Below the mysterious shack is where Six has been staying for the past few days in this dimension, working hard to clean the lab of any contamination, testing unstable elements, and recording his thoughts in a red leather book that Ford had given him. Sitting in the swivel chair with his feet up, Six groaned in exhaustion, trying to ignore the fried circuitry he had to extinguish less than half an hour ago.

Perking his head from a ding behind him, Six brushed a hand through his hair preparing to explain away the last round of failures

"Dr Pines I didn't expect you so…soon" Turning around Six's eyes landed on the youngest male Pines; Dipper if he remembered correctly

"Uh Six right?" Dipper asked already knowing the answer while scratching his arm over a red long-sleeved shirt along with his usual blue vest and black shorts, the symbolic white and Blue novelty hat atop his head

"Yes, is there something you need?" Six said shoving the failed motherboard into a nearby trash can

"I was just wondering if I can borrow Journal Three for a moment?" He asked trying to avoid eye contact; still scratching his arm endlessly

"I apologise, but I remember something about you not being allowed any of the Journals for the time being" Six leaned forwards on his knees, watching the boy quickly glance up at the sheet covering the portal room

"Is Great Uncle Ford in there, I just need to talk to him" When Dipper started scratching even faster, Six raised his eyebrows before offering a hand to him

"Let me see" Dipper slowly approached his Great-Uncle's lab partner letting him take the arm and roll the sleeve back fully

"Hmm, Red bumps, blisters, and swelling…you wished to use the journal to help with poison Ivy?" Six asked carefully rubbing a finger over the irritated skin on the Pines boy's arm who in turn continued looking anywhere else in the room

"I know, I just thought there'd be some sort of cure-all solution" Humming in response Six turned to retrieve the Third Journal from its hidden cubby, handing it to the boy

"You check that while I read Two" Flipping through each page together, Dipper recognised every page he turned but even without it for a few days felt like years

"Anything?" Six asked getting a shake in response

"Well if it isn't in One we'll have to check Google"

"You have Google in your world?" Dipper asked looking up at the smirking man whose eyes remained in his book

"My Original world is an Earth much like yours, we just don't have the weirdness your Uncle describes" Hearing a gasp of excitement, Six looked up from the last few pages to the boy's eyes seemingly shining with stars

"Wait, you've been to other Universes, Like Great Uncle Ford!?" Dipper almost shouted his attention drawn away from the terrible itch on his arm

"Before this, I've been to one, we were summoned I guess you could say to become legendary heroes of their world" Six answered with a wave and small smile, a faded glossy look forming in his eyes

"Wait like in the cartoons?"

"Exactly, there was no threat of any kind except we mostly wandered from town to town really"

"Then what were you summoned for?" Seeing Six snap his head back to the book as if slapped, Dipper's mind raced to say something else, maybe apologise, maybe change the subject, Instead he stood there, silently sucking air through his teeth

"I-uh-"

"Found something" Six cut him off turning the book around to a drawing of a massive Cyclops holding a crude wooden club screeching at the reader

"Today I met a cyclops deep in the mountains of Gravity Falls, at first I was wary of it unsure if it could speak, but to my surprise it spoke fluent English, French, even Japanese which I knew little of myself, Interviewing the friendly being it regaled me tales of his ancestor's war with creatures known as Dorfu which from its description means…Dragon!" Dipper read grabbing the book from his hand to turn the page to a picture of a terrifying Dragon breathing fire next to random question marks and exclamation points

"Asking how the war ended, it said it has not, to this day the war continues between the rivalling species the only reason being a cyclops' secret elixir supposedly containing an extraordinary healing factor-" Stopping mid-sentence Dipper looked up to the man unable to stop his jaw from falling slightly

"You want to find a cyclops for this?!" Six leaned back into his chair stretching his back with a small yawn; his lack of an answer only made the boy's eyes grow wider

"Well you could wait a couple of weeks for it to heal with the proper medicines" He finally said resting his head back into his arms with closed eyes, Dipper almost retorted with a resounding yes then a wave of horrified realisation etched into his face slowly turning into one of defeat

"Okay, I guess if Grunkle Stan doesn't find out we can go"

"Who said anything about us, I don't remember being asked to tag along"

"What, but it's your idea!" Seeing the man fight the ghost of a smile, Dipper realised what he meant; pinching the bride of his nose the youngest Pines sighed

"Can you please come with me to find magical Cyclops medicine for my rash?" Feeling a fist gently bump into his shoulder Dipper's eyes met two very amused ones

"Sorry kid, I've just always wanted to do that" Letting the man scruff his hair whilst standing up, Dipper handed back the Third Journal having no need for it

"Oh I'm pretty sure I know where you got it from" Dipper said pocketing Number Two as Six stood to tighten his belt holding his sword and other strange pouches along it, leaving Three on the desk

"It gets worse when you hear it every day, regardless get ready we'll leave straight away" Six asked popping his neck

"Just let me get my bag" Dipper replied trying to imitate his neck crack only succeeding in trying too hard when no sound came out making the man chuckle


A few hours after leaving the lab, Dipper talked nonstop with Six listening closely, pointing out things along the way that reminded him of his past adventures; Gnomes, Size altering crystals, even a strange buzzing sound of the creature that would continuously stay out of sight

"Mabel said she rewound the footage for some scrapbook memories of me falling in the glass costume but the second she saw the hide-behind she spat out her hot chocolate destroying the tape, I'm still not sure if she's lying to make me feel better but it does sound like something she would do" Dipper finished stopping for a breath, his lungs finally fighting against him since the path started travelling upwards

"And this creature doesn't do anything, it just follows you?" Six asked admiring the scenery far below the lush emerald forest, flocks of birds in the sky swooping down into the rivers below engulfing various fish in their beaks

"I think it likes the challenge or something, well if it exists that is" Dipper puffed in reply with closed eyes, stopping when he felt Six place a fist in front of him

"Listen Dipper, Since most Cyclops' aren't known for talking no matter what the book says, if we get separated use this" Holding out his hands, Six dropped what looked like a golden pocket watch with an emblem of fire on its surface

"What is it?" Dipper asked clicking it open, it revealed his reflection staring back at him inside the two small mirrors, Suddenly Six grabbed his wrist with a loose grip

"Don't be mistaken it is a weapon a powerful one, if something happens point it at the threat only as a last resort" Six explained the grip tightening slightly

"Yeah, I get it last resort" Dipper said but Six's hand didn't let go

"Promise me, this is dangerous in more ways than one, don't break it" Heeding the man's words, Dipper felt like the small object in his grasp had started to get heavier by the second no matter how small it is

"I swear, I promise" Six held still with clenched teeth for a few seconds, then released the boy with a cough

"Sorry I just, it's important"

"I get it, how about we keep going?" Dipper asked rubbing his wrist on instinct, hoping the somewhat scary moment had fully passed, Six merely nodded continuing upwards

At least twenty minutes up the mountain had already taken the strength from the boy's legs unlike his companion who had made it more than a few metres ahead, Dipper tried pushing harder only succeeding in watching the man grapple a ledge he didn't notice and making his legs scream curses at him which he did notice

"Uh Six, I can't whew, I can't reach that" Dipper shouted leaning against the cliff wall

"Wait a second, there's a cave up here" Six called back allowing Dipper to seize control of his burning lungs, his legs weighing heavier than lead

"Here take my hand" Looking up he saw the hand in question, grabbing it Six lifted him like a feather onto the top, his eyes following the elders onto the cave in front of them

"Woah, you think this is it?" Dipper asked reaching into his pocket to open the Journal making sure to stay closely behind Six

"It would make sense, anything inside the Book?"

"No just the Cyclops and the cave, not which one it could be"

"I think that clears things up" Six said grabbing Dipper's head and turning his eyes to a crude drawing of the monster in question; sketched into the cave wall

"It looks like somebody used a rock to make this?" Dipper questioned walking up to the drawing searching its jagged outlines with his hand

"Kid, catch up" Seeing Six walk into the darkness Dipper left the drawing appearing next to him, the few steps the elder had taken already swallowing him into the inky black

"The last time I went into a cave Ruby hurt her face pretty bad" Dipper said coming to a stop behind Six who unsheathed his sword

"I remember Dr Pines mentioning that, didn't it lead to your grounding?"

"Well that was a big part of it yeah" Dipper replied unconsciously scratching his arm, forgotten when the sword in Six's hand grew aflame, the fire sticking to the blade like honey

"Woah, is that your semblance?" He asked

"My what?"

"Ruby said in her world some people have a sorta shield protecting them called Aura, and that everyone has a sort of superpower called a semblance"

"Aura, Semblance, Sounds like magic?"

"She said it wasn't"

"Well this is, I might run a few tests on them when we get back, something light of course" Six replied waving a hand when he saw Dippers slow head turn

"So you know magic?" Dipper asked trying to ignore Six's last statement

"Fire magic yes" He said waving the sword around a bit

"Can you teach me some?" Seeing the boys starlit eyes perfectly resembling his twins, Six clicked his tongue almost wincing from the thought

"Sorry Kid but the cost and fire magic itself even a small amount can cause massive repercussions, I would suggest something else, that is if I knew something else" Dipper tried to hide the disappointment he felt but pressed on in his questioning with an actual Magic user

"What other ones are there, from your world anyway?"

"Hundreds, maybe thousands it's a very specific art that can tailor to any individual Earth, Water, Air, Lighting, Light, and Dark are some of main ones but it depends on who you ask"

"What does Fletcher know?" Seeing his head turn back to the darkness, Six sighed and then replied with

"I'm not supposed to talk about him"

"Why not, I didn't hear much back in the basement, but Summer said you two were friends" Dipper asked feeling a tingle in his gut, the same tingle when a mystery was beckoning him closer

"It's complicated"

"How-" "Please, just leave it" Six interrupted pushing further in without giving Dipper a second to properly fall into step, catching up the only sounds were the flames still drowned by awkward silence, Hoping it'll pass Dipper kept scanning their surroundings eventually realising they had travelled pretty far into the cave, far enough he couldn't see the exit; the light long disappeared behind them

"Uh, Six, have you kept track of where we are?"

"We haven't turned yet, why would we?"

"I mean yeah, but the exits gone" Turning around Six noticed the same thing with narrowed eyes, holding his place the man began leaning down whispering to the younger

"The Journal said they can speak English right?"

"Uh yeah, why-"

"Ssshh, hand it to me"

"Why do you need-"

"Hand me the book and don't say a word, hopefully their idiots" Doing as he was told, Six opened the Journal holding it with one hand then clearing his throat

"Alright Dipper, I'll start the enchantment if any Cyclops are in the area they'll be reduced to ash, Ready?" Unsure where this was going he nodded watching Six wave his sword around chanting

"Roses are Red, Violets are Blue. I command the fires of hell to burn-!"

"Wait!" A voice shouted interrupting the lacklustre rhyme, whipping around to the voices Dipper found pair of large yellow eyes around his height starting at them from the darkness, Raising his sword Six moved closer, the tighter he gripped it the brighter the flame grew revealing two child-sized cyclops' with fair skin and matching green eyes, wearing a red and blue woodsmen's flannel each, long black pants, both with short brown hair, and two black horns atop their heads resembling a mountain goats

"Please stop, we're sorry, okay just stop!" The one in Red said unlike the one in Blue who immediately ran towards Six screaming a ferocious battle cry, ending with a headbutt to the man's legs causing it to fall back

"Wait, Are you both?.." Dipper trailed off grabbing the book from Six's hand, turning the book around at their page

"Woah George look!" The Red one said staring at the page in wonder as the blue one repeatedly bashed its fists into Six's legs not amusing the man in the slightest

"Run David, I'll handle Them!"

"No, No you're not" Six said with a raised brow until the Blue one opened its mouth ejecting a second row of pointed teeth; chomping into his leg

"Ahhh you little!-" Waving his leg in the air Six tried to throw the Cyclops off, as its comrade kept staring into the book

"If you're both Cyclops' why do you look nothing like the picture?" Dipper asked making the mythical being chuckle

"Maybe like a million years ago, It's called evolution kid" It replied which would've made Six laugh at its statue if he wasn't still preoccupied

"Kid, we're the same age!?"

"I'm one-hundred and thirty years old, which makes me thirteen by Cyclops standards, How old are you?"

"Well thirteen this year" Dipper replied scratching his neck, forgetting that when it comes to anomalous creatures, age is relative

"How about you big guy, how old are you?" It asked ignoring the fact Six had a boot firmly placed on its struggling friend's back

"Not only bigger than you but also with a sword so play nice" Six said stabbing the blade into the ground next to its friend's head finally stopping its squirming

"Okay Okay sorry I get carried away sometimes, let's start over I'm David and that's George" David said waving an arm to the still cyclops under the swordsman's foot

"Dipper. Six" The man simply said pointing a finger to the boy and thumb back to himself

"Great, Great, maybe just uh one tinsie tiny idea maybe getting your foot off my brother?" David said holding his hands together with a forced smile, looking at Dipper, The boy nodded slowly releasing the foot from George's back

"Get em!-" George yelled receiving a slap to the back of the head from his brother

"Calm down knucklehead, let me do the talking. So Mr Six was it, sorry about you know the stalking and all that, what brings you two to our humble abode?" David asked pushing George behind him who began hissing like a feral cat, only causing the flame to grow even brighter with a roar

"You make him stop that right now or I'll-" "Six stop I'll handle this" Dipper interrupted knowing if he was anything like two other people at the shack they tended to threaten to get what they want

"My Great-Uncle came here somewhere near thirty years ago and wrote down that he met a Cyclops who told him about a sort of miracle medicine" Dipper explained pointing at the writing inside the Journal using the flame to help the one-eyed anomaly read it

"Thirty years ago huh that was probably the old guard, Duffy the blabbermouth we call him, I'm sure you can guess why" David said holding his chin while reading through the whole manuscript

"Do you think we can get some at all?"

"It's supposed to be a secret, also hehe dragons He said were at war with dragons look at us!" The cyclops exclaimed pointing at themselves making his brother snort slightly

"Alright, the best we can do is help you get to the village elder on the other side" David continued with Gregory furiously nodding in agreement

"Hold a second Other side, and Why would you help us?" Six said with narrowed eyes resulting in Dipper elbowing him in the knees

"Six stop they just want to help, and Ford did write the first one was friendly" Still glaring at the Cyclops' toothy grins, he sighed waving his hand in defeat

"Excellent, now this is sorta weird but you have to close your eyes"

"I'm not-" "Six!" Taking a deep breath Six mumbled something along the lines of 'Dumb idea' and 'stupid plan' before finally closing his eyes alongside Dipper

"Ready, Okay" Hearing both Brothers clap twice, Six opened his eyes to the overbearing sun feeling like it was directly trying to burn him on purpose, standing outside the cave entrance he noticed the land had shrunken; replaced by a vast ocean at the ends of the earth with red-leafed trees covering the land, multiple rivers crossing over each other, and a massive village proudly standing in the middle of it all connected like a beating heart

"Welcome to Vertrude, home to all Cyclops-kind" David announced smiling watching Dipper drinking in the sights with glee and Six thankfully sheath his sword

"This is so cool, how did we get here, are all of your kind here, is this another world or is it inside some sort of underground-" Holding up a hand to stop the overly excited boy, David cleared his throat

"It's all secret sorry, but down there is our town Axel just go down there and ask for the elder, he'll take care of you"

"You're not coming?" Six asked crossing his arms

"No we can't, We're the guards of the entrance if we left our post we'd be shunned but trust us, you'll be fine"

"Why would I trust-" "Six c'mon I've managed to stop itching this long don't make me start now!" Grabbing the man's hand Six allowed himself to be dragged by the child down the mountain, barely catching the brothers waving goodbye at them

"This is so cool, I mean it's basically the same but it's still pretty cool!" Dipper repeated himself for the fourth time, once they reached flat ground, Six had to admit it was beautiful but that didn't mean it's not dangerous

"Do you always act like this on your adventures?" Six asked internally wincing when the boy tried forcing a chuckle ending with a cough

"Sorta it's usually scarier, but I've got an all-powerful bodyguard next to me, Whatever comes at us you can just cut them in half right?"

"I suppose, I'd rather not place us in harm's way for nothing"

"Sure, but that sword looks so cool though I bet it could cut through anything: Solid steel, Monsters, even Atoms!" Before Six could reply, they saw a parting in the trees with a cobblestone path in the middle, Dipper rushed ahead against Six's calls revealing the village; full of shoddily made huts, log cabins, and brick townhouses of different colours and sizes, the town filled with cyclops' all resembling the brothers at the mountain some of them barely shorter than Six himself

"Woah!"

"Oh Hello travellers"

"Howdy stranger!" They greeted the newcomers, flocking towards the duo causing Six to unconsciously grip the handle of his sword every instinct screaming at him to use it

"Hey there, you're humans right?" A woman asked with a smile, her bright pink hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a white dress down to her knees with multiple red roses printed into it

"Yeah, we were told to look for the village Elder" Dipper said excitedly causing a murmur to form in the crowd

"Sorry guys, but we have customs here, not just anyone can meet the elder" The woman explained clasping her hands in front of her

"Okay cool we'll just go then" Six interjected grabbing Dipper's arm to leave

"Wait the Bell!" Someone from the crowd yelled, helping the boy slip his arm lose from Six

"What bell!" "Kid I don't-"

"Our founder created a series of trials to allow any visitors to meet the elder only once called…The Trial" The woman said causing an 'oooh' from the crowd around them from it's ridiculous name

"What does he have to do?!" Dipper asked urgently, slipping into the gathering crowd around him to escape Six's hands

"All you have to do is follow the signs there to ring the bell, it's very dangerous though, I'd be careful if I were you" the woman said before roughly getting pushed aside by Six who finally grabbed Dipper's arm again

"Kid please, something doesn't feel right, let's just go!" Six pleaded to the struggling boy

"Six please, we're already here, I swear nothing will go wrong!" Six looked to the floor trying to force down the dark abyss forming in his stomach

"Six Please!" Dipper pleaded again drawing Six's eyes to his own, filled with disappointment, bending the Swordsman's will

"Fine, but you better stay close at all times-"

"The boy can stay here until you return traveller, we promise he'll be safe, right guys?" Someone said causing agreement among the crowd, feeling the pit of worry digging even deeper Six turned his head away

"Don't worry about me, I'll only slow you down, I'll stay here and write down what I can for Grunkle Ford" Dipper said causing Six to slap his face with a growl

"Fine, Fine, Just Ugh keep It close to you, Understand?" Six relented turning away swiftly, missing Dipper's expression

"I'll be here when you get back!" The boy yelled watching Six follow the dirt path through the treeline

"You Better Be, Idiot" Six said to himself with a sigh, feeling his knuckles press his bones against his skin


Following the trail through the red forest; Six prepared himself for any of the trials he would have to face, scanning every nook and cranny

"Help!" Rolling his eyes at the obvious trap, Six went to it anyway hoping it'd be a simple one, Finding a small clearing his eyes fell on a small cyclops much smaller than the others; crying next to a dirt road, Unsure if it was actually a trap Six made his way to it slowly

"Please Help me!" the cyclops cried sobbing into her little fists nonstop, she had mint green hair tied into twin pigtails wearing a black t-shirt and green skirt with a visible cut on her knee, finally reaching the girl Six kept at least a metre away hand loosening on the hilt

"Hey" He said causing her to turn her red-brimmed eye to him, fat salty drips running down her cheeks, unconsciously making his heart clench

"What's wrong kid?" He asked letting go of the blade yet keeping his distance

"I-I can't find my mommy!" She wailed making her voice crack, trying to stop the river from flowing, the sight making him purse his lips

"Don't worry, there's a path down that way leading to the village, I'm sure your mothers there" Waiting for her to stop the hiccups from forming, he ignored the scalding ground instinctively took a step closer lowering into a kneel

"Can-Can you take me?" She asked with the big red jewel of an eye staring into his, feeling a small smile form on his face Six raised a hand to the girl consequences be damned

"Of course kid, let's go" The girl beamed at her new saviour, sniffling she stood up with a wince from her knee, ignoring it she ran to him spreading her arms for a hug, getting closer her figure blurred turning into a mass of black smacking into him so hard he flew across the sky landing into a tumble across the dirt groaning

"Dammit, every damn time!" He said slamming a first into the dirt aiding in him standing up, rubbing his chest and ribs, Six studied the creature in front of him, It had a body similar to an armoured horse but instead of a face it had a thick kite shaped shield with a small hole in the middle, the creature roared releasing the flaps of the shield revealing it's dozens of sharp yellow teeth and rancid breathe the man could smell from the distance

"Note to self, it's called trials for a reason" Six said aloud, immediately dashing to the creature the swordsman unsheathed his prized weapon with a flourish setting it alight; The creature dashed forwards for another charge hoping to meet its target, the swordsmen instead summoned a wall of fire from below causing it to scrape through the dirt coming to a stop rearing back, Six jumped through the flames slicing downwards cutting into the beasts chest then following with a horizontal attack to its neck; blocked by its shield yet still tried reeling back from the sheer heat alone

Directing a hand to the firewall behind him, Six drained it into his hand making a bright glow form in his throat, Blowing as hard as he could the air was replaced by Fire scalding the beast's body, it tried escaping with a powerful jump but Six cut off one of its hind legs mid-air sending it to the ground roaring in agony

"hmm, I expected the shield to melt" Stomping his boot on the moulting creature's side, he stabbed the blade into where he was sure the heart is, causing the roars to turn into shrieks, twisting the blade a vortex of fire erupted from the wound growing so large it engulfed the two in a hurricane killing the grass around them

Stepping outside the vortex dusting himself off, he tried stretching the aching from his ribs away only causing a pop of minor relief

"Congratulations Stranger" Six heard to his side followed by clapping, pointing his sword at the newcomer, his eyes found a bald old man with a giant white beard and big blue eye smiling back at him, wearing dirty old brown robes with rope for a belt

"Are you the elder?" Six asked raising his brows

"Oh lord no, you haven't even rung the bell yet, No I'm far too young to be the elder" The old man bellowed holding his stomach as Six lowered the sword

"Right…" He replied sheathing the blade, shaking the jacket of any remaining dust

"I am impressed you managed to defeat a nightmare though, fearsome creatures they are!"

"Sure, just what do I do next?"

"Follow me, your second trial isn't anything like this I assure you!" The old man laughed again turning around, Sighing Six clenched his fists and obediently went along; The pit of worry growing even deeper

The old man tried making small talk along the way only receiving nods and one-worded answers, reaching another clearing Six readied himself again for another attack, only being waved off by the man

"No fighting here firecracker, it's just a simple test of strength" the old man said pointing to a tree stump in the middle, walking to it the man took a seat with a groan from his old bones, Looking around Six found nothing but more trees

"So what do I cut?" The old man smiled warmly at him once again, unsettling the swordsman's nerves

"Well me actually"

"What?" Six groaned covering his face with his hands

"I am a criminal cast out long ago by the village, in our culture only blood can redeem oneself of their crimes you see" Looking back at the man; he kept his head down running a thumb over the wilted rose that appeared in his hands

"What did you do?"

"I had created a machine, something our great ancestors have never thought of a machine that could protect us forever, but it failed and set the village alight" He answered with a slight crack in his voice followed by a lone tear landing on the flower

"I had almost destroyed everything, they warned me to stop it but my younger self didn't listen I was too arrogant, too insane to be left around after what happened, and so I wander the outskirts looking in when I can" Six sighed once more that day, the adventure he had hoped to take his mind off things, taking such a turn too dark, too quickly for him to keep up

"Look I'm not killing you because of some stupid tradition and definitely not because I need some stupid elixir for a Rash, I'm taking the child back and we're leaving" Six turned around swiftly making his way back to the village, a forceful hand on his shoulder stopping him

"Wait wait, please I can't go back to that empty shack, Please!"

"No means No old man" Six said shrugging the hand off, replaced by another

"Wait, you-you misunderstand you don't have to kill me" Catching his interest Six turned around

"I don't?"

"No all I need is a little blood-" "No"

"Wait, it doesn't have to be mine!" The old man said rushing in front of the swordsman faster than a man should be able to his age, cyclops or not

"You want my blood to redeem you?"

"Yes, people from the outside world are so rare they're treated like Gods here, if you gave me some blood nay the word of an outsider saying he believes in me they'll let me return for sure!" The old man explained rubbing his hands together earnestly

"Ugh Fine, if it redeems you, I suppose it's a small price to pay"

"Yes Yes Thank you, stranger, Thank you" Holding out his dirtied hands, Six unsheathed the blade, grasping it with his left hand; Six slid it across with a hiss, his hand releasing its crimson liquid into the cyclops' waiting hands

"Thank you so much sir, I can finally-"

"Hurry up, where do I go next!" Stumbling back a little from Six's yell, the cyclops pointed his head towards a lone birch tree along the forest line

"From that tree head straight and you'll find the bell, thank you again" Instead of responding Six swiftly went towards the tree ignoring the other man's praises from afar, instead mumbling to himself about 'the one tree in the whole forest being right there'

Continuing onwards once again, Six did his best to contain the growing emotions of despair since he arrived before they caused a forest fire at best; finally finding another beaten-down path Six hastened a little, ignoring the burning tingle in his head screaming at him to leave, He found what he hoped is the final clearing of the day, Six found a pond standing in the centre reflecting the clear blue sky, in the middle of that a small island with two wooden pillars, a golden bell hanging in the middle

Walking over a stone bridge leading to it, Six moved a little faster, then started jogging, breaking into a sprint Six raised his arm glowing red with fire smacking it into the bell smashing it off its pedestal only a singular ring crashing into the pond behind it, Heaving heavily Six clenched his teeth as hard as he could slowly sucking in air through them, his mind growing fuzzy from every instinct still screaming at him since everything began, holding still for a couple moments, He looked to the sky trying to regain his breath from the exhaustion the last few days and especially hours pushed onto him, suddenly grabbing one of the pedestal he slammed it into the other one, both of his hands catching alight as he repeatedly smashed it into the fallen pillar; throwing it to the ground, he clenched his fists forcing in deep breathes

"Why..am..I…This…is… ridiculous…calm" He repeated to himself slowly extinguishing the flames, turning around he briskly started towards the bridge, the thought of who he reminded himself of right now not helping in the slightest

Hearing the sound of bubbling from the pond, Six turned his head with narrowed eyes, walking to the steam rising from it he grabbed the hilt looking down, nothing but his reflection stared back at him

"Red?" He said kneeling to tap his reflection, nothing happened, dipping his hand into the water another reached up grabbing his wrist.


The man briskly made his way back to the village, which was increasingly obscured by smoke. As he reached the tree line, he saw that the village was being consumed by flames, and the townspeople were in a frenzy, searching for safety. Meanwhile, eerie screeching could be heard in the sky

"He's returned!" Someone yelled, turning his head slightly he saw the old man from earlier running towards him with a small band of followers

"I hear you are the traveller from the outside, I am the Village Elder and I ask for your help-!" Backhanding the random old man out of his way with his fist, some tried catching the elder, others screamed pointing at the sky

"The dragons have returned, Run!!" They screeched dispersing, replaced by the woman with Pink hair from the old crowd, running up to him looking the same as before, clean from any ash or dirt

"Traveller please, the dragon's scales are too tough we need-"

"Where is the boy?" He simply replied

"What?" She asked receiving a blade to her throat

"Where is the boy!?" He shouted again pushing the blade closer forcing her to drop to the ground frantically, she tried crawling back staring into his eyes until he stabbed the blade into the ground an inch away from her head

"Now" He finished leaning down to her, she immediately pointed to a nearby house making him break away, Kicking in the door off its hinges he scanned the room for the boy

"Six what the hell!" Dipper yelled coming from the next room, quickly pushing past the boy, the man found a drawing on the floor of a wheel, multiple symbols at the edges with a triangle-shaped being with one eye and a top hat seemingly floating in its middle

"I've been trying to summon a friend, he'll know what to do if your sword can't-"

"Do it" The man said walking away to a full-length mirror sheathing the blade to straighten his jacket

"What-okay, um I'll do it now he's really smart we can-"

"Do. It." He repeated, a little confused Dipper continued the ritual by pulling out the Journal and reciting a chant in vague Latin Dipper's eyes glew Blue forcing him to his knees but kept chanting, the world around them turned into black and white the circle on the hardwood floor glowing yellow as the pyramid began forcing itself off the ground, the being keeping it's flat two-dimensional form, hovering into the ground adopting a meditative pose, it's one eye closed

"I am Bill Cipher, bringer of prosperity, Guardian to humanity-"

"Pathological Liar…" The being opened its eye to the man, the symbols on his jacket set alight

"...Dream Demon, Grand Liberator of worlds, Yes I've heard of you Cipher"

"Wait you're not-"

"I thought you knew Cipher, what happens when one demon imposes on another's territory..." Once the man turned around Bill's eye grew wide once meeting the man's blood red eyes devoid of their pupils, matching the colour of fresh blood, the first thing the dream demon noticing is the other demon somehow possessing the man's mind alongside the body

"...And it is my territory Cipher, My Host, My Property, My Rules" Snapping his fingers, the fake-Dipper turned into ash followed by the room engulfing in red flames, feeling a bead run down his nonexistent head Bill adjusted his bowtie taking a fake breath of air

"So what do I call you exactly?"

"You may call me Ambition" The other demon said with a bow making Bill rub his eyelid groaning

"I'm guessing you invoke the law of trespass?"

"While I would like to see you suffer, you'd only enjoy it" Ambition sneered walking closer to the yellow Dream demon

"Instead we have a much better idea"


Snapping his eyes open, Six sat up taking a sharp intake of air to his aching lungs, he forced himself to roll onto his back holding a hand to his burning skull

"Ohhh, dammit!" He groaned with clenched eyes, each breath feeling like ice to a roaring fire, opening an eye Six found the cave he entered that morning with Dipper; once again narrowly surrounding him in the tunnel, Seeing a faint glow in the pitch black, Six climbed back to his feet stretching every joint he could with each step forward

"Please, Please I'm sorry!" recognizing one of the cyclops' voices, Six continued to the growing light until his foot met a puddle below, Looking down into the dark Six pulled out the fire of his sword revealing a scarlet stain clinging to his boot, feeling his heart freeze mid-beat Six heard another shout

"Stop-AH-Stop!!" Feeling a jolt of lighting in his legs, Six tried jogging to the light not far off; He found his opened mirror on the ground forcing the shadows away, slightly illuminating a silhouette in the darkness

"Dipper What the hell?!" Six yelled rushing to the boy, wrapping an arm around the berserker's stomach from behind, he kept throwing punches towards the battered Cyclops; its body resembling a fallen puppet, trying to force air into its lungs without much success

"NO, LET ME GO SIX, SIX!" Dipper screamed for the man, trying to escape his attacker's hold forcing Six to drop his sword to free his other hand

"Dipper Stop, Stop look at me, Stop!" Wrapping his arms around the screaming boy, Six kept repeating for him to stop without success

"SIX, HE'S GOT ME, SIX!!" Forcing the boy into the hold Six raised him higher only causing the boy to kick his legs, even smashing the back of his head into the man's face still unable to loosen the hold

"Dipper it's me, Calm down, Calm, Calm, it's okay" Feeling the boy start to slow his thrashing, Dipper eventually stopped fighting yet kept shaking like a leaf in the wind

"Six?"

"Yeah kid, it's me" After a few tense moments of silence, Six began relaxing his hold lowering the boy back to his feet who immediately turned around gripping the man's jacket with bleeding knuckles

"I k-killed-her, She–begged-me-to-stop but-But-" Dipper choked between each word

"Ssshhh, it was only a dream, it's okay"

"It-Its not, I tried to stop, But–he, He–Kept Laughing" Squeezing the boy as hard as he could, he let the child sob into his shoulder, growing into more shaking then screaming from the fresh set of memories burned into his skull like a branding iron

"It's okay, it was just a nightmare, he can't hurt you anymore, Just breathe" Six soothes taking the boy's head under his chin, He felt the boy's erratic ticks and gasps for air begin to even, small inhales and exhales replacing the seizing chokes and wheezing

"I-I'm S-sorry, I sh-shouldn't-"

"Sssssh, none of that now, it's okay"

"I want t-to go home, P-Please" Dipper asked rubbing his eyes into Six's shirt as the man ran a hand through the boy's frizzled hair, Six looked to the boy's victim unable to move an inch, a singular eye pointed to them without blinking once

"Okay Dipper let's go" Holding him close, the boy wrapped his arms around the man's neck hiding his face into the jacket opening, Retrieving the sword and pocket watch; Six stepped over the cyclops' body uncaring if it moved or not focusing on the younger who still refused to move his head from its place, even when a light in the distance shone towards them like a lighthouse through the storm followed by sound of thunder echoing through the cave making the boy release a sob

"It's okay, I'll carry you home" Six said rubbing little circles into the boy's back, hoping the shaking was from the cold of all things, even though he knew it wasn't

Six walked through the once magical forest, the ground turned into mud and trees slowing the water where it could and other times not so much, Six carried Dipper on his back; the boy wearing the covered in the warm jacket to hide from the world, a faint snore echoing in the man's ear, it took them at least four hours to reach the mountain and would take probably longer to walk back through the mud that eagerly forced Six to rip his boots from its grasp, walking alongside the road he saw the only landmark he'd need 'Welcome to Gravity Falls'

"Almost there, just a little further" Six said aloud mostly to himself, debating if the dream had also drained him in the real world or if the stress was getting to him, Keeping his eyes ahead he ignored the shining black car driving past until it screeched to a halt reversing back to him, Stopping in his tracks, Six watched the back window slide down revealing a young girl with blonde hair, wearing a thick leather coat and gold-rimmed sunglasses which she promptly threw to the floor replaced by wide eyes

"Dipper!" She called, looking back Six realised the hood must've fallen from the wind earlier; The girl immediately opened the car door scooting to the other side

"Get in" She commanded patting the seat next to her

"Do I-" "Get. In." She repeated almost growling, Looking to the trek ahead, Six relented rotating Dipper around to place in the middle seat, The girl wrapped her arms around the boy helping him pulling him in to let Six sit down

"Vincent Drive" She ordered to the bald well-dressed man in front, he nodded slamming his foot on the pedal and causing a slight jolt to the passengers, none of them minding

"What happened?" She asked still holding the soaked boy to her chest almost protectively, only deepening when her eyes turned into daggers directed at Six

"How about we start with names, I'm Six and I see you know Dipper already" She nodded loosening her hold as well as the glare by a fraction, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear

"Sorry I-just, I'm Pacifica, and yeah Dippers a friend" Relaxing back into the expensive leather, Six rubbed his face dry then began flattening the water from his hair pausing mid-way

"Sorry, it's been a long day" He said noticing her forced smirk and eye-roll

"It's fine we've got a lot of cars like this" Taking a breath Six ignored the statement but continued peeling the clothes from his skin with little tugs, groaning from the little bits of comfort it brought

"Sorry uh-" "Six" "Six, is he going to be okay?" Resting his face on his fist against the window, he looked outside intentionally missing her sombre eyes in the reflection

"I don't know" He drawled out watching the trees pass through the window like a loop soon turning into black, the swordsman felt himself slipping into another dream except this one only held black with a voice matching his own

"He'll be waiting" it said the words repeating themselves in his mind like a faded echo in a dungeon, yet only served to help soothe him into his slumber


Reviews are welcome; Flame me if needed, I appreciate all advice