A/N:

First of all - I've been contemplating whether I should change the cover... no wait but it fits the story... but then again its kinda old-

Yeah I need help... ;-;

Please tell me whether I should change it or not on this line! - - >

Now - to the story!

*Ford's POV*

Gathered around we had plenty of townspeople gathered. All of them were discussing ways to get me in range to defeat Bill - others wanted to save the townspeople first for the Cipher Wheel, to defeat Bill in the way originally intended.

I didn't even know they'd had an argument until it was too late.

They were giving each other side eyes while discussing, as if they were teenagers gossiping in a school hallway. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

We're supposed to be working together, not fighting each other, I thought. If this continued I was worried we'd never win against Bill.

I could tell Stanley was worried too, because his lips were pursed and he pretended he wasn't listening to their conversations.

And... Mabel. The townspeople were devastated that she was one of the unlucky ones to be turned to stone - she had always been a bright child to them, someone who cheered them up in her free time.

I was still heartbroken at what happened to her, especially because of the fun times we had together in my own dimension... and Dipper was captured too...

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Stanley. When had he come over?

"Listen, pointdexter. Quit worrying and think of a plan." He said. "You can get Mabel and Dipper back if you do your job."

Most people would think that Stanley didn't care about the twins - that he was selfish and only cared for himself. But I knew that was just the tough shell, and outer wall. On the inside, he really does care about them.

"Right." I took a deep breath. "Thanks."

It felt weird saying that to Stanley, especially after what he did to my career in my dimension, but this was a different version.

I walked over to the group of people wanting me to have a clear shot at Bill.

"How are things going? How's the plan so far?" I asked.

"Well, we know that we're going to need a distraction for this to work, but we're not sure what distraction we can use." A woman said. She seemed familiar...

Then it clicked.

She was Lazy Susan! Her apron wasn't as messy and she seemed a bit more slim, not to mention she had two working eyes. I almost didn't recognize her.

"The others thought maybe we should use something immune to Bill's magic, but we don't have anything like that." Susan said. "I suggested turning the Diner into a cannon, but they said it was 'unrealistic'."

I rubbed the back of my neck and looked at my shoes - it was a bit far-fetched...

...but possible. I built a portal to another dimension, so turning the Diner into a cannon wouldn't be too hard.

But Bill could easily turn it against us...

"All right, you think of something we could build to use against Bill as a distraction, I'll go check on the other group." I said, walking away.

Some redhead that Stanley called Wendy was the main talker in this group.

"All right, so we're going to need some sort of distraction in order to get into Bill's pyramid castle." Wendy said. "I saw the eyeballs taking my family there after they turned to stone, so that's where we need to go in order to save everyone."

"The distraction should be something immune to Bill's magic. Otherwise we'll be stopped instantly." Toby said. I didn't look as ugly, but I could still recognize his voice anywhere.

"But do we even have something like that?" Wendy asked.

I didn't even have to say anything to know what they were discussing.

I headed over to my original position next to Stanley, and tried to catch everyone's attention. They were too busy thinking of ideas that they didn't hear me. Stanley noticed.

"HEY HAGFACES! LISTEN UP TO POINTDEXTER!!" Stanely yelled. Everyone shut up and looked at me.

I cleared my throat.

"I've spoken with both groups, and I believe we can find a compromise to use both." I said. "The two plans both require a distraction. I believe I know exactly what could be the distraction..."

I glanced down at Mabel's pig before looking back at the groups with a grin.

*Dipper's POV*

I stood there, horrified at the giant throne made of the townspeople of Gravity Falls.

I was frozen with fear.

And then I saw one of the statue in particular. Something that let a wave of anger, rage, despair, and pain rush through me.

I saw Mabel.

Mabel's horrified expression, holding a broken grappling hook, her eyes blooming with fear.

Then, looking at all the monsters partying, Bill lingering amongst them, none of them realizing I wasn't in the bubble anymore...

...My despair almost won, tears welling up in my eyes, but seeing all these monsters without a care in the world ignited my rage.

My hands glowed silver, clenched in fists.

Then, I felt as if I knew what to do.

I punched a nearby wall with all my rage, sending crack everywhere in the pyramid, the structure starting to crumble. The monsters screamed in confusion.

I saw that Bill noticed me. I didn't care.

I leapt into the air, grabbed Mabel from the throne of townspeople, and smashed a wall to get out of there.

I didn't know where I was going, I just knew I had to get as far away from that place as possible.

Feeling Mabel turning to normal in my grip, I flew faster, trying to get somewhere safe.

I ended up landing on grass, in a forest.

"Huh? Dipper?" Mabel asked. I didn't acknowledge her. I needed to get somewhere safe, then could I relax.

I ran as fast as I could, still holding Mabel's hand tightly, weaving through the trees.

"Dipper, what's going on? How did you get out of that bubble thingy? How am I not in stone anymore?"

I didn't answer, still focused on getting Mabel away from Bill, trying to keep her at a safe distance-

Mabel pulled her hand away from mine and stopped running. I turned to look at her.

"Dipper, please! Answer me! I'm not moving another step until you do!" Mabel yelled.

I hesitated, not knowing what to say. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd held in.

"Alright. I'll explain everything." I said. "I managed to escape from the bubble by breaking it, I'm rescuing you from being turned to stone, and... I guess because of my magic I turned you back?"

I took her hand and began to run again, but she slipped hers out again.

"How did you have magic in the first place? How did you get it?"

I noticed a flying eyeball getting close.

"Mabel, we don't have time for this! Let's go-"

"I'm not moving from here until you answer!" Mabel insisted.

I sighed, but I answered. "I don't know how I got magic, but apparently Bill unlocked it when he was in my body, and I've always had it. The source is my Big Dipper birthmark. Now come on-"

This time Mabel didn't argue, as the flying eyeball almost got her.

I shot a blast of silver at the eyeball, and it shrieked and fell to the ground.

"Dipper! We need to get to the Mystery Shack! It'll be safe there!" Mabel yelled.

"No! That's where Bill would expect us to go! We need to go somewhere else!" I shouted over the rush of the wind.

I just ran to a cave, hoping that no eyeballs were chasing us.

Mabel panted, and I let go of her hand, checking to see if there were any flying eyeballs outside.

"D-Dipper...?"

I turned to see Mabel cowering from a bear with multiple bear heads. On a small rock, a radio was playing Disco Girl.

The bear creature turned it off.

"What brings you here to my cave?" It asked, in a friendly, British accent.

I was taken aback, but I tried not to show it.

"Uh... shelter?" I said.

"Alright, you may stay here for as long as you need." the bear said. "My name is the Multi-Bear. I come from another dimension."

"Oh, okay." Mabel said. "You listen to Disco Girl?"

"Yes, I do, in fact!"

"Oh, cool! Dipper also listens to it!"

While Mabel and the Mult-Bear were chatting about Disco Girl, I looked around for any other creatures Bill may have sent after us.

After a few minutes, I assumed we'd lost them and sighed in relief.

The other two were still talking together. I was thankful that Mabel was safe. I was finally able to relax, even if only a little bit.

I could feel my overprotective brother side of me start bubbling up. Before I could stop myself, I was starting to reprimand her.

"Mabel, what got you into that mess in the first place? How did Bill turn you to stone?" I said, cutting off her conversation with the Multi-Bear. No going back now, I guess...

"It wasn't like I was trying to! I was trying to save you!"

"All by yourself?!"

"Bill spotted me! I had no choice!" Mabel yelled. "Besides, do we really need to do this now?"

"You forced me to answer your questions - it's only fair if I do that too."

"Okay, okay." Mabel said. "I saw Bill holding you by the shirt, then he let you go, then you ran but you fell asleep because of Bill..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I got trapped in the bubble." I said.

"Yeah, and then I got really angry and I was screaming in my head at Bill. Then Bill turns and looks at my direction-"

"MABEL HE CAN READ MINDS!!" I yelled with worry.

"So that's why he wasn't being his usual laughing self." Mabel said. I facepalmed.

I saw Mabel's frown from behind my hand. I slid it down my face and to my sides, before I embraced Mabel with them, squeezing tightly.

"Don't ever do that to me again..." I said, tears welling up in my eyes.

I slowly felt arms wrap around me too.

I heard a loud sniffle.

I looked up to see the Multi-Bear sniffling into a tissue.

"That was so heartfelt and beautiful...*sniff*" He sobbed.

Ignoring him sniffling in the background, we continued our hug.

"You forgot the sincere sibling hug."

I looked up to see Mabel smiling at me.

"At least we can do the pats." I replied.

"Pat, pat." We said in unison, patting each others backs.

I was so relieved to have Mabel safe by my side...

...but I was also worried that I'd never let her go.