So, this story has actually been written (and nearly completed) for a while. I've finally decided to post it instead of only sharing it with my best friend. It's got all kinds of crazy nonsense in it. New lore (made up by yours truly), violence, humor, romance garbage, and dragons. Cuz you know I love me some dragons.


It was their third summer in Gravity Falls. Throughout the year, Dipper and Mabel stayed with their parents and went to school in California, while their two great uncles traveled around the world together exploring and investigating all sorts of crazy phenomena. As much as the two of them would like to go on adventures with their great uncles, they still had school and their own personal plans. Of course, the four made it a point to gather together and spend summer in Gravity Falls, Oregon ever since their first adventure there. They always had lots to talk about when they reunited and it was nice to see old friends again. They even did their best to gather and visit there on certain holidays like Christmas.

For the most part, the town had not changed much at all since their last visit, or even since their very first visit. It was a nice change from their usual routines; refreshing and relaxing. Though, despite the area's peculiarities and strange creatures that called it home, nothing too incredibly amazing had happened since their first summer there. Personally, though he loved this old hillbilly town, and he could pretty much always find something new when they visited, Dipper found that nothing could top their first summer in Gravity Falls. Although it had ended up becoming life-threateningly dangerous and terrifying, it had been exciting and incredible. Truly an experience none of them would ever forget. Yet, Dipper found last summer to be just a tiny bit…dull. At least, in comparison to the previous year.

This third year was already different, though. Perhaps even promising. The first summer that Dipper and his sister came to Gravity Falls, they spent the whole summer with their great uncle Stan in the Mystery Shack. Last year, all four of them stayed in the Shack with its new owner, and their old friend, Soos (and his grandmother). It was…crowded, to say the least. Soos' grandmother was not easy to live with. At least, not for them. But this year, their great uncle Ford had told them that they were not going to stay at the Shack.

"Ugh! Grunkle Stannnn," Mabel complained. She threw her arms out at her sides, almost hitting her brother, and slouched in the car's backseat. "When are you gonna get the AC fixed in this old carrrrr?"

"When it doesn't cost an arm and a leg," he replied in his husky voice. He was sitting in the front passenger seat while his brother drove. "Just roll the window down, you'll be fine."

Both teens groaned.

"Don't worry children," Ford said with a smirk. He turned the car down an old dirt road leading into the woods. It was almost hidden by the regrowth of summer grass. "We're almost there."

"Remind me again why we aren't staying at the Mystery Shack this year?" Dipper tried to roll the window down but to no avail. He was sure he already knew the answer, but he wanted to distract Mabel so she might stop complaining.

"Well, after last year, the four of us staying with Soos and his grandmother isn't exactly…ideal," Ford replied.

"Five of us!" Mabel snatched up the pig sitting between her and her brother.

Dipper shivered at the memory of last summer. "So, where are we staying? It's not that creepy old motel with the creepy old man at the front desk? I swear that guy's a vampire…"

"No, no," Ford said. "Though you might be right about the vampire thing… I called up an old acquaintance and she agreed to have us over for the summer. Though, she did seem a bit hesitant. Of course, we haven't exactly been in touch since she was young."

"Since she was young?" Dipper raised an eyebrow. "How old is she?"

Ford thought about it for a moment. "Hm, I suppose she would be in her early twenties?"

"Did you, like, know her parents?"

"Her parents passed away when she was very young. I'm not sure who looked after her, but she lives alone in a big farmhouse. She did say that she had a guest staying over already, which may have been the reason she was hesitant to let us stay. But she said that her guest insisted that she have us over. Her name is Amaranth, but she prefers to go by Amy."

"Amaranth? Like the mythical undying flower?" Dipper tilted his head. "This is our third summer coming to Gravity Falls. How come we've never met or even heard of her?"

"Amy isn't exactly what you would call a 'people person.' She can be a bit shy with strangers and prefers the company of animals. She lives in an open but secluded part of the woods here. If you don't know exactly where you're going, it's likely you won't encounter it. Actually, I believe she just recently returned from a long trip to Africa as well. Like her father, she enjoys exploration and travel. She often would disappear for months or longer to travel out of the country. Though, she mentioned that this last trip would likely be her last for a long while." He slowed the car to a stop. "That's strange. I don't remember there being a fork in the road."

Sure enough, the overgrown dirt road split into two paths that looked almost exactly the same. The one on the right however gave off a strange, ominous feeling. It was faint, but the feeling was there, like something calling; beckoning them over. Dipper was kind of relieved when Ford took the left path and, soon, they passed a large red mailbox. A few seconds past the mailbox they pulled into a very large clearing in the trees. Towards the other end of the clearing was a large farmhouse waiting silently for their arrival. To the right was an old brown barn, its two doors fully open and the inside empty but for piles of hay. Further to the right was a newer looking barn painted red and white with a large fenced area where numerous sheep were grazing. To the left of the house was a chicken coop and several chickens wandering around it, including a large, pompous rooster.

"Look Waddles," Mabel held up the pig. "It's perfect!"

Ford stopped the car near a pond where an old willow tree loomed over the water. They all stretched upon exiting the vehicle.

"Dog!" Mabel shouted next to Dipper causing him to cringe. He followed her pointing finger to the porch where an old bloodhound was sleeping. It lifted its gray muzzle up to sniff at them as they approached and Ford patted the dog's head. A golden tag hanging from his leather collar revealed his name to be Bud.

"I wonder who that other guest is…" Dipper mused aloud as Ford knocked on the door.

It was only seconds before the door flew open inwardly and a man who looked to be in his twenties peered down at them with a single, catlike yellow eye, the right was covered by an eyepatch and long blond bangs. He was wearing a white button-up long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and a loose yellow tailcoat, as well as a black bowtie and a long thin top hat. He grinned wickedly. "Yellow!"

They were stunned. Ford was the first to find words. "You!" He took a quick step back. That voice, and the style of clothing, there was no doubt. But it was… "Impossible!"

"Wrong!"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait," Dipper shook his head. "You! We! Erased!"

"Yeah, yeah, surprised?" He bent down to pat the head of the dog sniffing at his pants. "If you really wanted to destroy me, you should have destroyed my petrified statue."

"Statue? What statue?" Dipper's voice cracked.

Without further explanation he turned around and reentered the house. "I'd kill you now, but since you're Amy's guests I guess that'll have to wait." Bud followed him inside and climbed onto the living room couch.

Ford rushed inside. "Whose body have you taken? What have you done with Amy?" He asked angrily.

"Whoa, calm down," Bill laughed. "I didn't do anything to her. And this, old friend, is my own." He made a fancy bow then stood up and suddenly shouted, "Amy! Your pests, I mean, guests are here!"

A door just at the beginning of the hall flew open and a young woman slammed it shut. She was pushing against the door to keep it closed as something on the other side thrashed against it, roaring. "Bill!" she shouted.

He casually walked over and slammed the door hard, causing the creature on the other side to whimper and stop thrashing. With his hand still pressed against the door, he looked down at her and smirked.

"Gee, thanks for warning me about the tentacled beast in my storage closet!" She said sarcastically. She suddenly noticed the people standing in her living room and staring wide-eyed. She stood up straight and dusted her jeans off. Her outfit was casual, jeans and a red shirt; she had long auburn hair that was slightly wavy at the ends.

"Pretty," Mabel smiled with stars in her eyes. "You're gorgeous."

She flinched slightly. "Um, thanks? Hello."

"Amy!" Ford grabbed her shoulders and looked her over. "Are you okay? What did he do?"

"Excuse me?" she stepped back. "I'm fine, why?"

"Amy, do you have any idea who he is!?" Ford pointed at Bill who was now laying on the couch with his feet propped up on the dog's back. Bud paid no mind and continued to sleep.

"Yes," she said casually. "He told me. He also told me about what happened two years ago while I was gone. Well, after."

"After? After what? Did you make a deal with him?"

"Sort of," she muttered.

"I don't understand," Dipper was walking in a small circle. "I thought we erased him from existence. What's going on?"

"Hurray, story time!" Mabel cheered earning a sideways glance from her brother. "Heheh, I mean, oh no! Bill's back!"

Amy walked through the woods with her dog following at her side. It was routine for her to take the old bloodhound out for walks at least three times a week. Even in old age, the dog was constantly sniffing everything and he often wandered when he caught the scent of nearby animals. Suddenly, he lifted his head and tilted it, staring into the woods.

"What is it, Bud?" she asked. The old dog let out a deep bark and headed off deeper into the forest. "Hey, wait for me!" she chased after him. For an old dog he was quick when he smelled something interesting. Before long Bud had led her to a strange stone figure covered by moss. He barked, causing the birds resting on it to take off then whimpered as he sniffed the statue.

"I come back between trips to pick you up and now you lead me to whatever this is?" She knew her statement made no sense, especially to the dog. "Looks like it's been here for ages, but we've never seen it before, have we?" She exchanged looks with her confused dog. The figure was triangular with a single eye and what appeared to be a top hat. One of its arms was outstretched and she reached out to touch it. It felt like electricity surged through her and with a flash of white she was suddenly somewhere else. She was in a forest brushed lightly with snow and Bud was nowhere in sight. "Where? Bud? Here boy!"

"Well, isn't this interesting?" a pleased voice laughed from somewhere.

Amy looked around but saw no one. This snow-brushed forest was very familiar to her. Was it the same forest she grew up in? But she clearly was somewhere different from just moments before… "Hello?" she called to the voice.

"Howdy!"

She spun around at the sound of the voice just behind her and let out a small gasp at finding the figure of the statue floating there. Though, it was no longer stone. She took a step back out of instinct but spoke calmly. "Who are you?" 'What' might have been a better question, but she was used to seeing bizarre creatures and beasts.

"Name's Bill Cipher. And you're Amaranth, right?" He circled once around her. "Not bad." He looked around at the snowy forest. "Hm, interesting…"

She followed his gaze around the forest. "Where are we? And where is my dog?"

He laughed. "Not even gonna ask how I know your name, huh?"

She shrugged. "Surprisingly, I'm used to strange creatures I've never met already knowing who I am. Now, where's my dog?"

"Relax." He folded his arms. "Your dog minion is back in reality. We're in your mind." He followed her as she began to walk around and examine things. "Here I thought I'd be stuck in nothingness for the rest of eternity, but lucky for me someone like you showed up!"

"Someone like me?" She ran her fingers over the bark of a large familiar tree. "I have a feeling that I already know what you mean by that…"

"Then let's get to it." He suddenly appeared in front of her, causing her to step back. "I've lost a lot of power and I can't regenerate it here. And I mean a LOT. I need someone like you to hang around so I can sap some of that powerful magic you've got and restore myself."

"So?"

"Look, I can't leave this boring place without making a deal with someone. Specifically, someone like you. And the chances of another like you coming around are little to none. With your power, I'd be able to take a temporary physical form while I restore myself. Hey, the deal works both ways. I can give you whatever you want. Well, once my power is restored, that is… I'll even tell you the true story of how I got in to this predicament. In fact, I can tell you whatever you want to know. You can have riches, fame, whatever you want!"

"Doesn't really appeal to me," she told him.

"Appealing to your human side is pretty pointless I see." He sighed. "Your kind have always been stubborn… But I'm persistent! And, admittedly, desperate. Tell you what… As degrading as it is, if you agree, then I'll play the part of your own personal servant. Until I'm fully restored, I mean. But who knows how long that'll take? In the meantime, I'll do whatever you want. Anything you say. No matter what it is! And, heck, as a bonus, you can call off the deal anytime you want. No questions asked. How's that?"

"Wow," she smiled a little. "I don't know who you are, but you really must be desperate to offer yourself as a servant to a human."

"Like I said… Besides, you're only half human!"

She thought on it for a long moment. She was inclined to refuse, but something seemed to be trying to convince her to agree. Well, something other than this guy, that is… Part of her powers gave her a peculiar sense that most others did not have. A strange ability to decide something that would end up beneficial in the end. It was difficult to explain. She never fully understood it herself, so she didn't bother to ponder it for too long. Another benefit of those powers was the ability to read other beings far better than most. She could understand their emotions and intentions, even if they were well hidden. It was part of why she got along so well with animals. He certainly was desperate, but his true intentions were confusing.

"What happens if I agree then call off the deal?" she asked. "What'll happen to you?"

"I'd have to look for another being whose magic can match my own so that I can sap off of them instead. But if you officially cut off the deal before that…I'd end up back here. Stuck in this wretched and boring petrification."

She thought for a few more moments before deciding then seemed to remember something that made up her mind about it. "Fine then. I'll let you come to the physical world with me. We'll see how this goes…"

"Fantastic! Put 'er there!" He held out his hand as a bright blue flame burst from it.

She stared at it for a second before reaching out to shake his hand. The blue fire engulfed her hand as well, but it sent a chill through her instead of burning.

Ford was beside himself. "So, you made the deal with him, and even after learning about everything that happened, you still haven't called off the deal?"

She sighed. How could she explain it? It was too complicated because she would have to give them the details about who, or rather, what she really was. "I have things to do, Ford. You can stay here or leave. It won't matter to me in the end." She tilted her head towards Bill on the sofa. "He does whatever I say. Don't bother him and he won't bother you. He certainly won't hurt you. We've already discussed that…"

Bud lifted his head a growled at Ford, sensing his master's frustration. Ford sighed heavily. Amy was always stubborn and rarely gave explanations for anything she did. But this… He turned to his family. "We might as well stay then, right? That way, we can keep an eye on things up close and figure out what his newest plans are."

Dipper and Stan nodded agreement. Mabel had gone over to the couch to pet the dog. "Why do you look like a person?" she asked Bill.

"I've run out of almost all of my power," he told her. "But sapping off of Amy's power gives me just enough to take a physical form here. Unfortunately, it had to be a simpler, weaker form. It was either this or a rabbit."

"Ooh! You should have been a bunny!"

"Get away from me," he growled.

Amy stared at the pig that walked into her living room to sniff around. "Weird stuff happens around here pretty often, so I know this shouldn't be my concern right now, but… Why is there a pig in my living room?"

Mabel ran over to scoop up the pig and held him up for Amy to see. "This is my pet pig, Waddles! Don't worry. He's totally housetrained. And I'm Mabel! That's my brother, Dipper. Our Grunkle Stan. And you already know our great uncle Ford." She was cheerful, considering the circumstances.

Amy wasn't used to having people around, especially not anyone so friendly and excited. Still, she couldn't help but smile a little. "You can call me Amy. That's my dog, Bud."

"Okay," Dipper breathed finally. "While I wrap my head around this… Are there any house rules we should know?"

She thought for a bit. "The only things I must insist on are: leave my sheep alone, be nice to the animals, don't open that door," she pointed at the storage closet she had come from. "Oh, and at the end of the hall is a door that leads to the basement. Don't go into the basement."

"Dare I ask, why?"

"There's some kind of bear-sized badger thing down there. Sometimes, Bill's power has…spurts while he's collecting it back up. When that happens, some kind of monster usually shows up or some inanimate object becomes…animated. I usually throw them in the basement. Anyways, the bear-badger is super aggressive, so don't go down there."

"We call her Flower," Bill added.

Amy continued. "There are four bedrooms in the house. There were three but the attic was turned into the master bedroom a long time ago. There's a room down this hall on the left and two more upstairs. There's a bathroom on the right and one upstairs as well." She looked to the left and pointed. "Kitchen," then to the right, "Living room. You guys can use the couch and the recliner next it, but the recliner right here is all mine." The couch was against the wall with a recliner adjacent to it and Amy's recliner a few feet away from that one. A small table with a lamp separated the two. A large flat screen TV was sitting on a stand against the wall near the hallway and several video game consoles were placed neatly around it. "That sounds like a lot, but other than those few things, I don't really have rules." Amy shrugged. "You can figure out what rooms you all want. Obviously, the attic is my room."

"What about him?" Dipper leered over at Bill. "Where does he stay?"

"He rarely sleeps. If ever… He follows me around everywhere anyway, so don't worry about it. The only place I can go alone is the bathroom…" She began to walk towards the front door. Both Bud and Bill got up to follow after her. "I'm going to herd up the sheep early today," Amy said.

Bill shot them all a grin as he closed the door behind them.

"This is going to be bad," Dipper said.

Mabel bolted down the hall. "Dibs on the downstairs room!"

To be continued…