Babes And The Beast

Chapter 7: Learning

"Hmm. Sorry to hear that. Why'd you bring it up?"

"Because this is where the Winter castle was said to be, and you have the Falls family crest hanging over your front door."

"Really?" Soos chimed in. "That's funny. Funny coincidence."

"Yeah, funny." Dipper stood up. "Except it's not funny. Nothing about what happened to you guys is funny. I want to help you, but I can't if I don't know what's happening."

Nobody looked at him, save for Mabel who was utterly shocked at this realization.

Later on, he tried to bring it up with Stan.

"I was just curious as to how you came to this place." he said trying to sound casual.

"I didn't come here. I've always lived here."

"Even as a kid? I mean, it's kinda hard to imagine you as a kid."

"And I can't imagine you as tall. Doesn't mean it can't be possible."

"Good point," Dipper admitted as Mabel came up next to him. "But it's hard to believe people haven't met more... of your kind. And I was wondering..."

Stan raised an eyebrow. "Why're you so curious?" he asked gruffly. Dipper rubbed the back of his head. "Oh... No reason. Curiosity's sake I guess."

"Killed the cat. Remember that. Some things in this world you just don't need to know."

With that, he took Dipper by the back of the head and licked his forehead, causing his bangs to stick up. He then did the same with Mabel.

"AHH!!" Dipper froze up. "He grabbed and he licked... You grabbed and you licked..."

Stan chuckled. "Hey, you've got the big dipper on your forehead. Your name makes so much sense now." He walked off, leaving the confused damp duo by themselves.

Later that night, Mabel found Dipper pouring over the grimoire he had found in the back of the library. They read it together. It told of all kinds of magic creatures that were found in their country; gnomes, mermen, cherubs, (the page on unicorns was sadly disillusioning.) There were many different societies, but all of them answered to two main courts; the Seelie, made of mostly good creatures and was led by a seven-eyed oracle known as Jillian, and the Unseelie, made up of monsters, and was led by a demon known as Bill Cipher.

"What happened to this page?" Mabel asked when they got to it. The illustration had been scratched out and FILTHY LIAR had been written over the text (along with several other curse words that the kids would never repeat). There were even some slight tears along the spine as if someone had almost pulled out the page, but decided not to.

"Don't know, but from what I can make out, he was so bad, that he was banished from entering the human world. He can only communicate to people in their dreams."

"I bet if anyone knew what was going on here, it'd be him."

"Him or one of the friendlier ones."

"I think one of these other books has a summoning ritual."

"Let's try it."

So there they were after dinner, drawing an elaborate symbol on the pantry floor and reciting an odd incantation. At first, nothing happened. Then the candles they brought with them all went out at once.

"Hey!" snapped Mabel. "Turn those back on!"

Ah ah ah. You didn't say 'pretty please'.

A light flashed in front of them and they saw a giant yellow pyramid with a single eye staring down at them.