Author's Notes: Hi guys, the next episode is finally here! As always, I'd like you to thanks for your feedback. It really helps motivate me to continue these stories and even helps point out certain things I may have overlooked the first time around. With all that said, thanks for reading and please review.
(Back with Bill)
He had a thousand things he needed to prioritize right now, and this was not one of them. Bill tried his best not to sigh as he helped Mabel hang up the sign for tonight's basketball game. Yes, surprisingly he was still on the spirt community even after his stunt at the last game. He was however banned from attending the actual game, which he didn't mind much. He had enough on his plate with Tad and Toffee still being free to plot against him. That coupled with the fact that Mina was still missing and in possession of one of the most dangerous spells created by the Cipher family and anyone would wonder what could possibly worse?
Bill's father, however, was happy to remind him exactly why it could get worse and in fact was worse by informing him that his magic evaluation was just around the corner. So needless to say, Bill had plenty more important things to do.
"Thanks for, uh, agreeing to help us out today, Bill." Mabel said gratefully as they finished setting up the sign.
"Yeah, I don't know how we would have managed it without the extra help." Candy added, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. With only 2 signs to hang up, this set up wasn't really a five-person job. Still Mabel insisted that both Bill and Dipper come. Of course, Bill could see her true intent as clearly as day.
They all could!
Mabel thought he needed a distraction from the current events, unfortunately her efforts, as admirable as they were, weren't helping.
"No problem." Bill answered absently.
"How's it coming over there, Dip?" Mabel asked.
Dipper was on the other side of the gymnasium helping Grenda hang a similar sign which read GO OPOSSUMS! In Pink sparkly letters.
"Terrible!" Dipper said, but he wasn't talking about the sign. "I have no idea what we're doing for our date!"
Mabel and Bill sigh openly.
"Pines you've been stressing about this date ever since Red invited you out." Bill retorted. "What are you so worried about?"
Well, I had a nightmare that she never showed up and I was alone at some restaurant, and everyone laughed and threw tomatoes at me! Then all my teeth fell out, oh and then Wendy shows up and sees me and said I looked pasty."
"Bro, that's not gonna happen." Mabel said. "Tell him!" She urged Bill.
"It'll be fine." Bill said, trying not to roll his eyes, but it was hard. Dipper was a great guy, and he should be more confident in himself. Like he was with his studies, not fumbling all over himself worried if Red liked him. It was obvious she liked him, or at least she better because if she broke his heart, he was going to light her on fire and…. whoa, whoa back track.
Bill shook his head as he forced the possessive and dangerous thoughts to go away. He wasn't sure when they started, but Bill found himself having more and more angry and jealous thoughts when it came to Wendy, and he wasn't sure why.
|Hey candy, do the signs look even?" Mabel asked, completely oblivious to Bill's inner struggle. Or is mine and Bill's higher on this wall than theirs?"
"It looks good." Candy assured her.
"Well, that's that." Mabel said as she climbs down her ladder. |You sure you're going to be okay tonight?" She asked Bill again. "Because I can get Miss Skullnick to get you in the game if needs be. She owes me FAVOR." She whispered.
"No, it's fine, Janna says she has this great thing planned for tonight so I'm just gonna do that." Bill assures her.
"Bill!" Janna screams as she comes rushing in.
"And speak of the devil." Bill jokes with a snicker. "Janna Banana! You finally gonna tell me what we're doing tonight or what?" he asked.
Janna nods and opens up a box she is holding to present a cake.
"Who is…Bon-Bon?" Bill asked reading the words on the cake.
"Isn't that the clown who died and swore he was going to come back from the dead in 100 years?" Dipper asked.
"Yep, and I made this cake to present to him when we do his séance TONIGHT!"
"A séance?" Bill asked. "Well, why didn't you say so, this is going to be epic."
"Then I will see you tonight at seven." Janna declared as she runs off. "At the cemetery!"
"Well yeah, where else would you summon the dead?" Bill yells after her.
"So, it looks like we all have plans tonight." Mabel stated the obvious.
"Yeah, if Pine Tree doesn't chicken out." Bill teased lightly.
"I won't chicken out." Dipper argued. "I'm just nervous."
"Well, you shouldn't be, besides you've been on a date together before." "Yeah, what gives?" Bill asked the hard question.
"I don't know a part of me is thinking one day she's going to wake up and realize that us dating is a mistake or that we just don't work anymore…." Dipper trails off as he spoke.
"That will never happen." Grenda says, speaking for the first time. "You're a great guy."
"Yeah, and Wendy knows it." Mabel agreed. "You two are perfect together, right Bill?"
Bill nodded. "Absolutely…Perfect." He said with two thumbs up, all while wondering why those words tasted so sour in his mouth.
(With Dipper, hours later)
"Disco girl
Coming through
That girl is you
Ooh-oooh, ooh-oooh."
Dipper sings in the bathroom as he finishes getting ready for his date. He grabs hair gel, no sweat, and body spray and clears the Mirror of steam. "Here we go. 1 wipe, 2 wipe, 3 wipe, 4, 5 wipe, 6 wipe, sweat no more." He declares "Yeah that's it, that will do yeah-"He yelps as he trips on Janna on his way out the door. "What the heck?"
"Watch where you're going Dipper!" Janna yelled, as she starts riffling through the cabinets.
"Janna! Wha-wha-what are you doing here?" Dipper screeched.
"We just need a few more supplies for our séance tonight." Janna said.
"And you've been in her how long?" Dipper dared to ask.
"Long enough to know you sing Disco Girl in the shower."
Dipper moans but is distracted from responded as the doorbell rings. "She's here! Uh…uh...okay…okay" He turns and walks back into shower. "Uh, what am I doing? Where's my... Where's my room?" "That way genius." Bill jokes as he appears at the door pointing towards Dipper's down the hall.
"Oh yeah uh…" Dipper runs out in a panic.
"Wanna say hi to Wendy?" Janna asked.
"Okay." Bill shrugs as he lets Janna run past him.
"The doorbell rings again.
"I'll get it!" Stan shouts.
"Mabel do not let him!" Dipper screams.
"Got it!" Mabel laughs as she runs ahead of their uncle.
"Oh, come on, what's the point in being a Gruncle if you can't embarrass the kids?" Stan whined.
"Uncle Ford!?" Dipper screams.
"I got him!" Ford swoops in and directs Stan to the vending machine, talking about how there was something down in the lab he wanted to show him. Stan grumbles but soon disappears with him in the secret elevator.
Mabel waits until they have disappeared completely, and the vending machine is back in place before opening the door.
Wendy Oh, hey Mabel." Wendy says. "And Janna and Bill." She adds as the two race down the stairs.
"Come on in." Mabel says as she gushes over Wendy's dress. "Oh my gosh, you look like the ocean."
Wendy Laughs. "Thanks. My cousin has this school dance going on at West side and I promised her I'd check it out."
"Is she going too?" Janna asked.
"No, she wants me to see if her ex is there with her best friend." Wendy whispered.
"Ooo, spicy." Bill joked. "Anyway, does Pine Tree know he's going to a dance?"
"Oh, we won't be there the whole time, but I did tell him to dress the part otherwise we won't get in." Wendy answered casually.
"Wait, the dance has a dress code?" Janna asked.
"Yeah, rich schools am I right?" Wendy scoffs but it turns to a gasped as she looks up towards the stairs.
Bill looks up too and his heart stops as he sees dipper wearing the same tuck he wore to the Blood Moon Ball. He never realized how good Pines looks in it without the mask before.
"You look amazing." Dipper tells Wendy as he walks down to great her.
"Heh, you too." Wendy says with a smile."
"A plus!" Dipper jokes awkwardly.
Wendy snickers.
"Oh, you two look so amazing I'm gonna cry." Mabel pulls out her phone. "Let me just get a picture…. oh no!" She presses the screen of her phone, but it stays dark. "Not again, I thought I charged this." She runs up the stairs. "Sorry guys I need this charged for the game tonight, Bill will you get a pic for me?!"
Bill laughs nervously but pulls out his phone. "Sure, thing Shooting Star! Uh smile!" He tells Dipper.
The two smile and Bill snaps the photo.
Bill suddenly feels a bing of sadness as he looks how happy they are. He looks up and watches Dipper and Wendy leave without saying goodbye.
And it hurts, for some reason he can't explain, it hurts more than anything he ever felt before.
"Okay!" Janna says as she lifts Bills spell book into her arms. "Is it just me or does this book get heavier every time I hold it."
"Both." Bill says. "Though I'm pretty sure we can just leave it, the chances of their bring a spell in there that can raise the Dead is slim."
"I know but you have that magic test coming up." Janna reminded him. "I thought you could study while we wait. It could be hours before Bon-Bon decides to show."
"Oh right." Bill said as he fells some anxiety of his own scree pina t the reminder of his impending exam.
"Beside I want to see this ghost." Axolotl says as he appears.
"Seriously? You're interested?" Bill asked.
Axolotl Laughs "Is that a joke? Dead clown séance!" He snaps his fingers, and the heavy book begins to float. "Now lead the way." He declares as he rides on it as Bill and Janna follow his lead.
Moments later the group are at the graveyard with their shrine to Bon-Bon the clown ready to go.
"Well since there is no spell to raise the dead in this thing." Janna sighs dramatically.
"Told you." Bill snickers.
"This will have to do." Janna gestures to the shrine with their cake offering placed on it. "Thanks for helping Axolotl, I like your natural headlamp."
"Oh, it's not natural, it's magical and thank you." Axolotl says as his head, which is glowing like a lamp shines a bit brighter.
"I wonder if Bon-Bon's skull still has the clown nose on it?" Janna wondered suddenly.
"Oh, no way. Maggots would have eaten it by now." Axolotl argued as Bill pulled out his phone to look at the picture of Dipper and Wendy.
Janna shook her "Maggots don't eat plastic."
Axolotl laughs "Plastic?"
"Uh, yeah. Axolotl, all clowns have plastic noses." Janna told him.
"Here maybe, but in our realm Real clowns have meat noses. Tell him Bill." Axolotl retorts.
"Don't you think it's highly unoriginal for Pine Tree to wear the same suit to a dance with Wendy that he wore when he went to the Blood Monn Ball with me?" Bill suddenly asked, not looking up from the picture.
Janna looks confused, but answers honestly. "What? No! That's normal, I know you don't get it because you're like a fashion king, but most boys here on Earth only have one nice outfit for dates."
"Oh! Yeah, of course. I knew that." Bill answers dumbly, still not sure why he's angry about the whole thing.
Axolotl leans forward and yells at Janna "Meat!"
"Plastic." Janna argues.
"Meat!"
Bill sighs as he tries to tune them out before flipping through his spell book, doing his best to keep Dipper and these confused feelings out of his mind.
(Outside a different high School…)
"Uh... So, I was just gonna ask... What are your hobbies?" Dipper asked awkwardly, trying to make small talk.
"Oh, uh... Lots of stuff, I guess. Uh, there's skateboarding, which you know." Wendy answered. "I'm kinda into history books. I read this really cool one about-"
Dipper cuts her off, looking at his hand "Hm, interesting. What kind of music do you like?"
Wendy looks confused, but answers "Uh... I guess pretty mellow stuff. I know that's totally vague-
Dipper cuts her off again "Next question! Do you like food? If so, what kinds?"
Wendy gives him a suspicious look as she notices him looking really intently at his hand "Wait hold on let me see that. She grabs Dipper's hand,
Dipper panics "Oh! No, no... " He groans as Wendy looks at the Conversation topics listed on hand.
Wendy laughs "Dude, you don't need this. Now come on!" She pulls him into the dance.
They stop as they reach the gym and Wendy takes a look around.
"Okay, let's see what's going on here. There's Hot Wings Girl... Snack table… the Light Bulb Sisters... Uh, looks like someone forgot to cancel practice." She gestured to a few teens playing basketball in the corner.
"Any sign of your cousins ex?" Dipper dared to ask.
"Nope." Wendy said happy as she goes to text her cousin. "He's still crazy for you." She texted and hit send.
"So now what?" Dipper asked.
"We go on a real date." Wendy said as if it was obvious. Come on. Let's get out of here."
Dipper laughs but follows her lead.
(At the graveyard…)
"Bon-Bon the Birthday Clown." Axolotl sings. "First he was dead. Maybe he's alive. Does he have a nose? Maggots in his eyes."
"We don't know!" Bill said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "And at this rate we may never know."
"Sure, we will." Janna says with confidence. "Look at this summoning circle" She gestured to said circle on the ground made of tape. "If that don't say welcome back clown ghost, nothing' does."
Bill sighs.
"Okay dude what's bugging you." Janna dared to ask.
Bill bites his lip. "I don't know, I guess I just got a lot of stress and it's hard to get my mind off it. I'm sorry I know you want me to enjoy the moment with you it's just hard."
"Well, if you want to talk, we can, right now… if you want. This will be a long night."
"Well since we're all just sittin' here chillin'... Would it be cool if I got your guys' opinion on something?"
"I-is this about Dipper again?" Janna asked mischievously.
"Yeah, I just took a lot of pictures." Bill lied showing Janna the picture on his phone "Could you please just tell me what you think of this one thing?
"Uh, sure." Janna shrugs.
"Okay, notice anything off about it?" Bill zooms in on picture. "See? "It's like just because Dipper has a mole, suddenly Wendy has to have, like, eight of them?"
"Those are freckles." Janna says. "Seriously Bill what is going on."
Axolotl cuts in. "Hey, guys!"
"YES, interrupter." Bill growls.
Axolotl suddenly holds up the spell book. "What about this spell Are... you gonna use it?"
"What is it?" Bill asked dumbly, like the magical guide would give him a straight answer for once.
Axolotl looks thoughtful "I don't know. It's like a... spell. There's a... little drawing of a rat or something."
"Uh, we're kinda in the middle of something." Janna cuts in.
"...So, I can do whatever I-" Axolotl asked.
"Yeah, whatever, go." Janna shoos him away, not letting Bill get distracted by this. "Okay now spill." She orders.
Bill sighs but relents, deciding to pull a picture out of his pocket. "This is a picture from the future." He told her.
"Really! Let me see!" Janna snatched up the picture to see its Dipper, Mabel and Bill sitting by the beach and looking happy…Her eyes widen as she notices the way Bill is holding Dipper in a sideways hug. "So, this is the future…and what that picture of Dipper being happy with Wendy is making you scared?" Jealous?"
"I don't know…It's just hard to see that future right now, I've brought nothing but chaos and trouble for the Pines since I got here, especially Dipper. And I want to believe things will get better like Blendin said, but…"
Janna looks back down at the picture and nods as if understanding. "You're afraid that this picture proves he's better off without you in the picture, as in not around."
Bill sits up. "YES, that's it!" He exclaims.
"Bill it will never be like that." Janna assures him. "I know things seem hard right now. And yeah, you've caused some trouble, but you have already done so many good things for Dipper too." She assured him. "He's more confident, and he's gotten more comfortable with using magic."
Bill smiles. "Yeah, you're right, Dip and I are going to be okay." He says as Janna gives him pack the beach photo. "Thanks."
"Any time." Janna said.
(Now at the park…)
He couldn't believe he was actually doing it. Dipper gave Wendy a shy smile as he passed her one of the one serving cereal bowls, they just got from the Dusk 2 Dawn.
He and Wendy were on a date, a real date with just the two of them, and he hadn't messed it up!
|I can't believe they reopened that store." Wendy was laughing referring to the Dusk 2 Dawn.
"Well, we did get rid of the ghosts." Dipper reminded her before laughing at the memory. It was the summer that Wendy started working for his uncles. Wendy, who was 13; had hung out with a different crowd then. Some delinquency that were always getting her into trouble. Mabel in an attempt to prove to Wendy what real friends looked like dared them all to say at the Dusk 2 Dawn for one night.
Of course, she knew it was haunted, and just liked she guessed Wendy's supposed friends ran away screaming. They left her alone to fin for herself, and she would have If Dipper and Mabel hadn't stuck by her side.
"Okay you got it?" Dipper asked as he handed her the milk next.
Wendy looks unsure but pours the small bottle of milk first into her Ceral and then into Dipper's "Kay…"
"Now, stir in the cereal." Dipper instructed and Wendy obeyed. "Stir, stir, stir, stir, stir, stir, stir. And then, we add one, just one, malted milk ball.| He ads one to his and then her's saying "One for me. One for you."
Wendy looks at the monstrosity before her unsure. "Are you sure about this?"
"Wendy, trust the chef." Dipper said.
"Alright." Wendy takes a sip, then coughs it out. "Ugh! Dipper…" She coughs again "it's terrible."
"Really? It was good the last time I had it." He takes a sip and gags.
Wendy snickers, then laughs and Dipper soon joins her.
"See, Dipper?" Wendy said through laughs. "You're adorable when you laugh at yourself."
Dipper gives her a look. "What?"
"I'm just saying you're more fun when you're relaxed." Wendy explained.
I... I'm relaxed. I've been relaxed." He argues as he tries to get in a comfortable position but keeps falling over.
Wendy sighs. "Seriously, dude why are you so nervous?"
Dipper takes a deep breath and then lets it out. "Cause it's a date. And you're super cool and I'm just... afraid of messing up."
Wendy laughed "Dipper, you already messed up."
Dipper looks horrified. "I did?"
Wendy nodded. "Yeah! You puked on my lap in third grade, you broke my skateboard, and then there was the weird box thing we got trapped in at the sleepover-"
"Okay, okay. I get it." Dipper said stopping her right there.
"My point is that even after a humiliating, crushing defeat... You just pick yourself right back up and you hop right back on. It's what I admire about you. It's kinda like skateboarding."
Dipper smiles. "Yeah, well... I don't... know how to skateboard."
Wendy looks horrified. "What?! We've known each other for how long?"
"Two years." Dipper answered.
"And I never showed you how to skateboard?" Wendy exclaimed.
"Uh…no?" Dipper answered somewhat fearfully.
gasps and stands up before lifting her dress revealing her skateboard.
Dipper blinks, surprised. "Woah-oh. You just... keep that... down there?"
"I never go anywhere without it." Wendy explains. "You ready?" She asked offering him a helmet.
Dipper takes the helmet wo9ndering where the heck she had that this whole time.
Wendy straps on her own helmet before reaching out a hand to Dipper. "Come on, you'll love it!"
Dipper takes a deep breath before placing his phone on the bench and strapping on the helmet. "Okay. I'm gonna do this." He grabs her hand, and She helps him find his balance at the front of the bard with her behind him.
"Do you trust me?" Wendy asked.
Dipper had just enough seconds to say "Yes." Before Wendy pushed them down the sidewalk.
(Back with Bill…)
With the shrine fully built Bill does his best to relax, it isn't easy. He thought after his talk with Janna he would feel better about the picture. And he had at first, but now with nothing left to do but wait for Bon-Bon to appear, the doubt was creeping up again. "That's it!" Bill sudden got up. "Bill Cipher does not wallow! He marches over to Janna who is busy sleeping in a unmarked open grave.
"Janna, wake uuuuup!" Bill kicks dirt on Janna.
"No you shut up!" Janna mumbled, obviously still sleeping.
Bill groans "Well I might as well be spending the night alone. In a graveyard. If any dead clowns feel like coming back from the dead, I think now would be a pretty good tiiiime!"
Nothing greets him but silence. He sighs "I bet Dipper is having a good time." He pulls out his mirror phone and dials Dipper's number. It rings a few times and then "Hey, it's Dipper! I'm not here right now. But leave a message and I'll call you right back."
Bill cleared his throat and said. "Hey, Pines Tree, It's just meeee. Checkin' up on my best buuud. Dro-drop me a line when you get home. Just wanna check up on you-If you want to. If not, that's uh.. That's-you know, that's cool too. Bye!" Bill hangs up and with a groan calls Dipper again.
Dipper's voicemail soon calls out to him once more. "Hey, it's Dipper! I'm not here right now-" Bill screams. "What is wrong with me!" He can't explain it, but the urge to call Dipper, to hear his voice it was overwhelming. So, he called, over and over again, like a man possessed and over and over again, all he got was Dipper's voicemail.
Bill gives one final scream and throws his phone. "Aaaargh! WHY AREN'T YOU PICKING UP?" He turns as he hears snoring coming from spell book. He walks over and opens it to see Axolotl sleeping. Axolotl Wake up. Hey, what's the name of that spying spell?"
Axolotl Half-asleep answers. "Oh! The All-Seeing Eye... um... you're talking about."
"Where is it?" Bill asked.
Axolotl still Half-asleep mutters. "That would be eh... That would be in Eclipsa's chapter."
Bill starts to turn the page and Axolotl becomes more awake. Oh wait, wait, wait! Uh…You don't wanna go there." He tried to warn. "Dark spells have terrible side effects."
Bill ignores him and flips through a few pages more pages as Axolotl continues his warning.
"It's not nice... to… spy on people."
Bill chuckles "Axolotl, don't be ridiculous. I'm not using it to spy on anyone. I just want to practice, you know-maybe it can help us find Tad and Toffee
Axolotl seems to drift back off at his words. "Just…remember-spying leads to... crying."
Well, I'm not spying!" Bill said as he finds the page. "Ahaha! Here it is." He reads over it once to himself and then with a deep breath he summons his power and says. "I summon the All-Seeing Eye. To tear a hole into the sky. Reveal to me that which is hidden. Unveil to me what is forbidden."
Suddenly a magical window opens showing Dipper and Wendy on Wendy's skateboard. Dipper is fumbling around, but Wendy steadies him.
"Hehe don't worry! I've got you."
The two smile at each other…happy.
Dipper was happy without him! Something snaps inside of Bill and with a zap of chaos magic Wendy's tire is struck and the skateboard explodes.
Dipper and Wendy fall in a heap.
Bill flinches away realizing what he has done, somehow, he manipulated the spell, allowing him to send an attack to the other side! "But I didn't mean…" He backs away and the magical window closes. He looks at his hands as if they are alien to him. He just hurt Dipper, but why? Was Janna, right? He this been jealous all along?
He panics and runs but falls to watch where he's going and falls into the hole on top of Janna.
"WHA... What did I miss?" Janna shouts."
"Bill dazed asked. "Did I do that?"
Janna groans. "Yes, you fell on me."
"No, I know I fell on you." Bill explained. "I was there for that. There was this eyeball spell and then Wendy and Dipper and they were- they were skateboarding and then-
Janna cuts him off "Woah! Slow down, man! You are not making any sense. She freezes as giant rats began to break free of the dirt, filling the hole.
The friends scream and jump out of the hole as the candles go out around the shrine.
"It's happening!" Janna exclaimed.
The candles light up again revealing a tall figure dressed as Bon-Bon.
"You came back!" Janna looks overjoyed.
The figure's face is revealed in the candlelight and Janna flinches back. "Ooh! That explosion did a real number on your face."
Bill's blood turns cold. "Janna that's not Bon-Bon."
Tad laughs pulling off his disguise "Surprise!" He exclaimed as he reveals a large Spider and Eagle by his side. "Tad." Bill growls.
"Miss me nephew?" He lifts his hand and blasts them!
(Back with Dipper…)
"Are you okay?" Dipper asked as he sprung to his feet to help her.
Wendy laughs. "Yeah, I'm fine. Haven't eaten it like that in years." They both look down and notice they're holding hands. "You know, I'm really glad I asked you out."
"Me too." Dipper sighed as they leaned in and shared a kiss.
Dipper opens his eyes and looks up at the moon, only it's the blood moon. He jumps away as a sinking feeling fell into the pit of his stomach.
"Dipper, is everything okay?" Wendy asked.
The moon goes back to normal, but that sinking feeling is only getting worse. Dipper's eyes widen as he runs to his phone, and he sees his worse fear.
57 missed calls from Bill.
"Dipper?" Wendy asked.
"It's Bill! Somethings wrong. " Dipper said just knowing. He sent a quick text to Mabel and his uncles.
The text was two simple words: CODE ARGYLE!
And they were running!
(Back with Dipper…)
At the graveyard Bill and Tad start blasting each other as Spider and Eagle go after Janna.
"Shimmering Crystal Seesaw!" Bill yelled out a random spell, but he and Tad are evenly matched, which makes sense seeing how Tab has half of his power. So instead, he aims his blow at the spider.
Spider is launched in the air and away from Janna.
"That's not getting her!" Tad yells.
Eagle tries to swoop in and take out Bill, but he is ready.
"Rainbow Fist Punch!" He summons all the power he can and manages to blast both Tad and the eagle.
A swarm of rats come out of nowhere once more and go after Janna.
Janna hits them with hair dryer. "You guys are ruining my séance!"
The battle rages with both uncle and nephew doing their best to strike the other down.
Finally, Bill sees away he can get the upper hand by using a spell Tad had never seen him do before. "Mystic Room Suck Transform!"
A Portal opens up and Tad starts to get sucked in, but he doesn't look worried, no he's smirking.
Spider who is back on her feet spins out a web to him keeping him from being sucked in. "I win."
"Win?" You're demented." Bill snapped. "How are you any close to winning?"
"Check mate." A voice says from behind him.
Bill's eyes widen and he turns to see Toffee holding the spell book!
"Forget about me?" Toffee asked slyly.
Spider tugs and Bulls Tad free and by Toffee's side.
"Bill!"
Bill turns again to see Dipper and Wendy arriving with Mabel and the Stans not too far behind.
Guilt burns inside of him as he sees Dipper and Wendy, he…he hurt them….
The portal starts to grow green and Eagle, who has also recovered, swoops in and knocks Bill in.
"Bill!" Janna tries to save him, but the rats are still blocking her path. "Bad vermin! Bad!"
"Janna!" Wendy comes on the scene using her skateboard to beat the rats away.
Bill digs his hands into the dirt, struggling to hold on.
"Bill!" Dipper runs for him and grabs his arms, trying to pull him out.
"No Axolotl!" Bill screams. "They have Axolotl!"
Ford understand in an instant and changes direction he races towards the enemy, blaster drawn he fires.
Toffee uses the spell book to deflect the blast. "How barbaric." He hisses.
"You two ain't getting away this time." Stan said as he closes in from behind.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Toffee mussed.
"Uncle Stan!" Mabel screams as she tries desperately to help. She grabs Dipper around the waste and pulls with all her might. Wendy, who has saved Janna from the rats also lends a hand by grabbing on to Mabel.
"Dipper, let go!" Bill cries "You're gonna get pulled in, too!"
"I'm not letting go!" Dipper screams.
Janna grabs onto Wendy but it's no use they are all slowly being sucked in.
"Make your choice Pines." Toffee mused his eyes never leaving Ford; his smile suggesting a hidden secret. "Will you save the Multiverse? Or will you choose to save the brats again?"
Stan loses his grip on his blaster. "How did you…"
"Ford!" Dipper screams. "We can't…" He loses his footing.
"Kids!" Stan runs to help without a second thought, but his added strength is nothing.
"Make your choice, family or salvation." Toffee warns.
Ford doesn't even hesitate, he turns. "Levitato!" He screams and uses the spell to draw the teens and Stan out of danger.
The portal closes and Ford turns, but Toffee and his accomplices are gone.
"Are you okay?" Dipper asked checking Bill over.
Bill [sighs]
Dipper You okay?
Bill rubs arm nervously ."Yeah, yeah. Thanks to you guys."
Dipper nods but flinches away as he remembers. "Wendy are you okay?" He runs over to her and Bill feels the pain again.
"Yeah, I'm great." Wendy assure him as she let him help her up. "This is the best date I've ever been on."
"Really? We're in a graveyard." Dipper reminded him.
"And what's wrong with that?" Janna asked daring him to answer.
"I can't believe... They took my spell book. It's got everything in it! That's my whole family history! All the spells... everything! And Axolotl!"
"How did this happen?!" Ford asked, he kicks the dirt with rage.
"It's my fault uncle Ford." Dipper took a step forward. "I knew Bill would be out here tonight, we should have been here with him."
"No, you're a child Dipper." Ford said. "This my fault. I should have never let you three out of my sight." He looks to Bill. "I promise you we'll get him back and the book."
Bill stills himself and lets Mabel help him to his feet before asking the harder question. "Who's going to tell my dad?"
(Back with Toffee and Tad…)
"I did it, I actually won!" Tad exclaimed.
"Yes, and now you will be able to learn real spells and take the nightmare realm as your own." Toffee explained
"Oh…So the big guy is okay with that." Tad asked.
Toffee paused, he and Tad had never really confirmed the logistics of their agreement. It was obvious to Toffee now that Tad was in the full know of the family secret. How ever it was obvious that beyond that he knew nothing else. "I have discussed it with my Lord in detail. He began. "He has decided that for your contributions the nightmare realm shall fall to you. As for the rest of the Multiverse…" He let that hang in the air.
"Yes, He'd want that." Tad said the obvious.
Toffee nodded his agreement, of course the promises were empty lies, but Tad's involvement was necessary at this point. Now that the boy seemed to be a dead end, this alternative path would have to do…for now.
With that problem out of the way Tad opens the book and a sleepily Axolotl stretches and yawns. "At your service, my prince."
Tad smiled wickedly. "I am not your prince; I am your king, and you will teach me all your secrets."
Axolotl looks to Tad and Toffee, He is bound to the spell book so he had no choice but to agree.
"As you wish, your Highness…"
-To Be Continued
Chapter End Notes:
Okay I know it's short but I hope you liked it all the same.
Thanks for reading and please leave a comment. (If you want!)
The Next update will be soon.
So until then this is Emily Signing off…