Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The world was beautiful and mysterious. You could spend an entire lifetime gaining knowledge and still only scratch the surface. Creatures full of wonder existed all over, people with magic and those without lived in relative harmony. Some lands were full of power, the strange and unique thriving. Technology grew nearly as vast as magic, magitech being a fairly recent development.

Some people were born with magic, or attributes. Mabel had an attribute for charms, Great Uncle Ford could imbue technology with magic, Grunkle Stan had the strange attribute for speechcraft, and Dipper, well, his attribute was more of a curse than anything else.

In fact his attribute was the reason he and his twin were moving to Gravity Falls. Their parents recently divorced, due to no longer seeing things on the same page. Dipper knew it was his fault, even if no one was saying it. Mabel, ever the optimist, was the one that convinced them to leave. The twins were seventeen already, and having experience outside of the town they grew up in would be good for their future, so she said.

No one mentioned that the vast forests and strong energy would be better for Dipper, make it easier for him. Even Mabel no longer spoke about her brother's attribute, she couldn't help, so she chose to pretend everything was fine.

With that one argument from Mabel the twins were shipped off to their Great Uncles, or rather Grunkles. Stan and Ford were excited to have permanent helpers in their shop, and they were particularly excited to have a charm maker. Mabel would make new charms for them to sell, and Dipper would help man and clean the shop.

Frankly speaking, Dipper didn't care. While he was excited to explore the forest in Gravity Falls, he didn't see any other prospects to the move. Not that staying with one of his parents would be any better. He would just end up stressing everyone out more than usual. So, he said nothing about the move, simply agreeing with his sister and quietly packing his things.

While Mabel was saying a tearful goodbye to her friends, he was in his room reading the books he would need to return to the library. Dipper had no friends, everyone in their small town knew his attribute after all. They weren't cruel to him, but no one wanted to get close to him. He never blamed them, but it was a lonely existence. It only got worse when Mabel began making friends outside of him, though he would never begrudge her her happiness.

He would make sure no one in Gravity Falls ever learned of his attribute. It would be easy for him to act like a null, seeing as many people were null. It wasn't even uncommon for one twin in a set to be a null, sometimes magic only developed in one. No one was really judged for being null, not outside of prejudiced jerks anyway.

Another high point to the move was he wouldn't be expected to continue his schooling. General education ended at sixteen, after that you either went to a trade school or you took a path associated with your attribute. Dipper spent the last year at a trade school, learning bookkeeping and business management. He attained the credentials to at least get a well paying job in his future. Adding the experience of working at his Grunkles shop, he would be able to open his own bookstore a few years down the road.

His goal for his future was to open a little shop, maybe in Gravity Falls if he liked it enough, and live quietly until the end of his days. It was a humble dream, but one he wholeheartedly wanted. His sister would soon go off to begin her dream, of making a fashion line imbued with her charms. She loved creating clothes and adding a charm for luck in love, or any other varieties.

Scarves that repel evil, shoes that give you a swift pace, sunglasses that show you when someone likes you. Dipper thought it was all arbitrary, but he had seen the kids in their school go crazy over the things Mabel could make. He had no doubt she would make something of herself and be the center of attention like she always strived to be.

Once this summer was over Mable would be going to a university, one dedicated to the fashion she so loved. Dipper should feel sad this was his last summer with his sister before she moved on, but he just wasn't. He loved her dearly, but neither of them would gain anything from sticking together. Mabel had a real chance to make something of herself, and if that meant leaving Dipper behind, well, he knew what she would always pick.

When they were small he and Mabel had been closer than anything else. Before they understood the world, when everything was pure and sweet. Mabel loved his attribute when they were small, she was simply mesmerized by his wings. At that age his wings had been nothing but two barely noticeable tufts. They were covered in the same fluff as a newborn chick. Mable thought they were the cutest things, and even his parents found them cute.

It wasn't entirely unheard of for humans to gain some kind of appendage or strange coloring to go with their attribute. It was usually in people born under auspicious stars. Colorful hair, a tail, unique eye color, horns, even gills had been seen before. Usually it was small things, things that showed how blessed a person was. They were Star Touched. Hundreds of myths existed, though no one really knew where the traits came from, just that it was under certain stars.

His parents simply thought he was star touched, to be blessed with fortune and luck. Unfortunately when they were six that dream came crashing down. The flip side to the star touched were those cursed by the stars. Instead of gaining just an attribute in childhood they would gain a mark, a birthmark of a constellation. These people had much more noticeable differences, green or purple skin, huge patches of scales, mysterious tattoos, dragon-like claws, or giant wings.

To be star cursed meant your attribute was unnatural. Every necromancer had been star cursed, dark magic was born from a star cursed, those with the magic to simply nullify the magic of others were also star cursed. He had even read of a star cursed who only had the magic to attract monsters and demons.

When he was six years old Dipper gained a mark, the constellation of the Big Dipper showing itself on his forehead. Suddenly his wings were no longer cute and they were something meant to be hidden. His own attribute was nothing destructive, not on its own. He had the magic to simply amplify the magic around him. It was entirely passive and he had no control of it.

Magical plants and creatures thrived around him, magic done in his presence was just a little bit stronger. It was easy for him to remain unnoticed, most people never noticing if their powers were a little stronger. Though nature always knew, he was welcome in places most humans could not set foot. Many creatures had come up to him just to bask in his presence, even very dangerous predators had simply slept beside him.

Even with the whole town knowing his attribute he had gotten into the habit of hiding his mark, using his hair and hats. The wings were harder, as he grew they also grew, turning into a huge annoyance. They had a sixteen foot wingspan, the feathers themselves were a dirty brown, like mud. Two years ago he was gifted a binder made of magitech, it enabled him to keep them bound and hidden under his clothes, looking like nothing at all was there.

With the binder though came pain, if he kept them bound for too long they would cramp and ache, like any limb would. He would have to let them out to stretch and be preened. He needed to groom his wings fairly often and he normally chose to do so outside. Gravity Falls would hopefully have big enough forests that he could do so in peace with no one finding out.

Once his mark appeared his family started to treat him differently. Mabel never understood at first, but once a teacher took her aside and explained it to her she never asked to see his wings again. It was the beginning of the end for his parents' marriage, one blaming the other for the curse. No one outright blamed him, and his family loved him dearly, but he could see it. The pity, the worry, and sometimes the fear. He had grown used to it, living like a null and never making a nuisance of himself.

It's why he had another secret, one not even Mabel knew. Every year or two another consolation would appear on his skin. So far he had seven marks in all, lucky none as noticeable as his first. Leo, Cygnus, Hercules, Draco, Perseus, and Ophiuchus. The newer marks were around his back, his shoulders, and Ophiuchus was on his hip. Clothes easily covered them and no one asked to see him shirtless.

He had never read about a star cursed with more than one mark, and he had no intention of asking anyone. He had no idea if it simply wasn't spoken about, or if he was unnatural. His Grunkles may have new books on the matter, or the town library, but outside of that he swore to ignore the marks. He would be a null simply visiting family with his sister. He knew Mabel would never tell another soul about his attribute, she was hoping he would make friends and live a peaceful life. She believed that if you could ignore something then it wasn't important in the first place.

He had no idea how you could make a friend and keep half your life a secret, but he was willing to try if it made her happy.

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He was roused from his musings by his twin's excited yell. Glancing up from the book in his lap he looked around. The bus drove past a sign for Gravity Falls. With a sigh he took out his headphones and put his book in his backpack. Mabel was practically bouncing in her seat, her hair flailing around her as she did. She stood out like a beacon in her pink shirt, blue jacket, yellow shoes, and green jeans. She looked like a rejected rainbow if he was being honest.

His own clothes were much more simple, tan cargo pants, a red shirt, a grey sweatshirt vest he kept open. He had foregone his usual ballcap for a grey beanie. It hid his mark better and it was made by Mable, a green pine tree charm had been sown into the rim. Mable said it was for luck.

He got up and stretched when the bus finally stopped at an abandoned looking bus stop. He could see nothing but a road and tree everywhere. A red car was sitting in the empty parking lot, an older man with grey hair and glasses was standing outside of it. Mable took off running the moment she saw their Grunkle Stan, he followed her as a much more leisurely pace. He watched the man greet her with a hug, and he himself got a shoulder pat when he was close enough.

Once their bags were in the trunk he took the back seat, letting Mabel control conversation as she wished. His Grunkles had no idea he was star cursed and he planned to keep it that way. They knew he was more introverted than his sister, and because of this the man didn't try to bring him into conversation. He was thankful.

The ride went quickly with him watching the forest go by. He didn't know if Mabel could feel it, but he could feel all the energy around this place, it was strong and made his wings tingle. He had found a few smaller places that felt similar, but this was by far the largest place. The forest was largely unexplored due to the amount of hostel creatures, and the place was known for weird things happening.

Now that he was here he wanted nothing more than to go into the woods and spread his wings. He knew with how big this place was he could easily hide, and with his attribute he was unlikely to be in any real danger.

When they reached the Mystery Shack he grabbed his bags and his sisters as she ran in to find Ford. They had already chosen where they would be sleeping when they were told the options. Mabel would have the big room on the second floor and Dipper would get the attic to himself. He didn't mind, pleased by having the highest room. From down here he could see a triangle shaped window that led out to the roof. It would be perfect.

Once he put both their bags in their respective rooms he went to explore the store where Ford was currently working. It was a typical tourist trap and gift shop. He could see a girl his age with red hair working the counter, a heavy set man with a question mark shirt changing a light bulb, and his Grunkle talking to a group of tourists, his sister watching the preceding with a wide smile.

Deciding not to be involved with his mess until tomorrow he simply greeted his Grunkle and retreated, claiming the trip wore him out. He passed Stan on his way through the living room, the man telling him he could get something to eat whenever he wanted. With a nod and a thank you he hurried to his room.

He would spend the night unpacking and then he would sleep. He would introduce himself tomorrow when he started work, work he wasn't being paid for. Not that he would complain, he had plenty of savings.

With a nod to himself he began unpacking, feeling hopeful for once. Gravity Falls might be a very good place for him.

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Miles away, deep in the woods, a single golden eye opens.

Chapter Text

Dipper awoke with a gasp, his body was shaking and he was covered in cold sweat. Blinking his eyes rapidly he tries to recall his nightmare but it's like water running through his fingers. The only detail that sticks with him is a triangle.

Sighing, he runs his fingers through his damp hair, glancing at the window. He can see the sun just beginning to peek behind the trees, it can't be later than six.

The shop opens at ten, giving him plenty of time to get food, shower, and spend an hour or two drying and preening his feathers.

It’s a struggle to climb out of bed, he feels like he was hit by a bus, even his wings are aching dully. Grabbing clean clothes and his bag of toiletries he shuffles out of the attic, glancing around.

The bathroom is empty and it seems like he is the first awake. Six isn't so early that he can’t shower, so he quickly goes into the bathroom and locks the door. The shower itself isn't small, but it will have a hard time accommodating his wings. His best bet is to shower with the binger on, then take it off and clean one wing at a time. He really just needs to get them wet, he can do the rest of the work out in the woods.

Striping the clothes he slept in he quickly gets in, letting the water cascade down his back. He is unsettled that he can’t remember whatever he dreamed last night. He rarely dreams, but when he does he normally remembers them. His dreams and nightmares have always been vivid and tend to leave an impact on him. This time though he can only think of triangles, it's weird. It could be because the window in the attic is shaped like a triangle?

Shaking his head and washing his fluffy hair he decides not to think about it. It could be a one time thing, and if it happens again he can do some research. No point in wasting his time with something that may be nothing.

Once he is done rinsing off his hair and body he turns the shower to cool water. His wings are far more sensitive than normal skin and can easily be scalded by hot water. The binder is easy to remove, and in no time he is surrounded by his wings. They ache more when he releases them, like the muscles are rebelling against their confines.

Stepping mostly out of the shower he extends one wing under the spray of water, letting it soak as much of the wing as it can, before shifting and doing the same with the other. Once his wings are dripping wet he quickly washes the skin that gets covered by the binder before putting it back on. His wings won’t dry while they are bound, so he needs to head out quickly before they get itchy. Nothing's more irritating than an itch you can't scratch.

Once he is out and dry he brushes his teeth and gets the knots out of his thick hair. Not bothering to be concerned with his hair being damp he puts on his beanie and gets dressed. He would rather deal with hat hair then give his Grunkles a chance to see his birthmark.

Mabel is awake by the time he gets out, she gives him a tired smile and quickly goes into the bathroom, her own bag in hand. No doubt she will spend the next hour there doing god knows what. She has told him that her face is a work of art and that art needs time to perfect. He thinks it's a bit much, makeup has always seemed like a waste, but when he told Mabel that she threw a tantrum and called him uncultured.

Taking his bag back to his room he puts his hiking boots on and grabs his backpack. Inside is a journal of all the unique creatures and plants he has seen before, ones that have just come and sat beside him, or grown around his usual haunts. Each entry has a written description, a behavior log, and a sketch. He’s not the best artist, but he enjoys capturing the beauty in the world around him.

Next to the journal are all his pens and pencils, a compass, and a knife. He may have never been attacked by magic creatures before, but he doesn't trust other people enough to go out defenseless. Humans could be unpredictable and cruel just for the sake of it. He will be sure to pack some snacks just in case he gets lost or he wants to share with the residence of the forest.

Going downstairs he ducks into the kitchen, finding it empty. He makes some toast and writes a note to anyone who might look for him. He will be back by ten, in time to help with the store.

With that he heads off, jumping off the porch and running into the woods.

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It didn't take him long to find a nice little clearing, not too far from the shack, but far enough he didn't fear anyone finding him. A nice rock, large and flat sat between three big trees, he would be able to sit in the shade and let his wings bask in the sunlight.

Climbing onto the rock he sets his bag down and takes off his shirt, ditching the binder just as quickly. His very wet wings open to their full width the moment they are free. Dipper can’t help but sigh in relief, he hates having to keep them bound.

He has at least two hours to preen his wings and just let them relax.

Sitting down he begins to run his fingers through his wet wings, feeling for any broken or bent feathers. It's an arduous task, but one he needs to do. Without regular care his wings become a painful, tattered mess, and he will lose feathers in mass. No one wants that, especially him. It can be relaxing though, and nothing is better than massaging his aching wings.

He imagined it would be more pleasant to have another person touch and preen his wings, there are always places he can't reach, but it's not possible to ask anyone. Even if he could ask Mabel he wouldn't, he couldn't find a way to cover all his marks, and most of them were on his back as it was.

Once his wings were clean and dry enough he made sure to stimulate the oil gland at the very base of both his wings. He used to think the gland was disgusting, but his wings get dry and painful if he doesn't oil the feathers. He also knows from pictures that his gland looks nothing like actual birds, so that made it a little better.

Besides he liked the smell of his wing oil, it reminded him of flowers and herbs.

As he was oiling down his feathers he began to notice he had a bit of an audience. All around his rock were various woodland creatures, a few fairies, a couple of bickering gnomes, and even some kind of large lizard was asleep nearby. With ease of practice Dipper ignores them and continues to oil his wings. Sometimes if he draws attention to them they will run off, and he doesn't want that.

By the time he is done with his wings almost an hour has passed, noting he still has a little time he stretches out onto his stomach and grabs his journal, deciding to sketch the strange lizard, its bright purple color drawing his attention.

As he is about to start he notices something strange.

On the far side of the clearing are a couple deer, but something is wrong with them. The more he looks the more apparent it becomes that they are bleeding from their mouths. Thick, red blood is slowly dripping onto the grass around them. He only stares for a moment when one opens its jaws to yawn.

It has no teeth. Even from here it looks like something pulled out all its teeth. As if noticing where his attention is, one of the gnomes looks at the deer. The little creature goes pale and hisses loudly at the deer before running off, many of the other creatures following when they notice the deer. One gnome stops and looks at him, a worried frown on its little face.

“Beware, the one who watches, has awoken.”

After watching everything run away from the deer with no teeth, Dipper decides it's as good a time as any to head back to the shack. He would rather not find out what would take the teeth from a living deer.

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By the time Dipper returned to the Shack everyone was awake and ready for the day. No one really asks where he went, but his Grunkle Ford gives him a long look. Avoiding his eyes he runs up to his room, leaving his backpack on his bed and pocketing the knife, he is rarely found without it.

He couldn't help but feel trepidation at working here. As much as he wanted to open his own shop he wasn't at all good with customer service. Dealing with people was painful, he often got tongue tied and flustered.

Someone always misunderstood his intentions, it had caused more than one mess in his past.

Beside his inability to string two words together, he was absolutely incapable of faking smiles. Whenever he tried it was more of a grimace, and that is always worse than no smile at all. He didn't have the kind of looks that would make his rude demeanor attractive or charming.

Everything about Dipper was plain. Brown hair, brown eyes, brown freckles, a soft effeminate face. Nothing that screamed suave or charming. Mabel managed to get all the good genes, she was somehow taller than him by a few inches, her features were more defined than him, and as they grew older her brown hair had lightened into a pretty dark blond.

They still looked like siblings, but he doubted anyone would buy that they were twins.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he trotted back downstairs after checking all his marks were covered. Grunkle Ford was nowhere to be found, but Grunkle Stan and Mabel were in the shop, along with the red head he saw the day before.

“Dip Dop! Finally returned to the land of the living, huh? You ran off so quickly yesterday that you missed the introductions! This is Wendy, the other worker.”

“Sup dude, nice to meet you.”

Instantly Dipper flushed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “H-Hello, it’s uh, it’s meet nice you. I mean it is nice, to meet, you. Yes. Sorry.” Kill him now, please. Feeling even his ears turn red he looked away. Sweet laughter met his attempt at speaking, not at all mocking.

“Nah, it’s cool, you should see my brother when he's trying to talk to anyone with legs, he turns into a fumbling mess. So your Mabel's fabled brother, she tells me you went to trade school?”

“Ah yeah, business management, want to open my own little shop.”

“Sweet, I went to trade school for about a semester, came home to help with the siblings, you know? I plan on going back this fall.”

“Trade school? Are you  a null as well?”

“Oh no, I have an attribute, but it's nothing super out there. I happen to be the best at finding the perfect place to cut down a tree. Family of lumberjacks, makes my attribute practically gold. I go to trade school for the experience more than anything else.”

“Oh I understand that, I’m uh, a null. Mabel got all the good genes.” Do not look at Mabel, eyes forward.

Wendy very blatantly ran her eyes up and down his body, a little smirk forming on her pink lips. “I dunno, I think you got plenty of nice genes yourself.” Dipper couldn't help but cover his face with his hands, peeking at Wendy as she and his sister started to giggle.

“Don't worry cutie, I won’t bite you. I just like letting people know when they have it going on, and you definitely have it.”

“Th-Thank you I guess? I should, I should go and get started, lots to do today and all that.”

He ran off without waiting for a reply, watching as Wendy turned to Mabel and transitioned into talking to her like she hadn't just been flirting with her sister. That was the moment Dipper decided girls were both insane and shameless.

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Work was smooth after that, he met the repair man named Soos and spent most of the day cleaning the shop and only speaking when he was directly spoken to. Throughout the day he spoke to Wendy, who thankfully let up on the flirting, and his sister when he was on breaks.

If every day was like this he could get used to it. The customers all seemed a little dull, but none of them were mean or rude. He just thought they were dumb for spending money to look at junk and buy cheep props. But he wasn't going to judge them for their choices.

About an hour before they closed Dipper was sent outside to clean up litter and make sure all the signs were in order. Thankful to get out of the building he left quickly. The sky was barely fading into evening, the wind was a little cooler and he couldn't hear anything but the sound of insects.

After picking up the meager trash he could find he went to check the signs. The ones closest to the Shack were fine, but the ones farther out had been vandalized, with triangles of all things. Black and yellow triangles were painted onto them, increasing in number the farther they were from the Shack.

What he found at the last sign however, was the worst. Along with the triangles was bright yellow eyes, and at the base of the sign was a pile of bloody teeth. Written in blood at the bottom of the sign was a message.

Hello! A gift from me to you.

Shivering with the sudden feeling of being watched Dipper quickly turned around, scanning the trees around him. He thought he saw a shadow moving by a tree, but he couldn't be sure. Rubbing his arms he glances at the teeth before hurriedly running back to the Shack, he would need to get cleaning supplies before it got dark.

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Cipher watched the little blessed one run away from his gift. He was like a fluffy little bunny. In all his many millennia of life he had rarely seen one chosen by so many stars, and none chosen by seven.

The human was truly blessed if so many stars would grant him their mark. The stars, like the many Gods in the world, cared little for how one used the power they granted. All that mattered was the person being worthy, and it seemed this human was more than worthy.

His very presence had woken Cipher from his slumber. He had not slept long, no more than thirty human years.

It was a shock and watching the boy was more of a shock. Fate was truly twisted. This little one was related to the Pines, a family he held a great many feelings for. The most prominent was anger.

Ford Pines had tried to eradicate his cult, had tried to stop the puny humans from giving him his due sacrifices. The man had nearly succeeded, but the humans that followed Cipher had prevailed. The God did not truly care for his cult of humans, he had no need for their worship, but it was the principal of the matter.

Ford Pines had joined his cult with an open heart, had made a deal with him, and then ran when things got hard.

Now though, now Cipher has something to gain. The little blessed one was a once in a millennia existence. Not only was he blessed but his mind was beautiful. It was innocent and jaded, just waiting for a guiding hand to help him, to twist and break him.

Along with his mind was his powers, oh how beautiful they were, how magnificent. Even from such a distance he could feel the boy’s magic slowly permeating everything around him, amplifying it and coxing it into growing. Even Cipher, one of the first Gods, could feel his own power growing bit by bit with this human in his territory.

His physical body was nothing to ignore. The bunny was soft and well built, with wings he wanted to keep and tear, eyes he wanted to mark and change, and skin he wanted to treasure and burn. Oh the sweet sounds he could wring from the little creature.

He had to have it, he had to keep it. He wanted to turn the bunny into a voracious beast, he wanted to keep it forever.

The added revenge it would have on Ford Pines was just a bonus.

Oh wonderful day! Things were certainly going to get weird!

Chapter Text

Two weeks passed in relative peace after that evening. Dipper never told anyone about what he saw, or the ‘gift’ he was given. When he had gone out early the next morning to get rid of the evidence all of it had been gone. He would have thought it had been an illusion if he hadn't kept finding random teeth every few days.

They were often strewn about in the grass or in neat little piles by trees and rocks. It was extremely unsettling, nearly as much as his constant nightmares. He never remembered them when he awoke but he could always feel the lingering panic.

Sleep was no longer restful. He knew the lack of sleep was beginning to show. He had dark circles under his eyes and his complexion was far paler than it used to be.

For the most part he tried to ignore it all. Some kind of creature was stalking him, but the worst it had done was take teeth from deer. It was likely it was just attracted to his attribute and was trying to impress him. The best thing to do was ignore it.

As far as the nightmares, he just chalked it up to stress. He was in a new town and he was lying to everyone, it was bound to cause a few complications. To add insult to the situation he could confidently say that absolutely no one noticed.

Despite how tired he looked lately his sister never once said anything about it. His Grunkles were both too busy with their own lives to pay mind to him unless it involved his job or his sister. He couldn't blame them, everyone had their own things going on.

Mabel had made a few friends and she was extremely pleased about it. She met two of them within the first week, then the third a couple days after that. One was a buff girl with a simple strength attribute named Grenda, the second was a little Asian girl in glasses named Candy, she was a null.

The third was the most interesting however. Somehow Mabel managed to win over the local queen bee. Her name was Pacifica Northwest, apparently her family was like royalty around here. It wasn't hard to see why, all three of them were blessed by the stars.

He met Pacifica once and it wasn't a meeting he would soon forget. The blond girl had taken one look at him and sneered. She may have been drawn in by Mabel’s charisma, but that didn't change that Dipper was just a plain little null.

He could admit that Pacifica was attractive. Her mark was glittering golden scales. The tiny delicate scales framed her eyes like tiny jewels. Her attribute was also nothing to dismiss, she had a dominating aura. She could use her aura to influence how others perceived her and the things around her.

She could make everyone cower in fear or make everyone in the room feel boundless peace from her very existence. Dipper thought it was a very arrogant attribute, it suited the little rich bitch perfectly. He had no idea what Mabel saw in the girl but she had been smitten from the moment they met, and it honestly seemed like Pacifica shared the same sentiment.

As it was there was definitely someone worse than her lurking around. Candy, his twin's null friend, was infatuated with him. He could not fathom what the girl saw in him. His looks were plain and the only thing close to a hobby he talked about was reading.

Dipper had never been romantically inclined, he had no desire to share his feelings with another person. He was the exact opposite of Mabel. He understood others feelings, but he had yet to feel it himself. Most people just made him anxious.

It's why everything about Candy made him uncomfortable. He met the girl a week and a half ago and he had seen her nearly every day since.

Candy would hang around the shop and claim she was waiting for Mabel while stealing glances towards him. Every time she spoke to Dipper her face would become flushed and she would act bashful. It was tolerable for the most part, until she started to become braver.

Now she would brush her hand against his arm, or bump into him when she walked by. He hated it. He couldn't stand it when people touched him without permission. His body was his and he needed his space. Sudden touches always made his skin crawl, it was never welcome.

Well, it was never welcome from humans.

He never minded when creatures or sentient plants touched him, in fact he welcomed it. He loved cuddling with animals and caring for the magical plants that would grow in his presence. It felt safe and was often calming.

Candy was none of those things, it only took a week, but it had gotten to the point Dipper would feel nausea when the girl was too close to him. He found her forward nature to be repulsive. He had asked her multiple times to give him space, but she always became dejected.

He didn't want to find out what would happen if he hurt one of Mabel’s friends, he had no desire to upset his sister. They rarely argued, but when they did she was always ruthless. She pulled no punches and would always try and guilt trip him. It was better for everyone if he didn't upset her.

So he just grit his teeth and bore it. Candy would soon realize how boring and dull Dipper was, it was only a matter of time.

Besides Mabel making friends, nothing really happened. He worked every weekday and he spent the weekends in the woods with his wings free. So far he made friends with all kinds of residents of the forest. At the rate he was going he would need a new journal soon.

Tonight would be a deviation of this norm though. His sister wanted him to go with her to a place called the Tent of Telepathy. She had heard about it from her friends. It turns out there were only two star blessed close to their age in town. One was Pacifica and the other was a boy named Gideon Gleeful. 

Apparently his mark was white hair and he had a telepathic and telekinetic attribute. Dipper was put off by the guy claiming to have two attributes, it seemed impossible, but his Grunkle Ford had admitted to believing it was true.

Contrary to Ford, Grunkle Stan absolutely hated Gideon. He claimed the kid was ambitious and wanted to take out the Mystery Shack. He wanted to be the only tourist attraction in town.

It was all stupid if you asked him. This town was in the middle of nowhere and had nothing going for it. He learned from the locals that a God used to reside in the forest around the town, that the Northwest family made the town here as tribute to the God.

No one seemed to know why, but the God left sometime in the last hundred years, taking with it the prosperity of the town. The locals believed Gravity Falls had been on a decline since then.

Dipper had no idea what to do with that information. He learned from a few of the more intelligent forest creatures that a God did reside in the forest, but it had never been fond of humans. It wasn't surprising. Gods rarely interact with humans, even the ones that worship them. Most things aren't fond of humans honestly.

As it was he thought this was just a rural town with nothing to its name. There was no reason for people to go out of their way to get here. It had nothing to do with Gods and everything to do with geography.

He kept his thoughts to himself. Mabel thought the idea of a God having been here was romantic, she was even swayed to tears at hearing the legend. It was a big part of why they were going to the Tent of Telepathy. She wanted to see the place she deemed important to the little town.

The Tent was very popular, with tourists and locals alike. Mabel and her friends were going and she had begged Dipper to go with them, claiming he had to get out and about for his health. She was hoping he would make some friends of his own.

It was very unlikely that he would.

He was put off by the idea of spending an evening around Candy, but he couldn't just tell his sister that. So, he kept his mouth shut and got ready to go to The Tent. Mabel had asked him to dress up a little and he would if it's what she wanted.

He kept his beanie on to cover his mark, but he changed everything else. He put on a pair of black slacks and a thin black turtleneck his sister had given him. He was one hundred percent certain the shirt was meant for girls, but his sister had sown a charm for insight into it, it took the shape of an all seeing eye in a triangle, ironically.

The little purple charm was sown over the heart, it looked professionally done and like it had always been a part of the shirt. The charm is said to help find those with ill intent and liars. He knew from personal experience that a light purple mist will cover them in his eyes.

He was not going to blindly believe that this Gideon had two attributes, regardless of what his Grunkles said. He didn't get this far in life simply believing others at face value. Plus, watching Gideon would give him an excuse to ignore Candy.

Mabel gave him a suspicious look when she saw the shirt he was wearing, but he just shrugged it off. She made him the shirt after all, she couldn't complain that he was wearing it, and he wasn't even wearing his vest so she should be happy.

Pacifica wouldn't be coming, but Grenda and Candy would meet them there. Dipper was able to borrow their Grunkles car, being the one with a license and all. Mabel gushed about what she heard about The Tent nearly the entire ride. He really couldn't understand what she was so excited about, it was essentially just a magic show done by a teenager with a lot of money.

Fortunately his sister was easy to listen to, she was very compelling. By the time they go there he was at least a little excited, but only because Mabel mentioned that Gideon had a  Wolpertinger, a rabbit with antlers, fangs, and feathered wings.

He parked the car in front of a huge blue tent. A darker blue top was held up by two white pillars and on top of the tent was a huge multi-colored star, with an eye that gazed down at you. This town was disturbingly full of triangles and eyes, not that he had any right to speak with his current shirt.

The only light was coming from inside the tent and the parking lot was simply packed dirt. He would think this was a circus tent before he thought it was some kid with telepathy. Getting out of the car he trailed a bit behind Mabel, watching her run off and greet her friends.

Grenda looked a little dressed up, but Candy looked like she was going to a nightclub. Her makeup was more extreme than usual and her green skirt was very short. He would think her effort looked nice if she didn't turn to look at him with hopeful eyes.

Thankfully they were nearly late, they had to find their seats before she could ask him anything. Unfortunately she took the seat right next to him. Mabel gave him a big smile and a thumbs up before finding a separate seat with Grenda, leaving him alone with Candy.

The girl leaned on his arm and he could feel his skin crawling, cold sweat breaking out down his spine. He tried very hard to ignore her and watch the stage as it filled with smoke. Before he knew it a tall teen stepped out onto the stage.

He had bright white hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black dress shirt, bright blue vest and a navy cape that was clasped by a glowing blue jewel. The boy was very fit and had an arrogant smirk on his lips.

“Welcome to the Tent of Telepathy! Let me introduce myself, I am Gideon Gleeful and I will be taking you on the journey into your minds.”

Dipper can admit he was not expecting a smooth southern accent of all things. He watched closely as cards began floating around the teen, the cards were black with blue pentagrams on the backs. It took him a second to realize they were tarot cards. Gideon his show with a flourish.

He tried to pay attention, he really did, but Candy tried to grab his hand at some point and was nearly in his lap. When he glanced at her to try and push her off he froze, making eye contact with a man standing in the back of the tent.

Something about this man was all encompassing, Dipper could only stare at his single golden eye entranced. This man had long blonde hair and dark tan skin, he was wearing a yellow and black suit, the waistcoat was black and his jacket was a gothic yellow tailcoat. The jacket was long enough that the tails reached past the man's knees.

He had a top hat and was holding a curved black cane. A plain eye patch covered his left eye. The man looked completely out of place but somehow no one seemed to have noticed him.

His strange attire isn't what caused Dipper to freeze; it was the cold look in the man's eye. He was blatantly staring at him and Candy. If looks could kill he was sure he would be dead, crushed to dust. His wings ached in their confines, the longer he stared at the man the more his instincts screamed at him.

Something was wrong, something about this man was off. He couldn't explain what was wrong with him, but he knew something was. Everything looked normal and human, it was just odd.

He would have continued to stare at the man if Candy didn't suddenly squeal and pull on his arm. Looking away from the man and wincing he turned to see what had made her so excited. Gideon was asking for a volunteer, all kinds of girls were waving their arms in the air.

Gideon made a show of searching the crowd before his eyes stopped on Dipper. A smirk graced the teen’s lips and he held out his hand. He kept eye contact with Dipper as he began to speak.

“How about the pretty lady over there? If I had to guess I would say your name is Mabel.”

He could hear his sister's joyful squeal as the teen winked at him before turning his full attention on his sister with a smile. He watched, a bit on edge and completely forgetting about the man in the yellow suit. As he watched he began to notice two things, things that made him believe Gideon was a fraud.

The first was because of his charm. Gideon was often surrounded by soft purple mist. It was less like he was constantly lying and more like he was trying to manipulate the people around him with his words. The next was the blue jewel he was wearing.

Every time he made the things around him float the jewel would glow. Dipper would have thought it was just the light if he didn't know so much about magitech. He would bet money that that jewel was a magic item of some kind.

Gideon Gleeful was nothing but a charlatan, at least in regards to his telekinesis. He might be telepathic and he could very well be star blessed, but the very fact he was putting on shows like this made Dipper question it.

But, that's not his problem. What does he care if the teen was tricking an entire town? If no one had figured it out after all this time then that was their problem. He would likely watch this just once and never be bothered about it again. It's not like he would tell anyone the teen was a fake, that's a one way trip into being lynched.

At least his sister was having fun, she looked like she was having the time of her life. Gideon was definitely flirting with her but he was respectful. That's all Dipper cared about. He just wished Candy could also be respectful.

It happened very suddenly. He was watching Gideon and a pure white Wolpertinger play tricks on the stage. Before he knew it Candy moved his head and kissed him on the lips.

It was just a peck, but he could only blink dumbly at the girl. She turned beat red, gave him a smile, and ran off. He could only sit there and blink a few times.

She kissed him. He touched his lips in disgust, his face turning pale. He felt dirty and itchy. It was just a kiss, but she didn't ask and he didn't like her touch. His hand was shaking slightly and he could feel pressure in his chest. It was getting hard to breathe and the world was blurry.

Shit, he was having a panic attack because a girl kissed him. Curling up in his seat and putting his head between his legs he tried to count and breathe. First he would count to a hundred, then he would count back to one. Over and over until the shaking stopped.

He fell into a world where there was nothing but numbers and the beat of his heart. He couldn't fall into a panic, not here in public, and never around Mabel. His sister didn't deserve to see him fall apart.

He couldn't tell you how long he was like that, he wasn't drawn out of it until he felt a light touch on his hair. Jerking his head up he could only stare at the sight before him in shock. It was Gideon of all people, the teen was crouched before him with a worried expression.

Glancing around he could see the tent was nearly empty. If he listened he could hear voices outside.

“Wh-What, where is everyone?” he cringed as his voice cracked, glancing at the white haired teen.

“Everyone went outside to get some air before the second act. I noticed you here while I was getting water. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“I’m fine, I’m alright, just a little um overwhelmed. I don't like crowds much.”

Gideon simply nodded before looking at him with a bit more scrutiny.

“I heard from Mabel that you two were new in town and living with the Pines. She told me you spend your time in the woods a lot.”

When did he have a chance to hear that? Why is his sister going around sharing information about him? He could only nod and stare at the other teen.

“Well, welcome to Gravity Falls. A word of advice? Trust no one, not even your great uncles. In fact, try very hard not to trust Ford.”

With that the teen stood and patted his head before walking off. Dipper would have scoffed and thought the teen was just trying to cause discord, but there was no purple mist.

-----------

Gideon couldn't help but laugh as he walked backstage. Someone very interesting came to town.

He walked to his dressing room and took off his amulet. The moment it left his skin his white hair turned black. He set the amulet gently on the table and walked over to a cage of mice. Picking up a pretty white one he walked back to the table, breaking its tiny neck.

Using a small knife he cut it open and watched as blood slowly dripped onto the amulet. He used too much of its power when he was questioning Mabel during the show.

The more blood that dripped onto the blue amulet, the more it would glow. Feeding it was tedious, but at least he could use any creature's blood. Once he bled it dry he tossed the corpse to his Wolpertinger to eat.

Really though, Dipper Pines was a treat with his doe eyes and pretty face. His sister called him a null, but that couldn't be true. Gideon could feel it, felt it the moment the boy walked into the tent. His power and the amulets power had both grown, even his Wolpertinger had been watching the boy shrewdly.

While Gideon may not have the attributes he claimed, he did have one. He could sense magic and aura, it was useful but nothing he could use to wow the masses. It’s how he knew Dipper was special, the boy lit up like the northern lights. If he wasn't at the very least star blessed Gideon would eat his amulet.

The question was why the boy was pretending to be a null and why his significantly weaker sister was getting all the attention.

Oh well, he would find out eventually. For now the show must go on.

----------

Dipper was just walking out of the tent to find his sister when he heard a familiar blood curdling scream, running over on instinct to help his sister he could only stop once he got there.

The sight before him was gruesome, it was a nightmare. Quickly running over too his sobbing sister he couldn't look away.

Candy was hanging between two golden poles, glowing blue chains connecting her limbs to the poles. Her eyes were gouged out, gore and blood running down her cheeks. Her mouth was open, filled with blood and pine needles. Her clothes were completely gone, a large bloody triangle was carved into her torso while small cuts littered her arms and legs.

When he grabbed Mabel he could see Candy’s back, he knew this was called a Blood Eagle. Her back was flayed and the flesh held open like wings, while her ribs were broken and separated from her spine. Blood was steadily dripping to the ground but he could see it, her chest moving slowly as he tried to breathe.

She was hanging there alive. Dipper could call out right now and tell someone, he could get her help, but he couldn't open his mouth. He could only stare at the foot of one of the poles, where a pile of deer teeth was innocently sitting.

Chapter Text

He didn't want to be alone, but he had no choice in the matter. It was nearly time for the sun to rise and he had just gotten back to his room. His Grunkles were both out of the house, they were going to a town meeting of some kind. Mabel had gone to the Northwest mansion while clinging to Pacifica. The blond girl had gone to the crime scene hours earlier to console his sister.

Dipper was left alone to watch the Shack. While it would not be open for business it still needed to be taken care of, his Grunkles did not know when they would make it back home, they told him it could even take a few days.

Nothing about that wasn't suspicious, if he was being honest. What kind of town meeting took multiple days, enough to keep them from going home? His mind kept going back to Gideon’s warning about his Grunkle Ford.

The idea of his Grunkles not being who they seemed had wormed its way deep into his mind and he couldn't dislodge the idea, he didn't want to. Frankly, anything was a good distraction from the events of the night.

He didn't want to think of Candy strung up and flayed open. He didn't want to think about the same girl kissing him less than an hour before it occurred. He didn't want to think about Mabel pushing him away in her shock, how she looked at him like he was a monster.

He certainly did not want to think of the pile of deer teeth he knew was just for him.

So, he was going to think about this new mystery before him. While Grunkle Stan only had an attribute for smooth talking, Grunkle Ford created magitech. He had a way with magic and technology, but the more Dipper thought about it, the more he realized he never actually saw anything the man had made.

The man had a lab in the basement but he and Mabel had never been down there. He had never thought about intruding on his work before, but now he was certain he wanted to. What if his Grunkles were doing something shady? Like selling Magitech on the black market? Or maybe they caught magic creatures and sold them for parts? What if some kind of horrible experiment happened right below his feet?

He knew he was being a bit hysterical, but he couldn't help it. What did he actually know about his Great Uncle's? He had met them maybe twice before and he knew nothing about their past. His parents hadn't been comfortable telling them Dipper was Star Cursed, despite him moving in with them.

What was a master at magitech doing in some backwater town saturated with magic energy?

He had to know what was in Grunkle Ford's lab. The men wouldn't be home anytime soon, and his sister was being taken care of, nothing was stopping him from snooping. No way was he going to sleep anytime soon. He already had nightmares, he wasn't going to add to them.

He inspected the metal door to Grunkle Ford’s lab before he did anything rash. It had a lock and a keypad, the standard kind with a simple password. He didn't know the password, but he knew how to get it.

First he took a long shower and changed into more comfortable clothes. He thought about eating a snack, but ultimately decided he wouldn't be able to stomach it. Then he grabbed a small messenger bag and ran off into the forest.

He was looking for something specific, something he had seen before.

There was a small blue flower that only grew under a pink mushroom near a beehive. It was a rare magical plant. While its size was small, it was sentient, and despite its small size, Livens Absconditum, or Fairy Tears, had a unique ability. The flower could make a puff of blue dust, similar to fairy dust. This dust had the ability to make the invisible known.

It could show an invisible barrier, a hidden stalker, or highlight prints that may not have appeared. Anything that the flower considered ‘hidden’ could be revealed. It was highly sought after by police and thieves alike, but it was hard to cultivate, and it could decide not to help you if it so wished.

Lucky Dipper knew just where to find one.

He had seen a small patch of pink mushrooms near his clearing, the mushrooms were close to a field of crystal trees and a purple stream. The pink mushrooms seemed to thrive in the rainbow light. Right beside the patch of mushrooms was a beehive. He had only noticed it because the bees constantly gave him honeycomb.

The honey bees had taken a liking to him after he stopped a raccoon from stealing their honey. The little raccoon was easy enough to persuade, he let the little thing take a nap with him. Since then the bees gave him honeycomb, and the raccoon was added to his usual companions.

The trip to the mushroom patch took barely any time at all, and he couldn't help but smile when he crouched down and saw a tiny blue flower under one of the bigger mushrooms. The flower stem was maybe as long as his pinky finger, while exactly seven soft blue petals were open, similar to a Brunnera.

“Hello little one.” He spoke in his softest voice, reaching a finger under the mushroom and gently patting its pretty petals. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I really need your help.”

A small smile crossed his lips when he felt the little flower nuzzle his finger. Fairy Tears could live outside their birth soil for a few years. They liked cool, shady places and were fond of water.

If the little one decided to help him he would need to care for it in turn, not that it would be any trouble.

He watched in awe as itty bitty green roots lifted themselves from the soil and gently wrapped around his finger. As he pulled his finger back he couldn't help but pet the tiny flower that curled around him like a ring. He felt like the little flower was proud of itself.

“Since you will be helping me, should I give you a name?” The little flower actually shivered, waving one of its roots excitedly. “How about Azula for your brilliant blue color?” He took the swaying and tightening of its roots as an agreement.

Nodding to himself he quickly returned to the shack, not once seeing a pile of teeth or strange shadow. Counting his blessings he simply slipped through the door and searched the entire house to make sure he truly was alone.

Then he went back to the door to Grunkle Ford’s lab, holding up the finger Azula was clinging to so the little flower could see.

“Would you mind revealing the most touched keys and the order they are touched in? I really need to get inside and I was hoping you could help me.”

The little flower tilted back and forth a few times before it coughed. The flower actually coughed, with a tiny noise and everything. It coughed a couple times before a puff of bright blue dust flowed from its center. The tiny cloud of dust leisurely floated over to the keyboard before completely covering the keys.

A-B-1-C-3 lit up in various shades of blue, from lighter to darker. The keypad beeped at him while it unlocked with a soft click. The blue dust from the flower seemed to sparkle for a moment before it vanished without a trace.

Taking a deep breath Dipper gazed at the stairwell before taking his first timid step.

“Wish me luck.”

------------

Everything felt numb and distant. Mabel could only stare blankly at the hot chocolate in her hands.

Pacifica had rushed over to get her after Mabel called her a dozen times. The blond girl had brought her home and covered her in a blanket, brought her hot chocolate, and held her until she stopped shaking.

She gazed at the girl sleeping beside her, her blond hair splayed over her silver sheets. The pretty scales on her face glinted in the soft morning light from the window. Mabel thought she was beautiful, the other girl had captivated her heart from the first time their eyes met.

She was lucky she met Pacifica. They may have only met two weeks ago, but it was the best two weeks of her life. Then, last night happened.

Mabel knew, she knew her brother had done nothing wrong, but she couldn't help the knife of fear that had stabbed into her heart.

Something had always been off about him. He couldn't help being born Star Cursed, but she couldn't help but wish he handled it differently. He was unable to connect with people and he was always writing in his journals.

That wasn't what made him strange though. It was his lack of emotions and his blank stares. He barely ever reacted to anything, and if he did it was usually in a panic. He had frequent panic attacks when they were younger, but he had largely grown out of them.

She was hoping that once they moved where no one knew him he would be able to reach out and connect to people, but it just wasn't happening. He spent all his time working, that or he was out in the forest. She had no idea what he got up to when he was exploring, but she was beginning to think it wasn't good.

Last night had opened her eyes to the truth. Dipper truly was cursed.

She knew Candy had a thing for him, she was trying her best to help set them up. Last night was supposed to be perfect. Candy would stick close to him and they would end up taking a walk alone. She hadn't expected Candy to kiss him, but she had simply found it sweet.

Then in the next moment she was dead.

Candy kissed her brother and was brutally slaughtered. That kind of thing just doesn't happen. It had to be Dipper's curse. She had noticed the boy reacted poorly to the kiss, maybe his curse struck Candy while he was unaware.

Mabel didn't honestly know what her brother's attribute was. She knew he had wings, and a mark on his forehead, but she had never seen him use his power or any kind of magic. What if it was something sinister?

She didn't believe his lie that his attribute only amplified other magic, what Star Cursed could possibly have such a mundane ability? She let him have his lie though, she hoped he would eventually tell her the truth when he was ready.

It seemed he would never be ready. They were already seventeen, realistically they would only live together for the rest of this year. Then they would both be on their own. Well, Mabel wouldn't be on her own. Pacifica had already made plans to go to the same Academy as her, it was an amazing coincidence.

Dipper though, he wouldn't have anyone. She knew he claimed to prefer it that way, but she didn't buy it. Anyone who claimed to be an introvert was just shy, if he just went out and talked to people he would be fine.

She wanted what was best for him.

He seemed to get along with Wendy well enough, but he never really hung out with the girl even though Wendy seemed to like him. None of that would mean anything if his attribute was as dangerous as she was beginning to believe.

She was thinking about telling her Grunkles. She knew the men were just as worried about Dipper as she was. She heard Grunkle Stan complaining about how skinny and weak he was, that he didn't have a manly backbone. Grunkle Ford was more silent in his worries, but she had seen the man watching her brother with a worried frown from time to time.

Even if nothing else happened she needed to tell them. Dipper was living in their house and he could be a danger to himself or others. They had the right to know someone cursed lived with them. It was difficult to decide though.

Being Star Cursed might be the only thing she and Pacifica had disagreed on since they met.

Pacifica Northwest was the Star Blessed child of two Star Blessed parents. Apparently the girl had done a lot of research into the Stars and the Gods, and she had some weird thoughts and ideas.

For one, the blond didn't believe either side was cursed or blessed, that it was just fate. She claimed it had to be random chance, or even random genetics. That the Stars chose simply based on when you were born and your genetics.

According to her the only truly special thing about them was their stronger power and the allure Gods felt towards them. Pacifica was very stubborn about that, she even claimed that a strong power wasn't everything.

Mabel didn't agree with her. Strength and grace were everything when it came to abilities and magic. If you were weak, even if you had strong control, then you were at the bottom. She may not be blessed, but her charms were powerful, enough that she had awed even the teachers at the Academy. Her scholarship was based solely on her powers.

She thought that Pacifica was just a rich and powerful humanitarian. Someone who grew up blessed with both money and ability that didn't know the real world.

It's why she very heavily disagreed with the last thing Pacifica had shared with her in secret.

She said she had a theory about Star Blessed and Cursed. She had this strange idea that someone cursed by the Stars was simply chosen by more Stars than a blessed one. She told Mabel it would explain why they had such powerful magic and were marked with a consolation.

The girl didn't believe there was any kind of curse, just misconception and false information.

There was no way that was true though. Mabel had seen the good fortune all Star Blessed had, and she had seen her brother's terrible luck.

Dipper had a dark cloud that always followed him. He was a klutz, he was physically weak, his head was always in the clouds, and he had horrible wings growing from his back. Besides that she was certain animals hated him with a passion, and she had seen he was unable to keep a plant alive.

No animals came near their old house, not a bird or a stray cat, and every house plant seemed to vanish at one point or another. Everyone just assumed that Dipper caused the plants to die and he would then hide the husk.

She was afraid he was going to end up poisoning the forest here. Already she had seen less and less animals around the shack in the past week, and the trees outside had started bending away from the shack.

What if his curse had awoken something sinister? She had heard stories of the golden God that resided in the forest, that it used all its power to keep a band of demons subdued. What if Dipper's bad luck struck again and it woke up?

The absurd thought made her shake her head. She was getting way ahead of herself. There was no proof that a human hadn't killed Candy, and she knew her brother was uninvolved. She needed to keep herself together.

She couldn't tell anyone about Dipper. He would never forgive her for the betrayal and she had no idea how her Grunkles would feel about being lied to this whole time.

Sighing softly she set the mug of hot chocolate on the table beside the bed before curling up against Pacifica. She wouldn't tell anyone unless something else happened. It was the least she could do for her twin.

------------

Oh, his little bunny was so clever.

He hadn't even needed to nudge him into being suspicious of Ford. It was the only truly good thing to come out of this wretched night.

That filthy human bitch had kissed his bunny. He could still feel the rage that had enveloped him at what he had seen. She kept pressing herself against his bunny, even when it was so obvious the boy had not welcomed a single one of her touches.

He had been willing to overlook it, she was just a worthless human after all, but she had gone too far. Only he had the right to touch the little blessed one like that.

He was the ruler of this land, everything within his sphere belonged to him, but it was becoming obvious that the humans had forgotten.

He knew the creatures in the forest had not forgotten him. They all knew he had awoken and they all knew the bunny was his. He let them spend their time with the boy, he had no issue with the creatures soaking up his power or sharing his touch. After all, the stronger his land the stronger his influence.

It was a win-win, his bunny had company and safety, while he was gaining enough power to once again awaken his true followers.

He was by no means weak, but the blow Ford had delivered to him had been heavy. By the time he should have awoken the human would have been long dead and his powers would have been fully regenerated.

Pine Tree had changed everything. It was a shame he woke before his power was complete, but the boy compensated for it by simply existing. In just two weeks Cipher was nearly at full power, and he could feel he would grow stronger than he had been before.

This new power had given him many ideas. The humans in this town had forced out his followers and had put him to sleep. While his human cult was still slinking around the town, what he truly missed were his henchmen, his original followers. They had been humans once, and had been so willing to follow him they twisted themselves into creatures and demons just to stay with him.

He had rewarded their loyalty with power and riches.

Ford banished them, but he would soon be strong enough to return them to their home. He was already strong enough to keep a human form after all.

Cipher had the advantage in his situation. Before last night Ford had no idea he was awake, and he was completely unaware of what his Pine Tree was. Ford had been one of the few humans to understand the truth of the constellation markings, no way he would not have made a move if he was aware of his nephew's power.

The human was arrogant. He thought his own measly cult of scientists and rouges would be enough to keep a God down. He had ideas about sealing every God in the world away, to free humans from their whims.

It was such a funny joke.

It was time Cipher once again taught these foolish humans a lesson in humility and mortality.

On a happier note, he felt much better after the gift he had given his bunny. The look of horror on his pale face had been delightful, he wanted to see every expression the blessed one could make.

He had taken a chance with his human form and he was not disappointed. The way his Pine Tree had stared at him was addicting. Despite his rage he had also very much enjoyed gift wrapping that bitch for him.

He shivered as he recalled crushing her eyes to pulp with his thumbs. Her screams were like sweet music as he slowly, gently, carved his eye into her chest. She had become his in death and he marked her as such. When her screams had become too annoying he had cut her tongue out, filling her filthy mouth with the only taste she would ever again get from his Pine Tree.

The best part had been flaying the skin and muscle from her small back. Her ribs broke like twigs and her heart beat like a frightened bird. He had admired the fluttering organ as he pulled her lungs from their place and opened them behind her like wings. It was nowhere near as magnificent as his bunny’s wings, but it was pleasing to behold all the same.

He made sure he kept her alive until the sun rose. He had listened to the beautiful echo of her mind shattering from the pain. Her mind and soul broke under the pain and he relished in his new soul. He would send her to the deepest pit in the Dreamscape, he would feed her to his henchmen.

Once she finally died he had returned to watching his bunny. He was a bit annoyed that the boy was deciding not to sleep but he was amused to find him curious about Ford. He was excited for what he would find, and he could be patient. His bunny would need to sleep again at some point, and then he would be able to continue the beautiful dreams he sent the little blessed one.

The closer they got in the boys mindscape the easier their first true meeting would go.

All things would come to him in due time.

-----------

This was not what he was expecting. It was worse than he could have ever conjured in his own mind.

Standing in the middle of the ‘lab’, Dipper could only stare blankly. Everything was covered in symbols and messy notes. Magic items and magitech littered every space while the walls were covered in pictures, occult notes and star charts.

What really got his attention were the three red journals sitting under a light. They were red with a single golden handprint and a number. They were well cared for and worn, the most organized thing in this room.

Another symbol in the room had gotten his attention as well.

A familiar eye was everywhere. Drawn on notes, on pictures, circled in red ink. A few larger ones had a huge red x through the center. He could see another journal with such an eye, this one newer and black.

Blind Eye Society was written on the cover.

What in the world were his Grunkles doing down here?

Chapter Text

Ford could only sigh as he laid back on a couch. Stan was calling Mabel to inform her they would be caught up for a couple more days.

These meetings were always so stressful, but this one was more so.

It was an emergency situation, one he hadn't thought he would be alive to see.

Cipher had awoken. It was a worst case scenario.

He had only been asleep for some thirty odd years when he should have been asleep for at last a few hundred years. Was the God truly so powerful? Could he really gain back all his power in such a short time?

He was certain he had managed to drain every last drop of  power and seal the God away in a cave. It had taken so much work, so many items, even a life or two. By the end, Cipher was nothing more than a husk of his former self.

His cult was gone, his connection to his own realm was shattered, and he was put to sleep. Yet, there was proof he was awake. A dead girl, tortured until the end, a familiar symbol carved into her flesh.

There was no way he had miscalculated, he didn't make such mistakes, not anymore. He had learned his lesson the hard way. He should never have made a pact with a God in the first place.

This though, this was all wrong. He had been so assured in his device, his ability to seal the God away that he had paid a heavy price. He couldn't let that sacrifice be belittled by the very same God waking up.

He had spent the past thirty years creating a sustainable way to seal the Old Gods. He couldn't simply kill them, without the Gods there would be no magic in this world. The problem was humans couldn't continue to live under their tyranny.

The whims of the Gods could destroy an entire civilization, just as they could build one up in moments. Humans could barely grow as a civilization, not with how quickly things could change. Archaic practices still run rampant today, human and animal sacrifices, prayers, cults, churches.

These things caused more wars than anything else. Humans were nothing more than toys to the Gods, and Ford was sick of it.

Cipher was the worst.

The God was powerful, one of the first to ever exist. He was alive before the universe was born and he had the power to show for it. Along with his own land in this realm, he had power over an entire separate realm.

The realm is known only as Somnum Exterreri, the Nightmare Realm. It is connected to every human Mindscape in Ciphers territory. No magic or power could ward him off, not inside Gravity Falls. Ford called it Weirdness Magnetism, the unnaturalness that affected everything inside the Gods territory.

Cipher was a God of dreams and insanity, his territory naturally expressed these traits. While creatures of all kinds of magical origin could be found everywhere in the world, the ones here had been twisted, changed, or mutated to suit the God that resided here.

Due to the Magnetism, the God had access to every mind in his territory. Nothing could ward him off, not even Unicorn hair or any magitech Ford had ever made. In fact, the only way Ford had managed to keep him out of his dreams was to insert a metal plate into his head,

He wasn't quite sure why it worked, but the results spoke for themselves. The issue was the moment any kind of magic was introduced to the metal, it stopped working the way it was supposed to.

With the God awake he had no idea how he was going to seal him again.

Last time he had to use a Star Cursed.

Fiddleford, his friend, had sacrificed his power, his magic, and his mind.

This time there was no Star Cursed in Gravity Falls, just two adolescent Star Blessed. They would not have enough power, being chosen by single Stars and not an entire constellation.

He had to come up with a new plan, a new device, find a new source of power. He had to do it before his family was put in danger, before the Mad God decided to pay him a visit.

Mabel was powerful, but even her charms would be nothing to such a being. Dipper was a null, he had no power of his own. Ford couldn't help but worry that the young man would be easy prey for Cipher, the boy was always in his own head as it was.

He needed to protect them from his past mistakes.

-----------

It was horrifying.

The ‘lab’ had more than he was expecting.

Not only was it filled with cult-like symbols, it had strange experiments.

All kinds of magical creatures in glass containers, some alive, some dead and floating in strange liquids. They were all things he had never seen before and they were all clearly labeled.

He could only assume the labels were where the creatures originated from. Somnum Exterreri, Yollotl, Ya-shan, Abiosis, and many others in a variety of languages, some he knew and some he had never seen.

It was horrifying that he had been living above something so insane. He would have never expected his Grunkles to be involved in such a thing.

“Dipper?”

He couldn't help but jump and stumble back at the sound of his name. He whipped his head over and saw Wendy standing at the bottom of the stairs. A grocery bag was in her hand, but she was looking at the room around them with wide eyes, her face completely pale.

“What the fuck is this place?”

He could only shake his head, unable to find the words to express his current feelings. At his silence she looked at him, her face softening in concern.

“I came to check on you, after I heard the news. I figured you could do with some company after what happened. I can see it was a good idea I came over, you look like hell.”

He could only rub the back of his neck and look away. He knew he didn't look good, his skin was sallow and his eye bags had eye bags. He looked like shit before last night, and now he probably looked like something the cat dragged in.

Wendy seemed to catch onto his discomfort and walked closer to him.

“Hey now, I didn't say that to make you uncomfortable. When was the last time you ate or slept for that matter?”

“I uh... I ate lunch yesterday? I don't know about sleep though, insomnia and all that.”

Wendy looked distinctly unimpressed when he looked over at her. She may have only been a year older than him but she seemed far more mature at the moment. After a second of staring she simply rolled her eyes and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, taking care not to actually grab him.

He didn't know what to make of that.

“Alright Dipper, here's the plan. We are going to go upstairs and you are going to eat the food I bought for us, then we are going to talk about whatever all this insanity is, and after that you will be going to sleep.”

Her voice was stern but soft, he found himself unable to refuse her, a warm feeling filling his chest. It was rare for someone to try and take care of him. Mabel came close, but her idea of care was the strange concoctions she made with food and glitter, and making him a few sweaters or hats.

It was still kind of her, but it was distant at the same time. She never took the time out of her actual schedule to hang out with him, she just patted him on the head and moved on. He didn't mind, really. That she cared at all, was more than enough for him, but this was different.

Wendy was practically a stranger, a girl he only really spoke with once a day, if that. She had noticed he didn't like being touched, she even came here just to make sure he was okay. No one else had done that.

Mabel went with her friend and his Grunkles had left without anything more than a text. He didn't know what to do with the feelings being dredged up.

He knew Mabel was in shock, she needed time and comfort, something she must have felt he couldn't give her. His Grunkles were away for the town counsel due to the murder, it was nothing personal. Not to mention he didn't really want their company after what he found downstairs.

Instead of bringing any of his thoughts up he just nodded and let Wendy drag him to the dining room table, making sure to shut the lab door behind them.

She deposited him in a chair, before pulling out the food from the bag she had been holding. To his pleasant surprise it was his favorite order from Yumberjacks, she even got him a Pitt Cola. She set his food in front of him and took a seat across from him,

She very pointedly looked between him and his food until he got the hint and hesitantly took a bite. She nodded in satisfaction and began to eat her own food.

“So tell me what’s up with that creepy room under the Shack?”

He nibbled on his food, contemplating on what and how much to tell her. He didn't necessarily want to get her involved, but having a second pair of eyes would be helpful. Plus, he didn't have to tell her anything personal. He could just tell her that he was snooping around and found all that.

No need to mention his nightmares or his magical stalker.

Secure in the idea of an ally and his ability to keep his own secrets he started to tell her everything he knew, starting with the warning from Gideon last night to his suspicions earlier that day.

As he spoke she didn't say a word, but her expression stayed serious and engaged. It didn't take him long to finish his food and explain his train of thought. The room was quiet for a moment before she seemed to make a decision.

“I believe you, I saw the lab for myself after all. How long will Stan and Ford be gone?”

“Last I heard was a couple days from now, they left me entirely in charge. I know Mabel plans to spend the next few days with Pacifica as well.”

“So, you have plenty of time to get some sleep before this investigation continues?”

He hesitated but he couldn't lie to himself. He didn't want to sleep, but at some point his body was going to make that choice for him. He knew that sleeping would help him make more level and sound decisions about his Grunkles and the lab as well.

He just didn't want another round of nightmares he could never remember.

Wendy didn't say anything, simply sitting quietly and sipping her drink.

“I should, I should try and sleep. What about you? Do you want to leave or stay?”

She huffed and crossed her arms, leaning the chair back on two legs.

“Stay of course, I came here to check on you and that includes making sure you get some actual sleep. I figure you could sleep and I could stark poking around downstairs, see if I can find how everything is organized.”

That actually sounded like a pretty sound plan. He could get an hour or two of sleep and she could get a head start. He nodded and stood, throwing his trash out and writing down the door code on a napkin.

He slid it over to her and headed out the door, pausing at the threshold. He didn't turn to look at her but he wanted to at least let her know he was grateful.

“Thank you.”

It was nothing more than a whisper and then he was leaving, heading up to his room in the attic.

Ditching his shoes he let himself face plant on his bed, barely closing his eyes before he fell asleep.

-------------
Something was touching him. It was soft, a bit ticklish, and very warm. He couldn't help but bat at it. He just wanted to sleep.

As he became more aware of the touch and his surroundings he could hear a soft chuckle, the sound rumbling beneath him.

Slowly he opened his eyes, looking around.

The world was mostly black, the only light coming from a ring of blue fire around him. It didn't feel hot and it was beautiful to look at. It reminded him of magical creatures that had bioluminescence. Movement in the corner of his eye drew his attention and when he looked over he could see a man.

A man that was gently running his fingers through Dipper's hair.

He was familiar, but Dipper couldn't place where he had seen him before. His skin was tanned dark, covered in a multitude of tattoos. Long blond hair spilled over his bare chest, obscuring the strange markings that covered his chest.

His hair completely covered his left eye and the right was gold, glowing in the darkness.

“Hello little rabbit, have you missed me? I missed you, you have been very naughty lately. You should not avoid me so, it hurts.”

Despite the man's words he was grinning and his tone was amused. His teeth were sharp, but Dipper couldn't seem to figure out why that was wrong.

The fingers in his hair tugged lightly, eliciting a small gasp from him. It didn't hurt, instead it felt nice in the same way a massage felt pleasant.

The grin on the man’s face gained an edge, a shiver of fear ran down his spine before vanishing along with the very thought to be afraid.

“I think you should make it up to me, it is your fault I’m in such pain. Won’t you try?”

He didn't want to. He didn't want to try. He just wanted to sleep. As if he had sensed his words the man tutted, pulling Dipper into his lap.

“I see how it is, Pine Tree. But that's okay, I like you all the same, even when you are a little brat. Did you like my gift? I put so much work into making that little wretch into a proper offering. I did it just for you, bunny. I know you didn't like her kiss, you only like mine after all.”

Something was wrong. He felt he should be afraid, but he just wasn't. The man was talking about Candy, saying he was the one who tortured her, mangled her body and left her for dead.

It was wrong.

The thought fled his mind as soft, warm lips touched his own. His mind went a bit blank. It was nice, so much nicer than when Candy had kissed him.

It started as a soft peck, but it slowly deepened into something more. A tongue gently parting his lips, teeth gently biting his lips. He tried to reciprocate, but after a moment he had no choice but to relent to the others' control. This man he didn't know the name of.

The kiss was slowly broken, the man trailing kisses across his cheek and to his ear before whispering gently.

“Cipher, bunny, call me Cipher.”

A hand gently caressed his wing, causing him to freeze. His wings were out. Cipher had seen them.

Warm fingers gently ran through his feathers, massaging the base where they always ached.

“Don’t be scared, I love your wings. Look here, I have my own.”

Dipper blinked his eyes open, not remembering having closed them. His sight was consumed with gold.

Opened wide behind Cipher were six golden wings. They were huge, framing the man between them like some kind of holy stature. They made Dippers wings look like mud.

Cipher chuckled again, gently tugging on Dipper's wings close.

“Don’t worry. One day your wings will be as beautiful as mine, but not yet.”

Before he could reply, lips met his own again. This time along with the kiss he could feel hands caressing him. They gently trailed over his chest, his wings, his legs, even his ass.

Distantly, he couldn't help but think that most people only had two hands.

The kiss was broken and he gasped out, a warm hand wrapped around his member. It felt so much better than his own hand. Cipher practically cooed at him as he started to pump his hand, the golden eye watching him with such intensity that he shivered.

Everything felt so good, it was like being on fire without burning.

It didn't take long for him to feel his climax grow closer, his hips twitching and thrusting into the hand around his cock.

“That’s right, let me watch you come undone.”

With his mind hazy with pleasure it took a moment for him to register something pressing at his entrance. He had fingered himself a few times with masturbating, but this didn't feel the same. This was soft and slimy, his skin cooling wherever the liquid on it dried.

It slowly began working its way inside him, tearing a moan from his throat. It didn't hurt, it barely even felt like it was stretching him. It felt like seconds before it was deep enough to find his prostate. It took no time before it pressed down.

He felt his eyes roll back as his climax hit him. His mind went white, a soft buzzing in his ears.

It felt like no orgasm he had ever had before, more intense than anything he had experienced.

As he became more aware of himself he could hear Cipher's voice, the man was whispering in his ear again, but he couldn't make out the words. They didn't sound right.

Opening his eyes again all he could see was blue fire and golden wings. His vision was swimming and his body was shaking.

As he blinked he watched as Cipher’s face came into view.

“You did so well, little rabbit. I’m proud of you.”

The man kissed the crown of his head and pulled back.

Instead of feeling warm from the kiss all he could feel was cold dread. He had seen Ciphers' other eye.

Unlike the bright golden eye, this one was a black, gaping hole filled with writhing tentacles.

He could only stare in horror as Cipher’s smile grew, his teeth becoming knives. His golden wings grew larger, golden eyes opening all over the wings, the eyes rolling in their sockets.

“Have a good day Pine Tree. I hope to see you again soon.”

------------

He woke with a gasp, rolling out of his bed. He was covered in cold sweat and his heart was pounding.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember his nightmare, just the distant thought of wings and golden eyes.

------------

Everything was going to plan.

He got to see a new expression from his bunny.

Ford was beginning to panic, no doubt coming up with a stupid plan to seal him away again.

He was nearly powerful enough to bring his followers back.

Soon he would teach the worthless humans a lesson they would not soon forget.

Chapter Text

Would you guys like me to revise/edit/rewrite the previous chapters? I find I am displeased with how they are written, but I am curious if my readers think it would be necessary or if I should just continue with new chapters. Please let me know!

Thank you!

Chapter Text

When Wendy came over to check on Dipper, she had not expected to be involved with a secret plot involving cults, Gods, and the depths of scientific depravity. 

She had sent Dipper to sleep, the boy had been pale as a sheet and the bags under his eyes were like purple bruises. It was obvious he was having trouble sleeping, more than when she first met him.

He was always quiet and closed off, but it had been getting worse lately.

At first Wendy didn't think much of it. Teen boys were often awkward and trying to find themselves, her own brothers were the perfect example of males and puberty. Dipper was nowhere near as loud as her little brothers, but he was definitely going through some stuff.

He stuttered when he spoke, he wore simple and comfortable clothes, and he was always wearing a beanie that covered his dark hair. While Mabel made friends and talked the ears off anyone who would listen, Dipper didn't talk to anyone he didn't have to, and he certainly didn't make friends.

Wendy simply thought the twins were opposite of each other, but after two weeks she was certain she had been wrong.

Dipper had some form of aversion to being touched, especially out of the blue, though he didn't seem to mind as much when it was Mabel touching him. He definitely had anxiety and he was often lost in his own thoughts. Mabel seemed completely unaware of her brother's needs, going so far as to set him up with Candy.

As far as Wendy could tell Dipper didn't have any interest in the people around him, at least not sexually or romantically. She didn't know if he was asexual, aromantic, or if he simply hadn't met the right person, but it was honestly none of her business. She thought Mabel was particularly dense when it came to her brother.

It wasn't long before Wendy started to notice a peculiar habit of Mabel's, she would often watch her brother with a worried frown when she thought no one was looking. What made Wendy suspicious was that Mabel seemed less worried for her brother, and more worried about how he was interacting with the world.

Two weeks in and Wendy was certain the twins were hiding something, something that had to do with the hat Dipper always wore.

She didn't think either twin noticed, but they both constantly touched his beanie, pulling it down or adjusting where it sat. Really, it was the only time she ever saw the twins share casual touch, and Mabel never seemed happy about it.

That wasn't the only strange thing she noticed about the two siblings. 

There was no way Dipper was a Null, he had to have some kind of attribute, and it had something to do with plants.

It was her own attribute that made her believe Dipper wasn't a Null like he claimed. While it was true her attribute was perfect for finding exactly what trees to chop down and where to swing her ax, it was a little more involved than that.

Her magic allowed her to analyze the vitality of plant life, namely trees. She knew which trees were healthy, which were sick, which were dying, and even where she could find weak spots in their bark. She could do the same with almost any plant, but she often only used it on trees.

After the twins moved to Gravity Falls the plants had changed. They were all stronger, healthier, filled with a vitality she had never seen before. They grew faster, the sick ones or those with parasites were suddenly better in a matter of days, and trees her family had only just planted were already a few feet taller.

And that was just the normal trees and plants, the magical plants were growing in ways she had never seen before. It was hard to explain, but the forest felt different now. The air was clean and thick with ambient magic, the forest was already beginning to take root farther out than ever before.

Even the stream by her house seemed more pure than it had before. She would have been thankful for the change, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy. The forest was beginning to feel like a living, wild thing. It had always been a strange and powerful place, but it was touched by humans, its secrets were not really secret anymore.

Now though, it felt like it was becoming something new, something new and powerful. It was changing, with or without humans.

She had to admit though, the forest wasn't the only thing changing.

Her magic was stronger than it had ever been. She could analyze more plants than ever before, and she could get more information each time. Kevin, her second youngest brother, was losing control of his magic more and more often.

His ability to produce fire was already unpredictable and hard to control, but now it was getting out of hand. His hair was almost permanently burning, even when he wasn't angry. She hadn't asked anyone else if their attributes were becoming stronger, but she had noticed similar things in her friends.

Robbie’s music had more allure than it used to, Tambry was able to connect to more and more electronics than before, and both Nate and Lee were using their own attributes more often for their pranks.

It was easy enough to point the beginning of the change to the twins moving into town. Mabel was very upfront with her attribute, which left Dipper.

He could claim to be a Null all he wanted, but the little flower on his finger today was all the proof she needed. She had never seen a Fairy Tear Flower cling to another the way it was attached to Dipper. It was practically brimming with vitality, and somehow it felt the slightest bit more sentient than they usually did.

Dipper had an attribute, and the twins were trying very hard to hide it.

From what she had gathered it was a very powerful attribute if his magic was able to change a forest after only being here for a few weeks. 

Hiding something under his hat, claiming to be a Null, and his general disposition in regards to people. Wendy had a theory, a theory that Dipper was Star Cursed.

Ultimately it was useless and dangerous information to have. As far as she could tell no one else had even noticed the change in the forest, let alone that Dipper had anything to do with it. She didn't think Dipper was evil, and frankly she didn't think he was cursed.

He was too soft, too watchful and nervous. Honestly she didn't think the teen could hurt a fly, let alone kill someone. She figured he could handle himself if he was in danger, but actively and maliciously hurting something? There was no way.

Wendy hadn't been sure if she should confront Dipper about it, it wasn't her business, but after seeing how much of a wreck he was she couldn't do it. He didn't deserve to be lied to, he had the right to know her suspicions.

Besides, if she was going to be helping out with all the weird shit in the lab, then they would have to be on the same page. Something was happening in the town, something the adults knew about, something that caused Candy’s death.

She couldn't back out, not now that she had seen all the creepy cult shit.

Looking through it was more of a trip than any drug she had tried. Stan and Ford were obsessed with this God called Cipher. Apparently he was the God that ruled over this territory, at least until the brothers sealed him away.

She had heard about the God before, of course, but it was just common knowledge that he was asleep. She hadn't known a group of humans put him to sleep, or that other dimensions existed, or that her hometown was full of cultist that fought like gangs.

It was all a little too much. 

For now she decided she would talk to Dipper about his attribute, and then they could come down here and look at some of the stuff she was too nervous to touch, like the three red journals.

Lucky for her she heard a dull thump as she walked up the stairs from the lab. Dipper had at least slept four five hours, which wasn't great, but it was something. She sat at the table and watched the sleep ruffled teen stumble into the room.

He didn't look like he had slept at all, in fact he somehow looked more tired.

Had he had a nightmare? She couldn't imagine seeing Candy hadn't been traumatizing. At least the little flower on his finger looked happy, it was swaying back and forth while its little blue petals opened and closed. It looked like it was dancing to its own music.

She watched as Dipper stumbled to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, letting the little flower crawl off his finger and onto the edge of the glass. It was cute, the way its roots acted like legs. Once he looked satisfied with the placement of his flower, he turned to Wendy with a tired expression.

“Did anyone call while I was asleep?”

While his face looked impassive, she couldn't help but note the slight hopeful tone in his question. She couldn't help but mentally wince, his family really had just abandoned him to his own devices.

“No, no one called, but I did get a start on the lab while you slept.”

The way his expression just barely stuttered at her words and how his fist curled up at his side told her everything she needed to know about his feelings. He knew he had been abandoned, and he had certainly been hoping for some kind of acknowledgement. Lucky for him she was here.

“Did you find anything interesting?”

“Oh, I found plenty of interesting things, but nothing I could figure out on my own. Before that though, you and I need to have a talk.”

She hated the fear and anxiety she could see forming on his face. She didn't want to hurt him, but it was going to happen.

“T-Talk? Is ev-everything okay?”

She tried to give him a gentle smile, hating herself a little bit.

“Everything is fine, Dipper. I just, I just had a theory about you. You have an attribute don't you? Maybe the mark of a constellation to go with it?”

The sheer horror on Dipper's face was heartrending. He looked like someone had just killed his dog, his mouth opening and closing with no words coming out. His breath was starting to come out quickly and erratically. She had just scared him into a panic attack. She held her hands out to him, making sure not to touch him.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. I don't think you are cursed, or evil, or some bad omen come to kill everyone in Gravity Falls. I figured your hidden attribute could be the reason the plants in the forest are so healthy, and I noticed you and your sister are constantly trying to keep your beanie over your forehead.

“I’m not going to pretend like I haven't figured anything out, that wouldn't be fair to either of us, and I promise, if you are what I think you are, I won't tell a soul, I won't even tell Mable that I know. Please Dipper, I just want to help you.”

The teen didn't look much calmer, but he was at the very least breathing a bit calmer.

“You, you’re not, sc-scared of me?”

She couldn't stop the huff of laughter of leaving if she had tried. It was an absolutely absurd thought, she could never be scared of him. He looked like an innocent rabbit, all wide eyes and freckled cheeks.

“Of course I’m not afraid of you, you would never hurt me.”

Her words were rewarded by the smallest, softest smile she had ever seen. It was shaky and unsure, and more than a little bewildered, but it was a smile nonetheless. Her heart skipped a beat and she couldn't help the small blush that rushed to her face. 

That smile was lethal.

Dipper didn't say anything back to her, just shyly pulled the beanie from his head. A mark of the Big Dipper stood in stark contrast to his pale skin. It explained his nickname, but it made her curious about him going by a name related to his mark.

She couldn't help but give him a smirk, too curious for her own good.

“You better not be holding out on me man, I heard the mark always comes with some wicked cool appendages or tattoos.”

Dipper promptly looked away from her, a blush on his face.

“You, ah, you want to, to see?”

“Yeah dude, I definitely want to see. I bet it’s something super cool, like a tail.”

She watched as he glanced around a bit, wringing his fingers.

“I can’t show you here, I d-don’t want to break anything. Do you, do you want to follow m-me?”

“Sure, it would be nice to get out of this house for a bit. Now that I know what’s in the basement it definitely feels more creepy.”

-----------

It wasn't long before Dipper had grabbed a backpack and his little flower. He led her through a path in the woods, a path it was obvious he took often. He seemed more at ease in the forest, more confident and less shy.

It was obvious the forest liked him just as much. Despite her presence animals were coming out of the woodwork and following Dipper like a bunch of ducklings. A fat raccoon was laying across his shoulders, a couple of little birds were in his hair, a tabby cat was walking by his feet, and she could see a deer following them through the trees.

He was a veritable animal magnet.

Even insects seemed to adore him. A pretty purple butterfly was sitting on his cheek, a few bees were buzzing around him, and a praying mantis was just chilling on his pant leg.

She had never seen anything like it in her life.

Soon they broke through the trees and into a green clearing. The grass was short and flowers were growing everywhere. A big, flat rock was sitting in the center. To her surprise a bunch of animals and creatures were already hanging out around the rock.

Fairies, gnomes, an honest to god unicorn, and a big lizard with a few too many teeth were the most notable. Deer, foxes, bunnies, wolves, and all manner of forest creatures were laying around. Nothing was attacking the others and everything was calm. It was like a page from a story book.

A few things stared at her for a bit too long for her comfort, but most of them just seemed to be happy that Dipper was there.

The teen climbed up onto the rock and held his hand out to her. She took it with a smile and settled next to him on the rock. She was a bit surprised to see him take his shirt off, and she was definitely unprepared for the sheer amount of muscle he had hidden under his clothes.

She knew he was lithe, but he was very toned and had abs. There was a black band around his chest, some kind of magitech. Dipper gave her a shy look before he unclasped the band, letting it off away from him.

The most beautiful pair of wings overtook her vision. The feathers ranged everywhere from tawny to dark brown, reminding her of a barn owl. It was obvious he took great care of them, they looked soft and clean, barely a feather out of place.

Dipper was a forest spirit and no force on this earth was going to change her mind. He was like some kind of nymph. He didn't belong in town, playing at being a normal person. He belonged out here in the woods, being fawned over by all its residents.

“Oh, wow. They are amazing.”

She knew she was breathless, barely stopping herself from reaching out to touch them. She had never seen anything like them before, it made her think of angels, messengers of the Gods. Dipper would make the most majestic angel.

She couldn't help but meet Dipper's eyes, smiling at the wonder in them.

Wendy decided right there and then, she would be there for Dipper, no matter what.

-----------

Dipper was suddenly much less sure in his ability to keep secrets.

Wendy just coming out and saying she knew what he was was a horrible shock. It was like his veins filled with electricity at the same moment ice water was poured over his head. He would have ran away if he hadn't seen the sincerity in her expression.

She looked at him like he was a person, like his feelings mattered.

There was nothing she wanted from him, no hidden agenda, no verbal traps or silent judgment. He knew it was a bad idea to show her one of his marks, to let her see his wings, but he couldn't help it . 

For the first time he found someone who might understand, who had mostly figured it out on her own, who wasn't condemning him for how he was born.

He had no idea what possessed him to show her his wings, but at the moment he didn't regret it. She looked like she was in awe, and it couldn't help but preen a bit. He had never expected someone to actually like his wings, especially after knowing why he had them.

At least for now he could pretend like he wasn't a disappointment, like his entire life wasn't a huge lie.

Mabel wanted him to make friends, right? Well, Wendy would make a great friend.

Hopefully his magical stalker wouldn't take any interest in her, he didn't want her to end up like Candy.

“So, Dipper, what exactly is your attribute?”

“As, ah, as far as I understand it I can simply amplify the magic around me, be it ambient or not. It’s why animals like me so much, being around me makes them stronger. Everything has at least a little bit of magic, you know? I can’t actively do anything with it and I can’t shut it off, it’s just this aura I have.”

Wendy made a humming sound, a thoughtful look on her face.

“I thought it was something like that, the forest has changed a lot since you have been here. Do you know your range, or how much of a boost you can give?”

Dipper couldn't help but shrug, he knew his magic wasn't very impressive.

“I don't really know. Other than plants and animals I don't think my attribute affects much. I have no idea what the range is either. You, you said the forest is ch-changing?”

“Yeah dude, everything is getting denser I guess. I only figured out you even had an attribute because all the plants seemed healthier.”

He couldn't help but feel like she was keeping something to herself, but he didn't want to push it. Her acceptance was more than he could have ever wished for.

“Do you think anyone else could, you know, figure it out?”

Wendy turned her head and gave him a considering look.

“Honestly I bet a few people have figured it out already. Gideon Gleeful probably figured it out at first glance, and there is no way Stan and Ford won’t figure it out. Pacifica Northwest has a thing about studying Star Blessed and Cursed, so I imagine she will figure it out. Tad Strange has probably noticed a change in the forest, and I bet there are others who could guess, like people in that weird Blind Eye cult.”

Well, that was very disheartening information. 

He had been hoping to hide for the entire summer. He didn't want to deal with the stares he would receive when people figured out he was Star Cursed. Maybe the town would lynch him, or he would be banished.

It had been bad enough when he lived with his parents. The whole town might have known, but they had known him since he was little. There was an inherent distrust, but it was at least a little overshadowed by their interactions with him before he was marked.

It wasn't like that here. He was just some teen, nearly an adult, who was Star Cursed and could bring the entire town bad luck. He wouldn't blame them if they got rid of him, Candy had already died because of him.

He knew it would only get worse. His stalker wasn't going anywhere, and his Great Uncles would without a doubt figure out what he was.

The best way to protect himself was to gain knowledge. He had to figure out what Stan was hiding. He had to know what was going on in the town. He could protect himself, if only he knew what was happening in the shadows.

Nodding to himself he glanced at Wendy, smiling a bit when he saw her petting a little white bunny.

“We should probably get going, we have a lot of stuff to sort through.”

“Sure, lead the way, wing boy.”

He couldn't stop his ears from turning red if he tried.

--------

His little Pine Tree really was such an innocent little bunny.

He had only turned away for a moment. 

He was finally strong enough to enter his Nightmare Realm, to reach out to his followers and give them a command.

They needed to be ready, prepared to come into this realm the moment he opened a portal. Unfortunately he was not yet strong enough to look into his realm and keep an eye on his bunny at the same time.

When he returned his attention to his bunny he found the boy with his wings out, showing off for that red head he often saw at the Shack.

He would have killed her right there and then if he had not overheard them talking about the lab.

He needed Pine Tree to find out the truth, and if the red haired harlot was helping him then so be it.

He did not need to kill her now. As long as she didn't cross the line, she could help his bunny to her heart's content.

Two minds would certainly make the work faster, and his Pine Tree would be less likely to be ignored if there was another voice backing him up.

Though, he would have to do something about the way she was gazing at his bunny’s wings.

He would give her a visit in her dreams. It would be a good test of his strength, and it would serve as a warning to the woman. If he was particularly lucky she might even be willing to make a deal with him, something nice and simple.

There were so many things he could use her for, so many options. She could prove to be as useful as his bunny’s sister.

Shooting Star was most important to his plans. She only had to act like herself and continue being stubborn in her beliefs, he didn't even have to manipulate her. She was very much like Ford, believing she knew best when she truly knew nothing at all.

She was his favorite kind of human. If she hadn't been related to Ford he might have even tried to scout her. Arrogant ignorance truly was the best, right next to a thirst for knowledge.

Ford had both in spades, and if he was lucky Shooting Star would at least be a curious soul. It would make his life much easier that way.

The Pines family really was the best.

Chapter Text

I am sorry to put this out there after so many years of not updating, but I figured the closure would be good for me, and those of you reading. I love this story dearly, but I simply cant keep writing it. I went through a divorce six months ago, after an abusive and deteriorating marriage. Burn for the Stars was the only fanfiction my ex-husband liked of mine, and a lot of his support and ideas went into the creation of this story.

I cant reread this story, let alone try and write a new chapter for it. It causes reactions I do not like in myself, and I don't want to write a story I don't feel anything good about. It would not be fair to me, or to you all who enjoy this story.

I want to leave it as untainted and beautiful as I can, and sometimes that means letting go.

I hope that someday I can come back to this and not cry when trying to read it. I hope that I will be able to write this story, a story I put so much of myself in, and not be burdened by my on trauma.

I will not be releasing the rest of the chapters, but I wont delete what I have written.

Someday this story will continue, even if the charters or world are different, but for now it needs to rest until the hurt is dulled.

Thank you to every person who has enjoyed this story, left me with kind words, and everyone who quietly left me Kudos. It means more to me than I could ever express in writing.

I wish each and every one of you bright futures and happy days. I will still write and post my other works, and new ones as the fancy hits me, but this story must be put to rest.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

Dr. Seuss

Goodbye my loyal fans of this story. I hope to go on new adventures with you all in the future.