Gravity Falls: Illuminatus

Chapter 5: Norway

A hooded figure walked briskly through a darkened hallway, lined with ornate portraits and statues, each one displaying a variation of the symbol that made them who they are: the all-seeing eye within the triangle, the symbol of the Enlightened Ones, the Illuminati, in reverence to the one who gave them their purpose: Bill Cipher.

Of course, Bill Cipher wasn't his true name. He went by many names throughout the millennia. However, it was the name that he was most well-known by throughout the multiverse, and it was a name that struck terror into those who knew it, so it was a name that he kept. To the Illuminati, he was the God of Light and Wisdom, and it was prophesied that he would destroy this world of rules and restrictions and reshape it into a utopia where the possibilities were endless.

The hooded figure reached the doors at the end of the hallway. He knocked three times, and the doors opened. Inside was a small antechamber, leading to a large room with an ornate shrine, symbolizing the triangular all-seeing eye on a large platform, surrounded by candles, encircled by the Zodiac depicted from eons ago. A sole figure sat at the base of the shrine, their features shrouded by a hood of their own. Their robes were different, more ornate and lined with white fur. A large triangular pendant dangled from their neck. The acolyte who had just entered the room and approached the meditating monk, kneeling before them.

"Master," said the acolyte.

"Why have you disturbed me?" Asked the Master in a low, deep voice.

"Wendy Corduroy has escaped our capture," said the acolyte.

"How?" Said the Master.

"The Pines boy," said the acolyte, handing him the blue pinetree hat. "He infiltrated our base and killed our operatives. They have disappeared."

The master paused, pondering the hat and words of his acolyte. "The boy is more resourceful than I thought," He said finally. "It matters not. They will not escape our watch forever, and we will not underestimate them again. What news do you bring me of the search?"

"We have located three of the artifacts," said the acolyte. "One of them is in Germany, the other in Africa, and the last one in Norway. We have dispatched operatives to each location."

"Good," said the Master. "The eclipse will commence in three months. The ritual must commence if we are to achieve our goal. Do not fail me."

"Yes, Master," the acolyte bowed and left the chamber without another word.

Wendy tossed and turned in her bed aboard the Stan 'O War. Despite the fact that she was essentially living in a mansion, it was still a mansion on the water, which meant it continuously rocked back and forth with the motion of the waves. Wendy had lived in a land-locked town her entire life, and rarely ever set foot on a marine vehicle of any kind, so she found the sensation slightly nauseating. However, she had a strong stomach, and her survival instincts (instilled in her at a young age by her father) allowed her to acclimate to the new sensation quickly, but she still found it unsettling.

But what mostly bothered her was how radically her life had just changed. She was living with her once-thought-deceased cyborg best friend and his two weird uncles on a boat sailing through European waters after passing through a strange dimensional door. For many, this situation would be overwhelming and frightening. But for Wendy, a supernatural investigator and Weirdmageddon survivor, it was just another week. No, what she was struggling with the most was her feelings about Dipper.

She wanted to be mad at him. She tried to be mad at him. After all, he was alive this whole time and never tried to make contact. But now she knew why, and when they explained to her their reasoning, coupled with the fact that knowledge of his survival nearly got her killed, she knew in her heart that he was only doing what he needed to ensure her survival.