Dipper allowed the hot water from the shower head to pound down on his chest, the burning sensation momentarily taking away the nervousness in his gut. Yes, it was his second shower of the day, but he didn't want to smell rancid for his first date. He had never gone out with a girl, let alone one as cute as Pacifica. Now that he thought about it, he didn't really know much about her. Apart from she lives and works at the Mystery Shack and her family left, the only memories he has is of Pacifica being rude to his sister. Except for that one time before the world crashed around him at her parents' big party. Before the world around him crashed. Blinding lights, crumbling buildings, Mabel's scream. His vision began to flash in and out, spots forming everywhere. Blood rushed through his ears. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't think…

A knock at the door startled him. Dipper slipped on the layer of water coating the bottom of the tub and smacked his head on the edge of the sink. "Come on, Dipper," Mabel called from outside the door. "I still need to get ready for the party! I don't know why you would be taking a long time in the shower," Mabel teased, "Oh wait! Pacifica, I forgot."

Dipper opened the door, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans hanging loosely around his waist. Wet hair hung in his face, and he peered through the tangled locks and stared at Mabel. His glare was full of venom, and it made Mabel avert her eyes. "What's wrong?" She asked him?

"I was just…remembering…that day, you know?" Dipper told her, his expression softening. Mabel nodded, understanding how he could lose track of time when thinking of that. "I'm sorry Dipper. Take your time. Tell me when you get out, 'kay?"

Dipper sighed, and moved out of her way and let her inside. He made his way down to stairs to retrieve his duffel bag to move it back to the attic room. He lugged it upstairs, his mind clearing from his episode in the bathroom. He reached the top of the stairs, and dumped his bag on his old bed. He flopped onto the bed, burying his face into his pillow. He took a deep sniff, and held his breath. A sweet vanilla scent filled his nose, and he held on to the sweetness as long as he could.

Dipper's eyes snapped open. His pillows never had a vanilla scent. They always smelled of boy stench and desperation. He jumped up in fear and he looked around the room. It was littered with several brands of make-up and sweaters. Both beds were occupied. One by Mabel's belongings. The other bed. Pacifica's.

"Ugh, of course!" Dipper grabbed his things and began walking towards the stairs. He rubbed his eyes and groaned, tripping over a sleeping Waddles, and falling headfirst down the stairs.

The beasts tore through the underbrush of the forest, stealthily making their ways towards Gravity Falls. Galloping hooves trotted almost silently across the snow. The larger beast trotted across the landscape, slinging its bow and arrow across its shoulder. It noosed and arrow, and halted, hooves skidding on the snow.

"No one is following us Sagi," the smaller creature stated matter-of-factly. "Maybe if you took human form, you wouldn't be as skittish as a horse." The larger creature, Sagi, snorted. "I don't know how you can be so calm in human form, Pio. Anything can come at you like a mortal, it is not safe."

Pio laughed, his deep laughter rumbling through the trees. "Don't be ridiculous. Nothing in this pitiful world could even come remotely close to the powers we possess, even in these fragile, pathetic excuses for bodies."

Sagi nodded, his body shrouded in shadows, slowly compressing into that of a humans. He kept his bow taught, and began running, now completely silent, hardly even leaving footprints. The snow began to fall, erasing any sign that the two mysterious beings had even anywhere in the forest.

Dipper clutched his head, feeling the warm, sticky feeling of blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. He winced at the pain, and brought his hand down to observe the damage.

At the sight of his own blood, Dipper felt his heart began to race. He was excited at the thought of bleeding. He licked his lips, taking in deep, shaky breaths. "Dipper, are you okay?"

The sound of his sister's voice had snapped him out of his haze. He looked up at Mabel and said, "Yeah, I just cut my head a little."

Mabel looked confused, bent down, and examined his head. "No, you look fine. No cuts, no bruises. You're A-Okay!" Mabel gave him a thumbs up. Dipper felt his head. Where there was once a gash, there was nothing. He stared at his hand. Clean. Nothing. No blood, no pain. As if he had imagined it.

Dipper had always been a rational thinker. But he had also delved deep into the realm of the unknown and confusing. He decided to let it slide. He was stressed from moving, and his first date. Yeah, he thought. That has to be it. I can't mess up tonight, not tonight. Tonight, everything changes for me.

"I guess I'm going crazier than Gideon," Dipper joked. Mabel put on a sour face. "Eew, don't even say that name, there is no way you can be crazier than that nut-burger. He is still sending me letters from in the jail. I hope his sentence is extended."

"How much you wanna bet even with the hair, I'm still taller than him?" Dipper cracked. The twins laughed. Dipper righted himself and brushed himself off. "Pacifica should be here soon, I better get ready." As he opened his duffel bag, he thought to himself, Tonight, everything changes.

If only he knew how right he was.

The lights of Gravity Falls were few and far between, but deep in a local neighborhood, a house with raving party lights flickered. Pio and Sagi saw this. "There," Pio pointed out. "The town is down there. I assume this is where we will find the largest number of collective humans in the area."

"No," Sagi said. "That is where we will find the largest amount of food in the area." With a grin, they broke off into a sprint towards the Christmas kick-off party.

Tonight, everything would change.