Misguided Adventures and Magical Attachments (Completed)

Chapter 54

Special thanks to: Mewstar for all her help in creating this. It's finally finished, and I thank her for dealing with me and everything that's happened over the years. Enjoy the story! :)

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Together, hand in hand, Dipper and Mabel blew out the candles on their cake, dual streams of smoke twirling into the air. A cheer went up in the crowd, an ovation for the newly teenage Mystery Twins. Dipper just felt . . . happy.

"Bill!" Mabel cried, waving him over. "You get to cut the cake!"

"What?" The older teen in question walked forward. "You trust me with a knife in my hand?" he teased, grinning. "I mean, who knows what I might do with it?" Bill laughed, but took the knife anyway, cutting two triangle slices.

Dipper grinned, biting into his piece. A laugh bubbled up within him. I love you.

Mabel whooped. "That's some sweet stuff, bros." She jabbed her kin in the side with her elbow.

The brunet almost choked on his dessert, barking flustered amusement. "Yeesh!" he smiled. "You could let up with the innuendos at least today, couldn't you?"

"'Course not," the voice of Paper Dipper answered slyly. "You're a teenager now, Classic. So many opportunities."

"Oh hey! You're still here?" Bill gazed at Paper Dipper, eating his own slice of cake. "Although it's a bit weird to have two Bills and Dippers running around." He shrugged.

"We can go frolic somewhere more private, if you'd like," came his response, worthy enough to get his original model to choke again. The clone snickered. "By the by, I thought you were the epitome of weird. I'm surprised to hear you think differently of us. Are we that odd, Cipher?" He tipped his head to look at his partner, artificial gaze dripping with honey, almost slick. It was an empowering combo.

The copy of the former demon shrugged. "Well if we are, we should totally embrace it!" He beamed.

"Yeah!" Mabel offered encouragingly.

"Yeeeee-aaaah!" Blendin Blandin added, causing everyone's eyes to go to him. "I've never really embraced myself before."

Dipper was definitely done trying not to die by suffocating on cake. "Blendin? Why -?"

"Oh nooooo! I was never here!" the futuristic member testified, backing up. "Happy birthday, guys, don't mind me, just removing some evidence so the Time crew doesn't kill me all over again! Even though there's evidence everywhere thanks to you. Hahahaaaa! Just pretend you neeeeever saw me!"

I think he's gone insane, the boy noted. I kinda feel bad for him.

Bill glanced at Blendin. He's not insane. He'll be fine. I've seen insane people before; he's not there - yet.

Obviously. Dipper watched the bald man turn around until he merged into the dispersing crowd, eventually eliciting a yelp from Ford somewhere. Their awkward conversation was too mixed in the commotion to hear.

"Teen dudes!" Soos popped by, grabbing what was left of the cake. Some other people, mainly Mabel's friends, had been gorging on it. "An exciting awesome thing just happened! I'm going to run the Mystery Shack while your Grunkles are on vacay!"

"That's great, Soos!" the brunette cheered.

"We know; we just watched the speech Grunkle Stan gave," Dipper said, smiling. "I'm happy for you, though. But I don't think they're planning to go on vacation. Sounded serious to me."