now he had none!  Sure he had other minions, but he had taken great pride in those creatures specifically.

The door to his room creaked open.  Gideon did not turn to his father, seeing no reason to do so.  How dare he intrude on his plotting!  Things just weren’t going his way since Dipper Pines came into Gravity Falls.  Granted the Pines had been an obstacle for far longer, but before it had at least felt like Gideon was making progress against those old has-beens and their pet demon.  The only good to come of it so far was finally seeing what a true angel looked like in the form of Mabel Pines.  Why did she have to be cursed with such a family?  Clearly because Gideon was meant to rescue her from such a cruel fate, and he would.

“Gideon,” Bud Gleeful slowly stepped into his son’s room.  He knew the boy was prone to late hours of plotting.  Gideon needed his sleep, though.  “I thought you were going to get some sleep tonight.”

“I’ll sleep when I’ve accomplished my goals,” Gideon growled.  He really couldn’t pull it off without looking adorably frustrated.  His scowl just made him look like an angry child.  “What have I told you about coming in here!?”

“Now, Gideon, you need your sleep,” Bud said calmly.  He never raised his voice at the boy.  Gideon did that enough for the both of them.  Bud was just very much the doting father, not that he couldn’t be stern when he felt the situation called for it.  “I am sure you will figure out a plan, but perhaps sleep will make it easier to think of one.  And perhaps a good breakfast in the morning.  I just don’t want you pushing yourself, boy.”

“I know, father,” Gideon deflated after a sigh.  He was feeling a bit tired.  The headache from the sudden break of his connections wasn’t helping matters.  He knew he could ask his father for something to ease it, but he just brushed it off.  It would likely leave him with sleep.  Gideon appeared to do a complete one-eighty with the hopeful look of a shy child.  “Would you tell mother good night for me?  And have those blueberry waffles ready in the morning?”

“You know I will, Gideon,” Bud smiled warmly.  He was happy Gideon wasn’t fighting him on this.  He just wanted the boy to take care of himself.  The destruction of the Pines was beyond pointless if Gideon destroyed himself in the process.  “Sleep well, son.”

Bud slowly closed the door, making sure it clicked without slamming.  He kept the fatherly smile as he headed down the hall toward his own room.  He took off his straw hat, revealing his balding head and a frown now marring his features.  It was hard keeping Gideon in check as he did, especially with the boy’s obsession with magical artifacts.  His son was a smart kid, though, clearly.  Bud would always be proud of him.  He just wished Gideon remembered to take care of himself more often, seeing as the boy wouldn’t be putting magic aside anytime soon.

When he opened the door to his room he flicked on the light.  Bud kept his head down as he let the stress of the day wash over him.  Business was in a slump for the year at his dealership.  Gideon had his periodic shows that brought in a good bit of money.  It wouldn’t be wise to have one of those for a little while.  After such an incident as with those tiny men today the town was likely on edge toward any sign of magic.  Bud sighed to try and derail that train of thought.  Gideon was the one to decide that, not him, thankfully.  He would be sure to get up bright and early to make his son’s favorite waffles with the raspberry syrup he loved so much.  It was good to have family time regardless of what the world tried to throw their way.

Bud lifted his head to look at the far wall.  He forced a smile onto his face.  It was sad, and almost teary.  He approached the framed picture hanging there.  A frail looking woman with brown, graying hair looked back at him.  She had a frightened expression with left hand held out towards whoever was looking.  Her other hand was clutched to her chest.  Her green dress was still beautiful.  Bud placed his hand so his fingers hovered over the image of hers.  He gave a slightly more hopeful smile up at the woman, but it was still quite watery.

“He’s getting some rest now, Madelin,” Bud said softly to the framed picture.

Chapter Text

The light from the slowly rising sun just barely reached into the room.  It merely served the purpose of bringing in the new day.  It was a day that, honestly, could hold anything in store.  Bill did not need the added light to see, being what he was.  It did hit Dipper’s soft brown hair in a nice way, though.  He could only hope that the rising sun allowed his Pine Tree to sleep a little longer.

Bill remained in the position he had been since his sapling drifted off more or less.  He lingered on the surface of Dipper’s mind to help him sleep.  There was nothing that his human should fear after all with Bill around.  He refrained from diving too deep, however.  His black claws ran through the doe colored curls as Dipper slept on.  Bill had tossed his glove aside during the night.  He was, admittedly, still piecing himself together in a manner of speaking.  This mortal could be his ruin, and yet Bill found himself thinking of such a possibility with joyous anticipation.

Bill Cipher was likely the last demon anyone would suspect of attachment to a mortal.  Well, there were others no doubt, those that truly despised humanity for some inane reason.  Bill could at least say he had never been one of those demons.  Humans were actually quite fascinating to him.  From their limited time in this world to their penchant for simply slaughtering one another; Bill had always been rather captivated by the meat sacks even when his interactions with them were limited to dreams and the sensing of his presence.  Sure there were individuals he would like to see in agonizing pain, but as a whole they were fascinating.  Pine Tree was in a league all his own as far as Bill was concerned.

Could this be the influence of their shared branding?  It was entirely possible, but Bill would like to think he knew himself better than to be swayed by such things.  He wasn’t all goo-goo eyed and bowing at Dipper’s every whim, obviously.  He wasn’t some sycophantic pet.  Bill genuinely wanted to see his sapling happy.  That smile was just too adorable.  Not to mention the way Pine Tree changed color when he was embarrassed and flustered.  Bill could see himself having a lot of fun there.

Bill had only briefly considered the benefits of their connection.  He didn’t like to think about it, mainly because he was just another victim in the square’s trap.  That wasn’t to say he was unaware of what these forced connections did for both parties involved.  There were enough demons out there actually keen on the idea simply because they saw a potential human as a fleshy battery.  Bill knew exactly how those types of minds worked, he had experienced them a handful of times.  Pine Tree was so much more than that, or he would be once he was more comfortable with Bill.

Dipper shifted slightly on top of Bill.  It was enough to pull the demon from his thoughts.  The brunet was still very much asleep in that moment.  Bill’s lips twitched into a fond smile.  His claws were surprisingly gentle as they brushed at his human’s bangs.  He had teased them enough to catch glimpses of the mark they kept hidden, but Bill had refrained from truly looking.  Such things were preposterous to him, and yet Bill still felt like it was some breach of privacy to see without Dipper’s permission.  What did Bill care about such things anyway?

The trickle of light through the obscure window was enough to stir the brunet.  Dipper had never been that heavy of a sleeper, what little sleep he got.  He didn’t want to get up and start the day, though.  Dipper felt warm and content in his current place despite his mind playing catch up.  He was well aware that he had slept in his day clothes, and while he didn’t care about wearing the same outfit multiple days sleeping in them was a different story.  He already felt gross just thinking about it.  Dipper continued to be slow in rising, however, because of the soothing touch in his hair.

The moment was ruined by a number of occurrences at once.  Firstly Dipper just had to give in and try shifting closer to the warmth and touch.  This reminded him instantly that he was not resting on his mattress, but on top of another person.  It also made a certain problem come to his attention.  Then there was the realization that the person touching his hair had clearly moved his bangs to reveal his all too embarrassing namesake.  What ultimately had Dipper literally jumping out of bed, though, was the sensation of something slick and/or slimy swiping over said birthmark.

“Awww, Pine Tree, falling for me already I see,” Bill cooed teasingly.

Dipper looked up from his new spot on the floor to halfheartedly glare at his guardian.  Bill had that far too pleased grin stretching his face.  His fingers were laced together to create a place to rest his chin on as he stared down at the brunet with that piercing yellow eye.  Dipper tore his gaze away with a huff as he lifted his hand to wipe at his forehead.  He looked at his hand as it came away slightly damp.  He quickly got up without a word and rushed about getting a change of clothes.  Dipper’s face was rather flushed from the embarrassment of his ‘completely natural’ morning problem, among other reasons.

“Dipper?” Bill questioned with a hint of legitimate concern.

“I need to get out of these clothes,” Dipper said as an excuse, refusing to turn to the other.  He didn’t want Bill thinking he had done something wrong, but he also couldn’t face him in that moment.  Stupid lingering teenage hormones.  “Can’t believe I slept in these.”

“Well then get out of them and come back over here,” Bill encouraged with his apparent normal cheer.

It was enough to make Dipper pause in his search and turn around.  Surely Bill had not meant to imply what it sounded like he was suggesting.  Dipper’s eyes widened when he looked at his demon.  Bill had stretched himself out on the bed in what could be considered an inviting manner.  His head rested in the palm of his left hand while his other arm was placed over his side.  Dipper mistakenly took in all of his demon down to the right leg being bent and positioned behind the other to form a sort of triangle with the negative space.  It was hard to say if Bill truly knew what he was doing to him in that moment.  The inviting smile on his lips suggested he was all too aware of Dipper’s discomfort, but at the same time Bill just appeared so calm about it.

“I...uh,” Dipper couldn’t work his mouth properly in that moment.  He felt his throat going dry as he was frozen to the spot.  He used much of his willpower just to turn around, and then speedily picked up whatever random clothes to create an outfit for the day.  “I’m going to go wash up and get changed!”

“The sun has barely come up, sapling,” Bill said with a pout that the brunet did not turn around to see.

Before he could say more Dipper was slamming the door in his haste to escape the room.  Bill stared at the door almost longingly.  Perhaps he was pushing it too far there.  Bill tilted his head at the thought and his own growing worry that he had messed up before squashing it down with a glare at nothing in particular.  The square’s stupid spell was clearly messing with his head.  Bill Cipher had never been one to doubt himself in any situation, and he wasn’t about to start now.

Pine Tree just needed time to adjust to the changes they were forced into.  It wasn’t anything to get worked up over and certainly not something that Bill should feel a need to suck up to him for.  He was a demon for chaos’ sake, not some simple minded lapdog!  Bill’s pupil shifted his glare to the corner of his eye, thinking of that wretched branding Strange had cursed him with.  The thought of tearing at it was a tempting one.  It would hurt, and only come back as his accelerated healing worked.  Still, perhaps it would put a hold on these thoughts.  Bill kept himself from doing so, however.  There was no telling what effect it would have on his connection with Pine Tree.  It might even hurt his human in the process, and Bill simply would not stand for that.

Bill sighed as he shifted on the bed to look at the ceiling.  His left hand drifted through his bangs.  He needed to get his thoughts in order.  Strange’s curse was driving him even more insane.  He had no intention of playing into the traitor’s hands and growing soft.  He would not be so easily subdued and controlled.  Bill pulled his hand back to stare at his claws.  Was he growing soft?  No, the word ‘soft’ could never be applied to Bill Cipher.  He merely wanted to protect what was his, and Dipper Pines was most assuredly his.

This wasn’t him going soft.  Bill just now had someone to care about.  Perhaps it wasn’t as easy as he initially perceived, but he still had someone on his side.  He just needed to prove himself trustworthy to them.  The anger that Bill had briefly built up from these thoughts faded as laughter bubbled up from his core.  It was a bit ironic to think that his own words were confusing him after all these years, but it just proved how persuasive Bill could be.  Bill wasn’t about to join the ranks of past victims.  He wouldn’t fall like they had.  Pine Tree was his, regardless of blood ties or the square’s interference.  He wasn’t in this simply for the power trip.  He was in it for his human, and to end any who would dare challenge that in any form.

With a snap of his fingers the scenery around him changed.  Bill floated on his back in the middle of the hallway.  He twirled the hat he had given Dipper the night before on his finger.  He drifted leisurely to the end of the hall with three different doors.  As Bill righted himself he sneered at the middle one with its intricately carved design.  Well, at least he knew where the square kept his little pet.  The sound of running water came from the room to his left.  It shut off quickly.  Bill made sure he was not in the way for when the door opened.

Dipper sighed as he closed the bathroom door behind him.  His mind was more relaxed than it had been.  He felt a little bad for leaving Bill in such a way.  He had just felt so embarrassed with the whole situation.  What would Bill have thought if he knew Dipper’s little predicament?  It didn’t matter now, thankfully.  Dipper mentally prepared himself to head back up to his room.  Bill would likely wonder why he was acting so weird that early in the morning.  Dipper instantly froze as he felt a weight on his head.  He looked up to see Bill smiling while sticking the trucker hat on the brunet’s head.  Dipper could feel his cheeks heating up again, so he lowered his head in hopes of avoiding Bill’s notice.  His hand reached up to pull the bill of the hat further down over his head.

“You left this behind when rushing to help Red,” Bill said.  He tilted his head as he watched his sapling try to hide under the headwear.  His smile softened as he bent down to be more at Dipper’s level.  There was the brief worry that something was wrong, but it appeared that Pine Tree was just being an awkward human.  “You look good in it!”

“Thanks, Bill,” Dipper said with a smile that he hoped wasn’t too telling.  He was slightly uncomfortable with how close his demon was.  The incident earlier refused to leave his mind just then.  Dipper took a step back only to realize that the bathroom door was in his way.  “Uh… I, uh… need to go downstairs.”

“Sure thing, Pine Tree,” Bill declared.  Dipper most assuredly had not expected to be picked up and carried toward the stairs.

“Bill,” Dipper cried out in surprise.  His arms flung around Bill’s shoulders to keep himself steady, not that he thought Bill would drop him.  He pressed his face into Bill’s left shoulder to hide his it and the blush no doubt growing.  He mumbled into the fabric.  “I can walk on my own.”

“I know,” Bill said with clearly no intention of letting Dipper go.  His hold around Dipper’s back tightened slightly as a means to ease the fear of being dropped.  Dipper was forced to wrap his legs around Bill in this position.  He kept almost inhumanly still for fear of repeating the horror that had been waking up on top of Bill.

“I’m not a child,” Dipper protested.  His voice was weak even to his own ears.  He was not pouting like one.  Dipper couldn’t deny that some part of him liked being close to Bill.  He could just do without the being carried by his clearly too tall guardian.  Bill’s arm supporting his ass was in no way helping.

“I’ll put you down at the bottom, okay?” Bill offered.  He was enjoying being close to Dipper.  He could sense there was at least some part of Pine Tree that enjoyed the attention and care.  Perhaps if Bill played it up just right Dipper wouldn’t be so opposed.  “I haven’t been able to be physically close to anyone like this in ages.  Being in another’s body just isn’t the same as experiencing things with your own.”

“Oh, well, okay,” Dipper relented in a soft voice.  He didn’t know what it was like for Bill.  He wanted his guardian to be happy and feel comfortable.  There was certainly no harm in it.  Dipper just had to get his thoughts in order and keep his hormones in check.  “But the second your feet touch the downstairs carpet you are putting me down.”

“Deal,” Bill said with a sly smile.  Dipper hid in Bill’s shoulder again after making the mistake of looking at him in that moment.  The golden demon’s chuckle didn’t help any, especially with the way it rumbled up his chest.

It seemed that Bill was taking his sweet time in reaching the bottom of the stairs.  Dipper tried not to focus on anything, but it was extremely hard for him.  He inhaled Bill’s scent.  It was a combination of wilderness and burnt embers.  Somehow Dipper took comfort in it, likely due to the knowledge that this was his guardian’s scent.  Dipper really hoped that everyone else was still asleep.  His arms moved to hold onto each other around Bill’s neck.  He felt his guardian freeze up suddenly.  Dipper started to lift his head to look at Bill only to find that they had reached the first floor.  Bill almost seemed eager to place him down in that moment, puzzling Dipper further.

“So, what’s so important down here?” Bill asked.  He took a few steps away from the stairs, and Dipper.

“Oh, right,” Dipper said as he suddenly remembered his reasoning for coming down here.  He headed for the gift shop, putting the strange incident in the back of his mind for another time.  They were still getting used to one another after all.  “I need to get Great Uncle Ford’s laptop from the basement.”

“Whoa there, Pine Tree,” Bill pulled his human back from the snack machine as though he was about to walk off a cliff.  “Have you ever been in Sixer’s lab before?”

“No,” Dipper said.  He debated struggling with Bill, but didn’t want to rip the collar of his red shirt.

“Then let’s keep it that way,” Bill suggested with a glare at the snack machine that hid the lab entrance.

“But I need his laptop,” Dipper protested a bit more like a whiney child than he would ever admit to.  He would get in and grab it super quick.  Ford wouldn’t even notice it was gone.  “It’s the only computer the Shack has!”

“Then you’ll have to find a computer elsewhere,” Bill said, still glaring at the offending hidden entrance.  “He has wards up against me, and I would much rather not know what they could do to you.”

“Oh,” Dipper said rather lamely as he came to understand the situation.  He stared longingly at the snack machine.  He wouldn’t be seeing his great uncle’s various inventions then it would seem.  There was a sense of betrayal in that thought.  Did Ford know whether or not such warding could harm Dipper?  Surely he wouldn’t have put it up if it could.  “Well, I guess it’s to the library then.”

“Into town then?” Bill asked, already figuring on the answer.  He was excited to see what the town looked like these days.  It was an opportunity for him to see more than the woods and this rundown dump at least.  “Sounds like fun.”

“Um, actually…,” Dipper tried to think up an excuse.  He didn’t really think they should be advertising their bond here.  It wasn’t like Dipper didn’t trust Bill or the townspeople.  Okay, one of those was a lie.  His reasoning for going in would be ruined if anyone saw Bill and him walking about together.  Well, honesty was the best policy, right?  “Uh, listen, Bill… I don’t really know how everyone is going to react to you.  It would probably be best that nobody saw you.  I’m going to do some things that should make you walking around less of an issue, but for n-...”

“So they just can’t see me,” Bill interrupted in an apparent attempt to be helpful.  He snapped his fingers and instantly vanished.  Dipper’s eyes widened as he questioned where his guardian went.  “There, now they can’t see me.”

“Well, that… does solve the problem,” Dipper hesitantly agreed.  He couldn’t even see Bill.  That could cause other problems, but at least it should save the possible panic from the town.  Dipper was probably just imagining the worst case scenario, but outside of Wendy, Soos, and the two friends Mabel had made here they really didn’t know the citizens that well.  “Just stick close to me while we’re there.”

“Of course,” Bill’s disembodied voice was far too excited for this to turn out in Dipper’s favor.  Dipper just hoped that he was being unnecessarily pessimistic.

“I should probably leave a note in case the others wake up while we’re gone,” Dipper thought out loud.  He rushed into the kitchen to do so.  They could just leave through the door there anyway.

After pulling on his navy blue hoodie Dipper was out the door.  He adjusted his hat once his shoes touched the damp morning grass.  There was the brief moment of thought that he had no way of truly keeping track of Bill since he couldn’t see him.  It was a brief moment only because Dipper felt something wriggle its way up under his shirt.  He was kept from screaming by what he guessed (hoped) was Bill’s hand.

“Just me, Pine Tree,” Bill sing-songed to keep his human calm.  He moved his hand away from Dipper’s mouth.

The appendage invading his shirt climbed far enough to curl around his shoulder.  Dipper could use it as his means to be sure Bill remained close at least.  He tried not to think about it being there at all, as hard as that was.  It had been dark when he witnessed Bill using a number of tendrils against the controlled griffins, so Dipper couldn’t say for sure what they looked like outside of being dark limbs.  He just had to remain calm and not let his mind focus on it.  It was no different than if Bill was resting a hand on his shoulder...aside from it being a tentacle and not a hand at all.

“So, which way to town?” Bill asked, drawing Dipper from his musings.  The slight pressure from the tendril was similar to a hand tightening to offer comfort.

“Well, I think we should avoid people where we can,” Dipper began as he got his thoughts together.  He pursed his lips before coming to a decision.  “I guess we cut through the forest and avoid the main part of town.”

“So back alleys and whatever shadows the morning will allow,” Bill concluded.  He clearly started moving as Dipper felt the tendril pull at him to walk.  Aside from that the appendage remained in place while Dipper was unable to tell where his guardian was walking, assuming Bill was walking.  “This is going to be fun!  Finally getting out and seeing what Gravity Falls has shaped into!  Getting out of that run down shamble!  Oh, I just love it!”

“We’re going into town for a reason, Bill,” Dipper said in hopes of reining his demon in.  He just didn’t want to lose sight of their rather important goal.  “I need to get to the library to use their internet.  Also the point of you being invisible is so others don’t notice you, which is kind of ruined if you keep talking.”

“Okay, first of all, rude,” Bill said with more playfulness than true accusation.  “Secondly, I know; and most importantly, no one is around to hear us, so me keeping quiet doesn’t matter until we actually get to town.”

“Fair enough,” Dipper conceded with a smile tugging at his lips.

Dipper didn’t really listen to Bill spout off whatever random nonsense was on his mind.  He was too busy thinking about getting to the library.  They would likely have to be secretive about it, too.  Dipper just didn’t want to take chances on this.  He wasn’t even sure how registering as a Guardian-Charge pair worked.  What sort of questionnaire did they have?  It shouldn’t be too difficult since Mabel had not needed to get involved when their grunkles registered her and Tad when they turned eighteen.  Dipper could only hope that the fact that he was registering two years after a bonded pair typically formed wouldn’t create problems.

This wasn’t the only thing pestering Dipper.  He didn’t want to dwell on it too much, but he was still thinking about the fact that Great Uncle Ford had wards against Bill.  Clearly their history was a turbulent one, to say the least.  Dipper was unfamiliar with the exact details, but it was enough to understand (to an extent) why Ford would do it.  Dipper was just caught up on the thought that his great uncle did not appear to consider how such warding could affect him.

Silence fell over them before Dipper knew it.  Even with the sensation of Bill’s tentacle against his shoulder the sudden lack of that high pitched, echoing voice made Dipper feel quite alone.  He tried not to let it show.  It was a silly notion, especially with the knowledge that Bill would never be far from his side.  Dipper came to a complete halt at his own thought process before quickly shaking it off and forcing himself forward.  Bill was his guardian, so of course he would stick with Dipper.  The brunet just hadn’t expected to start thinking about it that way so soon.  Clearly it was just a sign of how easily they were meshing together, though.  That was definitely a good thing.

The town itself was quite deserted.  It was morning after all, and most people were likely still asleep.  Dipper hadn’t really thought of the early hour beforehand outside of being able to get this task checked off his mental list before his family could weigh in.  Something told him that Ford’s stance on it might bring up an obstacle of sorts if he allowed it.  This was something that had to be done, though, and Dipper was simply taking the initiative here.  Now, however, he was starting to wonder if the library would even be open this early.  Turns out this would have been something to think about before walking all the way to the entrance.

“What’s the hold up?” Bill’s disembodied voice actually made Dipper jump.  The brunet quickly looked around to be sure that no one was around to hear them.  No one was.  “Aren’t we going in?”

“It’s closed,” Dipper said, gesturing to the darkened area beyond the clearly locked door.  He looked at the hours posted on the side before lifting his wrist to check his watch.  It turned out he had forgotten to put his watch back on this morning with everything else that went on.  Dipper sighed and hung his head in defeat.  “Guess we’ll have to just walk around until the rest of the town starts the day.”

“Nonsense,” Bill said.  The doors suddenly glowed blue and swung open.  “See, there’s nothing stopping us from going inside.”

“Bill, that’s breaking and entering,” Dipper whisper-shouted.  His eyes darted around as he felt himself start to panic.  It wasn’t like he had no experience breaking rules (and even laws) but he couldn’t just let Bill waltz about going into random places like this.

“It’s a public place isn’t it” Bill more stated than questioned.  He sounded rather bored or tired.  Dipper felt his demon push at his back to move him inside.

“When it’s open,” Dipper attempted to protest.  His feet refused to lift so he was being skidded across the floor on his heels.  This brought to his attention that he was likely scuffing the floors.  Could that be considered property damage?  “They’re closed!  No one is even here!”

“Then we can take care of whatever you need and be gone before anyone realizes we came in,” Bill concluded cheerily.  The doors closed behind them, meaning that Dipper might as well go along with him if he was so worried about being found out.

Dipper resigned himself to going along with it.  He took a computer that would be out of sight should someone try looking in.  The quicker he got this done the sooner they could leave and not be spotted.  He thought about the library likely having a log of when their computers were turned on and what not, but quickly pushed it out of his mind.  Worrying would just waste time now.  Dipper leaned back in the chair as he waited for the startup to complete and try clearing his head.  His hands lifted to rub at his face, lifting up the trucker hat covering his head.  He heard another chair being moved around behind him.

The sight of an invisible chair scooting around on the floor was disconcerting at first.  Bill appeared to be having fun twirling in it as well.  Dipper couldn’t really tell since his guardian was still invisible.  The chair slammed into the front desk and toppled over.  Bill’s laugh echoed off the walls like a ghostly child playing pranks.  At least he hadn’t gotten hurt, not that Dipper thought a simple crash and fall could harm a demon let alone his.  Dipper turned back to the computer screen to bring the internet up.

“Don’t wreck anything, Bill,” Dipper said with a chuckle despite himself.  He wouldn’t ruin his guardian’s fun, so long as they didn’t cause property damage that would prove someone had broken in.  “I think we should be safe from anyone spotting you at the moment.  Just remember to go back to hiding when we leave.”

“If you say so, Pine Tree,” Bill said much closer than Dipper expected.  The chair leaned back slightly as Bill leaned on it with his arms crossed over one another on the back rest.  He let up a bit when Dipper seemed to jolt at the sudden shift backwards.  “You missed me, didn’t you?”

“You didn’t go anywhere,” Dipper pointed out, not watching his partner as he typed.  “I just couldn’t see you.”

“Aw, Pine Tree, I’m sorry for robbing you of such a sight,” Bill apologized, somehow sounding both truly apologetic and teasing at the same time.  Dipper smiled and shook his head.  “So what are we doing here anyway?  What do you need this internet for?”

“I need to get us on the DMTRF registry,” Dipper said while he skimmed through to find the link.  He brought up the questionnaire and started reading through it.

“Okay, now you’re just throwing letters together,” Bill said with the hint of a pout in his tone.  The sooner Pine Tree got this done the sooner he could go back to paying attention to Bill like he should.

“It stands for ‘Demonic and Magical Threat Response Force,’” Dipper clarified.  He leaned over to rest his head in one hand while he used his other to click and move the mouse.  He probably shouldn’t worry about the legal wording at the beginning (like everyone else) but Dipper wanted to be sure he did this right and didn’t bring on legal troubles later on.  “Basically it’s a government division that specializes in dealing with rogue and feral demons and other magical monsters that could bring harm to humans.  They’re kind of like what Grunkle Stan, Great Uncle Ford, and Tad have been doing for Gravity Falls, but on a global scale and without demons.  And if we aren’t in their database they could, and will send people out to deal with us.”

“They can certainly t͏r̸̵y͢͟,” Bill growled.  These humans certainly weren’t welcomed to, but there was nothing keeping them from being stupid outside of their own self preservation.  Bill would leave them in much worse shape than the griffins.  No one was touching his Pine Tree!

“Bill, I’m serious,” Dipper said, feeling like he was the only one taking this threat for what it was.  Reading through the legal jargon wasn’t easy for him, as he had little to no involvement with the field, but he could certainly paint the picture it was going for.  They had ways of dealing with demons and other magical creatures, obviously.  “I don’t want to risk them attempting to lock you away, or block my use of magic.”

“Pfft, like they have any experience with one as terrorific as me,” Bill blew off any concern for himself.  These were simple humans after all, and by the way Dipper talked they at least limited magic use on their side unless they were serious hypocrites.  With that thought they could have magic users in their ranks, but nothing Bill couldn’t handle even on an off day.  He side glanced Dipper as his haughty attitude lessened.  “But sure, go through this registry thing.  Let them know what they’re dealing with if they come for me and mine.”

“Okay,” Dipper said a bit more playfully.  Bill’s confidence did lift his spirits on the situation.  He knew his guardian wouldn’t let anything happen to him, and this proved that Bill was willing to listen to him in turn.  “Also I believe you meant terrific.  'Terrorific' is not a word, Bill.”

“Sure it is,” Bill argued lightheartedly.  “I am terrifying and horrific, hence terrorific.  I have brought on the greatest of nightmares!  Driven the most beings to madness!  My very image is feared!  My very name practically forbidden to utter for the fear of me knowing others have mentioned me!  Not that it does them much good when the simple thought of me is enough to gain my attention.”

“Because you love when people talk about you so much,” Dipper played along for the laughs.  He offered a smirk when Bill stopped to look at him with a mock affronted expression.

“Actually I do,” Bill admitted without shame.  He draped himself over the back of the chair with his head resting on top of Dipper’s hat.  His arms dangled on each side of his human.  “Are you almost done?”

“It has some questions about you as well,” Dipper said as he read over the questions.  “First, though, what are our symbols?”

“Symbols?” Bill questioned in a bored tone.  He thought for a moment before realizing that Dipper was referring to their brandings.  “Well, I figure the one on me is a blue pine tree, given the aura of your energy.  Yours is likely a yellow triangle with an eye to represent me.”

“Like the Illuminati symbol?” Dipper asked.

“Ugh, sure,” Bill went along with it even if he was clearly annoyed.  “They stole that from me by the way, but I suppose I can’t complain with the extra windows it allows me.”

“Windows?” Dipper paused to get more information.

“My way of looking into different parts of the world,” Bill explained.  “I can probably do the same with your branding, honestly.  I just close my eye and concentrate a bit to see what’s happening at any given time around one of my Eyes.”

Dipper went through the rest of the questionnaire, occasionally pausing to get Bill’s input on different things.  There actually was an area to indicate whether or not a weapon form had been obtained.  This clearly showed that it was expected that the information provided should be updated periodically.  Dipper knew it was odd that Bill and he already had one.  He was more stuck thinking about Bill’s mention of their ‘brandings’ as he put it, or more specifically the way Bill put it.  Dipper subconsciously bit his lip as he thought about it more.  Could Bill’s obviously negative view of their symbols be an issue, or become one?  Clearly he didn’t blame Dipper for them being there, but still.  Something about it didn’t sit right with the brunet.  He tried to shake it off to get this registry done and over with.

Chapter Text

Tad closed the door to Mabel’s room behind him.  He had gotten some much needed rest at least, helping his wounds to heal and regaining his strength.  He looked down at the floor without really seeing it as his thoughts wandered.  The purple demon was still caught on what Stanford had said the night before.  Sure the man had been angry, and rightfully so, but he had made a good point, a correct point.  Tad was still living in the past, as much as he could be at least.

The fact that Bill had a human to care about didn’t change him, wouldn’t change him.  He wouldn’t be the brother Tad had longed for the return of.  He wouldn’t welcome Tad as such again.  Tad had burned that bridge too thoroughly with his rash decisions made out of fear.  There was no more pretending or hope for Tad Strange.  It was bittersweet in a way, but in that moment much more bitter.  He shouldn’t even be thinking about this when he had his own charge to worry about.  Tad had never stopped to think how this would affect Mabel, how much danger she could be in.  The only thing he knew for sure was that Bill would keep Dipper safe and alive.  Did the boy’s happiness matter, though?

Perhaps Tad was thinking too highly of himself still.  Bill hated him, and he couldn’t fault him for that after all he had done.  The question was did that hatred override any care Bill had for Dipper.  Sure he barely knew the youngest Pines, but they already had a connection far exceeding any Tad had previously heard of.  Perhaps Tad was just regulated to an annoying blip on Bill’s radar; a potential threat, but one not making itself known in that moment.  He could live with that.  If nothing else the connection they had to their respective twin meant they would be sharing some amount of time and space together.  Wouldn’t that just hurt more, though?

With a sigh and shake of his head Tad tried to put those thoughts out of his mind.  He had Mabel to think about now.  His past was his past and it could not be changed, much as he wished to do so.  Of course such alterations would put his knowing of Mabel in jeopardy.  Perhaps Tad should be asking himself which was more important rather than dwelling on another demon’s thoughts.  Mabel’s happiness and safety is what he cared about, and he knew Dipper was a part of that.  He had promised before that he would protect both of them, and that was still true.  Tad would look out for them.  If need be he would take Bill on again should he prove a threat to that.  At the same time, he shouldn’t be going into this assuming that will happen.  Tad decided on the passive approach for the time being.  If Bill truly cared about Dipper then this would all work out somehow.

“You okay there, Tad?” Mabel asked, actually seeming to startle her partner.  Mabel smiled up at him in a reassuring manner.  “You looked pretty deep in thought there, like you were deciding on something big.  Ooh, was it wondering which animal makes the best pet?  I always have trouble deciding since there are so many!”

“I am fine, Mabel,” Tad said calmly.  She clearly wasn’t convinced, but didn’t push further.  If it was a problem then Tad would surely tell her.  “And that is quite the tough decision to make.  I suppose it depends on what you are looking for in a pet and how much effort you can and are willing to put into it.”

“That is true,” Mabel agreed.  She thought for a moment on this before switching to a different topic.  She rushed down the hall towards the attic stairs.  Tad was at her side quickly to stop her from running and potentially falling up the steps.  “We should wake Dipper for pancakes.  Do you think Bill will want pancakes?”

“Uh, why don’t we let them sleep a bit longer?” Tad suggested.  He didn’t want to deny Mabel, but he obviously didn’t want her in any danger either.  Bill likely wouldn’t appreciate being woken up.  The less interaction Mabel had with him the better for the time being.  If she started off irritating him then having him potentially warm up to her would be a serious uphill battle.  “I’m sure they’re pretty beat from last night.”

“You’re probably right,” Mabel said with a slight pout.  She shrugged it off, deciding that Dipper deserved to sleep in for now.  She wouldn’t be letting him sleep past noon, though, so he better get his butt in gear.  “So, what’s Bill’s deal anyway?  I mean, Great Uncle Ford said there was history there, and he didn’t seem very nice to anyone but Dipper.”

“Well, it’s a bit complicated and long,” Tad said while rubbing the back of his neck.  The look he caught from Mabel told him that she knew exactly what he was trying to do, and wouldn’t be falling for it.  Tad sighed and motioned for her to head downstairs, planning to follow her and talk at the same time.  “He is a very powerful and feared demon.  He manipulated Stanford so he could get back into his body, and that’s where we sealed him decades ago.  That’s a big reason why I don’t leave Gravity Falls, aside from the barrier needing me close by or it will crumble.”

“Do you think the barrier interfered with Dipper’s mark materializing before now?” Mabel asked.  It may have seemed slightly off topic, but it also seemed like Tad needed a bit more easing into everything.  He clearly hadn’t shared this much in the past.

“It is quite possible,” Tad pondered this himself.  It was really the only explanation since Bill had still been imprisoned at the time.  The barrier, the fact that Bill was a statue; they both played a part in it.  Then when Dipper was close enough (i.e. the town lines) the symbol appeared and Bill woke up.  Dipper had likely needed to touch the statue to set Bill free then.  “It’s almost ironic in a way.  Part of the reason your great uncles kept you two away until now was the lingering fear that he would get free somehow, and then it took Dipper to do that.”

“But that’s a good thing,” Mabel said.  She truly believed that this would be good for her brother.  He had a guardian of his own, someone to protect him and show him magic.  Not that Great Uncle Ford wouldn’t have been a great teacher, he still would be.  Mabel was just happy that she was now sharing this experience with Dipper.  She had admittedly felt like she had been dragging him along against his will at times.  “Dipper has his guardian, and Bill has his charge.  Plus this way we can work things out.”

“I don’t know that it will be that easy,” Tad said, being more realistic about the situation.  He hated the thought of dashing Mabel’s hopes, but sometimes things just couldn’t be worked out.  “Stanford still feels used by him, and for good reason.  He’s dangerous, manipulative, and quite capable of holding grudges of his own.  He’s not about to forgive me for putting him in that statue in the first place, or for a number of other things I’ve done against him.”

“Well, you’re sorry, right?” Mabel tried, getting a slow nod from her partner.  This was a hard subject for him, likely for all those involved.  Mabel would just have to be positive for both of them then.  “And now Bill is out, and all the bad stuff back then just led everyone to this point in time.”

“Not everyone will see it that way, Mabel,” Tad pointed out carefully.  He wanted to believe her, though, so badly.  “But for now I guess we can see how well we handle sharing a house.”

“It’s a start,” Mabel cheered with a wide smile.  Tad gave her a fond smile back.  Mabel wasted little time rushing into the kitchen as soon as they reached the first floor.  “I’ll get everything started so we don’t have to suffer through Grunkle Stan’s cooking.”

“What’s wrong with my cooking?” Grunkle Stan asked as he entered from the television room.  He stretched as though he needed to realign his spine.  He had likely fallen asleep in his chair or on the couch.  Tad was a bit surprised that the man had gotten to sleep at all away from his room, but his experience with the Pines family revealed them to be excellent at passing out wherever.  “Tad usually cooks anyway.”

“I know,” Mabel said, ignoring Stan’s question for the most part.  Her smile was clearly meant to make him forget he had even asked it.  “I thought I would surprise everyone else.  Plus it’s been too long since Dipper had a taste of my glitter-cakes.”

“Uh, maybe we should hold off on the glitter, pumpkin,” Stan suggested with some worry.  He avoided looking at the other two in the room.  This was going to be a rough day for all of them.  He could understand Tad being more than willing to forgo making breakfast himself.  His eyes met a torn piece of paper on the tabletop.  Stanley carefully read over the few words hastily written in Dipper’s messy scrawl.  “Looks like Dipper is already up and out… with his demon.”

“Does it say where he went?” Mabel asked.  She watched the unease wash over her guardian and grunkle.  They were obviously worried about Dipper going off alone with Bill, despite the demon being there to defend him when needed.  Mabel didn’t know what Bill was like outside of his clear preference towards Dipper.

“No, not specifically,” Grunkle Stan grumbled, flipping the paper over just to be sure.  “Dipper claims they won’t be long.  He likely went into town for something.  Unless he realized he left something in the forest.”

“Should we look for them just in case?” Tad pondered, not truly concerned as he knew Bill wouldn’t let any harm come to the brunet.

“If anything is stupid enough to go near that monster it will be dead before it can do much more than glare at Dipper,” Stanley concluded.  He had no sympathy for anything that threatened his family, but it was better not to imagine how horrible a certain nightmare could make its last moments.  Tad shrugged it off, agreeing with the man’s claim.

Everyone looked to the door suddenly slamming to find Soos heaving to catch his breath.  Stanley was quick to move around to table to his employee.  Something truly had to be wrong for Soos to rush to them like this.  He instantly thought to the possibility of Dipper not being able to hold his demon back from creating mass panic.  Soos let himself be guided to the nearest chair.  The others wouldn’t push him for answers until he caught his breath.  Mabel got him a glass of water, hoping it would help.

“Thanks,” Soos managed after downing the glass.  Stanley took it from him carefully to fill again.  Soos seemed to compose himself quickly after that.  “Sorry for the scare, Mr. Pines.  Had to get here...to warn you.”

“Take your time, Soos,” Stan said calmly.  He placed the refilled glass on the table in front of Soos.  His left hand rested on the back of the man’s chair while his other was flat on the table.  He waited as patiently as he could, thinking of the worst case scenario all the while.

“Gideon got the town together,” Soos said before downing another glass of water.  He inhaled after swallowing.  “They aren’t happy about those little dudes getting into town yesterday.  He formed them into an angry mob and is leading them here.”

“Seriously, Gideon!?” Mabel practically screamed in anger.  “Why can’t he just leave us alone!?”

“The gnomes coming and going revealed the glaring flaw in the barrier,” Tad said, disappointed in himself for such an oversight.  He did basically give the nuisance fuel against them with that one.  There was no way to fix it, however, not without isolating the entire town.  “We should probably inform Stanford of the impending arrival.”

“Yeah,” Stanley sighed.  He didn’t want to bother his brother, but Ford would certainly know how to deal with this issue.  The good news was that it didn’t appear that Cipher had made his return known just yet.  If they got this taken care of quickly then they could further delay the town’s interactions with the golden demon.  “I’ll go see if he’s awake.”

“Thank you for rushing here to inform us, Jesús,” Tad said with a polite nod.

“Aw, well, you guys are basically family,” Soos said, a little embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck.  He smiled to wave off the gratitude the other showed and his own awkwardness.  “It’s the least I can do after all Mr. Pines has done for me, and what all of you do for this town.”  He deflated a little as he thought about the impending confrontation.  “You’d think everyone else would know all the effort you put into protecting them, and yet Gideon just has to say a few fancy words and they’re all listening to him.”

“It is a little disheartening at times,” Tad admitted sourly.  There were times that he had to remind himself that it wasn’t about the recognition.  At least there were those like Soos every once in awhile.  Tad should be used to most just seeing his presence in particular as a cause of turmoil rather than a boon.  “People are too easily put into a state of panic regardless of the individual’s ability to find a solution.  If it wasn’t Gideon there would be someone else pushing them for their own gain.”

“So what’s the plan?” Mabel asked, hoping to get this sorted out quickly.  The thought of seeing Gideon again infuriated her.  She hoped that wherever Dipper and Bill were they wouldn’t have to deal with that creep.

“No doubt Gideon will lay out the town’s grievances and propose us stepping down as protectors of it,” Tad said with a sneer at the thought.  “He has tried it before, claiming Stanford and Stanley were too old to do their job, or that I was trying to make them slaves or something.  Stanford has been able to sway the townspeople in the past with relative ease.  They just want reassurance after all.”

The angry pounding on the door to the gift shop interrupted them.  Tad lead the move out of the kitchen to see what would happen.  Stanley and Stanford were already in the room with the latter sighing as he opened the door.  Tad held Mabel back from getting closer.  The townspeople tended to be reasonable enough, but there was no telling what Gideon could convince them to do.  It did appear that the teenager had gathered a good majority of the town for this show of power.  There was no mistaking it for what it was.  The Pines were the outliers here, and Gideon was leading the shake down against them.  He had yet to realize that they had experienced far worse monsters and terrors than what he could throw their way.

“Good morning, Pines family,” Gideon greeted far too cheerily to be genuine.  He had to keep his front among his sheeple after all.  “I do hope we are not interrupting anything.”  His cheerfulness faded into a pout to show his false concern.  Stanley stood behind his twin with his fist clenched, fighting the urge to punch the pint sized punk.  “I am sure y'all are aware of certain happenings within the town.  We were rather perplexed to find our lovely town overrun with monsters yesterday.”

“I can assure everyone that the town is still safe,” Stanford said calmly.  He was the levelheaded twin most of the time.  “The brief gnome infestation has been dealt with.”

“Yes, well thank you for keeping our little town safe,” Gideon offered graciously, even if it was plainly false to the Pines.  How the entire town seemed fooled by this they would never know, unless mind control was involved.  Ford was quite sure it was mind control.  “But you see…”

“‘You see, however,’” Ford interrupted, catching Gideon off guard.  Ford gave the white haired teen a false smile of his own.  He raised his hand with his index finger in the air as his eyes closed to give a short lecture.  “One should never start a sentence with the word ‘but.’”  He lowered his hand and used that false pleasantness once more.  “Please continue, Mr. Gleeful.”

“Ahem, yes,” Gideon cleared his throat, seeming frustrated by the man’s correction.  “Anyway, we are here wondering how such beasts entered our town to begin with.  We were under the impression that we were safe within our lovely town.”

“Unfortunately until yesterday the gnomes had not shown that level of hostility toward humans,” Ford admitted.  He adjusted the collar of his tan coat with a professional flair.  “I can assure you it was an isolated incident that will not be repeated.”

“So you claim,” Gideon said, somewhat dropping the false pleasantries.

“What about all them people they kidnapped in the past?” Someone in the gathered crowd shouted.

“The people taken by gnomes in the past lived out their lives happily,” Ford said, showing his displeasure at their unfortunate grammar with a sigh and clenching of his jaw.  If he corrected every mistake they would be here for quite some time, and he really didn’t want this to last that long.  “The gnomes look for a new queen after mourning the loss of their last.  They will not become a threat to us.”

“They’ve been stealing my pies,” an elderly woman with one good eye exclaimed.  The rest of the crowd started whispering about things they’ve had stolen in the past, even if they could not prove it was the work of gnomes or any other magical creature.

“They made off with my weed whacker,” one man complained.

“That was my weed whacker,” someone next to him corrected.  This mob was quickly devolving it would appear.

“Wait, you lended that to my brother,” a woman added in.  “We’ll give it back later today.”

“Everyone, please, remain calm,” Ford announced to get them back on track.  He did not need a fight to break out in his yard.  It was bad enough that it was currently full of degenerates.

“Assuming they were calm to begin with,” Stanley grumbled under his breath behind the man while rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Listen, we understand your concerns and are looking into it,” Ford said with his arms raised to placate the people, ignoring his twin’s remarks.  “We have protected you for decades.  I promise we will not fail you now.”

“Really, Stanford?” Gideon asked with a raised eyebrow in challenge.  His tone was skeptical, causing more whispers to drift through the crowd.  “You Pines are getting up there in age, don’t you think?  How are we to be protected by a couple of old men?”

“My brother and I are still quite capable, I assure you,” Ford said as he lifted an arm to hold Stanley back.  “We are also training our grandniece and grandnephew to continue defending this town.”

“Putting your family in danger, you mean,” Gideon said with a smirk that only the Pines saw, clearly hoping for a rise out of them.  He turned to the crowd with a look of concern.  “Do we really want such a lovely young woman as Mabel Pines put at risk for us?”

“Tad would never let any harm come to her,” Stanley growled in the purple demon’s defense.  He was all but shoving his way around Ford to get at the little creep, but his brother kept him in check.

“And what of Tad Strange?” Gideon questioned with a glance to the eldest Pines.  “Does he really have this town’s best interest at heart?  He is a demon after all.  Do you not question what he might plan for you grandniece?”

“Tad is a gentleman,” Stanford said, trying desperately not to continue correcting the teenager’s atrocious use of the English language.  Sometimes he wondered if Gideon was just doing it to drive him mad.  He wouldn’t put it past him; he also wouldn’t put it past a certain legitimate monster.  “He has protected this town long before us, and will continue to do so long after I am sure.  He is just as concerned with Mabel’s safety as he is with that of all of us.”

“That is quite a lot of concern to split among so many, though,” Gideon continued.  He was pushing, searching for any chink in the Pines’ bonds.  His goal of making the town question their loyalty included the Pines themselves after all.  “How can one demon keep so many people safe, especially when he clearly favors one above all else?”

“Why would Tad falter now?” Stanford countered.  He didn’t agree with the method of answering a question with another question, but it clearly bothered Gideon as well.  Sometimes Stanley’s method of fighting dirty could be applied with verbal combat as well.  “With a Charge he is more powerful than ever, and as Mabel grows stronger so will he.”

“And what of her brother?” Gideon asked, looking so smug it should be illegal.  He felt he actually had them on this one, clearly.  “Has Dipper Pines even shown the capability of magic use apparently needed to combat these beasts we face?”

“One does not necessarily need magic to fight off some of the creatures living in the forest,” Ford admitted.  There were some of the citizens that already knew this, but they also knew that there were just as many creatures that the use of magic to combat meant actually surviving an encounter.

“Besides,” Tad added in as he came to stand next to Stanley with confidence.  He chanced a smile at Ford before addressing the crowd and Gideon.  “Dipper will have the greatest magical mind to train him.”

“Very well, Pines,” Gideon relented, glaring at them but making sure the rest of the town didn’t see it.  He backed off of the porch carefully.  The rest of the crowd slowly dispersed.  Gideon whispered just before leaving himself.  “This isn’t over.”

Stanford didn’t wait around much longer.  He deflated as soon as he entered the Shack.  His head lowered as he took off his glasses to rub between his eyes.  Admittedly he had not slept well the night before.  That wasn’t so surprising given everything that had happened yesterday.  He put his glasses back on as he tried to gather his earlier confidence.  Ford didn’t know what to expect from the day, but it was already looking like a struggle.  The townspeople were appeased for now at least.  There was the real nightmare to think about now.  It was truly lucky of them not to have that monster join in during that impromptu meeting.  That just left the question of where Dipper and Cipher were now.

Stanley remained on the porch to make sure everyone left his yard.  They weren’t open yet, and likely wouldn’t be open at all for today.  He had to assess the potential headache letting Dipper’s demon around people could cause.  Surprisingly ‘Manly’ Dan Corduroy was one of the last to leave.  Stan didn’t see him much when it wasn’t poker night, and he hadn’t been invited to one of those in a few years.  He more heard from the man through his daughter.  Stan kept his arms crossed and gave a bored expression as Manly Dan ducked to stand on the porch.  The man didn’t really need to, but he was used to having to duck everywhere else.

“Dan,” Stanley greeted evenly with a slight nod.

“Stan,” was the gruff voiced response.  The man knew he couldn’t intimidate Stan, but it was sort of expected that he at least try.  He remained serious.  “I hope your nephew is doing alright.  Wendy was quite worried about him.”

“Oh, that, yeah,” Stan brushed off in a bored tone.  “He’s got the Pines’ zest for adventure, but also our ability to get out of trouble.”

“Yeah,” Dan agreed, still rather guarded.  Stan was about to tell him to spit it out already.  It wasn’t in a Corduroy to dance around the issue at hand after all.  Accusing the man of such would have resulted in a punch coming the older man’s way, however.  “I don’t want Wendy getting dragged into that trouble, you understand.’

“Please, Danny boy,” Stan said with a roll of his eyes.  He smirked up at the lumberjack as though he was talking to a naive child.  “Wendy knows how to handle herself when there is trouble.  Sometimes I’d argue even better than you could at her age.”  He shrugged to push that thought aside.  “She is a Corduroy after all, and we both know she’s more than capable of looking out for herself as much as her friends.”

“You are right,” Manly Dan relented.  He wouldn’t question his daughter’s capabilities.  He was just a concerned father.  He managed a tiny smile to show that there was nothing to worry about between them.  “Take care of yourself, Pines.”

“You, too,” Stan said before slapping the man’s large bicep.  He calmly walked into the Mystery Shack with a confident stride.  That actually had gone rather well, considering how it could have gone.

“Stanley,” Ford’s shout from the kitchen made the man jump.  Stan took his time walking to the room with a heavy sigh as his shoulders hunched in anticipation for what caused such a tone.  It was still too early for Ford to be yelling at him.  Stan found the man standing with a scrap of paper tightly held between thumb and forefinger.  “You let Dipper leave with Bill!?”

“I was asleep,” Stan shouted back.  He marched over to the coffee machine.  If there was going to be yelling he was going to be caffeinated for it.  “Clearly the kid had something important to take care of.  He’ll be back.”

“Then where is he?” Ford questioned, gesturing around to the fact that Dipper was not in fact there.  “That mob could easily have come here to complain about Cipher!  The town could have gone up in flames while we slept on!”

“Well I wasn’t the only one asleep, Poindexter,” Stanley said as he went to get his mug.  He certainly wasn’t taking all the blame here when Ford was just as guilty of being asleep when Dipper made ‘questionable’ decisions.  “Give the kid a little credit at least.”

“He is alone with Cipher out there,” Stanford cried out, his arms gesturing to the door.  “There is no telling what he could do to Dipper with no one around to stop him!”

“I’m not getting into this with you again, Stanford,” Stanley deadpanned.  He looked truly done with the whole subject as he tapped his fingers for his coffee to be ready.  “He’s not going to hurt Dipper, we already covered that.  And for someone so worried about the dangers of that nightmare, you’re sure throwing his name name around an awful lot.”

“It hardly matters when he is out wreaking havoc,” Ford said with that same angry tone.  He was close to pulling his own hair out with how much Stanley was just not getting it.

“If he was causing problems we would have heard about it by now,” Stan said.  He sighed in blessed relief when the coffee was done and he could pour a cup.  He took a sip and sighed again at the sensation of it sliding down on its way to his stomach.  “Dipper has it under control.  If he didn’t you would be the only one alive here.”

“How can you just say that!?” Ford questioned with genuine concern for his brother’s mental health.

“Well, it’s true isn’t it?” Stan asked without really needing an answer.  He took a seat at the table and drank more of his coffee.  “You’re the one with the wards against him.  If we had them throughout the house before Tad would have been bogged down by the force, and putting them up now will make Dipper sick.”

“Putting them up now might kill the boy given how his connection has progressed in such a short time,” Ford admitted uneasily.

“So we’re keeping him far away from your lab then, good,” Stanley stated with a nod and little room for argument.

“I still don’t see how you’re so calm about this,” Stanford said.  He watched his brother carefully as though the other would reveal being some double agent or shape shifter.  “I get Mabel looking on the brightside, seeing as she didn’t experience what we have with… him.”

“We just have to wait it out,” Stan said.  He finished off his coffee and stood to get more, making his twin roll his eyes at his clear addiction.  “If he cares about Dipper and his opinions this will all work out.  If we push for Dipper to see him as we do it will cause a rift.  I am not tearing this family apart like that.  It’s all about being the bigger man, Stanford.”

“I think we’re past ‘the bigger man’ argument here,” Ford said, trying to protest without really finding flaw with his brother’s logic.  If they could drive Cipher insane with false pleasantries then Dipper would surely want nothing to do with him.  They could force the demon to show his true colors to the boy.

“No,” Stanley scolded with a decisive glare at his twin.  He sat back down at his spot again.  He kicked out one of the chairs for Stanford to sit on.  He didn’t continue until the other took the seat.  “We are not turning this into a scheme against him.”

“If anyone is scheming it’s him,” Ford shouted.  He slammed his hands onto the table and stood up, making his chair skid back.  “He is out there trying to manipulate Dipper and you’re content to sit here and let it happen!”

“At least I have faith in Dipper here,” Stan commented.  He really shouldn’t be pushing Stanford further, but the man was making it hard not to want to.  Ford clearly didn’t think that Dipper was smart enough to see through whatever Bill might try, assuming he would try anything at all.  Then there was the fact that Ford was questioning Stanley himself, again.  “Do you really think so little of his intelligence?”

“What, no,” Ford actually flinched back at the accusation.  He blinked as he reevaluated his thoughts.  Did he think so little of Dipper?  Cipher could get under his skin so easily without even trying.  Here Ford was yelling at his brother and not having the belief in his family that he should, all because that monster had resurfaced not a day ago.  “Dipper can handle himself…”

“Then there is nothing to worry about,” Stan concluded, clearly intent for the conversation to be over no matter what his brother tried to add to it.

“What about Mabel?” Ford asked.  He didn’t want her in danger, and knew Stanley felt the same way.  With Cipher around no one was safe.  Surely Stanley understood that much.

“What about me?” Mabel interrupted with a bit of caution.  “I don’t want any part of this shouting match.”

“You won’t, pumpkin,” Grunkle Stan said with a hard look at his twin.  “We were just wondering about Dipper and getting worried.”

“Dipper is with Bill, though, so there’s nothing to worry about,” Mabel said, more upbeat and without any doubts.  “I’m sure whatever important business they had won’t take much longer.”

“I’m guessing you believe this as well,” Stanford stated more than questioned when addressing Tad.  He crossed his arms in a show of his disappointment with everyone else.

“He isn’t going to let anything happen to Dipper,” Tad said.  He kept outwardly calm and disconnected, but internally he was getting tired of this runaround.  Sure there were legitimate doubts for them to have.  Tad at least knew that Dipper’s safety was a priority for Bill.  Could Stanford really not see that?

“No, of course not,” Ford said in an accusatory tone.  His confrontational attitude was wearing on the others by this point.  “You’re all for Dipper learning from the lunatic!”

“Well, that is a part of strengthening their bond,” Tad agreed.  He caught on a second later what Stanford was likely referring to and sighed.  “It is ultimately up to Dipper who he learns from.  Either way he has a great opportunity here.”

“Oh, yes, because the ‘greatest magical mind’ is an option, right?” Ford questioned angrily with clenching fists.

“Clearly, both of you are well versed in the art,” Tad continued, hoping to defuse the situation if at all possible.  “You are the most renowned caster of the age.”

“You… you were referring to me then?” Ford questioned with more confusion.  He seemed to take a mental step back at that.  Was Cipher’s return really messing with him this much?

“I was referring to both of you, but given the audience you would be assumed,” Tad pointed out.  He could tell Stanford was trying to understand at least.  The man had just as much of a temper as Stanley, it just took certain things to truly bring it out.  Unfortunately they had a pretty large cause running around now.  “They don’t know that he taught you the basics and a few hidden secrets.  No mortal remembers who originally taught them to harness such energy.”

“Wait, Bill taught Great Uncle Ford?” Mabel asked, trying to follow along.

“Yes,” Ford growled in admittance.  He wasn’t angry with Mabel, and didn’t want her to think that he was.  It was a great blow to his ego, though.  He didn’t want her and Dipper to think less of him.  “He helped me unlock my magic the more… dangerous way.  He showed me spells and long forgotten incantations.”

“That’s so cool,” Mabel exclaimed, practically having stars in her eyes at the thought.  She wanted to learn great feats of magic, despite the work she knew would need to be put into them.  That was part of the reason she needed Dipper to come along.  He could push her to move forward when she felt like being lazy.  A thought came to Mabel in that moment.  “So Dipper really can be just like you.  Bill will teach him like he taught you.  Maybe you could train him together.”

“Mabel, I don’t think that…” Grunkle Stan started, trying to calm her down from such fantasies.

“I suppose that is one way to look at it,” Great Uncle Ford pondered while interrupting his brother.  Mabel’s upbeat attitude could really lift anyone’s spirits, even if her grammar could really use work.  “I doubt Dipper will feel the same way.  All this time you have both been under the impression that I never had a demon’s assistance.”

“I think Dipper will get over it,” Mabel said with a smile.  “I mean he has idolized you our entire lives, and now he can learn from the same being that taught you.  It sounds like a great bonding experience for anyone involved.”

“Cipher is extremely dangerous,” Ford argued, though it felt quite out of place.

“Yeah, to like Gideon and whatever creature threatens Dipper,” Mabel waved off her great uncle’s concern.  “The worst Bill would do is smooch his face off, you know, figuratively speaking.”

“Mabel,” both grunkles yelled in shock and disgust.

“What?” Mabel asked, not really seeing the big deal, so long as she didn’t think too much on it.  “We’re talking about the same Bill, right?  Have you seen the way he looks at Dipper?  He has protective boyfriend written all over him.  You know, along with classy afmf.”

“That isn’t even a word, Mabel,” Ford pointed out, now thinking his grandniece had lost her mind.

“Uh, well,” Mabel hesitated, not really wanting to say such words in front of them.  Grunkle Stan may swear like a sailor, but it might be too much for both of them to hear such words out of her mouth.

“It’s one of those acronyms the younger generations use,” Tad said, not surprised at all at Mabel’s use of it.  Granted she had not used the actual words.  “Wendy and her friends use them a lot.”

“Mabel,” Grunkle Stan scolded, knowing full well what kind of mouths the Corduroy girl and her group had on them.  Great Uncle Ford seemed to catch on given the disapproving gaze.  Their stances were quite different, as Stanley proved with his next words.  “If you’re going to curse at least do it for real.  No one likes half-asses.”

“Stanley, don’t encourage her,” Ford shouted, truly scandalized.

“He’s a classy as fuck motherfucker,” Mabel corrected herself with a smile to her grunkle, clearly expecting the praise to come.

“That’s my girl!”

“How am I related to you?” Ford questioned tiredly.  He didn’t really mean it, though.  Dipper was on his side on this subject at least, surely.

Chapter Text

It was a little disconcerting how deserted the town still was.  Dipper continued to use the back alleys regardless while Bill had gone back to being invisible.  The sense of a ghost town had the brunet appreciating the slight pressure over his shoulder a lot more.  If he didn’t think about what the appendage was at least.  He wouldn’t complain now.  Seriously, though, where was everyone?  Dipper turned a corner between the movie theater and some apartment buildings.  He wasn’t watching where he was going exactly and bumped into someone else.

“Hey, watch it,” a man that couldn’t be much older than Dipper shouted at him.

Dipper blinked at the other dressed in black.  His bangs hung over the left side of his face, making him whip his head back in order to move them to see well.  The hands covered in black fingerless gloves were clenched into fists.  Dipper instinctively shrunk back at the thought of a fight.  He tried to hold Bill back without making it known that his demon was there.  Dipper was about to stutter out an apology when a familiar face appeared beside the goth.

“Dipper?” Wendy questioned, clearly not expecting to see him.  She looked happy nonetheless, until she turned to the dark dressed man to reprimand him.  “Knock it off, Robbie.  Dipper’s cool.”

“If he’s so cool he should watch where he’s going,” Robbie huffed with another flick of his hair as he crossed his arms.

“What are you doing in town, man?” Wendy asked as she turned her attention back to Dipper.  She actually looked worried for a second.  “Gideon’s mob didn’t torch the Shack did they?”

“I, uh, what?” Dipper started to find an excuse until Wendy’s second question hit him.

“Gideon got the whole town fired up over the gnome thing yesterday,” She said with a roll of her eyes.  She managed a smile a second later with a slight chuckle.  “Good thing they didn’t meet Freak Show last night, huh?”

“Who?” Dipper was really confused.

“You know,” Wendy pressed, not really wanting to say it in front of her friends.  Dipper noticed Tambry leaning against the theater bricks with her cell phone and two other guys he never met.  He just blinked at Wendy.  “Uh, anyway, the attitude problem here is Robbie.  You’ve met Tambry already.  The two dweebs are Nate and Lee… Where’s Thompson?”

“He’s catching up,” the tall blonde gestured with his head to another young man approaching them.  “So, this is the little Pines dude?  I’m Lee, like Wendy said.”

“Uh, Dipper,” he replied with a nod.  He wasn’t sure how much Wendy had told them.  “I should head back to the Shack then.”

“Yeah, run along little man,” Robbie scoffed with his arms still crossed.  He doubled over when something smacked him in the stomach.  “Oof!”

“What the…?” Wendy watched her friend go down from seemingly nothing.

“Dude,” Lee and, apparently, Nate exclaimed together.  They actually seemed to find it funny.  “Pines dude got some fight.”

“No, no,” Dipper protested with his arms waving in a desist manner.  “I didn’t do anything!”

“Dammit, you little punk,” Robbie shouted.  Before he could do anything he lifted off the ground by his left ankle and hung there.  He smacked the side of the apartment complex before bracing himself against it.  “What the hell, man!?”

“Bill, no,” Dipper cried out, turning to where he hoped his guardian still stood.  “Put him down!”

Robbie hit the ground unceremoniously.  Luckily his fall was not far enough to even break anything.  His ankle hurt from being squeezed by whatever that was, and he hadn’t appreciated hitting the building.  He could walk it off, though, and as soon as he got up he planned to walk it off all over this Pines.  His glare up at the brunet’s back turned into fear when what stood behind him materialized.  Wendy’s mention of a freak show came to mind, as did a number of other things.  Everyone else seemed to take a cautious step back, especially when Dipper was gently moved by one of the twisting tentacles to stand behind the humanoid nightmare.

“Yo҉̷͢u̷͝ ̴r̕e͡a̢͠ll̴͝y̨ şh͏̵o̸ul̸d̸̛ ̢̡͟no̷͝t thŗ͘҉e̛͜a̶͞t̷͢eņ̧ ̡͟m̧̕y̸͝ P͏̨ine͏ ͢͠Ţr҉̸͡e̵͠e̡,” the golden demon growled down at him.

“Bill,” Dipper warned.  He didn’t need his demon threatening everything and everyone around them, especially Wendy and her friends.  One of them might be an asshole, but Dipper would rather not find out what Bill was willing to do to any of them.  “It’s okay.  Just a misunderstanding.”

Bill sneered down at Robbie with clear distaste.  Robbie actually whimpered when a tendril snagged on his black hoodie and lifted him up.  Dipper tried to offer up an apologetic smile to the group.  They seemed to calm down once Robbie didn’t seem to be in any real danger.  Wendy was the first to get over her fear.  Dipper pushed his way around Bill.  His guardian slouched over him without really adding any weight.  It was hard to tell if this was actually because Bill didn’t really weigh anything or not.  His head was on top of Dipper’s hat while his arms dangled over his sapling’s shoulders.  The others looked at the right arm, wondering why Dipper wasn’t catching on fire before deciding it was just magic.

“So, I guess you didn’t come out alone,” Wendy chuckled nervously.  That display against Robbie had shaken her, even if she knew it was only because Bill was defending Dipper at the time.

“Nope,” Bill answered in place of Dipper.  The brunet clamped his mouth shut and attempted to glare up at him for the interruption.  The golden demon gave the others a rather unnerving smile.  It was hard to tell if it was genuine, or truly meant as the warning it seemed.  “The Freak Show is here to stay, Red.”

“I, uh… I didn’t mean…,” Wendy backtracked, her green eyes betraying a bit of fear at the thought of offending the demon.  The laugh he gave didn’t really help things.

“Relax, Red,” Bill managed as his cackling died down.  He was clearly unhinged as far as they were concerned.  He stood up with his right hand gesturing to his chest.  His left arm pulled Dipper against him.  “I am quite aware of the effect I have on others, and I do so enjoy it.”

“Okay, Bill, knock it off,” Dipper said with a halfhearted elbow to his guardian’s side.  Bill leaned down to rest his head beside Dipper’s while his arms wrapped around his human’s middle and shoulders.

“Just making sure they know what they’re dealing with,” Bill said beside Dipper’s ear.  The warmth of his breath had Pine Tree stiffening with a slight gulp.  Bill’s lips curved into a possessive smile as he nuzzled at Dipper’s shoulder.

“Hey, man,” Robbie spoke up hesitantly.  He carefully offered a hand to Dipper, though tried to play it off as though he didn’t care.  “I’m sorry about the misunderstanding and all.  People don’t normally hide in alleyways after all.”

“Uh, yeah,” Dipper said rather lamely.  He smiled as he shook Robbie’s hand.  It was quickly pulled away so the older man wouldn’t be too close to the golden demon for too long.  “I’ll be sure to look where I’m going from now on.”

“So,” Nate said carefully.  He rubbed the back of his neck as he avoided looking at Bill.  “You guys didn’t, like, kill the rest of the town or anything...right?”

“Whatever happened to them was not my doing,” Bill said.  He smiled despite this, just to unnerve them.  If something did happen to the town then the Pines would likely have to investigate, including Pine Tree.

“You said Gideon had a meeting,” Dipper recalled.  He had a moment of worry for what the menace had cooked up in that twisted creepy head of his.

“The town was heading over to the Mystery Shack a while ago,” Wendy said, she gestured behind them where Thompson had come from.  Dipper could use it as a shortcut through the town and woods back home.  “Your great uncles are usually pretty good at defusing the situation regardless of what he says.  Still, I would suggest that restraining order.”

“Or introducing him to your demon boyfriend,” Tambry suggested without looking up from her phone.

“My what?” Dipper questioned in shock.  Was that truly what Bill seemed like?  Dipper could feel himself getting sweaty from nerves.  He waved his arms to deny the accusation.  “No, you got it all wrong.  Bill is my guardian.”

“We get it, Dipper,” Wendy said with a small smile.  She clearly thought Dipper just wasn’t ready to admit it to anyone or something.  She hesitantly glanced to Bill for just a second or two.  “I’d really hate to be Gideon right now, though.”

“Where does this Gideon live?” Bill asked.  He didn’t care about their conversation, but he understood that this individual clearly was a problem for Pine Tree.

“Doesn’t matter,” Dipper blurted out suddenly.  He felt even more embarrassed.  “We’re just, you know, going back to the Shack now.  I’ll see you around Wendy.”

“Sure thing, Dipper,” Wendy agreed.  She ushered the others on their way to let them pass.  “Tell Mabel hello for me.”

“Sure thing,” Dipper called back as he hastily made his way back to the Shack.

Blessed silence followed Dipper as he made his way into the part of the forest surrounding the Mystery Shack.  He had done his best to pull his hood over his hat.  His hands were grasping the strings to tighten the hole around his face.  It was a little uncomfortable, but it hid him from the world.  He just felt so embarrassed after that exchange.  Meeting Wendy’s friends was supposed to go better than that.  Now they probably think he’s a freak or something.  Why should it matter, though?

Did it really matter so much that they misinterpreted his relationship with Bill?  Had they misinterpreted it, though?  Bill wanted to protect him.  Bill cared about him.  They were clearly growing closer quite quickly.  Bill was a bit clingy.  He hadn’t been able to experience real touch in who knows how long.  Dipper was someone he could count on.  Bill clearly wasn’t socialized well, not that Dipper was a model for that either.  They needed each other.  It wasn’t one sided by any means.  Dipper just wasn’t sure how far he would say it went.  It wasn’t like romantic relationships between demons and humans were unheard of, despite being quite frowned upon.  Did he want that with Bill, though?

“So what’s the deal with this Gideon then?” Bill asked, breaking the silence.  His arms were held behind his head to lean it back on as though he was resting on something while they walked through the forest.  He hadn’t bothered to go back into hiding and Dipper hadn’t commented on it.

“Just some creep obsessed with Mabel and ruining the family,” Dipper said, not really wanting to get into it.  If he told Bill the whole story then he knew it was guaranteed that Gideon would be dead within the hour.  Dipper didn’t need his guardian to get blood on his hands like that.  “He has the town at his beck and call apparently.”

“Pfft, for now,” Bill said, clearly not concerned by who did or didn’t back this potential threat.  He knew how to knock others down a peg or eighty.  “They’ll follow whomever makes the most grandiose promises.  As soon as it becomes clear that those promises are hollow words they’ll turn on him.”

“We should just avoid him,” Dipper decided, not willing to budge on the subject.

“Very well,” Bill said in a bored tone.  The way Pine Tree put it this was a threat that wasn’t afraid to approach them.  He would make them afraid, though.  Bill’s lips curved into a smirk as he thought of all the horrors this Gideon could experience without him laying a hand on him.

Dipper paused as he saw a number of citizens heading away from the Mystery Shack.  At least it looked like his family had taken care of the issue for the time being.  He remained out of sight with Bill until they wouldn’t be seen when going inside.  It was still best to avoid too many people knowing about his guardian, even if said guardian had no problem making himself known.  Great Uncle Ford would probably be mad at Dipper for leaving without a word.  The note didn’t really count since he had no way of knowing when they would find it, or even that they would find it.  He was not looking forward to it, but it was now or never.

Bill was surprisingly quiet as he followed Dipper along.  Once they reached the outside of the Mystery Shack Bill quickly picked up the shouting of Sixer and Stanley.  One would think after all this time they would have settled most of their differences.  Sure it was entertaining for Bill, but Dipper clearly didn’t think the same.  He didn’t like it when his grunkles argued, and it seemed like it had gotten worse rather quickly.  Dipper was stopped by Bill before he could even reach the door.  The displacement of energy signaled the coming change in scenery.  Dipper braced himself for the after effects.  There was a slight pressure at his nape; just enough to have him realize that the nausea would not be coming this time either.

The attic room surrounded Dipper before he knew it.  He didn’t have the lightheaded feeling from the last time.  He didn’t feel lost in his own mind, or like he could have done something truly embarrassing.  There was still that sense of comfort, though, until the touch was lifted.  For the briefest of moments Dipper felt alone.  He turned his head to catch Bill walking around the room, proving that he was not.  His fear of Bill’s thoughts on their marks affecting them resurfaced.

“Hey, Bill,” Dipper tried to get the other’s attention.  He waited for Bill to straighten up from leaning over the pile of books and look at him.  “Would you tell me what my symbol actually looks like?”

“It likely looks like me, in a basic sense,” Bill said with a shrug.  He didn’t really care about the brandings.  He paused in focusing on the books again as Dipper seemed to deflate and turn around.  Bill sighed.  “I suppose I can take a look to be sure.”

“Really?” Dipper questioned.  He sounded hopeful, but didn’t turn around to look at Bill.  This was mostly because he couldn’t risk the other seeing the smile forming from getting his way.  Dipper knew it was wrong to use such manipulative tactics, but he did want an answer.  What greater cause was there than the pursuit of knowledge?

“Alright, show it to me already,” Bill said, sounding impatient and like he was rolling his eyes.

Dipper stilled as he realized that he would have to take his hoodie and probably his shirt off.  He forced his thoughts elsewhere.  What did it matter if he was shirtless around Bill?  Dipper held onto his hat as he took his hoodie off.  He tossed it over on the bed while the hoodie was left to fall to the floor.  Bill watched the trucker hat land dead center of the bed.  He smiled before looking back at Pine Tree.  The brunet grabbed onto the bottom hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head.  Bill blinked at the sight of Dipper’s back before his smirk returned.  He stepped closer as Dipper flung the top onto the floor with the hoodie.

“Bill?” Dipper asked when there was a stretch of silence.  He could tell his guardian had moved closer.  He tried to glance back at his demon.

“Hold still, sapling,” Bill said.  He lifted his eye to the branding on Dipper’s skin.  He felt a pull to touch it regardless of already knowing what it felt like.  It was a raised patch of skin, just like any branding.  He knew it was sensitive, at least to the touch of the correspondent.  His was likely much the same, much as he hated to think about it.  “As I described it.”

“A triangle with an eye?” Dipper questioned for clarification.  He kept questioning in his head why Bill wasn’t touching it.  Why did he sound so disinterested?  Dipper mentally shook his head, not caring that he was physically doing it as well.  He stiffened when Bill placed his left hand over his shoulder.  “Bill?”

There was a hiss of breath before Bill pulled away.  Dipper turned around quickly to find his demon had lifted his hand to press against his nonexistent eye.  Bill was fighting back from showing his pain too much.  His hand pulled away enough to see it with his good eye.  There was no indication that anything was wrong with the other one, any more than what was normally wrong with it.  Dipper gave him a concerned expression when that golden eye shifted to his face.

“What happened?” Dipper asked.  He took a step closer and grabbed onto Bill’s arm.  There was nothing on the clawed hand indicating his eye had been damaged.  Dipper looked back up at Bill with confusion along with the worry.

“I wanted to know if I could see out of it,” Bill said.  His eye focused on the hands holding his arm.  A small smile formed on his lips, a bit self deprecating, but also fond.  “I can.  I just forgot that using that ability leaves me with a shooting pain.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Dipper asked.  He didn’t know any healing magic.  He really didn’t know any magic.  Did painkillers work on demons?

“It leaves quickly,” Bill said with a fond smile.  His eyelid lowered, somehow making his gaze even more piercing to Dipper.  “It is a yellow triangle with an eye at the upper center.”

“Thank you, for looking for me,” Dipper said.  He quickly pulled away with his nerves catching up to him.  He looked down at the floor in embarrassment.  His face had to be red enough to have others think he was sunburnt.

“Pine Tree?” Bill questioned.  His hand lifted to Dipper’s chin in an attempt to lift that chocolate gaze.  Dipper held onto that hand to keep it from lifting his head up.

“I’m sorry,” Dipper said rather timidly.  He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for in that moment.  He tried to get a hold of his thoughts and calm down.  “Do you want me to look at yours?”

“It isn’t important,” Bill brushed off.  His other hand lifted to card his fingers through Dipper’s chestnut colored hair.  Dipper stilled when he knew his birthmark was revealed.  “I prefer this one anyway.  Best not to have negative connotations connected to such things.”

“I wouldn’t really say there aren’t negative connotations,” Dipper hesitated.  He pulled back slightly and Bill allowed it.  “My birthmark gets ridiculed a lot.  Not so much since I’ve been hiding it, but most anyone that sees it that isn’t family usually has something negative to say.”

“Then they are fools,” Bill growled.  His hand pushed back the brunet locks again to see the impression of the constellation beneath.  “It’s breathtaking.”

“Bill, come on,” Dipper forced out a chuckle.  He paused when he realized that his guardian was being quite serious.  The look in Bill’s eye said enough.  “I..i… It’s nothing special.”

“I disagree,” Bill stated simply.  He let Dipper’s bangs fall back into place all the same.  “You have the very stars on your face, over your mind.  And I have thought about that exact constellation for ages.”

“What?  Why?” Dipper flinched back, confused beyond belief.

“I told you I could see possible outcomes, right?” Bill began.  He focus shifted back to the now covered forehead.  There was a hint of sadness in his gaze, but no less awe.  “Before that was quite literally torn from me I had a vision of twinkling lights in that exact pattern.  When I came to this world I realized that the lights were the stars of your skies.  It was centuries later that I found out what that exact constellation was.”

“What, are you trying to say you’ve dreamt of me?” Dipper tried to laugh it off rather unsuccessfully.

“I suppose in a sense,” Bill said as he pondered it.  “Visions could be categorized as dreams, and envisioning Ursa Major could be interpreted as someone named after it.  Of course one could also claim it as a vision of a bear, so… You know interpretation and all that.”

“Yeah, vague,” Dipper agreed, a little overwhelmed in all honesty.  Perhaps he should wait to think about it another time.  There was still that thought of Bill’s earlier words.  “Anyway, the negative connotation thing applies to this too.”

“Not on my watch,” Bill argued as he pulled Dipper closer.  He pulled his human so that they were back to front.  Dipper rolled his eyes as Bill leaned over him to rest his head on his shoulder and hold him like he had around Wendy’s little group.  “No one would dare mock you for such a sign.”

“Well, I like the other one better,” Dipper said.  He smiled fondly at the thought.  He appreciated that Bill found beauty in his birthmark regardless of his own thoughts on it at times.  It was his namesake after all or the origin of his nickname at least.  He smirked at the thought of something that Bill couldn’t argue with.  “It makes it clear who I belong to.”

“It is not an entirely accurate representation,” Bill muttered.  There was something about Dipper’s words that made it hard to get out that statement.  He tightened his hold around his sapling and nuzzled at the juncture where shoulder and neck connected.  Thinking about their brandings made him think about Strange, and he definitely didn’t want to think about the square in that moment.

“I can understand that,” Dipper said.  He pursed his lips in thought despite his enjoyment of Bill’s attention.  “I’m not a tree after all, despite my last name.  Can I see it?”

“See what?” Bill asked, not really paying attention to the conversation in that moment.  His tongue swiped over Dipper’s pulse, making his human jump.

“Bill,” Dipper cried out as he attempted to wriggle away.

“Shh, calm down, sapling,” Bill said against Dipper’s ear.  He pulled his head away from Dipper’s neck to limit the temptation of doing that again.  “I’m sorry if that was too much.  I won’t do it again.  I just want you close to me.”

“Can I turn around at least?” Dipper asked, still squirming a little in the other’s hold.  He would feel better with a face to face conversation.  Dipper believed this up until he was allowed to look at Bill.  Perhaps it was the fact that Bill had lifted him up so they were still close even when his demon stood to his full height.  Dipper instantly locked his legs and arms around Bill.  The collar of his tuxedo kept Dipper’s arms from touching his skin.  “Uh, this wasn’t exactly what I envisioned.”

“No?” Bill questioned with a tilt of his head.  He smiled that wide-toothed grin of his.  “It’s better, right?”

“Not for my blood pressure,” Dipper admitted, even though he had tried to say it as a joke to lighten the mood.  He attempted to laugh it off in hopes of Bill not taking it seriously.

“So you’d rather I put you down?” Bill asked with a slight pout.  Dipper hesitated, but nodded the truth.  Bill sighed as if relenting was such a chore for him.  “Okay, but on one condition.”  He smiled wickedly as his face got closer to Dipper.

“Bill,” Dipper shouted as he tried in vain to lean back.  If Bill wasn’t holding on to him so securely it would have resulting in Dipper landing on the floor.

“Just one,” Bill pleaded, though he somehow made it sound smug.  How was that even possible?

“Can I see the mark on your neck?” Dipper countered, confident that Bill would drop it right then.

“Guess I’m not putting you down then,” Bill conceded with a shrug and hint of a smile.  He laughed as Dipper started struggling against his hold.  Dipper froze as he realized his struggling was causing him to rub against Bill.  Not to mention the reminder that he was shirtless.  Thankfully he had noticed it before any real damage could be done to his already shattered ego.  “Come on, Pine Tree, just one kiss.  It can be quick if you prefer.”

“You’re insufferable,” Dipper accused with a pout.

“I’m yours, remember?” Bill reminded with that smug grin.  Could it really be called a grin when it stretched like that?  If Dipper relented he could at least be spared it for a few seconds, but it would only return even worse should Bill get what he wanted.

“Fine,” Dipper grudgingly gave in.  “One kiss, then you put me down.”

Bill didn’t acknowledge Dipper giving into the deal.  His attention shifted to the door to the attic.  Dipper was carefully placed back on his feet before he could find out what Bill had been distracted by.  His guardian was glaring at the door with his arms crossed.  Dipper looked behind him after some hesitation.  Clearly they had been interrupted.  He was fearful of what disappointed or angry expression awaited him from Grunkle Stan or Great Uncle Ford.  It at least seemed to be an improvement if Bill wasn’t threatening them.  There was only some relief when neither elder Pines was revealed to be standing there.

“Mabel,” Dipper cried out in surprise and mortification once he turned around.  How much had she seen, or heard?  How long was she standing in the doorway?  Why hadn’t Bill said anything?  “Uh, this...uhm…”

“Sorry,” Mabel apologized as she finally looked away with an embarrassed smile.  “I heard you up here.  I probably should have knocked.”

“Yes,” Bill said, clearly annoyed.  “That is the common courtesy as I understand it.”

“Bill, like you care about common courtesy,” Dipper commented.  He didn’t want his demon upsetting Mabel further.  She was clearly sorry for barging in, and it wasn’t like Dipper wasn’t used to it in certain situations.  He would just have to get over the embarrassment of her potentially almost catching him with someone’s tongue in his mouth, and him being shirtless.  He should really fix that.  “It’s okay, Mabel.  We’ll be down in a moment.”

“Oh, yeah,” Mabel said, lacking her usual cheer.  Her smile was clearly forced.  “I made pancakes, so… yeah, take your time.”

The door was shut carefully behind her.  Mabel could be heard rushing down the stairs.  Dipper rounded on his demon as soon as he was sure his twin had made it down safely.  Bill was still glaring at the door.  Dipper didn’t even have the words in that moment.  He huffed and angrily picked his shirt up off the floor.  He kicked his hoodie away once his head was free.  He breathed to try collecting himself before turning to Bill again.  That yellow eye was watching him that time, appearing confused.  Somehow that made Dipper angrier with him.

“What was that?” Dipper asked while he gestured to the door.  “You can’t treat my sister like that.”

“She’s the one that came in without asking,” Bill said, clearly unamused by her interruption still.

“That’s what Mabel does,” Dipper defended, only after realizing that it was quite an unsuccessful way of doing so.  He took a moment to shift tactics.  “She was worried about me.  It was an honest mistake.  You didn’t have to make her feel worse about it when she had already apologized.”

“If she does it repeatedly then she clearly isn’t sorry at all,” Bill pointed out.  This just seemed to agitate Dipper further.

“Oh, like you claimed to be sorry for licking me,” Dipper shot back.  He lifted his hands into his hair as he turned to pace, unable to look at Bill just then without further freaking out.

“If it made you uncomfortable I will refrain from repeating such actions,” Bill said, still not seeing why Pine Tree was getting so worked up about it.  He cast another glare at the closed door.  “I simply don’t appreciate the square sending his minion to watch us.”

“What!?” Dipper stopped in his tracks.  He stared at Bill like he had just uttered something truly insane, because he had as far as Dipper was concerned.  “Mabel isn’t a minion!”

“Pine Tree,” Bill said carefully.  He hadn’t meant to upset Dipper.  He supposed blood ties did actually mean something to certain mortals.  Of course Pine Tree would be one of those.  He cared about others and believed in loyalty.  Bill relented after a short internal battle.  “Okay, you’re right.  She is your blood, and I went too far there.”

“I suppose that’s a start,” Dipper grumbled as his anger somewhat faded.  He breathed to get his thoughts in order.  Bill’s distrust was towards Tad, not Mabel specifically.  That wasn’t much better, but it was a start.  Dipper really wanted them to get along.  His grunkles would be enough of a problem without Bill bringing up this antagonistic side with everyone else.  “Please, Bill, just try to be nice to Mabel from now on?  She’s on our side here.  I get that you and Tad have issues, but don’t take it out on her just because their bonded.”

“Fine,” Bill relented.  He clearly didn’t want to put in the effort, but for Pine Tree he would.  Surely she hadn’t been around the square enough to be swayed by him just yet.  He would just have to keep an eye on them to make sure Strange wouldn’t use the girl against Dipper.  He already had Sixer and Stanley to worry about turning his sapling against him.  Without Pine Tree, Bill had nothing.

Chapter Text

Mabel took a moment at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor to compose herself.  She held one of her sketchbooks against her chest for security.  It probably wasn’t the best idea to take it to the kitchen, especially when it could get messy from syrup or something.  Mabel was hoping to design a new sweater, though.  It would get her mind off of other things at least.  She was letting Bill’s clear dislike of her dampen her mood quite a bit.

It wasn’t often that Mabel had someone dismiss her like that.  Bill was Dipper’s demon, so he obviously would prefer him to her.  Mabel just hadn’t considered that Bill would find her annoying, to say the least.  Of course he could have just been angry that she had barged in like that.  She could definitely learn to respect the privacy of others more often.  Bill was still getting used to everything after being trapped for so long.  Perhaps his dislike of Tad for putting him there was being directed at Mabel as well.  It would make sense.  Mabel understood that she could come off as annoying at times and grate on others’ nerves.  She just hadn’t counted on her twin’s guardian being someone that thought of her that way.

Grunkle Stan had the newspaper covering his face when Mabel finally entered the room.  He had told Soos to go home, but the man had claimed he would rather fix a shelf he had found loose the other day.  Great Uncle Ford had snuck off back to his lab for something.  It was quite possible he had just used it as an excuse to avoid Bill.  Tad was getting out a couple glasses for Mabel and Dipper to use.  They floated onto the table and landed without a scratch.  Tad was the first to notice Mabel enter.  He gave her a concerned look, likely able to sense that she was not her usual chipper self.  Mabel gave him a smile that wasn’t as bright as he expected from her.

“Dipper and Bill should be down soon,” Mabel announced in hopes of stopping any questions about her current mood.  She just had to push forward and forget about it.  Her voice even lacked her upbeat attitude to the point that Grunkle Stan lowered his newspaper to look at her.

“Is Dipper okay?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Mabel said quickly to keep him from getting up to check.  She looked down as she pressed her sketchbook against her chest.  “I just… kinda… should have knocked before checking on them.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Stan questioned further.  He folded up his paper and put it aside.  Clearly he thought he needed to check on Dipper himself now.

“Nothing,” Mabel called out in an attempt to keep her grunkle from getting up.  She tried to compose herself a second later with a shaky smile.  “It’s nothing.  Dipper was just… changing his shirt.  Yeah, so I caught him without one on.”

“And why did he need to change his shirt?” Stan asked, clearly jumping to the conclusion that Mabel had tried to steer him away from.  “Where was Bill?”

“Ah, fine,” Mabel huffed.  She rolled her eyes and flopped into her chair grumpily.  “I caught them almost kissing.  Bill got angry that I walked in on them.”

“How angry?” Tad asked.  He moved closer to Mabel to make sure she was alright.  He didn’t think that Bill would hurt the other Pines, because of Dipper.  If he was furious enough, though, there was no telling what he was capable of.

“He was just a bit rude when I tried to apologize,” Mabel said with her eyes downcast.  She lifted her feet onto the chair to curl into a sort of ball.  “I know he needs time to warm up to us.”

“It’s best to keep your distance, Mabel,” Grunkle Stan warned.  “Believe me, that monster is capable of much worse than being rude.”

“But he’s Dipper’s guardian,” Mabel pointed out.  She watched Stanley pick his newspaper back up.  Her cheeks puffed out at the thought of being ignored.  Mabel looked down at her bent knees.  “He’s family now.”

Stanley sighed as he put his paper back down.  He rubbed between his eyes, pushing his glasses up to do so.  He knew this would come up in some form, and of course it would be from Mabel.  Stan wasn’t sure how to work this balancing act.  He couldn’t let Stanford force Dipper to give up his bond.  He couldn’t let Mabel put herself in harm's way, either.  If he denied her attempts to get on Cipher’s good side (assuming he had one) it could mean forcing her to avoid Dipper as well.  Ford would call him reckless and stupid for allowing her near that monster, but they were all near him now.  Stan lowered his hands to rest on the table as he tried to think of what to say.

“I just think keeping our distance is best for now,” Stanley said, not entirely sure that it mattered one way or the other.  “The less we remind him we exist the less likely he is to try killing us all in our sleep.”

“I don’t believe we have to worry about that,” Tad said, for a couple different reasons.

“Seems likely to me,” Stan grumbled.  He took up his newspaper again, deciding that the conversation was over regardless of their stance.

“He’s Dipper’s guardian,” Mabel repeated.  Surely Bill cared about Dipper, and wouldn’t harm the family of his charge.

“When we sleep, Dipper is typically asleep as well,” Tad pointed out.  This made both of the Pines turn to him.  Stanley didn’t see why that would matter.  If anything it made it easier since the boy wouldn’t be up to protest such a plan.  “Bill isn’t going to leave Dipper unguarded.  Sleeping leaves one quite vulnerable to outside physical threats as well as subconscious ones.”

“So, what, he’s going to stay with Dipper to keep his nightmares away?” Stanley countered.  He scoffed at the idea, but then found himself considering it.  Cipher was a master of mental magic.  Dipper got little enough sleep as it was just from staying up reading, studying, or messing with one of his conspiracy moments.  Stan debated this for a moment, begrudgingly finding himself agreeing to points of Tad’s assumption.  “Okay, fine.  You’ve made your point there.”

“Who made their point about what?” Dipper asked as he came into the room.  Bill was floating behind him.  The golden demon twirled to take in various parts of the room.

“We were discussing the issues with the barrier,” Stanley said, despite the others knowing he was lying.  “The gnomes got in because of the ‘hostile to humans’ clause.”

“Strengthening it beyond that would mean the rest of the town is stuck here,” Tad added on.  Mabel didn’t say anything, but seemed to go along with it.

“Well if you’d give them a reason to stay away they would,” Bill pointed out as he floated up to the ceiling.  Stanley watched him from over his newspaper carefully.

“We don’t float here,” the man said in what was meant to be a warning tone.

“Of course you don’t, Stanley,” Bill agreed with a mocking chuckle.  He stopped to watch the man from above everything, upside down.  “You let things like gravity rule you in a place where it falls!”

“Bill,” Dipper said in a mix of warning and pleading.  Apparently they had discussed something in regards to this before interacting with everyone else.

“Fine, fine,” Bill waved off as he floated down to the countertop to sit.  His tone was playful as he smiled at his human.  “Always ruining my fun, Pine Tree.  Sheesh!”

“Hey, Dipper,” Soos greeted happily as he peeked into the room.  Everyone turned their attention from Bill and his antics to the man.  Bill was almost instantly in Soos’ face, making the man flinch back.  The man watched the demon as he was studied in turn.  “Uh…”

“Fascinating,” Bill muttered as he circled the man.  He had gone back to floating.  Stanley had stood from his chair at the thought of Cipher threatening his employee.  Bill came to a stop on Soos’ left side, leaning around to look the man in the face with his unnerving grin.  “One of Sixer’s experiments?  A subterranean perhaps?”

“Uh, hi, dude,” Soos said as he slowly got over his shock.  He put his hand out in an offered handshake.  “I’m Soos.”

“Hmm,” Bill hummed as he spun in the air to hang upside down in front of the man.  Soos’ eyes widened and he backed up a little at the narrowing eye and widening grin.  Bill let his hat fall to be caught in his left hand.  “Bill Cipher!”  He leaned closer to the startled man.  His yellow eye glowed blue then flashed red before settling into its natural golden hue.  “I suggest you remember it.”

“Leave Soos alone, Bill,” Dipper warned.  The golden demon instantly teleported back to the countertop.  Dipper halfheartedly glared at him while his demon tried to pull the innocent act.  Dipper turned back to Soos with an apologetic smile.  “Sorry about that, Soos.  Bill is a little...protective.”

“And insane,” Bill added in cheerily.  He moved his hands under his legs when Dipper quickly gave him a warning glance, though it had no real force behind it.

“Wait,” Soos said with a confused blink.  He looked from Bill to Dipper a few times before stopping on the brunet.  He smiled as he caught on.  “Dude!  You got a demon, too?”

“Yeah,” Dipper admitted.  He rubbed the side of his neck as his cheeks darkened slightly.  “Bill was trapped in the forest until I set him free.  We’ve been working things out, battled a few griffins under mind control.  You know, bonding junk I guess.”  Dipper chuckled nervously as he lowered his arm.

“Congratulations, dude,” Soos said with a friendly smile.  He glanced to Bill to find the demon had turned around and was looking through the cupboards while sitting on the counter.

“Get out of there,” Stanley yelled at the demon.  Bill didn’t pay him any mind except to glance his way and stick his tongue out like a child.  Grunkle Stan turned to Dipper with clear indication that he wanted him to do something about this.

“Bill, come on,” Dipper said.  He smiled despite himself.  “I can’t enjoy my pancakes if I’m worried about you breaking things.”

The cupboard Bill was rummaging in was instantly slammed shut.  Dipper honestly hadn’t expected to be listened to so quickly.  He also hadn’t expected the speed at which Bill turned around, or grabbed him.  Dipper was forced into one of the chairs.  He wasn’t sure if it was through teleportation or just Bill moving around that fast.  Dipper looked around at everyone else who were just as confused as he was.  He caught Bill floating slightly behind his left side, opposite where Grunkle Stan had sat back down at.

“You humans need this gross food stuff to function properly, so you better enjoy it,” Bill warned with a surprisingly serious expression.  His crossed arms proved that he wasn’t budging on the subject.  Dipper blinked at him before turning back to his plate and the pancakes piled on the center plate.

Soos walked over to take one of the available chairs.  It was the one further from Bill.  Tad turned his attention to the wall to avoid his smile being noticed.  Stanley was the first to dig into the piled up pancakes.  Dipper was prepared to be last, but three of them floated onto his plate on their own.  He refrained from looking back at Bill and instead reached for the syrup.  He watched Mabel pick up her shaker of edible glitter.  Dipper flinched when he felt Bill move closer to watch the syrup drizzle over the fluffy food.  He caught his demon out of the corner of his eye looking to Mabel drenching hers once she had access to the sugary liquid.  Dipper’s pancakes didn’t sparkle like hers did.

Bill took an interest in the glitter shaker while everyone ate their breakfast.  It was more of a brunch given the time.  Dipper tried to keep an eye on him between bites.  He ended up taking the shaker from his guardian when Bill screwed the lid off in an attempt to down the whole contents.  Bill floated there pouting afterwards despite it being clear that Dipper wouldn’t be giving the shaker back to him.  He wasn’t allowed to take all of Mabel’s favorite seasoning, or whatever edible glitter was classified as.  Dipper moved the shaker between his legs before taking another bite.

“Bill,” Dipper scolded as he looked up to find his bite of pancake had disappeared.  Bill pulled back from the fork as he decided whether he liked the taste or not.  Dipper angrily stabbed at his remaining pancake and made sure not to take his eyes off it again.

“It’s not the pancake’s fault, Dip-dop,” Mabel giggled.  She got up and walked over to the fridge when she realized her drink was almost gone.  She pulled out her pitcher of Mabel Juice.  When she put it down to take a drink from her glass the pitcher started floating over to Bill.  The golden demon watched the plastic dinosaurs and glittery bits floating in the pink liquid.

“Give Mabel back her juice, Bill,” Dipper said between bites.

“Put that the fuck down,” Stanley shouted when he realized what Dipper was referring to.

“Sheesh, I see where Pine Tree gets the killjoy attitude,” Bill commented.  He gave the pitcher and its contents a bored glance before letting it return to the kitchen table.

“I don’t mind sharing,” Mabel said.  She picked up the pitcher to put it back in the refrigerator anyway.  It seemed like Grunkle Stan was greatly against Bill having some.

“That stuff is nightmare fuel that this lunatic does not need,” Stanley said loudly.  He glared at the golden demon as he stabbed his pancakes enough to make a ringing clang.

“Sorry, Bill,” Mabel apologized.  She would have liked to see what her brother’s demon thought of her drink.  She picked up her sketchbook and put it back on her lap once she was seated back down.  “I could create a sweater for you instead.”

“I am quite capable of summoning my own outfits,” Bill said dismissively.  He snapped his fingers to prove his point.  The bright yellow tuxedo was replaced with a black vest, the button up underneath turned a dark yellow, and his dress pants became black slacks.  The left sleeve of the shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the obsidian coloring that stretched up his left forearm.  His tone remained aloof.  “But thank you for the offer.”

“The offer holds if you change your mind,” Mabel said, instantly regaining her upbeat tone.  She caught Tad leaning against the fridge with a fond smile.  He was trying to hide it by keeping his head down and arms crossed.

“Sixer still skips meals I see,” Bill noted.  He wondered briefly if the man was absent just to avoid him.  It wasn’t all that amusing to Bill, simply because that would be just anyone’s response.  Then again he did leave quite the impression on the man, so to speak.  “Surprised he hasn’t wasted away by now.”

“What he does or doesn’t do is none of your business,” Stanley said in warning.  He wasn’t going to let the embodiment of eternal nightmares torment his brother further.  If Stanford needed to avoid the demon for his sanity then he would help him do that until his twin got his bearings.

“It certainly is my business if he takes aim at Pine Tree again,” Bill stated with a not so subtle glare.

“He was aiming for you, not Dipper,” Stanley defended, even if he was upset about that himself.  Ford had reacted without thinking in that moment as far as he could tell.  That was something Stan was known for doing, not his twin.  It only proved how much he would have to keep this monster away from Stanford.

“With Dipper close to me,” Bill pointed out.  He wouldn’t be letting that go anytime soon.  Since it seemed to get under Stanley’s skin so much he could likely bring it up with Sixer for some entertainment.

“Great Uncle Ford likely didn’t take time to think about it,” Dipper said, trying to help his grunkle while also getting Bill to stop.  “There were a lot of griffins to deal with, and he just saw an additional threat at the time.  He reacted, then you reacted, and now we’re all here.”

Silence followed as no one really wanted to add to the tension.  Bill frowned with his arms crossed and looked away from the table like a petulant child.  He didn’t care to spend more time than necessary around the others anyway.  It made it easier for him to keep his promise to Pine Tree about being civil with them.  Perhaps Sixer had the right idea by skipping this eating thing, but Bill wasn’t about to let his human take up that habit.  There was the urge to glare at the square on the opposite side of the room.  Bill should be keeping an eye on that traitor after all.  Instead he decided to follow the philosophy of ‘out of sight out of mind.’

“Bill,” Dipper said after finishing his plate.  He stared down at the empty dish with a worried frown.  “When we were in that cave did you find a book on me?”

“No,” Bill replied.  His attention focused sharply on Dipper as though no one else was even there, despite being far too aware that they were not alone.  “You didn’t have anything like that on you when I took you to my pyramid.  Well, what’s left of it.”

Dipper cradled his head in his hands with a groan.  How could he have forgotten about Great Uncle Ford’s journal until now?  He must have dropped it when running from that first griffin.  Dipper didn’t even know what part of the forest he had been in when it happened.  Stanford had trusted him with all his knowledge and Dipper had gone and lost such an important cataloguing of Gravity Falls’ creatures.  He was usually more careful than that.  Then again who was really prepared for a mind controlled griffin to chase them.  What would Dipper tell his great uncle?  No, he would go out and find that journal.

“Dipper?” Mabel gave her brother a worried frown.  She watched him suddenly bolt up so quick the chair slid back on the tiled floor.

“I have to go back into the forest,” Dipper said.  He didn’t bother running back up for his hoodie or hat.  Everyone was quite surprised and concerned.  “I dropped Great Uncle Ford’s journal out there.”

“It’s just a book, Dipper,” Grunkle Stan reasoned.  His great nephew didn’t need to get so worked up about it.  Stanford would likely understand, regardless of the information the book held.  Then again they already had one journal lost to them, because they were unable to get it back.

“It has the creatures of the town in it,” Dipper shouted behind him.  He was out the gift shop door before anyone could respond further.  It was then that the others realized Bill had up and vanished, not that they had trouble guessing the reason.

Chapter Text

The mansion owned by the Northwest family could be viewed from the town as it loomed over its citizens.  It was a testament, a statement, that the richest family in the little town was far superior to the plebeian masses.  The head of the family, Preston Northwest, had no problem declaring this outright vocally as well as in his actions and regard for the less well off.  His attitude was shared by his wife, Priscilla, who looked down on the common folk like rodents or some other pests.  They encouraged their daughter to have the same opinion.  The problem with this was that Pacifica knew she did not live up to their expectations either.

Priscilla could scarce look at her own daughter after the discovery of her bonded mark.  The fact that it was right there on her face made it so much worse.  Pacifica knew there was no way to remove it without serious harm to herself, so she was forced to hide it under a large bandage around even her own family.  She would never be the perfect heiress they had hoped for.  She was lucky to still be considered a Northwest.  Luckily Preston had seen an opportunity in Pacifica’s deformity:  fighting fire with fire.  If one of those abominations was bound to his daughter then he could use it against its wretched kind.  Pacifica could redeem herself, had to redeem herself.  It had been too long since the Northwest family reminded these common folk why they were superior; besides their money of course.

The Northwest line began their rise to fame as demon hunters ages ago.  It was actually the other abominations that came about because of the otherworldly beasts that they fought, but formalities and all that.  At least those things could be killed!  Demons were so much worse because of their apparent inability to be taken out for good.  Within the Northwest library had been detailed accounts of glorious battles with the monstrosities, and supposedly documented means of reducing the threat of continued attacks from them.  How accurate this was even Preston could not say now, as much of their history had been destroyed in a strange fire, along with his parents and siblings.

Preston may not know how to take down these abominations like some of his ancestors supposedly did, but he did have one thing that no Northwest had had before him.  Sure it went against everything his lineage stood for, but such sacrifices would be worth it.  He could finally accomplish what his family had strived for:  the ultimate destruction of demon kind.  He had trained Pacifica to see that goal through.  If only that thing she was connected to would be as cooperative.  Regardless, Preston had come to understand some of the limitations to demons and their magic.  The centuries of research once held in the Northwest library may be lost, but Preston had the opportunity to start again thanks to his daughter’s folly.  Unfortunately it seemed his obstacles had multiplied rather than lessened, thanks to those meddlesome Pines and their monstrosity.

It was with these thoughts that he sat in his office with a simple journal left by his daughter.  Pacifica had gone out the night before, judging by the brief note she left with the book.  Preston had studied the burgundy cover with its deformed, yellow handprint.  There was little doubt in his mind who it belonged to.  The question was why it had been left in a place for his daughter to stumble upon in the middle of the night.  He could only hope it meant something unfortunate for its owner or former owner as it were.  Preston flipped through the pages of handwritten information on Gravity Falls’ oddities.

If this little book was to be believed then most of the local abominations were actually quite docile, unless threatened.  Preston sneered at the thought.  What did these things have to feel threatened about?  They were the things that ruined this world.  It just proved whose side the Pines were on that they could sympathize with such things.  They were traitors to humanity!  Did they not see how these things upset the order of their very world?  Of course not; the Pines had spent too much time with that demon in their midst, letting it roam freely and do as it pleased.  Preston wasn’t about to let that happen with his family; hence why Pacifica’s monstrosity was confined to her room or its weapon form while on the premises.  He could hardly wait for the day when such blights would be wiped from this world permanently.

Pacifica had claimed in her note that she would be arriving to brief her father on her findings soon.  Preston had not approved her impromptu excursion, but given what she had uncovered he could let it slide this time.  His daughter was not so incapable that she needed his go ahead every single time.  She had some sense of freedom, provided she adhered to his wishes and example.  Preston was not about to let her ruin their image further than she already had with that abomination.  The sudden knock at his door was likely Pacifica.

“Enter,” Preston spoke up.  He lifted his steely gaze from the page he was on.

The door opened with a click once the handle was pulled.  The young blonde woman entered swiftly, but carefully.  The door was once again closed softly.  Preston sat with his back straight and arms resting over the mahogany desk with his fingers laced together.  The book was closed and moved to about the middle of the desk, though more towards him than his approaching daughter.  Pacifica curtseyed in her sea foam dress.  She had made sure to look presentable, as a Northwest always should.

“Good morning, father,” Pacifica greeted politely once she was about a foot from the desk.  She stood with her hands clasped at her front.  Her head remained down slightly to avoid eye contact like an obedient daughter.

“It is nearly noon,” Preston pointed out.  It would be two more hours before then, but he preferred Pacifica to be up early.  He didn’t bother to gauge her reaction as he changed to the more important matter at hand.  “You indicted in your note that you had found this out in the forest last night.  What forced you out there so late?”

“Py-...,” Pacifica caught herself a bit too late.  She softly cleared her throat and restarted.  “There was a possible rogue in the area.  I went to investigate.”

“Was it difficult to deal with?” Preston asked, not really giving an indication of interest.  He was more annoyed that such a creature would dare come into his, sadly worthless, little town.  What were the Pines doing then, when their demon should be keeping others out of its supposed territory?

“It had left the area by the time w-, I got there,” Pacifica swallowed her nerves at her second slip up.  She refrained from lifting her eyes to check her father’s expression.  She wasn’t likely to gauge it anyway; she never could find anything but disappointment there.  “I stumbled on that instead.”

“Hm, perhaps the Pines were doing their apparent job,” Preston thought aloud.  Perhaps they had suffered a casualty at its claws.  It was only wishful thinking on his part, horrible as it sounded.  He would rather these monstrosities not take another life, even if it would help him in the long run.  “Was it certain this rogue left the area?”

“I… no,” Pacifica admitted.  Her eyes shifted as she thought of how to explain without upsetting her father further.  She breathed to calm herself as Pyronica had taught her during their training.  It was meant to clear her mind in the midst of a confrontation, but it helped her deal with the fear of her father’s disappointment as well.  “It is not likely to have gone far.  They… seem to be acquainted.”

“Do you believe it would let this rogue go unchecked?” Preston pressed.  He didn’t like the thought of Pacifica’s demon knowing this invader.  It was bad enough that there was a familiarity with the Pines’ demon.  His eyes narrowed at the thought of his daughter allowing herself to be deceived in such a way.  “Did you return here without checking?”

“No,” Pacifica blurted out.  She flinched at her lapse in composure and tried to regain it.  Her gaze focused on the floor as her body locked up in fear.  “We- I checked around the barrier, even areas that sh-... that it was likely to have been.”

“Did it give you a name?” Preston asked without truly changing the subject.  His tone came off the slightest bit calmer, not that he was one to raise his voice much.  He let his expression show his disappointment, but Pacifica had since learned to catch the smallest of inflections.  She did seem to compose herself with this knowledge.

“No,” she said.  She bit her lip, hoping he didn’t catch the action as it was not becoming of a Northwest.  Pacifica thought back on her brief attempt to get answers from Pyronica.  “I was unable to get one.”

“Yet you believe It knows this rogue,” Preston stated.  His arms rose so he could rest his elbows on his desk with his fingers steepled as he leaned back a little.

“She is afraid,” Pacifica admitted her suspicions without thinking of her reference to her partner.  Pyronica had been adamant about keeping the rogue’s identity secret.  She didn’t want Pacifica to know its name for one reason or another.  This was further evidenced by the one bit of information Pyronica had granted her.  “Without a name we would be ignored.”

“Without a name we do not know its capabilities,” Preston said.  He didn’t care about the feelings of her abomination.  Unfortunately it was clear that his attempts to keep Pacifica from caring had failed.  “We backed off of the Pines’ demon because of its bonded status .”  He spit out the words despite keeping his outward composure.  “This rogue does not get the same pass.  It is a threat, and we will deal with it.  I want that name, Pacifica.”

“Yes, father,” Pacifica said with a decline of her head.  She waited a brief moment before leaving the room.  She did not move beyond a confident walk until she was a distance from her father’s study.  Pacifica briskly made her way back to her room.

Preston turned his attention fully back to the journal now in his possession.  There was a small possibility that that deformed supposed scientist had jotted down at least some information pertaining to his own lived-in monstrosity.  Perhaps it was too much for him to ask that the Pines have a reliable backup plan should the creature become a threat, but surely they had some sense to look into weaknesses beyond throwing another demon at it.  Of course he did have experts on the matter on hand as well.  If anyone had found a way to eliminate a demon once and for all, sadly, it would be Stanford Pines.  If such a thing even sounded impossible (and not just “unethical” or “immoral”) to him then they would certainly be looking into upgrading their energy intake.

Things would have been so much easier back when the portals were still a viable option to chuck these abominations back into.  Sure, the plebeian masses were no longer fretting over the various gateways to the Nightmare Realm expanding to let in more of the abominations, but it made cleansing the world all the more difficult.  Never mind that it had been so long that the world was arguably “normal” with demons in it now.  If so many had seemingly adjusted to the presence of such things then they could easily get on without them ever being here to begin with.  The fact that this plague had reached even Preston’s bloodline could not be tolerated.

With that thought in mind he snapped the book closed.  He didn’t have the patience for it at the moment anyway.  It would be much more productive to check in on his allies.  Preston stood from his chair and walked around his desk to exit his study.  Agents Powers and Trigger could always be relied on to keep him in the loop when it came to reported demonic activity.  It was what the government paid them for after all; and why he allowed them to use his home as a base of operations in this forsaken town.  Preston walked briskly (somehow without appearing in a rush) through the halls to the wing that the agency had claimed.  If a rogue was wandering around the area then there were likely nearby towns reporting it.

The lower agents could be seen rushing about as Preston approached.  He didn’t bother with any of them, confident in his position gained through his monetary backing.  It didn’t take him long to spot Agent Powers in the middle of it all.  Agent Trigger was standing beside his superior while reading over some report.  Preston stood enough out of the way to not impede the lesser ranks while still being in plain view of the man he had made this trip to see.  It thankfully did not take long to be acknowledged.

“Mr. Northwest,” Agent Powers greeted with a nod before stepping forward.  “Thank you again for offering up part of your mansion for our use.  Is there something you needed?”

“It is the least I could do for all your agency does for the common people,” Preston said with a polite smile.  Pleasantries were often a necessity for getting what one wanted, and he had performed this dance enough for it to be almost automatic.  “I trust everyone is settling in just fine.  I do hope there is enough room for all your equipment so that you can properly monitor everything.”

“There are no complaints here,” Powers said.  He spared a glance at one of the tech workers at their monitor.  “Our equipment is in top condition.  We were just going over the latest registration reports from Headquarters.”

“You make it sound like there was a recent addition since the last time it was checked,” Preston brought up with a curious expression.

“Indeed there was,” Agent Powers confirmed.  He took a paper from the top of Trigger’s reports and briefly let his eyes scan over it.  “Another bonded pair has been registered.  Given our digging, your little town is quite the hotspot for them.”

“That is rather odd,” Preston said.  His eyes shifted as he pondered this information.  Surely the reports were wrong.  The Pines having their demon bonded merely a year after Pacifica was unusual enough from his understanding.  Of course it wasn’t as if these bonds didn’t form when another existed, but to crop up so close together was definitely not common.  The possibility of there being a reason for it was at the forefront of Preston’s mind as a result.  “You mean to tell me that someone else in this town is now paired, besides the Pines?”

“Well, no, actually,” Powers looked over the paper with either confusion or annoyance.  Preston really couldn’t tell the difference with the man, nor did he care all that much.  “Of the Pines we talked to the girl was paired with one Tad Strange.  It appears the boy is also bonded, however, which contradicts what they told us.”

“Isn’t that grounds to bring them in for questioning?” Preston asked.  He had to fiercely contain himself from smiling at the idea.  If the Pines had finally slipped up then this was his chance to capitalize.

“We are waiting for the go ahead from Headquarters,” Powers replied, not entirely crushing Preston’s hidden excitement.  “If the demon is a known threat then yes.  However, there is no record of this Bill Cipher.”

“Hm,” Preston hummed in response.  His left eye twitched as a headache threatened just behind it.  He hid his discomfort expertly, but decided it was likely time for him to depart.  “I trust you will work it out then.  If you need anything I am more than happy to help if need be.”

“Of course, thank you, Mr. Northwest,” Agent Powers said with a departing nod.