The Fall of a PineTree and Rise of a Star

Chapter 2

~Dipper~

When I opened my eyes, I was confused at the greyed-out shy and treetops that greeted me. I sat up slowly as I rubbed my eyes. I looked around and realized that I seemed to be laying in one of the many clearings scattered throughout the forest surrounding Gravity Falls. I slowly stood up and walked towards one of the old-growth pines that surrounded me to study it when an intense wind tore through the clearing. I quickly turned around to look behind me just as Bill popped into existence in front of me. I let out a startled yelp and fell backward trying to scramble away from him.

"What the hell, Bill?" I demanded as I stood up.

"Easy, PineTree," Bill said as he floated around me. "You look like hell, kid."

"Gideon broke my nose. And You told me to give the journals to Stan, so I can't heal it," I said with a pout.

"Relax, Kid. I'll fix you up," Bill said as he snapped his fingers.

I let out a quiet gasp of pain as my nose healed in seconds with a pop. I felt of my nose and relaxed when It didn't hurt under my touch. I put my hand back down and looked back at Bill.

"So what will I be learning tonight?" I asked.

"Tonight is a lesson on the language of magic," Bill said before he snapped his fingers and the scenery changed slightly. "Unfortunately, it's going to be all theory here in the Mindscape, so you'll have to practice out in the forest."

A desk that belonged in a high school appeared with my new journal resting on it and several chalkboards that were covered in writing. I arched an eyebrow and sat at the desk as Bill floated over to the chalkboards and used his cane as a pointer.

"You humans have attempted to translate the language of magic for millennia. That language that you meatsacks call Latin is the closest attempt at it that I have encountered," Bill began. "You, PineTree, have the most potential to master it out of the billions that have tried

"I took a class on Latin in high school. I think I've got this," I said as I opened my journal and a fancy pen appeared in my hand.

"First, I want you to copy it down into your journal. Then, you are to write in it for the rest of tonight's lesson," Bill said before I started writing.

As time crawled on, I copied everything into the journal as Bill floated around the clearing. I felt like I was starting to comprehend each letter and word. After what felt like days had passed, I had finished copying everything into my journal. Only then did I realize that I had filled up several dozen pages of the book. I looked up at Bill after I closed the journal.

"Done, PineTree?" Bill asked as he floated over to me.

"Yeah. That felt easy," I said with a faint smile.

"Good. Now it is time for you to learn how to feel the flow of magic. You're going to want to write this down," Bill said as he snapped his fingers.

As I reopened my journal, I watched as the writing on the chalkboard changed and several diagrams appeared. I arched an eyebrow and looked at Bill.

"You're not going to actually teach me?" I asked.

"As I said, I'll be teaching you theory here in the Mindscape, but you'll have to practice by yourself in the real world," Bill said with a shrug. "At least until you are strong enough magically for me to use the brands to appear before you and you alone in the real world."

"How long will that take?" I asked as I started writing.

"With your determination and intelligence? PineTree, it would only take two weeks at most. You've just got to learn HOW to channel your magic first," Bill said, smugness pouring off him in waves. "You are so much more brilliant and magically talented than my last apprentice."