Aha. Update, eh? Here you are. Why are you here exactly?

To read, sure, you sarcastic children; geez.

But you're here because you want to find out what happens next, right? Cause everyone at the end of the last chapter was pretty much freaking out. "Oh man! What's gonna happen next?! It's too late?! Curse you, Warriors!"

Hey, the Cipher Hunt is pretty great, right? I mean, except for the fandom who's fighting over who gets the objects from the hunt sigh :/

Didja read the title? Yeah, dig deeper, kiddos. I'm sure some of you can at least guess.

I hope this chapter wasn't TOO delayed. I listened to slightly sad music that happened to match this chapter perfectly. Song's up there ^ heheh. you should start it when Dipper gets home from his walk.

Plus, I went back and read the beginning chapters and the twins' relationship sounds like incest. I apologize immensely, and I'll fix that. Actually, all of my starting chapters are pretty shaky and quite horrible to me lol so I'll go edit those when I get the chance haha

Btw, the feels tension is building, just lettin' ya know. (Love ya Wings 😉 )

Oh, yeah. Thanks for 10K guys! I'm glad to know people enjoy this (even tho there's all those sucky chapters) :3

And that cover up there is made by Imarriedabook 's super cool sister, Stacy. Thanks a million, Stacy. I love you and Carla  <3 She made a picture too

You're an amazing little girl :3

and Dippy is so smol in this chapter I cAN'T
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dipper glanced up as Stan walked into the kitchen, the old man trying to hide his forlorn expression and the twelve year old cocked his head from where he sat at the table, chewing his rainbow Fruit Loop throw off brand cereal. "What's up, Grunkle Stan?" He questioned with a bright grin.

Stan glanced over his shoulder from where he was rummaging through cabinets to peer at the young brunette, a weak, false smile on his aged face. "Nothing much, kid," he replied, walking over to Dipper, pulling a chair out and sitting in it with his chest to the backrest to face the boy, avoiding his gaze. "How're you?"

Dipper narrowed his eyes at his great uncle, knowing something was up, but pushed it to the back of his mind as he answered enthusiastically. "Great, actually!" The smile on his face was genuine and unfaltering, pure happiness he didn't experience much of anymore these days. "I slept really well, I mean, after I stayed up and all and I feel so energetic and joyful. Kinda weird, huh?"

Stan laughed lightly, resting his arms on the backrest of the chair which was in front of him from the position he was sitting. "Yeah, kid. Did you and your sister switch personalities or something?" He meant it as a joke, but yet his eyes still darkened as he recalled the desperation and hopelessness in Mabel's face as they discussed their options earlier.

"Dunno, Grunkle Stan," Dipper said with a shrug, chuckling softly, his gaze falling to his empty breakfast bowl and he sighed, looking back up at his graying relative. "Can I go for a walk?"

Stan scratched his chin, his eyes falling on Dipper's questioning brown ones. He flashed a small grin. "Sure, kid. Just be back before one thirty."

Dipper responded with a happy thanks, glancing down at his watch which read 12:03. He took his bowl to the sink and dashed to the front door, slipping into his shoes and padding outside, closing the door softly behind him.

Stan heaved a sigh, standing up, stretching to crack his back and pushing his chair back in. He grabbed the fez from his head and ran his hand through his hair, hoping for the best as he put the maroon hat back on, slipping into the gift shop for the next mystery tour.

As he always says, 'No matter the circumstance, money must be made.'

~~~~~~

Ford sat tinkering with the memory gun at the desk before the large window which opened up into the wide, empty space, dismantled pieces of the portal still skirting the perimeter of the room. He paused his work, glancing over his shoulder at Mabel who was flipping absentmindedly through one of the journals, leaning against the wall beside the elevator, her bored eyes skimming the pages.

"You alright, kiddo?" The dimension traveller called over to his niece, getting up from his chair to walk over and kneel before Mabel so they were about the same height.

Mabel answered without moving her eyes from the book. "Fine," she said in a cool voice, wanting it to look like she was carefree for this whole ordeal.

Unfortunately for her, Ford saw right through her facade and he cracked a small smile. "You know, whenever anyone says they're fine, there's a 98.6% chance that they're lying."

The uncharacteristically depressed brunette glanced up to meet her uncle's eyes. "Alright," she said with a slight grin of defeat. "You win." She took a deep breath, her gaze casting around the musty basement. "I'm really scared for him, Grunkle Ford," she squeaked out. "Like, what if this doesn't work and we accidentally erase something really important from his memory?"

Ford cleared his throat gruffly, putting his hands on her shoulders to gain her full attention. "Mabel, do you trust me?" He asked in a lowered voice, searching her gaze for fault.

"O-of course," she replied with a nod, looking directly at her mysterious great uncle.

"Do you think I would ever let that happen to a boy who's risked his life for this family multiple times?" He questioned deeply. "Do you think that if something like that were to happen, we wouldn't rest until it was fixed?"

Mabel sighed again, her gaze dropping her feet as she shuffled them. "No, not on purpose," she muttered quietly. "Of course not."

"He's in good hands, Mabel," Stanford comforted her with honesty. He peered down at his watch (which read 1:15,) looking gravely over at the elevator.

"It's almost time," he whispered to himself, standing up and heading quickly back over to the memory gun.

~~~~~~

Dipper stuffed his hands into his pockets as he headed back to the Shack, having already walked aimlessly out to a clearing, he'd decided to come home after pausing to skip stones in a glistening stream. He admired the sun shining through the trees, casting rays of sunlight into the forest floor, the musky, forestry scent filling his nostrils, a faint, content smile on his face.

It was only 1:24; Stan had said to be home before 1:30. Dipper was lost in his thoughts as he walked over the fallen leaves and sticks, pausing on the outskirts of the forest, looking in at the Shack, shaking his head to clear it. He padded up to the front door, opening it and walking inside, freezing yet again as he saw his family standing around the doorway with sullen expressions. "G-guys...?" He squeaked, his eyes wide and nervous, the smile disappearing from his lips.

Mabel kneaded her hands together, staring intently at the floor, giving a few small sniffles. Ford looked up at Dipper, his expression masked, his arms held behind his back. Stan stood next to Mabel, a hand on her shoulder, giving Dipper a tiny thin lipped smile.

"W-what are you doing?" Dipper stammered, shutting the front door slowly behind him.

"Kid," Stan started slowly, taking a step closer to the panicky preteen brunette boy. "We need to break some news..."

Dipper bit his tongue to hold back a sharp retort, looking nervously over to Ford who met his gaze grimly.

"Yes, well..." Ford began, taking a step closer to Dipper, his hands still behind his back. "We've become aware of your...er, state and we wish to help you as best we can...."

Dipper clutched his right wrist tightly to himself, his wide eyes searching his family's desperately. His gaze locked on Mabel's for a moment, but his sister quickly looked away. Dipper glanced back to Ford. "W-what are you gonna do?" He questioned shakily.

"Help you," Ford answered honestly, taking another slow step towards Dipper, one of his arms slowly coming out from behind his back.

"Don't hurt me!" Dipper squeaked, pressing himself to the door he had backed into. Mabel turned around, sparing herself from having to watch, tears brimming in her closed eyes, Stan putting a protective arm around her shoulder.

Ford had shown the memory gun just as Mabel turned around and Dipper's jaw dropped as he looked anxiously from the gun to his uncle's face.

"I-I thought I could trust you!" He raised his voice slightly, his hand fumbling with the doorknob behind his back, fear written in his expression.

"You can, Dipper," Ford pleaded, his eyebrows furrowed as he lifted the gun, aiming at Dipper's head.

"How?" Dipper shouted back, a few tears spilling over his eyelashes. "I thought you were on my side-"

He was cut off as Ford closed his eyes, the bluish, green ray shooting from the small gun, pulsing into his mind. The strength of the hit knocked him unconscious and he fell to the floor in a heap, his eyes fluttering closed. Mabel let out a small whimper, burying her face in her sweater sleeves.

Ford hurried forward, setting the gun down beside him as he crouched before Dipper, scooping his limp body into his arms, carrying him to the couch. He sat beside him, looking at the ground, waiting for the estimated five minutes he would be out for to be up.

Stan walked Mabel to her room, comforting her and rubbing her back softly all the while. "He'll be fine, he can pull through, Ford's done it correctly before..."

The shadow of a shape of which no one would be surprised by, sat on the ceiling on the living room, seeming to be looking down on the two on the couch, its eye narrowed before disappearing.