The Return to Gravity Falls

by EZB

Mabel and Dipper return to Gravity Falls three years after their life-altering summer vacation spent with their Grunkle Stan, to find that Gravity Falls never stops being, well, weird. As the twins encounter old friends and reconnect with the supernatural inhabitants of Gravity Falls, new dangers lurk just outside of the knowledge of Uncle Stanfords old journals.

38. Ashes in the Sky: Part 2

From the shadowed side of the main Mill on the Corduroy Lumberyards, four figures slunk out of sight from the angered crowds by the street and office building. The woods covered their trail, leaving little to no trace of their advance through the mud. The leading figure, a girl with a bomber hat and long red hair held out a hand behind her. She gently held back the tall, broad-shouldered teenager behind her to a stop.

Wendy Corduroy quietly explained, "Hold here. There's someone in sight," peering from above the bush before them.

Grenda grunted. "If they see us, I'll just grapple them down!" Grenda told Wendy, peering over the bush as well. Candy and Jace's head popped up and out as well, peering to the left as they stared towards a pair of cops that were talking to one another.

"Avoiding detection is about taking the chances as they come," Wendy quietly told them, "If we just go rush 'em, we could be seen by someone else."

"And... I'll just grapple them too?" Grenda suggested. Wendy shook her head and sighed.

Jace eyed the knowledgeable Wendy. "You really do know what you're doing," he admitted. "Then what do we do?" he asked.

"We wait until the opportunity arises," Candy mimed Wendy.

Wendy smiled and nodded at her. "Right. It shouldn't be long now," Wendy stated firmly, "Most cops in Gravity Falls aren't top notch anyway. These two will probably take a break in a few minutes."

"Really?" Jace asked, eying Wendy up and down. She nodded and grinned. "You sound like you've done your fair share of this kind of thing. Cop related; I mean."

"It's a boring town," Wendy bragged, "My friends and I used to have to make fun when there wasn't anything to do," Wendy explained, "So that sometimes meant that we had to break a few rules. Sneak around a few times. Borrow a few police cruisers."

"Dude," Jace snickered, and patted Wendy's shoulder, "That's intense."

"Never felt like it when I was doing it," Wendy shrugged while giving him a thankful grin.

"I can see why Mabel and Dipper like being around you," Candy stated. Thankful in her eyes, Wendy looked away, staring into the bushes ahead.

"Yeah!" Grenda added, slapping Wendy's back with a loud clap. Wendy barely flinched, but instead turned quickly and gave her a short 'shh'. "Oops, sorry," Grenda apologized, "But it's crazy that all of us don't hang out."

Wendy recoiled at this comment. "Well, you know, older than you guys," Wendy said, pointing to herself.

"How old are you?" Jace asked.

"Eighteen," Wendy declared.

"Oh, really?" Jace gasped, "You... don't take this the wrong way, but you still look like our age."

Wendy snorted. "Yeah. Genes decided that I'd be less my dad and more my mom it seems," Wendy stated as she stared into the bush distantly.

"We should hang out more," Candy declared, looking at Jace.

He laughed but shook his head. "As soon as Jess and I get the phoenix, we need to take it home and keep it safe," he told them with a hint of disappointment, "So we're heading out as soon as we can. Sorry."

"Aww," Candy groaned with Grenda. Candy turned to the redhead. "What about you, Wendy?" Candy asked, leaning out further, to better look at Wendy. "We should talk at school more often."

"Yeah! We, like, never see you in school," Grenda stated.

Wendy shrugged. "You know, been busy," Wendy said, "and I've graduated." Candy and Grenda gasped and looked to her. Wendy cast them a solemn frown, "So I won't be able to hang, really."

"You're done with school?" they asked in unison.

"Nice," Jace nodded, "What's your plan afterwards?"

Wendy's eyes hardened as her stare went cold and still. She watched the back of the cops as they began to shuffle in their steps. They would be moving soon, and as soon as they started, they could get inside. She had no answer as she held her breath. Jace continued to stare at her.

"Wendy?" he asked cautiously.

"I'll be leaving Gravity Falls," she told him. There was movement ahead as the cops left. Wendy then looked around, and seemed pleased. "Okay," she told them, "Get ready to go." The group all eyed her in surprise, but said nothing. "Ready? Three... two-"

"Hi, guys!" Mabel shot out from a corner of the building away from their sight, having Wendy gasp and the two ladies jump next to Jace, who had also gasped. As Mabel approached, giggling in her amusement, her brother, Jess, and the newcomer joined them. "Jace, please meet my friend-"

"Pacifica," Grenda and Candy muttered as they straightened up and glared at the blond. Pacifica Northwest in reply eyed them critically, her eyelids narrowing as she studied them briefly.

"Oh. Wrestle girl and math girl. Hi," she said, lacking any amount of enthusiasm. Then her eyes fell on Jace, and she blinked. "I, uh, don't know you. I'm Pacifica," she stated with a polite smile and formal handshake from the harpy.

"My name's Jace," he said. He smiled in reply to Pacifica's grin, yet his gaze turned next to Dipper, where his younger sister was shaking his hand and mouthing something to him. 'She's stupid rude' Jess silently communicated. Jace blinked, looked back to Pacifica, and dropped his hand. "So, uh, I take it you know Dipper and Mabel?"

"You could say that," Pacifica nodded.

"Friends?" Jace asked.

Pacifica squinted, and looked to the twins, who stared back. "I... suppose you could say that," she sighed. When Pacifica looked back, she spotted Wendy, and blinked. "Wait... Wendy? Wendy Corduroy, right?" Pacifica asked. Wendy stared back while nodding slowly. "Huh. Hadn't seen you much in school this year."

Dipper looked from Pacifica to Wendy, his mouth having fallen open slightly. His anticipation felt palpable. She had not been in school much?

Wendy curtly replied, "Yeah. Kind of been keeping to myself."

Pacifica eyed the redhead, checking her for some reason. Pacifica had found little else interesting, and turned to the twins. "Okay, so are you two going to let them know, or should I?" Pacifica asked.

"So," Mabel stepped up, "The phoenix isn't here."

"What!?" the four in the 'sneaking' group declared.

Dipper watched as Mabel began to explain bit-by-bit how they had come across Zander and Pacifica and the news that followed. Yet he found himself watching Wendy. Her reaction to this seemed genuine, yet all he could wonder was what it meant. Wendy hadn't been seen in school? Pacifica wasn't dumb or unobservant; maybe a little stubborn to match Dipper, but certainly she knew what she was talking about. What was going on?

"Dipper?" Jess's voice stirred Dipper from the reaches of his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"You were staring at her again," Jess pointed out. Dipper sighed and looked away quickly. Jess glumly looked to the ground, muttering, "So... you do like her."

There were many times he would have appreciated her interest in this topic, but this wasn't one of those times. "I said it's complicated," he assured her, trying to maintain a civil tone. It felt a little invasive for Jess to suddenly become interested with his interests, even if it's about Wendy. "I know she's hiding something-"

"I know, but Dipper," she said, crossing her arms as the two of them spoke quietly under Mabel's explanation, "She's supposed to be your old friend. Why is she holding something... this big from you?"

"I don't know," Dipper said, biting at the words a bit more, "I intend to find out why."

"But how can you like her, call her a friend still, and even trust her," Jess pointed out, her eyes widening and sparkling in the light around the building, "When you know she's withholding things from you?"

Dipper closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He didn't need to be hearing this out loud. These words, Jess's concerns, all had at some point or another floated into his head and begged to be answered. Now there was a second voice inside his head. Jess's voice was demanding attention and Dipper couldn't help but agree with her. He felt cheated and lied to; knowing that Wendy considered him a friend all this time but had something hiding away from them. This was Dipper and Mabel, after all, the lords and masters of secrets and mysteries. Instead, Dipper chewed on his lip for a moment and groaned.

"Well, Jess, you had your own secret you hid from me, remember?" Dipper said.

"Which we ended up sharing together!" she quietly urged him, taking a half step closer. Dipper was above her, looking down at the girl who seemed lost in what could have been anger and wonder. "Jace and I held secrets when we met, but now we trust one another! Why... why is it different for Wendy?" Jess demanded as her voice trembled quietly.

Dipper found no answer, but looked back to Wendy. Again, he was certain as he looked to her, her eyes tore away from him just at the right moment. Was she aware he was sneaking closer to finding answers about her?

Jess's voice brought him back to focus. "Dipper, we... are friends, right?" Jess asked timidly next to him.

Dipper whipped around instantly and felt a smile stretch on his face. "Yes," he promised her, "Of course we are! I like having you and Jace around," he told her, a hand to her shoulder, "You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. It's kind of like having a younger sister I never had."

Dipper had hoped his words of comfort would have consoled the young girl next to him. Her smile seemed forced, and the light in her eyes faded.

"Y-yeah," she nodded, "Younger sister."

"Caught up!" Mabel whipped around to Jess and Dipper.

"Good," Dipper stepped forward, "Since the phoenix isn't here, we're going right away to the Northwest Manor."

"Really?" Grenda asked, holding her hands close as she nervously glanced between the group, "So, uh, there won't be a crazy ghost there this time, right?"

"Hah!" Pacifica snorted, "I'm a good note-taker. Dipper had me learn more than a few techniques to dealing with spirits when they're unwanted."

"So that's what you two did on dates?" Mabel asked, disappointment flooding her tone.

Jess gasped. "You two dated?" she demanded.

Dipper turned around and wiggled his head about, rather indecisively. "Three years ago, yeah," he nodded.

"Anyway," Pacifica interrupted Jess as she opened her mouth to inquire further, "I'm going to lead you guys to a secret panic tunnel that my family use should they need to escape the mansion quickly. You get in, grab the bird, and get out."

"Sounds easy enough," Jace grinned.

"She's ignoring the fact that there are guards in her home," Dipper said, "More than a few could be waiting for us."

Pacifica sighed. "I'm sorry, you two were going to fight a giant spider a month ago?" she indicated to the twins. "As much as my family guards aren't pushovers, are you telling me you can't handle them?"

"I'd try not risking anything," Dipper retorted, feeling a flash of heat against his back as he stared at Pacifica. "Or would you prefer the phoenix gets loose and burns down your home?" Dipper asked.

She sighed and nodded in resign. "Okay, fine. I'll distract my parents and the guards with something," she stated.

"You make it sound like you're rich," Jess stated.

Pacifica scoffed and the rest of the group excepting Jace nodded in unison. "Northwests are well off," Pacifica said, glancing to her fingernails.

"Don't go boasting it," Dipper told her. Pacifica glared at him, but said nothing. Dipper announced aloud, "Okay. Let's head out."

Escaping back to the cars in the hill was made slightly more difficult. The cops were more agitated by the growing dissent of the mob. Manly Dan was constantly shouting to them and the police about their rights to the mysterious bird, and how this hadn't been the first time that the Northwests had stiffed the people of the town. Eventually, they were able to sneak away and back up the hill, with minimal complaining by Pacifica as she despised the mud they clambered through.

"Someone else parked here," Pacifica pointed ahead as they grew near to the two vehicles.

"Huh? Where?" Mabel asked, "I only see our cars."

"What? But these are old-people cars," Pacifica gasped as she stared at the van.

"It's classy!" Grenda protested as she stepped inside the driver seat.

"And mine isn't even old!" Dipper argued, "It's only three years old!"

"How does it still run!?" Pacifica gasped as she stared at it. Dipper shook his head as he returned the look, and Pacifica soon realized that she was alone in the shock. She asked hesitantly, "Cars... don't break down that quickly?"

"No," everyone else told her.

Barely half an hour had passed since they climbed into the cars and sped their away from the lumber mill and the group of recon teenagers were in the shadow of the Northwest Manor. The sprawling building was as prestigious, affluent, and as guarded as ever. Coming near the initial drive-way entrance, the group spotted no less than six guards sternly standing in the rain. Instead, Pacifica reached past Dipper's face and pointed to a darkened path by the woods.

"Follow it around the hill," she told Dipper.

With only a mild grunt at the indignation of cutting his vision in half with her arm, Dipper slowly turned the wheel and began his climb through rough woods. Fallen branches, puddles of mud, rocks, and the occasional retreating raccoon stood before them. Dipper eyed the woods around him, feeling the nostalgia of this area creeping into his brain.

"You remember, don't you?" Pacifica asked as she leaned back into her seat, looking to Dipper.

He remembered, alright. Still, he feigned a, "Huh?", merely glancing to Pacifica as she watched him. A moment of her stares in the side of his vision forced him to surrender his thoughts. "Yeah. I remember," he warranted her.

"Is this where you two went on dates?" Mabel asked excitedly. Next to her, Jess coughed loudly, clearing her throat of something she had swallowed incorrectly. Mabel hummed, "Man, I've always wanted to know what you two did together."

"Uh," Dipper spotted Jess in the rear view mirror, her mouth twisted in a horrified and silent realization.

To Dipper and Jess's relief, Pacifica said "Nothing." Pacifica sighed, putting her head against the window as she stared up the hill to her home, "We had plenty of chances to do things. Dipper just wanted to show me how brilliant and nerdy he is."

Dipper scowled. "I was trying to prepare you in case more things like this happened," he retorted bitterly.

"With good reason," Jess interjected.

"Sorry, you were part of this conversation?" Pacifica asked, glancing once over her shoulder to Jess. The harpy folded her arms as her cheeks darkened.

Mabel snickered. "She has a point, girly," Mabel said, her tone bouncy and musical.

Pacifica let herself sink into the seat further, grumbling lightly to herself. Dipper eyed her once as he turned around a tree, seeing an old opened gate ahead. "We're here," Pacifica said, pointing at the gate.

"I don't see-"

"Duh, it's hidden," Pacifica snorted as Dipper slowed his car next to a trio of thick trees. Pacifica eyed a thick brush nearby the three trees, and then looked to Dipper and Mabel. "Those trees, there; they hide a passage underground that leads unto the manor. Follow it up. It should be close enough to the hall where my dad is keeping it."

"You're not coming?" Dipper asked as Pacifica made to open her door.

"I need to distract my dad. Otherwise, he'll be watching it all day and night I bet," she explained, a heaviness in her eyes. As she opened the doors slowly, looking at the twins, she gave them a smile. "There aren't a lot of people who I believe could pull this off like this... good luck you guys," she said. Then she stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

"Okay then," Dipper said, and followed suit, "let's go."

"Cold and wet again, blah!" Mabel whined as she and Jess stepped out after him. From the van behind them, the other four stepped out and met them by the tree. Dipper lead them over and quickly pushed aside a large branch. His fingers could feel the sharp differences between the branch he held and that from the Corduroy Mill; the one he touched here was plastic. Past the vegetation was a rounded double-door.

"Here we go. Stay quiet and stick together. There's no knowing what kind of security the Northwests have waiting," Dipper announced.

"Stealth mission is a go!" Mabel told him.

The two metal doors groaned loudly as Dipper reached over, with Mabel, and pulled them out. Inside was a long, rising hallway devoid of steps. Lights flickered on as they stared within. Stepping inside, the group found that the incline was not so unforgiving to need drastic steps, but still, their incline presented itself a challenge. Dipper and Mabel kept pace with Wendy, but Candy and Grenda, along with the harpies, found the steady climb more tedious. More fluorescent lights came on as they stepped inward, and more behind them turned off.

"I never liked Stairmaster," Grenda grumbled as she pushed with her arms against her legs.

Jess, in agreement, mumbled, "And this is why flying is better."

"C'mon you guys," Jace patted his sister's shoulder, increasing his pace to keep with Mabel and Dipper, "We're almost there! Right?" he asked the front three.

Wendy shrugged and looked to the twins.

Dipper let out a puff of a breath. "I hope so. Unless this is a hallway that goes on forever," Dipper stated, "We should be getting there soon."

Mabel, happy as ever, cheered, "Indeed-el-lee! I see the secret door!" She dramatically thrust her hand and index finger forward. A wall of wooden tile, similar to that of the rest of the interior of the building, stood before them. Dipper knew the look, and silently agreed.

"Okay," Dipper turned as they met the wall, now facing the group, "We have no idea if there are guards out there. Mabel and I are going to give a listen through the door and see what we can guesstimate."

The twins lowered their head towards the side panel. To their luck, there was sound coming through from the other side. Dipper squinted as he tried his best to listen. The voices were deep and gruff, talking in brutish tones befitting a bodyguard. Fire, bird, and watching were frequent words they both heard.

"It sounds like they're talking about the phoenix," Mabel said quietly.

"Yeah, sounds right," Dipper nodded.

"What about it?" Jess asked, pushing around Wendy forcefully to stand next to her brother. Wendy frowned at the bossiness.

"Don't know," Dipper shook his head.

"Do they say it's here?" Jess demanded.

"Or where they're keeping it?" Jace added.

"Guys, chill," Wendy looked to them both, "They're trying to eavesdrop."

"Pfft, yeah," Jess snorted heatedly, looking away from Wendy, "We know."

Wendy turned to the younger girl, shocked at the tone. While she began to open her mouth, Wendy looked to Jace, who had also noticed the attitude. He offered the redhead only a shrug. Wendy turned ahead; her brow furrowed in thought.

Dipper listened intently on the outside world of the panel. There were more words being exchanged, and he listened harder. Yet his needed focus was lost as soon as a loud blare of a siren shook the wall Dipper and Mabel had been listening to. They both gasped and clasped the sides of their hands against their ears and stumbled back.

"I'm lopsided now! Dangit!" Mabel grunted as she poked at the inside of her ear, and possibly her brain, with her finger. Dipper shook himself as the sirens continued. A loud pounding against the floor made him and Mabel step back. People were running past the panel.

Dipper glanced to his twin. "Mabel, you thinking what–" Dipper said as he turned to her. A devilish smile met his gaze, and he grinned in return. Somewhere else in the building, the guards had been called to, leaving them ready to where they needed to. "Three... two... one!" They both charged at the panel and knocked it aside. The hinged door swung open rapidly and slammed against the wall next to it, revealed to the twins their location.

"Okay, we're in. File in guys," Dipper called over his shoulder as he looked around. There was a long, line of trophies on the wall of various animals; local and exotic. As Jess and Jace stepped in, they gasped.

Jess put a hand over her mouth as she looked around the long hallway. "Oh no," she said as she shook her head. "Is this what they're going to do to it?"

"If they kill it, it'll explode into fire," Jace pointed out, "There's no stuffing a phoenix and mounting it on a plaque."

With such information, Dipper asked aloud, "A phoenix will explode into fire?" as he looked both directions.

"When it dies, yup," Jace nodded.

"Then we should get moving," Candy pointed out.

"Yus ma'am," Mabel nodded, "But which waaay?"

"I'm vibing this direction," Wendy pointed to the right of hallway from their entrance of the hidden passage.

"Any particular reason?" Jess asked slyly.

Wendy shook her head and pointed again. "Just feeling like that's the way to go, that's all," she said innocently.

"Better than what we have now," Dipper stated, "Let's go."

The group moved their way down the hallway, tentatively lead by Wendy. She eyed the portraits and stuffed animals lined around the hallways with a careful eye. Eventually, as she turned a corner and lead the group down another hallway, she looked to Dipper. "None of these guys come to life now, right?" she asked. Dipper said nothing, but shook his head.

"They like their animals. I've seen at least one type of every bird imaginable here, and then a few species that I think are extinct," Jace added worriedly.

"Northwest's like keeping trophies," Dipper said, his tone barely audible as he looked around.

A loud shriek echoed through the hall. It was shrill and vibrant enough for all to wince and cover their ears. All but Jace, Jess, and Wendy flinched. The other three just blinked and shivered.

Jess shouted, "That's it! The phoenix is close!"

She hurtled ahead, having the group trail her steps by only a few feet difference. Soon the distinctive sounds of struggling and loud squawks grew closer. Jess turned down a doorway in the middle of a hallway. Once the doorway was revealed, she gasped.

Overlooking a large dance floor, the group filed in and found a wrapping balcony around a recessed floor in the center of the room. Thin wooden railing stood between the group and a ten-foot drop. Yet the most pronounced feature of the room was tied down in the center of the room. Large glowing red chains tied a large exotic animal to the ground. It was the phoenix, tethered down by large steel chains.

"We have to get it out!" Jess gasped, and raced towards a set of stairs close to them running down to the floor below. The others followed suit. Jace leapt over the others, expanding his feathers out, and gliding next to Jess. Jess leaned closer to the head of the beast. "Oh, Jace, she's hurt," Jess told him as she slid to a stop next to the large black eyes of the bird clumped in a mess on the floor.

"We need to get these metal chains off of her," Jace said aloud. He and Jess made for one of the chains, but found the heat resonating from them too hot to touch. "Crud! That's scorching!"

"What do we do?" Dipper inquired around, demanding a lead to break the bird loose.

"Dump water on the chains?" Candy offered.

"If these chains cool, the phoenix may become even more weak. We need to find a way to break them free," Jace said around.

"Or unlock it," Wendy said as well.

From above them, a new voice spoke. "That is something you'll find is quite impossible."

All seven heads turned and stared above them. Two aged figures stood above them, looking down on them with sneers. The speaker was a mustached man, tall with wide shoulders. The woman next to him had more makeup than an entire high school knew what to do with, covering up the evidences of age. The Northwests were directly above them, looking amused.

"Now, how exactly did you sound off my alarm on the front gate and beat myself and my wife here? That's quite the distance to top," Preston Northwest studied them, holding something to the side, hidden from view.

His wife leaned on him. "Can't we just have them arrested and throw out?" Priscilla Northwest asked her husband, looking from the railing as she examined those below. She cringed as she looked to the harpy siblings and Candy and Grenda. "They'd certainly deserve it, with their fashion."

Jace glumly realized, "Oh, it's these kinds of people."

Dipper, filled with various unpleasant thoughts, was ready to snap at anyone. "The only one arrested here should be you two!" Dipper accused, pointing to them.

Mabel sidled up next to her brother. "The Phoenix was never yours to begin with, you big-bird snatching monsters," Mabel called.

"Perhaps not," Mr. Northwest shrugged, "Yet, I don't see a claim to the bird. Old Corduroy may think he has rights, but it merely landed in his land. Not a very strong claim over this majestic creature."

"First of all," Wendy stepped forward, glaring up at the duo, "He's got a better claim than you two do!"

"And second of all," Dipper added as the wife and husband Northwest stared down at Wendy, analyzing her, "The phoenix does belong to someone! These two!" Dipper pointed to the siblings. "They protect it and watch out for it."

"Wonderful job done," The wife sneered, flashing her unnaturally straight teeth.

Preston smirked at his wife's comment. "Indeed so. After all, letting a burning bird plummet to the ground is exactly what I expected when I hear the phrases 'protect' and 'watch out for it'," the husband chuckled as he ran his fingers along the edge of the railing, "So now, if you two don't mind, "he indicated the harpies, "I'm just going to have to remove the animal from your care, as clearly you are unfit for its service."

"Like heck you'd do anything better!" Grenda stepped forward, her fists clenched.

"Yeah! What's your deal, Northwest?" Dipper asked.

Preston examined his palm and fingers as he explained. "The rumor of the bird is that when it dies, it sheds much of its body before it reforms into a new egg and hatches again. The ashes that fall to the earth while warm have properties that even the miracles of modern science and medicine cannot accomplish," Preston explained lazily, rolling his hand through the air in front of him, "And all I shall accomplish greatness. I will harness these powders, selling them to the highest bidder. After all, whomever has these ashes can cheat death itself."

"Jokes on you," Jess snickered, "The ashes only work when hot! After they cool, they become dust, and are useless."

"Something I had anticipated," Preston said with a chuckle, "After all, what's the use of having heat-absorbent containers that can stand even in the hottest of temperatures if you can't use them?"

"Dad!"

The Parents whipped their gazes away to the opening in the hallway. Pacifica had just arrived, her face pale and frightened. No sooner had they looked to their daughter, than Jace and Wendy sprung to action. As Dipper and Mabel reacted to their jump and moved towards the stairs as fast as they could. Jace was high into the air and nearly onto the father Northwest.

Out from the older man's back came a double-barreled hunting rifle. Fast as lightning and accurate as death, the richest man in town pulled the trigger. Jace's whole world stopped as Jess screamed, and the gun shot loudly into the air.

No charcoal black cloud or fire erupted from the barrel end. Instead, a large dart flew out and struck Jace in the shoulder. The moment he had turned to see the dart while in mid-air, the world wobbled and shook. As Wendy pulled herself up from the balcony, Jace fell backwards and plummeted to the ground. Grenda ran forward with Jess in time to catch him.

Wendy had lunged towards the parents, barely missing them in her outstretched hands. The wife had been pushed aside and back against a wall as the husband snarled and aimed again to Wendy. She rushed forward as the trigger was pulled.

"Wendy!" Dipper shouted as he, Mabel, and Pacifica rushed behind her.

Wendy never flinched as the dart struck her shoulder. Instead, she successfully grasped the end of the barrel, ripped it from his hands. Using the butt of the gun, Wendy swiped it hard across Preston Northwest's face. The man was tossed into the air with a loud crack. Hitting the ground, a moment later, Preston Northwest slumped down, a feeble groan falling quiet.

"Preston!"

"Dad!"

Wendy stood and watched as the wife and daughter rushed around her. Tossing the hunting weapon aside, she reached up and yanked out the dart, and let it drop to the ground. Dipper and Mabel found themselves at her side just in time for her to look to them, and stumble. Dipper quickly reached out and pulled her upright.

"Ohh boy... that's, uh, going to my head," she said, holding her hands to her face, staring intently upwards.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Mabel asked, showing three.

Wendy turned her head heavily to Mabel. "Five?" Wendy asked, blinking a few times.

"Better than six," Mabel shrugged.

"Mabel, hold Wendy for me," Dipper asked her, feeling a heat rush into his cheeks again as he felt Wendy against his chest. Lifting her away, and letting his sister hold onto the stunned woman, Dipper turned to the edge of the platform. Jace was being tended to by the ladies below. "How is he?" Dipper quickly asked.

"He's out cold," Candy said, "It was a tranquilizer."

"One of my dad's stronger one's too," Pacifica muttered as she walked over, holding up the dropped needle from Wendy. "This has enough in it to make a moose's knees wobble."

"And Wendy and Jace just got... a whole load of it?" Dipper demanded.

"They should be okay. Just make sure they keep moving around when they wake up," Pacifica told him as she tossed the dart over her shoulder. "Dipper, you guys need to get the phoenix out now!"

"Why? I thought you distracted them," Mabel pointed out.

Dipper offered Pacifica a genuine grin. "With an alarm. Good choice," Dipper admitted.

"That's because it wasn't me!" Pacifica explained, "A mob is actually on the way! They want the phoenix, and they're breaking the gate down!"

"What?!" The twins and Wendy gasped in trio.

Pacifica clawed at the roots of her hair. "I didn't get a chance to do anything because people are already here! They even got torches ready! Like, those stupid hand-held sticks and logs you light on fire?" she asked, "Yeah, they got them somehow."

"Then we need to get the phoenix out now!" Dipper told her as Wendy shook her head wildly, throwing her hair into their faces.

"Whoa, sorry," she quietly said. Pacifica grunted and spun around, stomping towards her mother. The older blond woman made no indication she even saw Pacifica. The Northwest daughter reached inside her father's pocket and withdraw a large set of keys on a ring.

"Here," Pacifica called, tossing it down to Grenda and Candy, "Get it up and out. The sooner you can get it away from the manor the better. Just don't get caught, okay?" she reminded them forcefully as the two ladies rushed to one of the floor screwed chains and unlocked it.

Dipper studied the blond girl. "Pacifica, thank-"

"Not now," Pacifica turned to Dipper and Mabel, shaking her head. "Another time! Go!"

Rushing downstairs with Wendy in tow, the twins quickly grouped up with those down below. Grenda lifted up the limp Jace and placed him on her shoulders as Jess began to calm and control the Phoenix, ruffling her feathers in controlled, slow shivers. With her hood down and her sleeves up, the girls feathers shone in the dim glow of the red, orange and gold bird before her, pushing itself up slowly. As Dipper watched it, he measured it's height.

"It's smaller than when we last saw it," Dipper said.

"It's what happens when they begin dying," Jess shivered as she spoke, "When water touches a Phoenix, it cools down part of the bird's body, and makes it harder for it to keep warm. When it shrinks, it begins to die," Jess explained, as the bird was only the size of a large horse now, as opposed to the building sized beast from almost two months ago.

"Do we need to carry it?" Mabel suggested.

"Not unless you want to set your hands on fire," Jess told her, "It'll follow me. We just need to make sure that when it's at the end of the tunnel, we get it into the car as quickly as possible. The longer it's in the rain, the weaker it is."

"Okay, let's book it then!" Mabel told them.

"I'm fine," Wendy pushed herself off of Mabel and Dipper, quickly whipping her head again, "I can run."

Dipper started, "Wendy, you got hit with a dart filled with–"

The red-head held her hand out. "Never underestimate a corduroy."

Running back into the hallway, with a large seven-foot bird hobbling after them, the group could hear the ruckus of a mob growing closer. The rumble of footsteps and calls of shouting men and women announced the soon-to-arrive chaos. The gang quickly found the still open secret panel, and began to file in. Jess led the large burning bird inside, and was followed by the others, leaving Dipper and Mabel to close the door. It was just in time, as all the doors to the hallway shattered. Townsfolk rushed into the hall.

In the dance hall with her mother and still recovering father, Pacifica watched worriedly. Townspeople approached. Their angered faces and marching steps overwhelmed the fifteen-year-old, who stepped closer and closer to her mother, still sitting on the floor with her husband. Only a few feet from then trio, the mob stopped, glaring down at the three. One figure, taller and wider in the shoulders than the rest stepped out and pointed to Pacifica.

Manly Dan Corduroy demanded of them, "Where is the bird?"

---

"You brought a what back to my shack?!" Stan demanded.

"A phoenix," Dipper repeated, "One that's weak and needs somewhere dry and warm to keep alive so that when it gets strong again, it'll leave with Jace and Jess."

Stan stood at the step of the gift shop entrance, staring at Dipper and Mabel as they stood just out of the rain, under the overhang. Behind them, Wendy stood in the rain by the van, holding her hand over the van back door, where the orange glow of the animal in question radiated out. Inside the van, steam was building, as the air inside the van had been slowly increasing in temperature. Only a sliver crack was allowed for the windows, as any amount of cool air would hamper the Phoenix's growth.

Zander Maximillion sat on one of the arms of the outdoor couch, listening intently to the conversation. He had informed Stan to the coming of the twins and their passenger; the dangerous bird that had crashed into town. Arline stood next to him; her arms crossed as she too observed.

"This thing could do more than warm up inside. It could warm up the entire building – by burning it to the ground!" Grunkle Stan scolded them, waving an arm to the building. Behind him, Soos and Yuki peered from the screen door.

"But we can control it. Jace and Jess, well, right now just Jess," Dipper admitted, as Jace was still loopy and very out of his own head, "Can speak to the phoenix. They'll make sure it won't burn anything–"

"Really? Anything?" Stan demanded, "You promise me nothing catches on fire?"

"We can almost promise?" Mabel offered.

"For crying out loud," Arline pushed over and around Zander, stomping next to Stan, "They need help! This is a dying member of an endangered species! You think you'd be a little more thrilled to help out."

The last thing Stan wanted was Arline's opinion. "Fine," he snarled, "You go light it on fire some and tell me how that works out for ya," Stan bickered at Arline, "But as it stands, I live in a wooden building, which is also my livelihood, as well as a livelihood for three others! And that thing," he pointed to the van, "Is going to be very efficient at destroying everything I have here."

Arline got before Stan's face. "Oh no, that's right; you just aren't making money any more these days, are you?" Arline said to the side of his face, "What? Is a thousand dollars a night not enough to consider upgrading your little shed in the woods?"

Stan's nostrils flared and he flashed his teeth in a growl. "Shed!? Shed?! What are you callin' a shed?! It's mystery manor! Manor!"

Arline snickered with a sour note, "More like mystery mayhem." Stan was ready to advance on her.

Zander's voice immediately cut out with a simple, "Ooookay," as he stepped between them, from the couch to in the middle in a flash, "That's enough you two." His hands met the shoulders of the opposing figures. Dipper and Mabel watched as his green, emerald eyes peer into the fiery gaze of both opponents, and never withheld his position. Arline sighed and turned away, and Zander looked back to Stan. "What's your answer going to be, big guy?" he asked to Stanly. "Feel like turning your grand-kids away?"

"Oh, don't you-" Stan pointed at Zander, who only raised his eyebrows. Stan growled and put a large hand over his face. "I wasn't going to turn anyone away," he assured Zander, who grinned. Arline audibly scoffed, drawing the man's attention. "I don't need any lip from you!"

"You could do with a little lip," Arline chuckled darkly. Zander pointed at her, using only his small gesture as a warning. Arline grunted and faced away again.

Zander smiled to the twins. "Let's get it inside then," Zander told the twins.

"Okay!" Dipper spun around and ran back into the rain with Mabel.

"Get it inside ASAP!" Mabel roared, "We have a bird to cook up! Heat up. Uh, not eat. That just doesn't sound good," Mabel realized, wiping hair away from her face as she ran over. Wendy had slapped the side of the van with her hand. The back doors popped open, and a wave of heat billowed out, shimmering in the cooler outdoor air.

"Gah!" Candy gasped as she stepped out, followed quickly by Jess, "It was a steamer inside. I am slightly melted."

Calling ahead, Jess shouted, "Make room!" Jess called as she waved her feathers towards the shack.

Like a cannon blast, the Phoenix leapt out from the van and darted into the air. The rain quickly struck it, and with a loud splat, the bird struck the mud and ground. Arline ran towards them as Jess tried forcing the bird to stand up. The armguards along Arline's arms scraped against one another, creating sparks. With an efforted push, fire erupted around Arlines hands, and she unleashed a fireball the size of a car into the air. The ball of flame exploded, and the Phoenix was given enough time to stand back onto its feet. With the folks ushering it forward, it stomped through the soggy earth towards the shack. Grunkle Stan pushed the door aside, barely wide enough for the bird to squeeze in after Jess.

From inside, Grenda stepped out, helping down and out Jace. He stumbled, but without pain or numbness in his step, he ran after his sister. The group had managed to bring the phoenix back. As the entire party stepped inside the gift shop, Jace stumbled over to his sister, and sat next to her. The Phoenix had crumbled to the floor, uttering a low and pained series of chirps. The bright orange and red glow of the animal had started to fade.

"It's not doing so well," Jess said, her face wet with more than rain. "The wood beneath it isn't even warming up."

"What can we do to help it?" Dipper asked.

Jace announced, his words mixing together, "Gibitfire."

"Not inside!" Stan begged, "You'll burn everything to the ground!"

Arline reminded him heatedly, "Dying miracle species we're talking about here."

"Stanley has a point," Zander told Arline as he leaned against the counter, scratching his chin, "We can't just feed it heat. If it gets too hot, it'll burn the building to the ground, and then neither Stan nor the bird will have any protection from the elements." To this argument, Arline said nothing, but grimaced and rubbed her eyes.

The harpies stared at their weakened, frail elemental creature. Jess admitted, "I... I don't know."

"We needta hold it here 'til the rain passes," Jace announced, fighting his hardest to not slur his words. "When the rain's gone, the phoenix will b' able to warm up outside."

"That can't be too long, right?" Arline asked.

Those native to the area sighed, Zander chuckled, and Yuki shook his head. "The pacific northwest of America is known for its long spouts of heavy rain," Yuki informed her.

"For all we know," Zander added, "This poor thing could be here for a while."

"Well, that's not so bad," Mabel cheerily stated, "That means we get to learn about a phoenix, and Jace and Jess can stick around and watch after it! What's so bad with that?"

"And who's going to pay for their food costs? Living expenses?" Stan asked.

"Man, you're greedy," Arline snorted.

"You know what? I could be worse!" Stan whipped around and yelled at her. As he turned and faced her, he looked past her towards the door, and blinked. "Like... for example... I could an angry mob of residents from Gravity Falls."

"Oddly specific, but still a worthy comparison," Soos admitted.

Wendy looked to the ground, her eyes staring at the wooden boards. "Anyone else feel that?" she asked around. Dipper and Mabel both glanced to the ground as the rest of those gathered did. There was indeed something to the ground that begged their attention. It was shaking.

Stan said, as the group turned towards the doors, "You see Soos, I'm not just making it up. I'm definitely not as bad as that."

Outside, coming up the inclining hill towards the Mystery Manor, was none other than the mob that the gang had so narrowly avoided. A collection of angered men, furious women, and enraged others, the whole cluster was easily several hundred strong. As Pacifica had warned them, torches blazed into the night storm, resisting the efforts of the falling rain. Daniel 'Manly Dan' Corduroy himself led the march, an axe in his hand as he glared at the shack.

"Oh crud," Yuki gulped.

"I got this," Zander said, pushing himself off from the counter, adjusting his scarf.

"Are you kidding me!?" Mabel gasped, and ran up, pulling on Zander's jacket to turn and see her, "They're big, angry and scary! What are you going to do?"

Stan, worried for a loss in potential income, agreed with preserving the rich man. "Yeah – not exactly a good idea going out there to hold them on your own. But what's the plan, rich boy?" he asked.

Zander flashed a smile at them all. "I'm good with crowds," Zander said and patted Mabel's arm before gently pulling himself from her grip. He looked up to Jace and Jess. "Start considering hiding that somewhere." He then turned away and stepped outside. The twins, Wendy, and Soos all followed the man to the door and watched him step outside as the others all congregated together around the phoenix.

"Good evening!" Zander called to the group, "What are so many good people doing out on a damp day like this?" he asked.

"Can it, rock-star," Manly Dan told him, coming to a stop mere feet from him. The entire mob behind him halted and watched carefully Manly Dan. "There's a bird inside that building that belongs to me, my family, and the people of Gravity Falls. Unless you want to be punched out of the way, then move out of my way."

"C'mon now," Zander was unmoved by the threat, and inside Wendy stepped away from the door, hands at her mouth. Zander added calmly, letting himself remain calm, "Daniel, this isn't really your say."

"It landed in my mill," Manly Dan told him, advancing, "And in our town!"

"But really, just because something falls into your lawn doesn't make it yours," Zander pointed out. Manly Dan growled, gripping tightly onto the axe in his hand.

Inside, Dipper turned to look at Wendy, who had started to walk away. "Wendy," Dipper hissed, "Do something! Get your dad to chill out!"

"I-I can't!" she said, her eyes wide and her body trembling.

"Why not?" Dipper demanded through gritted teeth.

"Uh – because – because – He doesn't know I'm working here!" Wendy told Dipper. His eyes narrowed and his mouth dropped out. Wendy groaned and stepped closer. "Listen man, he wanted me to work at a lumber mill with his family in the north. I wanted to stay. So, uh, I send him postcards every once in a while, to let him know how it's going. He doesn't know I'm here! O-Otherwise he'd send me away," she explained.

"Dude, can't you at least tell him to chill out or something?" Soos asked to her.

"My dad? Chill? Have you met my dad?" she asked. As Dipper opened his mouth to berate her, annoyed with her lack of effort, the door behind them opened. Zander pushed through, soaked and frustrated looking. Quick to get heat off her, Wendy hastily inquired, "No luck?"

"None," Zander frowned, "The Northwests sent these fine people here. Something along the lines of 'giving the Pines their regards'," Zander explained as he patted his head, pushing droplets of water away from his scalp.

"Great," Stan scowled. "So when do I grab my guns and shoot to kill?" Stan asked. The twins, Arline, and Wendy all burst out instantly, demanding he take no such action. "Okay! Fine! Jeesh, just trying to think proactively."

Zander told them all, "Let's try avoiding bloodshed."

"All they want is the phoenix?" Wendy asked Zander, who nodded.

"What do we do then?" Jess asked her brother. In his struggle to remain upright and not collapse over, he sighed and shrugged. "Mabel? Dipper?" she asked again, looking to the twins with a deep plea in her eyes.

Dipper rubbed his hand over his jaw, feeling the scratch of his facial hair. What could they do? It was a lot of people outside, and a lot of angry people if they didn't hand over the weakened phoenix. To challenge the mob wouldn't be smart, Dipper reasoned. However, they couldn't hand over the phoenix. While the townsfolk plan was more than likely less devious than that of the Northwest family, they did seem to desperately want it. It was startlingly similar to what had happened three years ago, with Ford and Bill. Only, this time, the people outside wanted to be there.

Dipper looked to his sister. Mabel glumly turned her head side to side. They may have to surrender this one time.

As Dipper turned, ready to announce their suggestion to turn over the phoenix, Arline whipped around and marched past the twins. Adjusting her armbrace, she glanced behind her once. "I'll buy as much time as I can," she told the gang.

"Master," Mabel called, running up to her, "You actually are going to-"

"Me?" Arline snorted, "Against a ton of untrained country bumpkins?" Grunkle Stan protested her comment with a loud 'hey!' but she ignored him. "Mabel, I'll be fine." Arline laid a hand onto Mabel's shoulder, and grinned at her student. "Stay here. Protect your friends. Let me protect you."

The group went silent as Arline marched outside, stretching her neck and arms. She stepped in between the unstable mob, her hands and fingers flexing and moving about quickly. As she took her place between the Mystery Manor and the mob, she planted her feet and struck her armbraces against one another. The mob gasped and bent backwards as Arline held fire in her hands, and glared ahead.

"Anyone who wants the phoenix has to go through one themselves," she said, "Arline the Rising Phoenix isn't going to let just anyone take away an important animal."

"Shove over, kiddo," a voice said as Arline was pushed aside.

She stumbled, and turned to the new figure, but held her retort. Stan Pines stood there, having removed his jacket and added a pair of brass knuckles to his image. Adjusting their fit, Stan looked over the Arline, who frowned and stared at the older man.

Answering her unvoiced question, he chuckled. "Ha. Like heck am I going to let you defend my home for me," he told her as he rolled a shoulder slowly. He then turned to the group, "So listen up, you angered boneheads! These are my punching hands!" he roared, causing a few in the mob to flinch or otherwise shout back. "They're old, worn, but ready to rumble. So, if you think you can come here and demand a deal from me on your terms and not mine, you've got another thing coming!"

Arline turned back to the crowd, giving Stan side-eyes. "Good thing you decided to stick up for your own establishment."

"Shut it. I don't back down when my family is concerned," Stan told her.

Another scampering of footfalls arrived from behind the duo. "Y-yes!" Yuki ran up next to Stan, securing his hat onto his head, "And I too shall defend my position at the Mystery Manor. Please vacate the premises!"

"Yuki, you're about as intimidating as a duck," Stan commented as he looked up and down Yuki's thin frame.

"I understand I do not fit your figure, but I will help my friends," he said, swallowing as he looked back out at the many darkening, drenched faces.

"Yeah!" Grenda appeared next to him, flexing her shoulders widely and boisterously. "Time to work those new wrestling moves! Let's go! Bring it!" She roared.

"Well," a fifth voice said, "I might as well help out," Zander added, as he stepped up next to Arline. He scratched his hands absentmindedly. "Didn't think my first month in town would get me all this commotion. Oh well," he sighed, "Might as well make this memorable."

The crowd, despite outbursts of voice or ability, remained determined. Manly Dan, his beady eyes blazing with fury, stared down each of the five standing in the way. "This is your last warning!" Manly Dan shouted to the group, his axe held forward, "Give us the phoenix and stand aside!"

Arline gave the warning one last thought. "How about... no," Arline decided and grinned at the enraged lumberjack. "Your move."

"Dooh!" a frail man with a moustache and scrawny limbs angrily cried out, "Get 'em, get 'em!" The waves of people lurched forward, charging out at the five vigilant defenders.

"Guys! Stan!" Dipper called, watching from the window.

Arline met combat first, actually leaping forward and kicking out. Her foot made a solid strike, and lifted an unprepared assailant into the air. Her speed and dexterity constantly had her move between shocked and startled member of the crowd. She ran around, using her feet as primary weapons of choice. There would be no use of the fire on her arms; that would be too extreme. Instead, she flew around, spinning and jutting out bursts of fire to ward off would-be attackers to her.

Stan was less docile to the oncoming horde. With a throaty bellow, he swung back and forth with both his hands, clobbering person after person. Some spun and teetered off their feet to the mud and dirt while others took the punch and came back with their own. Grunkle Stan was more than prepared for retaliation, and blocked each attack like a true student of boxing. Yet around him people began to push back.

Yuki was easily the least aggressive. He stood upright, grabbing people who tried pushing past him, and lifting them into the air with one arm. "If you could please," he asked one as he lifted him high above his head, "Just settle down and return home, there would be no need for such violence-"

"Bodyslam!" Grenda roared.

Next to Yuki, the tall, wide shouldered woman crushed an unsuspecting man into the mud, flattening him onto his back. More rushed to her, but Grenda was quick on her feet; able to stand and quickly gain a footing against those who tried pinning her down. "One moment," Yuki told the person he held upwards. With an easy grasp, Yuki reached over and lifted one of the attacking members on Grenda, and tossed him and the other over the heads of the crowd like ragdolls.

"Nice work!" Grenda told him as someone tackled her. "Yow!" she cried, flattened on the ground.

"Do not hurt her!" Yuki gasped as he ran to protect her, prying body after body from her.

Zander Maximillion eyed the approaching mob. Upright and his arms loose he slowly undid his scarf from his neck. Holding it between his two hands from either end, the scarf was pulled taught. He whirled forward in a rehearsed spin, and cracked the scarf like a whip. Several more nervous attackers flinched, or fled. Others kept their course, despite the intimidation. One rushed at Zander, ready to punch the metalheads face. Zander stepped past him, wrapping the scarf around their neck. Only keeping his hands past their shoulders, Zander then pulled the scarf forward. The attacker was flipped into the air, slamming down onto their face. Zander, looking rather calm about the process, began to repeat the process of wrapping the beautiful scarf around people, and then yanking them to their doom.

Yet it was five against many. Arline was easily the most efficient at crowd-controlling, darting between would be attackers with her kicks and knees. She fought hard, and if she sweat it couldn't be told apart from the rain. All the same, people were finding their way closer and closer to the front entrance.

There, Dipper and Mabel turned and shouted to the group.

"Candy!" Mabel shouted, pointing to her friend.

"You two!" Dipper shouted, pointing to their harpy friends.

The twins declared in unison, "Upstairs! Take the phoenix with you!"

"I'll protect them!" Wendy said, and she quickly turned and ran with the three and the massive, weak bird.

"Soos, get ready!" Mabel said as she found herself in stance.

Soos gulped loudly. "Yeah, I'm not so sure about this dawgs, but I'm behind you two a hundred percent, and then another one hundred just because there's two of you," Soos said.

The front door was knocked off its hinges as a crash of lightning illuminated the sky behind the mob members. Dipper side-stepped one of the advancers and swiped his foot underneath the legs of the first attack. As he fell and hit the floor, another came in, this time met with a jump kick by Mabel to the chest. That man fell back out the front door, knocking back with him another aggressor.

"We're closed, dawg!" Soos shouted. He lifting up rack of merchandise, and shoved it into the face of another charging mob member. "Nothing for sale!"

At Soos words, a member of the mob was stunned. He was so taken aback that Dipper and Mabel flanked him. He didn't have time to react or say a word. Instead, he gasped as he had his leg kicked out from under him and Mabel shoved him to the floor and stomped him in the gut once, just to be sure.

"Sorry!" Mabel apologized. She, Dipper, and Soos backed up, and Mabel told them, "I do kind of feel bad doing this to normal people!"

Dipper called aloud, "Apologize later! They're still coming in!"

More of the mob filed into the room, and the twins and Soos met them with their best fight. One after another the two knocked them aside, pushed them back, threw them against a wall, or in Soos's case, bashed them with the merchandise rack.

Then a tall, enormous figure stepped inside, cracking his knuckles and without a hatchet. "Out of the way, little boy and little girls," Manly Dan told them as he marched forward, stepping over the knocked-out fellows of his mob.

"Dan!" Dipper held a hand out, "Why are you doing this!?"

"Because I want the phoenix!" he shouted back.

"Why?!" Mabel also asked.

"Because–" Manly Dan swung a powerful but impressively hook, which Dipper and Mabel both ducked away from, "– I need it's ashes!"

"Selling the ashes is still killing the animal for money!" Dipper told him.

"Yeah dude! Not so cool!" Soos added as he swatted Manly Dan with the Merchandise rack. As the man held up his arm to deflect Soos's onslaught, the growled and looked to the twins.

"I'm not in this for the money!" he bellowed, and grasped the merchandise rack from Soos. Without a single grunt or strain, the man closed the rack and all its contents into a single beach-ball sized sphere within a single moment.

"Dudes, just go!" Soos said, pushing them away, "I got him!"

"Soos, you totally don't have this!" Dipper told him as Manly Dan began to approach Soos.

"Just go on without me! I'll, uh, grab onto his leg and weigh him down!" Soos informed them.

"But Soos-" Mabel shouted.

"Go!" Soos declared, and with his arms out before him, he rushed at Manly Dan.

On the last word of their friend and veteran employee of the Mystery Shack turned Mystery Manor, the twins turned and fled through the doorway. Turning to the left, they climbed quickly up the stairs, and found their bedroom door. Inside was a cramped space, as a massive bird, the harpies, Candy, and Wendy all watched them with anticipation.

"The rain isn't letting up," Candy announced as she peered at the window.

"We can tell," Jace grumbled as he rubbed his hair roughly.

"They're getting closer, aren't they?" Jess asked. Dipper looked to her and nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. Jess scratched at the feathers on the sides of her face. "Jace... what do we-"

"Look," Wendy suddenly piped up, turning around to face the group, "I know this isn't going to make me popular here, but maybe we should consider giving them the bird."

"What!?" Dipper yelled.

"Wendy, are you serious?" Mabel gasped.

Desperation flooded the redheads voice. "Look, I know we've been in some pretty crazy tight spots before," she admitted, "But this is too like that mob years ago! This time we don't have an off-switch for the mob! They're gonna keep coming, because we have what they want! They're fighting down there just for this bird! Just a lousy bird, guys!"

Jess, incensed at Wendy's comment, shouted, "The last of its kind isn't lousy!"

"And I heard what your dad wants to do with it," Dipper told Wendy, who snapped her eyes closed, "He's going to get it's ashes for something." Wendy remained rooted to the spot, her eyes sealed shut. "You know what that means, Wendy?" Dipper asked her forcefully, "He wants it dead! Nor locked up somewhere – he wants it to die to get it's ashes!"

"I know dude, I get it," Wendy nodded as she opened her eyes and looked anywhere but at him.

Dipper demanded, his throat tightening, "Then why are you thinking this?"

"Because I'm thinking for us now," she quietly pleaded. "Guys, if we let this thing get out of hand, what makes you think they're just going to stop when they get the bird. If we hand it over now, maybe they'll leave!"

"Wendy-"

"Dipper!" Wendy yelled and rushed over, grasping his shoulders, "Dude, c'mon. This is me we're talking about here. I'm with you! I'm on your side." she reminded him with a shake of his shoulder, "And we can trust each other, right?"

"Wendy-" Dipper looked away, feeling his throat close tightly on his speech. He had wanted to deny her the luxury of agreeing with her. Truthfully, he wasn't sure if he trusted her or not. She was trying to send the phoenix away to her dad. She held secrets from him and Mabel. She... acted the same as she always had. Dipper finally locked eyes with her, and felt his resistance fall away. He wanted to curse himself for being unable to bite back.

A shrill, scratchy voice screamed, "Why should he trust you!?"

The room went silent. All eyes fell on a panting young girl by a weak burning beast. Jess glared at Wendy with her sky-blue eyes burning with the same fury and energy Dipper had seen in the phoenix itself.

Mabel, taken aback, quietly mumbled, "Jess?"

Jace stepped over to Jess. "Sis, c'mon," Jace pulled at her arm. She yanked away, and marched closer to the two of them: Dipper and Wendy.

"I've heard about your secrets, Wendy!" Jess spouted aloud. Wendy's face shot red like she had just been slapped hard, but she said nothing, instead moving away from Dipper and staring fearfully at the shorter being. Jess pushed her advantage further, "You've been hiding them from Dipper, and from Mabel!"

"I-I've not," Wendy mumbled as she swallowed loudly, looking around the room as she felt her hair between her hands.

"You're lying!" Jess shouted, tears in her eyes, "Dipper knows!"

Dipper felt his heart stall. Jess had said... what?

Jess outrage wasn't done. "Dipper told me about your stupid little secrets! And you know what makes me more mad than anything else!?" she shouted, "Is that you get to keep them away from you, and he just let's it happen!" she shouted at Wendy, who's wide green eyes trembled as they focused on Jess. "You just walk all over him with these stupid, stupid lies, and he... he... he likes you too much to want to force you to tell him the truth!"

"Jess, stop it!" Jace shouted.

Jess swallowed, but her scowl did not fade. "He's your friend! He likes you like... like... I... and you just-"

With as much sternness as his voice could muster, Jace yelled "Jess, that's enough!"

The younger sister heaved and sealed her mouth. Her brother was panting behind her, his eyes now too ablaze with the ferocity to match her own. She stepped around, daring to look back at her older sibling. He looked at her, his anger fading once he saw the tears in her eyes. Upon their full connection, Jess closed her eyes and began to cry. Holding her hands to her face, she stood there, letting tears hit the floor.

"Dipper..." Wendy's trembling voice called out.

He barely had the strength to look in her direction.

"It's not fair," Jess muttered, "He likes you even though you treat him like that. I couldn't even become friends with him until I told him about being a harpy. But you? Why do you get special treatment!?"

WHAM.

The door behind Dipper rattled and Jess screamed. The Phoenix squawked and clawed it's way away from the door. Someone outside was beginning to push against it, forcing the wood to cave inwards.

"It's him!" Mabel said.

Dipper wasn't responding to the stimuli of the world around him.

So... the secret was out. Wendy now knew that he had been keeping tabs on her. Dipper couldn't even to begin trying to understand how he should feel. Instead, he slowly lifted his eyes to hers, and they met. Her green to his brown, and finally he saw a flicker of truth.

She looked tired. So incredibly tired.

Through the echoing dryness in his throat, Dipper began to say, "Wendy–"

With a mighty roar, the redhead whipped towards the door and shoved back. The door snapped straight again and on the other side, a surprised gasp echoed from the other side. The Phoenix squawked again, and turned its gaze to the window.

"Who the heck did that!?" Manly Dan called. "Who the heck is strong enough in there to do that!?"

"Great, he's here," Mabel grumbled, looking around. "Maybe we can put some furniture by the door."

"Won't stop him," Wendy stated quietly. WHAM. Wendy flinched but held her ground as the door was slammed again. She held her ground and footing. Despite her size disadvantage, she was able to withhold her own father from coming through.

Candy, spotting Dipper's numb response to the world, rushed closer to Mabel. She offered, "We could try reasoning with him? Maybe if we say we'll give it to him when the storm ends, he'll leave?"

"No way," Wendy shook her head. WHAM. "Gah!" Wendy groaned, feeling the bulging door against her back. "Guys, just give it to him! Please!" Wendy shouted to them.

Through the door, Manly Dan demanded, "H-hey, who's in there!?"

Mabel walked to Dipper, holding his shoulder. "Dipper... the storm... it's just not ending today."

"I know! But... but there has to be another-"

"Dipper," Mabel said gently, her voice understanding and yet so very heavy with pain. Staring into Dipper's eyes, Mabel silently admitted to her doubt about their chances. Dipper sighed and nodded. It wasn't good odds to begin with, and with the way things were turning out, it was only getting worse.

"Okay... maybe we should-"

The Phoenix let out it's loudest cry, and attempted to flap it's wings. Jess and Jace were lifted back and away by the force of the wind billowing around. The bird's beak pecked at the glass, where in its eyes it saw the many torches in the rain. Fire teased the bird, and it pecked again at the glass.

"What is it doing!?" Jess shouted.

"It's trying to escape," Jace breathed.

"No!" Jess cried out, and ran forward towards the Phoenix. She was caught and held back by her brother.

Jace yelled, "Don't! It could hurt you!"

"It's just confused and scared!" she shouted, "We need to stop it! It'll hurt itself!"

"Jess, stop!" Jace told her. She stomped down on his foot, delivering more than an adequate blow to his toes. As Jace howled in agony and fell backwards, Jess tried running forward again. The moment she stepped forward, reading to calm the Phoenix, it unleashed it's unearthly cry. Everyone in the room and outdoors held their hands to their ears.

The glass before the phoenix shattered, and the bird hopped through. It dove at the crowd. Rain struck its back.

"No!" Jess shrieked, rushing towards the broken window. Dipper rushed forward, holding her back from grasping the shards of glass on the windowsill.

"What – what's happening in there!?" Manly Dan's voice barely was audible under the chaos from the outdoors now rushing inside.

"It's gone," Wendy said quietly, and sank to the floor.

Outside, the five defenders and the mob rushed to part as the massive phoenix crashed into the mud. Torrents of fire, steam, and ash billowed around the air in waves large enough to completely consume anyone who might have been slow enough to stand by it. Soon the mob was dispersing, running into the trees and behind cars to avoid the unraveling of a phoenix. The last phoenix.

"Let me go, Dipper!" Jess shouted, unable to fight Dipper's stronger grip.

"It's too late," he told her, tightly holding her shoulders as she winced and began to whine. "It's gone."

"No! No! It needs to... to come home with Jace and me. Dipper, let me go!" she tried again, but found the same amount of resistance. "No! Please! I... I wanted... no!"

The weeping Harpy was entirely drowned out by the death rattles of the Phoenix. Growing smaller and smaller as it spiraled in its panic, the phoenix's steam and fire soon became the center of the location of the former mob brawl. It was an ever shrinking hurricane of dwingling heat, steam, and smoke. The falling rain, unfeeling towards the death of such a creature, slowly parted the mist that was once steam. The last of the plumes of fire spluttered, and then faded into shadow.

Manly Dan pushed his way out from the crowd, having run all the way down the stairs and into the mud. He gasped and shoved his way through, demanding he be unstopped. Finally, he stood in the center of the crowd, staring down at a pile of wet ashes.

"No... no," he grunted.

Manly Dan's knees gave away as he stared at the soaking wet ashes piled messily before him.

The crowds had begun to disperse and march back to town. Upon threat of the cops showing, and arresting those that Stan claimed assaulted him and caused property damage, the entirety of the mob had departed in mere minutes once the phoenix had fallen. All but Manly Dan had left, and he still sat in the rain, staring into the pile with empty, lost eyes.

Eventually a small figure walked past him. There was a poison in her eyes when she looked at him.

Dan turned to her, his eyes red. "A phoenix rises from the ashes, right?" Manly Dan asked to Jess.

She stared at the pile and scoffed; her nose stuffed. "If the ashes are warm," she told him. Without a moment of forgiveness to present him, she reached over and plucked a handful of ashes and tossed it into the air. "Freezing cold. Not even good dirt. All because of you," she said.

The outdoor defenders of the Mystery Manor had taken to sit on, lean on, or lean nearby the outdoor couch. Dipper and Mabel stepped out into the rain again. They watched Manly Dan rise up so slowly with his head hung. The massive man looked once to Jess.

"I... I'm not sorry for trying," he said and swallowed a knot in his throat. Jess watched him go, her wet feathers and hair dripping to the ground.

"The last phoenix," Mabel muttered quietly, "Now... gone."

"Well, at least we're still here," Grunkle Stan sighed, and leaned back into the couch. "That's something, isn't it?"

Zander, leaning on the wall and looking entirely untouched, let out a long sigh. "I can't say I share your enthusiasm, Stanley," Zander admitted. "That was an animal, the last of its kind, wasted on a mob fight."

The inhabitants of the couch sat, staring at the floor of the ceiling as Dipper and Mabel stepped out. Mabel hasted her stride, rushing to make it to Jess's side. When Mabel slid to a stop next to the young harpy, Jess barely noticed. Perhaps it was the broken splatter of raindrops that struck Mabel that broke Jess's daze. The young harpy turned to Mabel, and then grabbed her around the waist, bawling into her stomach. As Dipper watched, feeling his mouth twitch with weight, a pair of footsteps told him of Jace's arrival.

Jace's face was twisted with pain. His eyes held such a grief that Dipper had never thought to see in such a beautiful person. Jace wiped his eyes. "So much for going home with a mission success," he sniffled as he wiped past his nose with his arm.

Dipper, feeling the weight of the events prior holding him down, managed to say, "Can't always win."

"Guess not," Jace admitted. He looked to Dipper, who managed to glance back. Jace looked upset. He said, "I'm sorry for what Jess did. She's... uh... might be a bad time to tell you-"

"Really into me," Dipper finished for him.

Jace nodded. "Yeah. So... Wendy kind of got on her nerves. That did not mean she should have done that–"

"It's okay dude," Dipper told him, patting his back, "I get her."

"... Well, you may get her, but are you going to be okay?" Jace asked.

Dipper turned away from him and looked to the shattered window of his room. There, he could see the observing gaze of Wendy. Those green eyes and red hair seemed so distant that it felt like they were a whole planet away, rather than fifty feet. Dipper shook his head and looked back to Jace. He could only shrug.

"Well," Grunkle Stan sighed as he looked at the damage to the building that had been done, "Most of the structure is fine. But all these windows and doors are going to be needing replacing."

Arline was less than sympathetic. "Again, you got my money. Use it," Arline told him, following him out into the now dying rain.

Stan grumbled, "I'd rather save it for a-"

"Rainy day?" Zander popped in, his arms tying his scarf back around his neck. "I think you missed that chance." Grunkle Stan overlooked the entirety of his building, prompting Zander to follow suit. Zander, growing a faint smile back on his lips, announced, "I like this place."

"You do!?" both Arline and Grunkle Stan gasped.

"Yeah. Exciting, isn't it?" Zander said calmly, "And, well, dramatic," he turned back and eyed Mabel, who was leading the harpy siblings to one another. Zander's stare went cold, his eyes carefully observing the Harpy siblings. He turned to Stanley Pines with a quick spin. "Stan, I want to make a simple proposal."

"I'm all about the simple," Grunkle Stan shrugged.

"I'll fund you to refurnish this entire building," Zander explained, waving his hand to the shack, "On two conditions – you leave it's purpose unchanged, and that you stop charging Arline here stupid amounts of money."

"Oh, come on," Stan chuckled, "It wasn't that–" Arline cleared her throat and glared at him. Stan caved in, saying, "Okay, yeah, it's a lot. Fine! Normal prices. So, how much are we talking here?"

"I don't know. I was considering buying a new sports car, but that can wait. I'll give you one million dollars for refurbishing," Zander said as he looked around. Stan clutched a hand to his chest and gasped rapidly. Zander just turned around in time to see Stan shake his head up and down like a runaway bouncing ball.

"Seriously? A million?" Arline asked, "Isn't that better suited for, like, donations?" she suggested.

"You never know," Zander said with a cheeky grin, "Sometimes the best investments are the ones you don't know are investments at all," he told her. "Well, Stanley," Zander said, giving them all a small bow, "I'm off. I expect a full plan for refurbishing by the end of the month. Until then... good luck with the uh, cleaning."

Zander was already walking away when Stan came through again, and glanced around. Indeed, glass and wooden plants were scattered around the ground from the building.

"Ugh. Kids! Yuki! Soos! Wendy!" he shouted, "Get to cleaning while I make sure I didn't dislocate my back!"

Dipper and Mabel had turned, acknowledging their Grunkle as he demanded their attention. Before them, as the night sky finally bled through the clouds, was red eyed Jess and grim Jace.

"You know," Mabel said, biting her lip, "When I said we needed to give you guys a tour of town, this wasn't what I had in mind."

"Neither here," Jace chuckled. "Then again, a lot of things happened that shouldn't have."

Dipper wanted to apologize. It somehow felt like it was their fault the misfortune came to Jace and Jess. "I'm sorry that..." Dipper started, but at a sniffle from Jess, he found his speech blocked. He couldn't remind her of their failure.

"Don't worry about it," Jace shrugged, "One day, maybe we'll find some source of magic, or something, and Phoenix can be brought back into the world again. Until then... they're now just a legend, and a story," Jace said. He reached out and patted his sister's back. "We need to get going."

"Back to Canada, huh?" Mabel asked.

"For now," Jace confirmed, "Now that our family won't be watching Phoenix, we can live where ever we really want to. Maybe we'll move... who knows," Jace shook his head. "Can we make it so next time we see one another; we're not running for our lives trying to save something we consider more important than our lives?"

"That's a heck of a promise," Mabel eyed Jace with a critical eye, but grinned, "How about we just start with saying we need to see each other again?"

"Fine by me," Jace said, and embraced Mabel in a hug. He turned to Dipper, and gave him the same, "One day we'll just be able to hang out like... like normal people."

"That'd be nice," Dipper replied. Jace nodded once to each of them, and turned. "Jess, we gotta go." She nodded, and turned away. "You're not going to say goodbye?" Jace asked. Jess's head twitched but slowly she shook it. "Why not?"

The younger harpy's entire face scrunched up. Mabel, ever the sympathetic heart, kneeled down to her. "Aww, Jess," Mabel whined, coming up to her as tears welled in her eyes. Jess let the hug wrap around her, but eventually she gave in. She turned as well and embraced Mabel. After letting go of the brunette, she turned and raced to Dipper. He grinned and extended his arms out, Jess slamming into his stomach.

Jess was a blubbering mess. "I-I'm s-s-so sorry," Jess mumbled over her tears.

"Hey, it's okay," Dipper told her, "If anything, I'm the one who should be apologizing. We... didn't help you out this time."

Wiping away at her face, Jess mumbled, "But I... I made you and Wendy-"

"It's okay," Dipper cut her off, his voice firm, but not angered. Jess swallowed her words and nodded. Once more she hugged him. Finally, she let go and turned away.

"C'mon, kiddo," Jace said, as he lifted his arms, letting the feathers splay outwards. Jess did the same. Dipper watched them jump, and then take to the air. Before long, he and Mabel were watching the siblings fly into the starry skies.

Feeling more exhausted than he had with any of Mabel's workouts, Dipper said to her, "Not a good day."

"Yeah. Started better, didn't it?" Mabel meekly suggested.

"A lot better."

"At least we have the memory of nice stuff, right?" she suggested, patting his shoulder. "So, I'm going to go grab all the camping gear, since our window is all busted up. We can camp in our rooms and pretend that we're camping like we used to!" she suggested and walked ahead of Dipper.

He chuckled and moved towards the doors. Inside, the clamor of cleaning and discussion reached his ears. Yet a soft sound behind him made him pause. He turned half way, and stalled his approach back inside. Mabel turned, and saw what Dipper saw. She was moving; Wendy had crawled down from the twins window, and made her way to the pile of ashes.

Dipper watched her while hiding behind on the supports on the porch. In the starlight, without a moon, Wendy was in mostly darkness and yet her green eyes shone as she leaned to the ashes. Her knees touched the muddy ground. Dipper watched as she, Wendy Corduroy, the unshakeable woman he had known for years, broke. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She cried into her hands, rattling the air with her shaky sobs.

Mabel stepped over to Dipper, putting a hand around his arm. Dipper couldn't move. He didn't know what to do, how to act, what to say. Wendy slowly wiped away her tears and looked his way. He couldn't tear his eyes from hers. She just looked so, incredibly exhausted. She stood up, watching him the entire time. Dipper couldn't move a muscle when she turned away. He couldn't make a sound as she disappeared down the road.

With Mabel's help, he found himself on the outdoor couch. She was asking him by name, but he was numb. Letting the weight of gravity pull him down, he came to a stark realization. He and Wendy had crossed a threshold.

Nothing between them would be the same ever again.

---

Not all endings are sweet, and not all fires are warm.

So, I normally have a lot to say, but I'm dead tired. Stupid week- ruining my schedule so that I have to write this from 12am to 5:50am in one night. BLAH. Well, please be mildly forgiving for the stupid errors I've made. I promise to go back and fix 'em up if you point them to me! :D

And there you have. Ashes in the Sky is now done. Hope you... well, I suppose enjoyed would be a little mean to say.

Next up: A Summerween Carol. If you have no idea what I'm referencing in the title... I've got news for you. You have a movie to go watch between now and next Sunday. GET TO IT.

(EZB passes out on the desk, snoring loudly. He has fallen asleep on the 'Sharks with lasers attached to their forehead' button, so he and his desk are instantly thrown into the shark tank. Where he is sliced to bits and eaten accordingly.)

---

Hewing trees was always a gambit. Direction of the fall could be calculated, debris accounted for. Even particularly rough trees always could be, with expertise, felled without great risk. Even with the many methods of protection and safety, one thing all lumberjacks, like Manly Dan, knew was that they always fell.

That was, perhaps, how he felt, walking back home, his feet dragging against the soften gravel of the winding road that led to the Mystery Manor.

Manly Dan hadn't had an easy life. Sadness was not a friend of his, and he fought it off, tooth and nail. Anger? That was easy, that was the friend. Anger kept him strong. It made him work hard. It made him tough.

If that was the case, why didn't he win? How did his strength, his anger, fail him?

Why was he still fighting back those damn tears?

He marched along the sidewalks, once he could. There were a few others in town who had joined his crusade still on their way home. They waved weakly to him, despairing in their own failure, or the realization of what they had done. Dan never saw them. He was alone in that head of his.

He was tough. He was tougher than this.

Still, he marched home. He walked up to that house nearby the lumbermills, that log cabin he shared with his kids. The boys would be home by now.

As his feet struck the stone-path walkway towards his front door, he stalled. The painful thrum in his heart demanded he look elsewhere. He tilted his head, that tearful scowl facing away. He saw the hill. He loathed that hill. The damned hill that Tallman Harker owned, and the land beyond it; it brought back memories too harsh to heal. He closed his eyes, and willed himself not to cry.

He already had done enough of that before. He had to man up.

Or, at least, that was what he thought helped. Now, slightly uncertain it was working for him, Daniel Corduroy strolled to his home, and slumped inside.

---

(Vigenere)

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