This might get a little confusion at parts, but the best advice I have is to just roll with it. It will all make sense in due time.

Chapter Nine

::

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." Dipper Pines slowly blinked his eyes open, shaking his head at the squeaks of pain and annoyance he heard coming from...above him? "Hey! Bro bro! Little help, up here!"

"Ugh, Mabel?" Wincing at the stab of pain coming from his head, Dipper slowly looked up to see his sister was upside down, and tangled in a group of vines. "Wha- Mabel! Are you okay?!"

"Well, you know, not including the vines and being upside down? Yeah, I'm pretty great. Seriously, though. That help? It would be very appreciated right now." Dipper nodded, pulling himself off the ground and working on climbing the tree that the other was stuck in, wincing as rough bark tore into his skin.

"Okay, so, um, getting you down. Right. I can do that." Dipper pulled himself up onto one of the branches, slowly inching his way across to where Mabel was tangled up, nervous about falling out of a tree that was twenty feet off the ground. "I'll just...bite through them."

"...really?"

"No, not really! I'm panicking, here!" Dipper huffed, chewing on his lip as he tried to think on what to do. The vines were covered in small thorns near the top part, thankfully nowhere near his sister, though. Still, it would make getting her out tricky. "If I can just...trace the vines to where they're tangled."

"Hey, um, Dipper...not to distract you, but...do you remember what we were doing?" Dipper paused at the question, ready to answer, only to realize that he didn't know the answer. "I mean...I remember getting on the bus to leave for Grunkle Stan's, but then...nothing."

"Let's get you out of these vines first, then we can worry about where we are-"

"What if our bus crashed?! I mean, look at this place! Everything is...gray." The place they were in was indeed filled with shades of gray, a world of monochrome. The only thing that had retained color was them, something that made them even more wary of what was going on.

"Well, as long as nothing is on fire and we aren't hearing screams of the damned, we can be pretty sure that we're not in hell," Dipper half joked, tugging on a knotted vine, frustrated expression showing as it only tied itself tighter. "If you see Satan, though, let him know he owes us for that block wide fire-"

"I was trying to be friendly! Just let it go!"

"Hm...nah. It's too much fun to hold over you. Now, hold on, I think I almost..." If he could just get to the one a few inches away, just a small step, and... A sharp crack cut through the quiet landscape, neither twin able to respond before a tree branch went tumbling down to the ground, taking one of the siblings along with it.

"Dipper!" Mabel reached for her brother, eyes wide as she saw the teen...vanish. As if he was never there. "D-Dipper?! Bro, you there?!" More and more unnerved with each passing second of silence, Mabel started breathing heavily, the sight of a golden bangle around her wrist making her pause. "What is this?" She didn't remember getting this bracelet, and yet... "Bill...Cipher."

That was right. They were here looking for Bill. "Okay, okay, what would Dipper do... My name is Mabel Pines. I'm fourteen years old, a twin, and my younger brother is Dipper Pines. We came to visit our Great Uncle for the summer...and we're looking for Bill Cipher." Mabel watched in amazement as the vines slowly uncurled from around her, neatly and gently placing her on the ground. "Thank you! But, um, do you know where my brother is?"

The vines quietly blew in the breeze- "Wait...breeze. There's no breeze in here-" Eyes darting to where the 'breeze' was coming from, Mabel saw a large and intimidating forest. Swallowing her fears, she nodded, pausing to give the vines a dazzling smile. "Thank you!" She noticed the thorns were no longer there.

::

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Dipper Pines, lost and confused, wandered around a cobblestone street, shoes making a rhythmic tapping noise that calmed his frayed nerves. "Can someone help me? I think I might be lost..."

"I might be able to help." Dipper spun around at the sudden voice, eyes falling on a teenager that didn't look much older than him, with light brown hair and kind green eyes, as well as a splattering of freckles across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. "I don't think you're lost though, you just don't realize you're found."

"Um...what?" The teen laughed, Dipper blushing at the sound. It was...nice. "I- Um. Hi. I, um, I kind of got separated from my sister. I know I don't really know you, and we just met, and this is probably rude, but, um, could you maybe help be find her?" The teen laughed again, although the bright smile took away any lingering sting.

"I'd be glad to help- And you don't have to be so shy! People are more willing to help than you might think. I'm William, by the way."

"Oh, uh, Dipper. The girl I'm looking for, my sister, though, she's Maple. Yeah. Dipper and Maple. Yes. That's me, though. Dipper- Not Maple- Um...I...I'll just shut up now," Dipper trailed off, blush hot on his face as William only smiled and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Dipper- Like the stars, right?" Dipper nervously smoothed his bangs over his forehead at the question, giving another jerky nod.

"Y-Yeah. Like the stars." Dipper wasted a few moments staring at the smiling teen, finally shaking himself out of it. "Sorry! Um, so, can you help me find Maple? She doesn't like it when we get separated."

"No problem!" Dipper blushed as his hand was taken, William pulling him down the road. "I'm sure she's around here somewhere, so don't worry, we'll find her!"

"Heh, thanks...so, um, do you live around here?" William nodded, slowing down a bit so the other could keep an easy pace with him. "I mean- Not to be rude! But, uh, just curious, I guess-"

"Calm down, star boy, it's fine," William chuckled, clutching the teen's hand a little tighter. "Yeah, me and my sister live around here. What about you and yours?"

"Sort of," Dipper shrugged, eyes trained on the ground. "If you could call breaking into houses and crashing in alleyways living..." Hand covering his mouth at realizing what he had said, he looked to William in panic, who only gave him an understanding smile.

"Trust me, I know what you mean, although I haven't seen you around before. New to these streets?" Dipper hesitantly nodded, walking a little closer to the teen. "I figured, since me and Jillian know everyone down here. Plus us street kids don't get so easily lost." Dipper laughed at the joke and warm smile, blushing as the hand around his own tightened just a little bit more. "Don't worry, sweet star, we'll find your sister. I promise."

"Thank you..."

::

"Come on, Dipper, you have to be around here somewhere..." Mabel had been walking through the woods for what had felt like hours, although she had no real sense of how much time had passed. "Where's Bill when you need him- Wait-" Eyes darting to her bracelet, she quickly clutched it, calling out the demon's name. "Bill!"

"Who...Shooting...Star?" Mabel jerked around, confused at seeing a well-dressed man who looked to be in his early twenties. Black hair was slicked back, and red eyes were showing confusion. "How- You can't be here- Even though I'm not quite sure where here is..."

"Bill?" The man nodded, Mabel looking even more confused. "Uh, okay, um. How to explain this... See, we met you, but not you, another you, and we made a deal, and then we found out you were under contract, but you wouldn't take our life force, so you passed out, so now we're here." The man placed a hand over his mouth, looking amused. "Don't laugh!"

"I'm not laughing," he denied, the mirth clear in his voice. "Just...you never change, hm?" Mabel only tilted her head, the man finally chuckling. "I am Bill Cipher, Shooting Star, just not the one that you've come to known. This is my own dreamscape, a place where all my memories are held- It's a bit different, considering I'm a demon, however. Since you've come here, I suppose you need to find the current version of myself- Hold on...where's your brother?"

"Dipper? Oh, he- Well, see, that's the thing. He sort of...vanished." Seeing the expression on the other's face, Mabel felt a flash of fear. "Bill- He's okay, isn't it?"

"There are things in here that you two cannot see- Should never see- If he finds one of these places...then he may never get out..." Bill sighed and snapped his fingers, Mabel yelping as blue fire wrapped around her and lifted her into the air. "We need to find him, and soon."

::

"William, are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah! Perfectly fine, sweet star!" Dipper blushed at the nickname, still unused to the warmth in the name, even after he had heard it so often from his best friend. "Just...thinking about some things."

"Really? You're not much of a thinker," Dipper teased, laughing at the mock pout he was given. "I kid, I kid. So, come on, tell me what's wrong, I mean, you might as well, since you aren't getting rid of me all that easily.

"If only..." Dipper frowned at the heavy tone of voice, tugging his friend down to rest against one of the trees that made up the woods they loved to walk in. Kneeling down next to him, Dipper gave him a gesture to continue, the other sighing, "I...there's- I don't know how to explain it..."

"As best you can," Dipper grinned, sitting down and nudging his friend's shoulder. "Come on, William, I've known you for years, and you've never been this down. What's got you so nervous?"

"I..." The two paused at hearing a dainty laugh, Dipper feeling confusion as William jumped up. "I need to get you out of here."

"William- What-" Dipper was cut off as he was jerked up, the other pulling him along through the woods, which went on much longer than it ever should have, now that he thought of. "What are you- What's going on?!"

"I'm sorry- I'm so, so, so sorry, Pine Tree!" Pine Tree? That...that wasn't the name that William used. It was always 'sweet star' or 'dear star', or something else that was guaranteed to fluster him. So what- "I just didn't want to see you go again- But I never should have kept you here- I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you forget!"

"William, you're starting to worry me..." Dipper winced as he was jerked to as top, confused as he looked to the other's terrified face. "What's going on- Why- Why are you acting like this? Is something wrong?"

"I...your name is Dipper Pines." What? No...not Pines. It was...was...what was it? He- He couldn't remember- "You're fourteen-"

"No, I'm not! I just turned sixteen a few days ago!" Dipper snapped, suddenly annoyed at what the other was saying. "If you're trying to freak me out, you're certainly succeeding."

"Dipper...look at your clothes." The teen was thrown off by the order, slowly looking down, startled at what he saw. What was- Pulling off a hat on his head, he looked at the decal of a tree, mind feeling sluggish and wrong. "Pine Tree. That's what he calls you. Bill Cipher, remember?"

"Bill...but..."

"Your name is Dipper Pines. You're fourteen-years-old. You have a twin sister named Mabel. Both of you are spending the summer with her Great Uncle, Stanford Pines. You're staying in Gravity Falls, Oregon. You came into Bill Cipher's dreamscape to try and save him... Please remember, sweet star."

"We...we couldn't remember why we were here- Mabel was tied up in some vines. I tried to get her down when I fell out of the tree, and I landed..." Dipper Pines looked up a smiling William, suddenly feeling lost and confused. "What- Just... If I'm in Bill's dreamscape, then who are you?"

"I'm...nothing but a memory, now..." Dipper flinched as the other took a step forward, upset at the heartbroken expression he saw in reaction. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have tried to keep you, I just...I wanted things to be like they were, but...none of us can go back..."

"What are you- I don't understand what you're talking about. I- I remember Mabel, and Bill, but I also remember you, and Maple, and Jillian- What-" Dipper yelped at the sudden pain in his head, knees hitting the ground as he felt arms wrap around him.

"Ssh, sweet star. I'm sorry, I know, it hurts. But you have to forget everything from when you met me. Just forget it- All of it. Please. It's the only way-"

"Dipper!" Dipper Pines blinked, looking up just in time to see his sister tackle him into a hug, the teen hugging back in amusement. "I was so worried about you!"

"Says the one who was tied up in vines," Dipper laughed, standing up and bringing the girl along with him. "How did you find me?"

"I- I...don't remember." Mabel pushed away from her brother, confused before spotting the teenager that was watching them. "Oh! Who are you?"

"William. It's nice to meet you." Dipper turned around at the unfamiliar voice, head tilting in confusion.

"I...do I know you? You seem...familiar." William only smiled.

"Just one of those faces, after all, I think I would have remembered meeting someone as cute as you!" Dipper blushed, elbowing his sister in the side at hearing her laughter. "You two are lost, right? Let me show you the way out of these woods."

The two nodded, following after the brown-haired teenager, surprised when they found themselves in a long hallway filled with doors seconds later. "This is the door you need, it'll take you to where you need to go."

"Thanks, mysterious teenager of helpfulness!" Mabel grinned, already bouncing through the door, Dipper sighing and shaking his head.

"Never stops to think ahead... Thanks, William. Um, it was nice meeting you." Dipper blinked as he felt his hand grabbed, something being slipped onto his wrist. Looking down, he saw a cord with gold and blue colors woven into it. It was something that looked worn and aged, and well cared for.

"I'm sorry." Dipper looked back to William, unnerved to see the green eyes were now golden. "I shouldn't have kept you, and I shouldn't have listened... I... I'm so sorry, for what I did all those years ago. I hope...I hope you never remember. That you never have to remember, here or there- But if you do...just know that I'm so sorry, sweet star."

Sweet star? "Wait...you're-"

Dipper blinked as he found himself standing next to his sister, black and white tiled floor the only thing in sight. Mind feeling worn and pained, Dipper let out a long, pained sigh. "Remind me to never go into Bill Cipher's mind after this. It's far too much trouble."

"Roger dodger!" Mabel saluted, bouncing and dancing across the tiled floor. "Now let's go find our demon bodyguard! He has to be around here somewhere, after all, right?"

"Ugh, I feel like we fell down into Wonderland," Dipper complained, walking after his sister at a more sedated place. "A Wonderland that makes less sense than the first one... What are we even looking for? I mean, the spell got us in his mind, but what are we supposed to be looking for? He was pretty bad off when we found him, after all."

"I guess we just keep looking until we find something we know!" Mabel called back, letting out a yelp that made Dipper rush to catch up to her. "Sorry, sorry! I'm fine, just, you know, almost ran into this giant wall of thorns."

"Yeah, wow, those don't look nice." In front of them was a massive, and moving, bed of thorns, all sharped to a razor's edge that looked sharp enough to kill. "Definitely don't want to touch those...but you know what thorns mean?"

"We're going the right way?"

"Only one way to find out..." Dipper grinned, getting on the ground and peering into the moving wall of death. Mabel did the same, looking confused even as she did so. "See that speck of gold in the middle?"

"Um...I think? Kind of hard to see through giant evil thorns, after all. Why?"

"Because gold means a certain dream demon, one who's getting his ass kicked for not telling us all this stuff sooner." Dipper jumped up, fingers tapping his chin as he tried to think on how to get through.

"Hm...hey, we're in the mind, right?" At the nod, Mabel grinned. "Well, a person could theoretically do anything in the mind, right?" Dipper blinked at this sister's logic, soon grinning as wide as she was. "Hamster Ball go!" Shaking his head at the giant pink hamster ball his sister was now in, Dipper watched as she rolled onto the bed of thorns, starting to race across them.

"Not bad, I think I'll go with the hover board, though," Dipper grinned, looking down at the device that was indeed at his feet. Stepping on, he quickly caught up to his sister, eyes focusing in on the spot of gold in seconds thanks to the vantage point. "So, let's do this your way."

"Jump in, scream nonsense, and hope for the best?" Mabel looked up to her brother, sighing at seeing he had already jumped. "You forgot the screaming nonsense part!"

"Not my style!" Dipper laughed, fingers brushing against the warm golden glow. He found himself falling straight into a leaf pile seconds later, his sister landing right on top of him. "So, that probably did something, right?"

"It definitely did something."

"Bill!" Both twins scrambled out of the leaf pile, grinning at the floating dream demon that was hovering over their heads. "Man, we thought we'd never find you!"

"And that's why you shouldn't go running around the mind of a demon! I have to admit, you kids did a good job though. See anything interesting while you were wandering about?"

"I got tangled in vines and saw a forest!" Mabel volunteered, standing up and brushing leaves off. "That's about all I remember though."

"I'm fifty percent sure I saw something mind blowing and had my memory suppressed," Dipper shrugged, digging leaves out of his hair and clothes. "I'm not dead, though, so it probably wasn't that important."

"Probably," Bill chuckled. "I'm guessing you two learned about contracts and life force, hm?"

"Yeah, we're not letting you get away from us that easily," Dipper grinned, Mabel nodding in agreement. "In case you weren't aware, we're pretty darn clingy. And we don't like giving up things we like."

"And it just so happens that we really like our demon bodyguard. So, you know, you're stuck with us!"

"Oh, is that a deal?" Bill joked, surprised at the word that followed.

"Yes!" At the dual chimes of agreement, Bill looked shocked, the twins only sharing wicked grins. "You see, we were quite worried about you, and you can't do everything all on you're own..."

"So, how about a deal? We promise to take care of you and give you life force-"

"-as long as you promise to never leave us! So..."

"What do you say?"

"Such twisted little twins you two are...alright then, Pine Saplings...deal. You stay with me, and I stay with you."

"Deal."

I lied. This story makes as much sense as the most outlandish GF theory.