Serendipity

by ddp456

Beyond the countless dimensions, infinite universes, and unlimited possibilities, there are things that are simply meant to be - certain people who are destined to meet and how their paths are forever entwined by the cosmos and fates. This is the story of such a pairing. Thanks to Alanna11 for the cover art. The final GF story by ddp456.

2. Chapter 2

"Truly trippy!"

"It's…amazing."

The pair had been teleported into the vastness of space itself. Swirls of galaxies decorated the invisible walls as they went forward. Flaming meteorites and sparkling comets zoomed past the transparent flooring beneath their feet. Wendy tested its solidity by tapping downward with her boot. Small dots of various tinted colored provided much-needed light. It took a few seconds for Dipper to realize what they really were.

"Wendy, they're stars…"

The lumberjane moved past him for a closer look. As she stared into the distance, Dipper could see the reflection of the stars in her eyes, leaving him taken aback in a mystified way.

"They're beautiful," Wendy observed with calmness in her voice. "I mean, living in Gravity Falls, you're able to see 'em at night, but up close like this?" She pressed her hand against the unseen barrier. "It's just…incredible." She stopped and looked at Dipper. "That sounds totally out there, doesn't it?"

"Not at all." Dipper answered as Wendy returned to the starry display. He loved seeing her like this; when her inner shield was dropped down and replaced with a curious, almost child-like wonder. It was who he believed Wendy to be deep down inside, when she didn't worry about maintaining her overly-cool status. ""Incredible" is definitely the best word…"

*KLANK!*

They shot around to find a startled Sere across the walkway. "What the – " She scrambled to pick her Omni-Remote off of the ground. "Where did you – how are you here?!"

Caught in the act, Dipper and Wendy each fretfully tried to come up with a reasonable excuse for their trespass:

"You see..."

"We saw your magic doorway and…"

"A real interdimensional portal! How could we turn that down?!"

…and after all those ghost-things, there was no way we could just forget – "

"Nevermind that!" Sere angrily darted past the friends. "I have to get you home before – OH NO, NO!"

The otherworldly explorer hurried to the other side of the corridor, just as the portal shrunk down to microscopic size. A moment later, it poofed out of existence, leaving behind a gauzy walling.

"Mmmmmm…" A muffled cry escaped through sealed lips as Sere's body shook. With her fists tightened, she stomped the floor with a sneakered foot. "Of all the lousy, stinkin', no-good, dirty, rotten - "

In spite of her tantrum, Wendy and Dipper carefully approached Sere.

"Sorry, Sere." Dipper was the first to apologize. "We didn't mean to get you upset."

"Same here." Wendy joined in. "You can blame me for it. I just wanted to find out more about those things back at the Shack. But the portal – does that mean we're stuck here?"

"Yeah. There's a way to bring it back, right?"

Sere took a couple of calming breaths, going as far as to spread her arms out and around to channel her center. With nerves restored, she faced the mischievous duo. "It's okay, guys. You – You surprised me, is all. And then one thing led to another, and so on." She held up the Omni-Remote and tapped its interface. "But to answer your question, you two aren't going to be trapped here. Time is an open door and runs as smoothly as an everlasting river. "

Dipper and Wendy each let out a sigh of relief.

"That's great!"

"Yep! Thank goodness for small miracles, all right."

"But with that said," Sere explained. "Picture us a making a U-Turn across the very cosmos themselves. And considering that we're traveling at millions of light years per seconds, it's going to take some time before we arrive at your stop. So, for the time being, make yourselves at home."

"Thanks!"

"Cool stuff! But where exactly is here?"

"This, my friends…" Sere threw her head back and hurled her arms into the sky as dozens of tiny fissions opened within time and space itself, each bright with living color and popping with dynamic noise. "…is called the intersection." A smirk quickly formed. "Or if we want to get into specifics, your intersection."

"Ours?" Dipper questioned.

"I don't get it." Wendy earnestly confessed.

"You two are supposed to be explorers, aren't ya?" Sere challenged. "It might be easier to explain if you see it for yourselves."

With a new surge of excitement, Wendy and Dipper raced across the invisible walkway, slowing their pace to peek into the numerous gaps. The much-smaller detective gradually trailed behind his much-taller main squeeze, as he was forced to reach up on tip-toes to see the full scope of the images before him.

After passing a large sum of the moving galleries, their paces slowed to a crawl, as they noticed something was somewhat off with the displays.

"Hey, Dip?"

"Yeah, Wendy?"

"Maybe you can explain it to me. I mean, all of this stuff; these viewfinder things, they're about us. That I understand. What throws me off is that nothing seems to run together. They all look the same, and yet, they're so different."

"I noticed that, too. I just can't put my finger on why…"

"That's kinda the point."

Sere snuck up on the amateur investigators from behind, making them jump in fright.

"BAH!" Dipper flew into the air in a panic.

"Geez!" Wendy dropped her guard as she yelled at her host. "Don't do that to people! I think you took ten years off my life."

"Sorry about that, gang." Sere apologized. "I really don't get a ton of company in my line of work, so I forget little things like that. And don't worry…" She impishly elbowed Wendy's side. "You have plenty of time left in that ticker of yours."

"How do you know – " Wendy hesitated before swiping her arms together. "On second thought, forget I asked."

"What was that you were saying, Sere?" Dipper returned to the topic at hand.

"That you guys are on the right track." The guide moved her hand gently towards the closest opening. "Nearly every display here contains the life of a different Dipper and Wendy set across their own unique paths. Only a select few are continuing stories of the other."

"So, that's what happened at the Shack!" Dipper exclaimed. "All these alternative versions leaked out of this place and overlapped over our dimension. They weren't ghosts or shadows or anything like that. They're real people like us!"

"You got it!" Sere cheered. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

"All right. We're back to the multiverse stuff." Wendy said. "But where do you fit in with all of this?"

"Another great question!" Overexcited with boundless energy, Sere forced herself to a calm before attempting to elaborate. "So, like Dipper said before: Serendipity is when something good comes from the unexpected, or even by accident.

"Uh-huh…"

"If you think about, a ton of stuff could be chalked up to me, right? You find an extra twenty dollar bill in your wallet? That's awesome and all, but is that really life-changing? Is that something that sets the course for fate as a whole? That's the kind of stuff I focus on here."

"But what about the "small things are what makes up life" jazz?" Wendy challenged. "Is that nothing but bull-hockey?"

"Ehh..." She waved her finger, inviting Wendy and Dipper to follow her across the aisle to a new portrait. "I'm not talking size, moreso focusing on the actual meaning behind such a special instance." She stepped to the side to allow the pair a better view. "Maybe this can help…"

"Don't leave me hangin'."

The window blurred and churned until it revealed Wendy's secret spot on the roof of the Mystery Shack. On its top, Mabel peeked below at the ringing car alarm as Wendy bent down towards a horrified Dipper to congratulate him with open palm in mid-air. The wind carried blew her long red hair behind her shoulders.

As seconds passed, the anxiety and fear vanished from Dipper's face as he became enthralled by the cashier's smile. His frown morphed into a brightened smile, with all sense of distrust melted away as the boy leapt into the air to meet his co-worker's hand.

*CLAP!*

"Hey, I remember that!" The Wendy back in the intersection recalled. "You totally dented that car when we were hitting targets with pinecones. HAHA! Dude, you were soooo freaked out when that alarm went off! That was the day that – "

" – that we first zipped lips." Dipper finished solemnly.

They continued to watch as their past selves pledged to keep their first secret together, marking it with pinched fingers moving across their mouths.

"And with that modest gesture came something extraordinary." Sere narrated. "With that act of kindness, barriers were instantly broken and a new light was brought forth. The start of something that would bud and change throughout the next three months…"

"Oh, wow…" Dipper mumbled to himself, thinking about the restless night that followed shortly after, as something else besides the supernatural occupied his mind since his arrival in Gravity Falls. "She's right."

"…this scene right here, is the start of the relationship between…"

"Uhh…" Wendy quietly seethed through strained teeth.

"Huh?" Sere stopped. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Sensing Wendy's discomfort, Dipper spoke up. "It's not like that, Sere. It's just that…" He looked at the ginger before returning to their host. "While Wendy and I are close, I think "relationship" might be a little too strong of a word…"

"Yeah…"

"It's just a turn-a-phrase!" Sere countered. "It doesn't – " She pinched her nose in annoyance. "How about "bond?" Anyone has an objection with the word, bond?"

The pair took a quick glance at the other for permission.

"Sounds good to me."

"Actually much better, in my opinion."

"Good!" Sere sighed. "No offense, kids, but you make it sound like I'm asking you to pick out wedding rings or something…" She turned around and walked towards the next portal. "…at least, not yet…"

"Wait, what?!" Wendy probed as Sere went off, paying her no mind. The cashier went to Dipper. "What did she just say?"

"I…uh…" He chose to fib. "I really didn't hear that last part." In truth, the off-comment only piqued his curiosity. "Let's keep going, right?"

Despite her suspicions, Wendy relented, following along with her charge. "Not like we have anything better to do."

As they caught up, Sere welcomed them back. "There you are. Where did we leave off?" She snapped her fingers. "That's right! After that day on the rooftop, it's more than fair to say that you started to spend more and more time together?"

"No question."

"What can I say? The kid's a load of fun to hang with."

"And what a load of fun you have." Sere counted off with her fingers. "Perilous adventures. Hilarious pranks. Ingenious games. And hey, even the occasional movie night to kick back and relax…"

"So many bad movies…" Wendy shook her head in disbelief.

"It's just crazy to think all that started with a simple high five…" Dipper marveled.

"Hang on." Wendy brought things to a halt. "You're saying if I didn't bring the twins on the roof that day, Dipper and I wouldn't be friends, like ever? I'm not sure if I buy that…"

"And that's okay." Sere said without any hostility. "If it makes you feel better, there are worlds out there where you become pals after the fact, but in some instances, you don't become as close-knit as you are now. There are even some places where you are nothing more than passing acquaintances.

"Oof!" Dipper groaned with dismay.

"That sounds like a super-boring summer." Wendy noted.

"Which is why the majority of this collection focuses on what happens after that fateful day. From there, it breaks off into a trillion different branches. Some inadvertently do manage to overlap at certain points, but nearly all are unique in their individual way."

"But the possibility is still there…" Dipper mused.

"Sounds like you have something in mind…" Wendy detected.

"Maybe…" Her buddy hinted. "But I'm not sure we can check it out…"

"A challenge!" Sere came to a stop. "Try me…"

"Well…"

With a second thought, Wendy quietly bit her lip as a hint of regret overcame her. "I hope he doesn't get all lovey-dovey on me. Probably shouldn't have encouraged him…"

"Sere," Dipper began. "Can you show me what would have happened if Mabel and I didn't go with Wendy and the gang to the Dusk2Dawn?"

Wendy let out a silent exhale, only to suck her breath right back inside. "Um…not sure if that idea's much better…"

"You got it, short stuff." She began to gaze past the dozens of wormholes in an effort to locate the correct frequently. After a few moments, Sere pointed to the far left. "It…should be…there!"

Dipper followed the otherworldly girl as Wendy reluctantly brought up the rear. An instance later, the three arrived at the new window. Sere swirled her fingertips against the edge as a picture swiftly set into place. The familiar sight of the Dusk2Dawn convenience store appeared before them. While there wasn't any sign of wreckage caused by the ghostly encounter, small messes of spilled soda and candy, toilet paper, and half-melted ice cubes were spread across the floors and shelving.

"Whoa!" Wendy shielded her eyes from an unknown brightness. "What is that? It's so overkill!"

Dipper squinted as his brown eyes adjusted. "Wendy, I think that's the sun. It's morning there."

"What?"

His ears perked as a new sound was heard. "Footsteps? Somebody's coming…"

"I checked around the perimeter. There's no sign of them."

A second voice added to the mystery. "I also double-checked that beat-up van parked around the corner. Came back registered to one of the kids. Thompson-something. But, it doesn't look like it was touched for hours."

"That sounds like…" Dipper easily recognized.

Sheriff Blubs moved into the frame, followed by his faithful companion, Deputy Durland. Confused, the partners scratched their heads and re-examined the sight for any missed clues.

"I'm not sure what happened here," Blubs said. "But from the looks of things, it looks like those lousy punks had themselves a good ol' time."

"Hey!" Wendy erupted from the other side of the portal. "I resent that remark, Sheriff "Chubbs!""

Sere leaned over and whispered, "Don't waste your time, sweetie. He can't hear you."

The insulted clerk went back to spectating over the new reality as the disarrayed officer asked his superior for advice. "What do we do now?"

"What can we do?" Blubs shrugged as he admitted defeat. "There's not a single trance to be found. It's like those six kids simply disappeared into thin air. All we can do is wait for something to turn up."

"So, what's next?"

"I'll tell you what I'm doin' next." The Sheriff strolled pass the gawky policeman and towards the beverage cooler at the other end of the store. "I'm going to grab one of those "New" Pitt Colas in that freezer. They haven't made those since the last millennium!"

"Are those still good? They should have expired years ago."

"Nah!" Blubs waved away the worry. "That's an old wife's tale. With the preservatives in these things, they'll last forever and two days."

As the unaware flatfoot opened the door, the sun's rays revealed a horrific sight that made both Dipper and Wendy shriek with horror.

A distressed form of the redhead's reflection had been sealed within the thin layer of glass. With tears in her shining green eyes, she relentlessly pounded on the surface with both fists. Her tight confinement didn't allow her enough space to use her legs to kick.

"Please!" She begged, punching the mirror harder and harder in an attempt to gain notice from her would-be rescuer. "Get me out of here! Can't you hear me?! I'm right here! I'm here!"

Unable to hear the cries for help or see the teenager in jeopardy, Blubs gently shut the door, popped the top of his drink, and took gulp after gulp of the ancient soda. "Ahh…" He sighed before welcoming his partner to his right. "Y'know. They have cherry in that other cooler over there…"

"They do?!" Durland hurried to the neighboring freezer, and opened its door. Dipper could make out the distraught vision of his old rival, Robbie V. locked into his old mirror prison. Like Wendy, he banged on the seal with his half-gloved palms. "You stupid cops! Stop feeding your faces for two seconds and just turn around!"

The Deputy enjoyed his drink without a care in the world. "You're right, Sheriff. Gee, I really missed this stuff."

"Glad to hear it." He nodded. "Now, let's get going already. We have parents to inform, an ugly van to tow, and have to submit a ton of missing posters to the milk carton factory."

"Yep. We've done all we can here."

With antique sodas in hand, the team headed for the store's entrance, as the reflections of Wendy and Robbie reappeared in their individual pane cells, screaming and slamming against the glass without effect.

"Wait! Don't leave us here!"

"Come back! Please!"

"We're sorry! We already said we're sorry!"

"If you let go us, I'll never do anything stupid like this again! I promise!"

"Help us!"

"Don't go! Don't go!"

The frightening imagery faded back to a multi-colored swirl. Unnerved, Dipper took a few steps back from the display and wiped his brow. "Boy…that…that really was something, wasn't it?"

Wendy didn't respond.

Dipper flung around, finding his not-so-secret love in a petrified state. Wendy stood as still as a statue, her breathing turned incredibly shallow. Her emerald eyes stared into the empty void, not as much as blinking a single time.

"Wendy, are you alright?" Getting worried, Dipper took hold of her flannelled arm and rocked it back and forth. "Wendy? Wendy!"

"Wha?" The high-schooler was startled, appearing as she had been awoken from a nightmare. She rapidly searched her surroundings, finding her buddy latched into her sleeve, starting up at her with a frightened expression.

"Ugh!" Wendy cleared her head, rubbing her eyes with her thumbs as she released another groan. "Sorry about that, Dip. I – I kind lost myself for a minute there."

"I shouldn't have said that." Dipper apologized frantically. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I just – I didn't think – "

"No, dude. It's – It's okay." With control regained, Wendy put up a brave face and retook control, soothing her fretful devotee, as had been the case several times in the past. "You're good. We're more than good." She forced a chuckle, "After that, that wasn't me, right? T-That Wendy did have a Dipper watching her back, right?"

"No…" Dipper cautiously played along, as guilt spread across his mind. "No, she didn't…"

Breaking the uneasy tension, Sere stepped between the two. "Maybe we should check out another world. I got it! What if we switched gears and I show you a place where a certain Dipper needed a particular Wendy to save him from own inner demons?"

"Hmm…"

Wendy gently mused as Dipper responded to the description given. "Honestly? That…really doesn't sound like anything unique or even new. My Wendy – " He paused, blushing at his own overzealous claim as the teenaged girl merely beamed as she rolled her green eyes. "I mean, this Wendy is always talking me into trying new and exciting stuff, and even causing a bit of trouble here and there."

"Hey, I do good things, too!" The super-tall ginger objected. "Who always takes care of you when it comes to those high shelves you can't reach in the Gift Shop?"

Dipper promptly frowned at her joke, as Wendy friskily swatted his back. "Just messin' with ya, Dip." She returned to the guide. "Lead on, Sere."

"Gotcha." She took a few paces ahead, swaying between the different windows. "I think it's…aha!" As with before, Sere traced the outline with her fingertips as the blurs became clear. A shout blared from the opening:

"C'MON, DIPPER! GET A MOVE ON, OR IT'S GONNA GET US!"

"That's…my voice?" Wendy approached the gateway as the scene formed, showing a restful Dipper, relaxing on top of his bed in his attic-turned bedroom with book in lap, brought to a jolt at the panicked cries of his sweetheart. Without missing a beat, the tiny detective flew from his mattress and down the stairs to the rescue.

"Man," Dipper marveled at his counterpart's actions. "Look at me, I mean, him, go!" He held his forehead with confusion. "Boy, it's so weird to talk about yourself in the third-person."

"I know, right?" Wendy chipped in.

"I wonder what's going on downstairs? Bloody-thirsty zombies? Deadly, shape-shifting vampires?"

"Mr. Pines walking around in just his boxers again?" The redhead cracked with a shudder afterwards.

"No to all counts!" Sere declared. "Think a bit more "down to earth." With another wave, the vision jumped ahead with another haze.

"I didn't know you can fast-forward with these thingies." Wendy said. "It makes it sorta like a movie."

"Of course we can." Sere confirmed. "You two are cool and all, but we don't have all day to show every single detail. So, I'm giving you the abridged versions here."

"Fair enough…"

"AAAAH!" Dipper shrieked aloud as he pointed at the screen. "What is that thing?"

All three watched as his doppelganger had been attacked by a constantly-moving gray creature. As the Dipper on the other side came to a halt, they could make out a large possum stemmed on the small of his back.

"Oh!" Wendy recoiled. "That's a big one! Probably rabid, too…"

"Probably," Dipper agreed. "But you wouldn't be able to handle that on your own? You'd call out for help?"

"You must be hearing things, shrimp." Wendy defended. "I didn't hear the word, "help" one time. That Wendy asked for you to lend her a hand; just as I would. And for two, dealing with possums isn't really my thing. It's more my dad's. He likes to catch them and make stew out – "

"Oh, yuck!" Dipper gagged. "You and your family likes to eat possum?!"

"Again, never said that! There's a reason most of my diet revolves around junk food. Think about it; I mostly eat with your fam the other half of the time."

They found Sere holding her hand over her mouth, trying to keep the giggles from coming out. "Sorry, but the banter you two have is a real hoot." She cleared her throat, directing the attention forward. "Anyhow, our rodent buddy is around to get the upper hand…"

On-screen, the possum's red eyes shone like blood moons as it raised its head above Dipper's shoulder, ready to take a bite out of his flesh.

"It's… what?!"

"I can't even look…" Wendy turned away from the sight.

*WHAM!*

The manic possum was hurled from the boy's back, landing roughly on the floor, before scurrying out of the Gift Shop's exit, whimpering all the way. To his right, Wendy stood triumphant with worn-out, cracked broomstick resting over her shoulder.

Despite being from a parallel universe, Dipper couldn't help but to become entranced by the daring pose given by the heroic lumberjane. "I – just, that was an amazing shot. Truly one-in-a-million…"

"Yes, it was…" Wendy proudly nodded along. "That-a-girl…"

"Sure, everything seems honky-dory," Sere recounted. "But what happens behind the scenes tell a deeper story…"

Wendy and Dipper looked on as Mabel appeared at the other Wendy's side. She plucked a familiar blue-and-white pine tree cap from the Gift Shop racks and pulled it down over her face before spinning around in place in a mocking fashion. "AHH! Get it off! Save me!"

"Uh oh." The redhead knew nothing good would come from this, already seeing the marvel draining from her cohort's face. "Maybe I'll say something to – "

Much to her dismay, her mirror image followed along with the smaller pixie's example, plopping her trapper hat over her eyes and said in a squeaky voice. "AAAAHHHH! Where is it? Where is it?"

"…crud…"

The two girls spun about, mimicking Dipper's failed attempt, before colliding into each other, crashing into the ground in a barrage of mirth and laughter.

As the Dipper outside the portal stayed silent, Wendy ducked down to Sere's level. "Stupid question, but tell me he didn't hear all of that, right?"

The escort slightly twisted, "Actually, he did. All of it."

The setting changed, now displaying a withdrawn version of her charge, nestled against the ledge of the stained glass window in the attic of the Mystery Shack. Bathed in the fading light of the sunset, Dipper let out a depressed sigh as he rested his forehead against the colorful surface.

"Darnit…" Wendy gently whispered. "Well, tell me I, err, that Wendy goes to smooth things over with him, yeah?"

"She tries." Sere went into detail. "But someone impedes her attempts with a different type of good intentions."

"What – "

"Please Wendy!" A familiar voice pleaded. "If you go and confront him about this, it's only going to make things worse! I just know it!"

The frame of Dipper melted away, revealing a shot of the Mystery Shack's parlor beneath it. Mabel Pines dug her heels deep into the shag carpet as she tugged on the back of her gingered friend's flannelled coattails.

"Oh, no…" Dipper helplessly watched. "Mabel, don't…"

"This can't be good." Wendy added. "Can't it?"

Her parallel foil argued with Mabel. "Well, we can't just let him stay up there forever! What is it that you want to do about him?"

"I don't know! I just wish-I wish that there was a way that we can help him get his confidence back. You know, make him feel like a "hero," then I'm sure things would go back to normal."

"What if we could?"

"Oh, no…" The duo on the other side of the window heaved.

"And so," Sere described. "The girls begin to whip up a devious plot to help this Dipper get his groove back." The scene switched back to the Mystery Shack's attic, as a panicky Mabel begged her sibling to get out of bed.

"Dipper…I think Wendy's…been kidnapped!"

Wendy held her hand against her lips as she chortled loudly. Dipper immediately spoke up. "Now, hold the phone! Wouldn't, uh…the other me notice something's off?"

"Oh, he does." Sere responded. "But your lady friend appears to have thought of everything…"

"Wendy, why are we doing this again?"

"That's…Lee's voice!" Dipper recognized, as the living portrait shifting again, revealing that of Wendy standing behind the Gift Shop's countertop, surrounded by a gang of black-robed invaders.

"Of course it's the guys." Wendy acknowledged. "Who else am I going to get to do a crazy favor for me with no time to spare?"

"Like this?"

With his face covered by his hood, Lee snatched the other Wendy's wrists in his hands, gently pulling her over the desk. Her face forced a snarl, as she pretended to free herself. "Yeah! And now you two; come around this end and take me by the arms. Make it look like you're dragging me off."

"But why, Wendy?" Thompson whined from under his cloak. "Why do we have to do all this weird stuff?"

"Because I'm trying to do something here! Look, you all said you'd be willing to help me, then, let's get to it, yeah? We have to make this look good on film. So, c'mon already!"

Shrugging, the other two boys did as they were asked and made haste to her side. With each seizing an arm, they pulled Wendy away from her station as she kicked about and let her boots scrap across the wood flooring.

"Yeow! Watch it, Wendy!"

"Those kicks really smart!"

As she feigned being captured, Wendy looked back towards the security camera and cried out in anguish; an overdramatic gesture to sell the point. As soon as the four were out of the surveillance's range, the redhead yanked herself free and brushed her shirt off. A second later, Mabel came into view, her pink sweater covered in glue and torn pieces of magazine slices.

"Is it ready?"

Mabel gave her a piece of white paper. "You bet it is!"

Wendy took the paper and sped through it, waving the excess adhesive from her fingers. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. " She raised her head up. "Sounds good, kiddo. Really good."

"Thanks, chief!" Mabel gave a salute, only to have a string of glue trail down from her brow.

The clerk huddled the sheet into Nate's chest. "Here you go. One of you take this note and place it at the register."

Left clueless, Nate took the letter and started to read it aloud: "If you want the girl back, wait for our call? Wendy, what is this garbage? And why do I have to do it?"

"As long as it's someone in a hood, I really don't care who does it." Wendy gave him a gentle shove back towards the counter. "He's going to check the camera to make sure it's not me or Mabel."

"You or – " Lee couldn't help but stutter at the ridiculousness of it all.

"I don't get it, Wendy." Thompson pulled back the top of his cloak. "Are you trying to pull off some kind of prank or something?"

Mabel and Wendy's smiles grew as they gave the other a quick glimpse.

"Eh. I'd rather say it's more like a good deed…"

Sere giggled at the mischievous plan as Wendy was marveled by her other self. "Man, did I lay that on thick." She held a finger against her chin, "Maybe I should try out for drama this fall."

"And you're telling me that he falls for this gag?" Dipper doubted with a stern expression.

"It's a foolproof plan by yourself truly, Dipper." Wendy answered. "Couldn't blame ya if you did. Making sure everything was caught on the security camera. Leaving an old-fashion, handmade ransom note to grind your gears. Face it, kid. I know you like the back of my hand…" She flipped her wrist and made a disgusted face at a new discovery found. "Huh. Never noticed that before…"

"Falls for it?!" Sere was astounded by the question, changing the picture with a wave of her hand. "Bucko, you literally go to war!"

The wavy window presented the backdrop of the Gravity Falls Forest. Illuminated by the sun's beams, Dipper cautiously navigated his way through the mighty redwoods. The knapsack on his back bulged from all of the equipment packed inside. A shiny aluminum baseball bat was hoisted sideway just above it.

"Boy, she wasn't kidding, Dip." Wendy said. "Bet you even brought along the kitchen sink to wallop the baddies with, huh?"

"Believe me, the wallops are comin'." Sere chuckled. The armed Dipper in the gateway found himself surrounded by the hooded captors. His Wendy Corduroy was behind him, her arms and upper body bound to a sturdy redwood in the center of the clearing with comically-oversized rope.

"Oh, come on, guys." Wendy wiped her red bangs from her forehead. "Way to be super-creative. Why didn't they just tie me to train tracks or something like that?"

"It's funny you said that." Sere noted. "In another reality, they – "

"I was being sarcastic, Sere. Honestly? I really don't wanna know."

"Oops. Sorry."

*KRAK!*

All three watchers went back to the screen, as the Dipper within had retrieved the baseball bat, using it without prejudice to protect his supposed "damsel-in-distress" from further harm.

"Oh, no!" Dipper covered his mouth in horror. "The guys!"

*KRAK!*

"HA!" Wendy nearly collapsed with laughter. She slapped her knee and let out another echoing guffaw. "Oh ho ho! That's too awesome!"

A crooked look from Dipper temporarily brought a halt to her merriment. "Oh, don't be a spoil-sport, Dip." Wendy poked his side. "You can't look me in the face and tell me you don't find this funny in the slightest?"

Dipper took a breath and slowly tried to meet Wendy's emerald eyes. He could only make it up to her charming smile – the same that landed him in so much trouble over the summer – before exploding into uncontrollable snickers.

"See? Told ya…"

"So, this was supposed to be some sort of practical joke, right?"

"Dipper, please listen…"

A new series of shouts led their sights to the window. A newly-freed Wendy was standing before an irate Dipper. Her friends, now fully unmasked, watched the argument play out with utter confusion.

"But as in the case of all deceptions big and small," Sere reported. "The truth always manages to bring itself to the light…"

"It's not like that!"

Then, what is it like?!"

With his belongings gathered, Dipper hid his streaming face Wendy, hurrying into in the forest as Wendy went to reach out for her young charge.

"Dipper, wait! Come back!"

Sere could see that all of the energy was drained from her two guests. They stared down at their feet as the reality of things plagued their minds.

"It's not that funny anymore, is it, bud?"

"No, it's not." Dipper peered back. "Hey, Sere? I thought you said this was going to be a happy ending?"

"Yeah! This stinks!"

"Oh, ye of little faith…" The mystic came between them, placing a warming arm behind their backs. "You should really wait for the show to end before making your judgments. Now, watch…"

The trio saw as Dipper walked through the woods and towards town. He used his arm to wipe his eyes and nose as a new noise came storming from behind him.

"COUGAR!"

"LOOK OUT, KID!"

"IT'S AFTER US!"

"RUN FOR IT!"

Startled, the sleuth spun around as Wendy's friends darted between the trees, narrowly avoiding him, as they ran for their lives. He looked back to locate the upcoming threat, finding nothing in the peaceful setting.

A couple of moments later, a new dreadful thought entered his mind:

"Where's Wendy?"

With his nervousness growing by the second, Dipper cupped his hands and shouted after the boys. "Wait! Where's Wendy? Wasn't she behind you?!"

Left without an answer, Dipper turned tail and rushed back towards the danger, putting past grievances aside and hoping that he wasn't too late.

"Well, what happened to the other me?" Wendy demanded. "I'm guessing cat food?"

"Just watch…"

As Dipper returned to the clearing, his eyes scanned the area until he finally found his missing crush. Wendy was lying on the forest floor as the vicious mountain lion was nearly on top of her. The ginger didn't as such as move a single muscle as prey and predator stared endlessly in a sort of stalemate. The giant brown cat released its hot breath across Wendy's sweat-teemed freckled face as the teen slightly quivered with fear.

"What kind of garbage is this?!" The Wendy watching the portal threw an arm forward with outrage. "Fight that lousy pussycat, girl! You're making me look bad!"

Dipper cocked his head back, "You can't wrestle a cougar, Wendy."

She scoffed, "You don't know that…"

Upon a second look, Dipper discovered what had occurred. "It's not her fault, Wendy. Look at her leg. She's stuck!"

"What?"

Wendy narrowed her eyes, away the perched cougar, finding that her equivalent's ankle had become snagged inside of a knotted loop of the rope that she had used to fake her captivity. In an ironic twist, the pulled-taut line kept her tethered to the center tree no matter how hard she tugged and twisted her foot.

"Ugh!" Wendy cried out, covering her face with embarrassment. "This is so humiliating…"

Dipper placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "It's alright, Wendy. Dumb luck happens to everyone sometimes."

"Maybe…"

*PING!* *PING!*

They noticed as something quick yet tiny rapidly struck the panther's furry hide. The beast closed its jaws and looked past its venerable prey and towards the end of the clearing.

"C'mon, you big bully! Try picking on someone half her size!"

From the forest's edge, Dipper had launched a bombardment of aged pebbles at the mountain lion's head, forcing its attention away from the helpless lumberjane. After a few direct hits, the enraged killer took off towards the annoyance with lightning speed. With a startled yelp, the boy immediately scaled the closest tree to safety. The cougar dug its claws into the oak, desperate to reach the tasty morsel. Dipper kicked the heels of his sneakers against the trunk to further agonize the cat, giving Wendy ample time to struggle with the bindings around her boot.

"How about that?" Wendy took a step away from the portal to give her Dipper a congratulatory punch in the arm. "Looks like that Wendy has a Dipper that she could count on, too!"

His cheeks turned pink as he rubbed the tendered spot. "But who's going to save him from the mountain lion now?"

"That's the beautiful thing, kid." Sere continued to watch the screen. "Sure, all of these universes are different in many ways, but then again, some things tend to remain the same…"

"HONK!"

A blaring noise roared through the Gravity Falls Woods. The cougar halted its assault, searching about for the source of the sound.

"HONK!"

Left confused and frightened by the persistent honking, the beige cat let out a frustrated yowl before retreating back into the forest. A piece of shrubbery gave way on the far side of the clearing, as a now-freed Wendy stepped into view. Her fingers were wrapped around a tiny, but powerful air horn.

With both safe and sound, the redhead offered a refreshed smile and a friendly wave, as Dipper sat back and laughed at his sweetheart's own resourcefulness.

The vision faded away as Sere closed the portal's view with her hand. Dipper exploded with excitement, "That was so…cool! She saved him just like how he saved her!"

"You're darn straight she did, man." Wendy affectionately brushed the curly locks poking out from behind his trucker cap. "A Wendy wouldn't leave a Dipper behind to be cat food."

Dipper fought to keep from blushing. "Yeah. Totally different from her friends, right?"

"Eh, don't be too judgy with the guys, Dip." Wendy excused. "It's like the old saying about trouble and your friends: you don't have to be faster than trouble, but you do have to be faster than the person next to you."

"Heh."

Wendy stood up. "That yarn wasn't too shabby, Sere. You have any more cool stories like that?"

"Yeah, Sere." Dipper added. "Do we have enough time to hear a couple more?"

"Well…" Sere rolled up her sleeve, revealing a strange-looking wristwatch. "Turns out we still have a few hundred-thousand light years to go, so…yeah, we surely have time to kill."

"Excellent!"

"So, Sere. Any recommendations, story-wise?" Dipper asked.

"Hmm…" The makeshift tour guide scratched her chin as she thought. "Wait! I think I got one! Follow me!"