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.

3. Chapter 3

Dipper and Wendy nipped at Sere's heels as she padded down the clear, spacey path. "Now, this dimension is one of the most popular and best reviewed out there."

"Best reviewed?" Dipper repeated with confusion. "By who?"

"We have our own fan club or something?"

"Kinda." Sere said. "Sometimes, the Fates that binds reality together tend to enjoy watching interesting events play out. Think like how your dimension likes TV."

"That's really cool…and creepy at the same time." Dipper trembled at how many unknown eyes witnessed his most humiliating moments.

"Wonder what your big shots thought about Weirdmageddon?" Wendy smarted off.

"They thought it was somewhat…rushed."

"Rushed?!" Wendy and Dipper each exclaimed, sharing a staggered look as they walked.

"I wish!" The smaller boy waxed. "The last word I would use to describe crawling around in ruin and garbage for three days is "rushed.""

"Preach, brother!" Wendy joined in. "Being stuck in an abandoned mall with nothing to eat but stale nachos and fried bats dragged on forever."

"Fried bats?" Sere stuck out her tongue. "Hope you had a tetanus shot…"

"What for?"

Before Sere could respond, the sound of nearby explosions filled the air. Wendy was the first to search around, "Where's that coming from?"

Sere's head followed the blasts. "And we're here!"

The co-workers stood on a different side of their attendant as all three gazed into the portal. At first look, it had appeared that they had stumbled into a massive battle that had broken out in the center in downtown Gravity Falls. Legions of strange monsters poured out from the ether, circling about two unfortunate souls in the middle of all the mayhem.

Huddled back-to-back, the armor-donned defenders strafed in unison, using each other for balance and support. The smaller of the two, dressed in metallic blue gear, fended off a portion of the mass with atomic blasts coming from an arm cannon placed on the right hand. The other robotic fighter, nearly double the height of their partner, used the green laser attached to their yellow and orange-tinted suit to liquefy the other half of the attackers into small, dissolving blocks.

"Whoa, look at 'em go!" Wendy applauded. "They're really kicking butt and taking names." She saw Dipper deep in thought as the fight raged on. She tapped him with her finger. "What's with you?"

"Huh?" His concentration was broken. "Oh, those creatures; lizardmen, green-clothed ninjas, and pumpkin-headed imps." He poked his cheek. "They just…remind me of something familiar."

"Maybe. I was wondering why the bad guys turn into little bricks when they melt like that."

Dipper's eyebrows rose. "That's because they're not bricks, Wendy. They're pixels. "

"Whatcha say?"

"Think like the building blocks of the digital world." Dipper detailed with an amazed laugh. "Wendy, those monsters? I think they're video game villains."

She swung back towards the portal, "And the pair with the armor and gun-arms?"

"It's us…"

Wendy propped forward on the balls of her feet, wanting to take a better look, but wary of getting too close to the battlefield. She saw as their costumed counterparts finished off the last of their outer worldly enemies, they raised their heads to their destination: a small building blanketed with a bizarre neon-purple force field.

"…and we're at the arcade downtown." Dipper asked. "But why?"

Sere cleared her throat. "Bet we have a load of questions. Don't we, gang?"

They nodded.

The girl rotated her hand counter-clockwise, forcing the visual into a rewinding blur. "Let's turn back the clocks by a few weeks. Like with the others shown, there are a few keys differences in this world. One of the most important is that the Pines twins don't celebrate their birthday on August 31st. Instead, it concurs sometime in the middle of June, just a couple of weeks after your arrival in Gravity Falls."

"O-kay…" Dipper said. "But why's that important?"

"Because…" Sere slapped her hands and swiped them far from her body. "All great adventures gotta have a launching point…"

The visuals froze on a single item bathed in a warm cerulean light amiss a darkened background. A reasonably sized chocolate cake smothered with blue frosting had been left on a worn-out picnic table. On top, a message was written with the same sweetened goo, just below an embedded candle in the shape of the number 13.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIPPER!"

The screen returned to normal as Dipper walked into the mysterious setup. Without warning, he spun around to see Wendy slither out of the shadows with a Cheshire grin plastered across her lips.

"What's up, dweeb?"

"Wendy…" Dipper couldn't believe his eyes. "Wendy…you did all of this?"

"Yep."

From outside the portal, Dipper's heart melted as he crossed his fingers together. "Awwww. She threw him a surprise party. That's so neat!"

"Yeah, well…" His crush jeered and turned her head. "I helped with that shindig for you and Mabel, y'know."

Seeing her response, Dipper decided to teasingly jab his partner-in-crime. "But that Wendy baked that Dipper that cake…" He went to double-check with Sere. "She did bake it for him, yeah?"

Sere confirmed. "Yes, she did. It nearly killed her and it took her three different times."

"…so cool…"

Wendy stuck a finger in his face, "Keep it going, short-stuff. With that attitude, you'll never get to see me bake diddly-squat!"

"But can you bake?" Sere innocently inquired.

"Anyways – " Wendy raised her voice, twisting her hand into circles to keep things moving.

"Anyways," Sere followed the given lead. "Those two share a lot of the same history as you guys. They begin their friendship on top of the Mystery Shack's roof throwing pinecones. Together, they survive the deadly ghostly couple at the Dusk2Dawn, saving all of their friends in the process. They have their first dance at the conclusion of the Mystery Shack's party, despite all of the trouble caused by the Dipper clones. They also spend the day at the Mystery Fair, enjoying each other's company, until the unfortunate incident with the baseball and the time-traveling shenanigans that followed."

"Pause right there!" Wendy demanded. "What Dipper clones? And time-traveling shenanigans?"

Dipper let out a nervous laugh, "Um, yeah. I don't…think we've ever discussed that stuff before, have we?"

"No, we haven't…" Wendy set a fist against her jeaned hip as she leaned down. "And you know it."

He gulped. "Any chance we can talk about that when we get back?"

"You got it. But to be clear, mister, we will be having that talk…"

"If we can get back to the story, kids." Sere cleared the air. "To get Dipper away from the supernatural menaces that plague the town, as well as the constant needs of his family, Wendy bribes the owners of the local arcade to have the place all to yourselves."

"Oh, that's the glow!"

"Wait. We're at the arcade?"

The picture before them expanded, revealing that the Dipper and Wendy in the portal were in the brief clearing amiss rows of arcade cabinets. Each of the machines produced their own unique set of bleeps and bloops, their lights blinking and shining brighter and brighter in hopes of attracting a new customer.

"C'mon, Dipper! Make your wish, and let's go play already!"

Wendy had lit the candle and stepped back, rocking on her heels as she hummed along to an unheard tune. Dipper hunched over the table's edge, closed his eyes, and blew out the flame. Wendy cheered and rushed to his side.

"So…what did you wish for?"

"Uh-Uh. If I tell you, it won't come true, right?"

"Such a doofus…"

From the opposite end on the window, Wendy moved closer, towering over her friend who hung on every detail given by the alternate dimension.

"You know what, kid? I think you hit it right on the money before."

Without turning away, Dipper answered. "About what?" His tiny body shuddered as he felt her fingers clutch his shoulder blades. He looked up to see Wendy staring into the distance with a sadness found in her eyes.

"This was a really neat idea." She admitted. "Wish I'd thought of something great like that."

Wendy glanced downwards as something touched her fingertips. She found Dipper beaming with an appreciative gleam in his brown eyes, his stubby hands now on top of hers.

"But, Wendy. Yours was pretty great, too. How could it not be? It was from you."

At first, the heart-touched redhead didn't say anything. She simply looked ahead, giving her response by squeezing his hands back. "Still, I wish we would have gone back this summer. We did have a blast, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did…"

"You're on, birthday boy!"

They followed the shout ahead into the doorway, seeing Wendy drag her companion by the hand down a corridor of games, looking for that special title to test their skills, their merriment echoed across the empty arcade.

Dipper clicked his tongue at the heartwarming scene, "Oh, that poor, unsuspecting fool…"

"Why'd you say that?"

He shook his head, trying his best to hide his ever-growing smile. "Because, that Dipper probably doesn't realize how much a Wendy likes to cheat at video games."

"Oh, get real, Dipper!" The ginger gave her pal a playful shove forward, nearly knocking him off his feet. "You're the one that cheats when we play games!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

Their dispute was interrupted by another shout, "Dude!"

They watched as the Wendy within punched her Dipper's shoulder. "That was a really low blow, kid!"

He sighed contently, as his sly actions gave him an unfair advantage in their current game. ""All's fair in love and war…"

With her point proved, the spectating redhead nudged her smaller charge. "Ya see?"

He jeered, "Just because that Dipper is a no-good, dirty cheater doesn't mean that I'm – " Dipper's words trailed off as something sinister caught his eye. "What the heck is that thing?"

"Oh no, you don't." Wendy sternly said. "Don't you dare try to change the subject."

"I'm being serious!" The concerned teen clutched his friend's wrist and waved his hand towards the living screen. "Look at the machines. There's something following you – I mean, her; I mean, the Wendy at the arcade!"

"Huh?"

They saw as Wendy inside of the alternate dimension walk away from Dipper in search of a new challenge, an unknown entity followed along behind her. It jumped from arcade machine to arcade machine, replacing the pixel-filled filtered monitors with glowing red eyes placed against pitch black backgrounds that surveyed the unaware lumberjane's every move.

"Whoa…"

"You see? There's something after her!" Dipper cupped his hands over his mouth and screamed, "Turn around, Wendy! Please turn around!"

He stopped as his Wendy squeezed his shoulders. "Remember, she can't hear you, buddy." She checked with Sere for confirmation. "Right?"

Sere shook her head. "As I said before, we are watching past events as they occurred. I'm afraid there's no way to change them, for better or for worse."

As Dipper mumbled under his breath, Wendy tried her best to make light of the matter. "Don't forget, Dip. It's us that we're talking about here. When don't crazy things like this happen? Whatever this is, I'm sure they'll make it out alright."

After a few tense seconds, Dipper left out a heavy heave. "You're…You're right, Wendy."

"'Course I am. Y'know, you'd be a way happier person if you kept that in mind more often."

The mere silliness of her wisecrack forced Dipper to chuckle. "…probably…"

They returned their sights to the rows of arcade cabinets as the red-eyed demon continued to pursue Wendy across the man-made maze.

"Sere," Dipper asked, not daring to take his eyes away from the screen. "Can you at least tell us what that thing is?"

"It's an old enemy." She answered. "A being filled with unimaginable rage. In your dimension, you had managed to create a quasi-peace with him, but in this world, his anger had done nothing but build and fester until it had reached its breaking point."

"Dipper, who's she talking about?"

His mind raced for possible answers, only to be answered a moment later as the Wendy on-screen stopped in front of an all-too-familiar arcade cabinet.

"Huh? Fight Fighters…"

"Uh oh!" Dipper slipped out as he instantly knew what danger lied ahead.

"What do you mean "uh oh?" What's the big deal about that game, Dipper?"

"I – um…" His brown eyes rapidly switched between the nerve-wrecking scene before him and the super-tall ginger lowering herself to his level. Together, they saw as the clueless party-goer was drawn to the glowing arcade screen.

"Hey, I remember that game!" Wendy said. "That's the one we played when Soos and I took you and Mabel to the arcade."

"Yeah, well…" Dipper anxiously padded his fingers against the sides of his short pants. "I might have found a way to release the hero from that game into the real world and just maybe; I'm sure you're going to find this hilarious…"

"I'm sure I am…" Wendy knitted her brow at her pal.

"…I convinced him to beat up Robbie until things got too real and I tricked him back into his gameworld."

"You mean, that day in the junkyard, when I found you two - ?"

"Uh-huh."

"Oh, you little fibber!" Wendy threw her fist into an open palm. "I knew you bozos were up to no good."

"But if you knew," Dipper argued back. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Take it from an old pro, Dipper." Wendy declared with pride. "There is a world of difference between "knowing something" and "proving it to be true.""

"Good point…"

"DIPPER! HELP!"

They looked ahead to see that two muscular arms had risen up from the static-electronic screen, seized the past Wendy's wrists, and attempted to pull her into the video game itself. The plucky teen fought to lock her booted feet against the cabinet's edges to anchor herself to earth. "DIPPER! WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED YOUR HELP NOW!"

"Wendy, hang on a minute!" Her pal's voice reverberated from across the arcade. "Just use another credit, and I'll be right there!"

"Be right there?" The redhead on the opposite side of the portal asked. "What the heck is that kid doing? Why isn't he helping her?"

"Trust me," Sere warned. "You don't wanna know."

"Oh, yes, I do." Wendy insisted. "Now, where is that dork?"

As if the shifting window heard her command, it switched over to the inner Dipper's perspective. Hunched over another arcade cabinet, the small sleuth carefully dabbed the joystick as he silently spelt out, "D…I…P…"

"You're kidding, right?" Wendy threw her arm outwards in disgust. "That twerp couldn't help her because he was too busy getting the high rankings in some lousy game?"

"That's all kinds of messed up!" Dipper agreed. He quickly leaned in close to Sere, holding a hand over the side of his face. "If you don't mind me asking, Sere," he whispered. "How big was that high score -?"

*THWACK!*

"Ah!" Dipper pulled away from the host as he felt something tap the back of his head.

"Oops! Sorry, Dipper." Wendy apologized. "My hand slipped."

"Heh." He massaged the sore spot briefly. "Not a biggie. Accidents happen." As he returned to the gateway, Dipper felt another dull blow just below where his cap cut off. "Um, Wendy. I think your hand slipped again."

Wendy merely looked ahead, a tiny beam formed as she ignored the injured youth under her.

"Yeah, I know."

"O…kay, then…"

The squeaking sound of pounding sneakers came throbbing through the rift. The Dipper on display had finally realized something was amiss and dashed to the rescue. From around the corner, he could make out two flailing jeaned legs kicking blindly into mid-air. Wendy was already halfway into of the cabinet!

Dipper hopped up and took hold of both of Wendy's feet, using what little strength he had to keep her on their side of reality. But her kidnapper was simply too strong. With one last yank, the mud-stained waders slipped through Dipper's grasp as his crush was fully sucked past the glass monitor.

"DDDIIIPPPPPPEEERRR!"

"WENDY! NO!"

"Oh, now he cares!" Wendy commented, making sure to deliver another love tap to her co-worker standing in front of her. "And by the way, nice job, "hero.""

"Well, excuse me!" Dipper turned around to defend himself. "Someone keeps forgetting that it's not me up there!"

"I guess…" The slighted clerk crossed her arms and mumbled to herself. "Stupid boys and their video games…I'd save his sorry butt if he'd been eaten by a lousy arcade…"

Suddenly, the sound of crooked, broken laughter came across the rift. The two could see the 16-bit image of Rumble McSkirmish stemming from the machine's screen, taunting the crestfallen detective over his missing companion. As Dipper demanded to know what happened to Wendy, Rumble surprisingly relented, his bulky imagery dissipating back into the screen, revealing a frantic Wendy behind him.

Somehow fully digital, the fifteen-year-old pounded on the glass barrier with both fists as she called out for help, "DIPPER! WHAT'S HAPPENING?! HOW CAN THIS BE REAL?!"

"Wendy!" Without a second thought, Dipper hurdled up and reached out from Wendy's hands. As soon as he made contact with the fuzzy screen, an electrical volt sent the tiny form flying into the nearest wall with a sickening splat. Stunned and left unable to see, Wendy's shrieks seemed to grow louder and louder:

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO DIPPER?! DIPPER, ARE YOU OKAY?! LET ME GO, CREEP! GET OFF ME! DIPP-"

From the other end of the window, Dipper spun towards Wendy. "There. The other Dipper got lit up like a Christmas Tree. Are you happy now?"

"Not…really…

He was startled to see a serious look on Wendy's face.

"At first, it was fun joshing you and stuff, but seeing those two freak out like that, I –" She rubbed her flannel sleeve. "I don't feel like goofing off anymore." Wendy noticed Dipper's calm demeanor during the presented chaos. "Hey. How come you're not the usual bundle of nerves? Why aren't I peeling you off the non-existent ceiling?"

"I dunno." Dipper disclosed. "Maybe it's because we're watching things play out instead of being there in the moment. Then again, I feel – I just have this feeling everything's going to be okay for them."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, when it's all said and done," Dipper enlightened. "We always manage to get ourselves out of trouble, don't we?"

After letting the thought swirl about her mind for a few moments, Wendy gently tugged down on Dipper's hat, hiding the obvious sense of pride that she felt towards her own little rescuer.

"Good point, dork…"

"I have your ginger-freckled princess."

Back in the window, Rumble's image had replaced Wendy's in the monitor. As his mighty finger broke through the glass screen and poked the revived Dipper's chest, the digital warrior issued his challenge:

"You WILL fight in my world, through a gauntlet of our worst! If you refuse or fail, the girl is ours!"

"The ol' "Damsel-in-Distress" act, eh?" Wendy criticized from outside the portal. "Not gonna lie, Dipper." She flatted her hand and wiggled it back and forth. "I'm kind of flip-flopping on this story so far."

"But it's just starting…"

"Yeah, but you didn't get eaten by a video game like I did, did you?"

"Not yet, at least." Sere remarked, prompting both Dipper and Wendy to take notice.

"Whatcha say?"

"Nothing…" The embarrassed guide covered her mouth, stepping towards the screen to serve as her own distraction. "As you can guess, our guilt-ridden Dipper accepts the challenge to enter the virtual world to find his captive Wendy."

"Of course he would…"

"He darn well better!"

They shared an uncomfortable look before going back to the opening. Inside, Dipper Pines stepped up to the arcade cabinet. Rumble's rugged visage had been replaced with a gigantic red button that stated "PLAYER ONE START." He searched across the arcade, finding Wendy's face on every other game screen; she was silent, her hands pressed against the spotted monitors, her gloomy green eyes saying more than mere words ever could.

With his resolve strengthened, Dipper slammed his hand into the button. His body was turned into pure light that was absorbed by the Fight Fighters machine.

"Don't you worry, Wendy! I'm on my way!"

As the screen went hazy, Wendy patted her boy on the back, "Now, that's the Dipper I know…" He returned the compliment with an eager smile, as he fought to contain the shivers his body produced at her mere touch.

"And now, the quest begins." Sere introduced, using her hands to manipulate the picture mounted above her. "Dipper travels through the digital universe, visiting numerous worlds of gaming yesteryear in search of where the fiendish Rumble McSkirmish holds Wendy hostage."

A bright light in the window cleared away the fuss, revealing an image of Dipper standing along a grassy countryside. However, his outfit had been changed. He now sported what looked like a plumber's outfit; blue overalls set over a light-orange shirt. Scoffed brown work boots stuck out from under the long-jeaned legs. A matching cap was placed on his head, with the initial "D" sowed against a white patch just above the bill.

"His first stop shouldn't really surprise anyone…"

Each of the young adults gasped at the sight, covering their mouths with their hands immediately. Dipper was filled with a childlike glee as he changed his sights from Sere, to the threshold, and back again.

"I – I can't believe it…" The flabbergasted fanboy was finally able to sputter out. "I'm a "Super Mar-"

"A "Super Linguini Brother." Sere corrected. "Remember, there are slight differences between your world and that Dipper's. Plus, not to mention the copyright issues alone."

"Copyright iss – "

"BWHAHAHAHA!"

The sound of raucous laughter interrupted them. They looked to Wendy, who had to literally hold her sides with both arms to stop from keeling over with giddiness.

"Wendy?" Dipper asked. "You still with us?"

"That – " She struggled to keep her breath, wiping the tears from her emerald eyes. "That is the funniest, yet most adorable thing I've ever seen!" Wendy stood back up and dug around in her right pocket. "I've got to have a picture of this." She pulled out her cheap flip-phone and opened it up.

"Oh, Wendy! Don't!" Dipper tried to swat the phone out of her hand, but his main squeeze was way too tall for him to reach. "It'll be embarrassing!"

"What are you talking about? Two seconds ago, you thought it was awesome, too."

"Well, that was before, and now I changed my mind – "

Wendy lowered her aim, as she gently shook the phone. "Hey, what gives with this thing? It had a full battery before we left, and now it's dead."

"Sorry, Wendy," Sere said. "But all types of photography are prohibited in this time-space spectrum. It can be a bad thing if someone knows way too much about their other selves. You guys are fortunate enough to make it this far."

"Pfft!" Wendy blew air between as her lips as Dipper wiped his forehead free of sweat. She poked him with her index finger. "You got lucky, short-stuff."

"No kidding…"

"AAAAHHH!"

A shrill scream brought their attention to the action back to the screen. Inside, the overall-donning Dipper fled down the dirt road as he was being pursued by a bizarre gang of monsters. Bipedal snapping turtles chased after him, their clawed hands barely missing his indigo hide. Right behind them, a group of living, breathing brown mushrooms followed suit on rounded feet, their pink tongues eagerly licking rows of razor-sharp fangs.

"Wait…" Dipper tightened his eyes. "Are those supposed to be the bad guys from the game?"

"It can't be." Wendy agreed. "They're too ugly and gruesome. The ones in the game are cute and cuddly…"

"And when the music reaches a certain point, they stop and dance and go," Dipper snapped his fingers and shuffled his feet. "Wah-Wah!"

"They do now, but not twenty-something ago." Sere detailed. "Back then, every '80s kid dreaded the moment when one of the Troopas crosses their path. Despite this, Dipper manages to find his way to the enemy's castle and after a brief encounter, emerges victorious from the battle."

The scene changed to that of a castle's interior. Surrounded by structures of lifeless grey brick, and the creeping darkness kept at bay by simple torches mounted in the background, Dipper stood alone at an impasse filled with boiling lava. A golden axe was clutched tightly in his hands as he stared into the distance.

In the middle of the magma, a scaly claw slowly sunk into the liquid; the remnants of a string draw bridge were held between its horrid fingers.

"It can't – " Dipper stepped back from the portal stunned. "In the lava, that couldn't be…"

Sere nodded with confirmation. "But your victory is short-lived, for just as you thought your quest was over…"

"OWWW!"

They saw Dipper fling a white blob off his shoulder. As he held his wound, the strange creature gurgled a taunt, "Sorry, Dipper, but your Wendy is in another castle! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Although disheartened by this failure," Sere went on with the story. "Dipper continues his search, opening the pathway to the next world…"

On-screen, an enormous blue button labeled "CONTINUE" materialized before Dipper. He tapped it, unleashing another bright light that whisked him from the castle.

"That-a-boy!" Wendy cheered. "Keep it up! This girl didn't raise no quitter."

"Um, Wendy?" Dipper objected. "You didn't raise – "

"Hey, I know what I said. Don't ruin the moment, 'kay?"

When the light faded, a vast change in scenery was offered to the three observers. Lightning flashed across what appeared to a haunted house, offering the sole source of light. Every passing door and window had been nailed shut with splintered planks of wood, preventing any form of escape. Withered and skeletal corpses hung from manacles welded to the wall, like a sort of macabre decoration. A sinister red decay rose up from the flooring and stained the wall, making the area look like a gory scene straight out of a horror film.

"This…" Wendy forced herself to take a gulp. "Just what exactly is this place?"

Dipper studied the gruesome display, unable to recall any familiarity from memory. "I've never seen any old-school game like this before, but – it…everything about it feels terribly wrong…"

They froze as the sound of stomping boomed through the hall. A large, yet shadowy figure stormed across the room, taking no heed of the terrors placed before it. The muscular, bare-chested shape moved similar to that of a gorilla, its colossal arms dragged across the ground on stubby little legs poking out of shredded shorts. Its black sneakers were bursting at the seams.

"Who is that?" Dipper stood on his tip-toes to get a better look at the stranger. "I'll bet it's some sort of vicious monster that guards that haunted house and tears any intruders to shreds!"

Yet, Wendy wasn't convinced. As she took a step closer, the hulking being stopped, as it reacting to her presence. It gradually turned to face her as another lightning bolt struck, revealing its face. It sported a sinister-looking white mask, with large-gaping eyeholes that glowed orange in the dark, and a line of breathing pockets across the mouth, resembling a wicked smile that chilled the dashing cashier to the bone. Across the curls of brown hair at the back of its head, straps similar to that of bony fingers crossed tightly together, ensuring that removal would be anything but simple.

"Geez…" Dipper wheezed with unease. "I hope I never run into that guy in a dark alley. Right, Wendy?"

She didn't respond, as she stared deeper into the monster's eyes. There was something that she couldn't shake; a women's intuition that told her not to trust her eyes, but rely on her heart instead.

Just then, for a brief instance, the demonic aura seemed to lose its grip, allowing Wendy to see the truth beyond the grim façade.

"Dipper…" Wendy whispered.

"What?" Her admirer answered. "What's wrong?"

"No," she said, her voice becoming even more shaken. "No, Dipper. That – That thing; it's you."

"What?!" The skeptic couldn't believe it, scanning the herculean beast from head to toe. "Wendy, there's – there's no way! I mean, look at this." He held up one of his noodle-like arms for her to see. "Does this look anything like that?"

"I know, dude!" Wendy protested. "But…trust me on this, okay. I just know it."

Still left confounded, Dipper went to Sere for the truth. "Is she right, Sere?"

Sere chuckled. "Let's put it like this, Dipper: remember earlier, when Wendy said that she knew you better than you knew yourself?"

"Oh, wow…" Dipper looked on with astonishment at his muscle-bound double lumbering around the haunted complex with the ferocity of a wild animal. He glanced to his left. "But, Wendy. How did you know? There's no way you could have guessed something like that."

"I didn't guess, Dip." Wendy told him, unable to take her sights off the screen. "I saw his eyes – your eyes - for a split second, just past the glow." She broke away to briefly address her companion, "I don't mean to get mushy, but I'd know those eyes anywhere…"

Upon receiving his answer, Dipper could say nothing. He only hoped that his crush wouldn't notice that he was starting to blush.

"…plus," Wendy detailed with her hand. "Look around the edges of his arms, man. You can see pieces of your shirt and vest."

"Oh…" Dipper forced a laugh. "Heh. That – too, I guess that also works…"

"If I can shed some light on what's going on here," Sere lead the way. "The world this Dipper arrives at is the polar opposite of the one before it. It was a place built on pain, suffering, and above all things, fear. The former mansion of an insane scientist obsessed with reviving the dead, this awful place eventually becomes a breeding ground for every kind of ghoul and abomination imaginable."

"What kind of nightmare is this?"

"It has different names, depending on where you come from, but in this dimension, they call it Slaughterhouse. And its main source of nourishment comes from those who dare to enter its doors, chalking the horrible tales of what happens in these halls to be mere rumors."

"Ouch…"

Wendy had something else on her mind. "That mask that Dipper's wearing; what's the story there?"

"Good eye! As Dipper enters this world, he finds himself in a moldy dungeon filled with goo-filled zombies. He tries to put up a fight, ending up wounded. In his struggle, he finds that mask, and thanks to a random droplet of blood, it begins to communicate with him telepathically."

"Wait a sec! You mean to tell me that the mask the other me is wearing is alive?!"

"Oh, it gets much worse. Nevertheless, it offers him a deal: it promises to give him the power to fight off the demons and help him find Wendy within the house."

"Which is why I look like a human beefcake." Dipper concluded.

"But what does it get in return from Dipper?" Wendy wondered.

"Well…"

A strange squishing sound came from the screen, prompting all three to look up. A squad of red-drenched zombies had oozed their way onto the scene, blocking Dipper's path. With arms raised, they staggered towards the intruder in an uneasy, but united rhythm, similar to marionettes being led by invisible strings. Their boneless bodies cracked and gurgled with every step, turning the stomachs of the viewers.

"Gross!" Wendy stuck out her tongue with dismay.

Without hesitation, the masked Dipper sprinted towards the threat with fists pulled back.

*BLAM!*

*SPLAT!*

*SQUISH!*

With only three powerful blows, the ghouls' torsos were separated from their legs and sent flying, losing their solidity before landing across the walls and flooring. The rest of the attackers merely melted away. Dipper stormed through the gooey mess without missing a beat; as he passed, thinning, gauzy lines of red energy slithered from the remains and up his backside, into the mask's clamps.

"Did you see that?" Wendy asked Dipper. "What the heck was that stuff?"

Dipper didn't respond at first, taking a few seconds to think it over. "The mask…it absorbs the energy from the defeated enemies." He went to double-check with Sere. "That's right, yeah?"

"That's a simple way of putting it." Sere noted. "The truth is that the mask gets its power from bloodletting. The more violent and at times, disturbing the act, the more it is pleased, and the more strength that it gives in return to Dipper."

"That's really messed up. I – "

"SHUT UP!"

Wendy's thought was interrupted by a shrill, yet muffled scream. The Dipper giant stumbled about blindly, clawing at the mask on his face with his oversized hands. When that failed, he moved closer to the broke-down wall, placed his palms against it, and threw his whole head into the brick, leaving a huge hole leftover.

"What's going on now?"

Somehow, Wendy already knew. "That mask thing – it's hurting him!"

"As their journey continues, the mask whispers more into Dipper's mind." Sere added. "It exploits his weaknesses, creates even more doubt in his sub-consciousness, and bit-by-bit, begins to take over."

"It's like a parasite…"

"Yeah. It creeps into his mind, pleading for him to forget all about Wendy and the task at hand; to remain dominant in that world of horror and suffering forever… "

As Dipper grew quiet, Wendy's protests became louder. "It can't go down like that! Dipper's way too good to let some lousy Halloween reject get the best of him! C'mon, Dipper! Fight back!"

"Oh, don't worry." Sere soothed her nerves. "He definitely makes it though."

The concerned redhead drew back, "He…does?"

"Uh-huh."

Wendy's mood instantly changed. "Then why didn't you clue a girl in, instead of letting me get all worked up?!" She threw her arms down at her sides. "Super tensed up now…"

"Still, it's nice to know you really care." Dipper kidded.

"Oh, quiet, you!"

"Let's skip ahead." Sere suggested, using her arms to fast-forward the imagery in the portal. "Like I said, Dipper is able to fend off the temptations of the mask and make it through the house to the room where Wendy is being held."

"But…"

"But," The host went further. "It's really one of the mansion's demons wearing a Wendy skin."

"Ugh!" Both teens cried out at the same time. "Not another one!"

"I take it you two have a problem with clones?" Sere guessed.

"You mean like the killer alien that fought me hand-to-hand as myself?" Wendy sassed.

"Or the Wendy made up of bugs in Bill Cipher's Mabelland?" Dipper recalled.

Wendy's eyes lit up at the mention. "Time-out! What bug-Wendy-thing?"

"Oh, huh…" Dipper scratched his head. "I didn't tell you about that little thing…either."

"No, you surely didn't. I'm really looking forward to that talk when we get back."

"I – I bet you are…"

"Sidestepping this little tiff," Sere said. "Dipper defeats the monster without giving in to the mask's temptations. With that, the game is beaten and the mask's hold is released."

*K-RAK!*

A bright explosion filled the screen. When the world was made clear, Dipper lied face-down on the floor of a completely-cleansed bedroom, his body returned to normal. He slowly regained consciousness, the first action taken was to feel his own chubby cheeks as a wave of relief and sadness rushed over him. The remainders of the mask were left shattered in pieces across the carpeted floor as a new portal opened in the far end of the room.

With the battle over for now, Dipper walked towards the gate, taking an extra second to look back on the mess before disappearing into another gaming world.

"Good riddance." Wendy stared at the leftover pieces of the cursed relic. "I'm glad that that freakshow is nothing but dust bunnies."

"Not…exactly." Sere warned.

"What are you – "

Her voice cracked as the fragments of the mask started to flash brighter and brighter. "W-What's – "

The pieces slid across the floor until they became one whole piece. Now assembled, the mask rose up from the ground and hovered in mid-air. Dark, demonic red lights flowed from its eyes and mouth holes. Somehow, someway; it focused directly on Wendy beyond the dimensional rift. The startled girl fell in its gaze, unable to blink or even turn away.

"Sere," Wendy asked, locked in a face-off with the menace. "The mask – it's not part of the game, is it?"

"That's the thing, Wendy." She explained. "The Fates can trace its first appearance to a video game, but even they aren't certain of its true origins. Rumor has it that it was originally a sort of trickster god whose only function in life was contributing to the suffering of others, similar to that of your plane's Bill Cipher. As punishment, it was imprisoned to an eternity inside of that mask. There's one thing for sure though…"

"And what's that?"

"Awful things tend to happen when that mask's around, and unfortunately, it does play a big role in your guys' story in this dimension."

Just as the last word left Sere's mouth, the mask, still in its staring contest with Wendy, winked its right eye at her, before spinning around and heading towards a small mirrored frame hanging above a fireplace. The modest act made Wendy's blood run cold.

"It – It – It –"

"Uh," Dipper knew he had to change the subject. "Speaking of, while I'm hopping from world to world, where is Wendy? What did Rumble do to her?"

The directed question caught Wendy's interest, taking her mind off the creepy encounter. "Hey, yeah! He may have gotten the drop on me before, but there's no way that big jerk could keep me under wraps for long!"

"Right you are," Sere granted. "But before we move on, just a taste of the next dimension…" She began to motion with her hands to start the new scene.

"No offense, Sere, but this constant world-hopping is getting kinda old." Dipper complained.

"It's getting to be like a way-too-long movie that just won't end." Wendy joined in.

"That's what we thought too." Sere clapped her hands to stop the fast-forwarding. "But I want you guys to see one small piece. I promise it'll lighten the mood."

When the window stopped, they had arrived upon what looked to a blustery night across a hilly rural landscape. The strong gusts made the branches of the stripped-bare trees roll without end. A crystal-clear stream that ran parallel bobbed and boiled beyond its limits, rapidly splashing across the grassy edges above.

A short knight wearing bluish-grey armor fought against the wind as he dashed through the field. His every movement created a series of ear-popping clanks and squeaks. Thankfully, the metal visor on his helmet protected his face from the harsh weather.

"I have a hunch on who that is in the armor…" Dipper ridiculed.

"A knight in shining armor; a little on the nose, wouldn't you say?" Wendy poked fun as well. "Was this what you wanted us to see, Sere?"

They found her looking at her wristwatch. "Oh, you'll see. In about 3…2…1…"

As predicted, the blows of the wind abruptly changed into physical form. Tiny red gremlins with blades for arms swooped down towards the knight with blazing speed. He hurled his weapon, a long, white lance at the first goblin, dissolving it into a small, extinguishing flame. The knight leapt with the grace of a gymnast over the second beastie as it dove in for an attack.

Nonetheless, the evasive maneuver launched him directly into the third creature. The knight's armor shattered into a million pieces as he was thrusted backwards. The left-over demons halted their attack to mockingly laugh at Dipper Pines, who was now left utterly exposed to the elements, save for a pair of white boxer shorts marked with repeating blue lamb prints.

Simultaneously, both Dippers in and out of the window, held their face in pure mortification and shame.

"Rugh!"

Wendy instantaneously fell to her knees at the mere sight. With Dipper's vision blocked, Sere was the first to her aid. "You okay there?" She bent down on one knee and grabbed an arm. "Your face is all red, and you look like you had the wind knocked out of you – "

"GHAHAHAHA!"

The lumberjane couldn't help herself. She struggled to breathe as tears flowed freely from her green eyes. "Sorry, but it's – TEEHEEHEEHEE – sooooo funny! Even – Even better than the plumber thing...HAHAHAHA!" Wendy tried to pull herself up with Sere's support, only to slip under own her feet. "It's gold, Sere. Pure gold!"

Seeing Dipper's discomfort, the still-giggling redhead reached out for her cohort. "Man, you know - *snort* - you know, I'm not laughing at you, but you're lucky my phone's not working. You'd - *sniff* - be trending worldwide…"

Sere turned her neck, as she held Wendy. "It's so my bad, Dipper. I didn't think – I saw how scared that last scene got her, and I thought if something could lighten the mood…"

"I know, and it's okay, really." Dipper insisted. He hated being the object of ridicule, especially when Wendy was involved. But if given a choice, he'd rather have that than watch her, the strongest, coolest person he'd ever known, break down into a petrified state. "It's better this way."

"Maybe," Sere helped Wendy back up. "But if we want to answer your question, we need to turn the clocks back a few hours." With her free hand, she made a circle and rotated counter-clockwise as the screen twitched and popped until she lowered her wrist.

When the frame resumed, it displayed a screenshot of Rumble and Wendy in a strange room made entirely of neon wire frames. The lumberjack princess sat on the floor with an angry expression as the one-eyed pixel warrior walked away from her in disgust.

"Wait," Dipper said. "I think I know that place. It looks like the generic training stage that they use for fighting games."

"As Dipper begins his journey in Linguini World," Sere recounted. "Rumble McSkirmish imprisons Wendy in seclusion on the other side of the gaming cosmos, taunting her all the while that she's there as worthless bait for Dipper."

"What a sexist pig!" Wendy yelled. "That girl better get off her butt and karate chop some sense into that punk!"

As if her counterpart could hear her outrage, the captive Wendy hopped up and raced after her kidnapper. After a few paces, she was jerked to a stop with a loud clank.

"What happened? Why'd she stop like that?"

"Um, Wendy? You might wanna look down."

A metal cuff had been placed around both of the displayed Wendy's ankles, as connecting chains welded to the wire-meshed flooring made sure she couldn't travel long distances along her cell. The shackles were sealed with tiny, but durable padlocks that prevented the ginger from removing her bindings with her bare hands. Every thrash or tug on each foot brought them back into set place.

"What kind of dirty – " Wendy shouted at the travesty again. "Sure, that's probably the only way that ulgmo would be able to walk away. I saw all of his fancy moves back at Weirdmageddon. Take it from someone who fought side-by-side with 'im: he was all flash and no substance."

"True," Dipper shook his head. "But that Wendy looks like she's in it deep."

"Don't count me, I mean, her out just yet, Dip. A Corduroy's always got a trick or two up their sleeve…"

"Or hopefully in this case, an extra lockpick tucked away in her hair."

"True that."

To their surprise, they watched as the entrapped Wendy took a seat on the see-through floor. With a frustrated groan, she stretched a limber leg outwards and pushed down on her muddy boot. After a few moments of squirming and fidgeting, Wendy was able to slide her shackled wader off her foot. A couple of attempts later, she duplicated the same slithery tactic with her other ankle. Now free of her confinement, Wendy stood up and darted towards the exit in her orange-and-yellow socks, leaving her trademark boots locked in position.

"I can't believe that actually worked." Dipper muttered in amazement.

"Believe it, buddy!" Wendy celebrated. "Oversized footwear for the win! Not only do they display fashionable taste, but they are super-handy for a quick escape when necessary."

"Quick – " Dipper repeated. "No way something like that's happened to you in our world."

"Totally untrue." Wendy used her fingers to list examples. "I've gotten myself stuck in giant mud puddles out in the woods before. Out there, it's almost like quicksand, man! And a couple of times in the lousy snares Dad usually set outside of the house. Oh! And there was that incident with the quick-drying cement."

"Wait, cement?"

Wendy became somewhat blustered when questioned further. "It was a stupid dare, Dipper. I was supposed to set my footprints in a wet patch downtown, but I stayed a few seconds too long, and before I knew it, I couldn't move my feet! Luckily, my family doesn't watch the news or read the paper, or they'd recognize whose boots were left behind."

"Either way, that is kinda incredible if you think about it."

"Speaking of "fancy footwork…"" Sere quipped, earning icy glares from both teens. "Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun." The guide detailed the on-screen actions of the plucky cashier during her escape. "Wendy is able to sneak past Rumble's sentries and locate a hallway filled with doorways leading to the various gameworlds. It is here that she spots Dipper traversing about in Super Linguini World. And before you ask, she too, wishes she had a camera to capture the moment..."

"Geez…" Dipper dragged a hand down his face as Wendy concealed a cackle.

"Seeing the dangers Dipper faced on his own, Wendy decides to jump into the portal after him, hoping that they together would be able to escape Rumble's trap."

"Boosh!" Wendy applauded as the screen went white. "That's a girl after my own heart; wouldn't ever leave her boy hanging."

"But we didn't see that Wendy in the stuff Sere showed us." Dipper remembered. "Where was she when we watched the other Dipper run around like crazy?"

"You may not believe it," Sere teased. "But she was way closer than you think…"

"Really? How so?"

"Watch…"

The buzzing sound stemming from the window dimmed as color returned. Wendy stepped into view, but her appearance had changed. She now wore a long, elegant green dress that perfectly hugged her lanky body. Golden jewelry draped from her wrists and neck. A tiny, but pointed crown rested on top of her head of neatly straightened auburn hair.

"No…" Outside the portal, Wendy's jaw fell at the precious sight. "No, no, no, no…"

"Oh…my…gosh!" Dipper nearly exploded with pure excitement. He pulled on the closest plaid arm, "Wendy, look! You're the Princess from the game! That's so – "

"Sew buttons! I wouldn't be caught dead in a get-up like that!"

"C'mon, Wendy. You don't look bad at all. I think you – "

"Nuh-uh, Dipper. We aren't doing this."

"So, wait." Dipper held a hand against his waist. "When I'm the one set in embarrassing outfits, it's all fun and "let's make Dipper a meme," but when it happens to you, I'm not supposed to let out a peep?"

"Now, you get it!" Wendy bopped his red nose. "Aren't double standards awesome?"

Dipper mumbled to himself as they heard the pitter-patter of little feet. They saw the Princess-Wendy run barefoot across the marbled, reflective flooring, holding the edges of her gown up to avoid tripping over herself.

"Oh! That's so – "

"Stop it."

Dipper sighed, "Fine. Can I at least ask what happened to her shoes?"

"If she's anything like this Wendy, I'd say the fallen arches did her in."

"I wonder if she can float like in the game?"

"Ironically," Sere said. "You guys missed her doing that like two minutes earlier. Coincidentally, that's also how she lost her high heels."

"Heels?" Wendy winched at the thought. "Ouch…"

"You want me to rewind back to that?"

"Ye – "

"Absolutely not!" The fiery redhead demanded. "Let's keep this train wreck moving."

"Ohh…"

They found the dressed-up Wendy standing at the edge of a cliffside, overseeing a massive pool of boiling magma. A modest wooden bridge stretched across the boiling lake. In the center of the channel, a hideous dragon monster wearing a spiked turtle's shell flung its red-maned head back and roared, releasing a wave of fire from its lungs. At the bridge's end, she could make out a figure marked in blue and orange.

"Dipper!" Wendy gulped, looking around for a way to save her friend. She knew there wasn't a way she'd reach the bottom floor in time to join the fight. She hurried to a nearby decorative suit of armor and plucked a sharpened golden axe from its arms, dragging it back to the ledge with all of her might. The clerk turned noblewoman shouted from the high height, as she hurled the weapon from her hips, "Here, use this!"

The golden axe landed on the platform, right next to Dipper. Using both hands, he seized the blade up from the brick and readied himself against the approaching green threat.

On the other end of the window, Dipper stood star struck as his digital counterpart faced off versus one of gamedom's most memorable final bosses. "It is like the game…"

"And that Dipper is gonna win it big," Wendy bragged. "Especially when he's got a Wendy watching his back."

"But if they won together, why didn't he find her - oh."

Dipper's question was swiftly answered as they witnessed a regiment of the snapping turtles from earlier apprehended Wendy from behind, whisking her away from the ledge. Dipper looked up from where his saving grace came and was left to wonder who exactly his guardian angel was.

"What? That's bogus!" Wendy nitpicked. "Is she gonna get napped by baddies every five minutes?"

"Not exactly." Sere clarified. "You see, in each new world, Dipper tries to find Wendy, whom tries to find him, but the creatures of said world do whatever they can to make sure that doesn't happen. So, while they are prepared to toss object after object at the "hero" of the story, they are left unprepared as the "damsel" breaks out of her role."

"Now, hold on there!" Wendy grew upset. "This girl's no one's bargaining chip!"

"Wendy, don't you see?" Dipper comforted her. "She's saying your awesomeness was too much for the games to handle. They don't know how to deal with you."

The high-schooler let the idea swirl in her mind, then pumped her fist in victory. "All right! Who's breakin' the glass ceiling in Videoland? This gal!"

"It goes way deeper than that…" Sere hinted, as a hand motion brought the screen back to the Slaughterhouse mansion. In the portrait, the masked juggernaut version of Dipper appeared to be lost in a fog-brushed hall of mirrors. For some reason, the trio had stumbled upon the accursed sleuth locked into a rage-induced tantrum, breaking through the glass barriers with curled fists without rhyme or reason. Left in a sea of broken glass, he fell to his knees, tossed his head back, and let out an inhuman bellow that rattled the hallway.

"What's wrong with him? What's with the rampage?"

"The house is playing games with his mind." Sere said. "It's using illusions to turn his heart dark. The mask is using that to its advantage, as it's slowly gaining influence over him."

"But…you said that Dipper overcomes it, right?"

"Uh-huh. But he gets a little push in the right direction…"

The beastly defender rose up from the floor and stared at the single mirror remaining at the end of the room. The reflection of his missing infatuation stood locked in the tall glass pane. Her bundle of red hair was messy and tangled; her clothing, a nonspecific, torn-up, white dress, made it look as if she had been dragged through the wringer.

"I wonder what happened to her?" Dipper probed.

"I'm really not diggin' her outfit." Wendy opposed, cocking her head slightly. "Way too leggy for my tastes."

"Really? I don't see anything off – "

"Exactly my point…"

"But…"

"Ah, ah, ah…" She waggled a finger at him.

"Double standard?"

Wendy clicked her tongue. "Bingo."

They looked back at the wavy threshold, as the Wendy reflection placed her hand against her side of the glass. Her expression was one of sorrow and remorse. When the veiled Dipper reached out in response, the final mirror imploded into thousands of slivers, revealing a hidden light beyond the darkness.

"That was all sorts of crazy sauce!"

"It's like what Sere said. She showed him the way out of the mirror maze."

"Exactly, Dipper." Sere acknowledged.

"But how long does this back and forth stuff go on for?" Wendy wondered.

"Right…about…"

"AAH! DIPPER!"

The portal had skipped ahead to a new scene. A nearly-adult-sized Dipper, now bare-chested in his traditional blue vest with torn jeans and knee-high dark boots, dove into the air. He caught a bright flash in his now-toned arms, landing safely on one knee. Relieved, he gazed down at the rescued Wendy as she regained her breath. She had been set into a bright-red skirt with tacky, oversized belt across her waist, and a mini leather jacket overlapping. Loose black pumps barely hung on to her bare feet as the ropes that once latched her to the ceiling had slipped from her body.

"Ha!" Both Wendy and Dipper poked fun at their equivalents, as they teasingly pointed at each other. "Retro!"

As Dipper was detracted by the reunion unfolding on-screen, the attracted lumberjane slid closer to Sere. "Quick question for you. Don't mean to get weird, but…" She motioned towards the well-fitted fighter in front of her, and then to her buddy farer to her left. "But just wondering, how do we get that guy up there outta that little guy over there? Extra vitamins? Force-feeding 'im veggies until he explodes?"

"Don't mean to burst your bubble," Sere expressed with regret. "But that's just an effect from the game. They'll both return to normal after they leave that game world."

"Rats!" She punched the air and kicked the ground. Wendy backed away, feeling something bump into her. She found her Dipper Pines waiting with a mischievous smile on his face, his hands tucked behind his back.

"Oh, uh…" Wendy turned a shade of pink. "You…heard that?"

His grin grew. "I did…"

"Um…"

"Lemme guess: double standard?

"Yeah, let's call it that."

"Now, with this dimension's Wendy and Dipper reunited," Sere began again. "They are able to confront Rumble McSkirmish and fight for their freedom from his digital trap." The screen reflected this, as it changed to the duo, now returned to their plain clothes, standing before a red-and-blue caped Rumble, surrounding by group of his masked flunkies, in the middle of what appeared to be a forgotten, rotting coliseum.

"Who are the creeps in the weird outfits?" Wendy pondered.

"It's been a while," Dipper took a closer look. "But I think they're Illuminati; at least, the gaming version."

"Doesn't matter. I just want to see those two kick butt and take names."

Just as the battle was about to begin, a startling flash rang out across the arena. When it cleared, all of Rumble's followers had vanished from sight, as their champion lied unconscious on the gravel.

"Oh, yeah!" Wendy celebrated. "Those two dorks did it! Not sure how they did it, but they really packed a wallop!" She noticed Dipper giving a hard look into the window. "What's with you? They won, didn't they?"

"No," Dipper stayed unshakably stern. "I don't think they did. Look…"

A mysterious figure stood past Rumble's fallen body. Dressed in pitch black body armor, covered with a red-trimmed robe, an eerie sense of darkness followed the man. With an evil gleam in his red eyes, the same color that matched his flame-like hair, he displayed an ominous sneer as he offered an open hand towards the teenagers.

"What's he doing?" Wendy noticed Dipper didn't move a muscle since the stranger entered scene. "That guy; you know him, don't you?"

Sere started to introduce him, "He is the King of Thieves; the wicked man of the desert, G – "

Dipper cut her off, "I – I know who that is. Though most of the time I've seen him, he's been a giant blue pig-boar demon thing."

"And he's bad news?" Wendy pressed on. "Like worse that the turtle guy before?"

"Wendy, he could turn the turtle into turtle soup by sneezing on him."

"Oof…"

"You said that right. They might not win this one."

Just as Dipper predicted, the shadowy king lowered his gauntlet-encased hand and wiggled his fingers, as the other Wendy gradually left her Dipper's side, her face gone blank, her eyes widen as in a trance. Her little rescuer attempted to hold her back, trying his best to keep his favorite redhead from danger's grasp, but the man flicked his other hand, sending Dipper flying off his feet and back several yards into the rough earth.

"I can't believe it!" Wendy was aghast by the aftermath. "She got kidnapped! Again! Darn it, Wendy-girl, get your head in the game, literally!"

"You can't blame her, Wendy – "

"Sure I can."

"I'm being serious. That guy, he's a way-powerful sorcerer. So, hypnotism definitely falls under that category. Same with him using telekinesis to throw me around like a ragdoll.

"I guess…"

"With Wendy in tow and Dipper down for the count," Sere told. "The dark wizard opens a rift back to his home world, as he makes preparations to – "

"– sacrifice Wendy to add to his own power." Dipper finished.

Sere and Wendy were shocked, asking in chorus, "How did you know that?"

"It's his deal in the game." Dipper explicated. "The idea is that in that world, there's a great power that left by the gods that allows a person have their ultimate wish granted. That sorcerer holds a third of that gift, allowing him to use magical abilities unchecked. At the same time, there's usually a Princess around that has another third, which makes her an open target for him."

"More lousy Princess crap…" Wendy tsked. "Who has the last third?"

Sere motioned ahead. "The one who goes to save her."

Back in the frame, a recovered Dipper cleared his senses and spotted the opened portal. He sped into the gate, leaving the crumbling world behind. When the picture returned, he was rejoined by his missing Wendy, their outfits reflective of the new land. Dipper sported an indigo chain-mail with orange sleeves, with dark blue tights tucked into brown boots, topped off with a matching stocking cap on his head. Wendy stood to his right, dressed in a long pink and gold-trim dress with leather boots that reached her shins. Fancy jewelry was set her neck, beltline, and wrists, with green bands tying her hair back into two large braids.

"Heh." Dipper tapped Wendy with his elbow as he poked fun at her fantasy counterpart. "Nice hair. Kinda makes me think of that lady on the Hot Chocolate packages."

"Yeah?" She shot back. "Least I don't look like a blue Peter Pan!"

"Hey, that's not an apt comparison. If you said that aloud at a gaming convention, you'd get mobbed!"

"Me versus a raging group of neckbeards? Bring it on! But hey, at least our guys have some killer weapons with them."

The elven- looking Dipper steadily wrapped his fingers around the jeweled-coated handle of a mighty sword, whilst the gowned Wendy held a bow with string pulled taut and arrow loaded. On the opposite end, a deranged King of Thieves stood at the ready, as twin rapiers slid out of his lengthy sleeves, landing in his awaiting palms.

"But when the battle ends, there is only one left standing…" Sere said.

The two friends took a glance at one other before shallowing hard.

"D'oy!" Sere slapped the side of her head. "What am I saying? Technically, I should say, "Two come back from the battle victorious."

"Eee…" With mouths frozen with ecstatic smiles, Wendy and Dipper found their doppelgangers wrapped in each other's arms as they dangled from some type of grappling hook above the now-sunken battlefield. Their furious foe was no longer to be seen.

"They won…" Dipper let out a wheeze. "How could they…I mean, there weren't any red rings or silver arrows or anything that could guarantee – "

"You're super-overthinking this, Dip." Wendy placed an arm around him, and used her other hand to illustrate the big picture. "They beat that weirdo because them working as one was better than any secret weapon; just like how me and you can take on any sick thing our world throws at us."

Dipper smiled as a bright golden shine came from the portal, forcing the three speculators to shield their eyes.

"What's happening now?" Wendy slightly lowered her hand to speak. "Is it another big boss guy?"

"No…" Dipper turned his head so she could hear. "It's the golden power. By destroying the evil wizard, they gain his third, meaning they get a free wish."

"Wonder what they're gonna wish for?"

As if their virtual version could read their minds, Dipper said, "I think I know what we both could want." He reached into the light with one hand. "I wish…"

"Wait, Dipper!" His Wendy stopped him. "Shh!"

"Huh? What's the matter?"

"Don't you remember what you said earlier? You said, if you say your wish aloud, it won't come true…"

"Pfft! Dorks…" Both observers commented sarcastically, before sharing a round of giggles.

Another bright light enveloped both adventurers, whisking them away from the gameworld. "And with that, Wendy and Dipper find their way back home." Sere concluded. "But with this, comes a heavy cost."

"Wait." Dipper grew concerned. "Things go bad? How can things go bad from here?"

The portal showed him the image of a dejected and somewhat lonely Dipper, sitting alone at the picnic bench in the middle of the Arcade as Wendy walked away with Robbie V. at her side. She stopped, taking a second to look back at her friend, before setting out on her way.

"Why am I leaving with Robbie?" Wendy questioned. "Something is way off here."

"When Dipper had the wish for the both of you," Sere answered. "He wished for the two of them to return home; that things would be like as if the whole mess had never happened. Since Dipper is the one who officially made the wish, he is able to remember every vivid detail, but to Wendy…"

"It's like a dream." Wendy finished. She folded her arms with dismay. "This is one of those kinds of stories, huh? Man, I really hate those."

"I feel you, Wendy." Dipper said. "Don't get me wrong, Sere. I thought it was a really cool story, but that bittersweet ending really bums me out."

"Yeah, that's what the Fates and I thought, too. But at least, Wendy remembers later on…"

"She does?! When?"

"Hey, Dipper? Where was that scene of us blowing away baddies with those cool armors? Did we miss it?"

"Nope." Sere relieved. "That happens a few weeks down the road."

"Can you please tell us the story, Sere?" Dipper requested.

"This one doesn't us hopping into a bajillion games, right? That last one was sorta long."

"On the contrary, this tale mostly takes place in Gravity Falls itself. This time around, the gaming dimensions bring the fight to your world."

"But...how?'

"One sequel comin' up!" Sere took a steady step back and cracked her knuckles. She held her arms upwards, making the motions for a square, as her hands met at the bottom. A new layer of static popped into the gateway as a new signal was transmitted...