Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls, but that should be obvious. This story takes place before the airing of Dipper and Mabel vs The Future, so Elaine doesn't know about Weirdmageddon yet. That fact is essential to the story, so please keep it in mind.

"Speaking"

Thinking

"Reading"

Edited July 22/18

Elaine's POV

Darkness, I had come to learn, was a lovely thing. When used correctly, it could be a gentle experience. Soothing, relaxing, and helped ease worries after a long and stressful day. "Step right up to the Mystery Shack, folks!" An old man shouting while one is trying to sleep in said darkness… it didn't help the relaxing thing.

Oh, for crying out loud! Whoever thinks it's a great idea to yell when someone's sleeping really needs a good whack upside the head. I gave a loud groan and roll onto my side, feeling a blanket slide onto the floor. Whoops. Reaching down and feeling around for it, I secured it back over my surprisingly sore body once I felt it in my hand. It took a lot of willpower to try and not wince in pain. Ouch. Ah, wh-what's going on here? Why am I in so much pain? After laying there for who knew how long, I chose to listen to the gruff and slightly scratchy voice shout from outside of the room about some sort of 'Sascrotch'. It took a while until I finally figured out who I was listening to, and I scrunched my face up in confusion. Am I hearing Grunkle Stan? Funny, I don't remember putting on Gravity Falls before falling asleep; or even going to sleep for that matter...

Deciding I had rested long enough, I cracked open my eyes and got up. The dim lighting from a dusty window shone down on the couch I had woken up on, while I struggled to get myself into a seated position. I trembled as the alarm bells rung in my head, and sat up as best as I could, while keeping my back propped up against the arm rest behind me. Pushing my glasses back up my face, I looked at my surroundings. For starters, I was in a living room; the TV, cozy looking recliner I was on, and coffee table made it obvious. Why is there a side table created from a dinosaur skull? The walls were a combination of stone and wood, with a banner of a fish in a crown hanging up on the wall above my head. The room itself though felt… eerily familiar, as if I'd seen it before. But that didn't make sense. I never had been to a house in my life that looked like this, since a room with a dinosaur skull would have definitely stuck out in my mind. Only, even without the strange piece of furniture, the entire area itself brought on a sense of familiarity.

But... from where? My ears picked up heavy footsteps coming from far down the hall, and an elderly man in his sixties walked in, sloppily fixing the glasses he had. He wore a black suit with a bow tie that matched his maroon fez, with said mentioned hat bearing a golden crescent moon. He had a large nose and ears, with graying hair and a noticeable slouched posture. However, he straightened up once he came into the room to check on me, his initial grumpy look shifting into one of concern. Why concern? Did something happen? "Finally awake, kid? About time, I've been waiting to see if those injuries didn't do too much damage to you." Yep, and there's a headache too. The man should really tone down his voice-wait. Injuries? I glanced down at my arms, and finally realized why I was in so much pain. Burns and cuts decorated them like a macabre mural, with thick bandages wrapped around the more serious wounds. I… I couldn't tell what had made these. The ravaged skin was-I didn't even know what could have made some of these marks. Last time I checked, I… I… what was I doing before waking up there? Where is here? And what caused these? It wasn't just the injuries, either. My clothes were ripped to shreds, leaving holes along the fabric to showcase more stained wrappings underneath. "You got a name kid?" He interrupted my train of thought with the question, and I snapped my head back to him. "Or are you just gonna sit there?" His eyes narrowed slightly behind his rectangular, black rimmed glasses.

I stiffened at the sudden harshness of him wanting to get to the point, and nodded. "O… oh." It hurt to talk, almost as if I hadn't used my voice in ages. "I… it's Elaine, sir." I might as well be honest, he might be able to tell me where I am. Even if some part of me kept telling me that there was something… wrong there. Something very wrong. "If you d-don't mind me asking, who are you, a-and where am I?" Stuttering couldn't be helped. I was tense, a little on edge, and felt like I had gargled sandpaper.

"I thought you looked new," he muttered, rubbing his chin. I also took note of the perpetual five o'clock shadow that covered his lower face. Seriously, why does this all seem so-"Stanford Pines, and you just happen to be in the greatest tourist trap in Oregon: the Mystery Shack!"

Mystery Shack...? The color instantly drains from my face. The familiar room, the man-Stan Pines… o-oh no. Oh no, no, no. No. No.

(Time Skip)

Y… yes. Yes to the million. The horrible idea, th-the terrifying conclusion of actually being inside Gravity Falls created a pit in my stomach, and I hadn't calmed down since. After nearly passing out in front of Stan, I quickly requested to know where the washroom was. I-I had to collect myself. I had to see if this was really happening.

Heading upstairs, Stan gestured to the small room to the side, farther down the hall from what might've been the twins' bedroom. I-if it was their bedroom. This couldn't-I couldn't process this. This was madness. Insanity. But staring back at my face in the mirror, seeing a normal realistic face and not some 2D cartoon, and seeing everything else up to this moment… I couldn't deny what was happening. I was really in Gravity Falls. I was a bruised and bloodied mess in the Mystery Shack with Stan Pines.

"Ugh… don't pass out, Elaine. Don't pass out." Turning the tap, I stuck my hands under the faucet and felt the cool water strike my bloodied palms. Bringing it up, I splashed the water on my face. I forgot about the fact I still had my glasses on my face, but the feeling of something cold against my flushed skin felt great. Doing the cupping method two more times, I rinsed my hands with the pump soap and dried them with the towel hanging on the metal rack beside the counter. All that was in there with me was a mirror that held a medicine cabinet, the cupboard under the sink, and a bathtub-shower combo behind me.

"This is… wow. Heh… j-just wow." It was, actually, a pretty amazing thing when I wasn't freaking out. Interdimension travel was a reality. The concept of different worlds was something I found very interesting, and which I had shared my fascination with my sister on multiple occasions. She knew more than anyone how much I'd love to see new places. But this? This was by far what I had in mind, especially considering the reminder I was unconscious when Stan found me, and… possibly close to bleeding out when that happened.

"Hey, kid." A soft knock came from the other side of the door, and it opened just enough for Stan's hand to appear holding a black book bag. It dangled in the air, his hand wrapped around one of the straps before he tossed it in. It slid across the wooden floor, coming to a rest at my feet. "Had one of my coworkers go out and buy some clothes for you while you were out. Came out of her pay to do it, but she didn't seem to mind."

Did he mean Wendy? I supposed that would make sense. If Stan had her go and get me proper clothing, she wouldn't mind having her money go to someone in need instead. She was generous. "Thanks, Stan. I'll be down in a moment." I heard a grunt, and the door closed once again.

I shifted my gaze to the bag, and dropped down in a crouch to check the contents. One thing of pajamas, a set of sneakers, a few pairs of jeans, and… multiple versions of the same top. Was that cartoon physics in a real world setting, or…? "Whatever. Best to get changed."

The old outfit, green shorts and a blue tank top that were stained in red and ripped beyond repair, were exchanged for a dark red flannel button-up and a white tank top, along with the black and white sneakers and one of the sets of jeans that also were shoved inside. The sleeves easily covered the bandages, so it wouldn't look like I had come straight from a war zone. Once the clean and soft clothes were on, and my ruined gear discarded behind me, I turned to the mirror once again. My light brown hair was a rats nest, filled with unsightly tangles. "Ew. What else is in here?"

Wendy, thankfully, was also kind enough to purchase a few other essentials. A toothbrush, hairbrush, and a couple elastics to name a few. Tugging, and wincing at each harsh tug through my thick mane, I dragged my hair up and into a long ponytail. My glasses, a dark blue in color, weren't showing any cracks in their lens over my tired and slightly frightened hazel eyes. "Phew," I sighed. Bringing the bag back up into my arms, I finally exited the bathroom and headed downstairs.

Stan was nowhere to be found, but I could hear his voice from within the Mystery Shack guiding a new group of tourists. Dropping the bag on the couch, I trudged through the main floor. The hall led to a series of doors, some more than likely locked at this moment. Ford's room, or the wax figure room, were out of bounds for now. So, I headed off opposite of where everything else was and ended up in the kitchen. "I really better map this place out. It's huge."

Spotting a trash can by the fridge, I stepped down on the peddle to open the top and dropped my old clothes inside. "There. Much better." I supposed it would be best to wait outside for now. Fresh air might be good for me, and help get my head straight. "Hmm?" Opening the fridge door, I grabbed a can of the popular pop from the show, Pitt Cola, and exited the house. Not through the gift shop, which I still had no clue where it was, but out the entry way that I had to pass through in the hallway.

Finally sitting down on the worn couch on the deck, I cracked open the can and took a long sip… and said the first logical thing that came to mind since this entire mess happened. "Wow. The universe must really hate me." I watched the last of the tourists board the bus ahead of me, eagerly holding merchandise they bought along the way. The deck gave a view of who was coming to and from the tourist trap, as the road could be easily seen from where I was curled up.

How… shocking. Th-this couldn't have been real, right? This had to be a bad dream, that I was just having trouble waking up from. Stan, h-he looked exactly like his animated counterpart, but… real. Live action, just like I was. Th-this wasn't a cartoon. Everything looked exactly the same as when I… I…? "Why am I even here? This is supposed to happen in stories you read online, not in real life," I mumbled. At least I didn't have to suffer through some form of shock at seeing myself as hand drawn. So… that was a plus. "Honestly, I don't even have any memories of arriving here."

"How you feelin', kid? You've been awfully quiet." I snapped my mouth shut in surprise, and looked up to see Stan walking out of the door, a can of Pitt Cola in his hand too. He glanced down at my own drink, and raised a brow.

"Sorry. I was thirsty. But I'm… alright, I guess," I hesitantly replied, now finding the ground very interesting to look at. My shoulders had finally relaxed after straightening up when he came out, not ready for the sudden company. "I wish I knew how I ended up so far from home. You're… actually comfortable with me staying here?" It was such a quick discussion he had with me as I took the bag from him; I still doubted he actually meant it.

"Hey, I'm not that cruel as to leave you alone in your current state. Stan Pines is a lot of things; crook, cheapskate, amateur burglar. But he ain't heartless enough to let some teen die on his watch… plus, y'know, that'd be bad for business. Besides, you owe me for helping you out, and working here is the only thing you're capable of doing until you're healed. Consider it my payment for savin' your butt," Stan said, going inside the Mystery Shack. "Feel free to come back in at any point. I already got your sleeping arrangements set up. The door should be wide open."

That line before brought a small smile to my face. Stan had done a lot over the years, but in the end, he was a good person. Heh, even if he didn't want to admit it. "Still," I sighed, returning my gaze to the scenery. "He's right." I roughly put the can on the deck beside my feet. "I'm stuck here until I can figure out a way home." While I wished to tell Stan the truth, I knew that saying I came from another dimension would end in disaster, and one where they existed as cartoon characters at that. A feeling of homesickness began to creep over me, but I quickly shrugged it off and followed Stan back into the Shack. However, I made sure to grab my can and toss it in the recyclable bin inside.

Heading up to the room Stan mentioned, I dropped my bag at the foot of the bed and fished out the night clothes. The outfit, a dark blue nightgown, fell just below my knees. My bed itself was a mattress shoved up against the wall right under the triangular window. Two beds were also already in the room, one on either side of mine. They pointed towards the door, while mine had the longer end against the wall. Apparently, Stan's niece and nephew were coming tomorrow afternoon, so I would have to share the space. Wonder who those kids are? I smiled for a split second, before frowning. Dipper and Mabel Pines. Mabel, I could possibly handle. Dipper though… how was I going to get around the dimension-hopping problem with him? He would no doubt get suspicious, and not leave me alone about it. He was always so intent on figuring out the mysteries of Gravity Falls and Ford, that there was no doubt in my mind he would be intent on pursuing my mystery. And of course… there was all of adventures they'd go on too. I'd like to live, thank you very much.

I would have to prepare myself for the morning. Now… I was too tired to think straight. The bed wasn't the most comfortable, but it had sheets and an extremely soft comforter and pillow. The moment my head hit the cushion, I was out like a light, and lost in dream land.

(Time Skip)

You ever wake up, and the first you do is try to recall where you were? Yeah, this is one of those moments. I woke up gasping, my heart still pumping loudly in my chest as if it were close to bursting through my ribs and skin. I almost threw myself out of the bed, not even recalling what had happened in the last few hours until the moonlight from the attic's triangular window lit up the bleak bedroom, reminding me of where I was. That I-I was still in the Mystery Shack, in Gravity Falls. It… wasn't even morning yet. How long was I asleep for? I thought back to the dream-err... nightmare. I-that wasn't a dream. I-it wasn't pleasant at all. Just… darkness, and fire, and… me screaming. And who normally enjoys inflicting nightmares on the innocen-no. N-no. That was just paranoia talking. Bill Cipher wasn't in my head. He didn't appear until the end of season one, and only showed interest in people that either benefited him… or threatened his plans.

"Ah! You have got to be kidding me!" I exclaimed. "Since when do you even have nightmares like that?! You can't even get any sleep! But what do you expect, when you have no freaking clue how or if you'll ever get home again!" Tears had begun prick at the corners of my eyes, but I didn't even notice them. The townspeople couldn't possibly help me; although this show is north of normal, I was pretty sure interdimensional travel was outside of its jurisdiction. Ford… he could-no. For obvious reasons, there's no need to have him get involved.

I drew my knees up to my chest and sobbed silently, dampening the nightgown pulled over my legs. I hated feeling weak. I-it's not like I wasn't enjoying all of this though; traveling to your favorite show was normally a dream come true, but not if you could be stuck there forever. I liked Gravity Falls as much as the next fan, but this? Th-this wasn't a dream at all. It was a twisted version of a joke. A prank gone horribly wrong. "I would give anything to get back home," I whispered, my voice barely louder than a breeze in the quiet room.

"Really, kid? Are you sure about that?" My head shot up, and I tightened my grip around me instinctively. The last time I had checked, it was only me in the attic, so who was talking? N-no. Not who. Wh-what. That voice… I had known so well in the season two of the cartoon. The same tone of insanity twisted into a geometric shape.

Was I-I really hearing his voice though? Him? "W-who's there?" I glanced around the room, and was horrified when I was finally aware that the color had drained from everything in the room except… me. Oh no. No, no, no. Not him. Anything but-

"What's the matter, kid?" My internal panic was cut off as the high pitch voice spoke again. "Not the help you expected?" They laughed mockingly, and I realized how close it sounded. A-almost as if, it was coming from… behind… me…?

I slowly turned myself around and stared, gaping. Bill Cipher, the triangular dream demon himself, floated only a few inches behind me, eye crinkled in what I'm guessing was amusement. His yellow body lit up the room, casting shadows around me. F-forget about the surprise of seeing Stan in real life, this was much more shocking-no. Not shocking. Terrifying is what it was. The demon had much more detail to him; from the finer outlines of his brick-like body, to the velvet texture his black bow tie carried. His top hat was shining in the same golden glow as he was enveloped in, and it reflected light on its smooth surface. Throwing my body backwards to widen the space between us, I snatched up my pillow to throw in case he tried something. I doubted a demon could get hurt with a face full of feathers, but it's not like I had that many options. I watched the show enough to know not to let myself get comfy around the triangle monster. Bill laughed a little at my reaction, kicking his legs and holding his arms over his… chest? "Speechless, aren't you? I don't blame ya, I tend to have that effect on you fleshbags." His limbs… they looked human enough, but were blackened. Charred almost. Like a normal human having been severely burned; deformed, and malnourished.

I gulped, hugging the pillow for dear life. Th-this really was a nightmare, wasn't it? Well, at least I know who was responsible for those bad dreams. "I-I'm not speechless. It's just y-you're-"

"Bill Cipher!" He interrupted me. "And you're Elaine Milton!" Bill's eye studied me intently, and I flinched when I made eye contact with it. It was a hybrid between a pale yellow cat's eye, and a human's. Long, thick eyelashes and I could easily make out light blue veins in his cornea.

How on earth does he know that?! I've never even met him! "H-how do you know who I am?" I questioned, voicing that thought with a slight warning tone. Did he just read my mind? N-no, of course not. He can't do much of anything without making a deal-but he can haunt dreams just fine! Dang it!

"Oh, I know lots of things!" Bill leaned in even closer, his eye flashed red and voice dropped, "LOTS OF THINGS!" At the swift change in attitude, I held the pillow even tighter against me. This sadly just seemed to amuse him even further. "Ah ha ha ha ha! You really think that could hurt me, kid?"

I glanced from Bill, to my 'weapon', to Bill again. "Well... it was all I could think of." At least I wasn't stuttering anymore. Seeing how he wasn't going to attack me, I cautiously sat the pillow back down on the bed but left it close enough to grab. Just in case. "And if you know me, then you clearly know my problem. After all, you seem to be taken to haunting my dreams for the last few hours. Why are you here, Cipher? What do you want from me?"

"I just want to talk kid, that's all." As if! He probably just wants me to make some sort of deal. "Yep! Just hear me out kid, I'm sure you'd benefit from this." He summoned a cane beside him, twirling it in his fingers absentmindedly.

"I'd be out of my mind if I were to make a deal with you!" I retorted. "I know enough about how you operate, so what makes you think I'm foolish enough to shake your hand?" I paused, and glared back in annoyance. "And would you stop calling me kid! I'm 16!" Not as if there was that much truth to that either. My birthday wasn't that far off before this mess happened. I would've been 17 not too far from now.

"Compared to me, your age is nothing!" Bill replied, shrugging off my outburst. "As for the deal, do you really think anyone else in this town can help you get back to your own dimension?"

That caught my attention. "You... you can get me home?" Wait, what am I doing? I can't actually be considering this. Snap out of it, and focus. Don't let him sense that you're swaying.

Bill 'smirked' down at me, sensing the slight wavering in my confidence. "Sure I can! But I want something from you in return. After all, you said you knew how I 'operate'. I don't do these things for free, pal."

"You are not possessing my body, if that's what you're asking for." I didn't need to end up like Dipper or Ford. I was already battered and bruised enough. I didn't need any more injuries on top of that. "I'm also not telling you where the journals are either."

"Yeesh kid, relax!" Bill said, motioning with his free hand to signal that I needed to calm down. "All I want is your help in some plans of mine for this world, and in return I'll send you back home. Simple as that! Besides," he rolled his eye, the slit pupil rolling freely in the off-white space, "you honestly expect anyone here to help ya? Like you were thinking earlier, no one's going to believe you. They'd just pass you off as another nut job. Me, on the other hand, I'm the only one who can understand the complexities of inter-dimensional travel and who has the power to get you there. So, tell me, shorty, do you really have any other options up your bandages there? Or did I get everything bang on?"

"I-I know what you're planning, Cipher! You seriously think I'm that desperate!? I-I can find a-a way! I don't need your assistance!" My voice cracked, and I gasped for air to refill my sore lungs. "I know what you a-are, and I refuse a-any help from you!"

"O-ho! Really, kid? Are ya sure about that?" Before I could move, the hook of his cane was around my neck, yanking me forward. My hands planted firmly on the floor a few inches below the bed, sending jolts up to my brain from how hard my arms took the impact. "Let me make this as simple as your fragile mind can comprehend. You can say no all you want, but-and you already know this-I won't stop. I always get what I want in the end. You make think you're so strong, so strong willed, but you aren't." His hand not holding the cane wrapped around the back of my neck, drumming his fingers against my skin. A shiver of worry, anxiety, and fear built onto my already growing stress and concern. Bill was backing me into a corner, and he wasn't letting me out. Like a predator to its prey, he had me right where he wanted.

I wasn't getting out of this. No matter what happened, with my struggles to understand what was happening around me with the idea of entering a different dimension, I was desperate to leave. I-I needed to get home, b-but was I really that weak to take his hand? "You're weak, kid. No matter what you choose to do, I won't be leaving an opportunity like you go so easily. Say what you want, and do what you will, but I'll keep coming back. Over, and over again, until I get what I want." With that, he removed his hand from my neck and unhooked my necklace, shoving me roughly backwards onto the mattress. The springs squeaked under my weight, and as I took a deep breath to try and steady myself, I realized that… that the demon was right.

As much as I hated to say it, he's got a point. Bill's omnipotent, all-knowing being, and he might be my chance at getting my normal life back. Back to my home, to my family, to… to my little sister. But was it really worth helping him? I knew fully well what he's capable of doing! If I did this, I'd be the assistant of an insane, sadistic monster. And would he even fulfill his end of the deal when the time comes? He would have every chance to back out of it, or change the conditions at will. I recalled how he manipulated Dipper into body possession, and how he destroyed McGucket indirectly, and… and Ford. Making this deal would literally turn me into a female him. My mind would be toyed with, and my trust would be put on the line. People if they figured it out would hate me, an-and would never want anything to do with me. Like… like Dipper and Mabel. But… but I don't have any other options, do I? I sighed in defeat, feeling what small shred of hope I had finally snap. Bill's… he's my only hope... I looked back at Bill, wincing at my next words. "What did you… have in mind?"

His eye widened in sick delight, most likely due to how pathetic I probably looked, and wrapped his shriveled arm around my shoulders. I flinched, finding myself reacting to my injuries and his contact. "As long as you promise to stick with me and help me in my plans for this dimension when needed, I'll take you to your family again. Trust me, being stuck in one dimension ain't fun to deal with." He held his arm out, snapping his cane away. "Besides, I doubt you'd be dumb enough to actually try to back out of a deal with me."

I stared at the hand stuck out in front of me. It was my lifeline and my death sentence, all in one. I... I really had no other say in this, did I? Possibly, if I stuck it out long enough, I could have found a way. But with a monster who seemed set on not letting someone as unique as me slip away... I was not going anywhere anytime soon. The only way… "d… deal."

I reached forward and hesitated in grasping the awaiting black hand. That is, until he decided not to wait for me, grabbing my hand before I could take his. Light blue flames lit up my pale face, and I felt his nails digging into my skin. The excited gleam in Bill's shining eye, lit up from the demonic fire, probably should've been a warning that there was something else coming. Immediately, a searing pain shot up from my arm to my brain like a taser, and I shrieked at the feeling of something akin to fire scorching the flesh he held in his palm. The overwhelming feeling proved too much for me to handle, and… I think I passed out again.

How did that work? Falling asleep or becoming unconscious in the Mindscape? Did it-ow-really matter? When I did finally wake up from the demon's unexpected visit, I felt even more horrible than when I had gone to bed. Like all of my energy was drained away, and filled with even more pain than when I first woke up in this bizarre version of a child's cartoon. Gritting my teeth, I struggled to sit upright once again. "O-ow..." Drying the tears from my face, I thought back to Bill and what I had agreed to; the horror settling in on my swift decision, and I felt like I just suffered a punch to the gut. I made a deal with Bill Cipher. What have I done? What have I just done!? I made a deal with a demon of all people. "idiot!" I shouted, put kept myself quiet enough in case I awoke Stan down the hall. "Now what do I-ouch! Gah, what is hurting so much!?"

Rolling up the right sleeve of my arm and turning my hand over, I almost passed out for the third time that day. Burned into the top of my hand was a blackened image of Bill. The skin around it was still sore and blistering, and the hand itself dripped blood onto the blanket under it. "Ah… ah…!" Th-then where is all that blood on the blanket coming from…? The burn showed signs of dried blood, but wh-where was the rest of it coming from?

I inhaled… and flipped it over to reveal my scarred palm. B… Bill had written on my skin, digging hard enough with a fingernail to cut the skin open and let my vital life force drain out.

"WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS!"

And there you go. Next time, we begin the series. The start will follow mostly canon, and as Elaine gets more comfortable, the changes will become more noticeable in the events.

Until next time!

Angel