Sere found the pair staring at one of the random windows down the hall. Coming between them, they stood awe-struck of the bizarre scene playing before them, the chortles and guffaws coming from within growing louder and louder.

The scene presented took place within the Mystery Shack, inside of the spare spacious room that Grunkle Stan had used for special events, like as his improvised wax museum and the cheapskate party he threw to encourage more of a teenage audience. For some reason, the whole area had been outfitted to look like a dark and dreary dungeon.

In the far corner, Wendy sat against cheap-looking grey-brick wallpaper with her legs outstretched in front of her. Her ankles were set within a pair of handcrafted, wooden stocks. A metal latch sealed the planks firmly. Wendy's boots were set to the pillory's side, her colored socks hastily nestled inside, leaving her feet bare.

Beneath the stocks, Dipper sat with legs crossed, leaning forward with a quill feather in each hand as he ran them across Wendy's exposed soles. With each stroke, the lumberjane released a succession of giggles as she involuntarily kicked, left unable to pull her feet through the pillory's ankle slots to safety. Her admirer joined in on the merriment from his sitting place on the floor, as his crush's freckled face turned as red as her lengthy hair, their laughter only interrupted by the rattling of the catch holding the clasp caused by Wendy's every thrash.

"Uh…" The Dipper outside the portal gradually raised his arm. "I have questions…"

"Same here." Wendy tilted a green eye in Sere's direction. "I don't even know what to think here."

"I figured as much." Sere said. "It'll be best to start at the beginning – "

As Sere went to twist her hands to bring forth the tale, Wendy reached over and grabbed her wrist. "No offense, but can we hear the story without seeing the blow-by-blow? I'm not sure if I want to have the details behind this one splayed out to see."

"Understandable." Sere lowered her arms, leaving the screen on the one-sided tickle-fight. "But if it makes you feel better, things look a lot weirder than it actually is."

"It doesn't, but go ahead with the story."

"I can't even guess how this happens..." Dipper confessed.

"Eh, you probably wouldn't get it anyways." Sere said with a shift in her shoulders. "In this dimension, Wendy finds herself in a dilemma as she discovers that one of her favorite bands is throwing a concert in Gravity Falls the same night as one of her weekend shifts at the Gift Shop of the Mystery Shack."

The cashier groaned, "Already off to a great start…"

"To try to get out of her shift, Wendy attempts to cut a deal with Mr. Pines, who only agrees to let her off the hook if she serves as a model in his newest attraction…"

"Okay, now," Wendy understood. "I getcha. Man, that does sound like something I'd get roped into..."

Sere chuckled. "Nice pun."

As the wheels turned in Dipper's head, he leapt up with an answer. "I got it, Wendy! You're a wench!"

"Hmmph! Rude!"

"No, no, no!" He calmed her, holding his hands out in defense. "A wench is kinda like a servant girl from the Middle Ages. If you've ever been to a Renaissance show, they're the poor saps that are tossed into the torture sets, forced to sit around all day long as part of the demo."

"Still, it doesn't sound much different from what I do for your uncle on a daily basis," Wendy said, rolling her eyes as a sly smile formed. "Though I couldn't tell you the last time I saw a pair of stocks, yet alone ever."

"Well, weren't you at the Founder's Day celebration back in June?" Dipper asked. "Grunkle Stan ended up in them for mouthing off to the cops, and it was pretty hilarious and – " He stopped as he came to a realization. "Wait. Where were you that day, Wendy? Wasn't the rest of your family there?"

"You sure you can't recall the last time you've seen a pillory up close, Wendy?" Sere implied.

"Um…" The glaring eyes of both Dipper and Sere added to Wendy's growing anxiety. She turned in the portal's direction. "What happens next to the Wendy in the story, Sere?"

"Here for the save." Sere continued the tale. "At first, Wendy is discouraged by the sight of the ghastly restraints, but after being reminded about her end goal, she jumps in…" The guide paused as she raised her eyebrows. "…feet first…"

"Totally making me regret bringing puns back into this." Wendy breathed. "But did they really have to take my shoes away? And my socks, too?"

"Funny enough, they couldn't get the stocks closed with her boots on. And personally, I think having socked feet sticking out would have looked kinda off."

Wendy looked down at Dipper, prompting him to give his opinion.

"Historically speaking, wenches being in bare feet were a sign of being poor and downtrodden, so I guess – "

"We got it, Professor: socks bad, Wendy poor. Let's get this show on the road, eh?"

"As Wendy is set into her display," Sere went on with the tale. "She goes along with the plan, figuring that once she was left alone, she could slip out of her bonds and not make a spectacle of herself."

"Smart girl…"

"Can't blame her…"

"However," Sere said. "Stan figured as much. When this Wendy wasn't looking, he slipped a heavy-duty padlock between the stock's latches, ensuring that she couldn't free herself without help."

"That crumbum!" Wendy stamped her boot on the ground. "He needs my help to turn on his computer screen every night, but that's the one thing he actually remembers to do?!"

"Ironically, the lock he uses is the most expensive thing of the whole exhibit …"

Dipper merely shook his head as Wendy scoffed aloud. "Figures. And I can't pick the padlock and let myself out?"

"Your arms are strapped in, and even if they weren't, you couldn't reach in your current position. Besides, in this world, this particular Wendy doesn't carry lockpicks like the rest do."

"How long until I'm horribly embarrassed in front of the entire town?"

"Funny enough, while you're trapped in the stocks, no one really notices you. They think you're merely part of the background. And your friends haven't the faintest clue that you're the star of the show…"

"Poor choice of words, Sere…"

"Anyways, your presence is nearly unnoticeable by the townsfolk, save for a small tip-jar stationed next to you, which those who pass by gradually contribute."

"Oh, let me guess." Wendy chuckled. "Stan sees this baby grows and doesn't let me out until he takes his "fair share?""

"Nope. Things don't get that far."

"No way." Wendy's face lightened. "What, did someone finally realize I wasn't at the register in the Gift Shop?"

"Not for the first few hours, at least."

"Well," Wendy tapped Dipper with her elbow with appreciation, making him turn pink. "At least I know who would care enough to notice I was missing…"

"Sorry to break it to you, Wendy." Sere came clean. "But Dipper isn't the first one to find you. His sister Mabel is."

"Is that right?" Wendy drew back as a humiliated Dipper hid his eyes under the bill of his trucker hat. "Busy with a book in his room or doing an experiment out in the woods?"

"Book in his room."

Wendy barely glimpsed down at Dipper. "Must've been some book, huh, kid?"

All Dipper could do was release a tiny, wrecked laugh. "I – I wouldn't…know…"

"To be fair, Wendy," Sere broke the awkwardness. "Mabel wanted to see what drew the crowd to the Mystery Shack and finds you trapped in the back of the room. At first, she thinks that you're being punished for stealing from the register, but then realizes you're part of the demonstration."

Wendy sighed, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mabes."

"After hearing how bored and lonely you've been over the duration of your confinement, Mabel sets the stage for a practical joke that'll bring Dipper out from his studies and to your side in a flash."

"And how's that?"

"Simple." Sere grinned. "She hurries out from the exhibit and to the foot of the stairs, shouting up to Dipper that you're being kidnapped."

Wendy tucked her arms against her chest as Dipper pressed a palm against his face. "Yeah, that'll do it."

Sere paused, "Are you sure you wouldn't want me to show what happens on-screen? It is kinda funny…"

"Hmm…" Wendy thought it over, stopping to see Dipper's ever-growing embarrassed state. "Nah. Don't wanna dig that knife deeper than it is already. I guessing "other Dip" sees me and flips his lid, right?"

"Let's put it like this: you ever see a running back charge through everything and everyone in their way to score a touchdown?"

"Well, yeah. Dad and the boys love football, so definitely."

"Okay. Now, picture something like that, but Dipper blitzing through half the town to reach you in a mad panic."

"On second thought, maybe we can take a tiny – " Wendy could see Dipper's cheeks turn even pinker. "Nevermind. Let's keep going. By now, I'm sure everyone's laughing at us though."

"Not as much as you think." Sere shared. "Luckily, the majority of the goers think of the incident as some kind of amateur performance piece, so no one realizes how real things actually are."

"From a Renaissance barefoot wench to a fledgling actress." Wendy falsely marveled. "Hey, I'll take the upgrade."

"What happens to that Dipper when he learns that was one big set-up?" Dipper asked, continuing to watch the tickle fight play out in the portal.

"Surprisingly, it really doesn't bother him that Mabel led him into it, moreso that Wendy goes along with his sister and laughs at him."

"Oh, poor li'l dork…"

"I wouldn't worry too much." Sere lightened. "Thoughts of devious revenge soon cloud Dipper's mind as he spots those two helpless feet sticking out from the stocks..."

Wendy gasped in shock, "He wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, he does. And to both of your surprise, it doesn't affect you in the slightest."

"Really?"

"Not one bit…"

"HA!" Wendy triumphantly loomed over her cohort, waving her hands back and forth in front of Dipper's face, making him flinch. "You hear that, sucka? This girl's got nerves of steel! Try as you might; you can't break me down!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Dipper gently pushed her arms away, knowing that his crush could make even the smallest thing a competition. "Grade-A, number one, and all that junk."

"And don't you forget it!"

"Well, you can't blame him entirely, Wendy." Sere said. "After all, the advertisement encourages such behavior."

"Hold it. What "advertisement?""

Dipper was the first to notice in the portal. "There, Wendy! Your tip jar is still there. Look left of where I am."

Wendy squinted, noticing that a small, handwritten note has been hastily taped to the glass container. She read it aloud with a sense of disbelief,"$1 to…tickle the wench's feet?" The redhead turned to Sere, who nodded to confirm her uncertainties.

"That old codger!" Wendy threw her arms down to her sides as her lanky body quaked with rage. "Just he wait until I get outta this place! That favorite chair of his in that lousy office? Gonna load it full of thumbtacks. Just watch me…"

Dipper set a hand against Wendy's shoulder. "I know it's super weird, Wendy. But like Sere said, at least the jar was almost filled."

"Dip, I know you're trying to be positive, but believe me, it's not helping."

"But it's not even our Grunkle Stan that did this, and you're already plotting the king of prank wars against him."

"Maybe, Dipper, but you can't tell me that he wouldn't think of doing such a thing to me if he could make a quick buck from it."

"You both have your points," Sere determined. "But it's also fair to say that Wendy could easily fit the trope required for the setup.

"What the - ?" Wendy spun away from Dipper. "What the heck are you talking about, Sere?"

"Well," The host grew flustered by Wendy's challenge. "Think about it for a second, Wendy. You're the redheaded tomboy of town legend with a retro look that's all her own. As you said earlier, you present yourself with nerves of steel and a devil-may-care attitude, but deep down, under your overwhelming amounts of charisma, you're a tender heart, mostly made apparent when in Dipper's presence, as shown numerous times throughout this summer and across countless dimensions."

Sere paused, shyly breaking away from eye-contact. "To be honest, finding out that something silly, like you having ticklish feet hidden beneath those lumberjack boots – an ironic take of letting your defenses down to reveal the sensitive soul on the inside – again, forgive the pun - isn't really such a big surprise to someone like me. Funny enough, it kinda adds to it all. Then again, that's just my opinion."

Wendy was left speechless by the detailed diagnosis. "I – I …" She slightly cocked her neck, seeing that Dipper was shaking his head in agreement with Sere's every point. To break the silence, the lumberjack princess swung back, her knuckle love-tapping Dipper's arm, and catching him off-guard.

"GAH!"

"What're nodding along with, Goober?" Wendy chastised. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

"I am, Wendy!" Dipper reconfirmed his stance, taking a step back. "But a lot of the stuff Sere said; well, I think the same way about you."

"Really?"

"You bet!" Dipper exploded back with enthusiasm. "Remember what I said when we were on the run from those escaped convicts? "Wendy, you are the coolest person I know." And that's not counting all the stuff you keep hidden down deep that you might think it's lame or embarrassing. And who can blame you for that?"

The boy nervously twitched his fingers together. "After all, I – I think I'm kinda the same way, y'know. But the more we've been hanging out and stuff, the easier it's been to put that guard down and let you see things that I'd never show anyone else."

Somewhat convinced, Wendy rested back on her heels and gave her small charge an approving beam. "Alright, short stuff. You got me seeing this as "glass half full." A weird "glass half full," but it's there."

She bent down to keep Dipper eye-to-eye, "But you got me curious, kid. Before Sere gets back on with her story, tell me: what "awesome" secret do you think I have hidden from you?"

This was the very last thing Dipper expected her to say.

"Oh…" The thirteen-year-old forced a laugh as he struggled to stay calm. "I wasn't thinking of anything in particular. I was just being general."

"Well, what's the first thing that comes to mind? We'll call it a freebie."

"Hoo…boy," Dipper let out a strained exhale as his thoughts raced through the possibilities. Suddenly, the contagious laughter of the friends displayed into the membraned window caught his attention. Taking a brief glance at the screen, the words came out of his lips before he realized what was happening:

"Um, okay…then….Wendy, are you ticklish?"

Dipper immediately threw his hands over his mouth, still in disbelief of the blatant mistake he made; the lost opportunity that he let slip through his grasp. Unfazed, the ginger stood back up, maintaining her modest grin, and flicked the bill of Dipper's cap with her fingertips.

"Like I'd tell you…"

"Wha – " Dipper couldn't believe his ears. Not only did he waste his one question, but now he wasn't even going to get a simple answer. "That's cheating!"

"No, it's not." Wendy insisted, keeping her mischievous smile. "You asked me a question, and I gave you an answer. I'm sorry if it's not the one you were hoping for."

"But that's not fair! Besides, you already know where I'm ticklish, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"Well, for one: you can thank your sister for that. And for two…" Wendy started to poke at Dipper's unprotected belly with her fingernail, making him compulsorily squirm and snicker with every jab. "You have the same tickle spot as that cute little doughboy on TV, so there's no way I'd ever forget."

No matter how much Dipper tried to defend himself, he was no match for the lightning-quick jabs of his much-more-athletic main squeeze. "Ah! Wendy! HAHA! Stop! Stop! I can't – "

"Ooh!" Sere clapped her hands together. "That looks like so much fun." She looked to Wendy for permission. "Would it be too much to ask if I could – "

Wendy stepped to the side, taking a small bow and offering her spot with both arms. "If anything, I insist."

Together, the girls double-teamed the defenseless sleuth, their joined prods and nudges reducing him to a wobbly, near hysterical pile on the ground; a strange sort of reverse mirror image of what was happening in the other dimension above them. Victorious, Wendy and Sere celebrated with a high-five.

"Yay! That was a lot of fun!"

"Yeah…" Wendy admitted, as she peeked back to her alter ego's hysterical expression on the screen. "It kinda was…" She turned back towards Sere as the guide went to continue the story. A weary, drained Dipper staggered to his feet, noticing that Wendy was distracted. With playful vengeance in mind, he tip-toed behind the lumberjane and slowly reached for her love handle…

*SMAK!*

"Ow!" Before Dipper touched her green-flannelled side, something shot out and cracked his hand with remarkable speed. He drew his arm back, noticing a small red mark forming on top of his hand. "W-What was – "

"Call it a sixth sense. Comes with the territory of having three brothers who always wants to wrestle."

Wendy peered over her shoulder with a wink. "I'm like a roller-coaster, Dipper. Keep your hands to yourself, or else, you'll risk losing 'em. Now, come on already! Sere's getting back to the story."

Defeated, the humbled teen rejoined his older friend, as their mystical guide resumed her strangle tale. "Where was I?" She wondered. "Oh, that's right. After Dipper's surprise attack comes up as a bust – "

"Just like my Dipper's, eh?" Wendy kidded, bumping her pal on the back, making him grumble under his breath.

"– Mabel gets her own ideas from seeing Wendy's feet trapped in the stocks…"

"Oh, please don't tell me she gets a case of the "tickle fever" too?" Wendy pleaded.

"Nope. She feels bad that you've been left alone all day, and pledges to do some "girl time," including a much-needed pedicure."

"Now, that sounds Mabel-ish to me." Wendy let out a small laugh in relief. "But I'm not sure about that "much-needed" part." She looked down at her muddy boots with a sense of doubt. "I always thought I took good care of my dogs."

"I wouldn't know." Sere admitted. "As Mabel goes off to get supplies, and Dipper licks his wounded pride, a villain from the past watches the event play out and soon plots to use Wendy's situation to his advantage."

"I'm really going to hate what's coming next." Wendy said. "Aren't I?"

Dipper grew incredibly stern, as his mind could focus on one particular soul that could do such a thing.

"…Gideon…"

"What?" Wendy asked. "How do you know it's him?"

"I know it's sounds crazy, Wendy," Dipper contended. "But I know how his mind works. He wouldn't be above using other people to get at me or Mabel."

"But remember at the auto-mart? He said it was the first time we've met face-to-face. Did he even know who I was?"

Dipper stopped to think. "Y'know. That's something I always wondered about. If Gideon had constant surveillance over the Shack, how could he not know who important you are to – "

He caught himself in mid-sentence, the gleam in Wendy's emerald eyes turning his confident tone into a series of stutters.

"T-T-To us. How important you are to us."

"Maybe." Wendy agreed. "But then again, it would explain the group of hired thugs that would randomly try to attack and kidnap me as I rode my bike home from the Shack."

"WAIT, WHAT?!"

Dipper's face twisted with fear and worry as he went into a full-blown panic. "Wendy, why – why didn't you ever say anything? Are – Are you okay? Did they hurt you? I'll – I'll! How – How didn't I know – "

"Dude, dude, dude. You have to chill out." Wendy calmed him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "It was a joke, I swear. Nothing bad ever happened. Just me having some fun with ya."

"…just having some fun…" The anxious boy put his trembling hands over hers, his hyperventilating becoming calmer and calmer. "Ha-ha."

"Some friendly advice, Wendy?" Sere offered. "You need to be more careful with those kinds of pranks with him. You'll take years off his life."

"It's no big deal. Dipper knows I don't mean any harm. Besides, someone's got to get a rise outta him every once and a while."

"No, I mean that you're literally taking years off his life. That last bit made him lose an entire month."

"Oh…"

"Getting back to it, Gideon is hidden among the crowd, doing reconnaissance against the Mystery Shack when he witnesses Dipper's freak-out over you. Growing curious, he continues to watch as Mabel plans her pseudo-spa treatment when he comes up with a sinister plan…"

"Okay. Now, I know I'm really going to hate what's coming next." Wendy stressed.

"Being a boy of…" Sere snapped her fingers, trying to find the proper description. "…um, feminine tastes, he remembers a previous revenge plot and proceeds to wait until Mabel leaves for supplies to extract his wicked plot. Using a homemade, potent skin cream, he begins to apply it to the bottoms of Wendy's feet and – "

"Oh, no, no, no! Stop right there!" Wendy demanded. "That little freak job actually…touches me?!" The mere thought made her own toes curl inside of her boots. "I just – there's no way I'd let him – "

"You wouldn't know, Wendy."

"Wha?"

The clerk stopped her disgusted tirade as her friend spoke. She saw him pointing at her mirror image ahead. "Look at how high you're sitting up there. And at the angle you're positioned at, you'd be lucky to see the tips of your toes on the other side of the plank, yet alone me on the floor. And keep in mind, Gideon's shorter…"

"That's correct." Sere affirmed. "Because you're unable to see, you actually think it's Mabel doing the massaging. In fact, you tell "her" how much you enjoy the treatment."

"But, Sere! That's soooooooo gross! And the hair! You're telling me there's no way I don't see that hairdo?"

"Sorry, Wendy."

The lumberjane's arms and legs twitched with repugnance. "Just the thought of it is like nails on a chalkboard to me, man!"

"Or nails against someone's ticklish feet…" Dipper teased in sing-song.

"Hush, you!" Wendy yelled, still in the heat of the moment. "That's not even the slightest bit funny!"

"So, you and Sere can literally poke me to death, but I can't crack a lousy joke?"

"If anything, you should consider yourself lucky." Wendy used the story for support. "That Dipper didn't get creamed for messing around with that Wendy the way I'm sure she's going to cream that Gideon." She paused to check with Sere. "She is going to get that twerp, right? Please, please tell me that she's going to wreck 'im?"

"You're getting way ahead of yourself, Wendy." Sere said. "As Gideon leaves the scene to leave a ransom note – "

"A ransom note? But aren't I stuck there? Where could he take me?"

"Maybe the stocks display has wheels?" Dipper wondered.

"Okay, spoil-sports." Sere corrected herself. "A note detailing his demands. Is that better? Like I was saying, Gideon passes by a distracted Dipper – "

"Nice catch, Dip…"

" – who heads back towards Wendy with a renewed spirit and a new tool in hand: a soft, fluffy feather…"

"Okay then." Wendy declared. "This is officially the "cuckoo-cuckoo-bananas" reality, isn't it?"

"Believe it or not, Wendy, you actually egg him on." Sere exposed.

"Of course I do…"

"You feel near-invincible after what happened beforehand, but neither of you knows that Gideon's mixture is slowly taking effect. The crowds soon part, leaving you two all alone in the room. And as soon as that feather brushes against your arch – well, let's say it's a good thing you're already bolted down, otherwise Dipper would have to peel you off the ceiling."

"About Gideon's solution," Dipper asked. "What is it exactly?"

"He created a topical nerve cream that can enhance the sensitivity of nerve endings. In this case, those found in the soles of the feet. It's strong enough to break down even the toughest of wills, even Wendy's."

"I can't believe I'm going to ask this," Wendy gave in. "But so he made a super-ticklish cream. Big whoop. What's so dangerous about that?"

"Not at first. You two do have a blast. Dipper is ecstatic to finally be able to get a reaction out of Wendy and see her explode with wild, unfiltered glee! He decides there and then, that his favorite sound ever is that of her hearty laughter."

Dipper turned back from the portal, holding a hand over the side of his face to hide his pinked cheeks; knowing how close such a declaration came to his own thoughts.

"Meanwhile, Wendy sees things though a competitive light. She's way too bull-headed to admit that she was wrong, and yet, finds herself impressed that this kid that she just met had managed to break down all of her pre-set barriers in more way than one."

With Sere's words fresh in his mind, Dipper went back to the portal and watched the friends relish in their somewhat-odd game. "Y'know. Just watching those two makes me wonder if we should start having tickle fights – "

"Oh, I'm sorry." Wendy hastily cut him off, holding her finger outwards with a nail aimed directly at his gut. "Did you say something?"

"Ah! No! Don't!" Dipper covered his tummy with one arm while using his other hand to keep his crush at bay. "I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it!"

Her point proven, Wendy withdrew her finger. "That's what I thought."

"But as time passes," Sere continued. "Gideon's serum begins to have a darker outcome on Wendy. The soft, giddy-producing tickles soon become a painful, irritating itch even without Dipper's touch."

"It sounds like that little faker added some itching powder to that cream-junk, huh?" Wendy recognized.

"Itching powder?" Dipper asked. "What's that?"

"It's this white, powdery stuff that's mostly used for pranks." Wendy said. "A few years back, when the varsity basketball team was messing with me and the guys, I snuck into the boys' locker room before their big game and covered their shorts with a whole tub of that dust." She paused to snicker, reflecting on her past triumph. "Well, let's just say that during the game, they spent more time with their hands down their pants than on the ball."

"Ouch…"

"It gets worse." Sere exposed. "A few minutes later, the itching transforms into an excruciating, crackling, burning feeling. Think of the worse Athlete's Foot a person can get and times it by a thousand!"

"Yeech…"

It was a threat that Wendy could relate with, considering nearly half of her footwear consisted of some kind of boot.

"Within seconds, Wendy's laughter becomes screams of agony. A now-freaked out Dipper tries to free Wendy from the stocks, but cannot manage to break its padlock. All of the commotion attracts sister Mabel, and together, the twins are able to open the lock and Wendy is finally able to wash off the torturous goo, but the damage has already been done…"

"Already done?" Dipper grew even more concerned. "Are you saying that Gideon's trick might have permanently injured Wendy?"

"Not physically." Sere answered. "You see, that ransom note Gideon left? It becomes lost during the events of the day, removing any evidence of his involvement. This means that – "

" – that Wendy thinks Dipper and Mabel did that to her." Wendy finished. "And if she's anything like me, there's only one thing on her mind…"

"Revenge…" Sere nodded.

"Now, hang a sec." Wendy made her halt. "Even if it were Dipper's fault, I wouldn't wring him out over an accident."

"You wouldn't, but that Wendy would. This tale takes place at the beginning of summer, so her connection with Dipper isn't as strong as yours is at the current moment. She simply doesn't think like that…yet."

Dipper forced out a question as he gulped at the unpleasant possibilities. "S-S-So, what does Wendy do to get even with us?"

"Nothing at first. She plays it cool, acting like she doesn't care, letting you two sweat it out, and having your minds play games with themselves."

"A classic Corduroy tact," Wendy accredited. "That's for sure."

"Wendy waits for the twins to let their guard down, and then – " Sere slammed her fist into her other hand. "She strikes outta nowhere like a cobra crouching in tall grass!"

"Gotta say; love that metaphor, Sere."

"Thanks, Wendy. Using a modified version of one of Stan's displays, Wendy puts the Pines into a trap of her very own, leaving them stranded in the middle of the Gravity Falls woods."

"That's…" Dipper relaxed his flinched stance. "That's a lot milder than I was expecting. There's nothing else? No tummy tickles or anything?"

"Nope. To Wendy, the worst thing that she could is nothing. Dipper and Mabel would be literally stuck on edge, fearing of a vicious torture that'll never come. The games their minds would play would be far, far worse than anything Wendy could ever do."

"Diabolical…" Dipper looked up at Wendy with a mixed sense of admiration. "You can be really devious when you set your mind to it, can't you?"

"I try. But hey; least you're smart enough not to seriously push my buttons to find out."

The friends laughed aloud together until Dipper realized the hidden meaning in his sweetheart's words. His mouth turned cotton dry. "Uh…suddenly, getting poked in the stomach doesn't seem so bad."

"With her plan playing out," Sere returned to her story. "Wendy goes back to the Mystery Shack and stumbles upon two discoveries: the first being the lost random note, which reveals Lil' Gideon as the culprit behind her terrible experience while serving in the Shack's dungeon display."

"That's great, right?" Wendy became excited. "That means that she'll finally kick his rhinestone-lovin' fat butt!"

"Sure, but something else happens that takes Wendy aback. She finds another confession that leaves her mind blown and her heartstrings twanged."

"But you said that she finds Gideon's letter." Wendy quizzed. "What else was there to find?"

Dipper grew quiet, coming to the most logical conclusion that he could think of:

"Um…I think I know what she finds. And if you think about it for a second, Wendy, you might be able to guess, too."

After a few moments, Wendy's puzzled freckled face softened and somber.

"Oh…"

"Before Wendy discovers Gideon's ransom, she accidentally steps on one of Dipper's blotted-out notes in which he attempts to confess his feelings for her. Between the two letters, Wendy is left devastated. Not only was her vengeance completely misguided, but she had managed to totally betray the one person that absolutely adored her."

"Geez, Sere. Way to really rub it in…"

"With all truths unearthed, Wendy leaves from the Mystery Shack in a rush, desperate to make things right. She sneaks past the Tent of Telepathy's security and plucks a helpless Gideon from his room. When Wendy returns to the forest with Gideon in tow, finding Dipper and Mabel being attacked by the love-struck gnomes that occupy the woods."

"Wait," Dipper made the guide stop again. "You mean that those weirdo gnomes were actually going to – "

"No, just Mabel." Sere gave him a reassuring smile. "They wanted to beat you up with baseball bats and gardening tools instead."

"Yeah, because that's so much better…"

"Seeing the twins' plight, Wendy offered the attackers a trade: they let her friends go, and she'll give them the "queen" that they always wanted. "

Dipper instantly stifled a laugh, leaving Wendy to ask, "What was that about?"

He cleared his throat. "That? Oh, you probably won't believe it, but when Gideon stole the Shack from Stan, Mabel and I tried to sic the gnomes on him by saying that he was a girl too."

"Whatdya know?" Wendy gave Dipper a celebratory slap on the back, nearly knocking him off his feet. "Great minds do think alike!"

"I – " The scattered boy quickly regained his balance. "I guess they do."

Sere offered an open arm towards the still-active portal window. "And this is where our story ends. While Mabel and Wendy were able to make up easily, there was now an invisible barrier of embarrassment and shame separating Wendy and Dipper. On top of that, she now knew his true feelings, adding a layer of guilt over the whole mess.

As Dipper spent the next few days sequestered in his room with his research, Wendy struggled to find a way to approach her buddy. Would she simply knock on his door and lay everything out before them? She wondered if a direct conformation would only make matters worse.

Late one night, with the rest of the Pines family out on their own ventures, Wendy is left alone to clean up for the day. As she's straightening the Mystery Shack's new exhibit, an idea pops into her head. If Dipper rushed to her rescue when all of this began, would he do it again?"

"You're saying that I locked myself back in those things to get Dipper out of his funk?" Wendy threw her arms in the air. "It's sad, but by this point, I'd believe it."

"And it worked, see?" Dipper nudged her flannelled arm in a supportive manner. "Another happy ending in the bag; a strange one, but just look at them. They're having the time of their lives. Especially you."

"Perhaps…" Wendy looked on to her other self, still lost in a sea of giggles, her skinny frame bouncing upwards with every feather-stroke. "I mean, they do look like they're having fun…"

After a brief stillness between the three, Wendy shot up with a burst of energy, spun around on her heels, and started to return towards the way they came. "Well, I think that's enough weird tales for this gal. Let's say we start to head back. We're almost home, right, Sere?"

"Well…"

"Sounds great! C'mon, Dip. Move your tail!"

"But...already?" Dipper and Sere shared a startled look. "You wanna leave on such a sour note?"

"Yeah," Sere encouraged. "How about one more dimension for the road?"

"No, thanks." Wendy waved the notion away. "I think I've met my quota for strangeness for the week."

"We're in Gravity Falls, Wendy." Dipper said. "You can never have enough strange stuff here."

"Dipper, a few days ago, I was a living wall carpet for a triangle-man in his floating pyramid. I'm way beyond full."

As Wendy walked on, Sere and Dipper trailed behind her, hoping to change her mindset. Once more, her boy tried to convince her to stay. "Oh, come on, Wendy. There has to be at least one more story worth hearing before we head out." His eyes began to skim through the numerous portals on each side of the cosmic road. "How…about….this one?" Dipper nudged Sere to the right. "What's this one about, Sere?"

"This…" She took a second to analyze the scene: a large carnival, much larger than Stan's Mystery Fair, brightly glowing beneath a beautiful starry night. In the center of the scene, Wendy and Dipper sat snuggled in a cart at top of an enormous Ferris wheel.

"In this dimension, Dipper competes with his sister Mabel to win tickets to the largest carnival in the county. But unbeknown to her, this Dipper is only doing so in hopes of being able to fulfil Wendy's wish of riding on the largest Ferris wheel in the state."

The redhead didn't even as much as slow her pace. "Ehh…sounds kinda boring to me…"

"That's what we fates said, too…" Sere muttered under her breath.

"…and besides, you kinda gave away the ending; the little dork pulls it off for her. Good for them."

They continued on, as Dipper searched the hall for another doorway that might catch his friend's interest. To his right, he could make out a world where he and Wendy stood on top of a handcrafted stage behind the Mystery Shack. Dressed in their best evening wear; Dipper, a black tuxedo with slicked-back hair, and Wendy sporting a length emerald-green dress, they addressed nearly the entire town before them in some sort of lavish spectacle.

"Ooh!" Dipper was intrigued. "What's this one?"

"In here…" Sere held her hand over the window. "During a getaway from a monster in the woods, Dipper and Wendy unintentionally drive one of Stan Pines's golf carts into the Mystery Shack, causing a boatload of damage to the establishment. In return, Stan threatens to tell Wendy's father, who she fears will send her to Military School due to her more-recent mischief. For this, Dipper uses the power of the Journal 3 to put on an incredible magic show, where he serves as the magician that creates a series of illusions, and Wendy as the spunky magician's assistant that can survive any death-defying act tossed her way."

"So I'm all dolled up and Dipper gets to put me through the magical wringer?"

The other two hasn't noticed Wendy had briefly stopped to listen in.

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes. "Couldn't see why anyone would care about that…" After a moment, Wendy took on a serious expression as something crossed her mind. "Call me crazy…but is there tickling in this story, too?"

"Well…" Sere faltered. "One of the magic acts performed is the classic "saw a woman in half" trick, and in order to prove the assistant's feet are real, they – "

"Nope!" Wendy exclaimed, throwing her hands out in a crisscrossed fashion before turning back around. "And we're done here."

Dipper took notice of the next window over. Inside, another alter-ego of his blindly staggered across the darkened hallways of an emptied school, scanning every nook and cranny for something or someone in particular.

"Hey, Wendy!" Dipper soon recognized the area within. "Isn't that Gravity Falls High? I wonder what kind of story – "

"A-hem!"

Dipper looked at Sere as she forcefully cleared her throat. Once they made eye-contact, the spectral being moved her hand back and forth under her chin to try to signal her guest. As he looked even more baffled, she stepped towards him and silently mouthed: "More tickles…"

"Oh…"

As they caught up with Wendy, Dipper could hear her voice stemming from a portal on his left. In that world, a Wendy dressed in makeshift battle armor led a weary Dipper by the hand down a secluded alley in downtown Gravity Falls as blaring police sirens were heard in the background.

"That looks cool…" Dipper admired. "Has a hard sci-fi edge to it. What's going on here?"

"After a fight with the rest of the Mystery Shack crew, Dipper wishes that he didn't exist. And upon hearing his request, the demigod Bill Cipher is eager to grant that wish. Dipper awakes in a world where without his help, Gideon was allowed to take over the town and enslave its people. As he flees the authorities, he bumps into the leader of the sole resistance against Gideon's tyranny…"

"Wendy the leader of a rebel group?" Dipper shrugged. "No surprise there, but the story sounds awesome! What happens to them?"

"Let's see…after the group is betrayed by a disillusioned Robbie, Dipper takes it upon himself to rescue the captured resistance members and saves Wendy from being tortured as she is interrogated by Gideon – "

"PASS!"

Sere and Dipper turned to their right, seeing Wendy in the distance. The boy sped up to her side as he asked, "Didn't like the story?" He presented a cheesy grin to try to turn her mood. But hey, at least you weren't tickled in this one."

"Right." Wendy lightly pushed her admirer. "Because regular, pain-filled torture is so much better." The girl let out an exhausted sigh. "Maybe you didn't notice, but there's a lot of "Wendy gets kidnapped" stories here, don't you think?"

"Sure," Dipper agreed. "But why's that a big deal? Heck, I couldn't even count how many times I was captured or kidnapped in the last three months in our reality alone. Do you think any less of me for it?"

"Of course not, dork. It's just…different, is all."

Not wanting to leave Wendy downtrodden, Dipper glanced in Sere's direction. "Quick question for you, Sere. Is there a tale nearby in which Wendy gets captured, but overcomes all odds to save the day?"

"Besides the video gaming one?" Sere beaded her brow, moving ahead and taking a few paces to the right. "How about…this." She stepped away so they could clearly see the scene. In a clearing in the Gravity Falls woods, Gideon stood triumphant over Dipper's unconscious body. With a small bell in his right hand, the false psychic shouted over two creatures covered in living shadow. The larger of the two held the smaller one in a death-grip by the neck as it kicked for freedom.

"DIPPER! Let him go right now, or I swear, I'll – "

On the other end of the clearing, Wendy had been trapped within a net-snare and was hoisted well above the forest floor. She clawed and squired for release to release her pal before it was too late.

"In this universe," Sere narrated. "Gideon uses a spell to separate Dipper's spirit from his body, similar to how Bill Cipher did to you in your plane of existence. To add to things, he also summons a creature known a soul seeker to claim Dipper's essence as its own.

At first, Dipper finds that he is unable to communicate with the living, until a concerned Wendy notices he was missing and begins to hear his voice in the ether. Together, they locate where Dipper's body was left behind and as they go to restore him, Gideon springs a trap and captures them both."

Dipper noticed that the Wendy on-screen had finally loosed the knot holding her net prison to the tree branch above. Like lightning, she crashing down upon of the smarmy pre-teen, and after a brief encounter, the plucky ginger snatched up the bell that controlled the demon and immediately took charge.

"Using nothing more than her skill-set and ingenuity, Wendy is able to release the hold on the demon, make Gideon pay for his crimes, and restore a much-grateful Dipper to his former self." Sere ended the story, as she and Dipper looked to Wendy for approval.

They caught her twisting her neck back forward, pretending that she hadn't the slightest bit of interest. "That…was a bit better, but not by much."

As they walked onwards, Sere poked fun at Wendy's reaction. "Granted, it might not have been the best story, but at least it's better than the one where while cave-exploring with Dipper, you save his life from a collapsing ledge and unintentionally get your ankle stuck as the cavern starts to flood…"

"HARD PASS!"

"Or the one where Dipper has to save you from a haunted house that literally ate you and Robbie V. alive during a make-out session – "

"Wait, what?" Dipper's jaw nearly dropped.

"EVEN HARDER PASS!"

Wendy spun around, "Look, I know what you're trying to do, and I get it, but…" She became rather gloomy. "It's just…the best way I can describe it is like that video tape my dad watches constantly: "Best Sports Blunders of All Times." It's super hilarious to watch these guys screw up royal, but to the people on film, I'll bet it's anything but. Do you feel me?"

As Wendy picked up her pace towards the exit, Dipper and Sere shared a remorseful glare. The mystical guide attempted to change the subject. "Maybe we're going about things the wrong way. What about a story where Wendy plays around with Dipper's Journal 3 and accidentally turns herself back into a twelve-year-old – "

"NO!" Wendy and Dipper shouted at the same time, the reaction making them smile slightly before they resumed their venture home.

"Just face it, you two." Wendy said. "There isn't a story left that could possibly – "

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Wendy's train of thought was cut off by the sound of laughter; the sound of her laughter. Annoyed, the fifteen-year-old headed to the source – a nearby cosmic bubble. She grumbled under her breath. "For the love of – I swear if it's more tickling, I'll tear this thing a new – "

She paused, finding herself gazing over a gorgeous, star-lit sky. A gentle breeze swayed the neighborhood trees, providing the perfect amount of cool air without taking away from the summer warmth.

On a secluded grassy knoll, a picnic basket was set beneath a basket with all of its delicious contents spread out on display. Next to the towering tree that guarded this meal, a pair of tiny black loafers nettled against a slightly-larger set of shiny high heels.

"It's – It's – "

"It's Lookout Point…" Dipper finished Wendy's sentence as together, they spotted something rolling across the grass. It was that world's version of Dipper and Wendy, dressed in their best attire, play- wrestling and locked deep into each other's arms. The younger adult's off-key giggles soon joined those of his co-workers.

Suddenly, they stopped in place, with Wendy pinning Dipper down against the soft meadow ground. They stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity. Without warning, she lowered her head, her lips meeting his as Dipper wrapped his hands around Wendy's back for support.

"They – They – They…" The Dipper outside of the portal couldn't even fathom the words.

"Sere," Wendy asked, not able to take her eyes off what she had witnessed. "What kind of world is this?"

"Gee, guys." Sere clamped her hands together. "I'm not sure you two should see – "

"Sere," Wendy repeated. "I want to you tell us – "

"But – "

"SERE!"

"This is – " Sere let the words fly from her mouth without caution. "This is a world where you tell Dipper, "yes!""