Dipper Pines couldn't believe his awful luck.

The night before, he awoke all alone in the Gravity Falls Woods, where he was accosted by a sinister man that wished to take him away to the other side. After narrowly escaping, Dipper returned home to make a shocking discovery: he wasn't a part of the physical world any longer! His body was able to go through solid matter; his voice went unheard by his family and friends!

After surviving a second attack by the man dressed in black garments (labeled a soul seeker by the Journal #3), Dipper had decided to hole up in a crawlspace in the Mystery Shack as he grew into desolation about his hopeless situation.

Fortunately, his whimpering was finally heard. The journal had told him the only person that would be able to reach him on this plane of reality was someone he shared an unbreakable bond with, to which their connection could never be truly severed or undone. As fate would have it, his secret crush, Wendy Corduroy turned out to be that someone.

Wendy coaxed the frightened boy out of hiding and calmed his rampant nerves. She even pledged to help Dipper retrace his steps in order to find his body. Going based on his narration, Wendy suggested starting the search in the forest.

After what seemed like hours, the friends finally came upon Dipper's separated form. Wendy sped ahead towards their destination only to find herself airborne a few seconds later. The teenager had unwittingly walked into a form of net-snare trap, holding her hostage and completely out of Dipper's reach. This peril made Wendy realize that someone had purposely plotted all of Dipper's misfortunes, and for this, pleaded to her young charge to make his escape. However, her loyal admirer refused to leave her side; a choice that he would soon live to regret.

In a true, undead fashion, a pair of hands rose from the forest floor and seized the fretful pre-teen! The soul seeker had finally caught up with his prey! With both adolescents captured, the alleged mastermind emerged from the shade.

"Well, well, well…" Lil' Gideon greeted his captive audience. "Fancy seeing all of you here…"

Dipper's eyes widen at the sight of his 9 year old nemesis, "Oh, man! Not you! Anybody but you!"

Wendy wiggled around her prison in an attempt to get a better look at the visitor.

"Dipper! What's going on? Who is that?!"

The suede dressed prodigy approached the dangling net, "I knew that if I waited long enough, that Dipper would be able to contact you and bring you here…" The creepy little kid blushed in an adorable fashion, "I know this seems harsh, but I promise, my peach dumpling, after he's out of the picture, everything will be – "

Lil' Gideon looked up to see Wendy sitting in the net, and lost his train of thought. He gasped at the sight of the ensnared ginger, "You're not my peach dumpling!"

Wendy scoffed and crossed her arms, "No kidding."

The spoiled child started to throw a tantrum on the spot, "No, no, no, no!" as he stomped his white boots through the dirt, "Mabel's supposed to be up there; not some plain-looking, mountain-town bumpkin girl!"

"HEY!" Wendy protested, "You're no prize pig yourself, kiddo!" She raised an eyebrow as the image of her captor flashed before her eyes. "Hold on, I remember you!"

"Oh, really?" the small menace prided, as he slicked back his long, white hair. He chuckled at Wendy's observation, "Let me guess. You've come to my live show? Or seen me on TV? It's always nice to meet an eager fan…"

The defiant girl rolled her eyes at the braggart, "No…you're that little fat kid that keeps stealing my moisturizer from the Gift Shop! We have security cameras there, ya know!"

"What the –"

Dipper tried to laugh at Wendy's zinger, but the death grip that the soul seeker had on his throat prevented the escape of any giggles.

"How dare you!" Gideon screeched as he pointed straight at Wendy. "Do you honestly think that you can mock me and get away with it?!"

After a moment of silence, Wendy glanced down and simply shrugged her shoulders, "Um…yeah, I guess so?"

"ARGGH!" the portly child grew even more enraged with the cool-headed female. He pulled at his hair in frustration, "You're just as insufferable as that boy!"

The mention of her friend made Wendy change the subject, "Speaking of, where is Dipper? What have you done to him?!"

Lil' Gideon chuckled to himself as he reached into his coat pocket, "My apologizes, little miss. Please allow me to offer you a better view…" He pulled out a small, yet rusted bell.

Wendy watched Gideon's actions with great confusion. "What is he going to do with a worn-out bell?"

Gideon began to ring the bell gently to his left. A series of sonic vibrations echoed from the item, blowing back loose leaves and branches. Within seconds, two shadows began to form in the empty field. The first was a giant of a person, reaching up to what Wendy guessed to be over 9 feet tall! The second form was that a small child with a medium build, which the first had clenched by the neck. His trademark trucker hat was a dead giveaway to his identity.

"DIPPER!"

"Quite impressive if I'd say so, "Lil' Gideon boasted. "This little baby not only allows us a view into the spiritual realm, but gives me total control over our gigantic friend here!"

Wendy recalled the description of the soul seeker from Dipper's journal. "Huh," she thought to herself. "I thought it was a bit weird that this thing was focusing solely on Dipper. After all, he can't be the only spirit-like thingie out there!"

"And without further ado…" Gideon rang the bell and bellowed to the monster holding his nemesis in a death grip, "Soul seeker! Hear your master! Drain the essence from that boy and rid him from this world!"

The soul seeker's smile stretched as his burly arms began to glow. Dipper began to howl in pain as the shining had spread down to his form. He wailed his arms and kicked his feet, trying to make a desperate attempt to escape, but it was to no prevail.

"DIPPER!" Wendy screamed in horror. She looked down to her subjugator, "Let him go right now, or I swear, I'll –"

"You'll do nothing!" Gideon laughed at the threatening girl above him. He sang to her in a falsetto voice, "After all, I'm down here, and you're all the way up there!"

"Grrr…" Wendy nervously clutched the net tighter as she was powerless to prevent the scene from unfurling. She closed her green eyes as they slowly filled with angry tears as Dipper's cries echoed throughout her mind.

"Wendy…"

She opened her eyelids and peered down to see that a severely drained Dipper had turned away from his attacker. He took his right hand and reached out towards his imprisoned secret love.

"Wendy…" His voice faded away with each syllable. "Just…don't…"

Her eyes broaden as Dipper struggled to finish his plea: "…don't…hurt…Wendy…"

Gideon recoiled at the request, "Hurt her? Why would I even c –"

The plump villain looked at his fallen adversary; of how his soft, brown eyes concentrated on the redheaded girl hanging overhead. He spun around to see that her pleading eyes sadly returned the favor as they watched with disheartened anxiousness.

The pint-size trouble maker exploded with maniacal laughter, "Oh, I get it now! I finally understand!" He skipped towards Dipper with a spring in his step, "Now, don't you worry about a thing, Dipper. I believe one good turn deserves another. After how you watch out for my marshmallow…"

Lil' Gideon slightly turned to stare at Wendy out of the corner of his eye, "…the least I can do is return the favor. I'll be sure to take care of your lady friend after you're gone!"

"AHHH!"

The young detective's screams filled the usually peaceful atmosphere of the Gravity Falls Woods once more.

"I have to do something!" Wendy panicked as she searched for an escape from her trap. "If I just sit here, that psycho's going to kill us both!" She knew that there was no way through the net without something to cut with. She raised her sights upward, prompting a new possibility.

"Wait a sec – that little creep set this up with Mabel in mind. I'll bet he didn't count on me being so tall…" With that, Wendy tried her best to bring her feet back under her. Very carefully, she rose up with shaky balance. Now standing upright, Wendy noticed that she could reach the branch in which the net was anchored to.

"Come on, come on!" Wendy slid her arms through the gaps at the top of the net. She fumbled around until her fingertips found the knot binding her to the tree. As she wrestled with the rope, she looked down to see that the color was almost drained from Dipper's form! His ear-piercing shrieks had become muffled groans. Lil' Gideon waited patiently for his rival's demise, clutching his hands rigorously in wait.

Wendy grit her teeth as her stubby fingers nearly undid the knot, "Almost…got…it…" She knew that her descent was definitely going to hurt, but the alternative would be ten times worse. The rope slid through her hands as Wendy fell back to the earth at an alarming speed!

Lil' Gideon noticed that a huge shadow had swiftly overcome him from above. He raised his sights to the sky, just in time to see the brown mass speeding towards him! He opened his mouth to let out a gasp…

*CRASH!*

Wendy stumbled out of the top of the net, holding her hand against her aching head. As she attempted to regain a form of clarity, a shining object stood out through the blurriness. Wendy rubbed her eyes and tried her best to focus.

"It's that bell!" she exclaimed. "That Gideon kid said he used it to control the seeker!"

She crawled out of her former prison, stopping every other moment as her legs would become entangled in the netting. As Wendy reached out for the item that could save her friend, she felt something extremely heavy jump onto her flannel covered backside. She groaned in agony as it screeched in her ear:

"You soulless ginger! You think you've won?! No one gets the best of Gideon Charles Gleeful!"

Wendy winced in pain as the malevolent child gripped her long, messy red hair in an effort to stop her from proceeding forward. Fed up with the overzealous brat, Wendy roared in anger and rolled on to her back.

"Well," Wendy warned as she narrowed her eyes at Gideon, "You've obviously never messed with a Corduroy before, have you?" Before the devilish boy could react, the lanky teen delivered a well deserved mud-stained boot to his face. With Lil' Gideon stunned, Wendy grasped the bell, rose to her feet, and rung her heart out.

"Hey!" Wendy shouted over the excessive ringing. "Listen to me now! Drop that dweeb! He's with me!"

The haunting glow faded from the hulking shadow as he turned away from Dipper. Wendy's emerald eyes became lost in the demon's pure white ones. As commanded, the soul seeker released Dipper. The exhausted boy slumped to the forest floor as he gagged and gasped for air. Goosebumps began to form across her freckled skin as the creature crept towards Wendy. Her sights aimed upwards as the towering giant gazed down on her stunned girl. Unexpectedly, the soul seeker dropped down to one knee and extended a muscular arm out to her, making Wendy jump back in reflex. He turned his hand and offered an opened palm.

"What is thy bidding, mistress?"

Wendy's mouth draped open at the sight of the menacing hunter turned loyal servant. Suddenly, she heard a shout from behind her:

"That's mine! You don't know what you're doing!"

Wendy turned her head to see that Lil' Gideon was rushing towards her. She held the tyrannical psychic at bay with her free hand while holding the bell above her head, keeping it safe from Gideon's hold. Wendy returned her attention to Dipper, whom was still lying quietly on the ground. He offered a small smile and a nod. As if she understood his intentions, Wendy returned a suggestive nod as well.

"Your "mistress…" Wendy proclaimed, rolling her eyes at her newly-christened title, "…wishes for you…"

The determined fifteen year old dropped the ancient item and placed her foot on top of it.

"NO, YOU FOOL! DON'T DO IT!"

"…to be free!"

Wendy pressed down with all her weight while continuing to restrain her attacker. The worn-out icon easily collapsed under her lumberjack boot. An odd purple cloud rose up from the remains and quickly dissipated into the air.

"NO!"

Lil' Gideon broke free from Wendy and dropped to his knees. He tried to scrape up the remainders of the broken bell, only to have the pieces slip between his fingers. Both adolescents looked back as a loud growl reverberated throughout the forest. The soul seeker stood back up and once more, advanced towards his liberator. Gideon backpedaled away as the frightened teen found her feet frozen to the foliage filled earth. The beast snorted as Wendy closed her eyes and prepared for the worst, "Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea to leave this thing to its own devices…"

"Thank you, child…"

"Huh?"

Wendy opened an eyelid to see that the soul seeker was bowing towards her with his gloved hands poised together. She beckoned to the humble being before her, "Wait, what did you just say?"

The black haired warrior offered an earnest, but somewhat intimidating smile, "You have released me from my bondage. I am free to resume a peaceful existence. You have my eternal gratitude…"

"Hmm…" Wendy could only think of one particular wish that she could ask for. The freckled teen motioned downwards towards a still withering and completely drained Dipper, "Well, you can help me return him to his real body…"

The soul seeker lowered his head in understanding. He bent down towards the fallen boy, making him hyperventilate in fear.

"It's okay, Dipper," Wendy calmed her friend, "He's going to help…I hope…"

The behemoth scooped up the shivering pre-teen and cradled him like an infant. He gently walked over to the tree supporting the eternally slumbering, whitened form of Dipper Pines. The soul seeker dropped down tenderly and lowered the smaller shadow into Dipper's body.

A bright light radiated from the spot, shortly engulfing the whole forest in its radiance. Wendy shielded her eyes until the shining relented. She peeked out to see the soul seeker rise, and shortly after, noticed that the color was slowly returning to Dipper's face.

Wendy asked as the soul seeker walked past, "Is he going to be alright?"

The dark form halted and turned towards the concerned ginger, "You have no reason to fear. It is as you requested."

"Thank you…for saving him…"

The soul seeker nodded as he reached into his trench coat and pulled out his ringed Stetson hat. He placed it on his head as he prepared to make his leave. He stopped a few yards away and stared down at Lil' Gideon as he continued to lament over his lost artifact.

"As for you, venomous child!" The seeker yanked the self-proclaimed prophet upwards by his shirt collar. "Did you think that you can tamper with the dark forces and not pay the consequences for your actions?"

With that, the towering powerhouse snatched up the squealing lad and started to drag him into the darkness.

"Wait!"

Wendy was almost afraid to ask, "You're not going to…" She lowered her eyes to the ground, "…you know…"

He spun around, "We soul seekers are not allowed to take the essence of living beings…" His empty, white eyes refocused on the boy he held at bay, "However, you would be surprised to see what one can live through…" He turned his back on Wendy, "Fare thee well. Until the next time we meet…"

Lil' Gideon kicked and screamed as he was taken by force. Seconds later, his shrill voice had vanished into thin air, only to be replaced by the graceful and serene sounds of nature.

With both threats gone, Wendy flew to Dipper's side. Landing on her knees, she slid her arms under his tiny frame and hoisted him up.

"He's warm," Wendy noted, "but why isn't he waking up?" She tenderly rocked her friend as she soothingly whispered to him, "C'mon, Dipper. You got to wake up…" Wendy looked around the secluded forest as if she expected something else to happen. "That soul guy said you'd be okay…" She gazed down at the boy in her arms with shiny eyes, "So, please, be okay…"

"Ugh…"

A tooth-filled grin spread across Wendy's dimpled face as she watched Dipper's eyes started to flicker. Somewhat dazed, Dipper looked up to see his secret crush wiping something away from her green eyes.

"Hey…"

"Welcome back…" she sweetly greeted.

"Thanks…"

All of a sudden, Dipper shot up, nearly knocking Wendy in the forehead. He began to feel around his body, smiling at the fact that his hands didn't go through. As a final test, Dipper reached down and picked up Wendy's hand, unintentionally making the redhead blush.

"I'm…I'm back to normal…" Dipper looked up to see Wendy nodded along with him. With a burst of energy, he let go of her hand and tightly embraced her, catching Wendy off guard.

"I'M BACK TO NORMAL!" The enlivened boy squeezed his secret love with everything he had. Dipper pulled back to meet her face-to-face, "Wendy, I don't know what to say! You…you saved me!"

"PFFT! Don't mention it, dork! It was nothing, really. Besides, you'd do the same for me, right?"

Dipper continued on, "Yeah, but it was more than that, Wendy! You are like my hero…err…heroine! You put Gideon in his place and even went toe-to-toe with that huge freak! How can I thank you for everything?"

"Dipper, you don't – "

"What if I do all of your chores at the Mystery Shack for you?"

"Really, Dip, you don't have to –"

"What if I personally drive you around in the Mystery Cart anytime you need; you know, like your own personal chauffeur? That way, you don't have to ask anyone else for rides?"

"That's not necessary. Honest, Dipper…"

Perplexed, Dipper made one last offer:

"Well, at least, can I treat you to some dessert at Greasy's Diner? We have been running around all day…"

Before Wendy could respond, her tummy let out a growl, as if it was begging her to reconsider.

"Hmm…you know; on second thought, that's not a bad idea." She patted her upset stomach, "I am getting kinda hungry…"

Delighted, Dipper took Wendy by the hand, nearly knocking her right off her feet, and started to head back towards town. As he led the way, the high spirited boy spend every second singing her praises. Wendy could only smile and shake her head in disbelief at her friend's over exaggerations. She looked down at Dipper, who frequently glanced back at her with a sense of wonder and admiration as he navigated his way home, and wondered if she had accidentally created a little monster of her own. Wendy decided to look on the bright side of things: Dipper was safe, and both of them had made it through the experience unscathed. Perhaps some celebration was in order.

"Then again…" Wendy wondered to herself, "…maybe a little hero – I mean, heroine worship wouldn't be so bad after all…"

April 30, 2014 – May 28, 2014