Author's Notes: And the next chapter is up! As always, I ask that you enjoy and please review.


(Back with Dipper…)

Dipper sighed openly as the bus drove further away from the shack, getting the Stan twins to allow them to leave the house today had not been easy. Of course, Mabel's little adventure yesterday was the cause of it all. Okay, it wasn't the cause entirely, the truth was hearing about the multiple attacks that had happened in their absence had really freaked them out. Now the enemy had gotten bolder and started attacking out in the open whether Ford and Stan were around or not! Mabel however, had not only approached the enemy willingly, but sat down and had lunch with him!

Ford as expected had not been happy to learn that Mabel had blindly trusted a monster that hours ago had tried to steal from them right under their noses.

"You don't just conspire with the enemy like that Mabel." He had told her that morning as they were getting ready for school.

"Sorry Great Uncle Ford but I won't hear any of it." Mabel said, she had gained a new sense of confidence since her talk with Buff Frog. Already Dipper could see that her first solo lesson with Axolotl had made its mark. Mabel was no longer unsure about what it was she brought to their group. "Thanks to him we now know the real enemy, and what he's trying to do."

It was true of course, even Ford had to admit that an old follower of Seth's coming out of the shadows spelled out grave danger and dark days ahead. Still, he hated that Mabel had put herself in potential danger without knowing for sure that she wasn't going to get hurt. "I know." Ford said. "But he could have just easily have hurt you. You can't always expect the good out of everyone, you have to remember that there is evil in them too."

Mabel conceded giving Ford the answer he wanted to hear. "I'm sorry I worried you. I'll be more careful in the future. I promise."

Even still, that wasn't enough to get them out of the house because Stan was just as furious. "I can't believe you let your sister talk to a total stranger." He lectured Dipper, as his brother lectured Mabel.

"It was her quest Uncle Stan." Dipper argued. He hated when the two of them tag teamed their lectures.

"And who said that lizard could give you kids quest anyway?" Stan shouted back.

"He is the great Axolotl, and we are lucky to have him." Dipper said. "Besides it's not like we haven't been on quest before."

"You can go on a quest Dipper, because you can handle yourself, Mabel..." Stan paused. "Mabel's not ready."

"And she'll never will be if you keep forcing her to be in my shadow." Dipper told him. "Mabel did a great thing yesterday. She set out on her own and she found something that we can use. This Toffee is obviously trying to steal Bill's magic, maybe he thinks he can use it to bring back Seth."

"He can't." Ford had argued. "Seth is gone."

But for the first time ever, Dipper wasn't quick to believe him. It was weird, he never questioned his mentor before, but now somethings just weren't adding up. Like how Dipper had to find out from the enemy that Seth was an immortal Septarian! A fact that had been glazed over during his studies; seriously how could Ford leave out such an important detail. Especially when knowing this changed everything, he thought he knew about Seth.

How might you ask?

Septarian were immortal lizards that were impossible to kill! This was because they could regenerate anything; from limbs to even vital organs like the heart and brain. So, with that logic in mind, could anyone say with confidence that Seth was gone forever? Sure, Ford says they used an especially dark spell that could break the one who can't be broken but breaking something wasn't the same as killing it. And no one actually said that Seth was dead! No, when talking about the old demon King not once did his Uncle say he was killed. Instead, he and Stan always used the word defeated, even Bill's skit never used the words destroyed or killed.

Which made Dipper wonder if the evil demon king was secretly still among the living! What if Hannibal only weakened him? What if Toffee was only helping Tad so he could steal Bill's power for his true master? It was a terrifying thought, and his uncles weren't helping in chasing those fears away. Their constant overreacting over every near miss they had with Tad was starting to make Dipper think there was more to this than they were sharing.

"Look we've got to get to the bus stop." Dipper said. "Field trip or not, if we're not there it will still count as being absent."

"Fine." Ford agreed, he was always a stickler for attendance, and pressured the kids to never be tardy or to skip class. "But no more taking risk!" He warned. "I mean it Dipper, no shenanigans of any kind." He warned. "And if Tad or his goons show up, you kids run the other way. Promise me."

"I promise." Dipper had said, and he meant it. There would be no shenanigans from Bill today, and if Tad showed up, they would do their best to avoid him. At least that was Dipper's plan, Bill however had his own plans.

It was obvious to him the adults were keeping secrets from him, not just the Stan twins either, but his own parents too! After Mabel told them about Toffee and about Buff Frog's warnings, he had asked his father about it. It wasn't that he wanted to doubt his father per say, but as much as he hated it what Buff Frog was saying was making a lot of sense.

Tad had always been too dumb to get anywhere close to stealing his power. Now, his schemes were actually good. And even though he still lost it was obvious that Tad was getting closer to his goal, and there was no way that idiot was getting smarter. No, the more logical explanation was that he had hired a new goon. A mastermind who was charming as he was cunning, And Bill could think of no other species then that of a Septarian.

They were intelligent as they were malevolent, and while they were mostly described as lizards, they were actually the purest breed of demon out there. Not to mention they were the only ones besides Tad that would have a reason to want to steal his power. With Bill's abilities Seth could rise to be more powerful than ever before.

That had to be the game plan, that is if Buff Frog's words were true, and Bill was determined to find out if they were. So, he called his father, and got the same run around Mabel and Dipper had received from their uncles.

"A Septarian? No that's impossible, the giant toad must be mistaken." Hannibal had said. "We wiped them all out with your grandfather." He assured his son.

"And you're 100% sure?" Bill asked, he tries to look more worried than snappy, and it has the desired effect.

"William, I assure you that there is nothing to worry about. I mean have you even seen this Septarian?" Hannibal asked.

"No." Bill admitted.

"Of course not." Hannibal reasoned. "That is because they are all gone, this Toffee is simply a ploy made up by my brother to scare us into submission." He went on. "After the war every Septarian was hunted down and destroyed. Now stop focusing on this nonsense and continue with your studies…"

Bill groaned from his seat beside Dipper. How could he possibly focus on his studies right now when Tad was slowly getting better at achieving his ultimate goal? Even if the Septarian was made up, he couldn't avoid the fact that Tad was getting too close to success for comfort. Still, for Pine Tree's sake he tried to resist the urge to go completely rogue and hunt Tad down himself.

"Don't even think about it." Dipper said, as if he could read his mind.

"I'm not." Bill said.

Dipper gave him a knowing look, one that said he didn't believe him. "Sure."

"No seriously, in fact I was just thinking how I wouldn't because of you." Bill admitted.

"Me?" Dipper asked.

"Sixer and Stan really grilled you for what happened yesterday." Bill said. "And I can't help but notice that every time this happens, you're always getting the short end of the stick."

Dipper bit his lip, he felt bad now for thinking the worst of Bill so quickly. As much trouble as he had been the prince was always looking out for him. "I'm fine really." Dipper assured him. "I just want one normal day." He admitted.

"Normal day, got it." Bill assured him. "Just a normal field trip where nothing happens."

"Bill isn't this like your first field trip like ever?" Mabel asked.

"Yep. Though I must admit I don't get why we're going on a trip to some random field." Bill said thoughtfully.

Dipper laughed. "It's not a trip to some random field." He told him. "A field trip is where the teacher takes the class somewhere to learn outside of school."

"So, it's like school on the road." Bill asked.

"Well, they're not always educational." Mabel said. "Sometimes they're fun, like when we went to Six Flags for our end of the year trip."

"End of the year trip?" Bill asked.

"Yeah, every class has one." Dipper explained. "It's like a trip to celebrate the completion of another year of school."

"That actually doesn't sound bad." Bill admitted. "It might be nice to just have a day of normal kid stuff."

Dipper couldn't agree more. Just some normal kid stuff was just what the doctor ordered. He jumps slightly as he gets a text causing his phone to vibrate. He steals a peak at his phone to see that Wendy had texted him.

Wendy: Check it out dude! I got new stickers!

Dipper smiled, Wendy had a thing for collecting stickers, the one she had just texted him showed a cat on a skateboard doing a trick of some kind.

Mabel being curious leans in to look at the phone "Oh, he's so cute! I just want to gobble him up!"

"It's Wendy's latest sticker." Dipper explained.

"Sticker?" Bill asked.

"She puts them on her skateboards." Mabel explained. "It's her way of expressing herself artistically. One time she made a whole collage of stickers for her All About Me project. The Stickers were all of things she loved and all together they formed a portrait of her face."

"That is pretty cool." Bill admitted. "So, what are you going to text back?" He asked Dipper.

Dipper flips through his phone stickers until he sees a cool cat with sunglasses, the word's Cool Cat were written in crazy font below.

"Uh not bad Pines, you may have a chance with her yet." Bill teased.

Dipper rolled his eyes.

"Well, I think it's cute." Mabel admitted.

"Well, I hope Wendy likes it as much as you do." Dipper told her as he pressed send.

"You do know she's like right there." Janna said, pointing. She was sitting in the same seat as Mabel while Dipper and Bill sat together in the seat beside them.

Dipper looks up over his seat to see Wendy sitting a few rows ahead of him with Robbie and Tambry. "She's with her friends Janna, besides you know Miss Skullnick doesn't let us get up when the buss is moving.

"Hey I'm just saying." Janna said. "You two will never get anywhere if you keep this up."

"Hey, we have gotten somewhere." Dipper argued.

"Yeah, remember the geek who couldn't even talk to her?" Bill said. "I sure do."

Dipper gives him a playful, but equally as hard punch in the shoulder.

"Dude, look what Dipper just sent me." Wendy said showing Tambry.

"Cute." Tambry said as she glanced up from her phone. "But is it sticker worthy?"

"Totally." Wendy said as she text Dipper back.

Dipper show the phone to Bill and Mabel "She sent me a "L.O.L"." He exclaimed.

Just then the Bus stop making Dipper look up to check their surroundings. "We're here" he said. A sense of dread spreading across his face. "Hey Bill, you remember what you just promised right?" He asked.

"Yeah, no shenanigans." Bill answered. "I remember, why?"

"Because Miss Skullnick did it again." Mabel whines.

"Did what?" Bill asked.

"Not this place again!" Janna groaned as she too looked outside the bus window.

"The Paperclip Museum," Bill said looking confused. "This can't seriously be where we're going." He groaned.

"Unfortunately, it is." Candy said. She and Grenda were sitting in the seat just behind Janna and Mabel.

"Miss Skullnick brings her class here every year!' Grenda explained. "It's the worse."

The kids all file out of the bus and enter the museum. A place filled with paperclips as far as the eye could see.

Seeing the boring décor really forces Bill to think twice about his promise to Dipper. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope, it's a nothing but paperclips... Ugh, luckily I've got my phone." Dipper said but then Miss Skullnick snatches up Dipper's phone.

"No distractions, Mr. Pines and for the rest of you," Miss Skullnick takes out a Megaphone and screams "No monkey business! This is the Gravity Falls Museum of Paperclips. We're going to spend the next several hours learning about the genius of this little bent up wire." She said from the megaphone.

"Miss Skullnick! Stop, this hurts!" Tambry said. "It's so boring!"

"Make it stop." Grenda said and the rest of the students agree and start complaining too.

"Why must you torture us!?" Robbie groaned, but his troll voice made it sound more like a growl.

Bill feels the urge to intervene, he was known as the king of fun, and even though he promised Dipper he could already feel the urge to fix this field trip. Mabel put her hand on Bill's shoulder trying to calm him down.

"Well, you know what?" Miss Skullnick said, "Life is boring!" She screamed through the megaphone.

Bill really tries not to do it, but he just can't. There was no way he was going to spend an entire school day in this boring place. Nor was he going to let some adult, tell him that life was supposed to be boring. It went against everything he stood for! "Life is supposed to be fun!" He shouted.

"I used to think that." Miss Skullnick replied. "But now I'm fifty and all my dreams are in the rearview mirror. The best thing of my life is teaching you kids, and I hate teaching you."

"That's because you're doing it wrong!" Bill argued.

"Bill what are you doing?" Dipper whispered, but Bill ignores him.

"Maybe if you took us somewhere fun every now and then we'd want to learn and who knows you might even have fun yourself." He yells.

"You think you can lead this trip better than me?" Miss Skullnick challenged.

"I was born to lead, literally." Bill spoke before Mabel or Dipper could stop him.

Miss Skullnick Laughs "Ok, go ahead then! When you fail, these brats might actually appreciate me for a change." Miss Skullnick barked.

"Who wants to go somewhere not boring?!" Bill shouted.

His fellow classmates cheered their approval, all but Dipper who was giving him a cross look.

"Bill. you promised." He whispered.

"Relax Pine Tree, we're just going to a more exciting place." Bill promised. "In fact, I'll even choose a Museum just to prove to Miss Skullnick that there are more exciting options out there than this."

Dipper goes to argue, but Bill is already pulling out his dimensional scissors.

Mabel gives him an encouraging pat. "Relax Dipper it's just a field trip, what could happen?" She asked as Bill steps outside and opens a portal to a new dimension.


(Back with Toffee…)

Toffee smiles slyly at the sight before him, he had been watching the feed in his own private quarters. Realizing that this could be his moment, he gets up to leave. Tad and his goons were still out he wasn't sure why since he was only half listening when the fool left. Something about getting supplies or something along those lines. Not that it mattered, what did matter was that they were gone, and too busy to spy on the brat. Which made this the perfect opportunity to test his prey! Before he moved forward with his plans he had to know; was his target 'The one!'

He had been searching for a long time, with little to nothing to go on, and several possible candidates had already fallen short. For a moment he fears that once again he is mistaken, that once again he is wrong about his prey, and he is not the boy he is looking for.

Then he shakes the thought away and pushes himself forward, as determined as ever. This time he was right, he knew it. He could feel it deep in his gut, this boy was the one and today he would prove it.

He opens a portal to his prey's destination, knowing that there was only one dimension that the prince could possibly be referring to.


(Back with Dipper…)

Dipper shakes his head as all the students pile back in the bus. "This is not going to end well." He said to no one imparticular.

"Trust me kid, I know." Miss Skullnick replied. "But some people have to learn the hard way."

Once everyone is seated the bus drives into the awaiting portal. "Welcome to the dimension of Wonders and Amazement!" Bill exclaimed as the bus stops and the students run out.

"What is this place?" Mabel asked.

"Oh, just a planet full of the oddest and unbelievable things in the universe." Bill informed. "See highly educational."

Dipper had to admit the place was really cool, and in a way, it was like a planet size Museum. Maybe he had been too quick to judge Bill's idea for a better field trip. There didn't appear to be any imminent danger, and everyone looked to be impressed with his choice. They were already running to check out all the cool things.

"No running! No yelling! No...!" Miss Skullnick yell through the megaphone again but Bill stops her.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey" Bill blasts the megaphone off with a magic spell and turns it into a "Megaphone animal" that runs away. "You put me in charge, so Rule#1" Bill lectured. "No rules!"

"No rules lead to Anarchy." Miss Skullnick said.

"When you give people the freedom to do whatever they want they might just surprise you." Mabel reasoned as Bill snatched up Dipper's phone from Miss Skullnick and returned it to his friend.

Dipper looks down at his phone. "I get more bars here than I do on earth!" he exclaims. "How is that even possible?"

"Now you're task is to try to have a little fun you "Big ol' meanie" " Bill said to Miss Skullnick.

"Ok... " Miss Skullnick looks around looking a little lost until she sees something that catches her eye. It's a large art gallery. "I haven't been in a gallery since I was turned down by that art critic in New York."

"What? You would let some artless critics chase you away?" Bill was amazed. "Not the Skullnick I know."

"I shouldn't." Miss Skullnick said.

"Go on." Mabel assures her. "You deserve a little you time." She ushers Bill and her brother on.

"Mr. Pines-" Miss Skullnick looks worried.

Dipper didn't blame her, Bill's habit of causing trouble was already well known. "Don't worry, I got him." He promised. "Besides, Mabel is right you deserve to enjoy yourself too."

Miss Skullnick nodded, after all Dipper was the golden student who never did anything wrong. He was a kid that anyone could trust. Not even she could find fault in him, and she was suspicious of everyone. "Alright, I trust you." She said before setting towards the art gallery.

Dipper feels bad the moment she leaves. He just told her everything was fine without really knowing it was. Sure, everything seemed fine but that didn't mean it was safe. If someone got hurt here, Miss Skullnick could lose her job.

"Dipper?" Mabel said.

"I hope you know what you're doing Bill." Dipper began to lecture. "Miss Skullnick is putting a lot of trust in you. One mishap and-"

"Pine Tree, you're starting to sound like Sixer." He warned. "I got this, okay. My mother use to bring me here when I was a child. There is nothing dangerous here. They walk up to Candy and Grenda, who are in front of a blue portal.

"Can we jump through this light-ray thing?" Grenda asked Bill "You don't have to ask my permission Fly free my curious little sparrows!" Bill spoke before Dipper could warn about the probable danger.

"Man being a leader is easy. Just say yes all the time." Bill sighed.

"Candy that's not such a good-" Mabel began.

Too late the two girls jump into the beam and come out fused on the body of a horse! "Horse Friends!" They exclaim galloping away.

Dipper is speechless he shakes his head and looks around, seeing if there is anymore damage control needed. He spots Robbie and Tambry who are about to step into a deep abyss.

"How far down do you think it goes?" Robbie asked.

"Let's jump in and find out." Tambry challenged.

"Or you could look at something else." Dipper said jumping in front of them, blocking there path.

"Like what?" Robbie asked.

"Uh." Dipper looks around franticly and then he sees it. "Look, Walking with Trolls!" He pulled Robbie to a nearby Exhibits.

"What." Robbie asked as they stopped in front of a small building with a Walking with Trolls sign.

"Look you're a troll now right?" Dipper asked.

"Yeah." Robbie said.

"And you're staying one, so why don't you and Tambry discover the life of a troll. See what you're really capable of." Dipper reasoned.

"Oh Robbie that sounds like fun." Tambry said. "Let's do it!"

"Oh yeah sure." Robbie agreed. "It'll be cool to see what abilities I have, Thanks Pines." He added as they walked in.

Dipper breathed a sigh of relief, at least two of his Classmates were in the clear. He looks around to see who else needs some redirecting.

He sees Wendy surfing on a flying stingray. "Hey Dipper!" She yelled. "Come ride with me man."

Dipper wants to, he really does, but Bill needs constant supervision. Mabel, however, joins her without hesitation. "Bro you got to try this!" She laughed as she saddles a second one.

"Uhm, guys, I don't think you're supposed to ride a Dermatan stingray like that..." Dipper said. "In fact, I don't think you're supposed to ride them at all."

Meanwhile Bill is walking around trying to keep up with all his classmates. "Everyone still having fun?" He asked.

Suddenly he sees Francis who is standing in front of a Black Hole in the ground. A thousand warning signs are posted around it. "Uhm, Bill, may I jump into this ominous looking vortex?" Francis asked.

Bill looks worried, and rightfully so. Black holes were no joke, and not even he would jump into one. "Francis, please, stop where you are and ask yourself: Is this something you really want to do... " He suddenly notices his other classmate Jake is about to touch the High Voltage Machine "Jake, no!" Bill exclaims racing after him.

Uhm, yeah, I really wanna do this!" Francis answered then jumps in the vortex, which quickly "Spaghettis" him into 4 overlapping clones of himself. All the 4 Francis clones realize the big mistake they have just made. "I really didn't think this through!" they all exclaimed.

The Top Francis scoffed. "Oh stop, you guys knew this would happen." He pointed out.

"Jake that's not a good idea." Bill yelled trying to stop Jake. "Sabrina!" He shouts, looking up and notices that Sabrina is upside down, in a floating "Escherian Stairwell!"

"Hey Bill! Isn't this great!?" Sabrina exclaims.

"Real great, but-." He sees Jake go for the machine again "Jake!" Bill exclaims.

Dipper comes running over and sees the disaster like a train coming off the rails. "Bill, I thought you said this place was safe."

"It is, how was I supposed to know everyone would touch everything!?" Bill yelled.

"Because there are signs that say don't touch and teens do the opposite of what they're told." Dipper yelled. "Kind of like a certain demon I know!"

Suddenly Bill sees Blake jumping into a giant pancake "No no no, don't you jump on that!"

Too late!

"Seriously! Why doesn't anyone listen?" Bill yelled.

"Careful Cipher you're starting to sound like Miss Skullnick." Dipper teased, but there was no laughter in his voice.

"Not helping Pines!" Bill yelled.

"If you had just kept your promise we wouldn't be in this mess." Dipper pointed out.

Bill knew he was right, but he also didn't want to admit defeat.

"Bill, Dipper help!" Sabrina yelled.

"Sabrina!" They exclaimed and saw her problem right away. She is falling down the never-ending staircase, through a lot of complicated passageways.

"Don't worry, I..., I..., I don't even know how to help you..." Bill admitted, looking to Dipper for help.

Dipper rolls his eyes. "Fine!"

Meanwhile Justin, Candy and Grenda check out a stand called "Universe's Deadliest Creature", where a tiny knitting monster made of wool can be seen "The universe's deadliest creature?" Justin asks.

"He's cute." Candy said, who was still fused to Grenda.

Looking at the seemingly innocent creature Justin scoffs. "What a tease..." The girls shrug and go to leave.

Justin follows them, none of them seeing the Septarian shadow looming right behind them.

Toffee smiles at the creature in the cage. Yes, this would do nicely. The Septarian punches the creature's crystal cage, breaking the glass. The creature sees an opportunity to break free and escapes.

Toffee slips back into the shadows and waits for the show to begin.

Elsewhere, Dipper has used a spell to free Sabrina who is barfing into a bag.

"I am so sorry girl." Bill was telling her as Dipper tried to stop some of his classmates from touching anything else.

Some kids were trying to touch something that looks suspiciously nuclear, "Can we get mutant superpowers from this?"

"No!" Dipper pulls them away.

"Bill, Dipper we're hungry." The Francis clones exclaimed.

"Can I touch it with this?" Amber said holding a giant metal "Fork"!

"Look I found a new boyfriend." Janna said as she carried around a skeleton that Dipper really hoped was fake.

"Dipper!" Someone screamed.

"Can you guys just be quiet for one second!" Dipper yelled but then realizes that the students aren't screaming anymore. He looks around, everyone has vanished, even Bill is no longer with him. "Guys?" He asked.

"Dipper guess What!" Robbie comes running over, wearing some Troll armor. "I can live for over 100 years!" He exclaimed.

"And he's like super muscular!" Tambry praised.

Miss Skullnick comes out of the art gallery looking refreshed. "Oh, that was so relaxing…Wait, where's the rest of the class and your sister?" She asked Dipper.

Dipper is still looking around franticly. "I don't…" His eyes widen as he notices Bill's cane on the floor. "oh no!"

"Pines what is going on!?" Robbie asked as Dipper approaches the cane.

Toffee watches with interest. "That's it." He whispers. "Pick it up."

Dipper is just about to touch it when his phone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket and sees a text from Wendy.

Wendy: H.E.L.P!

Dipper's eyes widen as a picture is sent next. It shows a cave entrance and a tail of yarn. Dipper looks up from his phone and sees a trail of that same yarn leading away from them. "I know where they are." Dipper said pointing to the trail.

"Then let's go get them." Robbie said.

"No, you children stay here." Miss Skullnick ordered.

"Look I know you feel like we failed you." Dipper said. "I failed you, but Bill is my responsibility and so is my sister. I'm going with you and that is final!"

Miss Skullnick nodded. "Okay kid you three can come, but for the record you didn't fail me." She told him. "I failed you...all of you." She looks fearful.

"We'll save them." Dipper vowed and picked up the cane. It was weird, he never touched Bill's cane before. Besides Bill, Ford had been the only one to touch it. "Weird." Dipper said.

"What?" Robbie asked.

"Oh nothing, Bill just has one of the most chaotic powers out there; I just thought it would feel different." Dipper said, his back to them. He turns to face them. "But it just feels like a normal-"

"Dipper your cheeks, they're glowing!" Robbie yells.

"What?" Dipper pulled out his phone and used the camera feature like a mirror.

It was true, there on his face was two glowing red crescent moons. Dipper drops the cane stunned and the new cheek marks vanish. "What the?" Before he can question it, he hears another scream.

"That must be them!" Robbie yells as he and Tambry take off towards it.

"Children stay close to me!" Miss Skullnick runs after them. "Mr. Pines hurry!" She called to Dipper.

Dipper shakes off the initial shock and uses his hat to help him pick up Bill's cane without touching it. Before he races off after the others.

Toffee smiles as he emerges from the shadows. "Found you." He whispers. Yes, Dipper Pines was the one he sought and now that he had found him, the next phase could begin. "Soon…" He promised the fleeing Dipper, and with that, he retreated once more.

Dipper catches up to the others in front of a cave called "Universe's Most Coziest Pre-Historic Cave Dwelling"!

"This is it." Miss Skullnick said as they peek in.

Dipper sees his classmates are trapped inside giant socks over a giant fireplace. He spots Mabel and Bill who are squirming to get free. He runs in without thinking right up to the "Sock Shelf" to free them and the others.

"Levitato!" Dipper whispers, levitating himself and Tambry onto the top of the shelf to free the others while Miss Skullnick and Robbie stay on the floor to get them when they fall.

"Kids, don't worry, we're gonna be home soon." Miss Skullnick said but then a loud roar can be heard in the distance.

Some of Dipper's classmates whimper. "It's okay I got you." He pulls Mabel out first, then Bill.

"Pine Tree, I am so sorry." He says.

Dipper however is more interested in Bill's triangle cheek marks. He remembers the ones that were just on his own cheeks and wonders what it means.

"Hey, you found my cane." Bill said taking it from Dipper. "That thing came out of nowhere from behind. I didn't even sense it."

"Mean either." Dipper managed to respond.

"Ok, we have to hurry, Jump! I'll catch you." Robbie urged.

Mabel jumps first and then Bill.

"Come on, Jump." Miss Skullnick whispers, but Grenda couldn't, she's too scared.

"I can't do this!" She cries.

"Take my hand." Candy said and they both jump down and fall safely.

" Dipper!" Wendy said smiling.

"Wendy! Hi, Hey!" He grabs her hand and pulls her out. "Thanks for the message."

"Thanks for coming." She said.

"Any time." He vowed.

Back to the floor, all the students are safe, except for them.

"Dipper, Wendy hurry!" Mabel cries quietly.

Dipper and Wendy take each other's hand and jump, while Dipper uses a spell to float them down.

Suddenly whistling can be heard in the distance "Quiet! It's coming!" Miss Skullnick said, and the monster appears, showing to be a bigger version of itself.

It roars loudly and everybody runs away, except for Miss Skullnick, Dipper, Bill, Mabel Tambry, and Wendy.

"Alright String Monster...!" Bill yells but is interrupted by Miss Skullnick.

"No! I'm back in charge and I need you to get those kids to safety!"

Robbie picksup a big rock and throws it. "Not leaving you teach." He said. "The rest of you go, NOW!"

They just look at him, astonished.

"Didn't you hear him!" Miss Skullnick exclaimed "Go, go, go!"

Dipper is the first to move he grabs Bill's hand, still holding Wendy's with his other. Tambry grabs Wendy's other hand before grabbing Mabel.

They run away, while Miss Skullnick and Robbie fight off the monster.

Bill materializes his own megaphone and starts taking charge. "Move it people." He orders at his fellow students as they are herded towards the bus. "What Did I say? Go! Go! Go!"

All the students run into the bus, and Dipper gets behind the wheel.

"Hang on!" He yells as he sends the bus back towards Miss Skullnick. She and Robbie come into view, they are both fighting the beast.

Robbie keeps throwing rocks while Miss Skullnick swings an axe she found in the cave.

"Man, Miss Skullnick has really got some moves." Bill said impressed.

Dipper hunks the horn and Robbie and Miss Skullnick run to the bus; the monster hot on their heels.

Bill aims his cane at the monster "Get ready to eat magic!" Bill said and yells. "Rain of fire!"

The blue familiar flames rain down, and while they don't bother Miss Skullnick or Robbie, the yarn beast screams as it's burned.

All the students cheer for him as Robbie and Miss Skullnick board the bus.

Dipper floors it and the buss speeds towards the portal which is still there from earlier. It practically soars through, and the portal thankfully closes behind them. Dipper stops the bus right in front of the paperclip museum where they had started this crazy adventure.

"Nice driving kid." Miss Skullnick praised him.

"Best field trip ever!" Everyone yelled.

Bill walks up to Miss Skullnick looking more than a little ashamed. "I never meant for any of this to happen." He said. "I just wanted to show you life could be fun."

"I know." Miss Skullnick said. "And you did."

"Really?" Bill asked.

"I actually had an amazing time in the gallery." She revealed. "I saw pieces that brought tears to my eyes. I think I even rediscovered a part of myself."

"That's great." Mabel said.

"I just hope you learned a lesson too." Dipper said.

"I did." Bill said surprising them. "I learned a lesson that my father has been trying to teach me for years."

"What's that?" Mabel asked.

"Life isn't all fun and games." Bill said surprising them even more.

Miss Skullnick smiled. "Glad I could help." She told him.

"What about you Pine Tree?" Bill asked. "Learn anything?"

Dipper touched his cheek absently. "You can say that." He said but didn't elaborate.

"Nice!" Bill said as he takes his seat and Miss Skullnick starts the dive back to the school.

"You good Dip?" Wendy asked as he sat down beside him in the seat across from Bill.

"Yeah." Dipper said as Bill and Mabel gave him a thumbs up. "I am now."

"Me too, thanks to you." Wendy said giving him a smile.

Dipper allowed that smile to melt over him and decided that for the moment he could ignore the whole cheek mark thing. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy being alive and sharing a seat with the coolest girl in school.

Back at Tad's castle Toffee arrives to see Tad has return, "Oh Toffee there you are." Tad says. "Where have you been."

"Scheming." Toffee admitted with a wicked smile. "And I have our next move."

Tad shared his smile. "Excellent!"


-To Be Continued