#Who knows! Maybe Dipper has protection but has a chance for other actions before they meet again!

[tswwwit]

Wait, does the cheating thing on the bond always works? bcs that would be kinda freaky for R!Dipper like imagine you get pinned down by someone in the corner of a br or smthng and then said person kissed you and proceeded to explode into red mist and you literally have no idea what happened.

Also, would the constellation mark be a "cursed" Mark over the years, like you would give birth to a baby and the doctor says "😟 I am so sorry ma'am,,, I'm afraid your baby has the Cipher Companion mark. ( could also be something equally as science-y like Ursa Major, Constellation Calamation, etc idk)" And you just burst into tears.

Would that mean that dipper would get into a special program(demon wrangling program or smthng, demonologist? Maybe)? Or would the parents hide it away hoping that Bill would never take their child away?

(Sorry this au is just very interesting to me,,,, I hope u get more motivation, keep writing author 💪)

These are all options! The fun part of reincarnation AU being left ambiguous is that technically any of them could happen.

[transcendence-au]

r!Pacifica tricks Dipper into running a booth at a TwinCon. He comes across an r!Mabel and an r!Henry who meet at his booth. (Also, brownie points if it’s a Mizcor booth)They both talk about how much they love Alcor and want to date him, and Dipper helps them realize that the traits they’re projecting onto ‘Alcor’ are actually traits they can find in each other. SO WOODZAR HAS BLOSSOMED IN THE PLACE OF MIZCOR

Mod F got really excited about this and ended up writing a thing! (Here it is on AO3 too)

===

Dipper looked toward the entrance of the convention center, at the large banner proudly proclaiming “WELCOME TO TWINCON 2896″, and slammed his head face-first onto the table.

Damn Aubrey. Damn her to the deepest pits of the Nightmare Realm for making him run a booth at TwinCon. He couldn’t believe he’d let himself get taken in by her evil tricks and wily ways; couldn’t believe he made a bet with her and lost. That was the last time he trusted Pacifica’s soul. And he totally meant it this time! Way more than the last eight times Aubrey had tricked him. He definitely wasn’t going to immediately go back to being friends with her. This was the last straw.

A loud creak announced the opening of the main con doors, and the room was quickly filled with a flurry of excitement. Dipper picked his head off the table with a sigh and prepared himself for a long day of peddling garbage. He considered how he must look – a sad demon sitting under a sign reading “MICOR MEMORABILIA” and surrounded by perverse figurines, body pillows, and graphic novels.

And then his curiosity got the better of him. He conjured a mirror in his hand and immediately noticed his top hat was askew, so he reached up to straighten it out. Perfect. He actually looked pretty good that day if he did say so himself. His hair was fluffy, his suit was pressed, his teeth looked sharp. Nice and presentable. He was so busy making faces in the mirror that he almost forgot he was at a convention, until -

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Ack!” Dipper yelped in surprise, his hat shooting high into the air. Despite this, he didn’t take his eyes off the mirror. “What do you want?”

“I hope I didn’t frighten you! You’ve got some lovely merch here. I was just wondering how much this comic would cost.”

“Check the price tag,” he responded gruffly.

“I- I tried, but it doesn’t look like there is one.”

Groaning, Dipper flicked his eyes away from his own beautiful reflection so he could see exactly what depraved nonsense the voice wanted to purchase, and -

Mizar smiled sweetly back at him.

The mirror shattered in his hand. Oh no. Oh no no no no no. This wasn’t happening. Why was she here? What was going on?

“I’ve heard about this series before,” he suddenly realized Mizar was saying, “but I never had the chance to check it out before. It’s a coffee shop AU, right? It’s so inspiring that fans can take the framework of Twin Souls and make even more beautiful stories based off of it.”

Dipper’s head was too filled with buzzing to really make much sense of what she was saying. All he could think about was how his sister’s soul was apparently a fan of the worst book series in the universe. It didn’t even seem like she was doing it as a gag like Mabel did – the girl in front of him was radiating nothing but enthusiasm and sincerity in her aura.

“Oh, I’ve read that!” another voice piped in. “It’s dope as fuck, although the first volume’s got a bit of a Woodzar focus. But if you can power through that, it’s high key Micor there on out.”

Okay okay okay. He could do something about this. Maybe he’d take Mizar aside and have a talk with her about why being a Twin Souls fan was a sin of the highest calibre. Dipper tore his eyes away from her for a moment to tell the newcomer to go away, but no sooner did he get a good look at them than he felt all the air kicked out of his imaginary lungs.

“Don’t get me wrong, man,” Henry’s soul continued, a sly look on her face. “Woodzar is a fine ship. There’s a lot of good Woodzar fic out there and I don’t fault anyone for writing it. But if we’re gonna be honest with ourselves, it’s pretty obvious that Alcor and Mizar belong together. Their romantic chemistry is off the goddamn charts. Remember when they finally kissed in the first novel? Oh, fuckin’ heart palpitations, man.”

The blood drained from Dipper’s face. What in the world was happening? Why were Mizar and Henry both Twinners? What was the universe punishing him for this time??

“I know, right?” Mizar replied with a giggle. “My name’s Minty, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

Henry’s soul grinned back. “Halley. Nice to meet you too. I knew coming to this con would be a good idea – it’s the perfect place to find like minded people.”

“What about you?” Minty asked, and it took Dipper a minute – so embroidered was he in querying his omniscience to see exactly what traumatizing thing had happened to Minty and Halley that made them turn out this way – to realize that she was talking to him.

“I, uh, I’m… not a… Micor is bad,” he said finally.

Halley frowned. “What, don’t you love Alcor too? You’re running a booth at TwinCon and your cosplay is on-point! That suit must’ve been expensive, and the wings look almost real!”

Puffs of steam shot out from Dipper’s ears and he flared his wings. “It’s not a cosplay, I just look like this! And I’ll have you know that I would’ve never in a million years gone to a TwinCon if my friend Aubrey hadn’t pretended to be really bad at hula hooping and then made a bet with me that she could beat me in a hula hoop contest and then absolutely kicked my ass into the stratosphere with her nutty good hooping! Graggh!” He slammed his forehead into the table again.

“Awwww,” Minty cooed. “Stage fright is the worst. I know I sure was nervous the first time I went to a con in full cosplay. That was awful nice of your friend to convince you to go anyway!”

Dipper’s head shot up and he stared slack-jawed at the two of them just as Halley nodded. “You’ve got this man, you know? Like I said, your outfit kicks ass. And hey, thanks for opening up to us. That can’t have been easy.”

“B- but I- you WHAT-” Dipper stammered.

Minty squeaked and clapped her hands together. “Yeah! I feel like I’ve made some great friends at this con already.”

“I’m- n- no you’re WILDLY mistaken- this isn’t-”

Both Halley and Minty turned their backs to the increasingly flustered demon and leaned against the stall, looking off into the rest of the hall with pensive expressions. “Friends are nice,” Halley murmured, “but what I wouldn’t give to meet Alcor at this convention. He’s everything I want in a partner. And then I wouldn’t be so lonely anymore.”

Minty put her hand on Halley’s shoulder. “I know what you mean! He’s so confident and protective. Loyal to a fault. If Alcor was here, I’d ask him on a date!”

“What makes you think Alcor wants to date any of you humans?” Dipper grumbled. “Or anyone at all?”

“Don’t be such a pessimist, man!” Halley responded. She patted Dipper on the back, surprising him into coughing out a little cloud of yellow sparkles. “Alcor is real and he’s out there. As long as there’s the smallest spark of hope that he might love me back, I’ll follow him to the ends of the Earth!”

Minty slapped her forehead, startling Dipper out of the silent terror written all over his face. “Oh, duh! He’s cosplaying as Alcor because he’s here to find his Miiiizar! That’s why he’s not interested in Alcor’s love! I connected the dots!”

“No, you haven’t connected anything!” Dipper tried to cut in, terror returning in full force because the situation was spiralling rapidly out of control, but Minty kept going.

“Ah, if only I was Mizar,” she trilled as Dipper watched her soul dance traitorously in her chest. “Then it’d only be a matter of time before Alcor came to ask me out. We’d go to the coffee shop he works at and someone would cover his shift. I’d get a hot chocolate; he, an iced latte.” She sat on the table, sending a set of Mizar action figures toppling over onto Dipper’s lap. “I’d tell him all about how art school’s going and he’d confide in me some dark secrets about how the 2801 moon landing was faked because giant aliens were playing golf with the planets and accidentally knocked the moon into a black hole. And then, finally, he’d give me a dainty kiss on the cheek, and I’d make a little squeaky noise, yknow, and he’d blush and ask me if it was alright for him to do that, and then I’d say I’d rather you kiss me on the lips instead. And then -”

“Okay, I think I’ve heard enough of your fanfiction!” Dipper shouted, cheeks going completely scarlet, claws making deep gashes in the table from how tightly he was gripping it. “I didn’t- I’ve never- No one needed to hear that, it’s- I feel lightheaded.”

“I know what you mean, man,” Halley spoke up, an obvious wobble to her tone. Dipper and Minty looked up to see her staring off into the distance, eyes red and puffy, hands crossed over her heart. “I’m feeling it too. That was so beautiful, Minty, you sure as hell have got a way with words. And yknow, I- I work in a coffee shop, actually. I’d totally take Alcor there. We’d talk and laugh – damn, he’s gotta just have the most heartwarming laugh in the world – and I’d straight up offer right there on the spot to be his Mizar. I wanna protect the world, but I also wanna protect him, I know he’s got a sensitive side, I just know it. I’d chew steel for him.”

No no no no. This had to stop. Mind racing, Dipper struggled to find something they’d said to latch onto. “Hey, uh, Minty!” he interrupted. “You like coffee shops, right? Halley… works in one! You should go there with her. Instead of being here.”

“That’s a great idea!” Minty squealed. “We should all meet up for coffee after the convention!”

“No!” Dipper blurted. “I meant, you two should go. Together. Without me.” All he got in return was blank stares. He ran his hand through his bangs nervously. “Listen, Minty, Alcor doesn’t work at a coffee shop, because no one in the country will hire him. His claws make awful screeching noises on the mugs, and also he’s a demon. But Halley does work at a coffee shop. Maybe… there’s something there?”

Minty and Halley traded glances. “I don’t understand,” the former finally said.

Dipper facepalmed. “Okay. How about… Halley, you want to protect Alcor. That’s ridiculous, he doesn’t need protecting, he has so much magic. But Minty goes to art school, she probably needs someone to, I dunno, support her during tight deadlines. That’s like… mental health protection.”

Minty shrugged. “I guess that sounds nice…”

“And, uh, Minty, you want someone who’s loyal, which sounds to me like what you really need is a dog, not a romantic partner, and I’m not- Alcor is not a dog. Also, again, he’s a demon, he’s only loyal to himself. But if you’re really set on getting that kind of loyalty and trust from a sentient creature, well, Halley’s offered to chew steel for love.”

“Hey man, don’t put words in my mouth, I said I’d chew steel for Alcor,” Halley countered, putting her hands on her hips and staring Dipper down. After a moment, though, she looked back at Minty, who had a starstruck look on her face, and drew back. “I- I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like you Minty. I just don’t want to be alone anymore. How can I trust someone other than Alcor not to get tired of me?”

“Kinda toxic, but also big mood,” Dipper muttered. “Trust isn’t something you can or even should have for people you don’t know. Not just for romance – in any kind of relationship, trust is something you build up through getting to know someone. I should know; there’ve been so many times when I made the mistake of trusting someone – say, not to snuggle body pillows with half naked pictures of me on them – without even knowing them, just because of my preconceived notions about who those people are. Relationships are always a risk, but they’re worth it when they work out. You’ll miss out if you’re too afraid to take that risk.”

He beamed at them, extremely proud of his little speech he’d managed to pull together. Minty and Halley stared back, mouths agape, probably blown away by his emotional maturity.

Then they launched themselves at each other and started furiously making out.

“Oh my stars!” Dipper yelled, recoiling from the mass of flailing limbs. “You literally just met each other! Go get a coffee or something first, holy shit!”

They broke apart, faces red but grinning. “Wow,” Minty breathed.

“Yeah. Wow,” Halley echoed. “Um, would you maybe want to walk around the convention with me? And maybe go get some coffee together afterward? I do work at a coffee shop nearby.”

Minty squealed again and grabbed Halley’s hands. “That sounds wonderful!”

“Yo, dude,” Halley said to Dipper, who was clutching his chest and hyperventilating. “Thanks for the advice. You’ve got some dope emotional maturity. Your friends are lucky to know you.”

Dipper, still trying to calm down, opened his mouth to make some words and only managed to emit a weak gurgle. He settled for giving them a nod.

The two of them started to walk away, but Minty paused and turned back. “Oh wait. We never got your name.”

“I’m Alcor the Dreambender,” Dipper grunted without a second’s pause. “Go away.”

Halley laughed. “Sure you are. You’re really committed to the character, I love it! Maybe we’ll see you around.”

Dipper gave them a strangled half-smile and waved them off, to which they finally made their departure. Finally alone, he collapsed onto the table out of exhaustion. He was relieved that he’d managed to turn Mabel and Henry’s souls away from being Micor shippers, but after a few minutes of lying there the reality of what he’d just done started to sink in.

“Oh stars, I just shipped my sister and her husband,” he moaned. “What is my life. Please, universe, let me get through the rest of the day without anything else happening. Please.”

Naturally, someone immediately started talking to him. “Yo, sleeping guy, wake up.”

“Whatever it is, please just use the credit card swiper and move on,” he responded.

“Dude, what swiper. Help me out.”

With a groan, Dipper picked his head up, and then he froze, his every hair standing on end like a terrified cat.

“This body pillow rocks,” Soos’s soul said, hugging one of the models that had both Alcor and Mizar on it, half naked and blushing. “You gotta hook me up.”

“Ohhhh, I have that pillow! You won’t regret it!” came another voice, and Dipper looked over to see Melody’s soul walking up to the table. “You’ve got good taste. Micor forever, am I right? Bro, there’s some really good smutfic I could recommend you if you’re interested.”

Dipper slid out of his chair and curled up into a ball under the table. “Damn you Aubrey,” he whispered. “I’ll fucking get you back for making me do this.”

(As it turned out, giving Aubrey a dream about being stuck at a convention where everyone was attracted to her did not adequately “get back” at her, and it was a full week before she stopped laughing about it.)

[minijenn]

That actually helps a lot. In regards to outlining chapters, would it be possible to see an example? I think I remember you posting a partial outline for Scary-oke a few months back?

Yeah sure! I’ll give you an example of what my notes look like for Sock Opera, seeing as how my notes for that chapter were, in my opinion, very thorough and good (warning this is in a bunch of parts because my notes for that chapter were VERY long, hence why they’re under the cut). But let me just say that I structure my notes in OneNote, just like how you see them here more or less. It helps keep me fairly organized. But the big thing that I do is that I structure my notes by beats that I have to go through, and generally give myself a little wiggle room to work with when it comes to things I won’t come up with until I’m actually writing. Still, I hope this helps! ^_^

Characters: Dipper, Mabel, Steven, Connie, Bill Cipher, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Gabe, Candy, Grenda, Stan, Soos, Wendy, various GF and SU characters, Lapis (dream), Jasper (dream), Malachite (dream)Settings: Mystery Shack, temple, theatre, some others Episodes to look at: Sock OperaTone: BIG drama, action, angst, horror, family, hurt/comfort, foreshadowing, some humor (dark humor)

• Start the chapter off more or less the same as the episode, with the kids at the library; the laptop from the bunker has been fixed and Dipper is determined to uncover what secrets it might hold (Connie is pretty much just as resolved in this, Steven and Mabel a bit less so, though make it clear they still want to help)Side note: Make sure there’s a good bit of underlying tension between Dipper and Mabel throughout much of this chapter (and make it come to a head later on)• Extend this intro a bit, and drop the implication in here that Dipper’s intention in figuring the laptop out is twofold: to not only find more clues about the author, but also to look through his research in the hopes that he might be able to find something that can help free Lapis from Malachite (angst)• However, their attempts are quickly halted upon discovering that the laptop is protected by a password (maybe through some humor in here as the kids make initial guesses about what it might be)• Not too long into this, however, Mabel is distracted by a show being put on by a young puppeteer, Gabe; of course she instantly falls for him, so she asks Steven to be her wingman as she goes over to talk to him• Make this part appropriately funny, though it eventually leads into Mabel panicking and telling Gabe that she’s going to put on a puppet show at the end of the week (make sure to give Steven dialogue in this)• Cut back to Dipper and Connie as they’re trying to crack the laptop, only for Mabel and Steven to return and beg for their help in putting the show together; Connie mostly agrees (she doesn’t think its going to be that big of an undertaking) and while he’s much more begrudging about it (since he believes time is of the essence for helping Lapis) Dipper agrees as well• Cut after some more interactions as the kids leave, though imply that an ominous, familiar shadow is lurking right behind them… (but don’t imply too much)• Cut to the temple as the kids rush in, with Steven and Mabel on the hunt for supplies that can be used during the show; the Gems are naturally confused by their excited panic, so they explain about the puppet show, which only ends up bewildering them even more (humor)• Also include a bit in here where Dipper asks the Gems if they might know what the password is (given their apparent connection to the author), but of course they don’t have a clue; in this, maybe show that they’re supportive of Dipper taking this mission on (they want to know who the author is too, of course), which will ultimately set up for irony later on (while also bolstering Dipper’s resolve to figure it out)• From here, go into something of a descriptive montage as the kids work on the puppet show (with help from Soos and Wendy; in here also mention how Dipper and Connie are still hard at work on the laptop, though Dipper more so• Generally in this part bring up several things, including Dipper’s near obsessive drive to unlock the laptop and his reasoning for doing so (mainly to help Lapis (maybe include some retrospective bits in here, including the pictures (for later on))) and how that drive is depriving him of sleep because he refuses to rest until he’s solved it (also highlight his frustration at being unable to do so thus far) (basically just set up the reasoning behind why he would make the deal with Bill in the first place) (make this angsty)• End this bit off the night before the show, with Mabel being content in how things are coming along for it (she’s on the phone with Steven discussing it); meanwhile Dipper and Connie are also on the phone, discussing their bafflement at how difficult figuring the password is going• After a bit of this, the twins both end their calls and so have some somewhat fun dialogue in here, but again, use this as a chance to foreshadow the conflict between them later on in the chapter• Still frustrated, Dipper goes up onto the roof to keep working with the laptop (maybe include a brief callback to Dipper and Lapis in here, (pictures!) for angst); have his irritation continue to grow until of course, the scene leads into Bill’s appearance (be descriptive with this)• Extend this scene quite a bit and keep all of Bill’s usual humorously twisted beats (maybe add a few) as he offers to give Dipper some help with the laptop in exchange for a “favor”; in this, have Dipper adamantly refuse (recalling Dreamscaperers), claiming that he doesn’t need Bill’s help• Of course, Bill counters this by claiming that the Gems are pretty much useless in helping him with this (again implications), as is pretty much everyone else; have him also be a bit manipulative in here by bringing up Dipper’s resolve to help save Lapis• Though briefly conflicted by that, Dipper still refuses, though Bill tells him the offer will still be on the table (make this ominous, maybe foreshadow more) before making his abrupt exit• Give Dipper a little introspection here before cutting, show that he’s still resolved to do this without Bill’s help, knowing that making a deal with him couldn’t possibly end well at all (though imply that he’s still a little conflicted about actually being able to do it on his own)• Have some humor the next day between Stan and Mabel for a bit as Steven and Connie show up; after a little of this, Dipper pulls them aside and tells them about his confrontation with Bill the previous night, so give the others appropriate interactions to thisSide note: Be sure to show that Dipper is sleep deprived in here, don’t just say it• Still, Mabel assures Dipper that she’ll be able to help him with the laptop after handing her materials off to Candy and Grenda; in the midst of this, however, Gabe shows up, so have a bit of humor as Mabel realizes she’ll have to up her game in order to impress him• Bring the underlying tension between the twins to a head here as Dipper angrily protests Mabel putting him off again; this of course, leads to an argument between the two (give Steven, Connie, Candy, and Grenda somewhat humorous reactions to this)• Make sure both of the twins abnegate their goals in here (with Dipper claiming that Mabel will quickly get over Gabe anyway, while Mabel calls Dipper’s ongoing obsession out); either way, make sure both of them are equally in the wrong against each other here• Still, have Mabel go a little further by claiming that Dipper should slow his search down because Lapis can wait (and have her regret saying that instantly); also, make Dipper’s reaction to this shocked and tranquilly outraged• As Steven finally intervenes in the argument, Dipper bitterly storms off to figure the password out on his own, leaving Mabel feeling pretty guilty about what she said (though not guilty enough to call the show off); still, before cutting, have some dialogue between her and Steven, where she asks him to go talk to Dipper in her stead• Cut to the attic, and have some introspection in here as Dipper’s not just frustrated with the laptop anymore, but also with Mabel; include a bit in here where he notices one of his pictures with Lapis and his resolve starts to crumble as he fears he’ll never be able to help her (PICTURES HERE)• In the midst of this, Dipper’s lack of sleep finally catches up with him and he gradually nods off, leading into a dream where he sees Lapis again, though keep their interaction very brief before she disappears and Jasper shows up in her place• In this, Jasper both mocks and threatens Dipper, telling him to give up on trying to save Lapis because he’d never be able to do so anyway (make this REALLY dramatic and dark); the dream of course ends on Malachite showing up (again, make this dramatic, kind of a parallel to Chille Tid later on)Side Note: Imply Bill induced this nightmare as an attempt to further manipulate Dipper into making a deal with him (don’t outright state this)• As Dipper wakes up in an abrupt panic, he’s of course met with none other than Bill, who makes a few snide remarks before casually informing him that the laptop’s about to erase all its data from too many failed entries (make this part a little different from the episode)• This is enough to convince Dipper to hear Bill out; the demon claims that all he needs is a puppet, and implies that he’s just going to use one of Mabel’s; of course, Dipper is hesitant to relinquish one, since Mabel worked so hard on them• Before Bill can counter this, however, he’s interrupted by Steven knocking on the attic door, having come to talk to Dipper as he promised Mabel; Bill lowkey panics at this but he’s quick to regain Dipper’s attention by reminding him about the laptop counting down, forcing him to put Steven on hold• Build tension in this part as Bill continues his appeal, reminding Dipper not only of how Mabel failed to help him, but of the fact that Lapis is still trapped at the bottom of the lake, essentially because of him• Remember to include Steven outside the door, continually worried over Dipper not responding (imply that he can he can kind of hear Bill talking to him, but he can’t really tell who it is, implying that Steven sort of defies the mindscape)• And so, as the laptop counts down its final seconds, on a burst of mere impulse and desperation alone, Dipper agrees to Bill’s demands (make this MOMENTOUS, as this moment alone changes a TON in UF as a whole)• Keep this tension high as Bill suddenly turns the tables, and be VERY descriptive and dark as he rips Dipper’s consciousness out of his body and possesses it in his place (again, draw this out, make it very dramatic)• As this is happening, Steven breaks into the room just in time to witness Bill possess Dipper, so of course show his shocked, horrified reaction to this (include Dipper’s as well); also remember that Steven can’t see/hear Dipper in his incorporeal form• Of course, Bill only welcomes Steven’s intrusion as he smashes the laptop right in front of both of the boys, while also tearing up the pictures of Dipper and Lapis, just as an added measure of sadism (make this hit Dipper hard)Side note: Make sure to have Bill’s dialogue switch to normal text and Dipper’s to italics post-possession and for the duration• Have some dark humor in here as  Bill experimentally messes around with Dipper’s body, intentionally injuring it (more so than the show, again, make it darker) just for fun and to also psyche Steven out; however, when Steven tries to heal these self-inflicted wounds, his powers do nothing, much to his confusion and Bill’s sadistic delight Side Note: Make sure that Bill addresses both Steven and Dipper (and yes, make sure to have Steven be confused by this) in a lot of theses scenes• Needless to say that Steven’s still in a panic in all this, since he really doesn’t know what’s going on, but he resolves to tell the Gems so they can stop Bill and save Dipper; of course Bill casually blackmails him, saying that if he does that, he’ll destroy (kill) Dipper’s body, so that of course forces Steven to remain silent about it (even if Dipper tries to tell him not to, but of course, Steven can’t hear him)Side note: Also imply (from the journal) that Dipper (or at least his body) might be dead while Bill is possessing him (again imply, don’t state) (possibly do this through Steven being unable to heal the injuries Bill inflicts)• Keep both the suspense and humor going as Bill inquires about the journal, claiming that his intention is to destroy it to keep the kids from getting answers (that might stop his plans, but only imply this); of course both boys refuse to divulge where it is, only for Connie and Mabel to innocently pop in (hint that she still feels bad about earlier but she’s had time to get over it) and Mabel says that she’s going to use it in her show• Extend this scene as Steven attempts to warn Mabel about Bill, only for Bill to remind him of his ultimate; still, even though Steven remains silent, Bill ends up inflicting a pretty sizable cut on Dipper’s shoulder all the same, much to Steven’s (and Dipper’s distress)Side note: Be sure to have Connie in specifics notice how strange both Steven and “Dipper” act in this brief scene, though it goes over Mabel’s head• As everyone heads off to see the show, Bill takes the time to mock and gloat at Dipper specifically, claiming that he won’t be able to stop him because he effectively doesn’t exist anymore, cap this part off with some pretty heavy introspection for Dipper, show the severity of his situation here and his desperation to fix it• At the theatre, a huge audience has shown up to see the show; give some interactions between Mabel, Stan, and the Gems in here (have some humor with the Gem’s confusion as to what this show is)• Also include some interactions between Bill and Soos, Wendy, and the Gems (the Gems in particular, use this to imply/foreshadow a bit, but not too much); have the Gems (especially Garnet) pick up that something seems off with “Dipper”, but none of them can really pinpoint what (though it does seem somewhat familiar to them)• Bill’s plans are aided along when Mabel recruits him to be the reverend in her play, which will get him even closer to the journal; Steven fearfully attempts to protest this, but once again, he’s forced to say nothing (much to Connie’s continued suspicion)• From there, the show starts, to have it be appropriately humorous (include cuts to the audience reactions, including Stan and the Gems being somewhat weirded out by it); but for the most part, keep this relatively close to the episode and keep it short• Amidst all this, Dipper’s still trying in vain to get the attention of anyone who could possibly help him, but as Bill told him, he can’t interact with the physical plane without a vessel, which gives him the idea to use one of Mabel’s puppetsSide note: Make the implication throughout the chapter be that no one can notice stuff like the eyes or Bill’s voice coming out of Dipper until they are aware that he’s possessing him (Steven can though cause he knows about it from basically the beginning) • As the play reaches its intermission, include a scene in here of Bill confronting Steven, reminding him of just what will happen if he doesn’t keep up their “bargain” (imply that Bill kind of does want Steven to break it, but only after he’s destroyed the journal and won and its too late to do anything to stop him anyway)• Amidst this however, Connie comes in and acts just as smooth in her suspicion as Bill does in his “innocence”; have a bit of snappy dialogue in here (while Steven’s lowkey panicking all the while), and have Connie come very close to breaking Bill’s ruse, only for Mabel to call Steven and Connie into the nearby dressing room for their help• Of course, Mabel hardly notices the ongoing tension as she shows her excitement for how well the show is going so far; amidst this, Gabe pops in and compliments her while also putting the pressure on for the rest of the show to be just as good• After she leaves, Connie mentions that she thinks something’s up with Dipper, only for Steven to adamantly refute that (out of obvious fear); however, right before the girls can break him down into telling them about what’s really going on, they’re interrupted by Dipper (the real one), who’s using one of Mabel’s puppets to communicate with them• While the girls are aptly confused, Steven’s overwhelmed with relief that Dipper’s still technically ok and finally, the boys tell the girls about what happened with Bill, shocking them both; Connie’s resolved to do what she can to help, but Mabel’s hesitant, not wanting to ruin the rest of her show• The others scold her for this, however, which gets her to compromise and agree to secure the journal along with Steven and Connie while Dipper finishes off the show for her• So the kids split up, with Mabel, Steven, and Connie heading to grab the book from the stage catwalk; however, before they can get it, Bill confronts them (make this really dramatic and intense); give him dialogue with each of the kids, chastising Steven for breaking their deal, “praising” Connie for nearly figuring things out on her own, and threatening Mabel with ruining the show if she doesn’t hand the journal over to him• Give Mabel some conflict here (even as Steven and Connie are arguing with her to keep the journal away from Bill) as she doesn’t want all of her hard work to be for nothing; however, at the same time, she knows that she can’t let Dipper down like this, especially considering all he’s done for her in the past and since the consequences of doing so could be very severe• Still, it seems as though Bill manages to convince her before, suddenly, she turns the tables on him, pulling him down with the journal; make this a bit different than the episode, as instead of falling to the stage, Bill catches the journal while Steven catches both the catwalk railing and the girls• For a moment, Bill gloats his apparent victory over the kids, only for Mabel to cut it short by throwing one of her spare puppets up at him, knocking the journal out of his grasp; of course he thoughtlessly dives after it, but not before knocking the kids off the catwalk• Make this fall intense as Steven barely manages to catch them all (including Bill) in a bubble that cushions the fall a bit as they land on stage, crashing right through the play, much to the shock of the audience (have the Gems hint at intervening, though none of them are sure what’s even going on, much less how to stop it)Side note: Imply during this part that Dipper’s ribs get broken from the fall, something that’ll come into play in the next chapter• Chaos unfolds as the kids all fight against Bill for the journal, and extend this part a bit from the episode, as they all essentially play keep away with it, much to Bill’s growing frustration (make this somewhat funny, but also climactic)• Bill almost manages to overpower Mabel and get the journal back, only for her to utilize Dipper’s weaknesses against him, such as his ticklishness and his exhaustion, have Steven and Connie join in on this and add an element of fun to it• After a while of this, the kids finally manage to wear Bill out entirely, which in turn finally forces him out of Dipper’s body, allowing Dipper to rightfully reclaim it (be descriptive in this)• Of course, while the kids are all exceedingly relieved and overjoyed by this, their levity doesn’t last long as Bill leaves them all with one final, ominous warning (one that divulges a bit more than the episode does, specifically about the SU side of things)Side note: Possibly foreshadow to chapters such as Pyrite, Rifts/Memories/Dimensions, ect in here• This is cut short, however, as the kids light the show’s pyrotechnics, effectively destroying all the puppets (make this both dramatic and hilarious, show audience reactions to this)• Of course, the audience is anything but pleased with how the show ended up being a bust and they all storm out; Gabe breaks things off with Mabel (make this kind of funny), leaving just the kids, Stan, Soos, Wendy, and the Gems behind• After this, have Mabel apologize to Dipper for her selfishness, though Dipper apologizes for his obsessiveness too; give a few good feelings in here, and incorporate Stan and the Gems as they wonder what just happened; of course, considering what did just happen, none of the kids really no how to explain, so they lowkey unanimously decide not to • However, not too much longer after this, Dipper’s various injuries (specifically his shoulder cut and broken ribs, among others) finally catch up to him and he ends up passing out from them before they can even leave the theatre (much to everyone’s surprise as they realize this was more serious than they thought)• Give Mabel plenty of guilty introspection during the rushed trip home to get Dipper patched up, especially as she finds a note that Bill wrote while he was still in Dipper’s body on the floor of the car (don’t show what it says yet)• Steven lamenting that he tried his best to keep Bill from hurting Dipper, only for him to fail completely (the girls try to reassure him, but it doesn’t really work)• After a while of this, Dipper finally wakes up, in a lot of pain and still rather exhausted (give him some introspection); Steven hesitantly offers to try and heal his wounds again, but Dipper quickly turns him down (he claims that he’s not sure if it would work, but its mostly because he thinks he put Steven through enough during what happened with Bill)• As everyone voices their concern for him, Dipper staunchly assures them that he’s fine, hugely underplaying his injuries, both inside and out; still, show that he’s mentally shaken from it all, beginning signs of PTSD, trauma, ect, but he forces himself to suppress all that as he goes upstairs to rest• Cut back to Dipper (give him pretty much continual introspection by this point) as he goes upstairs and stumbles across both the broken laptop and the torn picture, which he desperately tries to piece back together as he realizes that he lost what was likely his only chance at helping Lapis while also partially losing a bit of himself (metaphorically) in the process, and all because of him making a choice that nearly cost him so much more • End the chapter on a very sad, angsty note, with Dipper finally breaking down over both what happened to Lapis, but mostly over what just happened to him (imply that he’s deeply traumatized by what just happened, and that that trauma likely won’t go away any time soon)Side note: End on the imagery of the light from the triangular window falling upon Dipper (ominous, angsty foreshadowing)

Cryptogram (keyword: SOCK):He claims to see all with his ancient eyeHe works in flattery, deception, and liesDon’t take his deals or play his gamesOr all you know could go up in flames

Untranslated: WY RAEBBM ID WXT UAA ABIB WXW TCWXTRM TSTWI WTUAH MG UFPIXXGS, STGXENXDR, TCX AXILSIC'I XTZY WXW WTUAH SK EFPN LBH APBILDL PAP RDO ZCSP RIJAH ZD OE XR YAUBTW

Part 2 (keyword: PUPPETS)A pine tree has burnedA shooting star’s fallingA sword swinger’s been spurnedA rosebud’s remorsefully calling

Untranslated:P JXCI MJTY WPW UMGHTSE LZDIIXRZ KIUG'H JTDACCVE LODLS HABFVYG'H FXWC MEJVGWSU GDWXTJX'H GIFGGMTUYEDN WPAPBFV

[minijenn]

I'd actually be very excited to see what your notes would be for something like sock opera

Ask, and ye shall receive…. ;) (They’re under the cut)

Characters: Dipper, Mabel, Steven, Connie, Bill Cipher, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Gabe, Candy, Grenda, Stan, Soos, Wendy, various GF and SU characters, Lapis (dream), Jasper (dream), Malachite (dream)Settings: Mystery Shack, temple, theatre, some others Episodes to look at: Sock OperaTone: BIG drama, action, angst, horror, family, hurt/comfort, foreshadowing, some humor (dark humor)

• Start the chapter off more or less the same as the episode, with the kids at the library; the laptop from the bunker has been fixed and Dipper is determined to uncover what secrets it might hold (Connie is pretty much just as resolved in this, Steven and Mabel a bit less so, though make it clear they still want to help)Side note: Make sure there’s a good bit of underlying tension between Dipper and Mabel throughout much of this chapter (and make it come to a head later on) • Extend this intro a bit, and drop the implication in here that Dipper’s intention in figuring the laptop out is twofold: to not only find more clues about the author, but also to look through his research in the hopes that he might be able to find something that can help free Lapis from Malachite (angst) • However, their attempts are quickly halted upon discovering that the laptop is protected by a password (maybe through some humor in here as the kids make initial guesses about what it might be) • Not too long into this, however, Mabel is distracted by a show being put on by a young puppeteer, Gabe; of course she instantly falls for him, so she asks Steven to be her wingman as she goes over to talk to him • Make this part appropriately funny, though it eventually leads into Mabel panicking and telling Gabe that she’s going to put on a puppet show at the end of the week (make sure to give Steven dialogue in this) • Cut back to Dipper and Connie as they’re trying to crack the laptop, only for Mabel and Steven to return and beg for their help in putting the show together; Connie mostly agrees (she doesn’t think its going to be that big of an undertaking) and while he’s much more begrudging about it (since he believes time is of the essence for helping Lapis) Dipper agrees as well • Cut after some more interactions as the kids leave, though imply that an ominous, familiar shadow is lurking right behind them… (but don’t imply too much) • Cut to the temple as the kids rush in, with Steven and Mabel on the hunt for supplies that can be used during the show; the Gems are naturally confused by their excited panic, so they explain about the puppet show, which only ends up bewildering them even more (humor) • Also include a bit in here where Dipper asks the Gems if they might know what the password is (given their apparent connection to the author), but of course they don’t have a clue; in this, maybe show that they’re supportive of Dipper taking this mission on (they want to know who the author is too, of course), which will ultimately set up for irony later on (while also bolstering Dipper’s resolve to figure it out) • From here, go into something of a descriptive montage as the kids work on the puppet show (with help from Soos and Wendy; in here also mention how Dipper and Connie are still hard at work on the laptop, though Dipper more so • Generally in this part bring up several things, including Dipper’s near obsessive drive to unlock the laptop and his reasoning for doing so (mainly to help Lapis (maybe include some retrospective bits in here, including the pictures (for later on))) and how that drive is depriving him of sleep because he refuses to rest until he’s solved it (also highlight his frustration at being unable to do so thus far) (basically just set up the reasoning behind why he would make the deal with Bill in the first place) (make this angsty) • End this bit off the night before the show, with Mabel being content in how things are coming along for it (she’s on the phone with Steven discussing it); meanwhile Dipper and Connie are also on the phone, discussing their bafflement at how difficult figuring the password is going • After a bit of this, the twins both end their calls and so have some somewhat fun dialogue in here, but again, use this as a chance to foreshadow the conflict between them later on in the chapter • Still frustrated, Dipper goes up onto the roof to keep working with the laptop (maybe include a brief callback to Dipper and Lapis in here, (pictures!) for angst); have his irritation continue to grow until of course, the scene leads into Bill’s appearance (be descriptive with this) • Extend this scene quite a bit and keep all of Bill’s usual humorously twisted beats (maybe add a few) as he offers to give Dipper some help with the laptop in exchange for a “favor”; in this, have Dipper adamantly refuse (recalling Dreamscaperers), claiming that he doesn’t need Bill’s help • Of course, Bill counters this by claiming that the Gems are pretty much useless in helping him with this (again implications), as is pretty much everyone else; have him also be a bit manipulative in here by bringing up Dipper’s resolve to help save Lapis • Though briefly conflicted by that, Dipper still refuses, though Bill tells him the offer will still be on the table (make this ominous, maybe foreshadow more) before making his abrupt exit • Give Dipper a little introspection here before cutting, show that he’s still resolved to do this without Bill’s help, knowing that making a deal with him couldn’t possibly end well at all (though imply that he’s still a little conflicted about actually being able to do it on his own) • Have some humor the next day between Stan and Mabel for a bit as Steven and Connie show up; after a little of this, Dipper pulls them aside and tells them about his confrontation with Bill the previous night, so give the others appropriate interactions to thisSide note: Be sure to show that Dipper is sleep deprived in here, don’t just say it • Still, Mabel assures Dipper that she’ll be able to help him with the laptop after handing her materials off to Candy and Grenda; in the midst of this, however, Gabe shows up, so have a bit of humor as Mabel realizes she’ll have to up her game in order to impress him • Bring the underlying tension between the twins to a head here as Dipper angrily protests Mabel putting him off again; this of course, leads to an argument between the two (give Steven, Connie, Candy, and Grenda somewhat humorous reactions to this) • Make sure both of the twins abnegate their goals in here (with Dipper claiming that Mabel will quickly get over Gabe anyway, while Mabel calls Dipper’s ongoing obsession out); either way, make sure both of them are equally in the wrong against each other here • Still, have Mabel go a little further by claiming that Dipper should slow his search down because Lapis can wait (and have her regret saying that instantly); also, make Dipper’s reaction to this shocked and tranquilly outraged • As Steven finally intervenes in the argument, Dipper bitterly storms off to figure the password out on his own, leaving Mabel feeling pretty guilty about what she said (though not guilty enough to call the show off); still, before cutting, have some dialogue between her and Steven, where she asks him to go talk to Dipper in her stead • Cut to the attic, and have some introspection in here as Dipper’s not just frustrated with the laptop anymore, but also with Mabel; include a bit in here where he notices one of his pictures with Lapis and his resolve starts to crumble as he fears he’ll never be able to help her (PICTURES HERE) • In the midst of this, Dipper’s lack of sleep finally catches up with him and he gradually nods off, leading into a dream where he sees Lapis again, though keep their interaction very brief before she disappears and Jasper shows up in her place • In this, Jasper both mocks and threatens Dipper, telling him to give up on trying to save Lapis because he’d never be able to do so anyway (make this REALLY dramatic and dark); the dream of course ends on Malachite showing up (again, make this dramatic, kind of a parallel to Chille Tid later on)Side Note: Imply Bill induced this nightmare as an attempt to further manipulate Dipper into making a deal with him (don’t outright state this) • As Dipper wakes up in an abrupt panic, he’s of course met with none other than Bill, who makes a few snide remarks before casually informing him that the laptop’s about to erase all its data from too many failed entries (make this part a little different from the episode) • This is enough to convince Dipper to hear Bill out; the demon claims that all he needs is a puppet, and implies that he’s just going to use one of Mabel’s; of course, Dipper is hesitant to relinquish one, since Mabel worked so hard on them • Before Bill can counter this, however, he’s interrupted by Steven knocking on the attic door, having come to talk to Dipper as he promised Mabel; Bill lowkey panics at this but he’s quick to regain Dipper’s attention by reminding him about the laptop counting down, forcing him to put Steven on holdSide Note: Have a foreshadow/parallel in here to how Rose essentially ruined the deal between Bill and Ford with how Steven nearly ruins his deal with Dipper (shit that’s kinda spoilery, isnt it?)Side note: Drop more implications in here about what happened between Bill and the Gems (specifically Rose) years ago, and especially do this in his interactions with Steven (SHIT that’s spoilery too)  • Build tension in this part as Bill continues his appeal, reminding Dipper not only of how Mabel failed to help him, but of the fact that Lapis is still trapped at the bottom of the lake, essentially because of him • Remember to include Steven outside the door, continually worried over Dipper not responding (imply that he can he can kind of hear Bill talking to him, but he can’t really tell who it is, implying that Steven sort of defies the mindscape) • And so, as the laptop counts down its final seconds, on a burst of mere impulse and desperation alone, Dipper agrees to Bill’s demands (make this MOMENTOUS, as this moment alone changes a TON in UF as a whole) • Keep this tension high as Bill suddenly turns the tables, and be VERY descriptive and dark as he rips Dipper’s consciousness out of his body and possesses it in his place (again, draw this out, make it very dramatic) • As this is happening, Steven breaks into the room just in time to witness Bill possess Dipper, so of course show his shocked, horrified reaction to this (include Dipper’s as well); also remember that Steven can’t see/hear Dipper in his incorporeal form • Of course, Bill only welcomes Steven’s intrusion as he smashes the laptop right in front of both of the boys, while also tearing up the pictures of Dipper and Lapis, just as an added measure of sadism (make this hit Dipper hard)Side note: Make sure to have Bill’s dialogue switch to normal text and Dipper’s to italics post-possession and for the duration • Have some dark humor in here as  Bill experimentally messes around with Dipper’s body, intentionally injuring it (more so than the show, again, make it darker) just for fun and to also psyche Steven out; however, when Steven tries to heal these self-inflicted wounds, his powers do nothing, much to his confusion and Bill’s sadistic delight Side Note: Make sure that Bill addresses both Steven and Dipper (and yes, make sure to have Steven be confused by this) in a lot of theses scenes • Needless to say that Steven’s still in a panic in all this, since he really doesn’t know what’s going on, but he resolves to tell the Gems so they can stop Bill and save Dipper; of course Bill casually blackmails him, saying that if he does that, he’ll destroy (kill) Dipper’s body, so that of course forces Steven to remain silent about it (even if Dipper tries to tell him not to, but of course, Steven can’t hear him)Side note: Also imply (from the journal) that Dipper (or at least his body) might be dead while Bill is possessing him (again imply, don’t state) (possibly do this through Steven being unable to heal the injuries Bill inflicts) • Keep both the suspense and humor going as Bill inquires about the journal, claiming that his intention is to destroy it to keep the kids from getting answers (that might stop his plans, but only imply this); of course both boys refuse to divulge where it is, only for Connie and Mabel to innocently pop in (hint that she still feels bad about earlier but she’s had time to get over it) and Mabel says that she’s going to use it in her show • Extend this scene as Steven attempts to warn Mabel about Bill, only for Bill to remind him of his ultimate; still, even though Steven remains silent, Bill ends up inflicting a pretty sizable cut on Dipper’s shoulder all the same, much to Steven’s (and Dipper’s distress)Side note: Be sure to have Connie in specifics notice how strange both Steven and “Dipper” act in this brief scene, though it goes over Mabel’s head • As everyone heads off to see the show, Bill takes the time to mock and gloat at Dipper specifically, claiming that he won’t be able to stop him because he effectively doesn’t exist anymore, cap this part off with some pretty heavy introspection for Dipper, show the severity of his situation here and his desperation to fix it • At the theatre, a huge audience has shown up to see the show; give some interactions between Mabel, Stan, and the Gems in here (have some humor with the Gem’s confusion as to what this show is) • Also include some interactions between Bill and Soos, Wendy, and the Gems (the Gems in particular, use this to imply/foreshadow a bit, but not too much); have the Gems (especially Garnet) pick up that something seems off with “Dipper”, but none of them can really pinpoint what (though it does seem somewhat familiar to them) • Bill’s plans are aided along when Mabel recruits him to be the reverend in her play, which will get him even closer to the journal; Steven fearfully attempts to protest this, but once again, he’s forced to say nothing (much to Connie’s continued suspicion) • From there, the show starts, to have it be appropriately humorous (include cuts to the audience reactions, including Stan and the Gems being somewhat weirded out by it); but for the most part, keep this relatively close to the episode and keep it short • Amidst all this, Dipper’s still trying in vain to get the attention of anyone who could possibly help him, but as Bill told him, he can’t interact with the physical plane without a vessel, which gives him the idea to use one of Mabel’s puppetsSide note: Make the implication throughout the chapter be that no one can notice stuff like the eyes or Bill’s voice coming out of Dipper until they are aware that he’s possessing him (Steven can though cause he knows about it from basically the beginning)  • As the play reaches its intermission, include a scene in here of Bill confronting Steven, reminding him of just what will happen if he doesn’t keep up their “bargain” (imply that Bill kind of does want Steven to break it, but only after he’s destroyed the journal and won and its too late to do anything to stop him anyway)Side note: Completely retracted because major spoilers, just know it was a foreshadowing thing • Amidst this however, Connie comes in and acts just as smooth in her suspicion as Bill does in his “innocence”; have a bit of snappy dialogue in here (while Steven’s lowkey panicking all the while), and have Connie come very close to breaking Bill’s ruse, only for Mabel to call Steven and Connie into the nearby dressing room for their help • Of course, Mabel hardly notices the ongoing tension as she shows her excitement for how well the show is going so far; amidst this, Gabe pops in and compliments her while also putting the pressure on for the rest of the show to be just as good • After she leaves, Connie mentions that she thinks something’s up with Dipper, only for Steven to adamantly refute that (out of obvious fear); however, right before the girls can break him down into telling them about what’s really going on, they’re interrupted by Dipper (the real one), who’s using one of Mabel’s puppets to communicate with them • While the girls are aptly confused, Steven’s overwhelmed with relief that Dipper’s still technically ok and finally, the boys tell the girls about what happened with Bill, shocking them both; Connie’s resolved to do what she can to help, but Mabel’s hesitant, not wanting to ruin the rest of her show • The others scold her for this, however, which gets her to compromise and agree to secure the journal along with Steven and Connie while Dipper finishes off the show for her • So the kids split up, with Mabel, Steven, and Connie heading to grab the book from the stage catwalk; however, before they can get it, Bill confronts them (make this really dramatic and intense); give him dialogue with each of the kids, chastising Steven for breaking their deal, “praising” Connie for nearly figuring things out on her own, and threatening Mabel with ruining the show if she doesn’t hand the journal over to him • Give Mabel some conflict here (even as Steven and Connie are arguing with her to keep the journal away from Bill) as she doesn’t want all of her hard work to be for nothing; however, at the same time, she knows that she can’t let Dipper down like this, especially considering all he’s done for her in the past and since the consequences of doing so could be very severe • Still, it seems as though Bill manages to convince her before, suddenly, she turns the tables on him, pulling him down with the journal; make this a bit different than the episode, as instead of falling to the stage, Bill catches the journal while Steven catches both the catwalk railing and the girls • For a moment, Bill gloats his apparent victory over the kids, only for Mabel to cut it short by throwing one of her spare puppets up at him, knocking the journal out of his grasp; of course he thoughtlessly dives after it, but not before knocking the kids off the catwalk • Make this fall intense as Steven barely manages to catch them all (including Bill) in a bubble that cushions the fall a bit as they land on stage, crashing right through the play, much to the shock of the audience (have the Gems hint at intervening, though none of them are sure what’s even going on, much less how to stop it)Side note: Imply during this part that Dipper’s ribs get broken from the fall, something that’ll come into play in the next chapter • Chaos unfolds as the kids all fight against Bill for the journal, and extend this part a bit from the episode, as they all essentially play keep away with it, much to Bill’s growing frustration (make this somewhat funny, but also climactic) • Bill almost manages to overpower Mabel and get the journal back, only for her to utilize Dipper’s weaknesses against him, such as his ticklishness and his exhaustion, have Steven and Connie join in on this and add an element of fun to it • After a while of this, the kids finally manage to wear Bill out entirely, which in turn finally forces him out of Dipper’s body, allowing Dipper to rightfully reclaim it (be descriptive in this) • Of course, while the kids are all exceedingly relieved and overjoyed by this, their levity doesn’t last long as Bill leaves them all with one final, ominous warning (one that divulges a bit more than the episode does, specifically about the SU side of things)Side note: Possibly foreshadow to chapters such as Pyrite, Rifts/Memories/Dimensions, ect in here • This is cut short, however, as the kids light the show’s pyrotechnics, effectively destroying all the puppets (make this both dramatic and hilarious, show audience reactions to this) • Of course, the audience is anything but pleased with how the show ended up being a bust and they all storm out; Gabe breaks things off with Mabel (make this kind of funny), leaving just the kids, Stan, Soos, Wendy, and the Gems behind • After this, have Mabel apologize to Dipper for her selfishness, though Dipper apologizes for his obsessiveness too; give a few good feelings in here, and incorporate Stan and the Gems as they wonder what just happened; of course, considering what did just happen, none of the kids really no how to explain, so they lowkey unanimously decide not to • However, not too much longer after this, Dipper’s various injuries (specifically his shoulder cut and broken ribs, among others) finally catch up to him and he ends up passing out from them before they can even leave the theatre (much to everyone’s surprise as they realize this was more serious than they thought) • Give Mabel plenty of guilty introspection during the rushed trip home to get Dipper patched up, especially as she finds a note that Bill wrote while he was still in Dipper’s body on the floor of the car (don’t show what it says yet) • Steven lamenting that he tried his best to keep Bill from hurting Dipper, only for him to fail completely (the girls try to reassure him, but it doesn’t really work) • After a while of this, Dipper finally wakes up, in a lot of pain and still rather exhausted (give him some introspection); Steven hesitantly offers to try and heal his wounds again, but Dipper quickly turns him down (he claims that he’s not sure if it would work, but its mostly because he thinks he put Steven through enough during what happened with Bill) • As everyone voices their concern for him, Dipper staunchly assures them that he’s fine, hugely underplaying his injuries, both inside and out; still, show that he’s mentally shaken from it all, beginning signs of PTSD, trauma, ect, but he forces himself to suppress all that as he goes upstairs to rest • Cut back to Dipper (give him pretty much continual introspection by this point) as he goes upstairs and stumbles across both the broken laptop and the torn picture, which he desperately tries to piece back together as he realizes that he lost what was likely his only chance at helping Lapis while also partially losing a bit of himself (metaphorically) in the process, and all because of him making a choice that nearly cost him so much more • End the chapter on a very sad, angsty note, with Dipper finally breaking down over both what happened to Lapis, but mostly over what just happened to him (imply that he’s deeply traumatized by what just happened, and that that trauma likely won’t go away any time soon)Side note: End on the imagery of the light from the triangular window falling upon Dipper (ominous, angsty foreshadowing)

Cryptogram (keyword: SOCK):He claims to see all with his ancient eyeHe works in flattery, deception, and liesDon’t take his deals or play his gamesOr all you know could go up in flames

Untranslated: WY RAEBBM ID WXT UAA ABIB WXW TCWXTRM TSTWI WTUAH MG UFPIXXGS, STGXENXDR, TCX AXILSIC'I XTZY WXW WTUAH SK EFPN LBH APBILDL PAP RDO ZCSP RIJAH ZD OE XR YAUBTW

Part 2 (keyword: PUPPETS)A pine tree has burnedA shooting star’s fallingA sword swinger’s been spurnedA rosebud’s remorsefully calling

Untranslated:P JXCI MJTY WPW UMGHTSE LZDIIXRZ KIUG'H JTDACCVE LODLS HABFVYG'H FXWC MEJVGWSU GDWXTJX'H GIFGGMTUYEDN WPAPBFV