Misguided Adventures and Magical Attachments (Completed)

Chapter 21

"I think so. Unless you think I need to do anything else?" Bill asked, holding onto his shopping bags as they sped down the road. He looked around once more. Watching the town from the mindscape was one thing; seeing it from the perspective of a human was totally different.

"Not that I know of," Dipper replied, taking the trail in the forest. He drove to the spot where they dug up the treasure chest. "So, um, about that spell," the brunet said as he got out of the cart. One of the shovels was still stuck in the dirt so he picked it up, placing it in the back seat.

"Right. The spell. It's very important to concentrate on what you are doing, no matter how effortless it might seem. Try this: Deverto hoc invisiblis," Bill recited the Latin words from memory without giving it any power. "I'm sure you can do this one without help. You need to be able to maintain if for a long period of time so make sure to practice. If you get tired, try to take magic energy from your surroundings." Bill paused and pointed to Dipper's tattoo. "Make sure you're focusing on that when you do. If you don't cast it right, your whole arm or another object could become invisible and drain you instantly depending on how big it is."

Dipper nodded, focusing on the somewhat simple lines that he'd already memorized, wanting to hide them from peering eyes. Hide them. Mask them. "Deverto hoc invisiblis," he casted, sensing the magic inside of him work to his aid. The tattoo faded to a washed-out color. He repeated himself. "Deverto hoc invisiblis." In a second, the Cipher Wheel was gone, replaced by innocent, familiar skin. The back of his head felt like it was holding a weight inside, but it wasn't unbearable, only a small burden. "I-is that right?"

Bill playfully swatted him on his opposite shoulder. "Nice job, kid!" he smiled, having watched the tattoo disappear. "Try holding it for a few minutes, but don't push yourself. And there's a possibility you might not have to return home, remember? So might not even have to worry about it."

Dipper smiled gratefully. "Yeah. Okay, Bill. Thanks." He stretched his arm out, satisfied when the tattoo didn't try to show. "I think . . . this won't be that bad."

"It's a easier spell then teleporting and the other stuff you've been doing." The blond smiled. "Now we can go back to the Shack and eat!" Bill enthusiastically hopped into the cart.

Dipper sat down beside him, starting the vehicle up again with the key. His stomach grumbled loudly. "Aww, come on. You made me hungry."

"Kid, we aren't that far from the shack." Bill giggled softly as they drove back.

"But still . . . I could go for a corn-dog right now," he pouted, his belly growling again. "Maybe two. Or three."

Bill smirked, thinking of something totally random that he remembered from watching humans so long. "Bill Nye the science guy!" he burst out in a tune, laughing.

"What was that?" the boy grinned, the cart coming to the edge of the forest. "I don't know why, but that somehow sounds invasive."

Bill laughed harder, muffling some of the sound with his hand. "It's the name of a guy from an educational show in Reality Prime. Teachers apparently like what he does but mostly everyone just jokes about him."

Bill got out of the cart when it stopped in front of the Mystery Shack, running in with his bags of clothes with Dipper tailing him. He nearly crashed into an angry looking Ford. "Heh. Hey there, Sixer! We're back."

The man was standing next to the kitchen, having just finished eating dinner by the looks of it. The stove and counter were a bigger mess than before. Dipper almost lost the invisibility illusion, but held strong as Ford swept his gaze over him.

"You went shopping, Cipher?" he asked, the question sounding more like a demand than anything.

"Yep. I needed clothes. Can't go without my flashy style." Bill pulled a top hat out of the shopping bag and put it on his head. "See? Much better!" he flashed a grin at the other. " So what is there to eat? We're hungry."