Disclaimer: I do not own GF
Now THIS is the longest chapter yet. On top of that, it was actually cut in half so the last chapter won't be so short.
I just want to note that I did not proof read the entire thing, so sorry about that. After this story is completely done I plan on going back and doing some touch ups so...yeah.
Anyways, this is a little later than what I expected as it was not only kinda hard to write, but order once again kicked me in the butt.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Madam Feylie watched as more black cars rush past her in a bid to get across town, disregarding the speed limit and most of the rules of the road.
"What's the NMA doing here?" She murmured to herself in concern, pausing in her Sunday shopping to watch them pass. The elf worried the inside of her cheek some as she watched, eyes darting up to the swirling green clouds. They had been getting thicker recently. More green as well, blotting out the sky easily. Madam Feylie shuffled a bit, uncertainty hitting her full-force.
Someone was doing dark magic in town. But not just your run of the mill standard animal sacrifices. No, this was worse. Darker. Unnatural.
Evil.
She squinted as she stared up at the clouds, large and puffy. They moved sluggishly through the sky, slow and methodical. However, not in any normal pattern.
The clouds didn't just move across the sky like normal.
No, they were circling something.
Tightening her grip on her purse, Madam Feylie tried to pinpoint where the clouds were circling about, where their focus was.
Her heart clenched. The NMA was here to stop this magic and if they were here, it had to mean something serious.
But what?
Madam Feylie couldn't say she knew much about the darker parts of magic. She had never sacrificed an animal, never used blood or any other bodily fluids.
Hell, she didn't even know how to even begin to try and practice dark magic. It was dangerous and horrible. Everyone knew that and she did her best to avoid the subject matter completely.
And that was one of the reasons she moved to Gravity Falls eleven years ago. Gravity Falls was a small, nowhere town where everyone knew everyone; homely and safe. Nothing bad could happen here, right?
Right?
But she had been wrong. Very, very wrong. And now the NMA was here to stop...whatever was going on.
Madam Feylie traced the clouds again with her eyes. They seemed to be focused around somewhere across town, on the very edge.
Then again, who would practice dark magic in the very center of town anyways?
"You're very focused on the sky, aren't you?" A deep voice chimed to her right.
Madam Feylie whipped around suddenly, only to stare down at a much shorter man in a strange purple tuxedo of all things, bowler hat neat and tidy over curly near-black hair. His eyes gleamed amethyst in the dappled, cloud-blocked light.
He must be some sort of half-breed. Human and Imp most likely, considering his shorter stature.
Still, he was...strange. Something wasn't quite right with him. Who wore a full tuxedo out in Gravity Falls? Especially since it was almost summer.
"I guess you could say that." She replied cautiously. She didn't like this man. There was definitely something not right about him.
Didn't mean she couldn't be polite, however.
"I don't blame you. Green clouds are always a bad omen, after all. Someone's not doing what they're supposed to be doing."
She nodded along to his words. "Indeed. Especially since the NMA seems to be here, most likely to deal with it."
The man next to her stiffened ever so slightly. His eyes, however retained the same cool look in them, unalarmed.
"Really? The NMA? Must be serious then. Well, I guess I'll be off. Only so much Sunday left to enjoy, after all."
Madam Feylie shot the man an odd look, a bit confused on what he was saying. It was still early in the morning. Most kids were probably still asleep at this time! What did he mean by that?
However, before the elf could ask her question, the strange man was gone.
She quickly looked all around her.
He had just...disappeared. Like he was never there in the first place.
Weird. Very weird.
Madam Feylie turned her eyes back to the sky, contemplating briefly before starting off in a brisk walk.
She didn't know what was going on. She didn't know how dark magic worked or any of that.
But that didn't mean she couldn't get to the bottom of it. Whatever was going on was big and in a small town like Gravity Falls, where everyone knew everyone, she couldn't help but feel fear.
In one way or another, something was not right. Someone was going to get hurt.
And if she could so something to stop that from happening, she would.
And with that in mind, Madam Feylie crossed the street, setting off to the swirling clouds, determined to get to the bottom of this.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Stan grunted as he was shoved haphazardly in the hard, wooden chair. Since being escorted out of the car, he'd been pushed and dragged around, bumping into walls and corners as the NMA took advantage of his situation.
He sneered. Yeah, protectors of the law his ass.
Stan glared up at the man in front of him- Powers, as what the other monkey's called him. The man was still decently young with a shock of black hair and lines etched into his face from being too serious all the time.
Stan shifted around in his seat, highly aware of all the evidence of his past misdeeds behind him along with the uncomfortable feeling of ink still left over on the pads of his fingers.
He didn't have time for this. He really didn't have time for this.
He had been so close. So close. One last incantation was all he needed.
The one to call the soul back from the void, or wherever souls went after the body dies, and put it into the new body.
One incantation. That's all he needed.
Stan gritted his teeth and glared forward. What he was about to do would be difficult in a room like this, but their sensors were still going off, beeping and wailing loud as day.
With any luck, they'd stay like that.
Carefully, Stan dug his nails into his skin. Gritting his teeth harder and letting his glare intensify, he bit back his whimper of pain as he worked his short and blunt nails into his skin, throwing all his desperation at getting free along with his strength to cut through to flesh.
He could feel himself tear open each and every layer of skin, getting deeper and easier as the layers got softer. With his hands nearly shaking, he finally cut through his skin, allowing a few drops of red to bead and drip and pool in his palms.
Perfect.
Powers suddenly towered above him, puffing out his chest, face dead serious as he took in the appearance of the man in front of him. With a scowl, he slammed his hands onto the table, eyes openly hostile.
A weak intimidation tactic in Stan's opinion.
"Stanford Pines. You stand accused for theft of organs from the local hospital, suspected immoral acts, suspected illegal magic, and conspiracy."
"What? Conspiracy? How d-"
"How do you plead these charges?" Powers plowed on, as if Stan never interrupted him in the first place.
"Uh, guilti-cent! I mean, inno-guilty!" Stan stuttered, his mind focused on trying to get the blood in the right place in his palms. His eyes darted around, taking in the four other people in the room easily. Doing what he was planning would be draining so how would he be able to-
Stan's eyes practically gleamed as an idea came to mind.
"Um, can I have my phone call?" He asked in his most innocent tone. "That's part of my rights! I think."
Powers's obnoxious mustache quivered, but he still gave a terse nod. The man walked on the left side of him and hauled him to his feet and starting pushing him to the door.
Once out of his first cell, Stan was lead to a second, smaller room. Like the first, bars were on the windows and the bricks were a dull and dreary gray. Once inside, he was shoved in a chair in front of a CB radio, which was picked up and shoved under his chin for him to talk into and, after a few curses, Stan told them the channel he knew Soos used.
"Keep it short." Powers warned before shutting the door and locking it, giving him privacy.
Stan rolled his eyes and and turned back to the radio, which was silent. For now.
He'd talk to Soos.
He'd need a ride before getting free, after all.
Stan closed his eyes and muttered a small, relatively simple incantation under his breath, causing the droplets pooling in the center of his palms to slowly slide back up his skin. Keeping his focus and will steady, Stan directed the droplets all the way up and onto the runes, which were etched right into the metal of the cuffs. Turning his head around the best he could, Stan watched the blood slip easily into the incisions.
Okay. The first part was done. Now came the hard part.
Stan took a deep and soundless breath before muttering the second incantation, causing the blood inside the runes to run back and forth against the inside. Back and forth, back and forth.
It flowed faster and faster and Stan quickly started muttering a second incantation, intertwining it with the first to create a new spell of sorts; one that hardened the iron in the blood and made it move faster.
A single cut in the rune work would render the cuffs pointless. All he needed to do was get rid of the magic, then-
Stan watched as the runes went from a bright, glowing cyan to a dull shimmer before completely dying off.
Stan finished his verse and grinned at the now normal cuffs. Another quick mutter of Latin allowed him to break the thin chain to break, rendering his hands free. Perfect.
And all that in record time.
He was good, wasn't he? But now, to the matter at hand.
"Soos!" He called out to the mouthpiece, being loud enough for the man-child to hear but quiet enough so the agents out in the hall couldn't listen in.
He waited a few seconds before calling out again. He did get the right channel...right?
"Just pick up!"
"Mister Pines, what happened?!" Soos answered back right away, sounding a little shaken and very worried. "I heard you got arrested or something and the weird clouds are looking weirder than usual..."
Stan rolled his eyes and blotted out the slight feel of guilt that started to fester in his stomach. "Listen, Soos. I need you to drive up to the station and hide your truck right behind the building in front. Okay?"
"Wait, isn't breaking out of jail and me helping you against the law?"
"...Um, yes?"
"Cool! I've always wanted to be a jail-breaker!"
Stan rolled his eyes, but a slightly warm smile still crept it's way onto his face.
"You've got that backwards but okay." Stan replied before hanging up.
Now was the hard part. Carefully, Stan spun himself around so he was facing the door, putting his hands behind his back as if the cuffs were still linked.
"Um, I'm done now!" Stan called out, keeping the giddiness out of his voice with practiced ease.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the agents burst right back into the room, Powers waiting in the doorway.
Stan narrowed his eyes, sparks already dancing on his fingertips. Not enough to maim or kill, but just enough to stun.
That's all he needed to do to these clowns. Stun 'em and run.
Not the best or most poetic plan, but it's what he needed and what would work.
Stan was ready, ready to thrust out his hands and let loose the buildup in his palms.
Then, everything was turned on it's head.
The sirens that had finally gone silent when the agents threw open the door started blaring once more, full blast.
And then, everything turned blue.
Harsh, azure light blazed in between the bars, blinding everyone. Stan shuddered as the heat washed over him, dry and arid. Like a desert. The older man screwed his eyes shut, the orbs already watering.
He wasn't expecting this. Not at all.
Didn't mean he was grateful though.
Stan thrust his arms out and let loose the electric buildup in his fingers. The men before him let out howls of pain before thumping onto the ground. Quickly standing up, Stan kept the shocks pumping as he stumbled over bodies in a bid to get out. Even through his close eyes, all Stan could see was blue.
Making sure to land extra kicks and stomps when he could, Stan finally cut off the magic before it could completely exhaust him. Shoving who he hoped was Powers against the wall and hopefully onto the floor, Stan took off at a stumbling run, casting his hands out either side of him to make sure he wouldn't run into any walls. At this point, he'd have to use his memory until the blue light faded away and he could see.
Stan stumbled what was most likely a few more yards before the sharp azure started to fade away. His heart slammed up against his ribs in a mad bid to try and get out.
Look, I'm working on it, okay? Don't see you helping any. Stan thought to the organ as he, very slowly, started to crack one eye open, hoping his short lashes could protect his orbs from too mush damage.
He already had cataracts. He didn't need anything worse, like a sunburn. Could eyes even sunburn in the first place?
Well, it would be more like 'blue burn' considering the weird flash that just happened.
What even was that?
Feeling no sudden burning sensations and melting, Stan opened his eyes completely, blinking hard at the gigantic spots left in his sight. Everything was more blurry than usual and it made his head spin.
Well, at least he was right in front of the door.
"Get up you idiots! He's getting away!" Powers yelled from within the prison behind him.
Well, couldn't be lucky all the time.
Stan broke into a run, bursting right out of the doors and continued his sprint across the road. A few wayward civilians still seemed to be recovering from the burst of light, some panicking and others stumbling about a bit more stupidly than normal.
Throwing himself behind the building, the older man was greeted with Soos's familiar beat-up truck.
Stan fast-walked to the drivers side. If this was going to work, then he needed Soos to act fast.
"Soos! Open up!" Stan called, rapping his knuckles on the window, causing his cuffs to clank uncomfortably against his wrists.
Soos was still recovering from the light as well, having pulled his hat low over his eyes. The handyman slowly pushed the head wear back into place, eyes cracking open slowly before blinking fast and hard, just as Stan himself did earlier.
"Mister Pines?" Soos slurred slightly as he rolled the window done, peering at the older man with that same worry evident in his voice.
"One and the same. Now, I need you to do something for me. Something important. Can you do that?"
Soos nodded quickly, the perkiness bouncing right back into his tone. "Yes sir, Mister Pines! What do you need?"
"I need you to drive in the opposite direction of the Mystery Shack for as far as you can. Be obvious about it too."
"Like, speeding? Isn't that dangerous?"
"This is a dangerous situation and it calls for dangerous actions. Can you do this for me?"
Soos gave Stan the most determined look the older man had ever seen on the younger's face. The handyman twisted his cap around so it faced backwards and hunched forward, putting both hands on the wheel and gripping tightly."
"Yes sir. I won't let you down!"
Stan felt another smile quirk at the sides of his lips.
"I know you won't."
And with that, Soos took off, leaving Stan scrambling to get back to the Shack.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Dipper wasn't so sure where he was or what was going on. His body felt heavy. So, so heavy. Though he knew his eyes were closed, the brunet could still see flashes of blue in the darkness of his mind, hungry and consuming everything that they could. Dipper felt his breath hitch as a soreness settled into his very bones, weighing him down. He was being dragged away by an unseen force, slowly but surely fading out of reality as time itself started to disappear.
Dipper thought he heard something from far away, something a bit high-pitched, but pleasant all the same. It brought a warm feeling to his heart, warming his already heated body up and caused him to relax and let this strange, blue darkness take hold of him and carry him away.
Until, that is the voice got closer, almost sounding concerned, if Dipper were to put a label on it. He felt something lightly ghost over his face, starting at his cheeks and moving down to his lips, rubbing briefly before moving up his nose and even under his eyes. The voice was still there and even louder than it had been before- to the point where it was almost deafening yet Dipper still couldn't hear a single thing. Like the words themselves were not only said backwards and scrambled, but in a language all it's own in which human ears could never even hope to understand.
What he finally decided were fingers moved up the sides of his face, right into his hair where they tangled themselves up, stroking his scalp with heavy but even pets, causing him to make a soft noise of pleasure. The sound reverberated within his chest, bouncing off his ribs and passing through blood and flesh to grasp at the air, pulling itself from his body. Whatever was talking loudly, cradling his head stopped suddenly and removed themselves.
Dipper shivered at the loss of contact, a whine bubbling from his vocal chords and up his throat, spilling forth for the mysterious other to hear as clear as day.
Dipper had thought he was warm all over before, but once the other shifted him about, he was even hotter than before, though not uncomfortably so. The overwhelming feeling and thought of safety pulled itself from the recesses from his mind, standing proud and strong for him and him only to see and feel. He nuzzled into the heat, his weak arms looping around the other loud being in a tight hug, trying to press himself as close as physically possible.
Very slowly, his strange blue world started to melt before his unopened eyes, melding back into the background of blackness once more, like it was never there in the first place. The fiery sea, which reminded him of freedom and freedom only drew back in it's forceful drought and Dipper was left alone in his silent head.
Well, not completely alone. The voice was there. And this time, he understood what it was saying.
"Your heart's still beating, Pine Tree so wake up. You're not allowed to die. Especially after what you just did for me." The voice murmured with concern.
Dipper opened his eyes slowly, blinking hard at the sudden, too harsh light.
Everything was a blend of color. Blue mixed with gold and white and green. Above him, a storm brewed, a churning sickly green and vivid blue. The smell of ozone wafted around him, sharp and pungent.
However, blotting out part of the show high above was a familiar face, both parts feminine and masculine with dark skin and golden freckles, one eye a burning gold and the other a void black with a single, blue flame in the center.
Though his brows were furrowed in worry, he still sported a face-splitting grin, displaying every pearly fang.
"B-Bill?" Dipper muttered, his voice hoarse from the chanting.
Bill visibly brightened, golden eye crinkling and grin somehow, impossibly, growing wider. "Pine Tree!" Bill replied, hugging the teen close while simultaneously lifting him into the air bridal-style and nuzzling his cheek, trailing a few sloppy kisses there.
Dipper squeaked in surprise as his world tilted around, still a bit blurry. His head swam, a small headache popping up in the front of his brain, causing him to moan a bit and curl up into the god for stability, clutching at his vest.
"Are you okay?" Bill asked, stilling for his sapling.
"Y-Yeah. Everything is still kinda spinning. And my head hurts."
Bill frowned and bent down, shifting his Pine Tree's soft bangs to the side to plant a kiss right in the center of the 'ladle' of his birthmark, a few more blue flames sparking and melting into his skin.
Dipper blinked as his vision cleared and his headache clear. The boy blinked as everything came rushing back to him. The horrible feeling, the seal, the chanting...
Bill now being free.
"Bill! You're-! I mean, I- Um...!" Dipper stuttered, not sure exactly what he wanted to say.
Bill laughed loudly, throwing his head back and even flexing his shoulders. "Free! I'm free! Can't you feel it, Pine Tree! This place is dead. The sigil is broken and I am free!"
Dipper let out another squeak as the god suddenly spun around, still laughing between planting more sloppy kisses on both his face and the top of his head.
His hat must of fallen off again. He really needed to adjust the strap.
Finally, Bill stopped and slowly put the brunet back onto the ground, his smile still present. "After nearly a thousand years..." The god trailed off, hardly believing what happened himself.
"You're free." Dipper finished for him, wiping his face with his hands to try and get some of the saliva Bill left on him off, flushing slightly.
Bill nodded. "I-I just...Well, I can do whatever I want now, can't I? Pine Tree! We can do whatever! Go wherever!"
Dipper laughed at the god's enthusiasm, Bill's excitement rubbing off on him easily, causing all thoughts of previous worry and uncertainty to dissolve.
"Yeah. I guess we can, can't we?" Dipper replied, bending down to grab his hat off the ground, dusting away some dirt that had stained it. Though the area around him hadn't changed whatsoever in appearance, still looking as desolate as before, the abhorrence in the air was gone, evaporated by the heat of the fire. Below his feet, the sigil was no longer glowing, the carved runes just lines in the ground, dead as the trees.
He, Dipper Pines, just successfully broke a sigil made of specialized, advanced magic.
He just did something way beyond his skill level by decades.
By himself.
With little help.
Using his will and mind alone.
He couldn't keep the stupid grin off his face because he just completed that.
Dipper couldn't stop the flood of pride for himself, something he seldom felt.
"I-I did this. I freed you. I broke this sigil." Dipper whispered, partially to himself and partially to Bill as he adjusted the strap on the back of his hat and tugged it back down into place.
Bill smirked and swaggered over to the younger boy. "That, you did." He said, wrapping an arm around the younger's shoulders.
Dipper smiled softly and leaned into the warm touch.
"Well, then. I guess it's time for us to head off."
"Head off?"
Bill rolled his eyes. "What? You expect me to hang around here any longer? I don't think so, kid!"
Dipper shook his head. Well duh. Of course Bill wasn't going to hang around here any longer. He'd been here long enough.
"Oh. Yeah. Um, where are you going to go?"
"Us, Pine Tree."
Dipper blinked. "But I live here."
Bill rolled his eyes. "And so did I, I guess. But that's the end of that!"
"No, Bill. What I mean is...I just can't get up and leave with you. I live here with my family! And I'm still in school and stuff. I'm not even an adult!"
Bill sighed. "Oh, Pine Tree. Adults don't exist. You think you meatsacks know what your doing? And I've seen your "school-" It's a joke! And besides..." Bill's eyes narrowed as he leaned over Dipper, baring his teeth a little as his eyes flashed red. "Your family tried to keep us apart, didn't they?"
Dipper shifted around underneath Bill's heavy arm, suddenly unsure. "Well...I'm not so sure about the first two things you said but Bill, they're my family. They were just worried, that's all! They just want to look out for me."
Bill's arm tightened around him as the god's fingers started to dig into his shoulder. "I can look after you perfectly fine. No, even better then they can." Bill spun him around and placed the palms of his hands on his shoulders, looking down at him with a rigid look. "I can give you things that most mortals can only dream of. Magic? The secrets of the universe? Unlimited knowledge is practically at my fingertips, kid!"
Dipper shifted, trying his best to pretend that the offer didn't sound a bit tempting at the very least.
However, looking up at Bill, the brunet could tell that the god knew he was in slight consideration, slight hesitation, on his deal.
Well, more like promise, really.
"That's- they're still my family, Bill. I love them. I can't just up and leave."
Bill scowled down at him, golden hair starting to dull. "Well, you can't just leave me either." The god growled, digging his fingers further into the brunet's shoulders.
Dipper tried to flinch away from the god's icy tone, stopped by his tightening hands.
"Bill, you're hurting me." Dipper whimpered slightly as the pressure there continued to build. He would surely have bruises.
Bill immediately slackened his tightened hold, relieving the oppressive pressure.
Dipper sighed in relief, his mind already ticking again.
The blond was right, of course. He couldn't just leave him. Just as Bill didn't want to leave his side, Dipper didn't want to leave Bill's. It was easy as that.
"I don't know...How about we go back to the Shack or something and talk about all this in a calm and civilized manner." Even as he said it, Dipper didn't really believe that would help at all. Stan was set in keeping him away from Bill. Even Mabel didn't really like the god.
And by the looks of it, the feeling was mutual on Bill's part.
How would he keep everyone at peace with one another?
Dipper didn't have a clue. But he had to try and even though Mabel didn't really trust Bill, she trusted him fine. She'd understand once he explained everything out and together, they could go and at least make Stan tolerable to the god.
Dipper winced at his own plan. He knew it wouldn't really work but...well, it was the only real idea or plan he had at this point.
Besides, something that probably won't work is better than nothing at all. Right?
Right.
Bill sighed, golden hair returning to it's almost unnatural gleam as his eyes cooled down. He pulled Dipper into a light hug, brushing the tips of his fingers back over the boy's shoulders to alleviate the pain and heal the small purple blooms that were surely already there.
Dipper relaxed into the touch.
"We'll get this sorted out." Dipper murmured, his stomach twisting itself into worrisome knots as his heart clenched in nerves. "It'll be fine." He lied.
Bill sighed.
"Fine. I'll teleport us to the...Shack." Bill finished uneasily. "Um, where is it, exactly?" He added on.
Dipper smiled softly. "Just take us to where we normally meet. I'll lead you from there."
Bill nodded, completely tense as he dragged Dipper into a fuller hug.
Without another word, both god and boy disappeared from sight.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Mabel groaned as her mind slowly picked back up. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess- more so than usual and her body pulsated with an aching soreness. For a few minutes, she had no clue where she was or what she was doing. The thick, bluish blackness of her eyelids was fuzzy and her body felt so heavy. She didn't really want to move. At all.
She wanted to lay...wherever she was currently and sleep. Sleep for a million-billion-thousand years until she was well-rested and ready to get back up again.
Well, that was what she wanted, until memories started trickling back into existence in the very forefront of her mind, slow and steady.
About the sweater she was making for Dipper.
About the NMA breaking in.
The realization that Dipper had actually somehow snuck back out of the house and, most likely, to the woods.
Stan being arrested.
Her being forced into a car.
Then...Then what happened?
The man who was driving her yelled out something and then there was a...a flash.
And then, the car swerved.
Mabel slowly opened her eyes, groaning again in pain. Everything was a messy blob of color- black mixed with dark gray mixed with brown and green. Her head pounded with a light headache.
Letting out another small noise, the girl shifted around. Due to her tightened seat belt, she had stayed safe in the rolling (she had definitely been rolling at one point) crash. The window she had laid her head against at one point was completely shattered, door crushed by a large pine tree.
Her hands shook slightly as she unbuckled herself, freeing her aching body from the constrict. Bits and pieces of glass fell off her body as she shuffled around. With it, Mabel could clearly feel blood well were the broken glass had cut her.
The girl gave herself a slow once over, still a bit foggy from what just happened.
Her hands were a bit cut up, blood running freely from a number of cuts and scratches. Her legs were a little better, being farther away from the glass, but still sported their own bumps and oozing nicks.
Mabel shook the glass off her sweater and skirt, feeling more minuscule shards fall from her hair and onto her shoulders. Though the brunette wanted to run her hands through her tangled hair to get the glass out, she knew that wasn't the best idea with already bleeding hands.
Blinking once more to get the now leftover fuzziness out of her eyes, Mabel climbed to her feet and shuffled out of the car, groaning at the aches in her body.
That seat belt had really caught her tight, which was a great thing no doubt, but that didn't mean it still didn't hurt a lot.
Manually unlocking the other door, whose window wasn't shattered, Mabel threw it open, watching it bounce around a little. Still mumbling from the pain, she jumped onto the ground, wincing as her legs trembled beneath her, shards of glass caught in her legs jarred by the sudden motion.
Turning around, she slammed the door.
Mabel wanted to go and check on the agent driving the car, but his door was blocked by a large branch jutting off from a nearby tree. The window, like her's had been, was shattered and the airbag had safely deployed, much to her relief.
The young man had a nasty cut across his temple, but was softly groaning in his unconscious state, slowly waking up.
Mabel's eyes darted about as she took in where she was.
The forest. The agent had veered completely off-road and crashed them down into the forest below.
Panicking slightly, the brunette spun around in a circle, breathing pitching.
Where was the road? She couldn't have lost it but she didn't quite see it either? Where was it? She couldn't be lost! She just cou-
Mabel blinked as she finally saw the high ridge above. Squinting through the trees, she say the barest hints of a concrete road poured out, cutting through the natural earthy tones all around her.
Mabel shivered. Everything around her looked the exact same. How could Dipper ever like it here? She didn't understand.
"W-What the- Damn branch!" The agent suddenly slurred to her left, trying to push the car door open. His words slurred together in his struggle and it was obvious he had a hard time coordinating his movements.
"Kid! Get back here!" The man called out to Mabel as he caught the sight of her free.
The girl turned around and gave her best glare she could, folding her arms across her chest.
"No, I don't think so!" She replied.
"C'mon, kid! I'm not the enemy, your great-uncle is! We caught everything on tape!"
Mabel's eyes widened as an idea formed into her head.
No, not just an idea, but a plan.
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm going to prove he's innocent! Just watch me!" With that being said, the brunette turned and started to storm up the ridge, right back onto the road. It would take a bit to get back to the Shack, especially considering the shape she was in. Running would be a bit painful.
Okay, really painful but it wasn't like she had time to lose! She had to get back to the Shack and try and find Stan's own surveillance cameras. Then, she'd be able to prove that he was completely innocent and they'd have to release him!
Mabel finally broke through the treeline and onto the road. Quickly looking down and up the street, the girl made sure she walked along the edge as she turned and fast-walked to her destination, keeping an eye out for the dirt road she would have to turn onto.
Luckily, she wasn't all that far out from the Shack. Though she could definitely use a lift...
Biting her lip, Mabel turned off the road and ducked down, pressing herself low to the sharp apple-crab grass to avoid detection which, considering her bright pink sweater she was wearing, would be hard.
She wasn't so sure if this plan would even work, or just cause her to lose more time than she already had. Unable to stand completely still, Mabel still inched her way up the road, hoping that a truck or something would come by any second so she could grab on.
Dangerous? Yes. But she knew doing those dares with Wendy and the other teens was a good idea.
The brunette chewed her bottom lip. Though she was still plagued with worry, her mind sill drifted off back to what happened.
Why did they veer off the road like that? All she remembered was a giant flash of blue light, then everything just kinda went fuzzy after that...
Mabel peeked down the road once again and as she did so, something moved out of the corner of her eye. Furrowing her brows, Mabel squinted to stare at the far blue and green horizon. There was something off about that but-
Mabel cast her eyes upwards and gasped at what she saw. High above, green clouds were swirling around the cobalt flames that were still rippling in the air, staining the firmament and encasing the normally smooth and comforting sky blue with a darker, more furious color.
That...that wasn't good. Even she knew that.
Mabel turned her focus back on the matter at hand. She had to get to the Shack. She just had to. If a truck or something didn't come soon...well, she'll just run; glass or no.
Mabel wasn't so sure what it was. Maybe good luck smiled down on her that day, maybe it was a higher power. Perhaps the universe wasn't as cruel as her brother made it out to be, or maybe even pure coincidence.
Heck, Mabel would even fancy it being fate or destiny that brought the truck barreling down the road. Fast, but not too fast.
Without a second thought, Mabel narrowed her eyes and jumped for it, latching onto the back of the not-too-fast moving truck and held on with all her might.
She didn't care if it wouldn't take her the full trip home.
She'd get to the Shack in record time, just like she wanted and then she'll be able to clear Grunkle Stan's name.
All in record time.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Dipper blinked as the flames left, leaving him clutching onto Bill as he normally did.
"Well, then. What direction?" Bill asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet as another grin split his face in half. How the god hadn't dislocated his jaw by now was beyond him.
Dipper scratched his arm. "Um, this way I guess..." He muttered, turning and slowly leading Bill through the treeline to his home.
Bill, more cheerful than ever before, whistled what suspiciously sounded like Another One Kicks The Bucket, a skip in his step while summoning his cane to twirl it around.
Dipper was once again hit with a wave of unease as the trees thinned out.
What would Stan think? What would Mabel think?
What would everybody think. He hadn't quite thought of the implications of that.
On top of that, how was he going to explain his and Bill's...relationship? He...well, was dating the proper word? Bill always used 'courting' and Dipper had to admit it sounded better to him. Almost...sweeter in a way. How would he explain that?
"Hey Grunkle Stan, hey Mabel. I kinda freed Bill Cipher, the god neither of you like. But he's good now so there's no worry about him destroying the world or anything...oh, and we're kinda dating in a way and stuff so yeah..."
Dipper shook his head. Oh gods, how in the world was this going to work out?!
As the trees gave way to visage of the Shack, it didn't take long for Dipper to notice something wasn't quite right. A number of people were milling about around the Shack, going in and out. Some were carrying a number of odd devices that Dipper could hear beeping from here. Others had a few weapons in hand and were patrolling around. A number of cars and trucks were parked out front, sporting a very familiar eagle symbol with the initials NMA printed on...
"Bill! Get down!" Dipper whisper-shouted, grabbing a hold of one of Bill's tailcoats and dragging him behind a tree and some bushes, hoping the men hadn't seen an gold.
"Pine Tree? What's wrong?" Bill asked, brows furrowing some.
"Shh! That's the NMA!" Dipper hissed.
Bill frowned. "NMA? Never heard of it."
Dipper sighed and shook his head. He forgot Bill practically knew nothing about the world.
"It's an acronym for the National Magic Administration. They're part of the government." Dipper quickly explained, not wanting to get to into the details of the United States government.
Bill blinked. "Oh yeah, I forgot you humans had a bunch of different silly ways to lord over yourselves."
Dipper rolled his eyes. Of course Bill would put it that way. "Anyways, we have to-"
Suddenly, the agents in front of them started shouting to one another. What, Dipper couldn't quite make out, but either way all started scrambling back into their cars and pulled out at breakneck speed, gone in a flash.
The silence they left behind was deafening and the two, boy and god, slowly padded out of the woods, slight confusion on both their faces.
"What was all that about?" Dipper asked, mostly towards himself. Why were the NMA at the Shack? Where was Stan and Mabel?
Was it because of Bill? But if it had been, they would have been in the forest, not out and about here.
Something else must of happened. But what?
"Never mind that, what was those metal boxy things? Like, a wagon without a horse!" Bill exclaimed while spinning around in a circle again to take in the new perspective he had on the world.
"Those were- never mind. I'll tell you later right now-"
"Dipper? What are- Bill?" A voice suddenly shouted out.
Both the god and boy whipped around, only to see a very frazzled, very dirty, and very bloody Mabel Pines staring at them with something akin to terror. "I- I thought he was trapped in the woods and- you were-!" Her eyes narrowed and a look of both parts hurt and angry came over her face. "Dipper Pines. What. Did. You. Do." Mabel hissed.
Dipper gulped, frozen in her line of sight.
Oh gods.
Oh gods.
Dipper didn't know what to be more horrified about; the fact that Mabel was in the state that she was, that the NMA were at their house, or that she now knew Bill was free and he had to explain all this out to her.
Oh gods.
"Mabel! What happened-"
She rose a hand up and even though she stood yards away, Dipper found himself falling silent.
"Don't even...don't even start on that, Dipper." She said in a half-sob.
Bill blinked and looked between the two teens awkwardly, not so sure what to do with himself.
Well, there was one thing he needed to do. Actually, multiple things. Things that his Pine Tree should probably not be around for.
"Well, Pine Tree I'm going to go head into this town I've been hearing about for around thirty or so years now. Gotta friend to catch and metal wagons to see! Don't worry, I'll be back soon!"
Dipper, still frozen in Mabel's look could do nothing as Bill forcefully spun him around and planted a large, hard kiss on his lips, shocking him back into motion in the form of stumbling back and falling right down on his butt.
Mabel stared on, shocked and confounded.
Bill just...kissed her brother.
On the lips.
Like it was a normal thing to do.
"You stay around here Pine Tree. I shouldn't be long." The god said with a playful wink before absconding with a flash of azure flames, leaving the twins alone.
Staring down at one another.
Unable to speak in the deafening and shocked silence.
~~0~~0~~0~~
Hehe...I'm so done. People were popping illegal firecrackers a few streets down and they were loud.
I love how where I live, I can get pulled over for walking up to the grocery store with some friends in daylight, but people popping firecrackers in a residential area is okay. Ugh, gotta love the fourth *pained grin*
Anyways, wow. A lot of shit just went down, didn't it? I wonder what's going to happen next...;)
Anyone got theories for next chapter? If so, I would love to hear them!
Next chapter is the very last, but will also contain sequel info so...yay!
I have no clue when the next chapter will actually be posted. It'll probably be, again, a longer chapter so if it is (and I'm 80% sure it will be) then expect another few days' wait.
Crazy Weird- Yass!
Mysterious Rose- Ahh! Don't zone out! This is the climax!
MindfulThoughtlessness- Ah hah, thank you! I'll definitely use that! And I hope this chapter was up to your expectations!
JackieLanternXOXO- If you do make that sweater, you need to send me a pic! After all *coughcoughitcoughiscoughkindacoughimpocoughrtantcough* Oh dear, I have a frog in my throat ;)
W- Hehe, there's no portal in this AU, remember? And who is that lady, indeed. I wonder if she's important...
The Rambler13- Aw, thank you! Glad you're enjoying it! And Dipper did get a bit hurt here...*gulp* mostly emotionally and mentally though.
random name- Wouldn't say "madly in love" but, as someone over on AO3 pointed out, Bill is possessive and Dipper is obsessive. Take that as you will.
familiar fan- Yes! It will and can be done!
The Raccoon- I think you mean Stans ;) It's Pharaoh. I had a misspelling.
As for the AU thing...I have no clue. Just go for it, I guess! Go for it and hope for the best. That's what I did here :3
Wildtail of Wind- Hehe, Tad has a positive relationship with Bill, remember? ;)
Guest- Oh, I hope it gets a lot better!
Just-Gold- Hmm, hmm. You may be onto something...
The Keeper of Worlds- No! Don't run! I still have a lot of story to dish out!
yaoifangirl1232- Hehe, plot twists are the best~
Nearly Death- A very long chapter.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this (slightly messy) chapter!
And, as always, thanks for reading!