Unlucky Star

Bill's magic shows were a huge hit. With the cold weather setting in, people especially wanted to just sit down in a warm room and enjoy the entertainment, rather than walking around outside through the woods.

The show room had a fireplace, which Dipper kept roaring with dazzling purple flames that were a big hit with the guests. Many a picture has been taken in front of them.

Bill got Dipper more and more involved in his routines over time, until the human himself was donning fabulous outfits and joining him with enthusiasm, and the two bounced jokes and magic off each other with no hesitation, doing things that seemed impossible, and were soon the talk of the town, and then the entire northwest and a good portion of the Internet.

It wasn't long before their shows were attended by critics, people who claimed to be able to explain any trick, and every single one walked out baffled. Sometimes they would stay behind to try and get secrets out of the two, but they refused to tell. But they usually gave such people bouquets of flowers for their efforts.

Interest in tours actually picked up slightly, as people wanted to support the business more, and Dipper got Mabel's help in designing merchandise that better reflected the new direction the Mystery Shack was taking. She was more than happy to help, even giving him a discount. And the t-shirts she created were fantastic. As were the posters, mugs, and key-chains. Dipper really didn't know why she was even bothering to attend college. Her graphic design skills were already flawless. But college degrees made a person more credible, so she was doing it for the sake of career progression. He could understand that.

Dipper found that he and Bill were really starting to bond again. Yes, he would always have his dislike for what he did, but it was something he could just leave in a corner of his thoughts and not focus on. He was still in love with Bill and he wanted to be with him, he enjoyed working with him, whether they were performing tricks or stabbing criminals and deal breakers, he desired the demon's company. And that was okay. It was really okay, he had accepted what happened months ago. Things were good now. He was staying busy, having fun, making good money, and generally enjoying life. There were always new things to learn, Bill was still teaching him new magical concepts, he was always improving, and there were the nights they would spend wrapped up in each other... There were so many good things he could think about, and he chose to think about them. Leave the past where it belongs. If not for Bill, then for himself, because he didn't need the stress and sadness anymore. Grunkle Stan wouldn't have wanted him to be miserable.

Bill was happy with Dipper's recovery. He wasn't expecting true forgiveness, but seeing the other accept what happened made him feel better. He liked seeing Pine Tree smile and laugh. He liked the energy the other had when they performed, or when they practiced magic together, or when they went out to make a kill. It was all beautiful, and he made sure he always told Dipper how much he liked seeing him like that. It seemed to reassure the human.

This sweeter side of their relationship was not shown when they went out for blood, however. To the people they tracked down, they were cruel, merciless, sadistic. They took savage pleasure in beating people down, cutting into them, making them beg for their lives before finally killing them and stealing their souls. All their victims saw before dying were two young men in hooded jackets laughing with glee as they delivered the finishing blows with their weapons of choice. And if Dipper and Bill thought their previous activity was noticeable, then the media was definitely seeing a trend here. Every single note they left, no matter how obscure, was picked up and read and passed around and over-analyzed on the Internet, and by the start of October, it seemed the whole world knew something, or someone, was delivering their own brand of vigilante justice.

"If I wasn't involved in it, I would think it was funny," Dipper commented as he read the Saturday newspaper, drinking coffee. His feet were propped up on the kitchen table and a plate sat nearby with toast and it was really, sickeningly domestic. He kinda liked it though. Especially since Bill had scooted a chair next to him and was currently leaning against him, arm around him as he also read the paper. One of his legs was thrown over Dipper's just for the heck of it.

"Police can find zero evidence, only able to work with rumors and vague descriptions from people that happen to glance at us before we leave," Bill summarized. "They can't get us. They just can't, and they never will."

Dipper nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we're untraceable."

Bill rested his head against Dipper's shoulder, content to just touch him without being pushed away. He didn't admit it out loud, but sometimes, he liked to just relax and sit still. Even demons needed peace every once in a while. Besides, he had kicked someone really hard last night and his foot still kinda hurt, and not really in a good way, so he didn't mind staying off it.

As Dipper was finishing his coffee (Bill was on his second mug), they heard the sound of an engine revving outside. Bill lifted his head and Dipper sighed, setting the newspaper aside and getting up. "Probably just another tourist who didn't check what days we're open... I can get this one." He went over to the kitchen window, but whoever it was wasn't parked on this side of the house.

"They're over on the gift shop side," Bill said.

They headed for the door that led into the gift shop. They were walking through the living room when they heard the doorknob rattle, and began running, Dipper taking out his knife. They pushed the door open and rushed into the shop, just in time for the outside door to click and open. Dipper almost had the intruder at knife point before he realized who it was and quickly recoiled.

"Why, Dipper Pines, how wonderful it is to see you again," drawled Gideon Gleeful.

Dipper recovered from his shock, clutching his knife tighter and scowling at the other. Gideon was seventeen now, if his memory served correctly, and he was huge. Only about five feet tall, but he had thick arms, a big belly, and wide shoulders. His white hair was still as immaculately styled as ever, skin noticeably tanned and more freckly, and his icy blue eyes had noticeable stress lines under them despite how he was smiling.

He was wearing an unzipped leather jacket covered in random patches, and underneath it was a baby blue collared shirt. His pants were faded and black, rings adorned his fingers, and he seemed to have something tattooed across his knuckles that Dipper couldn't quite make out.

"Hey, Gideon," Dipper said cautiously, aware of Bill standing protectively next to him, one hand on hi lower back and the other clenched into a fist. "How are you?"

"Oh, I've been just wonderful! Finally got out of prison a few days ago! Figured I'd stop by to see how my favorite family was doing." Gideon scuffed his shoe against the floor. "I heard this place burned down during the summer."

"Yeah. Electric fire."

"Unfortunate. And we lost our dear Stanford, didn't we?"

Dipper swallowed. "Y-yes."

"How sad. Well, at least you're here to continue the business. How about my sweet Mabel, is she living here?"

Dipper felt Bill's fingers contract, and answered, "No. She's going to college back in California. And she's dating Pacifica."

"Northwest?" That seemed to throw Gideon off. He stared at Dipper, then hastily tried to calm his expression. "Well then. I didn't know she swung that way. Disappointing. Well, Dipper, looks like I'll just have to deal with you." He walked further into the room, and Dipper lifted his knife, while Bill opened his hand, flames covering it.

Gideon paused and tilted his head. "Who's your friend, there?"

"Gideon, this is my partner, Bill Cipher."

Strangely, that didn't seem to surprise him. "Oh, Bill! How nice to see you again, and with a human body too! Oh, I remember when we worked together..."

"I remember you calling off the deal the moment I failed to deliver," Bill hissed.

"No need to be so hostile! I was impatient, but that's in the past, isn't it? Besides, I've made a much more reliable friend..." Gideon stood confidently with his hands on his hips as a stranger walked into the house.

They were about six feet tall, with a lanky build and thick, wavy red hair. Their round eyes were seafoam green and their skin was pale.

They were dressed quite colorfully. A white cape flowed off their shoulders, clasped in the front with a large red gem cut into the shape of a star, and their button-up shirt was pale purple, the ends of its sleeves adorned with glitter. The left sleeve was yellow, the right orange. Their loose, silky trousers were similarly mismatched; left leg was red, the other green.

Dipper wasn't sure why, but looking at the other made him feel very unsettled. And it wasn't just him; Bill tensed as well, straightening up.

"Dipper, meet Pavonis," Gideon said as the stranger stood next to him.

Despite his unease, the name made Dipper laugh. "Pavonis?" he repeated. He looked at the other, grinning. "Your name is Peacock?"

"It's not that funny," Pavonis said, sounding bored. Their voice was quite soft, almost wispy, neither low nor high. Just a medium pitch.

There were so many jokes Dipper could have made, but Bill was squeezing his arm in warning, and he heard the demon's voice speak urgently in his mind. Don't anger him. That's a demon.

A demon? Dipper gave Pavonis a scrutinizing look. Are you sure?

Positive. I can sense it, and besides, I recognize his name. We've met before. He's a very talented psychic. Sure, he can't see into other people's minds or dreams, and he could probably only solve the most basic of puzzles, but... He can see things before they happen, can remotely gather information from far away, has the ability to watch things happen almost anywhere as they're happening, and not to mention can identify people by their auras. I have a limited ability to do that, anyone can learn it, but it's like another sense for him. You can't hide your aura from him, can see it and read it like a book. He already recognizes me, my aura would be like a fire to him. And worst of all... He can manifest in reality in his natural form easily. He can manipulate reality without a vessel. He's very dangerous... no doubt this form is just something he's projecting to look less dangerous.

The whole time Bill was speaking, Dipper was trying to act natural, looking Pavonis and Gideon over, even speaking out loud to offer a vague apology to the other demon, who accepted it politely enough. He was mostly trying to decide the best way to get rid of them, though. Luckily, mind to mind communication happened much faster than verbal speaking, and the other two didn't seem to get suspicious about his pause at all. He spoke to Gideon.

"What do you and your friend want?" Dipper asked.

"Oh, nothing much," Gideon replied, exchanging a look with Pavonis. "Pavo tells me that you have already figured out he's a demon."

Bill, I thought you said he couldn't read minds, Dipper quickly shot at his partner.

Not in the conventional sense but he probably read it in your aura!

What the hell does that mean?

Gideon continued, unaware of the conversation between the two, "Clever, but with you dating Bill, of course he would have told you. Well, why am I with a demon, you wonder? I need his services as a psychic, of course. I've heard tell of a string of murders going on for more than a year now. In many different locations, the deaths different but all quite brutal, but all with one thing in common... No evidence whatsoever. So I'm gonna investigate, and when I solve this case, I'll be famous again! More famous than you, Pines." Gideon strode forward and jabbed Dipper in the chest.

He gasped in pain and Bill growled, slapping Gideon's hand away. In an instant, Pavonis was next to them, eyes glowing a dark violet-blue. Bill's wrist was suddenly bent backward, and he quickly jerked back.

"Pavonis is gonna help me find magical evidence," Gideon said casually. "If there's nothing physical left behind, then clearly magic is involved. We're gonna go to one of the most recent crime scenes and he's gonna use his aura vision to see what's there, and then match it to the perpetrator. Easy as pie." He turned his back on Dipper. "Just stay out of my way. This is my case, and I'm not going to let you try and take all the glory."

Dipper glared at him. "I don't care what you do, just stay away from me. You and your demon need to get out of my house."

"With pleasure. Come along, Pavo." Gideon strutted out.

"My name is Pavonis," the demon muttered as he followed. As the door swung shut behind them, Dipper looked through the screen to see him transform into a small, star-shaped being. He ran over to look out the window, seeing Gideon mount an electric blue motorcycle, Pavonis turning to look back at the Shack one more time as he settled on the human's shoulder, and Dipper saw that he possessed a single round eye in the center of his shape, much like Bill. He had an array of colors to his points; the top was white, and going clockwise, went to yellow, red, green, and then orange. His center was a pale purple.

Then Gideon turned on the bike, kicked the kickstand up, and drove away.

Dipper sighed and slowly turned back to Bill. "I don't like this."

"You shouldn't," Bill said, massaging his wrist. "Pavonis has seen both of us. He has our auras memorized now. And when he gets to one of those crime scenes, he'll recognize our signatures immediately."

Dipper's eyes widened. "Shit."

"Shit indeed, Pine Tree."