Author's Notes:This episode will be covering more scenes from Ludo in the wild as well as the following: Bill on Wheels, and Bill vs. Echo Creek. Thank you for reading and please let me know how you feel about the meshed-up episodes. With that said, thanks for reading and please review.

Bill introduces Dipper to dragon-cycling only for it to end in chaos. Now Dipper is an official delinquent running from the police with Bill and his friends. While trying to evade the police, they encounter a woman by the riverbank named Brigid who likes making things out of discarded hair and taking care of injured animals.


(Back with Tad…)

(On the Run: Day 10)

It took three days for him to awake again, time spent haunted by nightmares, ones of dark shadows and his own pending demise. When he finally wakes, he is greeted with his now normal hunger pains. They were more intense now, engulfing his every thought making it hard to think of anything else. He knew that in order to survive he would need food, more importantly he would also need energy for the fight to come. No doubt his brother would be on to him, and soon. So, with little else to do and seeing no choice in the matter the small demon decides to go hunting.

Now Tad was not known for hunting, in fact he never really had to do anything for himself ever in his life. He scrounged around for hours only to find nothing but a few grubs and bugs under a dead log on the snow forest floor. Considering that he just ate the scraps of an insect creature days before, he wasn't looking forward to it again.

Luckily, just then the Spider ran past across the snowbanks. Tad dropped the slimy meal in favor of following it.

It struggled to stay upright at first, but it managed to stay atop the snow after a few steps before heading away from the forest. Moments later the Spider comes to a lake that had completely frozen over. At first, Tad was too afraid to get to close so instead he observed from atop a cliff, from there he was able to see fish moving just below the ice's surface.

Fishing! The Spider was going fishing! He knew following the arachnid would prove useful. Remembering that the Spider allowed him to live during their last encounter Tad chanced following it out onto the ice.

Meanwhile,the Spider continued with its work; using the ends of its legs like glasscutters, it expertly cut a hole in the ice, creating an opening. Tad watched, as it shifts webbing into the water before dragging it back up, revealing a makeshift net filled with tons of fish. His mouth watered, he needed to find a way to fish as well. It was the best tactic for survival, he was sure of it. He rushed back to the bank, and grabbed a sharp rock, before using it to cut his own hole in the ice. He uses a stray strand of webbing he had kept from his last run in from the Spider's web and ties it to a stick. Finally, he finds a bug for bait and drops his line in the water.

In no time at all he has a bite, Tad pulls out his line, and sees a FISH! It was small, tiny really, but it was his, and more importantly it was an end to his hunger. Alas, his moment of triumph was short-lived. At that moment, the Spider came over and whacked him aside before taking his hard-earned fish for herself, swallowing it in one bite.

Shock and anger engulf him. "Give that back now!" He demands. He really didn't see the need for the spider to be so rude. She had a whole net of fish. Why did she have to steal his too? The Spider responds by spitting out the fish's head. She waits; looking at him expectingly and it is then that Tad understands. She took the fish as payment; he watched her hunt and stole her technique, and she was not giving free lessons.

"Fine." He shrugs and takes the fish head, gobbling it down quickly. It was gross, but he refuses to waste time with cooking it. The spider narrowed her eyes and hisses before moving on, he knows she is warning him to stay away, but Tad follows at a distance. This was twice now that the Spider had inadvertently provided him food, and he was not leaving her now.

For several more days the process continues, he would follow the Spider at a distance, and she would show him the ways of survival. Again, none of it was for free, she would steal any food he got, leaving him with only scraps. However, Tad didn't mind the arrangement; he welcomed their encounters and looked forward to the coming days.

By day fifteen he had become more or less self-efficient, but still stayed close to the spider since he noticed that even the largest of predators gave her a wide birth. He was hunting for more grubs and bugs for bait when he came across a great find. It appeared to be an old campground, and whoever set it up left in a hurry because several camping supplies laid in the snow, forgotten. He had almost missed it but got lucky when he tripped over a campfire half covered in snow.

"YES jackpot!" He exclaims. Rummaging through the snow, he finds a tent, a compass, a map of what he could only hope was his current location as well as a small stockpile of canned foods. Among them was perhaps the greatest find of all a large bag of chips. Anyone else would think him crazy, but without a can opener a bag of chips meant he could eat right now! No waiting for a fish to take a bite, and no Spider to steal his meal! He immediately snatches up the chips and pries the bag open "Yes! Yes! Come to me, my precious! The precious!"

Suddenly, the spider swings in and grabs the chip bag right out of his grasp "No, no! My Precious! My precious!" He cries, but the Spider is already retreating. "No fair, I found those fair and square!" He gives chase, determine to win it back. Sure, he had other food, but this was not about hunger, it was about the principle. He had allowed the thievery before because he owed the spider for teaching him, but this find had been his own. She had not helped him, nor had taught him to savage food from old camp sites.

It was a tough chase, as the Spider could swing between the trees which gave him little chance from the ground. Still, he was determined, and in the end that determination served him well. He caught up to the Spider at her cave. A smart hunter would never enter a dangerous predator's home, but he advances. It was time to teach this spider a lesson, one she would not soon forget.

The now irritated Spider had turned around and hissed at him; a warning:'Stay back!'

However, for the first time, Tad does not respect her wishes. "No, we had a good thing going." He snaps, his anger engulfing him. "I watched, you taught, and I let you take your share!" He admitted. "But now you've done me dirty! You think you can take whatever you want from me, and I'll do nothing! Well big mistake! I've lost everything, my army, my castle, and now I have been exiled to this forsaken wilderness! -"

Suddenly something snapped deep inside him and with a yell of pure rage he pounced. His direct attack to the Spider caught her by surprise, but the real shock was yet to come. The world suddenly began to whorp around them, as dead trees and vines came to life and wrapped themselves around the Spider trapping her.

"I am sick and tired of people taking what is rightfully mine!" Tad's purple eyes became as dark as midnight as he screamed his fury.

The Spider struggles, chips still in her grasp.

"Now, since you were so kind to spare me." Tad growled. "I'll give you one chance, drop them!" He orders.

The Spider struggles, but her efforts just make him angrier, which in turn causes her restraints to tighten. Finally, seeing her defeat she complies and drops the bag.

Tad smiles and picks it up, the spider hisses. "Oh hush, you brought this on yourself." He lectured, opening the bag. "Still, I suppose I must thank you." He admits, eating a chip, and savoring it. "Thanks to you I now know for sure, I do have that brat's power or at least some of it." He stops as he feels his hold on the world around him fading. The Spider would be free soon, and she would not let his actions go unpunished.

He needed a way to win her over, but how? His answer came almost instantly and as the Spider's restraints fell away, he threw several chips on the ground.

The Spider goes to attack but stops. He was doing for her as she had done for him. He was sharing his spoils. All be it, the scraps, but still, their roles had reversed, and she does not hesitate to show her gratitude. She eats up the chips and Tad throws her more and smiles. "Now I think we can put our past behind us and work together."

The Spider doesn't disagree, and Tad uses the chips to lead her back to the campgrounds where he collects all the supplies and throws it on the spider's back. To his delight she doesn't argue, and even allows him to mount her as well. He then throws more chips in her path, leading her back to the cave where they settle in for the night.

"Spider old girl I think this is a start of a beautiful alliance." Tad says as he offers her the last chip.

She eats it, directly out of his hand and now a decision must be made. Tad has given her the whole bag minus a chip or two, more then she had ever given him. She could honor that by letting him stay in her cave, or she could kill him. To his relief she bows her head slightly and retreats to her web to rest.

Smiling Tad begins to make his own area within the cave, setting up the camp and creating a makeshift campfire. Today he had completed his first triumph against his family and this wilderness and now with Spider by his side he was looking forward to many more.


(Back with Dipper...)

"Uh Bill?" Dipper can't help the slight shakiness in his voice. "Are you sure this is...safe?" it was a stupid question because he knew the definition of the word safe, and he also knew that the beast he was on was anything but. At the moment Dipper was straddling one of the multiverse's most dangerous vehicles a dragon-cycle! An interdimensional creature that is a hybrid between a dragon and a motorcycle. With a body of a dragon and large wheels between its limbs this monster was built for both ground and air.

Bill gives Dipper a maniacal look, even though his motives are completely pure. Okay, so maybe his motivations aren't totally pure, more like 90 percent, but still he had the best intentions at heart. Pine Tree had taught him so much during his time here, and Bill wanted to return the favor. "Safe?" He laughs. "Pines when have I ever been safe?"

Dipper flinches as the dragon-cycle gives a growl, he knows it can smell his fear and will feel no remorse for throwing him off. "Look if this is about me punching Pyronica, she totally deserved it and I feel no remorse."

Bill laughs. "You punched her? I'm surprised you're still breathing, not even I would be so bold."

"She didn't tell you?" Dipper asked not completely convinced.

"No, she's finally giving me space." Bill admitted. "I don't know what you said to her, but I think we've turned a corner." It was true, Pyronica had assured Bill that she was ready to give him the space he wanted. She promised no stalking and no spamming his phone with calls or text. Most importantly, she promised no more interfering with his current relationships. So far, she had been true to her word, which was quite the accomplishment.

"And this is how you plan to thank me?" Dipper asked. "By sending me to my death?"

"Dude, dragon-cycling is the coolest." Kelly assured him. She was on top of her own dragon-cycle, a rainbow-colored beauty.

Bill had invited all of his friends to join them for Dipper's first dragon-cycle ride. He had said that it was a tradition to share your first ride with friends. Dipper, however, wonders if Bill is angry about the whole Pyronica thing and plans to humiliate him in front of everyone. Sure, Bill is usually laid back and fun, but that didn't mean he didn't believe in a little revenge.

"Too bad Shooting Bill couldn't join us." Hector complained.

Mabel of course had wanted to come, but her and the girls were busy volunteering at the Greasy's Diner. It was a small retro themed café that sold the best pie in town. They were helping the owner Lazy Susan with her annual bake sale. All profits were usually given towards a good cause, for example last year's profits went towards the Schools music program. It was the first time the school band ha new instruments in over a decade.

"Yeah, she's way more spontaneous." Keyhole agreed.

"I can be spontaneous!" Dipper whined. He didn't want to come off like a whinny baby, but Bill's friends always compared him to his sister. "I started an uprising at St. Hugo's, remember? It's because of me you delinquents are out anyways."

"You delinquents?" Bill asked. "You started a school uprising and get St. Hugo thrown out of his own school and somehow you're not a delinquent?"

Okay, Bill may have had a fair point, but Dipper wasn't about to agree with him. He had his whole life ahead of him and no serious college was going to let him in if they thought he was trouble.

"Face it Pines you're just as bad as the rest of us." Bill teased. "That's why we get along so well."

Dipper shook his head, there was no way he was admitting to that. Sure, he had done a few questionable things since he met Bill and his friends, but that didn't make him like them...right.

"Can we just ride already?" Teeth asked. He was on a gold dragon-cycle, it's golden scales glimmered in the morning sun.

Paci-Fire, being as large as he was just stood off to the side looking bored. "Yeah, boss you said this would be fun."

"I am fun!" Dipper argued!

"Prove it." Paci-Fire challenged; he knows by now that Dipper always needs a little help to cut loose.

"Well, if Bill would hurry up and teach me I would!" Dipper shouted.

Bill snickers before climbing on the dragon cycle behind Dipper reaching past him to touch the dragon's horns. "It's pretty easy, the horns are just like the controls on any Earth motorcycle, you just give it a little throttle and-" Bill flicks his wrist on the handle and the dragon-cycle leaps forward.

If Dipper was paying attention he probably would had jumped at the sudden lurch. However, he was currently focused on how Bill's body was leaning up against his. Pyronica' s words were still playing in his mind, and even though it's crazy to think that he and Bill were a thing, he still feels his face heat up.

"See not so bad, you try." Bill places Dipper's hands on the handles.

Shaking off the embarrassment Dipper gives an experimental twist of the handle, and they creep forward.

Bill couldn't help the smile, leave it to Pine Tree to find a way to be slow and controlling on a dragon-cycle of all things.

They roll to a stop and Paci-Fire yawns. "Boring!"

"Give it a little more Pine Tree." Bill encouraged.

Dipper looks unsure again, they are now atop a really high hill and he's not so confident they won't run into something.

"I'm right here." Bill assures him. "I'm not going anywhere I promise." Still nothing. "Don't you trust me?" he asked.

Dipper nodded, strangely enough, he did. Sure, Bill had a bad habit of getting them into trouble, but he was his best friend, and he did mean well. Feeling more determined now, Dipper guns it and the Dragon-cycle starts zooming down the hill. They were going so fast that Dipper should have been terrified, but all he felt was an amazing rush. "Whoa!" He yelled.

"Now you're getting it!" Kelly praised as she rode up beside them.

"Not bad." Hector agreed as he rode up on the other side.

"Didn't I tell you?" Bill yelled over the roar of the beast.

Dipper laughed as they rode faster, this was the most amazing feeling he had ever felt. He suddenly wanted a dragon-cycle of his own. He could picture himself riding every day, and begins wondering why he was so afraid. "You were right." He admitted, screaming to be heard. "In fact, I think I'm ready to ride on my own." It's a lie, he knows he's not. It's just the rider's high that's making him feel invincible. Unfortunately, Bill takes him seriously.

"You already are." Bill said as he and Teeth appear beside him on the gold dragon-cycle.

"BILL!" Dipper becomes unsteady on the cycle for a moment. "You promised-."

"I just said that to build you confidence." Bill interrupted. "And look at you, you're a natural."

Hector who was casually keeping pace with the group, (his large size making the task an easy feat) laughed. "He's better then 8-ball that's for sure."

"Whose 8-Ball?" Dipper asked and instantly regretted it.

"Oh, he was one of our friends." Kelly answers and leaves it as that.

"May he rest in pieces." Paci-Fire teased.

"PIECES!" Dipper can't help the shrill in his voice, he has increased his speed now. His tight grip has caused him to add more throttle, he's too overwhelmed to notice. He's slowly losing control of the dragon-cycle more and more.

"Relax you're fine." Bill shouted, giving Paci-Fire a warning look. "You're doing awesome, I've taught you everything you need to know."

"Except for how to stop!" Dipper screams as he goes full throttle, and his cycle shoots out into oncoming traffic! Thankfully he manages to dodge all the cars coming his way, however, he does anything but keep his cool. "Bill Help!" He screams. He's blaring through downtown, and he really hopes Sheriff Blubs or his deputy are not on patrol right now. The last thing he needed was some crazy police chase on his record.

"Hang on Pine Tree we're coming!" Bill shouts as Keyhole wills his own dragon-cycle to move faster.

"Just pull back on the handles." Hector screamed.

"What?" Dipper asked.

"Like a warnicorn!" Kelly instructed. "Pull back on the reins!"

"Pull back on what!" Dipper screams.

"Paci-Fire catch him!" Bill orders.

Paci-Fire doesn't hesitate, he goes at top speed, but it's not fast enough.

Dipper screams, his predicament has gotten worse. If he stays on the road he'll be hit by oncoming traffic, but if veers off at top speed he may hit a pedestrian, or smash into someone's place of business. He's not sure if it's the lessor evil, but he veers left and strait for Greasy's Diner!

Paci-Fire seeing he's not going to make it shouts loudly. "Pull back on the handles!"

Dipper hears the command and obeys without question; he jerks back pulling with all his might and the dragon-cycle's tiers screech as it tries to come to a stop. He's moving too fast; he won't slow down in time. Hoping to dodge the diner completely he leans the dragon-cycle slightly to the left before jumping off.

Dipper hits the ground with an oof and looks over to watch. Fortunately, the dragon-cycle misses the diner. However, a parked police car is not so lucky, the dragon-cycle collides with it, and it explodes!

Paci-Fire comes to a screeching halt, "Dude you just trashed that thing, awesome!" He praised.

"Not awesome..." Bill says as the rest of them come to a halt. "That's a vehicle that the Earth Authorities use." He explained.

"Yeah, sticking it to the system!" Kelly screamed.

Several people start to exit the Diner to see what has caused the commotion.

Bill jumps off his dragon-cycle before rushing over to Dipper. "Pine Tree, we have to move NOW!"

"I-it was an accident." Dipper stuttered. "I-We-I"

Great they broke him! Bill can't believe his luck, if he had just stayed on the bike like he promised none of this would have happened.

More people are coming on the scene and Dipper begins to panic even more.

"Dipper?" Mabel pushes through the crowd, she's not alone.

"Mason what happened." Ford looks at the debris from the explosion, stunned.

It's the sight of Ford that jump starts Dipper back to life, and he does something that no one expected.

He runs!

"Did-he just run?" Bill asked dumbfounded.

"Dude we're making a run for it!" Hector takes off after Dipper. He is soon followed by Paci-Fire and Keyhole.

Bill can't believe Dipper goody good two shoes' Pines just ran!

"Bill!" Kelly grabs Bill's arm and pulls him to follow her.

A few tugs is all it takes, and he is running too!

"Dipper! Dipper!" Mabel is screaming behind them.

Bill is not sure if Ford is yelling as well, he can't hear anything else over the pounding of his own heart and the sound of distant sirens. They keep running, they run and run, until the sounds of shouts and emergency vehicles can no longer be heard.

Dipper seems to just collapse against a nearby privacy fence. His head in his hands with his knees pulled up to his chest. His mind was going a thousand miles per second. Why did he run? He knew he needed to go back, he had to face this, but at the same time he was terrified. "My future is over." He cried.

"Pine Tree." Bill kneels down beside him. "It's going to be fine." He tried to calm him down.

"I just blew up police car!" Dipper screamed as he looked up at him.

"Don't forget you ran from the scene of the crime." Keyhole added.

"Not helping!" Bill growled.

"I don't see the big deal." Paci-Fire scoffed. "We've done stuff like this a thousand times."

"Yeah Boss, can't your dad just use some gold to make it all go away?" Hector asked. "You know call it even?"

"Things don't work like that on Earth." Dipper argued. "Here, you go to prison for stuff like this." Prison, the word made him want to throw up, he was prison bound, worse he was technically a fugitive of the law! "It's worse than Saint H's. They give you one bar of soap, and you have to make it last a whole year. You gotta get up every day at 4:00 A.M. and make hash browns you're not allowed to eat. And they force you to wear orange jumpsuits every single day-"

Okay Bill had heard enough. "That's not going to happen Pine Tree." He vowed. "This is my fault I can fix this." He says, but he's not sure how. "We just need to lay low until I can figure this out."

"Guys there you are!" Mabel exclaims as she turns the corner. "We were so worried-"

Dipper is up and running again.

Man, Bill really wished he'd stop doing that. "Pines, slow down!" He yelled.

"No, I won't get her involved!"

"I don't know what's gotten into you, but I like it!" Paci-Fire yells.

"Yeah, this is what I call fun!" Kelly agrees.

"Hey idiot." Bill yells at Paci-Fire. "Your large size is giving away our position!"

"Oh, sorry Boss." Paci-Fire says.

Dipper watches in disbelief as Paci-Fire shrinks down to about his size. "You could do that this whole time!"

"Yeah why?" Paci-Fire yells.

Dipper is about to let all his frustrations out on the guy right there but Hector cuts in.

"This way!" He takes the lead, and the group follows him to a fence labeled "No Trespassing," and they jump it, landing in some bushes.

The jump leads them into a canal and Dipper tumbles down the sloped side before stopping below. The others land on their feet and rush down to meet him.

"Okay. They'll never find us in here!" Bill said, looking up they were surrounded by concrete. If they couldn't dee the street, then no one could see them. "Nice work Hector."

"Thanks Boss." Hector said.

Dipper couldn't believe how calm Bill was handling this, sure he knew Bill had his share of trouble in the past. Still, he never thought said trouble included running from the law, than again he did meet Bill's friends when they were on the run themselves.

Not that it matters, now he was a criminal too. His clean record had been tarnished.

We are no longer safe. All we can do now is keep running until the heat dies down. Part of him knows running and hiding only makes it worse, but at the same time he is so ashamed he can't stand facing Ford. "Why didn't I use magic." He whispered. "I could have..." He trailed off.

"It happened too fast." Bill tried to make him feel better. "Look I know it's hard to see right now, but we will get through this." He uses his powers to manipulate the world around them conjuring up a huge castle. "There now we have a place to sleep."

Dipper looks up at the creation. "Maybe something less conspicuous." He suggested halfheartedly.

"Right." Bill agrees and with a wave of his hand the castle becomes a tent.

Dipper gets up deciding to distract himself with making a fire and starts gathering materials all the while his mind is racing. How could he have been so stupid? Before Bill came along, Dipper wouldn't have risked any tomfoolery of any kind. He's stay home, too emersed in his studies to get caught up in the law. However, Bill was right, Dipper couldn't say he wasn't as much as a delinquent as the rest of them. Hanging out with Bill had brought out a side of him that he didn't even knew exist. He was taking more risk and using magic more than he had ever done before Bill came along.

Now it would appear he had gotten too reckless.

"I'm supposed to be the smart one." Dipper grumble as he got the fire going. It was dark now and a chill had settled into the air.

"You are the smart one." Bill said as he sat down beside him.

"Smart guys don't get roped into reckless nonsense!" Dipper snapped.

"Dude, we just wanted to help ease the tension." Hector revealed.

"What?" Dipper asked.

"With what happened with Toffee." Kelly whispered.

"You told them?" Dipper asked Bill.

"Of course, they're my friends." Bill reasoned.

"we're your friends too." Kelly added. "You don't break out of prison together and not become eternally bonded."

"It was reform school." Dipper corrected her.

"Same difference." Hector argued.

"Look, the rest of kingdom doesn't know." Bill whispered. "If everyone found out the heir to the throne nearly lost his powers to the enemy there would be mass panic." He explained. "Not just in the Nightmare Realm, but everywhere! A lot of Realms like things the way they were, if they knew one of Seth's old followers was trying to bring him back…" He trialed off.

"No one can ever know." Dipper said firmly. "We make a pact of silence."

Everyone nodded their agreement.

"What are you kids doing out here?"

Everyone jumps as an elderly woman appears out of the shadows.

"Uh nothing…. just camping." Bill answered once he found his voice.

"You kids shouldn't be out here; it'll get too cold at night." The women look concerned.

"We don't have anywhere else to-" Dipper goes to argue but she keeps talking.

"Look I don't care but you can't stay here." She looks more determined now. "I'll tell you what, you kids can stay with me tonight."

"Yeah, sorry we don't associate with strangers." Dipper stops as his stomach growls.

"Well, sounds like someone's hungry. I'm about to make some pancakes if you'd like to join." The woman said.

"I do like pancakes." Kelly admitted.

"I could eat." Keyhole agreed.

"What do you think Boss?" Paci-Fire asked.

"Sure, why not." Bill shrugs, it wasn't like he had just made them all a perfectly good tent…oh wait he did! He waves his hand, and it disappears, man he was getting good at this no cane thing. However, he knows this was only because half his power was gone. He couldn't help but fear the outcome once he got it al back…if he got it back.

"Well then, my house is right through hair." The woman gestured for them to follow.

"Wait a second. Did you just say hair?" Hector asked.

"Of course not, my dear." The woman laughed. "Don't be silly." She continues forward.

Everyone shrugs and follows all but Dipper who pulls Bill back.

"Bill, I don't trust this woman." He says in a low voice.

"What? She's just a sweet old lady offering us food and shelter." Bill assured him.

Dipper wants to believe that's all it is, but he's getting that bad feeling, it's not the same feeling he feels when their lives are in danger. No, but its still unsettling, and Dipper has learned especially with Bill around that no bad feeling should be ignored.

"Pfft! You're being paranoid, Pine Tree. We're wanted criminals and it's got you frazzled." Bill assured him before running off after him.

With no other choice Dipper follows and soon they arrive to a shabby home-made hut.

"I'm Brigid." The woman said as she let them in. "And Welcome to 80 square feet of my own personal paradise."

Dipper looked around, and felt himself relax a bit, the place was cozy, all be it a bit acentric.

Kelly stops to observe a tapestry on the wall. "Radical tapestry."

"Thank you dear, how many pancake? One or two?"

"Five." Paci-Fire answers.

"The more the merrier." Bill agreed.

"Oh goody." Brigid squeals with delight before making her way out of sight to what Dipper could only guess was her kitchen.

Bill climbs up to Brigid's loft and hangs upside down. "Not bad digs for a homeless lady."

"She's very creative." Kelly praised. "Shooting Star would love it here."

Dipper couldn't help the smile on his face. Mabel would have loved it here. The place was filled with home made crafts, recycled from everyday junk. Brigid may make him feel uneasy, but she made trash look like treasure.

"Pancakes are ready." Brigid ushers them over to a makeshift table where she serves several plates of pancakes.

"So, you gonna tell me what you did?" Brigid asked.

Bill chokes on his food. "What do you mean?"

Brigid gives a playful shrug "Oh, hon, come on. Folks don't come down to the river unless they broke some of the rules. Your secret's safe with me."

Everyone looks at Dipper, which makes sense he is the one who caused any damage.

"I…I crashed a…bike into one of sheriff Blubs' patrol car." Dipper admitted.

"I blew up." Bill added.

"Oh my…" Brigid looks surprised. "I'm sure it was an accident, a fine young boy like you…" She trails off as she becomes memorized by Kelly's rainbow hair. "It's so pretty…" She goes to touch it.

Bill clears his throat.

"Oh. I'm sorry, dear." Brigid makes a show of forcing her outstretched hand into her lap. "What I was say was, you're young, I have no doubt it was an accident. The sheriff is a nice reasonable man, I'm sure he'd understand."

"It's not him I'm scared of facing." Dipper admitted.

"What you mean Sixer?" Bill asked.

"You don't get it Bill, great uncle Ford, I'm supposed to be the responsible one, he relies on me." He shakes his head.

"You're just a kid." Brigid reaches out and pats his hand. "All kids have their spells of rebellion; they get a bit too high strong. Or they want to let loose and be free of the responsibilities for just a moment, and things get out of hand."

"It was my fault." Bill admitted. "I…I've caused you a lot of stress since I've got here. You've taught me so much; you've always had my back. I just wanted to return the favor and teach you something fun."

Dipper smiled. "It was fun." He admitted. "I loved it, heck I wouldn't even mind getting one of my own."

"You want a dragon-cycle?" Kelly asked.

"Yeah, now that I know how to stop." He gives Bill a playful punch. He wasn't sure why, but he felt better after talking about it. Like the stress of always being perfect no longer mattered.

Bill welcomes the grin that slips on his face, he was happy that Dipper had snapped out of it.

"So... what did you do?" Keyhole suddenly asked Brigid.

Everyone freezes as they fully realize what the woman had said before. Everyone in the canal was guilty for something.

"Oh, you know, I steal hair." Brigid confessed casually.

"You steal hair?" Dipper exclaims.

Kelly grabs her hair as if to defend it. "Oh, why would you do that?"

"Oh, no, no, no, sweetie. It's not like that." Brigid assures them. "I don't take hair from people. No, no, no. It's more of like a back-alley kind of thing. You know, dumpsters, behind hair salons, dog kennels, discarded hair."

So, you do, like, witchy stuff with the hair, right?" hector asked. "Is that what this is? You some kind of witch?"

"Oh, goodness no. You can do lots of things with hair. I wove it into that tapestry your friend likes so much. I make nest for injured birds, and animals and in return they keep me company. When they're better they bring me gifts." She gestures to a pile of trash.

"You call trash a gift?" Paci-Fire scoffs.

"I use them for my crafts." Brigid explained. "You can make anything from what's been discarded. Well, anything... but love." She pulls out a paper with a picture, of Dipper and his family with Bill is printed on it.

Dipper gasps. "Where did you get that?"

"Your family has been passing them out all day." Brigid says. "They are so worried…please let's call them and tell them you're okay."

"You'll never take us alive you two faced…" Hector began.

"No, it's okay." Dipper assured him.

"Wait really?" hector asked. "But we ran earlier."

"I know, but she's right." Dipper said taking the phone. "My family will understand."

"So, we did all this for nothing?!" Keyhole threw his hands up.

"Not nothing." Dipper said. "You guys dropped everything and ran away with me. You were prepared to risk it all for me."

"Dude, you broke us out of reform school, and started an uprising!" Kelly reminded him.

"Don't forget he took a beating for us when we were on the run from Hugo's goons." Paci-fire added.

"Exactly, you've done more this for us, we're just returning the favor." Keyhole told him.

"Because that's what friends do." Bill cut in, putting his arm around Dipper. "They stick by you through thick and thin."

Dipper smiled. "Thanks guys."

"So, we are going home?" Bill asked.

"Yeah." Dipper admitted. "I'm ready to accept whatever punishment comes my way."

"Good cause I'm not sleeping in a bed made of someone else's hair. "No offense." He adds looking at Brigid.

Brigid shrugs. "it's an acquired taste."

Dipper sighs and dials his uncle's number.

"Hello?" Ford's voice sounds strain, like he's been crying.

"Uncle Ford?" Dipper's voice shakes despite his best attempts to hide it.

"Oh Dipper, thank goodness." Ford sounds relieved.

"Is that him?" A voice says from somewhere on his end. It sounds like Stan.

"Yes, it's Dipper, call Mabel tell her she can call off the search." Ford says before continuing. "Dipper where are you? Is Bill-"

"At the canal, and yeah he's with me." Dipper said looking at Bill.

"We were so worried, why did you run like that?" Ford exclaimed.

"I've-I've never messed up like that before." Dipper admitted. "I was afraid to face you."

"Mason, you don't ever have to be afraid, I am your uncle, I will always be on your side and have your best intentions at heart. Now please, just come home."

"But what about the police car?" Dipper aske fearfully. "I blew it up."

"The Sheriff was driving it to the junk yard that morning and stopped by for bake sale." Ford informed him. "It was going to get demolished anyway."

Dipper couldn't believe his ears. "You mean I ran for nothing?"

Bill who was close enough to the phone to hear everything just blurts out laughing. Rolling over on the ground laughing.

The Henchmaniacs are asking him what's so funny, and Bill tries to explain through his laughs.

"It wasn't nothing." Ford said grabbing Dipper's attention. "It gave me some time to think that maybe I do put too much pressure on you. With all that's happened lately I don't blame you for wanting to cut loose and escape from it for a bit."

It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder, Ford understood, he wasn't angry.

"You did cause an explosion downtown though, that was dangerous, and it will take tax dollars to pay for the damages to the road." Ford cut in. "But thankfully, he thinks community service is a fair enough punishment."

"Okay." Dipper manages.

"Put for now just come home, Mabel has been running up and downtown al day. You really scared her you know."

"I know." Dipper said, feeling guilty all over again. "We'll be home now."

"See you soon." Ford says. "I'm proud of you, it takes a real man to own up to his mistakes. You are growing up so fast."

Dipper smiles "see you soon." He agrees awkwardly before hanging up. He never knew what say, or how to take a compliment from anyone especially Ford.

"So what's the verdict criminal?" Bill teased.

"Community Service for public road damage." Dipper admitted.

Bill's friends burst into laughter, "And you thought you were going to the slammer." Paci-Fire scoffed.

"Over dramatic much?" Kelly teased.

Brigid smiles. "See what did I tell? Now go, go, go!" She takes the phone from Dipper and shoos him and the others out. "Go home and make up for all you've done."

"Well, she was delightful." Bill says as she closes the door behind them.

"No, she was creepy." Hector said.

"She was sweet." Kelly corrected him. "Weird, yes but sweet."

The friends muttered their agreements as they took their leave, the trip to Pines' home was short.

Mabel comes racing out the moment they are in sight, she tackles her brother into a big embrace. "Don't ever scare me like that again." She cried.

"Mabel I-" Dipper started.

"I thought I lost you all over again." Mabel said.

"I'm sorry." Dipper told her, hugging her back with all his might. "You're never going loose me." He vowed. "I promise."

And it was a promise he planned to keep.


-To Be Continued...