Disclaimers: I Do Not own Gravity Falls

Author's Notes: And here we are again! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving; thanks for reading and please review!

(Back with Dipper...)

"No, no, no!" Bill yelled. "You're doing it all wrong!"

Dipper groaned as he dropped his stance once more; his frustration growing. After his talk with Malia he had joined Bill outside as instructed. And was instantly surprised with a sneak attack from the dream demon.

An attack that was executed with ease, and after getting chewed out for being such an easy target his official training had begun.

And that was two hours ago, and Dipper could practically feel the sweat dripping off of him.

"Seriously you lack basic form!" Bill yelled. "Keep this up and Bares will defeat us in his sleep!"

"I'm trying!" Dipper yelled as he go into his usual stance.

Malia was currently trying to show him how to manipulate the plants around him as a weapon to defend himself against Bill. The demon was currently throwing blue balls of fire at him, and he wasn't being nice about it.

Of course, Malia understood why Bill was being so tough, Bares was no joke; but Dipper was still human, and might need a gentler approach.

"Well try harder!" Bill hissed; sending another blast his way.

Dipper dodged it with ease, but dodging wasn't the point of this lesson, no he was supposed to be countering the demon's attacks with blows of his own.

Icarus couldn't help but cringe from his hiding place a few trees away. If this was the state their savior was in then perhaps he shouldn't have switched sides.

"Not too promising looking is he?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

Icarus turned to see Tad's lanky form. "Come to deliver my message?" He asked.

"If you were going to be here, you could have delivered it yourself." Tad told him.

"I wasn't planning to, but my step-mother insisted that I get within the Star Child's inner circle." Icarus explained.

"Isn't that what you were planning in the first place?" Tad asked.

Icarus nodded.

"Think they're on to you?" Tad asked the obvious.

"No, I think they want me to challenge them." He answered. "It proves I'm a worthy legacy."

"And if you are not?"

"Father made it clear that I am a disappointment, he even agreed that maybe my replacement is for the best."

"Ouch." Tad said, half teasing. "Still you should have seen it coming."

Icarus hadn't thought of it but now that he had he supposed Cipher's brother was right. His father was a God now, and like every demon he would want his legacy to be stronger than him, not weaker. No that would make him look weak and tarnish the family name. He laughed and shook his head. "You're right, I shouldn't have been surprised."

"What will you do once he and Victoria are defeated?" Tad asked.

It was a fair question; one he also hadn't put much thought to. "Not sure. I mean I assume your father will want his chair back."

Tad smirked. "Yes, the true king will be returning to the throne."

"That's fine." The fire demon said, surprising him. "Never was going to get it anyways."

"Not with your father being a God and all." Tad agreed.

"So how do you think he'll take you being here?" Icarus asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Knowing him he'll flip out like the drama king he is." Tad said confirming his suspicions.

"Then I might as well accompany you." Icarus decided.

"Now?" Tad asked.

"Why not." Icarus taunted. "Besides he 's probably already aware of us."

Tad nodded and began to make his way towards the Star child.

Meanwhile, Dipper was still trying to move the vines. He tried imagining how Bill had done it earlier with the Lycian. But while the dream demon made it look easy he found his movements stiff and his results lacking.

Bill rolled his golden eyes; at this rate they were in trouble. "Just stop already." He ordered. "Please, it's embarrassing."

"I'm trying okay!" Dipper shouted, gasping for breath.

"that's just it kid." Bill snapped. "You shouldn't have to try." He lectured. "You defeated me at full power!" He remind him. "And now you can't even move vines! What gives."

"It's nothing, I'm fine." Dipper lied turning away.

"Bullshit!" Bill yelled. "You think I haven't noticed?" He snapped. "Ever since I've been back you've been different."

"No, I haven't"

"Distancing yourself, refusing to involve Sixer in your training, spending more time alone. And since when were you and your sister never side by side?"

Dipper clinched his fist. "It's…it's just better this way." He snapped.

"Is it?" Bill challenged. "Cause from where I'm standing it sure don't look that way."

"Just drop it." Dipper warned.

"I don't know." Malia said, finally speaking up. "Bill's right, something is obviously bothering you."

"It won't…." He paused. "It won't make thing better." He said.

"Can't possible make it worse." Bill snapped.

"Look I don't want to talk about it." Dipper yelled.

"Maybe you don't have to." Icarus said, deciding to show himself from the tree above them.

Bill snapped into a defensive stance between him and Dipper. He had been so caught up in their fight he hadn't sense his approach.

"Relax I'm not here for the kid." Icarus assured him. "In fact, I was hoping I could interest you in an offer."

Bill's eyebrow rose. "What kind of offer?"

"Bill." Dipper warned.

"Just curious." He admitted.

"Well what if I told you, hypothetically of course." Icarus said as he jumped down.

"Oh of course." Bill said with a smug.

"That maybe just maybe, the son of certain demon god wanted to cash in on that deal he made with a certain foe."

Bill's eyes narrowed. "I'd say it sounds fishy." He admitted. "Like you're just using it as an excuse to get close to the kid."

"I helped you realize your true potential." Icarus argued. "It's not my fault you couldn't protect her."

Bill growled, the guy had some nerve bringing his mother up at a time like this, but then again Icarus always knew how to get under his skin.

"You owe me Cipher." Icarus went on.

"Fine." Bill insisted. "We plan to kill him, just as I promised. You can leave now."

"Why? So, you can continue to struggle with this." He pointed at Dipper.

"He needs to learn proper form." Malia insisted.

"Seriously?" Icarus laughed. "He beat a dream demon didn't he?" He asked.

"Yeah." Bill answered.

"Then his form isn't the problem." Icarus lectured. "Don't you see? We need to do for him what Malia and I did for you."

Malia's eyes widen. "That might actually work." She insisted.

"What might?" Dipper asked.

But Bill didn't answer, he was thinking it over to himself.

"When Will, I mean Bill was having trouble with his powers we entered his mind through the dreamscape and had him face the problem head on."

Bill nodded. "I met my inner demon while there." He admitted. "It allowed me to come to terms that I could not defeat my father without it."

"So that's what happened." Icarus said.

"I don't know." Dipper said, sounding unsure.

"Well it's either this or talking about it." Bill sapped, and you already said no to that."

"Wait you're considering his idea!" Dipper yelled. "He's the enemy."

"An enemy with an army ready to back you up." Icarus revealed.

"Oh really?" Bill mused. "Let me guess, my old friends miss the endless fun?" He asked in a teasing tone. "Miss me already do they?"

Icarus nodded. "They aren't the only ones who hate how my father is running things." He revealed.

"Bares and his mate will be bringing their own army." Bill reasoned out loud, mostly for Dipper. "It might even the odds if we had a few more demons on our side."

"The Order will never approve." Malia pointed out the obvious.

"Who says they have to know?" Tad asked as he showed up from behind a tree. "We could just show up to help." He reasoned slyly. "You know, if certain people would be willing to give back what they've stolen."

"and what would that be?" Bill asked, regarding his brother coldly.

"My powers!" Tad screamed.

"Seriously?" Bill hissed. "Those aren't back yet?"

"No!" Tad snapped. "They started coming back slowly after you were turned back into a human." He revealed. "But now that you are more demon than human it stopped."

"Why not get father to restore you?" Bill teased.

"As if father would side against you." Tad reasoned. "Now are you going to give it back are not."

Bill shrugged. "Can't say I can." He admitted. "Sure, I'm mostly Demon now but this form is very constricting."

Tad growled. "Either you give me back what's mine or-"

"Or what you'll make me?" Bill snapped.

Tad's eyes glowed purple, a clear warning of the trouble to come. "I'd hate for Bares to find out about all this."

"Father would skin you alive." Bill warned.

"No, he'd see it as a learning experience for you." Tad reasoned. "You kill the enemy, not disarm them."

Bill frowned, now that he thought about it, he was sure Tad was right, their father had always taught him to never let his enemy's get away with their lives. Still, even after what he said about their mother; Bill could never see Tad as anything but his brother. "Fine how about this." He insisted. "Once my powers are fully back I'll grant your request."

"What's the catch?" Tad dared to ask.

"You help me I help you." Bill bargained.

Tad smiled. "Fine, besides looks like you need all the help you can get." He teased.

"We don't need you." Dipper snapped in response.

"Pine Tree." Bill warned. "We don't really have a lot of options here."

"Fine now that, that's settled." Icarus mused. "Let's get this over with." He gestured to Dipper.

"Absolutely not!" Dipper yelled.

"Kid I know you hate the idea." Bill argued. "But take it from me." He said. "It helps."

Dipper crossed his arms in defiance, he knew he was being childish, but he didn't want bunch of demon's poking around in his head. Still, as much as he hated to admit it, they were running out of time. And as they kept reminding him, they were running out of time. He sighed, "Fine, but whatever you see." He said giving Bill a serious glare. "You tell Mabel nothing!"

Bill nodded, he knew something was bothering the kid, and now his words confirmed it.

"We'll stay out here and keep him safe." Icarus assure them.

"Malia." Bill Warned.

"Don't worry, I won't let them out of my sight." She assured him.

Bill nodded and looked to Dipper. "Alright Pine Tree you ready?"

"To let you back in my head?" Dipper asked. "Not really." He admitted.

Bill couldn't blame him, but now was not the time to for doubts. Heck they barely had time for this. Let's do this."

Dipper nodded, and with one final breath they dove into the farthest regions of his mind.

And what they would find there would be far from pleasant.

Chapter End Notes

Thanks for reading, the next chapter will be up soon.

Until then this is...

Emily signing off :)