AN: Well guys! Here's the next chapter! Sorry I was late AGAIN. I was simply bogged down with packing and stuff; I'm going on vacation tomorrow!

And OMG yes Arylia Scry! You actually got the anagram near right! "The Axolotl is a player"

Sorry you don't like Dipcifica, Nina, but I love it! Alex also hinted at it in Journal 3 and in the new colouring book so what's not to like? But I understand it's your opinion!

though MaBill is actually my second favourite ship!

Okay!

Chapter Sixty: Runes And True Love

The thunder crackled through the air as Dipper stood in front of his brother's grave with Mabel, Wendy, Stan, Ford...practically the whole town.

"It's my fault!" Mabel sobbed. "It's all my fault!"

Dipper yelled and shot up, panting as sweat slid down his brow. "Matthew?"He croaked.

The dream felt so...real.

On shaking legs, Dipper slid out of his bed, walking towards Matthew's bedroom door, his fist hovered for a few seconds before he knocked gingerly.

"Come in," Matthew said in a strained voice.

Dipper opened the door, seeing his brother doing shirtless pushups on the floor.

"What're you doing?" Dipper questioned.

"Working out," Matthew said, getting up, stretching one arm over the other, biceps flexing.

"But...why?" Dipper said, sitting on the large bed.

"Bill's coming," Matthew said darkly. "Can't be getting out of shape, right?" Matthew went into a handstand.

"What's up with you?" Matthew asked.

"Nightmare vision—thing," Dipper said quietly.

"And I guess you wanted to talk about it?" Matthew came out of his handstand and sat next to Dipper, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"I was at your funeral," Dipper murmured, feeling his brother's muscles tense. "And Mabel kept saying...saying it was her fault."

Matthew swallowed thickly. "It was just a dream, though, right?"

Dipper wanted to say yes. That it was just some dumb nightmare...

But he knew it wasn't.

"Dipper?"

The brunette clenched his fists. "Hey can I...sleep with you tonight?"

Matthew nodded slowly as Dipper moved into his bed, his face a mask of worry.

Matthew's thoughts drifted to a million different things. Bill. Damion. Penelope.

Matthew fell back in the bed and sighed.

"My life sucks..." he mumbled.

...M-A-B-E-L...

Mabel hugged herself under the covers, shivering from the nonexistent cold, her bow glowed brightly.

That's when she heard the voice.

"Mabel..." a voice drawled.

Knowing who it was, the girl hugged herself tighter, squeezing shut her eyes.

"Come now, Mabel. I know you—"

"Leave me alone!" She snapped. Her bow glowed vividly, and a blast of magic exploded through the room.

Mabel heard Damion grunt as he slammed against the wall.

"Mabel..." Damion's voice had gotten dangerously quiet.

Mabel got up, the blanket falling from her head as she scowled. "I'm not hurting Matthew again."

"Sweetie, you may be hurting him now, but you'll be saving him in the long run! Damion insisted, sitting on the girl's bed.

Mabel's frown deepened.

"The Axolotl is a player," Damion snarled. "You think he has Matthew's best interests at heart? No, this is a revenge plot."

"And you do?" Mabel crossed her arms.

"I do," Damion confirmed. "Do you trust me?"

"No."

Damion sighed lightly. "I don't want you to hurt your brother this time."

Mabel blinked slowly. "You don't?"

"No, no love." Damion smiled. "It hurts me to hurt him, believe it or not..."

"I just wanted to check on you."

"Why didn't you let Bill do it?"

Damion rose an eyebrow. "Would you have wanted that?"

"I'm just curious," Mabel said and placed her chin on her knees.

"Big things are coming, Mabel. Seeing how it's effected you, I'll convince the others not to have you in on too many plans but..."

Damion furrowed his brow. "It's better he becomes who he's supposed to be sooner than later."

"Who he's supposed to be is me and Dipper's older brother!" Mabel exclaimed.

Damion's lips twitched. "Ellie told me something similar."

"Mom?"

Damion smiled and slid off the bed. "Goodnight, Mabel."

...M-A-B-E-L...

Matthew blinked the sleep out of his eyes as he woke up slowly, his chin resting on Dipper's shoulder and his arm wrapped tightly around the younger boy's waist.

He rolled on to his other side, seeing his book bag on the floor, sticking out was the familiar cover of the Emerald Chronicle.

Turning to see if Dipper was still asleep, he picked up the book, flipping to the first yellowed page. The frustratingly incomprehensible runes stared back at him.

"Mmm...Matthew, what're you looking at?" Dipper's groggy voice penetrated his thoughts.

Matthew hesitated, then furrowed his brow. He didn't know why he should continue keeping this thing a secret...

"A book I found," Matthew said rolling back on to the bed and showing it to his brother.

Dipper rubbed his eyes, squinting at the book. "It looks very old, where'd you get it?"

"Harrison Manor," Matthew said. "The one problem is that I can't read any of this stuff."

Matthew showed his brother the pages.

"What do you think is in there?" Dipper asked. Matthew could already see the curiosity bouncing around in his brain.

"Something important enough for Bill Cipher to want—or at least something he will need," Matthew said.

If possible, the awe and curiosity increased in Dipper's eyes.

"Then we have to decipher it!" Dipper said enthusiastically.

"How?"

"Library?" Dipper suggested.

Matthew blinked slowly. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"You didn't?" Dipper demanded. "Yeesh. Are you sure you're an incarnation of an all-knowing all-seeing entity?"

"Shut up." Matthew took his pillow and slammed it on Dipper's head.

Dipper took another pillow and returned the favour, the two laughing as a pillow fight ensued.

...M-A-B-E-L...

"Are you feeling alright, Mabel?" Matthew asked as the trio sat at the library.

"Mhm," Mabel muttered unconvincingly, her head resting on her hands.

Dipper then came back, slamming a bunch of books on the library desk.

"Okay, all the books I could find on runes!" He announced, flipping pages on the first book. "Let's see..."

Mabel sighed and turned her head to the side. Her brothers were doing their nerd things so she really didn't want to engage.

That's when she saw him.

His blonde hair in a ponytail and his blue eyes...

Mabel got up from her position, her heart increasing its rhythm. "Oh. My. Gosh." She whispered.

There was no mistaking it, this was true love! At long, long, last she had found true love!

She got up and ran up to him, clearing her throat and saying, "Hey," in the most flirty manner possible.

The boy smiled at her. "Hey,"

"Soooo, puppets? I love puppets!" Mabel lied. "I mean they're so awesome!"

"Definitely," The boy smiled. "I'm Gabe."

"Mabel," The girl said with a grin.

"So, when's the puppet show?" He asked.

Mabel's smile slipped. "Puppet..."

"Well If you love puppets you have to have a show!" Gabe said, his left hand that had a bumble-bee puppet googled its eyes while the book puppet on his other hand was placed on his hip.

"Well duh! It's...it's on Friday!" Mabel chirped.

"Nice!" Gabe said. "See You then?"

Mabel nodded as Gabe walked off.

"Mabel, what did you just do?" Dipper accused as Mabel went back to the library desk.

"I got a potential new boyfriend!" She said proudly. "IF I pull off a puppet show!"

Matthew tensed he knew what happened next.

"He's not worth your time," Matthew said quickly.

"What do you mean?" Mabel frowned.

"I meant what I said," Matthew said.

"Yeah, help us with this! No?" Dipper gestured to the rune books.

"Psh, I'm not nerd!" Mabel said. "Please just help me with this!"

The duo exchanged a glance.

"Fine," Dipper sighed.

"No, wait a minute—!" Matthew said But was cut off my Mabel yelling happily in glee.

Matthew sank his shoulders. How could he say no? Mabel looked so happy for the first time in a long time...

He frowned, seeing Bill's shadow on the wall.

AN: Surprise! I'm doing Sock Opera!

I'll be on a three week hiatus due to vacation ;3

Fantasy Fan OUT!