"What are you doing out of bed?" Mimi asked as Ford walked into the kitchen.

"I'm not that badly injured," he waved away her concern, "You stayed with the kids last night?"

"I did," she nodded, "Did you check on Stan?"

"Yes."

She went back to the stove. Ford sat at the table. The kitchen, and the whole house for that matter, was still a complete mess.

"This isn't over," Ford spoke his thoughts out loud, "there's more of them."

"It seems that way," Mimi replied.

"Any thoughts about what they want?"

Mimi shook her head, "they are trying to acquire inherent magic for humans. To what end we can only guess."

Ford tapped the table, "how long have they been…doing this? I've read of no record in any histories that indicate this kind of secret organization or…but…I did find Bill…"

"Bill is the demon you four vanquished a few years back, yes?"

Ford nodded, "all my research ended with Bill…but Bill is gone and this organization is still here and active. Are they a cult of some kind?"

Mimi placed a plate of food down in front of Ford.

"What was Bills goal?"

"Weirdmagedon," Ford said immediately, "he wanted chaos and to cause this dimension to collapse in on itself. It was his idea of fun."

"His goal was to have fun?"

"…yeah, I guess so. But I don't see that as their motivation. They want something."

"So not a Bill cult."

Ford stood, "I'm going to go down stairs and do some more research. Maybe I missed something because I didn't know what I was looking for."

"Take your food with you," Mimi pushed the plate towards him, "I have to leave in a little while. I'm meeting with the other leaders in the surrounding areas. We're gathering to discuss the recent events. If you find out anything, please keep me posted so I can pass along the information."

He nodded and left.

()

"Here you go," Mimi said handing Mabel a glass of chocolate milk, "there's food in the fridge for when you feel like eating and when Stan and Dipper wake up."

"You're going?"

"I've got a meeting. I also have to personally thank Fenrik for helping you."

"You're going to see Fen?"

"All the leaders in the immediate area are gathering."

"Tell him hi for me!"

Mimi smiled and nodded, "I will."

()

When Dipper opened his eyes again, the sun had moved directly in line with the window. It was afternoon.

"'Bout time you woke up," Mabel said sitting by the bed, "You took forever."

"Couldn't sleep last night."

"Mimi told me."

"You ok?" Mabel was full of bandaids and bruises.

"It looks worse than it is," she smiled.

"That's good…"

They shifted uncomfortably and avoided each others gazes. They had thought they were close. Everyone saw them as close. But they had lied to each other for years.

"Mabel, I'm sorry I scared you…" Dipper finally said, "I didn't- why are you crying?!"

Mabel shook her head, "I'M SORRY!"

Dipper blinked, "What for?"

"IT'S MY FAULT!"

"…Iiii don't think so-"

"I CALLED HIM!"

Mabel was now almost inconsolable. Dipper pushed himself up into a sitting position. His head spun a little and he waited for the world to right itself.

"Come on," Dipper reached out and took her hand, "start from the beginning."

"You weren't acting like yourself!" she bubbled, "No one would tell me anything! I tried to figure out what was wrong! You ate a magic berry even after telling me to not eat berries! You were always so tired and you were working out and you were violent and you just weren't acting like yourself at all!"

"Gee," Dipper bit his lip, "Sorry, I thought I was better at acting…"

"STOP APOLOGIZING WHEN I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU ITS MY FAULT!"

"Ok, ok, continue."

"Well, when you got back from spending the night at Mimi's you looked terrible. I was really worried…so I called Ryan-"

"Stop," Dipper held up a hand, "How did you get his number and how did you know to call him?"

"Eeeeeeee," Mabel cried harder, "There was a demon in your head and he told meeeeeeee."

Dipper closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "tell me the whole story, Mabel."

So she told him about the demon and how she'd gotten rid of it.

"I called Ryan," Mabel sniffed and started to cry again, "I called and said you weren't acting like you usually do. He said it should be obvious what was wrong. I got upset and snapped at him and said I was calling because it wasn't obvious! I told him! I told him you went on runs in the morning and that you were working out! He asked if you did it with both leeeegs! And I said DUUUUUHHH!"

She wailed and Dipper squeezed her hand.

"He woulda left us alone if I hadn't told hiiiiimmmm!"

Dipper scooted closer and grabbed her other hand.

"Why am I so stupiiiid!"

"You aren't stupid."

"Yes I am!"

"This happened because I wasn't honest with you first."

"You aren't angry?" she sobbed.

"Oh, I'm furious that there was a demon in my head and you didn't say anything about that, and I'm reminded of the fact that you can dream hop at will and see past illusion spells, so that's freaking me out a little, but really…our lives have become so messed up, I'm actually a little numb to it as a whole."

Mabel sat and tried to collect herself.

"Yeah…and you can use fire...Grunkle Stan told me..."

"I'm sure the realization will hit us later though."

"...that's gonna suck."

"No more lies?" Dipper held out his fist. Mabel looked down at it and nodded. Bumping her fist against his.

"No more lies."

()

Mimis large body took up most of the clearing as she looked around at the other leaders. There was a Nue, a Chamara, a Wendigo, and a Fenrir.

Were there no dragons in the Americas?

"And that's the account of the last few days," Fenrik finished, "we were able to neutralize the current threat. We kept watch over the spot and it was visited by more humans. One made quite the show, he was not pleased, but they left and haven't returned."

"I have noticed a few of my subjects go missing," the Wendigo voice hissed slightly, "I shall keep a look out for enemy human behavior."

"We've been able to live perfectly fine out of the consciousness of humans, and then suddenly this happens?" The Nue snorted, "Where did they come from?"

"I know of someone who is looking into that," Mimi replied, "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to find answers on our own. I suggest we start our own net work. Contact everyone all over the country. All over the world. Let us find out just how far these humans influence has reached."

"Who do you have working on it?"

"A man named Ford."

"Human?!"

"They are every bit as invested in this as we are," Mimi replied, "They suffered just as much. Plus, they will be able to move around much more freely than we will. We will handle the information in the shadows while they can look for answers in the light of day."

"Those children are not ready for this fight," Fenrik said, "they barely survived."

"I'm teaching the boy. Give me a few years and he will be a force to be reckoned with."

"And the girl?"

Mimi sighed, "she has talent and strong power. But I am unable to help her. Dragons don't deal with the mind. Do any of you know of anyone who could train her?"

"What powers does she have?"

"A human can't have powers, Ceciel-"

"She learned to mimic the powers of a dream demon," Mimi cut in. the others stopped and stared. "She's already been practicing with this power for a number of years. But she needs a mentor."

"That would explain how she saw through the illusion," Fenrik growled, "and she's been directionless for years?"

"I wouldn't say directionless-"

"The worlds of illusions are not to be trifled with," Fenrik snapped, "there are LAWS! You told me she's been 'practicing' on her own, which means no one has taught her these laws! She could not only destroy her own mind, but she could ruin all those she comes in contact with!"

"Thank you for volunteering, Fenrik," Mimi grinned, all her teeth showing, "I'm sure she will be more than happy to be taught by you."

"What?"

"Why should we teach humans our magic?" Ceciel the Chamara tapped her paw on the ground nervously, "is this not the reason we're fighting against the humans in the first place?"

"We are stopping humans from draining our magic for themselves. These two have learned inherent magic on their own. They need to learn to control it."

"I am not going to teach a human," Fenrik growled.

"Then who else knows the laws and skills that Mabel needs to learn?"

Fenrik grumbled, his tail thumping in agitation. He couldn't think of anyone else he would trust enough to hand a human over to. Sure, there were many creatures that worked with and were masters of illusions, but they would probably eat the human. And by how the dragon talked about these humans, she had adopted them. If any harm came to them, she'd probably burn the entire forest.

"Fine," Fenrik sighed, "I will teach her. But I will come to retrieve her for each physical lesson. If I have permission to enter your territory?"

"Granted," Mimi lowered her head in a respectful bow, "I will tell her the news tomorrow and set up a meeting between you two."

He nodded.

"If you two will come back to the actual conversation, that would be great," the Nue narrowed his eyes at them, "we each have territories to run. How are we going to fit in this extra communications that we now have to do? I've got river imps and a troll that are out for each others blood. I don't have time to be sending out niceties to creatures across the country."

"I wouldn't call a message that outlines the danger of torture and loss of life as a 'nicety'," the Wendigo hissed, "I have nymphs and dryads that will help carry messages."

"I will also send out mine," said Ceciel, "we'll send them all the way down to the very south."

"I will contact my kin in Europe," Mimi replied.

They all looked at the Nue.

"What?"

"Do you not have kin in Asia?" Mimi asked

He scowled, "we don't talk."

"But you will have more influence with them. They need to be alerted. They may even have information we don't. For all we know we could be just late in realizing this threat and everyone already knows," the Wendigo shrugged.

"Fine!" the Nue snapped his teeth in irritation, "But don't be surprised if i come back with nothing. My kin are difficult on a good day."

"I will speak with the Eloko about contacting their relatives," Fenrik added, "we are on good terms."

"Don't know how," the Nue muttered, "Evil brutes."

After they settled the finer points of their separate actions, they set up a meeting schedule and ways to contact each other in case of an emergency.

They each went their separate ways, but Ceciel waited for a moment before following after Fenrik and Josy the Wendigo.

"Just a moment!" she called. They stopped and waited for her to catch up, "I…I'm concerned."

"When are you not?" Fenrik sighed, "what is it this time?"

"The Gravity Falls territory," she said, "Its been without a ruler for a very long time. No one could control those creatures. We all tried!"

"Looks like it took a dragon and the right circumstance to convince them that they needed a leader," Josy shrugged.

"But a dragon?!" Ceciel shook her head, "you know how power goes to their head. What happens when she feels her territory is not big enough?"

It did bare consideration.

"for right now," Josy replied, "we are busy with a common enemy. She is the only one in hundreds of years that those around Gravity Falls will actually listen to and follow."

Fenrik added, "From what she told us, and from the rumors we hear from the others, we can deduce that she won't be a threat unless we give her a reason to be. If, one day, she does let the power go to her head. Well. She's not the only one with contacts in Europe. I can have her clan here in record time and they can deal with her."

"Dragons are very strict with their own," Josy nodded, "we will have to do our best to hold out until they got here."

Ceciel still didn't like it. She was the weakest ruler. She was strong compared to those in her territory, but compared to the surrounding leaders? She would be the first to fall.