#deerper falls

Was Dipper- But he- Mabel… Fear and hope where fighting inside him, making him shake before hot needles poked into his skin again. Part of him hoped for nothing more than to get his nephew back, while the other side of his heart was trying not to break at the idea of what might happen to the boy might remember what he did…

His eyes didn´t move for even a second. He watched the deer's nostrils flaring in tension; he blinked, and blinked again, before he opened his eyes once more. Not golden, but brown.

The buck blinked, his ears twitching towards the cursing demon, the birds in the distance and the river making him go rigid once again. A few terrible long seconds ticked by.

There was a horrified flash of recognition in the brown eyes. A low, heart piecing moan. And then hell broke lose.

The buck began to run to the shores edge, while he was losing his animalistic features within seconds, along with his age. His form was shrinking, fur was fading into golden dust, flying with the wind while his deep echoing bleats were slowly turning into high pitched screams.

A voice full of despair and sorrow found its way through the woods, turning Stan´s blood to ice when he recognized it. A voice neither of them believed they'd hear ever again.

“Dipper…”

Stan gasped, finally torn out of his stupor. He didn´t wait to see the deer´s muzzle shrinking back or watching arms growing from out of nowhere along with a torso. The old man was on his feet within seconds, following the deertraur´s desperate shouts that, that in fact weren´t quite words yet, but already filled with enough pain and fear to stop his heart.

He didn´t hear the screams of the citizens behind him, he ignored the noise of shredding clothes as well as the sudden burning in his now stiff limbs and head, but when he recognized the addictive weight on his back he didn´t hesitate to use it. Stan flung himself in the air when the stony wings broke through his back, quickly closing the distance between himself and Dipper, just in time to close his arms tight around the boys back and neck to keep him only inches away from the raging stream, which took away his sister.

Bills mighty weapon was shrinking to the little deertaur he knew, the boys fur turned to golden sand when he touched it leaving the now screaming boy with a bare chest, while fresh hot tears seemed to wash away the deerly features in Dippers face. Stan didn´t need to look to know what was happening to the boy who still struggled in his arms. They were getting him back. Why? Stan didn’t know. But he suggested that the price was one Dipper hadn´t been willing to pay. Dippers scream like bleats became muffled shouts, before finally one human word, made it desperately over the boys lips.

“MABEL!”

Stan closed his eyes, holding the little boy closer to his chest while new tears were finding their way down his cheek, his hoarse voice tried to calm his screaming nephew down. “Mabel?! MABEL!!!” “Hush Dipper…. it´s alright… every-“ He swallowed, the lump in his throat made it nearly impossible to speak. “Everything is going to be alright now… you´re safe.”

But Dipper couldn´t hear him, the bad feeling, the sense he lost something important made his mind spin, when pictures and memories seemed to confirm his deepest fears. Memories were rushing in his mind, events and actions blurry until now were showing themselves from their dark fog, forming a horrible sick and sad story that seemed to have come to it´s finale here, on the edge of the cursed stream.

His body remembered the pain of the transformation, when a rush of golden memories showed the future Bill had once showed him, but this time the roles were reversed. Not the buck, but Mabel was the one bleeding, while the deer seemed to have more dangerous features. Dipper´s horror grew when he looked into the gold glowing eyes of the animal, aiming hit after hit at his sister before his view suddenly changed. Mabel was in front of him now, her feet captured in roots, she begged, calling him by his name, asking him to stop- to come back to her and tears- and he screamed back. He screamed as loud as he can, calling Mabel by her name – before the buck- no, he himself took the final blow, leaving him no option but to watch helplessly how Mabel hit the water, not coming back up again.

Mabel had… She is- “No…”  He choked, while in response the pressure on him only got tighter. Dipper instinctively struggled against the unknown grip, eyes looking at the now harmless sparkling water.   “Mabel…” Dipper sobbed, tears were streaming down his cheeks. Then his little hooves couldn´t support him any longer.  His front gave in first, leaving him with his fluffy white butt in the air, before the rest of his strength vanished under his pain. His ears flickered to the gasps and whispers behind him, but he refused to listen to any of them, then he dug his nails into the grass beneath him, while his breath hitched in his throat. “Dipper.”  Stan´s tone couldn´t make it through the thick blanket of pain, sorrow and guilt Dippers mind was wrapped in, before one voice finally made it through.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!” Cipher shouted, pulling himself up with his stick on wobbly legs. But Stan blocked Dippers view of the demon, spreading his stony wings to shield the boy.   “Bill I'm warning you-“  He growled, while a yellow smirk stretched itself over the demon´s face. “Oh come on Staaaan, it´s not like it´s worth the pain, he did it himself after all.” Bill reminded them in a sweet tone, making Dipper visibly flinch behind him, while he hugged himself, empty eyes fixed on the ground. “Right Pine tree?… your sisters death is ALL YOUR FAULT!” Bill laughed, while new tears began to burn in Dippers eyes, the demon was right… so terribly right. “Stop lying you little piece of shit, it was your work all along!” Pacifica spat, the golden snakes on her head hissing at him, while her own eyes were red rimmed. She tried to search Dippers eyes, but the deertaur didn´t meet her gaze while Bill´s mocking tone resounded through the woods again. “Ah ah ah-  I don´t think so. It was little deerspartly Dipper here who made the deal with me, so I stay with the “It´s all Dippers Fault” party, thank you very much.” He snickered before he made a dangerous step towards the shore were Stan was still standing protectively before his nephew. “And now you´ll tell me what happened! What in all 13 cursed dimensions have you done?! What happened to our deal!” Cipher spat, eye radiating a soft red glow that was nothing against the blood red shine of the mighty demon. “I demand to know how-“  But Bills treat was literally cut off when he suddenly found a sharp blade on his now very sliceable throat.   “You demand nothing more nacho head. Cause this time I´m sure my axe won´t miss it´s target” Wendy growled, showing newly developed fangs while she held her axe to bills throat form behind him. It was time that someone finally shut this freak up. Just as Cipher tried to wiggle himself out of the werewolf’s grip, Wendy´s dad covered her pawed hand over her ax while the other arm of the manotraur got hold on both of bills wrists at once, holding them behind his back with a low huff. "my thoughts exactly.”  Wendy grinned when more townsfolk gathered themselves around him, the two headed dragon Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland were searching for the handcuffs on their shared belt while Pacifica’s snakes were hissing at the demon, one snapping his jaw shut dangerously close to his eye. “You-!” Then again, it was Dippers low voice that made Bill halt in his angry speech.

“You promised… “ He whispered.

“You promised not to hurt anyone …” Dipper repeated a little louder this time, voice still wavering, but making everyone’s head turn to him in silent surprise. “But I- you… you did…making me-“ He stuttered, swallowing hard, before he was able to speak again, his tone empty and broken. “Mabel is dead.” He was shaking, new tears flowing down his cheeks, before his hollow words echoed through the silent wood and nearly got drowned in the floating river.   “Our deal is broken.”   The citizens were sharing skeptical looks, the surprise of changing back to their monstrous selves long forgotten when they heard the deertaur`s heartbroken voice . Stan´s glowing eyes widened, his grip on the boy´s shoulders got tighter while his words were nothing but a small gasp. “What?” Dipper blinked, looking up to Stan for a second, as if he only now registered his Grunkle's presence. He swallowed, biting his lip while he brushed away new tears, with fingertips that trembled not just from the pain in his heart, but the sudden use again. “I- I asked you about the consequences of this damn deal.” He whispered. “I wanted to make sure that- that they were safe.”  The small deertaur explained with red rimmed eyes. Stan gulped, turning his head from the boy to Cipher again when a sudden gasp escaped the demons lips, while his eyes  grew wide in sudden recognition.

"You´ll change them back?" Dipper asked. "Yep!" "Everyone but me?" "Yep." "You´re not going to hurt them?" "I won´t, promise!" He  confirmed. The boy had hesitated for a second, ears pressed to his head, before he held out one hand to seal his fate. "Deal." “Deal.”

“No,…NO!”

Cipher rasped in a sudden hoarse voice, but the boy wouldn´t shut up, didn´t seem to notice that he didn´t need to say anything else. “You promised not to harm them; that nothing bad would happen to them, but…Mabel-“ “Dipper…” Stan whispered, before his gaze wandered to the crystal stream again. So that´s why all of them had changed back, including Dipper. The boy, desperate as he had been, had included their safety into this deal, instead of his own. But- Stan´s heart sank when the last piece of hope tickled out of him like a leaking tap. That would mean Mabel was really- He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but pain seemed to fill every piece of his body. He lost a piece of his family again and looking down to the broken boy in front of him, he couldn´t help but think that he lost them both. But the demon´s anger stricken voice forced his attention back to him. “YOU! You tricked me!” Bill roared. Dipper only shook his head, blinking away new tears when he looked at the demon, correcting him, without any hint of victory in his voice. “No Bill, you alone are the reason that the deal is broken. Your anger, your fear, your order for me to-“ He stopped, biting his lips until they hurt, while his shaking body made his voice shiver under the pressure. His eyes met the ground again, his ears flickered to the stream that seemed to hammer his rushing song into his head, mocking him, accusing him and Dipper knew that the rushing noise of the water would haunt him for the rest of his life. “It was you… but it was me.”  He whispered, gasping for air when he hiccupped again because of his cries. Stan swallowed hard, the grief and guilt in the boy´s voice was nearly too much for him to take. “Mabel… if I only- If I could change-“ But his bleats were not left unanswered. “But you can!” Bill offered, a smile stretching over his lips, while he tried not to giggle from the pain the ax was causing his throat when he offered the boy a new 'chance'. “You do want to save your sister right Pine Tree?”  He questioned, finally getting the kids attention when his head snapped up to meet his eye. He shrugged with a smile, as if he wasn´t offering to bring the dead back to life. “No problem! A little deal, shaking hands and there she is! And everything is again how it´s supposed to be.” Dipper gasped, eyes gone wide when he carefully stepped up from behind his Grunkle´s back. “Y-You could-?”  He stuttered, but before Bill could raise his hopes even more Stan stretched his wings before him again, with an angry growl. “No!” He shouted, nodding to the police officers who finally found the handcuffs. “Take him away!” Stan´s orders were followed immediately, while Bill struggled and cursed, but couldn´t do anything against the power of the newly transformed town.

Dipper watched in horror when Bill was made to turn his back to him.   “But- Mabel!” He blinked away new tears, while Stan kneeled himself beside him with a heavy sight. “Would not want you to make such a deal. Honestly kid, didn´t you learn not to trust the triangular freak the hard way now?”  The old man questioned, shaking his head, but he knew the despair in Dippers eyes, he knew why he was willing to listen to Bills empty promises. To make the hurt go away. The small deertaur trembled underneath his fingers while Soos and Wendy slowly made it up to them.  Dipper was shaking his head, his ears flopping on his cheeks. His words were full of pain and hurt, his gaze wavered to the shore again, the river folding smoothly down the woods. “But that’s not right! I- Mabel is-“ He sobbed, when Stan hold him close, letting the boy grip the rest of his Shirt to hide his face in his stony body. “It should be me…”  Dipper argued. “I made this deal.” “It – it just can´t be.” He whispered, when the truth came crashing down to him again. He would never see her again. “Mabel…” Her name was nothing but a soft breath in his lips, demanding her back while at the same time broken an thin. Stan swallowed, holding the crying kid closer to his chest. “Shhh… I know Dipper, I know.” He knew, that there was nothing he could say or do to ease his pain.

Soos sobbed, not so quietly behind them first putting a hand on Mr. Pines shoulder, tears running freely down his cheeks just to be absorbed again when they  dropped on his stomach. Wendy´s eyes drifted back over the river, she sniffed the air still somewhat hoping that she would be able to make out Mabel´s scent, but the only thing that burned in her new formed nose was the fresh smell of the river, wet stones and grass. The rest of Gravity Falls had gathered in silent respect around them, while her dad along with Sheriff-Deputy Blurb-land were dealing with the demon, who was the only one who at least seemed to gain something form the hurt and sorrow that hung heavy in the air. She swallowed, looking down at Dipper with pity in her eyes. The joy of seeing him again got drowned in the boy´s tears and pain. Dipper was right, she growled silently, this hasn´t been supposed to end like this. They all had been useless in the end, held back by the stream itself while Mabel was the only one working to get her brother back… like always. By one point or another they all had lost hope. Wendy´s inner voice tried to admit with a forming lump in her throat. At some point not even the old Mr. Pines had thought that they wouldn't get the old Dipper back- ever. And still, even if Mabel had her weak Moments she never lost hope, didn’t lose faith in her brother. Never. And now she was the reason he was free of Bills deal.

She swallowed and sniffed while tears formed strange paths in her furry face. Her eyes flew over the river again, her voice barely loud enough for the others to hear. “You know, Mabel always believed in you, she never lost hope that you´ll come back.” Dippers ear flickered to Wendy, while Soos nodded carefully. “That´s true, she always fought for that until the end.” “Soos!” Wendy growled, making the handyman shrink back in his form when he saw the little deertaur flinch from his unmindful words. Stan just sighed, trying not to roll his sore eyes at the behavior of those two. He looked down to the boy and brushed through Dippers hair with a sad frown. “I´m glad you´re back kiddo… and I´m sure Mabel would be too.” “But she isn´t, because of me!” Dipper sniffed, closing his fists even tighter on his Grunkle´s shredded suit.

Stan´s eyes darkened at the guilt and self-loathing  in the boys voice. His grip on Dippers shoulders was firm while his other hand carefully lifted the boys head at his chin, but the strength nearly left Stan again, when he forced the broken red rimmed eyes to look into his own. He swallowed, but managed a way to push his voice around the lump in his throat. “Don´t you dare believe that!” He said, seeing the boys look waver with fresh tears. “It´s Cipher who´s responsible for this mess… not you Dipper.”  Ah deep sigh escaped the old man´s lips while he carefully shook his head. “You only tried to help and so did Mabel. If anything is your fault, it's that you care more about someone else that yourself and that´s a honorable and rare thing, especially in this family.” He muttered but could still feel the boys shivers underneath his grip. “So don´t you dare say that again, or think it Dipper, cause if you do I believe that not just me but Mabel herself would manage to kick the guilt out of you, with glitter, rainbows and unicorns helping her.” Stan mocked, but the smile on his lips was sad and broke as fast as it came. Dipper swallowed hard, but nodded carefully, while his skin still felt like thousands of needles where poking it.   “I just… I miss her Grunkle Stan.” “I don´t know what to do without her…” He whispered, voice broken and empty while his eyes found the ground, where a tear dropped onto a lonely daisy. “Without Mabel I´m… nothing.”

“Aww- Say that again bro-bro, I need that on record!”

A cheerful voice disturbed the silence, making all heads turn towards her in shock, while Dipper only flinched, shaking his head as if to shake of a bad dream. “God- now of all times our “twin thing” has to act up, it´s like I can still hear her.”  He winced, while Wendy stuttered, mouth hanging agape. “No Dipper that… Mabel!” But he girl just ignored her, staring at her brother with a broad grin. “So you admit we do have twin powers!” Dipper flinched again closing his eyes to shut the painful memories out. He could feel Stan´s grip on him loosen when he made a step towards the shore. “Mabel…” Stan whispered, tears of joy filling his eyes washing away the pain. The girl gave him a smile, and waved with her new formed fish tail, before her eyes rested on Dipper again. “Dipper…” She questioned, but her brother just shook his head, his white tail flickering in distress.   “Come on, it´s me, Mabel!” “No.” “Dipper you stubborn idiot, you´ll look at me now!” Mabel ordered, making the boy blink before Dippers gaze finally turned to her. Mabel´s smile wavered at the hurt and pain in her brother´s eyes but got herself to hold it. “See I´m fine, so snap out of it now Dippingdots!” But Dipper just blankly stared at his sister, she was halfway on the shore, her bright pink mermaid tail swishing joyfully in the cursed water. “Mabel!” Stan laughed, tears still glistering in his eyes when he rushed towards his niece, fishing her out of the cold stream to hold her close to him. Good, she smelled of fish and was wet as a drowned cat but never in all his lifetime did the feeling of hugging a dripping wet fish feel so good. Mabel laughed, hugging him back with a bright smile. “I always knew that you cared!” She giggled, but Stan only held her closer. The citizens of Gravity Falls beamed at the sight of the little mermaid, cheering and hugging each other, while Bill gaped at the scene with a wide eye and a snapping growl that was stopped with a hit from the sharp elbow of Manly Dan. Lazy Susan carefully wiped away a tear in her eye and Pacifica´s hair hissed in silent excitement. But the Pines hardly felt the happy stares on them. “Never do something like that again sweetie, never!” The Gargoyle whispered into her wet hair. “I won´t Grunkle Stan,  promise!“ “Dude, you´re alive!” Soos cheered, while Wendy brushed away the tears in her eyes with a bright smile. “Yea man! You really gave us a scare!” She laughed, but Mabel only shrugged. “Well- mermaids can´t really drown, having gills and such. And I just didn´t want to ruin the moment.” She explained, “You- WHAT?” Stan shouted in false anger and disbelief holding her away from him under her arms in shock, before Dipper´s quite voice made it up to them.

“M- Mabel?”

He whispered and carefully got himself back on his shivering legs. His ears were laid back, tears were still glistering in his eyes while Stan carefully laid Mabel back on the shore with a knowing smile. “Yes bro-bro, I told you it´s me.” She mocked, but it was enough to break the last bit of hesitation and fear in her brother’s soul. “MABEL!” His joyful scream mixed itself up with a fawn-y bleat, but Dipper didn´t care, he jumped in fast steps up to her, picking her up from the ground to hug her as tight as he could only to have Mabel mirror his actions.

His heartbeat was ringing in his ears as he held Mabel close to himself, afraid to lose her again if he ever let go. She was alive, Dipper breathed; goosebumps forming on his arms while a warm chill ran down his back. Mabel lived. “I- I thought I lost you Mabel… I thought that-“ He stammered.   “I know, Dipper, but look, I´m here all good now.” She smiled. “B-But I- I hurt you Mabel I-“ “Yeah I might be a little afraid of deer now… but that will pass I´m sure.” She chuckled awkwardly but Dipper gazed at her in worry. “O come on! That was a joke … at least well- okay maybe a little.” She admited with a shiver, before she shook the thought off, turning back to her brother who still looked like a kicked puppy. “ But now shut up bro-bro! You couldn´t hurt a fly. That wasn´t you.” She explained. “And besides, look at me, not a scratch on me- so don´t worry about it now.” Dipper swallowed, unable to meet her eyes any longer. “I´m sorry Mabel, I´m so sorry. All of that is my fault, and what for? Everything is back as it was.” “Well at least you´re no tiny fawn now- at least not completely, although I think I´ll miss your cuddly self.” She smiled, but worry was still hidden in her voice. “I hope you don´t mind… still being my deer brother?” Mabel questioned, brushing her hand over his soft ears, making it flicker, but Dipper just chuckled. “I couldn’t care less about it!” “That’s good to know fluffy tail,… that´s good to know.”  She whispered patting his shoulders with a smile, however Dipper still stared at her and the way her brother chewed his lips told her that something was still bothering him. “What?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. Dipper swallowed, looking down again, while his grip already began to struggle to held Mabel upright. “It´s just… all of you turned back into monsters and… I still don´t know how to break the curse-” But a sharp pain in his head stopped his speech. He nearly dropped his sister who had hit his head with a sharp glare.   “Ouch- Mabel what-?!” “Are you completely nuts now Dipper!?” Her brother only blinked at his sister’s sudden outburst. Mabel rolled her eyes gesturing around her as best as she could. “Look at them Dipper, the whole City is here, all on their own account.” “Aham.” Mr. Northwest coughed awkwardly but Mabel just give him a glare. “All of them!” She insisted, before she looked back at her stupidly gaping brother. “They know they would change back to monsters but they did it, for you! They don´t care about the consequences.” “She´s right kiddo.” Stan growled, his yellow eyes fixed happily on the twins. “What´s a pair of wings, claws and teeth against having you back? Beside- I don´t know if I had been able to feed one more animal beside the pig and the goat.” “Hey!” Dipper snapped, but his smile brightened shyly at the view of the city. “T-Thank you…” He stuttered, meeting Pacifica’s eyes for a second before his cheeks turned a bright red.  

“See! They don´t care! So stop thinking now you worrywart or your big head is going to explode.” Mabel mocked. Dipper only nodded carefully, meeting his sister’s eyes again. The feeling of losing her still stung inside his heart- so he hugged her once again, his soft ear brushing against her wet cheek, a relieved smile on his lips. “You´re right Mabel.” “As always stupid.” She smiled.

Wind filled the air again, while the river hummed quietly beside them.

A relieved sigh escaped Dippers lips, when something wet suddenly dropped on his shoulder, making the boy blink in surprise, but just when he was about to search for the sudden wet feeling Mabel gasped at him with wide eyes. “Dipper! Your ears!” Fear flashed over his face when he gripped his ears, only to have his hands pass through them  harmlessly, leaving his fingertips shiny and wet. “Water…” Dipper mused, before looking at Mabel again only to find the same changes on her tail. A thin layer of water seemed to be over her tail, leaving it glassy and shining in the sun for a second only to slowly dripping of her, leaving behind very human legs. “You´re… you´re changing back!” He exclaimed while a stunned Mabel searched his eye only for her smile to go wide on her lips. “you are too!” She laughed. Dipper reached for his ears again, while the water ran down his neck to find tiny wet, but human ears.

“Kid´s what´s-“ But the Gargoyle was stopped in his worry at the slight blue glow around the twins when he saw a glimpse of his own stony claws that where slowly washed away. “-happening…”  He mused, and looked around to find the whole city dripping with the enchanted water that melted away their cursed forms. “What the heck!” Little trails of glittering crystal clear water were streaming from them. Folding through the grass while growing stronger every time they fused with an other only to mingle themselves with the river itself which carried away their curse with a soft humming voice.

“WHAT!?” Bill screamed. Looking at the twins with growing anger, as Dipper carefully helped Mabel up her now human feet.   “How? How are you doing that!?” The demon growled at them. Mabel only stuck out her tongue, but Dipper frowned a hand on his chin while he flickered his vanishing tail for the last time. “We accepted it…” Dipper murmured, more to himself than anyone. “We were okay with being monsters so… the curse wasn´t a curse anymore.” He suggested with a grin, before he suddenly yelped, falling backwards when his hind legs were nothing but a shimmering puddle beneath him. He watched how water flowed down his spine, leaving human legs instead of his thin deer hoofs and thanks to whatever magic, covered in a pair of trousers. “It´s done…” He whispered, wiggling his human toes in awe.   “The curse is gone.”

“THAT'S IT?”  Bill growled, radiating a humming red when he finally ripped himself free from the handcuffs in wild anger. “Accepting this pitiful state of body!?” He shouted looking down at himself stomping up with one foot like an angry child. “NEVER!” Cipher cursed and held back the police with the tip of his staff while his eye laid itself on Dipper. “I swear pine tree, this isn't the last you'll see of me. You´ll regret what you´ve done. ALL OF YOU!” The demon howled in anger, Disappearing in a cloud of dark golden smoke – at least that what he was about to do only to have half of his body still stuck where he was. A deep golden blush formed itself underneath his eye when the rest of him disappeared with an annoyed curse. “What- damn this meat sack of a body.”

Dipper bit his lips, a cold chill running down his spine at the promise of the demon, before Mabel´s hand blocked his view. “Up you go.” She smiled while helping him up onto still wobbly human feet. “Thanks.” He grinned, but Mabel rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. “You know, I´ll miss this fluffy butt of yours.” She teased when Stan came up to them with a relieved sigh. “Well… seems like it´s all going back to boring times now.”   Mabel only raised an eyebrow at him. “Boring?” She questioned, and looked at Dipper, who couldn´t help himself but grin. “We still have half of the summer left!” He smirked when Stan groaned loudly. “Oh come on kids! Give me a break!”   “What? This is Gravity Falls after all, things just- tend to happen.” Dipper grinned, but yelped when Stand held both of them up in his arms with a cheeky smile. “Fine with me- just don´t cause any world destroying apocalypse, alright?” The twins looked at each other before grinning widely. “Can´t promise that.” Dipper answered with a shrug, while Mabel let her mouth pop while answering. “Nope.” “Ahhh whatever." Stan grumbled in faked annoyance. “But that´s enough adventure for the day. Let´s go home now.” “Yeah…” Dipper breathed and looking back at the river with a smile.

“Home sounds good.” 

The End~