;cursed river
The Fluvius Cantatis-a true mystery to anyone who has ever happened to set their eyes upon it. With it's abnormal but captivating lavender stones and shimmering, unnaturally clear water, it is quite the sight to behold.
Unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity to study this rather odd body of water, but would like to in the future.
Dipper Pines groaned as he reached into his navy blue vest's pocket and-to his dismay- he had left his blacklight on his bed. He had planned to help his Great-Uncle Stanford, who was the original author of all three journals, research on a topic that it seemed his uncle had forgotten about a long time ago. However, Dipper didn't have the blacklight, which would allow him to see Stanford's hidden messages, revealing the river's true threat.
The boy supposed he could've just asked Ford about the river, but that probably would have lead him into a conversation about not going. "Well, that's it for that," Dipper mumbled, attempting to pick up his blue gel pen but accidentally sending it rolling towards the river. "My pen!" Dipper yelped, running towards it desperately.
Little did he know, a familiar presence had been watching him the entire time.
Bill Cipher, all powerful dream demon was in the mindscape, watching the young boy from afar. The demon chuckled as he watched Dipper inch over to the river, the Fluvius Cantatis, hesitantly. Bill wished that the kid's clumsiness would work in his favour once again. Unfortunately, the boy was not touching the cursed body of water anytime soon. This is where the triangular demon would intervene.
Bill hovered midair, hands resting against the back of his triangular body as he slowly guided Dipper's blue gel pen towards the river. He chuckled lively when thinking of the boy setting his eyes upon the mutated, ugly creature he would morph into after making contact with the Fluvius. He rolled his eye as he realized Dipper was too interested in Sixer's 'research' to notice his pen inching towards the gentle water. "Hey Pine Tree, your pen's-"
"My pen!"
The demon chuckled again as he watched the boy yelp in distress as he realized his pen was in the midst of rolling into the river. Bill clapped, gliding closer to the boy to admire his work.
"Ugh, seriously?" Dipper moaned, grabbing his pen out of the water. Curious, he looked around. It wasn't windy outside; the trees were barely moving, so why did that happen? He started to make his way back to the Shack, but stopped when he realized that he had left his journal on the riverbank.
Sighing, he went to grab it. Dipper kneeled down, finding himself staring at the river, entranced by it's strange beauty.
Bill groaned, looking at the boy. He hadn't fallen in the water yet, even with his genius pen plan. The demon perked up. He had just enough energy left for interacting with physical objects, so why not use it on this?
Dipper's eyes perked up as he felt the air shift, like an extra presence had entered the area he was in. Cautiously, he looked behind him, only to find just dead air. Dipper huffed, reassuring himself. "Ok, chill out. No one's here but you." Turning back around, he went to pick up the journal-
Dipper screamed as he was shoved into the water. "I can't-can't swim!" The boy yelled, shivering in the freezing cold river.
The dream demon, still inside the mindscape, was guffawing, watching the boy flail his arms around, still screaming wildly. "AHAHAHAHAH!" He chortled, unable to stop himself. "YOU DON'T KNOW IT YET, KID, BUT YOU'RE SUCH A RIOT!" He remarked, still laughing. Dipper's arms were flopping around wildly, coming dangerously close to the spot where Bill was hovering. But the demon didn't seem to notice. Right up until Dipper's hand latched onto one of Bill's black, skinny, boneless legs, dragging the demon into the water with him.
Bill screamed as he was dunked into the cursed river. "NO! YOU IDIOT KID! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Bill's single eye widened as he was pulled deeper into the waters of the Fluvius Cantatis. He shuddered. The dream demon could practically feel the curse dissolving into his one dimensional body. The one that would soon be robbed of him, all because of one insanely ignorant kid. He couldn't be sure, however, that the river could work backwards. Many of the supernatural creatures in the forest had made contact and remained unchanged. Bill hoped that would be the case for him.
Dipper gasped for air as he broke through the water's surface, relieved that he had gotten out of there alive. The boy coughed, resting his head on the river bank. "Why...ugh...I...hate...water," Dipper complained, gasping after each word. He moaned, not realizing the world's colours shift to black and white as Bill projected himself into his brain.
"THANKS A LOT, PINE TREE!" Bill announced sarcastically, a slight hostile tone creeping into his voice.
Dipper's head snapped up when he heard the demon speak. "B-b-Bill?" The boy stammered, standing up, turning around and coming face to eye with a giant yellow triangle. Dipper clenched his fists, remembering the past two major incidents that the demon had caused. "I don't want anything to do with you," he hardened, walking over to the spot he had placed the journal. "And you are
not getting this!" Dipper exclaimed, hugging the maroon book protectively.
Bill laughed dryly. "CUTE, PINE TREE, ADORABLE." The demon's aura suddenly shifted, tension rising. "YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO HELP YOU WITH THIS!"
Dipper furrowed his brows, confused. "What? What are you saying?" The demon had never seemed to want to help him before. Realizing what was going on, Dipper rolled his soft brown eyes. "I'm not making another deal with you, Bill! Don't think I forget t what happened the last time!"
Bill started chortling again, leaving Dipper very uncomfortable. The demon's laughter made him feel like he was being ridiculed. "GREAT JOB PINE TREE! ONCE AGAIN YOU ARE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING!" The demon pulled out a white mug filled with a murky red substance. "HAVE A CUP OF TEA!" He exclaimed, shoving it into the boy's hand. "THAT'S HUMAN BLOOD BY THE WAY."
Dipper yelped, throwing the mug onto the ground and watching it fade from existence right before contact. The boy growled and pointed at the demon in front of him, who was managing to look smug without a mouth. "I-I don't know what the heck you want out of me, but I am not giving in!" He thought for a moment. "So just-just give it up already man!"
Bill sat on the log behind Dipper, shocking the twelve year old in front of him. He crossed his legs, raising his single brow. "YOU KNOW, I LIKED YOU!" Bill chuckled. "YOU WERE A GREAT PUPPET, MADE MY JOB EASY!" The demon glared at the boy. "BUT YOU BETTER HOPE THAT WHAT YOU JUST DID DOESN'T EFFECT ME, PINE TREE!"
Dipper furrowed his brows, backing away from the demon. "W-what? What are you-"
"AHAHAHAHAHAH!" Bill chuckled, appearing on the other side of Dipper, scaring him out of his wits. "YOU DON'T KNOW?" Dipper bit his lip, confused and frightened. "THIS RIVER HAS MAGICAL PROPERTIES!"
Dipper gasped, hoping Bill would feed him more information. "What kind of magical properties?"
Bill laughed. "YOU REALLY THINK I'M GOING TO TELL YOU?" Dipper looked very confused now. "GOOD LUCK WITH WHAT'S COMING, KID!" Bill floated upwards, disappearing into a strange white light. "YOU BETTER HOPE I'M NOT ON YOUR DOORSTEP BY TOMORROW NIGHT!" The demon's voice echoed, then fading away, leaving only the deafening sound of rushing water.
Dipper sunk down onto the ground, shivering. "W-what was that?" He wondered aloud, staring into space. On your doorstep by tomorrow night?
What was Bill talking about? What was he going to do to him? The boy sighed, standing up and picking his journal off of the ground. He would go home, put on some dry clothes, and try not to think about it.
"Ugghh," Dipper moaned, flinging himself onto the yellow couch in the living room of the Mystery Shack. He had changed his clothes, but his hair was still wet. That wasn't his only problem, however. There was a persistent ache in his lower legs, feeling oddly similar to growing pains. Dipper hoped he was getting taller. Most of the boys in his class were at least five foot three and above, but he had been stuck under four feet for years. Not only that it would give him a better chance with Wendy.
"Hey kid," Stan grumbled, walking into the living room, clad in only his stained white undershirt and striped blue underpants, a Pitt Cola in his hand. "What're you watching?"
Dipper sighed, resting his cheek on his fist. He did not feel like talking. "Nothing, just thinking."
Stan chuckled. "Ahh, like always." The old man began to walk away, but noticed Dipper's still-sopping wet hair. He knew that the kid would never take a bath out of his own free will, so what was all this about? "What's with the wet hair?"
"Would you buy taking a shower?" Dipper asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
Rolling his eyes, Stan shook his head. "I've spent time in prison, kid. I basically have a built in lie detector." He took a swig of his Pitt Cola. "Gimme the goods!"
The boy in the chair huffed, having to give the answer now. "Fine. I-" Dipper took a breath, preparing to be ridiculed. "I kind of fell in a river?"
Stan raised his brows. "Yeesh!" He chuckled, leaning on the yellow chair. "Tough luck ya' got there!" Stan thought for a minute, an idea taking place in his head. "Was the water drinking water clean?"
Dipper furrowed his brows. "Uh, I dunno." The boy frowned, confused. "W-why are you asking me this, Grunkle Stan?"
Stan stood up straight, a gleeful look on his face. "This is perfect!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "I've been trying to think up a hot new attraction for weeks!" The grey-haired man cleared his throat. "I can see it now: Mr. Mystery's Mystical Water! It'll be perfect!" Stan announced, walking out of the living room, towards the kitchen.
The boy on the couch was busy trying to put his uncle's sentences together. He soon remembered Bill's warning about the river Fluvius. "Wait, you're gonna sell it?" Rapidly Dipper jumped off of the couch and ran towards Stan. "No, no, no Grunkle Stan you have no idea
how bad an idea that is!"
Unbeknownst to the river's true origins, Stan just rolled his eyes. "Geez, what's gonna happen? Am I gonna get in trouble with the food cops or something?" The man chuckled, laughing at his own joke.
"That river is cursed, Stan!" Dipper exclaimed, pulling out Ford's third journal and flipping the page to the one about the Fluvius. "I-I don't know how, but it is!" He mentioned, holding out the journal for his uncle to see.
Stan huffed, sick of the conspiracies. "Listen, I'm sure whatever my brother said in that dumb journal you can just ignore." The elderly man threw his Pitt Cola into the trash, walking out of the room. "And besides, how terrible can this curse be?"
Dipper walked after his uncle, wincing at the pains in his legs. "But Grunkle-"
"No buts. You're showing us where that river is tomorrow, no matter what happens, you hear me kid?"
"Grunkle-" Dipper stopped as his great-uncle glared at him, his message very well said through his eyes. "Fine. I'll show you." The boy walked past his uncle, heading back into his attic bedroom. "Just don't complain to me when you turn yourself into a sandwich."
And with that Dipper disappeared up the stairs, wincing with every step, the pains in his legs becoming worse by the minute.