A/N I'm back, yes I'm back with the sequel to 'Familiar'. After being gone for almost a week due to the recent death of my cat, I'm back. I decided that if I wanted to get out of my terrible funk that came with my grief over my pet's sudden and unexpected death I had to write something. So here it is, enjoy.
Edit: Added a cipher.
Chapter 1 - Returning To Once They Came.
Dipper Pines sucked in a deep breath as he stepped off the bus. His feet crunched against the pine needles and leaves on the ground. He looked up to see Mabel instantly rushing over and grabbing their two great uncles into a tight hug, Waddles follow intently behind. "Hey, Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford." He said, walking over to the two of them.
"How was your year, kids?" Stan asked, picking up Mabel's suitcase.
"Good! I accidentally ate scratch and sniff stickers and had to go to the hospital at one point!" His sister shouted, already waving her arms around in a funny fashion. Stan and Ford both laugh, Stan walking with Mabel as they all head towards the shack. Stanford pulls back, walking beside Dipper.
"How have you been, Dipper?" Ford said, placing a hand on the teenager's shoulder.
"Good. Good yeah. Piedmont isn't exactly that supernatural. Apparently, Weridmagdon got out to the entire country. So it wasn't exactly a surprise when our parents started to ask us questions about what happened." He rambled, gripping tightly onto his journal which was now slightly worn. "It also turns out that dating the demon who started it isn't exactly good for your reputation. Mom insisted I tell her and Dad everything before returning to school. And when I went to school I wasn't exactly liked either." The was a small frown on the young boy's face. "Mom wasn't exactly upset when I told her, nor was Dad. They were just confused about why it had happened. I'm not gay or anything… but I don't think I'd be able to see myself with a girl in the future either."
"Dipper, it's okay to be confused. That's how we discover new things after all." Ford chuckled, patting him on the back.
"Anyway, how have your studies been going, Grunkle Ford?"
"Great. Seems those rifts we were sealed up before the end of summer last year caused a lot more anomalies than I expected." They had reached the Mystery Shack, the old shack still the same as they had left it. Dipper lifted his bag higher up, stepping onto the porch as Stan swung the door open. Mabel and Dipper instantly ran upstairs, placing their luggage onto the ground beside their ever-familiar beds. Mabel flopped onto her old bed, smiling as Dipper placed his journal down on the table in between the two beds. He let loose a sigh, gripping onto the necklace he always wore.
"You going to go see him?" His sister asked, hanging upside down on her bed while glancing at him. He bit his lip, unsure how to respond.
"Yeah. It's been a while since I saw his statue." He answered, rising from his spot. "I'll be back later. Tell Grunkle Stan and Great Uncle Ford that I went out if they ask." Dipper ran down the stairs without waiting for his sister's response.
He flew out of the door as he ran into the forest, panting as he reached the clearing where he stayed. Dipper hesitated at the border of trees, glancing at the statue in front of him. He slowly walked forward, kneeling in the grass. He grazed a hand across the rough stone of the statue. He picked up the hat that lay in front of it, covered in a layer of moss but otherwise unharmed despite being exposed to the elements for almost a year. He placed the familiar blue and white hat atop his head, a faint smile on his lips. "Hey, Bill. How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it? School has been terrible. Everyone knows Weirdmagdon happened and that we'd been together. The government even showed up one day to question me and Mabel about it. They seemed to have stopped after a while though. I still really miss you. Mabel keeps saying I should move on and find someone else but I dunno. What would you do?"
He was crying now, tears running down his cheeks. He rose from his spot, tracing a hand across Bill's stone one. "I wish I could talk to you properly again. I'd do anything to just see you again, Bill." Suddenly, the stone hand grasped onto his own, trapping it in a tight grip. "What?!" Dipper spluttered out, startled by it. His hand was then enveloped in light blue flames as they began to lick up his arm. As quickly as it had happened, the flames stopped, a sharp pain striking Dipper in the wrist as the hand let go of his own. Dipper fell backwards, landing on the ground with a thump. His hat flew sideways, the teenager's eyes wild with slight fear and confusion. He looked down at his wrist and hissed in pain as he touched it. He discovered that there were strange marks burnt into his skin, charcoal black as his skin reacted to it. He jolted up from his spot, picking his hat back up and running back to the shack. When he entered, Mabel and Stan were both sitting in front of the TV, Waddles beside Mabel as she knitted a sweater for the pig. "G-Grunkle Stan!" Dipper shouted out, gaining their attention. Dipper was gripping his wrist tightly as his grunkle rose from his seat.
"What's wrong, kid?" Stan asked. Dipper thrust his arm forward, revealing the burn. Stan let loose a visible grimace. "How'd you do that?"
"There was a small forest fire, I put it out though." He lied, clenching his teeth shut. Stan sighed, dragging him into the kitchen as the older man pulled out the first aid kit and rummaged through it. He sat down in one of the chairs as Stanley pulled out the required equipment and applied to the burn around his wrist.
"Don't do anything dumb like that again okay, kid?" Dipper nodded, looking over at his sister who stood in the doorway. She was looking at him with a smirk, clearly aware of his lie.
"Yeah okay, Grunkle Stan." He rubbed his fingers over the bandage as Stan left the kitchen. Mabel walked forward, sitting down in another chair.
"I know you lied, Dip'n'dot. What really happened?" His sister poked him in the shoulder.
"Nothing. Seriously Mabes, nothing happened." He snapped, jerking up from his spot. It was already getting late as the teenager walked up the stairs. He stopped at the top, looking at the triangular window that was still there, the single eye in the centre. He glanced down at his wrist. "What was that?" He continued to his room a second later, instantly going to sleep on his bed. He didn't even hear the calls for dinner.
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