Hey! I´m back again! Thanks for all the comments and fafs, you guys are really amazing! I hope you like the next chapter too. But before I let you go, reading it I want again to thank Lucile for her lovely illustrations for the chapter *cuddles* you´re the best! And of course my biggest thanks to Bharlie wo was editing and beta-ing this monster (8000 words guys!)! Thank you very very much man, you´re the best! Coming to Bharlie there is a sad announce I have to make, he will be not able to work on the chapter for the next four weeks, maybe never, because live is catching up on us too. Soo… I´m searching for someone else to do this job. As you can see I´m not a native speaker, so I would need someone for the spelling, grammar but also to make it a little bit smoother, replacing words, because they are fitting better, filling in part of a sentence and all those things. So you´re free to edit it. Bharlie was really a great help to make to story look like what it is. I know it´s a lot of work, but if you would be up for it just let me know please!

And now, have fun with the chapter ;)


Chapter 7: Cursed Water

Stan watched the water running down his hands, before it drained into the dark pit of the sink. The half-moon plunged the bathroom in twilight dimness. His mirror image looked like a ghost in this sort of light, creating deep lines around his eyes while his appearance seemed almost monochrome.

`Ah, quit it Stan.` he thought. He frowned, splashing some of the cold water onto his face. Finding sleep turned out to be difficult and when he had finally closed his eyes, his damn bladder had to wake him up. Stan groaned, turning the water off and dried his hands on his undershirt.

"Stupid, old body, waking me up in the middle of the night!" he grumbled, finding his way back into the hallway. On the way back to his room he stopped in sight of the staircase. Everything seemed peacefully calm up there, but still a feeling in his gut told him to go up to check on the kid. He debated the chance of waking them up by peeking in their rooms, while he called himself nuts that he had grown so overprotective of these kids.

"Ah, darn it!" he snarled, guiding his sore knees up the stairs but he didn't even make it into the twins room. As soon as he'd reached the first floor a keen smell burned itself into his nose, leading his attention to the slightly open bathroom door, where the metallic scent got stronger.

Stan swallowed, it didn´t need a genius to figure out what it was.

'Blood.'

Fear shot like pain through his chest, Stan nearly stumbled while he took the distance with heavy steps, opening the door with heavy panting. But what he saw in there made not just his feet stumble in fear.

The bathroom floor was covered in spots and patches of blood and in the middle of this bloody mess laid-

"Dipper!"

He was beside the boy in seconds, pressing his finger into his cold neck, waiting for a pulse, while his own heart made his blood rush in his ears.

"Please kid… don't do this to me, Dipper." he swallowed, his fingers shivered on the boys blood smeared skin, and then, finally. `There…`

A pulse, a normal steady pulse, that brushed his fingertips now and then.

Stan sunk backwards with a relieved breath, feeling the adrenaline still rushing in his veins while his heart pounded loudly against his ribcage, before he shook it off, carefully reaching out for his nephew again to search his skin for wounds. But he found none, Dipper seemed unhurt, he shivered a little but otherwise he was sleeping peacefully beside Waddles. Stan frowned, pushing himself up from the floor to look at the room properly again, now that he now that Dipper at least was alive.

It didn't take long for him to notice that the blood had a center in the room, namely- the toilet.

Nausea was rising in his own stomach, as he carefully approached the once white and now red dotted porcelain, to got a glimpse inside.

"Ew… gross! What the-?" he exclaimed.

Blood, nothing but slimy, thick blood, that already had become murky black and dry in some parts. The picture made even his old, obdurate mind spin, he stumbled back, slipping on a blood patch to fall flat on his bottom.

"Fu-Fudging mess!" he groaned, rubbing his aching backside while he listened for any other movements in the house, before he let out a deep sigh. `Good thing Mabel is such a deep sleeper.` The only one that was looking at him in confusion was Waddles. The pig blinked and grunted questionably, while Dipper cuddled instinctively closer to the pig's tummy. Stan couldn't help the dry and sad smile that escaped his control as he petted the pig's head.

"Yeah, good pig. But next time you should rather wake me than sleep in this mess, now I have to clean you up too."

Waddles squeaked, stepping away as Stan reached out for Dipper carefully, to pull him out of his sweaty and bloody shirt, just to reveal Dipper's nearly fur covered body. Stan blinked at the sight of his nephews still bare chest.

"Still no chest hair, huh, kid?" Stan shook his head, reaching out for the sink to get a towel, turning the water on just to wait till it was comfortable warm, before he let the towel go wet. After he turned the water back off he softly brushed Dippers mouth, muzzle and chin with the wet fabric, he cleaned up the boy's face while the deertaur leaned unconsciously in his touch with a soft sigh. Stan just shook his head, eyes gone dark while he tried to get rid of the blood on Dipper's hands and fur.

´What the hell happened to you? Why- why didn't you call for help?` But the moment he was done with his work, sliding his arms around his nephew's deer half to carry him to bed, Dipper's eyes finally fluttered to open.

His mind was still foggy with exhaustion and sleep, but the feeling of being carried directed his gaze up to Stan`s.

"What? G-Grunkle Stan?" His voice was raspy and sore, nothing more than a whisper, making Stan remember the cold the kid had seemed to catch.

`Well, seemed that it was more than that.` He sighed, pushing himself up, with his nephew and directing his feet into the twins room. Dipper looked at him with sleep filled eyes, dozing off time after time. His throat felt like sandpaper, his stomach felt numb and empty while long forgotten pain brought back fear, as he remembered what happened. Dipper's eyes started to burn again, while he tugged himself closer to his Grunkle, hiding his fingertips in his undershirt.

"I-" he began with a squeak but Stan interrupted him with a soft voice, entering the attic where, at least, Mabel still was sleeping peacefully.

"Shh- don't worry kid, you're fine now. You'll see tomorrow all of this will be over and nothing more than a bad dream." Dipper nodded his eyes felt heavy while Stan placed him on his bed, tucking the blanket over the kid's lower body.

"Now go sleep Dipper, and stop worrying, okay?"

Dipper nodded, eyes barely open but when Stan made an attempt to leave his fingers didn't let go the hand of his grunkles.

"What?" The old man gave him a surprised look, but Dippers sleep fogged mind didn't give him an answer but the fear mixed in his nephew's half lidded gaze was enough to make him understand. He let out a soft sigh, taking a seat on the edge of Dipper's bed.

"Okay kid, I´ll stay till you're asleep."

Dipper just nodded, closing his eyes to let out soft and steady breath, while Stan watched him. The old man's heart sunk deep into his chest, while his hand hesitated before it brushed through Dippers hair.

`Don't worry Dipper…` He swallowed, watching his muzzle twisting in his sleep. `I won´t let anybody hurt my family ever again.`

When Dipper was finally sound asleep Stan made it back into the bathroom with Waddles underneath his arm, because he can´t forget to clean the bloody pig as well. He put the animal down on the floor to close the door behind them before he flicked the light on.

Well, he better would have cleaned it in the dark.

"Holy shit, that's-" But he didn't even finish his sentenc when nausea filled his stomach again, the light burned in his eyes, immortalizing the picture in his head for ever. Stan shook it of, taking a deep breath to calm himself down.

`Get a grip old man, time to clean this mess up.` The first thing he did was to flush the toilet, watching most of the red mess vanish at least, before he got himself a mop, beginning to clean up the floor, while his mind searched an explanation for what had happened to Dipper.

To be honest, he had been surprised in the first place that Dipper's changes weren't more… difficult to begin with. It wasn't Bill's nature to let a chance to make someone suffer go by.

Seems that he was right in the end.

But why throwing up blood?

Stan`s eyebrows knitted together, while the cold wet mop brushed his bare feet.

Maybe he should go research deer later on, just in case.

`Yeah… just in case.`


"No! You have to tell her Greg!"

Mabel cheered at the TV, munching jelly koalas, while she watched one of her favorite soaps. A show about a vampire who was dating a seemingly normal girl, but she turned into a fairy during the night. It was obvious that they loved each other, but their secret kept being in the way, while they were hiding their true selves from each other. It was so drama-ntic! That her eyes were glued to the monitor while she ate her after-breakfast sweets when she saw Waddles coming down the stairs walking up to his meal.

"Hey Waddles, did you had a good night?" she questioned, but the pig just looked up to blink before he dug his nose back into his food, making Mabel shake her head. Maybe she would have been at least a little jealous that Waddles had preferred to sleep on Dipper's bed instead of hers, but the picture of her fluffy brother nose to nose with her pet pig was just too sweet and of course a moment that needed to be caught on camera. She grinned and wasn't surprised when Dipper made his way downstairs, just minutes after Waddles.

"Morning Dipper, you missed breakfast."

Dipper just nodded, taking the last steps up to her to lay down on the soft carpet, the dark circles beneath his eyes told her that it was the right thing to let him sleep like Grunkle Stan had told her. Her brother yawned, while his ears brushed his cheeks and his cold wet nose glittered in the sunlight.

"Yeah, sorry, I overslept…" But his excuse just made her grin even wider, while she leaned close to him.

"Yep. And I know why!" She announced with a cheesy smile. She saw her brother suddenly going pale, his ears perking up in fear, while his question shivered in his throat.

"W-What?"

But Mabel just punched his shoulder, shaking her head. "Ah, don't be shy, Dippingdots! I've known it for a while now!"

Dipper blinked, his throat suddenly felt dry and sore all over again, his tongue attempt to like his new muzzle in his nervous state but he got a grip on it, questioning her with a dry voice. "You- but how?"

Mabel giggled, stuffing the rest of the colorful jelly koalas into her both, while she hung upside down on her Grunkle's chair, facing Dipper who looked even more cute from this position.

"It was clear since the whole 'brain' thing."

"Huh?" His ears perked up, or rather down from her view.

"Don't play dumb Dipper. I know that you love Waddles just as much as I do!" she laughed, while Dipper's face slowly gained color, he avoided her gaze while his eyes waved between Mabel and the pig, who looked at them with his mouth full of his food, since he heard his name.

"W-Waddles?! I- no, I mean, he can be a nice- pig sometimes." He gave Waddles a look, it was true, he had been helpful last night. Dipper gulped the thought of the traumatic hours still made his fur stand. But Mabel didn´t notice his tense state, while she put herself up in the chair.

"See, I knew it! But anyway, aren't you hungry? Grunkle Stan told me to let you sleep during breakfast so…" At this Dipper's stomach grumbled in protest, the thought of food made him nauseous all over again. He could still taste the blood in his mouth, even the mint toothpaste could wash the memories of the iron like substance away. He bit his lip, shaking his head.

"No I, um… not much." he muttered, but Mabel just shook her head, putting an arm around his furry neck.

"Aww, come on bro-bro! Don't be nervous about today!" She cheered, snatching an apple from the bowl on the dinosaur head, holding it right underneath his muzzle. "Here, eat at least one of these, you'll see you need your strength to change back later on." His stomach still felt heavy but the fresh juicy smell in his nostrils made his muzzle twitch in excitement, so he slowly took it from her hand, his ears brushing his cheeks with a shy smile.

"Um yeah, thanks Mabel."

Dipper swallowed, his fist closed itself around the apple, while Mabel was back watching her stupid TV show, honestly, a vampire and a fairy? They had spectacular things here in Gravity Falls. He shook his head, his nose twitched at the scent of the apple, but the memories of the night still made him hesitate.

Blood.

Why had he been vomiting blood? Was it really because of his stomach had changed? Dipper gulped, he didn't feel too different this morning, if it wasn't for the scent of blood that still was burned in his fur he would believe that all of this was nothing more but a bad dream.

`But it isn´t` Dipper thought, polishing the apple in his fur covered arm, maybe the fresh taste would help him to forget the dried blood between his teeth.

So he took a bite.

The juicy flesh tasted fresh and sweet on his tongue, when he sunk his teeth into the apple's skin, until part of it gave away, but something else did too and within seconds the taste of blood was back. He could feel his fur standing in disgust, his voice too low for Mabel to her his question.

"What?!"

Dipper yanked the apple away, watching how light red blood smeared down the fresh green. But it was the little something that stuck out in the middle of his bite impression that made him pale all over again.

´A-a tooth?!`

Dipper could feel his heart rate increase, while his breath hitched in his throat as he carefully guided his tongue to the source of blood, praying that his fears would be wrong, just this time.

`Please... anything but this.`

But of course it was all for nothing.

There was a gap.

A freaking gap!

A dark bloody spot in the middle of the set of his upper front teeth, that made him jump to the touch.

The tooth sticking in the apple was his, one of his very own front teeth.

He had just lost a tooth!

Dipper bleated as the apple escaped his grasp, making him jump backwards on unsteady feet , before he made his way upstairs into the bathroom, while Mabel watched her brother jump in surprise.

"Dipper?" She blinked, as the dropped apple rolled beneath her feet.

`Wow, Dipper really isn't hungry.` She frowned, picking up the piece of fruit, until she saw something tiny with speckled with a little hint of red, sticking out of the green flesh, making her red cheeks go pale, when she recognized it.

`Is that… a tooth?`

But the piercing bleat of her brother didn´t give the thought much time to sink in.

"MEEEAAH!"

The sound of a terrified fawn made her feet move on her own while she called out for him in panic.

"Dipper!"

She was up in seconds, taking two steps at a time, searching for him in the attic before she spotted him in the bathroom, cowered under the sink, his muzzle wet with little hints of blood, shining on the dark surface. Mabel swallowed, looking down at her shivering brother until she got on her knees crawling up into his little cave. She frowned, looking from the apple that was still in her hand back to Dipper, chewing her upper lip hesitating, before she tried to lighten the mood.

"Um… so, this yours?" she said, holding the apple up to him. Dipper flinched, his ears pointing down in anger and frustration.

"Go away Mabel…" he murmured, but Mabel got what she wanted, her brother's shivering stopped and he was speaking again, so she did the exact opposite of what he wanted, getting closer to him, nudging his shoulder.

"Aww, come on bro-bro, let´s see what it looks like, it can't be that bad right?" But Dipper just stiffened, slowly looking up to her, while his muzzle twitched. He swallowed, taking a stern look into her eyes before he murmured beneath his breath.

"You must swear that you won´t laugh!" Mabel´s grin grew at the thought alone, but she accepted anyway.

"Promise, now show me you scaredy deer!" Diapers wet nose twitched in hesitation, until he slowly twisted his lips into a grin, showing his teeth to Mabel.

He saw how his sister's eyes went wide, he could see his own reflection in her eyes… the dark spot he had seen in the mirror before was still there. Mabel´s jaw dropped, fear and excitement was bubbling up in her throat. One part of her want to squeeze him tight because he was looking like her six year old nerdy brother all over again, when they had their first day of school both more holes than teeth to eat with. But the grown up twelve year old Mabel forbade it, seeing him in pain and scared. She bit her lip, feeling her own teeth with the tip of her tongue.

"You sure that it's not a left over baby tooth?" Dipper frowned, making a face that now really brought her close to a smile with his lost tooth.

"You yourself sold my last one to the tooth-fairy Mabel! And that was years ago! I'm pretty sure this- this was a full grown one." He grumbled. But Mabel just grinned, tilting her head to the side to get a closer look.

"Does it hurt?" She touched one of his leftover teeth, making him jump in bleating protest.

"Mabel! Don´t touch them!"

"Whoa they're loose! How many of them?"

Dipper looked down, cheeks red of embarrassment.

"The whole upper front" he murmured. "And of course It hurts! I´m losing full grown teeth here, Mabel!"

But his sister wasn't listening by now, her otherwise red cheeks gone pale, while the name she formed was nothing but a whisper.

"Bill!"

The name alone made Dippers voice break.

"What?" He asked, his breath hissed through the gap between his teeth. Mabel nodded looking at the tooth sticking up in the apple with other eyes now, while she could feel Dippers form shivering beside her, his tail flickered nervous back and forth brushing her back making it tickle. She took a deep breath, taking Dippers fur covered hand in hers.

"You remember Bill's first appearance in the woods, when Gideon summoned him? I told you about what he did to the deer…" She could feel Dipper's hand clasping around hers when the memories came to his mind, making him jump with a startled bleat.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

He escaped her grip, jumping and running around in circles, while his knees shivered beneath him. His fingers were hidden in his hair, his heart was beating in his throat, making it hard to breath, while Mabel watched him with a worried glance.

"He´s messing with me Mabel, it's his way to warn me about breaking the deal with him."

"Dipper!" She tried to get his attention, but her brother's shirking monologue went on.

"I bet it was his work last night too, and now he´s ripping out my teeth Mabel" But Mabel missed his slip when Dipper pointed to his mouth, making one of the leftover teeth wobble against his touch, until she finale picked herself up, holding his shoulders to look him close in the eyes, while she could feel his wavering breath on her skin, coming out of his dark nostrils.

"Dipper stop! Stop before I punch you, making the rest of your teeth fall out!" She took a deep breath, waiting for Dipper to follow her motion. "We got a plan remember?" Mabel reminded him, but only one of her brothers ears peaked up, brushing her cheek with a soft touch.

"But- but Bill!" He tried to stutter, until a dry voice finally broke the tension between the twins. Stan was standing in the door frame, looking down at the mess in the bathroom, while a picture of last night flickered before his eyes. At least it wasn't all that bloody this time. He sighed, picking up the apple with Dipper's tooth from the floor, shaking his head with sorrow.

"Sorry kid, but Bill has nothing to do with all this, at least not directly."

"What?!" The twins questioned in unison. Stan swallowed, crouching down on the floor to face them properly while he ignored the aching pain in his back.

"See I-" he began, rubbing his neck awkwardly, avoiding Dippers eyes as best as he could. "I had a hard time sleeping last night so I took a look into some old books lying around the Shack and, well, the fact is kids, is that Bill isn't the reason Dipper is losing his front teeth." Dipper bit his lips, too afraid to ask and besides, he knew very well why his Grunkle didn't get much sleep last night. But Mabel didn´t recognize the tension in the air, asking right away.

"And what else would it be?"

Stan let out a deep breath, looking up to them while he tried to make his voice sound somewhat relieved that´s it wasn´t the Demons work this time.

"You see, Dipper is losing his teeth because it´s- normal. Deer don´t have upper front teeth at all." Dipper could feel his heart sinking in his chest.

"No teeth?" he said while Mabel was totally out of it.

"What?" She couldn't believe it, grabbing her brother's snout to take another look back into his mouth, imagine all of upper front teeth gone, until he broke free again, glaring at her.

"No way! How do they even eat like that?"

Stan rolled his eyes, watching Dipper keep his mouth shut to protect what was left, while his face was pale again. Their Grunkle just shrugged.

"No idea, something about a hard palate or something like that."

"Cool!" Mabel said, making Dipper stomp up his hoof in protest.

"That not cool Mabel! I´m loosing my teeth here." But his sister just rolled her eyes, pinching him in his fluffy tail to get him out of his panicle state.

"Yeah, but remember we go changing you back now, dummy! And for the tees you´ll lose I´m sure we could make a good deal with the tooth-fairy about the, I bet that must be more worth than just one dollar!" She cheered.

"But-" Dipper tried, but he sound of the doorbell cut him off.

"See that´s Wendy and Soos! Now come one, time to reactivate my mermaid powers and save the deer nerd's day."

"Mabel!" But she was down the stairs before he could even protest, leaving him and Stan alone in an awkward silence.

Dipper swallowed, rubbing his fur covered arms, while his ears brushed his cheeks in a shy motion.

"Thanks." He murmured, making Stan looking down on him curiously, so he went on.

"For- for last night and for not telling Mabel." he half whispered underneath his breath. Stan looked at him for a long moment before he huffed, ruffling Dipper's hair.

"Forget it kid, as annoying as you can be, we're still family, right?" He questioned.

Dipper took a long breath before he nodded, a light smile forming on his lips, making it hard for Stan not to laugh at the sight of the missing teeth.

"Right." Dippers answer made Stan grin widen, while he slowly followed his niece downstairs.

"See and now come one, let´s go searching for this cursed river again, before I have to play tooth fairy tonight! Cause I don't see why I should give your sister money for those bloody, sweet-destroyed stumps." He grumbled, getting the reaction he was looking for, an annoyed shout.

"Hey!"


Even Soos and Wendy couldn't deny that he somehow looked younger and pretty adorable with his missing tooth. Actually Dipper had wanted to hide it toothless grin, at least from Wendy, but of course Stan and Mabel gave him away. Soos was the only one that seemed at least to understand, that his manly pride was hurt, being called cute and sweet, but it wasn't helpful at all when he said that he looked like he lost a major fight at all. But the teasing stopped when Dipper lost his second tooth while sneezing. Still like a kitten, but a blood and teeth splitting one. Wendy gave him a tissue to clean his muzzle, so the blood died down rather fast, but aching pain in his mouth stayed for a while, so that nobody tried to annoy him further, seeing his pained state, while Mabel picked up his tooth.

"Here Dip." But her brother just shook his head, gulping down the rest of blood in his mouth.

"Just keep it Mabel, I don´t – I don´t know what to do with it anyway, it's not like you can glue it back on." But in the same time the words left Dippers mouth he knew that he just told her wrong. Of course Mabel's eyes widen at the sheer thought sparkling until Dipper cut her off, before she had the chance to add glitter in her imaginative picture of his set of teeth.

"No Mabel, that's a joke, nothing more." But his sister gave him a pleading look.

"We could still try?" She suggested with a smile, but Dipper made his side clear.

"No." He grumbled, making Mabel huff in protest, crossing her arms before her chest.

"Fine, you party pooper." She definitely was not done with the idea.

Dipper sight, the conversation seemed to be miles away now, it felt like they were walking for hours by now, searching for the river where all of this chaos begun. Stan carried Mabel's movable fish tank with him, filled with towels to dry them later on. Dipper took a close look at him, it was obvious that his Grunkle was wearing an old an oversized suit, so that he won't ruin on of his expensive ones during the transformation. Soos brought an umbrella with him, to defend himself from the sun, if necessary and Wendy, well he could have sworn that he smelt a hint of flea spray on her.

They were prepared.

Prepared to become monsters again, in order to save him.

Dipper bit his lips, he know he should be happy about them helping him and of course some part of him was relieved, but still their way felt like a walk to face the gallows.

None of them said anything.

Wendy was chatting with Mabel, who was wearing one pair of her favorite shoes, looking down at them every time she thought he wasn't looking. Soos and Stan were talking about the Shack and how to run it with them being monsters. The words 'attraction' and 'profit' had been fallen too often for Dipper's taste. The deer boy breathed, looking at the small tooth in his hand, It was the third that had fallen out because of his stupid deer instincts, telling him to chew on one of the fresh branches.

Yeah, great idea!

He swallowed, putting the now gone body part of him in the pocket of his vest.

Just one tooth was left.

One to fall out.

Dipper shuddered, fear made his motions stiff, filling his ears with cotton while he followed them deeper into the woods, when a familiar sound made him stop abruptly.

"Meeah."

His ears twisted into the sound's direction, making his head follow.

Dippers heart jumped when his gaze fixed itself on the doe, which was standing just a few feet ahead of them. Her soft brown fur was dappled in a pattern of lights and shadows from the treetops above, she was looking directly at him. Dipper spotted the little fawn by her side, looking from his mother back to the strange deer-like creature before him. But the doe ignored her fawn;s skeptical glance, taking a step up to the fur covered child.

Dipper however didn´t move at all, his eyes were lost in the dark brown ones of the animal. He shivered at the sheer blankness in them, the dark mirror reflected his picture, maybe there wasn't much of the intelligence as in the eyes of a human, but something deep inside him made him taking a step towards her.

There was something warm, familiar and confronting in the deer's eyes.

It felt nice.

It felt like… home.

A warm wind curled in the fur on his arms, when he took another step towards her.

The doe bleated again and without him noticing it, he answered her call.

Dipper´s mind was blank, his instincts were kicking in filling his panicked body with peace at the sight of another deer by his side. Her long neck leaned down to his face, making his muzzle twitch at her woody scent. Meanwhile the fawn also approached them, so that he was now close enough to sniff at Dippers furry flank in interest. But he didn't even notice, he was still captured in the deer's dark eyes and instead attempting to pet her with his hands, he reached out with his muzzle to sniff her scent, his useless limbs forgotten in the moment. His wet dark muzzle twitched when she liked his nose clean.

The doe smelled like wood, grass and earth.

Again a wave of homesickness clenched at his heart, making his ears twitch at non existing voice, whispering into his ear.

"Come on…" It seems like the wood itself was calling him.

"Let´s go." The wind whispered into his ears.

"Come on." But it was the next word that finally brought his mind back into reality.

"Dipper…"

This little vocal alone made him frown – that, that was his name?

How would the doe, or the wood, know his name?

Dipper blinked, finally recognizing voices that had been calling out for him through the green shadow of the forest.

"M-Mabel?" he gasped, turning around in irritation, searching for his sister, when the doe gave him a hint to the right direction, rising her hand at the upcoming people. So Dipper followed her gaze, looking back to Mabel, Soos, Wendy and Stan, who were carefully approaching them. They looked stiff and he could clearly made out their worried faces, even Mabel's usual cheerful grin was gone, when she called out for him again.

"Come on, you belong to out of it Dipper!" Her voice tumbled, even when a hopeful smile tried to make it up to her lips. When her brother finally turned to face her.

"Mabel…" He called out for her again, as if his mind needed to repeat it before he was able to comprehend it. Mabel nodded in hesitation, taking the next step towards the group of deer and a half, when a small branch cracked beneath her foot, making the two deer jump, before they fled, back into the woods. Dippers own hooves twitched in impersonation, but the attempt to follow them stopped when Mabel´s voice was able to hold him back.

"Dipper!" She shouted, taking the last steps towards him, grabbing his west to snap him out of it. Dipper spun around, looking at his sister's pleading gaze, while it slowly sunk in why Mabel was so worried about him.

She had been thinking that he would go with them, the deer.

Dipper swallowed when new fear, crawled up his spine like an army of ants, making him itchy all over. He bit his lips, shaking his head with a reassuring smile, that felt heavy on his lips.

"Mabel I- sorry I was just…" He bit his lips, finally looking into her eyes again. "I've never seen a real deer that close." He murmured. Mabel frowned, she felt that there was more to this, her heart still beating heavy in her chest. For a second, she had thought she would lose him, to what he was about to become.

But here he was, Dipper, still with her, with his real family, instincts aside. So she ignored the damp feeling in her gut, finally squeezing her brother's hand back.

"Yeah me too, but she seemed to like you more than me." Mabel teased with a wicked smile. But Dipper just smirked back, while the blood finally rushed back into his face.

"Well Mabel, seems that I'm winning the contest of the cuter twin now."

"Pff… just wait until I´ve got my beautiful sparkling tail back, and we talk again Mr. 'I'm licking myself in parts that-'" But Dipper cut her off, gasping his hand about her mouth when Wendy and the others came near.

"Okay okay!" He protested, his cheeks burning red. His Grunkle cleared his throat, taking a annoyed look at their surroundings, but the pale state of his face revealed his inner tumult.

"Are you done making friends with these animals yet? We need to hurry, it's getting dark here in the woods soon." The twins gave him a nod, following Stan and Wendy, while latter took a look at him once or twice, to be sure that they didn't lose him to his instincts again, cause the redhead new to well how hard it was to resist sometimes. But when she saw that Soos gave him company she stopped hovering, going back chatting with Mabel instead. The awkward silence that hung between them was broken by Soos whispered question.

"Hey man, say… what was it like?"

"Huh?" Dipper blinked, tilting his head in confusion while one of his ears picked up. But Soos cheeks just go a darker shade of red, while he whispered his sentence into Dippers big ears.

"Well you know the- the kiss."

"What?!" The deer boy stumbled over his own feet at this statement, looking at Soos with wide eyes who just laugh at the fake attempt of Dipper hiding something like that from him.

"Haha, aww come one now dude, don't tell me that wasn't some kind of super-secret deer kiss between you and the other-" But Dippers yell cut him off, while his face was red as a tomato.

"No! " Soos jumped at the shout, but a new question was already on his lips when Stan broke into their conversation.

"Could you two stop that now?" Stan gave them a stern look, turning around to pointing to a clear stream just a few feet ahead of them.

"We're here…" His raspy voice whispered.

Dipper swallowed approaching the crystal water carefully, the stream seemed to whisper a slight melody, warning him not coming a single step closer. His muscles stiffened, but the others didn´t seem to hear the warning tune of the river, so he got along with them.

The water itself was calm, curling softly around stones and little spots of reed. Stan let go of Mabel's tube with a huff, rolling up his sleeves taking a stern look to the other side of the river. Dipper bit his lips, seeing the others taking their shoes and coats of, their silence just increased his inner tension till Wendy spoke up again, a slightly forced grin on her face, when Soos gave her a thumbs up.

"Well, guys let´s do it."

But Dipper just looked at his hooves, chewing his lips while he tried to hide the trembling in his voice.

"You really don't have to do it." he flinched when Stan groaned in protest, Wendy shaking her head.

"Come on dude, we've been over this part already." She huffed, but the lump in his throat won't vanish. He felt guilty all over seeing the river that would change their fate so close before them.

That had been a stupid idea from the beginning, he should have never agreed to this. He took a deep breath, before he pleaded with a raspy voice.

"No, I mean it, you don't have to-"

But before he could even finish his sentence Mabel rushed past him, in nothing but her swimsuit, making his ears flapping in the wind she caused, before she jumped into the river with a high pitched battle cry.

"Cannon ball!"

The water splashed, making Dipper jump backwards, while Wendy and Soos joined his sister in the river. Even Stan let out a raspy laugh, giving them a warning look.

"If someone dares to splash me I´ll drown them!" He grumbled, being waist high into the water now.

"And you better take a step back now kid, we don't want to know what would happen if the water would hit you again." Dipper just nodded, looking dumbfounded up to his family and fried, swimming, and playing in the cursed water.

His heart dropped, when he folded his feet beneath him, laying down to wait for them. But he couldn't deny that his breath came easier now, knowing that this deer-spook will come to an end by now. He watched them swimming, and even if they did it for him, it felt somehow wrong to watch and wait for them to change, but the time passed…. and nothing happened.

Nothing.

Dipper swallowed, watching them coming out of the water one by one, with a stunned gaze. Mabel was the first to be by his side, huddled in three different towels, sitting down beside him, in a colorful bundle of fabric, so that Dipper couldn´t see more than her face, together with the little hint of blue on her lips. Mabel frowned, seeing the devastated look on her brother's face.

"Maybe it just takes longer this time?" Dipper nodded but otherwise avoided her gaze, seeing Wendy Soos also sitting down on the damp grass, while Stan was the last one to come back to them.

An awkward silence filled the forest around him, no bird seemed to sing near this river. His heart was beating heavily in his chest, filling his blood with desperation and fear again. That was it… their last try to change his fault.

And it failed.

He would stay, no, become a deer, a real, full grown deer. The boy shut his eyes shivering in fear from head to toe.

"It´s over." He whispered, but they heard him anyway, watching as the deer boy bite his lips. "Bill was right… there is no way out." Dipper breathed.

The short silence between them was enough to increase his fear, until Mabel was about to speak again but her grunkle was faster. Stan looked down at the group of kids at the ground, until he huffed, clenching his yaw in a stubborn motion.

"Ah, screw that oversized nacho! We are not done yet kid, so stop moping around." His gaze drifted to the two older teenagers, nodding at them to gain their attention.

"Soos, Wendy, could you make a fire to warm us up?" The redhead just grinned, tipping at the ax by her side.

"You're really asking that Mr. Pines?" She teased, while Soos nodded beside her, but Stan just huffed, turning around with a last grumbling order.

"Fine, then go on." Soos and Wendy did what they had been told, but Dipper and Mabel looked questionably at his back.

"What are you doing Grunkle Stan?" Mabel asked, making Stan stop on his track, but Stan just grumbled in answer.

"Just wait, and warm yourself at the fire… I´ll be right back." They watched him going back to the river, where he left Mabel´s tube, searching for something inside of it, while Soos and Wendy lighted a little fire, drying their wet clothes and hair.

Dippers eyes glistered it the red flames light, the smoke burned in his nose, making his muscles twitch, even so slightly from the life-threatening smell, while he observed the flames moving in their spitting dance.

"See, Grunkle Stan always has a plan and now stop making such a face, Dipper" But Dipper just bit his lips, nodding but his gaze never left the fire place, so that Soos and Wendy shared his sister's worried look. But the silence broke when Stan came back, carrying a bunch of candles in his arm to light them in the firepit, before he carefully placed them around it. But Dippers eyes went wide when he fiddled a piece of paper out of his jacket, that the little deer boy recognized instantly.

"What? But that's-" He choked, while his Grunkle nodded, a dark sparkle glittering in his eyes.

"Bill's summoning circle, that's right. If this foolish demon won't change you back on this way we make him." Stan announced.

"But-" Thought before Dipper could finish his sentence, Stan was already chanting to summon the demon, the words came out of his Grunkle's mouth easily, he didn't even seem to have a copy of the text, knowing the sequence of the words out of memory.

When the last vocal left Stan´s lip the world seemed to stop around them, the color faded into nothing but shades of grey, the river gave them one last angry burble before became silent, shutting them off of reality, to welcome them into the mindscape.

The realm of Bill Cipher.

The grey silence was fast disturbed by a cruel laughter that filled the air, making Dipper shiver in bad memories, when Bills form filled the sky, his big eye watched them with an all knowing glimmer, before she shrank to his more original size, floating over them, with an unseen mocking smile.

"Ah, if that isn´t my beloved Pines family!" he chuckled, wheeling around them, to poke Soos and pull Wendy's hear while he spoke.

"Hey!" She protested but the yellow creep didn't even flinch at her sharp tone.

"The Fez, Shooting Star and of course you brought Red and Question Mark too. The whole small family came together, how cute. Right Pine Tree? Let me guess… they are here for you?" The demon mocked, tipping the deertaur's tail to make it flick in annoyance.

"Bill…" Dipper snarled, his fur erecting on his back, while his ears peaked back in an angry motion.

"Ah, ah, ah, that´s not a nice behavior my deer child." Dipper was about to protest when a stern grip pulled itself around his throat, cutting his voice of, lifting him high, letting him twist and turn in the air, while the others called out for him, desperately.

"Dipper!" Mabel screamed for her Brother, but Cipher ignored them to examine his little project with a false concerned look.

"Now be a nice fawn and let me look how you've turned out so far." Dipper squeaked at the powerful pressure on him, when Bill turned him around, so that his muzzle was face to face with the demon's eye.

"I see… your fur is nearly grown, and your snout turned out really nice, well… except for this." Dippers eyes went wide, when he could feel his mouth opening out of his own, presenting Bill his left over front tooth, at which Bill looked with interest.

"Let's get you rid of this little stump, you won't need it anyway." He reached out for Dippers tooth, wiggling it for and back and back and for, until blood splattered his fingers, while Dippers limps struggled in the air, to free himself from the pain.

'NO!' Dippers eyes were glistening in an obvious way when Bill twisted and turned the tooth one last time before his flesh gave it away. Making his friends and family scream in protest but Bill just laughed observing the blood dripping out of the boy´s mouth.

"See, doctor Cipher made better." Bill chirped, admiring his bloody work and the little tooth in his hand, full with blood and bits and pieces of gum, before he faced the now crying boy in his force again.

"A deer with a human tooth, well that would be hilarious right?" But that was enough for Mabel now, after all their calls had been useless she threw a branch at the Demon in anger.

"Stop it now you big dumb triangle head!" she cried, making Bill stiffen, finally releasing the shivering boy with a started bleat to the hard ground. Were Soos helped him up, while Wendy glared holes at the Demon, her ax in both hands, ready to go, while Mabel protested in anger.

"Tell us how we can break your stupid deal." She shouted at him, seeing her brother bloody and hurt on the floor made every left over fear in her heart vanishing in an instant.

But Bill's answer was as cold as simple.

"No."

"What?" The question came out of three months at once. But Bill just sight, looking at his fingers in annoyance, while he spoke.

"No because you can't, your little furry friend here made a deal." He let out with a hidden smirk. The demons answer sunk deep into their bones, resounding in them to make them shiver in their power. Soos and Wendy glanced at the shivering body by her side, but Mabel didn´t accept Cipher's answer at all.

"Fine, than we make another in order to change him back." Mabel suggested with a stern voice. Her offer finally brought Dipper back on his trembling hooves, calling of for her in fear and protest.

"Mabel!" But Dippers voice fast shut off, with a single snap of Bill's finger, making him stiff and mute again, while his eye was glued to the little Shooting Star before him

"No, Pine Tree, let her speak, will you!" Mabel look wavered to her brothers side, who gave her a warning look that she ignored, swallowing, to look right into Bills eye again.

"I´ll give you all my candy for… for the rest of my life, if change him back." Mabel's mouth twitched at her loss, but Bill's laughter just made her anger grow.

"Sorry, kid I'm not making deals for sweets." The demon mocked.

Mabel bit her lip, focusing Bill with an even harder look now, before she swallowed, her usual sweet voice, dry and raspy at her offer.

"Fine...what- what about my curtness, you enjoyed taking it last time."

"Mabel!" This time it was Wendy and Soos who protested against Mabel´s offer, just to be shut off be the demon.

"Shut up, I´m doing business here!" He grumbled, turning back to Mabel with a soft grin. "And sorry kid, but that's far too much of a loss on my end."

"Hey!" But Mabel´s protest was broken by her grunkles dry voice, who had been silent until now, like he had known that all of her offers were useless against the deal of her brother.

But his price, the demon couldn't ignore, that was for sure.

His voice was stern, echoing in the silent forest around them.

"My soul..."

That made even Bill twitch. The demon slowly turned to the man behind him, turning all read at this powerful offer, but Stan didn't even flinch instead giving him a stern look, repeating his offer clearly and loud.

"You can take my soul."

He suggested again, leaving Mabel and the others so cry out in protest and fear, tears glistening in the corner of the twins eyes.

His Grunkle's words rang in Dipper's ears.

Stan… his Grunkle was about to sell his soul… he was about to sell his life… for him.

'Why?!'

But Bill cut their protest of with a single motion of his hands, forcing them into a stiff motion, unable to move or speak.

"Silence!" He barked, his voice echoing in the forest.

But when he turned to face Stan again his voice was soft and gentle once more, surrounding him, to exam the man, like a butcher would look at his meat.

"Your soul huh? You would give it to me in order to save your nephew?" He questioned with one wide eye, until he raised his single eyebrow in suspicion, going close to stand face to that he could feel the humans dump breath in his eye.

"I´m not used to see you that spendable Pines, let alone thinking for another before your own?" He hissed in an amused tone. He raised his cane, poking the holder of the Mystery Shack into his back, and belly, like he was some roadkill to play with.

His mute puppets cried out in protest. Soos punched the invisible barrier with heavy fists, seeing the old man in the hand of the cruel demon.

But again, Stan did nothing, he endured it just like that.

The man that was going havoc every time someone tried to hug him.

His face didn't even twitch when Bill's voice filled itself with cold joy, laughing out loud, before he closed the distance to the old man gain.

His words reached his ears weren't more than a whispered in the old man's ear, enjoying the echoing of his own voice, when he saw Stan's eyes growing wide an distant.

"Nah...your soul is already broken, you're already facing living your worst nightmare, Stan Pines."

He laughed, curly filling the wood with nothing but his cold voice, before he released Dipper and the others from his invisible and powerful grip to grin down at them in fake pity.

"But I'm not cruel, am I, little Pine Tree? If you are so desperate to save you furry friend here, I offer you help." He laughed, looking down on them well known of the power he had over them.

"On what cost?" Mabel questioned with a stern look, laying her hands on her small hips.

Dipper look was still glued to his Grunkle, who faced the ground, the shell shocked expression still molded in the lines of his old face.

While Bill just suppressed a laughed, at the poor attempt to treat him. His voice resounded cold and cruel in the woods around them, the hidden smile clearly to be heard in the fainting echo.

"The price, yeah… lets see."