Mabel ordered her third cup of coffee and watched with a drowsy smile as the waiter returned behind the counter. Ehehe. He had a kitten sticker on his apron. The aroma of the freshly ground coffee beans eased her into a warm, soothing doze.

"Hey, Mabel."

She roused from her dozing and her face brightened. The man before her smiled in return, and her stomach erupted with butterflies. Urghh, he's so cute. I just want to squash his face in my hands and make baby noises.

"I was wondering when you were coming back." She gawked at the pastry in her date's hand. "Wow, that cake looks amazing. Sprinkles and rainbow icing. Great find."

The man took a seat, setting the three-layered marble cake between them. Mabel cut herself a slice and moaned as she took a bite. "This is too good. I didn't even know they made cakes here."

He smiled. "Oh, they don't."

She quirked a brow at the comment, but then her drink arrived. After taking a look at her beverage, however, she frowned. "Oh, boo. They forgot about my glitter. I specifically remembering ordering glitter with my coffee."

"That's horrible." His voice was anguished. Standing, he took Mabel's yellow cup. "I'll take care of this."

He left, leaving Mabel to her cake. She took another few bites, thanking sweet Moses for cute boys and hot beverages. I haven't seen him since that class we shared in high school.

Mabel leaned back in her chair, admiring the other patrons of the café. An alicorn and a pegapig were discussing something about elected officials or whatever. The pegapig was deeply upset. Mabel tried eavesdropping, but the harder she listened the more muffled the voices became. She gave up, turning back to her table

He sure is taking his time.

Craning her neck, Mabel glanced at the counter. The waiter with the kitten sticker wasn't there. Neither was her art class boy. All of the coffee shop patrons had disappeared, leaving Mabel alone with her half-eaten marble cake.

Half-eaten? Wait a second.

Mabel looked closely at her cake. The pastry had been restored. She couldn't even taste the chocolate on her tongue anymore.

Something was wrong.

A harsh spear of light exploded from the cake. Mabel screamed and tried to jump out of her seat, but found herself glued down. Light fanned the café, bleeding out the color until only an endless plane of gray remained. In the center of the cake, a single, yellow eye slit open.

An intense, golden flash encompassed Mabel's vision. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, withstanding the blast of energy as it collected into one triangular demonic dream demon.

"HERE HE IS, THE ONE AND ONLY."

Mabel cracked open an eye. She screamed at the sight of the sharply dressed geometric figure. The demon tipped his hat as if it were any other visit. "That's right. Glad to see you haven't forgotten me, Shooting Star. It's been ages."

Mabel continued screaming, jumping in her chair. She screamed so hard her throat hurt. Bill watched, blinking occasionally. When she finally ran out of air, he said, "So as I was saying, it's been ages Star. You're looking pretty good—"

Mabel took a deep breath and kept screaming.

Bill snapped his fingers and Mabel's mouth closed like a zipper. She shook and snorted furiously, bouncing in the chair. Bill watched, torn between amusement and frustration.

"I'm just trying to have a conversation, Star. You've got to work with me here. Neither of us has time for this." With another snap, Mabel's mouth was freed. She smacked her lips, glaring at the demon.

"I don't have to do anything. This is my dream, and I want you out."

"Your dream? I'm the one that set everything up for you, Star. I was sure to include everything you liked. If you had waited a bit longer, the pig with wings would've started dancing the polka."

Mabel froze. "You did all that?" The boy from my old art class. The café over the lake. It all makes sense. The idea that Bill had dug into her mind in order to recreate her fantasy sunk in her stomach like a cold rock. How dare he? That freaking creep.

Bill didn't seem aware of her anger, tipping his hat once more.

"Sure did. I have to say, though, your dreams are usually way more interesting than this. I'm noticing a distinct lack of nonsensical color placement." Bill lowered himself to her eye level. "Now, I don't want to take up too much of your time. You're a busy woman with a dream to get back to, and I'd hate to impose."

"Why would I listen to you? After what you did to my brother and grunkle?"

"Aw, don't tell me you guys are still sore about that business. That was years ago."

"Now you're coming for me, aren't you? Couldn't go without messing with all the Pines family?" Mabel bucked so hard her chair flipped backward. It spun on an axis before abruptly righting itself. "Will someone get me out of this thing?"

Bill snapped his fingers again and Mabel shot up so fast her head spun. Groaning, she leaned against the shadowed table and rubbed her temples. "Ugh, finally." Bill crinkled his eye. Is he supposed to be smiling? Creepy.

"Don't you worry, Star, this will only take a minute."

Bill clapped his hands and the world around them melted away. When everything reformed, Mabel recognized the empty laboratory hidden behind the Mystery Shack's vending machine.

"Here's the situation, Star. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I find myself in a bit of a bind—"

"No."

Bill blinked, moving a few inches away from her. Mabel straightened up, trying to forget the fact that she was yelling at Bill, the all-powerful dream demon that could turn her into a three-headed frog.

"I know what you've been trying to do. You're trying to butter me up. It won't work, I won't listen to anything you have to say, Bill."

Bill narrowed his eye and Mabel's throat closed up. Oh god, it's frog time. The second passed, however, and Bill tilted stiffly towards her.

"Look, kid, I know we've had some issues in the past, but this is kind of urgent—"

"I don't care." Mabel covered her ears. "I can't hear you. Laa la la, la la la laa—"

"Shooting Star, you need to—"

Throwing up her hands, Mabel stormed away from the floating triangle. She began to furiously pinch her hand. Bill floated after her. "Wake up, wake up, wake up. La la la la."

"That isn't going to work. If you could—"

"LA LA LAA LA—"

"ENOUGH."

The entire plane turned bright red and Bill's eye pulsated with fury. Mabel cowered. Being turned into a frog would be a best-case scenario at this point.

The red melted away and Bill's eye returned to normal. "It appears this talk will have to wait. But I just want to make one thing very clear, Star: This. Is. Important."

Mabel held her trembling hands behind her back. "Sure it is, Bill. Now let me out of here."

Bill stared at her for a moment, his eye narrowed in thought. Then, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

With a strangled shout, Mabel shot up in her bed. Sweat soaked her pajamas. The bedroom was empty and dark, save for the moonlight.

Struggling to take a full breath of air, she collapsed into her pillow. Just a dream, it was just a dream. A terrifyingly vivid dream.

Oh, who was she kidding? Bill Cipher, their age-old adversary, had paid her a visit. What could he possibly want after all this time? Why did he show her the old laboratory?

Mabel glanced at her clock. 5:53 AM. Friggin Bill Cipher. Couldn't he wait another few hours? Since dreaming was the last thing she wanted to do, she flipped off her sheets and crawled out of bed. A drafty breeze cut through her and she curled up, shivering.

Throwing on a sweater and some slippers, she headed to the living room and slumped on the couch. She flipped on the TV, staring at the screen as she waited for the sun to rise and her brother with it.

…

"Mornin' Mabel."

She responded to her brother with a very un-Mabel-y grunt. Dipper, ever observant, looked over his shoulder. "Everything alright? You looked wrecked."

Mabel shrugged. "I woke up early and couldn't fall back asleep. So I came up here to watch some television." She wanted coffee, but coffee made her think of cafe's and cafe's made her think of her dream and blch. "It was nothing but fighting shows and infomercials."

"Well, that's sucky." Dipper whipped up a quick bowl of cereal, asking Mabel if she would like one (she grumbled negatively), before sitting down next to her on the couch. "Anything stressing you out?"

You have no idea. Mabel bit her lip. I need to tell him. We're both in danger with Bill lurking around. Dipper knows better than anyone how to defend against all this mystical stuff. But.

They had only been back at the Shack for two weeks now. Two weeks and already the worst case scenario had happened. She was reluctant to break the spell.

It's been almost a year since their Grunkle Stan had visited them in California with surprising news. "I'm retiring to a cozy resort down in good old Hawaii," he had said with a wide grin. "A whole new crowd of dummies to con."

Among the many presents they received for their 19th birthday that year, one of them had been the keys to the Mystery Shack. "You could trash the old place if you want to," Stan had said, looking sheepish. "I don't care. It's your decision to make."

When summer arrived, the mystery twins arrived with it. With Wendy at college in Portland and Soos living with Melody and Mabel taking online classes, they had to reduce the Shack's hours of operations. While they finished every workday exhausted, they were happy and having fun.

At least until now.

"Oh, uh. Yeah, I guess. I'm not sure if I'm ready to talk about it right now."

Dipper quirked a brow, but then, and Mabel wasn't sure if she was just imagining it, his expression turned dark. Almost as if he knew something. The expression vanished if it was even there, and Dipper returned to his cereal. You're just panicking, Mabel.

"Okay, take your time. Wake me up next time you can't sleep, okay? I could make you some tea."

"Psh. Like I would drink tea. Hah! Tea? Like, what even is that?" Mabel laughed, struggling to sound casual. Dipper scrunched his nose.

"I'm sorry you have no taste when it comes to hot beverages, sis." He became serious again. "Honestly, you can wake me up. We can play games or something."

"Thanks, bro-bro. Hopefully, it won't happen again."

Dipper smiled. "Hopefully."

She tried to smile back but felt sick. She hated lying to him, but as much as she hated lying, she hated seeing him worry even more. The return of Bill Cipher would do more than worry him.

She had to tell him. Who knows what Bill was planning?

Maybe it was nothing at all. Maybe it really was just some wild dream?

Unlikely, although possible.

Still, Dipper had the right to know if there was even a hint of danger. She couldn't keep a secret so big from him.

Mabel breathed slowly through her nose.

Tomorrow. She'll see if Bill returns tonight and if he does, then she'll tell Dipper. They can enjoy the magic of the Shack together for one more day.

With her decision made, her mood lightened. Best case scenario, Bill would take the hint and never come back.

…

Onboard the Sundae Train, Conductor Mabel Pines received a message from one of her penguin waiting staff. A passenger required her attention. She informed her co-captain to take over manning the train as she investigated.

When she reached the final passenger cart, she was greeted by one of the penguins, a dapper chap named Wilfred. "A client has lodged a complaint, your grace," he said. "A fellow named Bill Cipher."

At the sound of the name, Mabel snapped into lucidity. My co-captain is a walrus. I'm talking to a penguin. Why are all of my dreams so weird? When she remembered who else was apparently on her train, she frowned. "Figures. I'll take care of this. Thanks for the heads up."

The penguin bowed and Mabel turned to the door. When she opened it, she froze. Over a dozen eyes locked onto her the moment she opened the door, and in perfect unison at least 20 Bills declared, "Nice ride you got here Star."

Mabel screamed and slammed the door shut.

"Disconnect the cart," she ordered the staff. "Throw it off a cliff. Into a ditch. I don't care how!"

The staff nodded and she charged up to the front of the train, imagining the biggest lock on every door she passed. After securing the final door that leads to the front of the train, she slumped against the wall, her heart pounding. Her co-captain didn't ask, focused on operating the train's wheel with his blubbery flippers.

Mabel waited for a solid ten seconds. It's okay. You locked all the doors and the penguins are taking care of the cart as we speak. Everything's going to be oka—

"Is that any way to treat a paying customer, Star?"

Mabel jumped up and gasped. The demon had appeared outside her window, floating alongside a train. He kicked backed and twirled his cane about. "You know what they say, the customer's always right."

Huffing, Mabel stormed to the window. The dream world sped by with Bill perfectly intact. "Staff courtesy doesn't apply to dream invaders, Bill. And speaking of courtesy, can you go one visit without one of your weird entrances? Cake? Clones? What's next, electric sheep? Stop trying to psych me out!"

"Whoa, easy there, Star," Bill held up his hands in submission. "I forgot that humans have a delicate sense of humor. Dramatic entrances are my thing."

"Well, make it not your thing."

"Look, it's over and done with, the entrance was made. No use crying over spilled blood. Let's get down to business."

Mabel straightened up, as did Bill (as much as a triangle could, anyway). Despite only having one eye, Bill's stare was surprisingly unwavering. But Mabel could handle it. She grew up with her great-uncle Stan, after all, and his stares could freeze lava.

"Hey," she spoke over her shoulder. Her blubbery co-captain stood attention. "Can you give us a minute?" He made some incoherent walrus-y noise before stepping out. Bill's gaze trailed after it.

"Now these are the dreams of yours I was talking about, Star. You got your weird colors, impossible machinery, sapient animal. I would have recommended capuchin monkeys as the waiting staff, though. Those have always been a big hit in your other dreams."

Did he ever stop running his mouth? "I don't even want you to talk about my dreams. I can't believe you redid my private fantasies in order to manipulate me. Uncool. That's low, even for you."

"No, it isn't." He laughed.

"Bill."

"Look, Star." He was suddenly behind her. Mabel whirled around. "I've said it once, I've said it a million times. I've got something important I need to say. All I want is to talk to you and your brother."

She crossed her arms. "Just talk?"

He narrowed his eye. "It's a start."

Mabel sighed. I'm already going to tell Dipper about this tomorrow. At least I could possibly get some more info this way. I just won't make a deal with him. "Fine. I'll let you talk. No promises on anything else."

Seeming to perk up, Bill tapped his cane and bounced into the air. "Like I said, it's a start." He snapped his fingers and time froze. Color drained from the world around her, and Mabel once again found herself in the Mindscape.

"Now, as I'm sure you're aware, I've accumulated quite a lot of power over the years. However, that power has limitations. Anything in the physical world is strictly off limits."

"Unless you have a vessel." How could she forget? She had nightmares about the Bipper incident for weeks.

Bill nodded. "Correct. This limitation has proved, well, less than helpful, especially when most of what I need is on your turf."

The puzzle pieces clicked. "You want us to get you a body? You have the nerve to ask that? After what you did to my brother?"

"Not the same situation, Star. No, what I need is something a little more permanent."

"And whyexactly do you need one?"

"Multiple reasons. All of which I can't discuss. But it is critical."

"You've got to be kidding me. First, you have the nerve to ask me and my brother to get you a body, and then you won't even tell me the reason why?"

"It's confidential."

That smarmy little cretin! "Forget it. There's no way my brother would ever want to help you get a body, especially if you won't even tell him why he should." She stormed past him, and, at last, Bill started to panic.

"See, that's why you need to talk to him. He'll listen to you, Star. If you could just make him—"

So that's why Bill's seemed to take such a shine to her lately; he wanted her to soften Dipper up. It made sense. Bill had tormented her the least. She shuddered, anger and disgust broiling in her stomach.

"Tough luck, Cipher. If you want my brother, you're going to have to talk to him yourself." She returned to the train's wheel. "Now get out of my head. I have a REM cycle to finish."

Bill's eye burned into her back. After several tense moments passed, she heard a slow exhale. When she glanced over, Bill had returned to floating outside the window.

"I'll keep that in mind, Star. This isn't the end of things, just so you know, but I can take a hint." He paused, seeming to consider something, before saying, "And sorry about the coffee shop."

He vanished. Color snapped back into her world and the train resumed its course. The edges of her vision fizzled and she could feel her lucidity dwindle, but she kept her gaze on the now empty window. With a small sigh, she mumbled, "Apology accepted, I guess," before succumbing to her dream.

…

This time, she woke up with the sun high in the sky. Much better.

She flipped off the covers and stretched, yawning. For a moment, she couldn't remember why it felt like she had eaten a large, cold rock. Could it be the spicy burrito I ate last night? Dipper warned me, but I didn't—

The dream came rushing back. Cipher. Body. Dipper. Need to talk.

She shot out of bed. Her brother usually woke up before she did so she headed towards the kitchen. There was a bowl in the sink. Dipper had already eaten breakfast. He's not in his room, he's not in the living room. Where the heck is he?

On a whim, she checked the gift shop area and found Dipper on his hands and knees attacking the floor with a scrub brush. Her concern flared. "Dipper, what are you doing?"

Dipper looked up from his work, surprised to see Mabel in the door. He tried to cover his strained expression by wiping his brow, but Mabel wasn't fooled. "I figured since I had tours off today I could get started with cleaning. There were a few complaints about stains"

"Bro-bro, you have enough back strain crouching over your manuscript all day."

Dipper stood, popping several joints in his back as he did so. Mabel's frown deepened. "It's okay, it's not too much for me to handle. I just wanted to get a head start on chores before the shop opened." Mabel was silent, but Dipper was a pro at reading her expressions. "Are you okay?"

No, I'm not okay. You're going to run yourself into the ground trying to fix this place up. Meanwhile, there's a dream demon lurking in our heads wanting us to take up body snatching. I am the exact opposite of okay.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "There's something I haven't been telling you."

…

As she told her story, Dipper's face darkened. "Why didn't you tell me this yesterday?"

She hesitated. The excuses she had sounded silly now.

"You know how dangerous Bill is," Dipper said. "What if he did something to you on either of those nights? I wouldn't have known what to do."

"I know. I was being selfish. I just hated the idea of stepping all over your happiness, bro."

"It's not about my feelings, Mabel. It's about having each other's back and protecting each other."

"I know." Mabel hid her face behind her hands in shame. "It's just we've only been here for two weeks. I didn't want to, like, jinx anything."

"Well. Too late for that." Dipper glared down at his hands. "What else did he say?"

She continued her summary of the last two dreams. When she brought up the favor, Dipper stood up from his chair, bristling.

"He wants us to do what?"

"That's what I thought you'd say."

He paced around, scrubbing the stubble on his jaw. "A body? He'd ask us to- I can't believe he thinks we would even consider it! What does he want us to do? Dig up a corpse at the cemetery? Kidnap someone in town?"

"He said it would be different this time. Something about it being 'more permanent'." A thought struck her. "What if he's trying to become human? Like, become become human?"

"Bill thinks human are scum. Playthings, at best." Even as he said it, Dipper stopped pacing. His brow furrowed in thought. "It makes no sense. Why would he want to stoop to our level? And why ask us?"

"Maybe he's looking for something?"

"But why would he need a permanent body?"

"Maybe he's in legal demon trouble and he needs a place to crash?"

"That's ridiculous."

Crossing her arms, Mabel leaned back in her chair. "I don't know, bro-bro. You're going to have to ask him yourself."

"As if."

"Bill isn't going to give up on whatever it is he wants. So either you have a banishment spell in those journals of yours, or you confront him. Bite off the snail's head, or whatever."

"It's 'bite off the snake's head'. And that doesn't even apply." Dipper brought a thumb to his lip. "There is no banishment spell in the journals, but there is a summoning spell."

An old memory resurfaced in Mabel's mind. "Is it like the spell Gideon used to bring Bill here in the first place?"

"Almost. The spell would be the same, but we'd have a binding circle to keep him contained. He wouldn't be able to leave the circle until we say he can, and he can't mess with anything outside the boundaries. We would be confronting him on our own terms. It doesn't mean we're gonna go body snatching, but it couldn't hurt to clear some things up."

"Okay. Let's do it."

…

Just when Dipper had thought things were working out, that insufferable demon had to crop up his annoying, pointy head. Leave it to Bill.

Bill Cipher. Back in Gravity Falls. It's been years since anyone's even heard from him. He still remembered the sensation of his soul being ripped from his body.

Shaking himself, he returned to the floors, scrubbing a stubborn bit of mold in-between the cracks of the wooden tile. One good thing about the crumbling state of the Mystery Shack was that there was never any shortage of tedious work to be done. Plenty of chores to get my mind off of an omnipotent demon that likely wants to kill me, who I'm summoning in, oh, five hours—

The self-torture went on until the afternoon shadows crept over the shop. The final batch of tourists drove away in their minivans with lightened wallets and Mabel locked the gift shop door with a content, if tired, smile.

She looked to Dipper as he crouched on the floor, and he could see the brief flash of concern flit through her eyes before she tried to smother it. He thought for sure she was about to make some comment about his fragility, but she surprised him with, "You ready for some demon summoning?"

His stomach stirred with renewed unease. Tossing the rag into the soapy bucket, he stood as fast as he could without groaning. "Yeah. Yeah, let's get this over with."

While Mabel changed into more comfortable clothing, Dipper grabbed Journal No. 2 and a backpack of prepared ingredients from his room. They met on the porch and set out to a predetermined spot within the woods. Dipper reviewed the summoning notes, searing every word and warning into his brain. Mabel strolled beside him, humming under her breath.

"How can you be so calm right now?"

"Hmm? Who?" Mabel pulled away from her train of thought to look at Dipper.

"You. You're so relaxed."

"I guess. Is there a reason I shouldn't be?"

"We're about to summon one of our most dangerous enemies, Mabel. How can you not?"

"Yeah, but didn't you say he can't do anything outside of the circle?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Besides, I don't think he's gonna try anything anyway."

Dipper froze in his tracks, bringing both of them to a halt. He stared at his sister with wide eyes. She continued without prompting, "Whatever it is Bill wants, he wants it bad enough that he won't jeopardize it by getting us angry. Besides," she smacked his arm, winking. "We've managed to outsmart that twit every time he was up to no good. This time will be no different."

There were still about a million things that could go wrong, but it was hard to get distressed with his sister next to him. She's right. Whatever Bill has up his sleeve, we can handle it.

They reached the designated clearing. Dipper scratched the rune in the dirt while Mabel propped the candles where her brother directed. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he linked the final letter. Mabel stood at the circle's edge, waiting. Dipper took care not to smudge anything as he joined her, flipping the journal open to Bill Cipher's page.

"Okay. I'm going to start the spell. If anything goes wrong, blow out the candles or smudge the circle. It'll break the demon's tether to the physical world." Mabel nodded, expression steeled. With that said, Dipper returned to the journal. He took a deep, steadying breath. Here goes nothing.

"Triangulum. Entangulum." He licked his lips, trying to quell his rising apprehension. Mabel gripped his forearm. "Veneforis dominus ventium. Veneforis venetisarium."

Pain struck him. His insides curled up and he collapsed to his knees, dropping the journal. A great, stringent noise rang in his ears. He couldn't even hear Mabel shouting next to him. His immediate thought was that he'd messed up somehow and they were both going to die due to his inadequacy. But then, as if something else had taken control of his body, he began chanting against his will. He trembled, voice hoarse as he struggled for breath. Beneath him, the color drained from the grass and dirt. The world around them slowed to a crawl.

They made it.

A familiar laugh pierced the unmoving air, a laugh that crawled over Dipper's skin and dredged up countless, old nightmares. He couldn't stop the shudder that rolled over his body.

Bill continued laughing long after the summoning was complete. Dipper trembled on the forest floor, Mabel crouched beside him.

"What's so funny, Cipher?" she said.

"Oh, nothing. Everything. It'sbeen some time, though, hasn't it Pine Tree?"

Dipper gritted his teeth at the stupid nickname. With his legs still feeling like jelly, he made himself stand up. When he managed to find balance on his two shaking legs, tucking the journal into his vest, he found the triangle inspecting the runes of the summoning circle.

Same hat. Same bow tie. Same eye. Same voice. He really hasn't changed after all this time.

Bill laughed once more. "Nice binding circle you got here, kid. You've done your homework. That Gideon kid didn't even have proper pronunciation when he summoned me, much less a binding circle. Still," he floated as close as he dared to the twins. "That's some powerful magic. It could've killed both you and Shooting Star if you messed up. All that risk, just for me. I'm flattered."

"Shut up," Dipper snapped, irritation leaking into his voice. "Why have you been invading my sister's dreams? Why do you want a body when you could just get one yourself? Why are you back in—"

"Whoa, whoa, kid, easy with the questions, I just got here. Don't you wanna catch up with your old friend?"

Tightening his fist, Dipper prepared another bout of questions when Mabel touched his shoulder. She stared at him. I shouldn't be losing my head. Not now. Taking a deep breath, Dipper nodded and backed off.

Turning to the demon, Mabel stepped forward. "Bill, you have something you wanted to talk to us about. Something about getting a body. If you want us to help you, now's the time to tell us."

"Not that we've agreed to help," Dipper said. Bill considered them from his spot in the air, scrutinizing them with a gaze that knew more secrets of the universe than all of humanity combined. Dipper swallowed thickly.

"Well, I hate to cut the reunion short, but you've got a point, Star. Time is of the essence. As both of you are aware, I'm sure, I find myself indeed of a personal meatsack."

"A human body?" Dipper said through gritted teeth.

"That too."

"And why do you need a human body so badly? Why ask us?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked, Pine Tree. There are three reasons, to be exact. Reason number one. It isn't enough just to borrow someone else's body, since, as you both know, I'll be forced out the second I fall unconscious. The things I need to do require I stay on the physical plane for a while, so I need a handcrafted body made just for me that won't kick me to the curb.

"Reason number two." Snapping his fingers, Bill summoned an image of a dark, spacious room. The old portal room, Dipper realized with a jolt. "You two knuckleheads happen to be situated over a pretty sizable tear in dimensional space. This ritual ain't cheap in energy, and if it's going to have a chance of succeeding, it's got to happen there." He snapped his fingers again and the image disappeared.

"And finally, Pine Tree here is one of the most capable meatsacks I know regarding rituals. I don't have enough time to cozy up to someone more competent, and the fact that you're already living over that old tear makes it all the more convenient."

Despite himself, he felt a touch of pride at Cipher's words. Does he mean that? No, doesn't matter. He's just stroking my ego. "None of that answers why we should help you, Bill. At all."

"For once it isn't my goal to give the Pines family a run for their money. Help me get a body and you have my word that you and Star are safe from me."

"So just because you won't go after my family means we should unleash you on the world? Do you think I'm insane?"

"Listen, Pine Tree," Bill narrowed his eye. "Nothing's preventing me from messing with you humans right now. I can level this town if I really wanted. Besides, once I'm properly situated, I won't even have access to the Mindscape anymore. I'll be completely powerless and pathetic. Like you! You'll have nothing to worry about."

Dipper gaped. "You'd give up your powers just to be human?"

"Nice job saying the thing that I just said two seconds ago, Pine Tree."

Dipper and Mabel traded an astonished look. A Bill with no more Mindscape powers? If Bill was telling the truth, that would be huge.

"Not to mention," Mabel said, "we could use an extra pair of hands to help around the Shack."

"Mabel, we could be potentially removing one of the most dangerous creatures in the world and you're thinking about chores?"

She shrugged. "I worry about your back, bro."

Shaking his head, he looked back up at Bill. "How do we even know you're telling the truth? You've lied to us in the past. You tried to break my great uncle's mind. You stole my body from me. How can we trust you?"

"Wait, wait, Pine Tree, hear me out—"

Dipper tuned out the babble and turned to Mabel. He couldn't commit to a decision without her input. Mabel stared at Bill, a thumb pressed against her lip.

"—don't know what you're giving up here. I'm offering you a premium deal; just think, with a human body, I'll never pop up in your dreams again-"

"Bill," Mabel cut through his rambling. "You mentioned something about not having enough time. Why are you running out of time?"

It was apparently a question Bill didn't want to be asked. His voice wavered. "Because, I'm. Well, how exactly do you word it? There were some, events, that happened and- You see, I'm, I'm not-"

"Get to the point," Dipper said. Was Bill actually nervous about something?

Bill was silent, waging a mental battle, before breathing out in one long sigh, "Because if I don't land myself a permanent human body, I'm going to die."

Mabel made a noise of surprise. Dipper stiffened. Bill didn't seem to be affected by their reactions, tapping his cane in thought. "Well, cease to exist would be a better term for it, but that's the gist of things. I'm desperate, you get it? Why else would I want to associate with you meatsacks? It's not for your wonderful cuisines, I'll tell you that much."

He'll die? I didn't even know he was capable of that. He blinked and rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off his shock "How would getting a body prevent you from dying?"

"Simple. You humans are isolated from the Mindscape and as of now, the Mindscape isn't the safest place to be. It's the equivalent of swimming to a deserted island in order to get out of the water, get it?"

"And how do we know you're not lying to us?"

Bill stared at them, looking tired. "You don't. The only thing I can do is assure you is that if you don't help me, I'm gone. You sack of bones are my last hope."

Without thinking, Dipper took his foot and dragged it through the dirt of the summoning circle. Bill vanished, and color snapped back into the world. Time moved forward. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Dipper turned around and started walking back to the Mystery Shack.

After a few moments, Mabel trotted up next to him, the blown out candles in her arms. Dipper sighed, ducking his head. "Sorry about that. I just couldn't listen to it anymore."

"Don't worry, I understand. It's a lot to take in."

They walked in silence, both lost in their own minds. Dipper shook himself, not wanting to think about it, not wanting to think at all."That was the absolute last thing I was expecting, though."

"What? Him dying?"

"Yeah."

Mabel hummed in thought. "I guess. It does make sense, after all. Why he hasn't tried to hurt us, why he's been trying to butter me up first. It's like whenever we went to Dad to ask him something when Mom already said no."

Dipper's lips twisted, but he didn't actually smile. "Do you think we should trust him?"

"I think he's telling the truth. I think if we don't help him, he's going to, well, you know."

"You think we should help him?"

Mabel hummed, looking away. Dipper exhaled sharply through his nose. "After all the things he did to us? All the things he did to me?"

"I don't know. You're right. He did horrible things. But he'll die if we don't help him. That's what I think." Dipper fell silent. Mabel continued, "He needs you more than he needs me, bro-bro. All I'm saying is that I'm pretty sure he's telling the truth."

He valued his sister's judgment more than anyone else's, more than his own. If she thought he wasn't lying ...

The two didn't speak for the remainder of the walk. When they got back to the Shack, Dipper retreated to his room and didn't emerge for the rest of the evening. Mabel didn't bother him and he appreciated that.

…

Dipper wasn't surprised when Bill made his appearance that night.

The dream's setting was an empty movie theater. Dipper was eating popcorn that tasted like cherries when he felt a presence in the chair next to him. He didn't look over.

"You're really that desperate, are you?" he asked.

"Eeyup. No other way to say it."

Silence. Images started flickering on the screen. A boy with yellow eyes. A sock opera. Dipper looked down at his hands. "My sister thinks you're telling the truth."

"I don't think I've met a human with as strong an intuition as Shooting Star. Well, there was that one French guy with the apothecary, but I'm pretty sure he had a demon helping him."

"Really? There are demons that actually help people?"

"Sure, there are. What, you have one bad experience and that makes all of demonhood bad? Don't be so prejudiced, Pine Tree."

Dipper smiled without humor. "What can I say? It was a pretty traumatic incident." More images. A boy curled up under his bedsheets. Broken dreams centered on a colorless, distorted triangle. The screen washed-out.

"Hear me out, Pine Tree." Bill floated before him, holding out his hands. "If you perform the ritual and give me a body, I'll be at your level. Worse, even. You think I know how you humans use those limbs of yours? You can put me down if I cause trouble without breaking a sweat. Not to imply that I would cause trouble."

That's true. He wouldn't have the Mindscape anymore. I could control him. If he doesn't stab us in our sleep, that is. Dipper frowned.

As if reading his mind (a frightening possibility), Bill continued, "After all, why would I want to cause trouble? I wouldn't last a day on my own. What's considered 'acceptable' to you humans changes at the drop of a hat. I'll be helpless. Like a newborn puppy, only with more wit and charm."

"Please. Like you're more charming than a puppy."

"What are you talking about? Look at me. My eye is my face, my face is my body, and my body is the simplest geometric shape. I'm efficient. What's not charming about that? Puppies are a chunky mess compare to me."

"Whatever you say, Bill." Dipper looked down into his popcorn.

After a long moment, he rose from his seat. "I want a full in-depth analysis of this ritual. Purposes of ingredients, translations, everything. If you leave anything out, you can forget our help. You also have to help out at the Shack," he added, remembering Mabel's earlier words. "Doing chores or anything else we tell you."

"Deal." Bill held out his hand. Dipper stared at it for a good moment before tucking his hands into his pocket. Bill retracted the offer. "Right. I got ya, Pine Tree. No handshakes."

Rolling his eyes, Dipper took his hand and drew an 'X' over his heart. "If the ritual checks out and Mabel agrees, I'll help you get a body. If you're lying to us, or you try to hurt either my sister or me …"

"Yes! Of course, whatever you say, Pine Tree." He copied Dipper's gesture of faith. I wonder if it counts when they don't have a heart, he mulled, before deciding it didn't matter. If this thing went sour, Dipper would make sure nobody regretted it more than Bill.

Bill floated high over Dipper's head, seeming to perk up. "Pleasure doing business with you Pine Tree, as always. This ritual of mine is right up your alley, so I know you'll have fun with it." He blinked emphatically. "You can't tell, but I'm winking at you. See you later, kid."

Dipper woke up. Sunlight poured through the open windows of his makeshift office. Right, he had been working on his new book's outline when he fell asleep. An uneasy feeling sank in his gut as the dream came back to him. I can't believe I'm doing this. I still wouldn't be if Mabel didn't think—

Mabel. She'll need to know about this.

Rising from his chair, popping several joints in his body, Dipper readied to leave his office when he saw it. The entirety of both of his arms was covered in blue scrawling. What is this? I didn't do this! He tilted his head, getting a better look. These are notes. For the ritual? How could they have gotten here? Who did—?

Bill.

Sucking his teeth, Dipper ignored the writings and continued out the door.

Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it …