A cold chill hit the town as the day turned into night. Inside the Mystery Shack was a laboratory located deep in its basement. Dipper was alone inside the laboratory, relying on Stanford's scattered notes to guide him. He spent most of his day searching for answers by studying a web of pictures, thumbtacks, and multicolored strings. Eventually, Dipper took a break from his research to write in his Journal.

At hour 13, I finally understood Rephic's next plan and reference to an "Observer" in the multiverse. I suspect that Lownie made up the "Observer" to get rid of me, but what he said still bothers me. I am not unthinkingly searching for something that doesn't exist. I am confident that there is something that Lownie is keeping from me. I am determined to uncover what it is, even if it pushes me to madness. I tried to be more trusting and open-minded, but it seems impossible now. I will venture out independently for a while, searching for the missing puzzle piece, a code, or a key that will point me in the right direction. I will not give up until I find it. Mabel, if you are reading this for your search, you're welcome for most of the work being done, as usual.

Dipper sighed. He put his Journal away and looked around.

Dipper asked himself, "What could I be missing?"

Stanford came into the Lab with Mabel shortly behind.

Mabel asked, "See?"

Stanford gasped, "Oh my gosh."

Dipper turned to him and said, "Grunkle Ford, I've been trying to figure out something for a while."

Stanford said, "I can see this place is a mess!"

Dipper rubbed his temples and asked, "All I want to know is how Bill was contained by Gravity Falls?"

Stanford thought for a moment and turned to a chalkboard. He began to write down a few equations.

According to Stanford, there is a limited amount of Weirdness in the multiverse, meaning it cannot exist simultaneously in one place or world. Bill was enclosed in a plasma ball that contained Weirdness. In theory, Gravity Falls can contain Weirdness because this universe has no upper limit. However, an unknown source deep beneath Gravity Falls generates a barrier that restricts it. Stanford attempted to find the source himself but was unsuccessful.

Stanford ceased writing equations and turned towards Dipper. He explained that Bill could not leave Gravity Falls because an external force was intentionally holding him back. Stanford claimed to have an equation capable of breaking this barrier, but given recent events, he doubted its effectiveness.

Dipper said, "Maybe we could find that source and destroy it before Rephic can get into your head and get that equation."

Mabel asked, "But do we have to destroy it? After all, won't we be down a powerful magic user that could protect us from Rephic?"

"No," Dipper snapped.

"Dipper, are you even listening to yourself?" Mabel asked. "Bill has done some bad things, but he's different now. He's trying to make amends for his past mistakes. And besides, he's doing so much better now. We should give him time to adjust."

"Are you serious, Mabel?" Dipper replied. "You think we can trust Bill? He's a crazy, dangerous demon who's already tried to kill us twice. I only helped him because you asked me to, but I'm not doing any more dirty work for you. If you want to protect him, fine, but don't expect me to go along."

Mabel said, "But Lownie isn't Cipher. If anything, Rephic is! Literally! His name is just Cipher backward!"

Dipper sighed, "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm so frustrated that you hardly did anything for me last year."

Mabel said, "I'll make it up to this year. I'll start by tagging along with you on this new adventure! Where do we start?"

"Underground," Stanford answered, "I'll lead the way!"

The three of them gathered their supplies for their adventure. Dipper and Stanford brought practical items such as ropes, shovels, flashlights, and notebooks. On the other hand, Mabel packed more fun things, such as glitter, her grappling hook, and Dipper's modified flashlight, which had a crystal that could change the size of people and objects.

Bill Lownie hugged Jinx tightly and lovingly when he got back home. He took a picture of him with a Polaroid camera and pinned it on his corkboard beside one of his family members. He was about to call his mom when Stanley barged into the room.

"Bill," Stanley said, "I need your help. Come quickly."

Bill was surprised but followed him. They went to his car, where Stanley handed Bill a pointy hat and a robe.

"Put this on," Stanley said.

"Why?" Bill asked.

"No time to explain," Stanley replied, getting in his car, "Just do it quickly and hop in!"

Bill complied, a bit worried about Stanley. Jinx was in a pocket of the robe.

"Is everything okay, Stan?" Bill asked.

"No, and stop pretending to be innocent. You're embarrassing yourself," Stanley growled.

Bill looked at Stanley's eyes and saw that they were yellow, with narrow slits for pupils! They were driving very safely despite the speed.

"What the heck?" Bill said, "I thought Repihc and I were the only remnants of Bill Cipher."

"Yeah, well," Stanley, possessed by Bill, explained, "You're not. When I was defeated, it created a kaleidoscope of different Bills across multiple universes and timelines."

"Wouldn't that stretch our powers too thin to be useful to anyone?" Bill asked.

"I thought so too," Stanley, possessed by Bill, said, "But as it turns out, there are three Bills in this multiverse more powerful than any others."

"One of them must be Rephic," Bill said.

"Yep," Stanley, possessed by Bill, confirmed, "Another is pure chaos, and the third..."

"Let me guess," Bill said, "You?"

Stanley, possessed by Bill, laughed. "I wish. No, it's you, kid."

Bill gasped in shock.

"Wait a minute," Bill noted, "That doesn't explain why you dressed me like this."

Stanley, possessed by Bill, snapped as they finally came to the mineshaft, "Don't you get it? You're a wizard, Lownie!"

Lownie said, "Oooh, Okay. That makes sense!"

There was the golf cart already there.

"Follow me," Stanley, possessed by Bill, said, turning on a flashlight.

Lownie said, "Whatever you say, Billey!"

Billey chuckled and said, "Okay, that was clever."

They went down into the mineshaft.

Lownie asked, "Where are we going?"

Billey answered, "To find Pine Tree, Shooting Star, and Sixers. They're looking for the source of the barrier that kept my Weirdness from going global."

"Shouldn't the zodiac have banished you," Bill asked. Although it felt a bit late, he wondered, "Why did it only work on Rephic?"

"I think it's because Stanley and I have become intertwined," Billey explained, "he just won't let me go. for whatever reason."

Bill asked, "What is even down here?"

Billey replied, "Something that cannot be destroyed."

"That's oddly specific," Bill noted.

They came upon the other three.

"I can feel Stanley waking up," Billey whispered, "I need you to know that no matter what happens, I will be there to help you however I can, Wizard Bill."

Billey then shut his eyes and opened them to reveal they were back to just Stanleys.

Stanley called out, "Hey Stanford! Forget something?!"

Stanford turned to Stanley and sighed, "Oh right, I probably should have told Stanley what we were doing."

Stanley approached Stanford, playfully punched his arm, and said, "Aw, don't worry about it. You're lucky I know enough about you to know you'd be here."

"We're where I was a long time ago, trying to figure out what was holding Cipher back," Stanford said, "You know when I had believed he was on my side before he finally let his mask slip and showed me the scam artist he was."

Stanley laughed, "Yeah, you can be a sucker under the right circumstances."

Stanford said, "Gee, I wonder something like that again."

He looked directly at Wizard Bill, and Stanford's face softened. He could see just how hurt Wizard Bill was to overhear him.

Bill couldn't help but think, "Stanford doesn't trust that I am better now, but he held me responsible for Cipher's crimes. In fairness, I do that to myself, but Stanford shouldn't want to rub salt in my wounds like that."

Stanford sighed and said, "I'm sorry, William. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Bill said, "Oh, it's fine, I get it. You need some outlet for your grudge, after all."

Stanford said, "But that's not fair to you; you're different from him."

Bill asked, "Am I?"

Stanley reassured, "Of course you are, little wizard."

Bill felt a smile creep on his face, and he took a deep breath.

"So," Bill asked, "What were we doing again?"

Dipper said, "We're looking for the source of the barrier that held Cipher back."

"Oh yeah," Bill said.

While Mabel dug into the wall with a small shovel, her Grunkles started conversing. The other four guys grabbed shovels to help her dig. They kept digging for a few hours, and Bill felt a pull on him as a layer of dirt was removed. However, both sets of twins grew too tired to continue.

"Let's come back tomorrow," Dipper suggested, "We have all summer to find the source of the weirdness."

Bill said, "We can probably get better equipment, too."

So they put the tools away for now and returned to the Mystery Shack. Surprisingly, Bill Lownie somehow crossed over the unicorn hair barrier. He immediately backed up before anyone else noticed.

Stanley noticed Bill hadn't followed them inside and said, "Oh, right."

He returned to Bill and asked, "Do you need help getting back home?"

Bill answered, "Yes, please!"

Stanley gave him a ride home. Bill had a dreamless night's sleep. The next day, He found a note from McGucket.

"Dear loyal renter," McGucket wrote, "Please be advised that we will have the roof replaced, and thus, insolation will be cut in half. I appreciate your patience, McGucket."

Bill sighed, but he returned to the hole with Stanford's help.

Bill avoided direct eye contact.

"His magic is growing stronger. I know it," Stanford's voice echoed in Bill's ears.

Bill asked, "Did you say something?"

Stanford answered, "No."

His voice echoed again. It sounded like it was in a metal room, "Can he read my mind? He must be getting stronger now that he's in the biggest weirdness magnet in this world."

Bill said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought I heard something."

Bill quietly attempted to tell Stanford's mind, "Please don't tell anyone about this. I want to live a normal life now that my evil is gone."

What Stanford got was, "Tell anyone...normal life...gone."

Stanford was visibly frustrated.

Bill sighed and muttered, "I tried."

Stanford stopped the car in the middle of the town and snapped, "Get out."

Bill obeyed, and Stanford said, "You just don't get it, do you? Your manipulation worked exactly once. I won't let you hurt any more innocent people because you're too selfish to see the individuals that make up humanity."

Bill didn't say anything. He just looked despondent.

"I'm destroying that source," Stanford said with conviction, "And then you'll be powerless. The world will be safe once and for all."

He then drove off, leaving Bill in the dust. Bill then ran after him, holding Jinx tight. He focused his mind, imagining Jinx as not a little plush but as the creature saw in his dreams. But then, Bill tripped over a rock in the pavement. He landed on his face, squishing Jinx.

"Ow," Bill moaned. He quickly got up and checked on Jinx. The plush was fine, but Bill felt a painful sting in his arms. He saw a scrape on his arms. His sleeves were torn, and there was a deep cut. He looked at the pavement, and it was mostly gravel. He was cut up a bit, and a bit of blood was leaking from his body. He sucked some air through his teeth as he studied his arm. Coincidentally, Robert was in town. He approached Bill and helped him up to his feet. Without saying anything, Robert pulled out a little first-aid kit, sat Bill down on a bench to clean his arm, and wrapped it in bandages.

"Be more careful," Robert scolded, "Not every path will be pavement."

Bill said, "Of course. Thanks, Robbie."

Robert asked, "Where were you going in such a hurry, Wizard?"

Bill said, "The mines; Stanford wants to destroy the source of my power."

Robert said, "Oh, then you'll need a ride!"

Robert put two fingers in his mouth and loudly whistled. A big truck peeled into view with Lee driving, Nate in the passenger seat, and Tomson and Tambry in the back on their phones.

Robert jumped into the truck and said, "Come on, Wizard, hop in."

The teens were excitedly planning a new song for their band to play with Robbie.

Tomson stopped texting to ask Bill, "So, Wizard, can you show me a magic trick?"

"Oh, for sure," Bill said, then reached behind his ear and pulled out a quarter. "Tada!"

"Pfft," Nate scoffed, "A birthday clown can do that."

Tomson asked, "What's with the teddy bear?"

"Jinx is a Sphinx," Bill corrected, "I've been trying to bring him to life, but it's not working well."

"Maybe you need to say a certain spell," Tomson suggested.

Robert suggested, "Or sing it! I saw what you did a few days ago. You should use music to help harness your magic."

Bill said, "I don't know, Robbie, that could end very poorly."

Robert replied, "It's worth a shot."

They came to the cave, and Robert and his friends quickly set up their instruments.

Tomson knocked his sticks together and started drumming. Tambry played a keyboard and carefully set it to the least synth setting. Lee and Nate were both on mute guitars. Robbie took out his bass guitar.

"Good morning, Gravity Falls," Robbie shouted into the microphone, so loud birds a mile away flew off, "Get ready for Robbie V. The Tombstone's guest singer, the Weird Wizard!"

"You got this," Robbie said, giving Bill the microphone. Bill took a deep breath as the band's music harmoniously hummed in his ears.

Bill sang, "I find myself shattered to pieces.

Your light showed me that I wasn't right.

I was broken,

words still unspoken.

But now I'm here to scream them out!"

The waves of the last note washed over the cave and shook the truck's suspension.

Bill was surprised, but Robbie had an excited look in his eye, so Bill kept singing, "I have the power!

The power to heal!

The power to reveal the truth!

I have the power to recolor the sun!

I have the power to make the universe come undone!"

An electric charge surged through the speakers and their instruments and flowed into them, making them play that much more passionately.

Bill then sang, "I picked up the pieces

I made my peace with

The fact you will never forgive me.

Well, guess what, I don't care.

I've got stitches on my heart to spare!

I'll be okay because I'm healing.

Let my tears and words be revealing!

Light of the Shooting Star, shine your light on the truth!

Healing of the Stitched Heart, let me see that I have the power to enjoy this fresh start!"

Robbie encouraged him, "Bring it home, Wizard!"

Bill sang, "I have the power!

The power to heal!

The power to reveal the truth!

I have the power to recolor the sun!

I have the power to make the universe come undone!

I have the power!"

The last note blasted out in such a rush of magical energy; it was like an explosion! The band cheered excitedly, especially Robert!

"That was awesome," Tomson noted.

"Yeah," Tambry said, and then she asked, "but what happened exactly?"

Suddenly, Jinx hopped out of Bill's pocket.

"That's what," Bill said, "Little Jinx is alive!"

Robert said, "Nice session, gang! Let's put it away."

Bill then chased after Jinx into the mineshaft. Jinx pounced on Stanley and began lovingly nuzzling him.

"Ah," Stanley said, trying to pull the plush off, "No, get off of me!"

Mabel chuckled.

Stanford gasped, "Bill is here!"

Dipper said, "I told you I heard his voice."

Stanford snapped, "Oh shut up!"

Bill came into the cavern and saw that the pair of twins had made some progress with some mining equipment. He felt whatever the source of the Weirdness was pulling on him more powerfully.

"You will not touch the source of my power," Bill boldly declared, "You are not worthy."

"You threatened to take my normal life away," Stanford snapped.

Bill pointed out, "Rephic wants you to think that! He filtered my message so that it sounded vaguely like a threat instead of the reassurance that I'm not evil anymore."

Stanford said, "You expect me to believe that? I was only willing to be by your side because you convinced me you were not Cipher! Now that you have even a little of your power again, I can see your true colors."

Bill asked, "So what are they, Stanford? Enlighten us."

Stanford looked at Stanley and held his hand, the same hand Bill remembers being wrapped in bandages earlier that year. Jinx hopped off of Stanley and into Mabel's arms. Stanford then smiled and looked back at Bill.

"You're family," Stanford said with a twinkle in his eyes and said, "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel otherwise. You hurt me, but so did my brother. But it didn't make him any less of my brother. If I can learn to forgive him, I can forgive you."

Bill then asked, "So why destroy the source of my power?"

"So you can live your life," Stanford answered.

Stanley asked, "Don't you want to live peacefully for once?"

"I think you're mixing peace with quiet," Bill said, "I don't want to erase what makes this world so unique. I don't want my power to make anyone feel they must treat me differently."

Stanford sighed and said, "As you wish."

Dipper said, "Hey, I hate to ruin the moment, but Mabel and I could use some help digging."

All three quipped, "Oh, right, sorry."

Three hours they had passed as the five dug away at the wall.

Finally, they got to the other side. It looked to be the main room of an ancient temple. The dirt seal on the entrance is now broken. Paintings lined the three walls and ceiling. And in the center of this room, illuminated only by the glow of bioluminescent mushrooms, was a finely carved wizard staff.

Everyone gasped in amazement. Bill entered this room and looked around, Jinx on his shoulder.

Mabel said worriedly, "Careful, Bill!"

The twins came in shortly after it was confirmed this space wouldn't immediately collapse.

Stanford looked more carefully at the paintings and asked, "What can you make of these, Wizard?"

"Each of the walls depicts a story," Bill explained, "I recognize the imagery; it's my story. The ceiling must be foretelling the next chapter of it."

He then approached the staff. He looked at it closer; it seemed carved from sycamore wood. Bill noticed that one end was carved to resemble a question mark. The dot of the punctuation mark was the only thing not made of wood. It seemed to be an oddly perfectly spherical crystal. The longer he looked at the crystal, the more he could swear he felt it looking back at him.

"I think I found the source," Bill mumbled.

Dipper was skeptical, "A stick?"

Mabel said, "Not just any stick, a magic stick."

She wiggled her fingers for emphasis.

Bill stopped blinking for a minute, staring at the crystal ball.

Stanley asked, "Are you okay, Kid?"

Bill said, "His voice is reverberating throughout my mind."

Stanford asked, "Who are you talking about?"

"The Staff of Chaos," Bill said, "It wants me to hold it."

He lifted his arm; Jinx snuggled Bill's head. He started purring loudly, trying to snap him out of it.

"I'm not worthy," Bill protested, closing his eyes, "Not right now."

Stanley was also starting to stare at it.

Stanford was concerned now that he was seeing the staff in person.

"Well, we found the source," Mabel said, then asked, "So what do we do now?"

Bill answered, "We need to move it somewhere more secure.'

Stanley said, "Preferably without touching it directly."

They gave it some thought.

Mabel offered, "We can shrink it and put it in a plastic bag."

Wizard Bill told the staff, "Blink twice if you consent to this idea."

Surprisingly, the staff complied, and it flashed a golden glow twice. Stanford jumped a bit, seeing this. Mabel then used the flashlight to shrink the staff. She gave Bill an empty sandwich bag, and Bill turned it inside out, very carefully lifted it from the alter, and put it in the bag. Almost instantly, a sparkling shooting star sticker appeared when Bill zipped up the bag. Then they left the temple, and Dipper took many pictures before following them.