The cries of protest and anger died down in the throats of the citizens still captured in the water, even Stan's curse got quieted by the lump that was building in his throat when the little fawn that had a home in his heart began to glow.

Bills laughter vibrated in the air and got carried away with the wind spreading over the woods of Gravity Falls so that even the supernatural creatures far away hid themselves in their hideouts. Dippers bleats and desperate struggles ended with a snap of the demons finger and everything stood still.

"Dipper..." Mabel whispered in fear, when her gaze wandered to her brother's eyes.

The dark brown pupils were consumed by a golden glow which had no space for any emotions at all.

The demon only took a deep breath, inhaling the delicious fear radiating from the little girl below, before his eye drifted to his furry puppet.

"Good boy- now it's time to have some fun." He chuckled, lowering himself down to hover beside the fawn's ear with a murderous look before he pointed a black finger in Mabel's direction, guiding the deer's empty golden eyes upon her.

"And now...Kill her."

"WHAT!?"

Stan shouted, trying to get free of the rivers grip along with Wendy and Soos, only for the handyman to lose his balance falling hands forward into the shore which glued his hands in place immediately.

"Mabel run! Get away from there, now!" The girl blinked, picking herself up from the ground with a frown.

"What but Grunkle Stan, that's Dipper he never would-" But when her eyes finally glanced back to her deer-ly brother, he had already lowered his head, snapping his teeth a bit before he started his attack.

"Yikes!" Mabel jumped, and stared to run away from Dipper as fast as she could, but the little deer was faster. Mabel cried out in pain when his antlers hit her back, making her fall face first into the dirt.

"Not cool bro bro!" She winced, her back ached but she would manage, but the nasty gash on the side of her cheek she gained burned and left something red trickle down her face. Mabel swallowed, turning around and jumping out of the fawns path before his head could collide with hers.

Bill's eye observed with glee as Mabel stumbled back on her feet to escape the fawn that raced after her, his golden empty eyes fixed on the little girl to fulfill his task.

"A little pathetic but all in all a fawntastic show! Don't you think so Shooting Star?" The demon chuckled, leaning back mid air to watch the show.

But Mabel didn't spare him a look, she could hear her blood rushing in her ears, Dipper had managed to corner her against a thick trunk of a tree.

"Dipper wait!" She rasped, desperately trying to reach her brother behind the golden glow, but the fawn already lowered his head again, ready to attack. Mabel closed her eyes out of reflex, holding her hands in front of her to shield herself from the mindless animal, then she waited for the impact, the pain, but the only thing she got hit with were two small stub-like things in the palms of her hands, the force wasn't strong enough to really damage anything.

The forest grew silent again, until the citizens of Gravity Falls began to cheer , while Stan had a smile on his face.

"Ha! Seems like you made a little mistake there nacho head!" He shouted in triumph, making Mabel blink before she carefully opened her eyes, never letting her grip loosen, only to see that she was holding Dipper's small antlers in her hands.

She had stopped him, forced him to stomp on the ground while he was throwing his body weight on her, unable to do much more with his little body.

"Of course... he's still a baby." Mabel registered in a soft voice, but the small deer only let out an angry bleat, trying harder to drive his antlers against her to finally gain a hit.

"Even if he's a naughty one. " She grumbled, eying the fawn below with a frown. Dipper was still trying to ram against her with his tiny excuse for antlers, too blind by Bill's orders to see that he didn't stand a chance against her right now. Mabel took a deep breath and waited for the right moment to simply let go of her brother's antlers, stepping aside as fast as she could to let Dipper collide with the trunk of the tree head first.

"Ouch- you might feel this later bro." She winced in sympathy at the dull noise his head made at the impact.

But Bill didn't leave the animal enough time to blink away the dark spots dancing in his vision. The demon hummed in annoyance.

"Oh come on! That hardheaded skull of yours must be useful for something Pine tree."

He growled, his eye turning red for a split second, then he snapped a finger to force the fawn back on his shivering feet.

"No! You'll hurt him!" Mabel tried to intervene, worry shone in her own brown eyes.

"Of course I will Shooting Star, he is my mindless puppet after all and he'll welcome the pain!" He laughed, pointing a finger at Dipper again to make his eyes a even brighter gold. With that he ran at the next tree throwing himself against it so hard that blood began to trickle down his temple.

"See? Or should I demonstrate it for you again?"

"No- please, don't hurt him!" Mabel begged, fresh tears burning in her eyes, she was about to approach the little deer to inspect Dipper's injury, but before she was even near he lowered his head again and puffed his nostrils in a warning manner.

"Ah ah ah- no touchy, touchy. Beside you better worry about yourself." The demon chuckled.

"What for?" Stan growled from the side of the river, making Bill turn around with a questioning look. But the old man didn't break eye contact with the demon, as a triumphant grin stretched itself on his lips.

"Give it up Bill! Mabel beat the boy even as a human, you only made him more cute and weak with your deal." He mocked with a dry laugh which Mabel joined him in.

"Yeah! What did you expect him to do? Should he lick me death?" She teased, making the cold blood in the demons veins boil- at least it would if he had a body- or a heart for that matter.

"You better not make jokes about something like that Shooting star." He muttered under his breath, before his single eye gained a new cruel spark while he let his voice vibrate through the forest.

"You think that's it uh?" Bill chuckled, his eye turning red with the wind surrounding them gaining force, driving clouds together in the darkening sky.

"Foolish humans, this little game was for pure entertainment." The demon's eerie voice mocked, while the sinking sun tore through the dark sky in blood red rays, tinting the woods around them like a blood spattered battleground. Mabel felt goosebumps forming on her skin, then the warmth of summer suddenly seemed gone, her eyes wavered between her brothers possessed form and her grunkle who looked back at her with worry in his eyes, while Bill hovered above her with a sickening laugh that made her guts clench in nausea.

"Fine by me, you want to play like a big girl Shooting Star? Then let's make things a little bit more interesting." Bill's laughter was the only thing to be heard in the woods, every sign of life seemed to stand still in this very moment, when the demons figure began to burn in bright blue flames while his pulsing red eye fixated on the weak willed fawn below.

"Time for the big finale."

A pain choked bleat ripped through the air when the fawns frame got swallowed by blue flames. Golden eyes closed themselves, as his body twitched and trembled in the demon's power, making Mabel's heart shatter. All her worries about herself and what Bill might come up with now were forgotten in fear for her brother.

"Stop it!" She screamed, tears mixing with the bloody gash on her cheek.

"Please stop!" But Mabel's begging was only a sweet melody in the Demon's ear.

"Oh don't worry little girl, it'll be over... soon." He mocked while is eye beamed a dangerous red, as he watched the twitching deer before him.

Anger and fear wavered over the captured town while they were forced to watch the twins suffer without being able to do anything.

"Stop it!" Wendy growled, snatching the axe from her belt, throwing it at the demon only to watch it pass harmlessly through him.

"No- that tickled!" Bill snickered, before he let his single eye ball pass right through his body to eye the growling redhead below.

"Really red- did you think that I would fall for the same trick a second time? You better not underestimate me." Wendy could feel a lump building up in her throat when she recognized the dangerous gleam in the demon's eye.

"What?" But the question was rather to herself than the demon, before the memory hit her like a brick wall.

"The hunter..." She whispered, eyes turning wide fear and anger.

"That was you! You shot him! You shot Dipper!" Wendy's scream washed over the forest, raising whispers between the people around her while she stared at the demon in rage.

"Sure I did. I bet your little friend would have told you that much if he still had been able to speak." He sneered, obviously enjoying the pained look on the girl's face.

Stan could feel the shivers running down his spine, pure anger was piercing under his skin with hundreds of needles, while he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white under the pressure.

"Bill you filthy piece of-"

An ear piercing animalistic scream made Stan's hateful words fade from his lips, while his eyes darted to his nephews figure in shock.

The gold radiating from the little fawn seemed to increase until it burned their eyes to look at him. But his dreadful bleating didn't stop but only increased in volume and – gravity?

"Dipper!"

Mabel shouted, she needed to shield her eyes from the light to be able to get a look beneath the golden and blue flames surrounding her brother, while the sky seemed to darken once more.

But what she saw made her blood run cold.

His small body was convulsing while his bones were snapping with a skin crawling sound that mixed itself with a painful howl. Then his body began to grow.

His lanky body got consumed by flesh and muscles that radiated with power. The tiny excuse for his antlers (the only thing Dipper was at last fond of after his transformation) started to grow like tree branches in a quick motion along with his head and neck. Mabel was too stunned at what was happening before her very eyes to count the tips of her brothers mighty weapons, even so it didn't escape her that they looked much more pointed and slightly sharper than she ever had seen on other deer's. It nearly seemed like they were swords and daggers crowning Dipper's head in a golden color that glowed in the bright blue flames surrounding him.

Dipper had grown to a buck more than thrice her size, Mabel was forced to watch the white dots melting into his chocolate brown fur with a last faint golden glow, one after another until the "Big Dipper" was gone.

The last sign of her brother had vanished along with him.

"No..." Mabel whispered, fear tightening her throat, the blue flames surrounding the buck's form slowly died down with one last cruel chuckle from the demon.

"Now the curtain rises for the final act." He cheered, while voices of fear and anger were building up behind him as the city recovered from the shock of what had happened, unlike Mabel they seemed pretty much aware what was about to happen.

"Mabel get away from there!" Wendy shouted, still standing beside the Northwest's while Pacifica was too scared to find her voice, her eyes never left Dipper's body.

"Run dude!" But the little girl didn't react to Soos nor Wendy's shouts, like she couldn't even hear them. Her mind had gone blank when the last spot had vanished from Dipper's fur, just like he had back in the mindscape.

She felt something inside her shatter, while the warm feeling fled from her fingertips into her heart trying to cover the sudden empty space inside her, leaving her cold, vulnerable and... alone.

"MABEL!" But the scream came too late when something hit her. The sheer force left her fly back until she collided with a nearby three.

Mabel winced and was left gasping for breath when she saw Dipper moving toward her again, eyes blazed with golden light.

He hurt her.

Run!

Dipper had hurt her.

That's why you have to get away from him smarty-pants!.

But Mabel didn't leave, ignored the angst along together with the pain, when a small smirk melted itself with the hurt expression in her face.

"Well it seems that I'm no longer the alpha twin- huh?" She tried to say, but her ribs hurt from her chuckles, and joke died on her lips when Dipper's ears didn't even flicker towards her.

His empty eyes made her heart sink in her chest, her words were barely more than a soft plead.

"Dipper.... please, I know you're still in there somewhere."

You have to be... She whimpered.

But the buck in front of her only gave a away an angry snort as he lowered his head to point the sharp golden antlers at her again, when the demons eerie voice cut in the hopeless scene.

"Oh how amusing." He sneered with a fond expression.

"Your brother just cracked your ribs and you still think you can bring him back? That's funny." Bill chuckled, rounding deer and girl with a smirk.

"I knew you were a fool, believing in miracles like the rest of the family." The demon's words wavered in the air while his gaze bored itself into the twins Grunkle from the corner of his eye, before he turned to face the man himself.

"All of you are just too afraid to see that you have failed. Too afraid to see the truth, am I not right here- Stan?"

"You little-" But the useless threat from the man was cut short form the demons laughter.

"But even you can't deny it this time." He growled, voice turning cold while he let his hand down to pet the possessed deer on the head that was still lowered to attack Mabel any minute now. He looked down to Mabel with a mixture of arrogant pity.

"Your brother is gone."

He waited for a reaction, for new hilarious tears to be pressed out of the meat sack's ridiculous body when the girl's lips began to quiver in a soft whisper.

"No..." The demon smirked, and floated back up to enjoy the scene from the first row.

His nice stubborn hope crawled underneath his skin while he saw the buck's muscles tense, ready to strike again.

"Mabel?" He called her. Stan's own voice was raspy in fear while he hated being stuck in this useless river. But of course she just ignored him, looking at her brothers eyes still searching for the soul that-

No don't think about it now. He growled, shaking his head before he tried to get through her again.

"Mabel please you need to-"

"NO!" Mabel screamed again, facing the demon above them as if she hadn't even heard stan, instead just yet reacted to Bill's threat.

"You're lying" She explained, before looking at Dipper again, broken.

"He can't be..."

But the defeated whisper of the little girl below only let Bill's eye shine in joy, while he let a tissue appear out of nowhere to dry away nonexistent tears.

"Aww! I might be crying by now if I had anything human in me." The demon sniffed, the smile still lingering in his tone when he took a deep breath of the fear and despair he could taste in the air.

The old pines stuck in the water tried to hide his shivering fingers in closed fists with knuckles as white as paper.

Stan couldn't feel his heartbeat anymore, his heartbeat had melted into a mere rushing sound, which made him deaf to everything else. Somewhere back in his mind he could still hear himself shouting for Mabel to flee from the creature Bill had turned her brother into. Stan had known that they had lost him the moment the boy attacked his sister for real this time- because even if the tiny body of the fawn couldn't have really done any damage, this one very well could. And if Dipper was anywhere inside his mind he would have at least tried to stop himself from Bill's orders.

But he didn't.

Stan shuddered as the cold wind snaked itself under his damp clothes, while his glassy gaze moved over the shore side of the river where Bill held the citizens of Gravity Falls captive.

He could see the youngest Northwest in tears, not even trying to hide them as she watched what monster her crush had become (- yeah he knew about it, honestly he might be old but not deaf and blind enough to miss something like that!). Old Man McGucket seemed to be trying to dig himself out with his pick only to have it bounce back to him like it had hit rubber while his eyes lay on Bill with fearful knowledge that made Stan shudder, while most of the citizens clung to each other, calling for the twins in tears while shivering in pure fear.

Wendy and Soos were still frightening and screaming along with him (he was screaming wasn't he?). But all of them were suddenly holding their breath when the buck- Dipper that is, finally seemed to react to his sister's words.

"Dipper please, snap out of it." She begged, searching for her brothers eyes again, while she pressed herself closer against the truck of the tree.

"You have to fight him." But the buck only stood a few feet away from her by now, she could feel his hot breath, crawling under her skin while his golden eyes stared at her bruised face. And for only a short moment, a little spark of hope let her heart flutter again.

"Dipper?"

But the very moment she said her brother's name the buck made one last jump.

Mabel gasped and closed her eyes, back pressed to the tree, knowing that Dipper might very well end her life now.

But again the deer's antlers collided with the tree without causing any harm. Mabel carefully opened her eyes again, to see herself imprisoned between the golden sharp antlers of the buck. Two more inward spikes were sunk deep into the wood too close to her head for comfort, while the bucks hot breath brushed her cheek, making a shiver run down her spine.

Mabel swallowed and carefully tried to wiggle herself out from underneath the sharp golden cage, the buck snapped at her- with golden teeth, too many that is, and sharper than that of any other deer.

Her eyes grew wide when she finally freed herself to look back at Dipper, who already started to struggle to free himself again. She growled at the demon above, holding her bruised side.

"What did you do to him?" She accused in anger.

"What? Are you not happy with the new pet I created? I thought I'll change the rules – just a little to make things more... interesting." The demon mocked in a sinister voice, adding a sarcastic snicker to his tone.

"And I'm sure it worked."

"Mabel watch out!"

Her head snapped from the threatening glint in Ciphers eye to the warning tone of her Grunkle just to see the buck storming up to her at a rapid speed, head lowered, antlers directed at her. Mabel gasped and jumped out of the way shortly before an impact could have happened. She flung herself into the dirt holding her breath while she could feel the earth shivering beside from the power of her brothers steps. Little stones and splinters were piercing her skin, while her broken side hurt with a throbbing ache that made a nauseous feeling crawl up her throat.

But Dipper left her no time to catch her breath; as soon as the buck noticed that he missed his target again he turned around, his golden blazed eyes looking at her in a menacing way.

She barely managed to pick herself up in time before a piercing pain stabbed her arm, missing her shoulder just by an inch. Everything happened within seconds, she remembered hot breath on her skin and golden eyes that held nothing in them that even resembled her brother, and a cruel joyful laugh in the background when the force of Dipper's hit send her flying before she hit the ground again.

"MABEL!" The fearful voices of her friends and family got quieted by the fog that was clouding more and more of her mind. Black dots were dancing in front of her eyes.

Her breathing hurt and her arm was on fire. Mabel cringed and gripped the spot Dipper had hit her to find her beloved sweater ripped while warm liquid was oozing in the fabric.

The pain made her wish for fainting, but Mabel knew that she couldn't give up now.

If she was about to give up now everything would be lost.

Herself... and Dipper.

Her brother's life; his very soul depends on her.

No.

They were siblings, twins even, meant to be there for each other, meant to protect each other.

She would not give up.

Not before she got her brother back.

She swallowed, and carefully picked herself up from the ground again, holding the bloody patch on her arm with care, she could hear gasps and shouts from the people behind her when they saw the state of her body, but Mabel just focused and glared at the demon above her. Bill looked down at her, simply waiting, and even if the stupid golden triangle didn't have a mouth in this form, Mabel could feel the bored, satisfied grin that would have stretched itself wide over his face seeing her stubborn attempt to change her fate. But it seemed that she wasn't alone in that useless matter.

"Try to hide in the thicket Mabel! Dipper is too big to follow you there!" Wendy screamed when she saw Dipper scratch the earth with his front hoof, preparing for the next attack. Mabel swallowed, but nodded and made a run for the nearest bush before Bill's voice interrupted her.

"Oh no- we're not playing hide and seek here." But Mabel didn't look back at the demon's threatening voice, she was just a few steps away from the safe bushes so that she didn't see how Ciphers eye was coloured a dangerous red before the forest before her suddenly burst into flames.

"Whoa!" Mabel only just managed to stop before the fast spreading fire, she could feel the hot blue and red flames licking her skin before she took a step back, breathing heavily when she saw her chances burning down to nothing.

"No!" She gasped, when she saw the Wall of fire building up along the shore of the river, leaving her nowhere to hide.

"Chirper you fucking a-" Stan's breath was cut out as Wendy's shouts echoed in the clearing.

"Mabel RUN!" Her eyes flickered to the redhead for a second before she saw Dipper heading up to her again, and so she did what she was told and run to the only thing that promised shelter in some way- Maybe Dipper wouldn't follow her into the water, maybe she could weaken Bill enough when she touched the surface again to cut the strings he had on her brother.

It was worth a try-if she was able to reach the water in time.

She could feel her breath burning in her throat when she ran down the side of the river along with the water itself which was gaining speed rapidly. Mabel searched for another shore spot in the water while Dipper seemed to struggle catching up with her on the wet stony shore of the river. His hooves weren't simply made for a ground like this which gave her at least a little advance. But that little sparkle of hope simply ended with Bills angry voice.

"Enough of this! I have places to be and universes to destroy." The demon growled in annoyance with a flash of his eye, but Mabel didn't dare to look back to him, seeing a spot of the river were the steam wasn't that strong just a few meters ahead, when suddenly the earth beneath her feet came to life.

A root slithered beneath her feet before it wrapped itself around her ankles making her fall face down to the stony shore with a cry. Mabel blinked and pushed herself up in a sitting posture, trying to free herself from the stubborn roots that held her feet firmly in place.

She heard Stan and the rest of the city shouting her name, her Grunkles eyes were filled with fear and panic, he demanded for McGucket's pick, ready to cut off both of his feet if necessary to help her, while the grim look on his face told him that he would be too late anyway.

Mabel swallowed, losing her grip on the roots as Bill hovered up to her. His single eye looked down at her with a cold and arrogant gleam that matched his tone, when he began to speak again.

"As entertaining as it was, it's time to end this little game." He sneered looking down to his furry puppet who walked up to the girl with heavy steps, his eyes filled with his own golden power, while his ear twisted to his masters final word.

"Now."

Havoc was breaking down a few meters away where Cipher had frozen the citizens in place, all of them knew that there was no way Mabel would be able to rescue herself this time, but stubborn as the citizens of Gravity Fall were, they didn't stop fighting, shouting for her to run, but the tears in their eyes betrayed their hopes.

Mabel couldn't hear any of them; hot fear was crawling down her skin, dulling the pain in her side and arm while her mind got clouded with panic and despair until everything simply went quiet. Her ears seemed to be stuffed with cotton, she couldn't feel her injuries any more leaving her numb and just as hollow as the golden eyes of her brother who was stepping closer with every second.

She swallowed and felt something smooth and warm running down her throat that made her eyes grew wide. She still remembered the iron like taste on her tongue even if her lips were more used to the smooth sweet taste of cotton candy and jelly koalas.

Blood.

Mabel's head began to spin, when she looked her brother in the golden possessed eyes.

"Dipper..." She rasped, her throat was burning from running away from him.

She stopped to struggle against the chains on her feet, but the roots tangled themselves around her warm skin with every passing second.

She knew she'd lose.

She wouldn't stand a chance against them. But there was one thing she could still try, one thing she was too stubborn to believe that it might be gone.

"Dipper please..." Her voice nearly got drowned out by the powerful stream beside her, while Mabel's eyes began to search for that of her brothers, she tried to look behind the gold, tried to remember the color of his eyes- which she knew were the same as hers when she spoke up to him again, ignoring the danger that lay within every step that he came closer.

"You still need to be there somewhere..." She begged, with a tone barely more than a whisper.

"I just know you are."

But the buck didn't stop in his tracks or stir at Mabel's voice, his nostrils were puffing in wild anger while he slowly lowered his head to Mabel's eyes. The little girl bit her lip and instinctively moved a little bit backwards at the threatening tips of Dippers antlers.

"Dipper, you don't want to do that, just- I'm your sister." She desperately tried to get his attention, seeing her own bruised figure reflected in the golden shimmer of his eyes.

"What would you even do without me?" Mabel tried to mock, but the smirk died on her face when the next breath she took strung in her side forcing new tears burning in her brown eyes.

"Just please... come back to me." She whispered. The Buck only huffed; golden saliva was dripping out of his mouth that, which Mabel now knew, was filled with sharp golden teeth. This... creature Bill made of him wasn't anything like Dipper, all trust the little confused fawn had held for her was gone. In his place stood now this beast, that was threatening to end her life like his master command him to.

Anger was slowly rising in her chest.

Changed and brainwashed as he was- it- he still is her brother.

This was Dipper after all.

He wasn't allowed to hurt her like that.

Mabel swallowed when the deer's mind didn't react on her soft plea, she looked up to him, tears now streaming freely down her cheeks to sink into the fabric of her sweater, while her eyes gleamed in hurt and anger.

"You're my brother damn it!" She panted in a raspy scream, that finally get one of the buck's ears turned to her, but at the emptiness of his eyes the faith in her voice vanished as fast as it had come.

You're supposed to protect me, to look after me- as am I..." A lump was forming in her burning throat, she forced herself to look up to him again, to ignore his blurry features from her tears, or the fact that he was dangerously close by now.

"I- I should have noticed that that big head of yours was blowing up with worries. I should have helped- listed to you so that you would never think of yourself being responsible for this curse..."

Mabel sniffed; she knew it was true- all of them had been too busy with themselves to see Dipper was drowning in his guilt.

"But I didn't..."

"Dipper-" She breathed, closing her eyes while a lonely hot tear was running down her cheek, before she looked up to her brothers golden eyes one last time.

"-I'm sorry."

Then he hit her.

Screams echoed through the wood when the buck's power forced Mabel's body through the air until it collided with the rivers stormy surface.

Mabel gasped for air when the cold water touched her skin, the pain in her body was lost in adrenalin rushing in her veins when she noticed the strong stream of the Fluvius Cantatis pulling her down.

"Mabel!"

Stan shouted, panic was shutting down his lungs to a bare raspy voice while he was forced to watch his niece flying through the air, he nearly took a relieved breath when she hit the water instead of the stony ground before Wendy's voice broke beside him.

"No- she can't-" The redhead gulped, eyes glued to the river.

"She can't swim like that." She whispered in a fear stricken voice.

"W-what!" But the moment Mabel struggled to the surface again, gasping for air, before another wave pushed her down again, seem to lead Stan to the same conclusion.

Her feet were bound together, her left shoulder was injured and the stream was too strong.

"No..."

Cold fear was gripping his heart when the realization hit him.

Mabel...

She was going to drown.

No!

The citizens of Gravity Falls were shouting Mabel's name, tears were falling freely into the rivers stream, when Bill left them here to watch the small girl die.

"MABEL!" Stan's voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper, tears were running down his cheeks, just to be caught in his wrinkles when he desperately screamed for her again, when her head broke through the surface one last time.

"NO!"

But Mabel's fingertips vanished again, covered by the crystal clear water, that hummed it's song without sorrow while a tormented scream echoed through the forest.