#gravityfallsxreader

[breezeflows]

The Long Road (Stanford Pines x Reader)

Chapter 3

WOOP WOOP CHAPTER 3 IS HERE AND BOY IS IT JUICY🫣 On a serious note though, we are finally getting into some of the exciting bits of the story!! I’m hoping by the next chapter we will finally be back in the present. No more sad flashbacks!! Also y’all writing Lizzy is genuinely my favorite. If this fic wasn’t about Ford I’d be wifing her up instead😔 Anyways- here’s chapter 3 you lovely souls!

Themes: Consumption of alcohol (reader lowkey gets wasted), major hangover, bill himself is a warning, suggestiveness kind of?? idk, heartache, lizzy is overall an amazing friend, alllll the angst and feelings, injuries, etc okay enjoy!

The drive to Lizzy’s place is quiet, the steady hum of the car engine and the sound of raindrops against the windshield the only background noise. You sit in the passenger seat, watching the trees pass by through the window as you fiddle with the wedding band around your finger. Lizzy glances at you occasionally, a small frown on her face as she senses your mood. She remains silent for most of the ride, giving you space to process your emotions if need be.

It's not long before the car rolls to a stop in front of her apartment building. You reach around to gather your belongings from the backseat and step out into the rainy afternoon. Lizzy follows suit, bright pink umbrella in hand as she leads you towards the entrance.

Once inside the building, she unlocks the door to her apartment building and the two of you usher inside. The soft yellow light of the living room envelopes you, creating a cozy atmosphere in stark contrast to the gloominess outside.

Lizzy begins to kick off her shoes, hanging her keys as she silently studies your face. She can see the turmoil in your eyes, and the uncertainty you’re trying to hide.

“So,” she says gently, breaking the silence. “You okay?”

Your eyes snap out of the daze they were in as you look over at Lizzy, giving her a weak smile.

“Oh, yeah I guess. Things went a lot better than I thought they would.”

Her expression relaxes at your response, a hint of relief showing on her face.

“That’s good,” she says as she walks over to the couch and plops down on it, gesturing for you to do the same. “I was half-expecting a tearful scene or something, honestly.”

You manage a light chuckle at her remark, plopping down on the couch next to her. You pull your knees to your chest as you grab a blanket draped across the back of it, wrapping it around you.

“Yeah,” you say softly. “Ford took it pretty well, actually. Better than I expected.”

Lizzy raises a brow as she leans against the back cushions, her arms crossing. “Girl, he better take it well after what he said to you. If it had been me, I would’ve dropped his ass on the spot.”

You can’t help but let out a small snort of laughter at her words, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of your lips for the first time in a while. It’s a relief to have Lizzy’s no-nonsense attitude around, her bluntness serving as a much-needed dose of honesty.

“Yeah, yeah Liz, I know.” you admit, the smile still lingering on your face. “I was a little tempted.”

Lizzy grins, satisfied with your response as she reaches over and pats your knee supportively.

“As you should,” she says with a nod. “You don’t deserve treatment like that of any kind, no matter how important his research is to him.”

You frown slightly at her words, opting to pick at the blanket below as a distraction.

“Yeah..”

Lizzy watches your expression carefully, sensing your discomfort. She tilts her head slightly, her gaze searching your face.

“But you don’t quite agree, do you?” she probes gently.

You let out a sigh, unsure how to articulate your feelings as you continue to fiddle with the fabric of the blanket.

“It’s just… complicated Liz,” you say, your voice tinged with guilt and frustration. “Yes, I’m hurt and angry with him, but I also understand where he’s coming from. We’ve been together almost our whole lives, and this is all he has ever worked towards. His research is important to him, and he’s under a lot of pressure.”

Lizzy nods slowly as she listens to your words, her expression a mix of understanding and concern. She reaches over and places a hand on top of yours, stopping your nervous fidgeting.

“I get that Y/N, I do,” she says quietly. “And I’m not saying he’s completely in the wrong. But you shouldn’t have to feel like an afterthought in his life either. That’s not fair to you.”

Your eyes brim with tears at her response, your hand twisting and taking hers tightly.

“I know,” you say, your voice threatening to break. “I just wish we could fix things..”

Lizzy squeezes your hand as your tear-filled eyes meet hers.

“And you will, Y/N. It’ll just take some time.”

A small, wobbly smile forms on your lips at her reassurance, a few tears slipping down your cheeks. The hope that you might be able to fix things with Ford, to find a way to bridge the gap that’s widened between you both, is a small but significant comfort.

“Thank you, Liz,” you murmur, your voice still shaky. “I really hope you’re right.”

Lizzy stands with a smile, her hand pulling away from yours and resting on your shoulder.

“I know I’m right chick, because you two love each other. I’ve seen it.”

Your heart warms at her confidence, a soft smile forming on your lips as you nod.

“Now, how about some pizza?”

The few weeks you spend with Lizzy fly by, days passing in a blur of movies, late-night conversations, and plenty of chocolate induced comfort eating. As the final night of your stay approaches, Lizzy turns to you with a sly grin on her face.

“Y/N, I know you’ve been pretty reclusive the past couple of weeks, but it’s your last night here and I refuse to let you spend it watching crappy movies in my living room.”

She places her hands on her hips and gives you a stern look.

“We’re going out for drinks and that’s final.”

You mope as you walk into her view from the bathroom, your voice annoyed and pleading as you speak.

“Liz, I don’t think this is a good idea. I’m a married woman, and this dress feels less than... modest.”

Lizzy rolls her eyes, her expression clearly unconvinced.

“Girl, you’re not here to pick up someone, you’re here to have fun. And as for the dress I picked out for you, it looks fantastic. Stop overthinking it.”

She gives you a onceover, inspecting your outfit.

“Besides, I’d like to see anyone who tries hitting on you tonight.”

You pout as you watch her, pulling down your dress so it covers your knees.

“I don’t know how Ford would feel about this..”

Lizzy scoffs, shaking her head.

“Ford’s not here, and we both know he should be the last person you’re trying to impress right now. You’re still young, and attractive Y/N, you deserve to enjoy yourself for one night without him on your mind. Not to mention you’ve got to live your life without kids while you can. I know the two of you have talked about it. ”

She grabs the hem of your dress and tugs it back up, flashing you a defiant look.

“And if he has a problem with you having fun, he can talk to me.”

You sigh as you give in, knowing Lizzy wouldn’t be changing her mind about your all’s plans for the night.

“Fine, fine. But we’re not staying out too late, okay?”

Lizzy grins, victorious.

“That’s more like it! And don’t worry, I promise we won’t be out until dawn,” she assures you. “Just a few drinks, maybe a little dancing, and then we’ll come back here. You trust me, right?”

“More than anything Liz.”

And that’s how you find yourself at the bar now, one too many drinks in and slumped against Lizzy’s shoulder.

She laughs at your state, her own cheeks flushed from drinking. She slings an arm around your shoulders, keeping you upright and steady in the booth the two of you occupied.

“Goodness chick, are you already trashed? We’ve barely been here an hour!” she teases, her voice lighthearted and amused.

You grumble something in response, your head spinning from the alcohol in your system. You take another sip from your glass, your tongue loose and inhibitions lowered.

“I blame you,” you slur, pointing an accusatory finger at Lizzy. “You’re a bad influence.”

Lizzy laughs loudly at your accusation, her eyes sparkling. “No one forced you to down those shots, Y/N,” she says, sliding out of the booth with ease. “I’m going to get you some water, alright? You stay right here in your seat.”

You nod lazily at her words, the idea of staying where you are very appealing. You watch groggily as she strides away, her bell bottoms and flare top in tow. She weaves through the crowd to make her way to the counter, your eyes becoming heavy.

Just as you’re starting to doze off from the alcohol, a presence suddenly sits down in the booth across from you. You blink in surprise, your vision clearing slightly as you focus on the newcomer.

Your eyes widen as you recognize your husband’s face, his features strangely serious and intense as he stares back at you. But there’s something off about him… Something otherworldly in his gaze that sends a chill down your spine.

“Well, well,” he says, his voice cool and calculated. “If it isn’t dear Y/N. You look a little worse for wear.”

Your vision blurs as you grip the side of the table, your words slurred as you speak.

“F.. Ford?”

Ford smiles widely, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. The expression is slightly unfamiliar, different from the familiar warmth you’re used to. He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table.

“In the flesh, honey,” he drawls, his voice smooth and flirtatious.

“But I see you’ve had quite a few drinks already. Feeling a little dazed? I wonder how Sixer would feel about me seeing you in this state and not him. Hilarious!”

Your arm trembles weakly as you hold yourself up, vision blurring in and out as you sway slightly in your seat.

“Wha.. What? Why are you.. here..?”

His lips curl into a smug smirk as he eyes your disheveled form, eyes lingering on your exposed skin, clearly enjoying your confusion and intoxication.

“Oh, I had a little chat with Fordsy earlier. He agreed to let me take the reins for a few hours…”

He gives a careless shrug. “You know how he is. All work and no play. Figured I’d take advantage of the situation, hell, I even got him a new tattoo!”

You sit there, dumbfounded and wavering in and out of consciousness as your mind tried to process what Ford was talking about.

Ford’s – or rather, Bill’s – eyes rake over you again, giving an exaggerated sigh before his lips turned into a sly grin.

“You really are a sight for sore eyes, I can see why Sixer married you.”

Your thoughts are still spinning from the alcohol, making it hard to focus on the conversation. You struggle to keep yourself upright, your body feeling heavy and numb.

Bill notices your dazed state, chuckling as he gives a mockingly sympathetic tone.

“You look a little out of it, darling. You really shouldn’t have had so much to drink. Especially considering how easy it’d be to trick you into a deal right now.”

Your mind races with confusion as you stand up weakly, your gut telling you something wasn’t right as you sway back and forth, (Or maybe it was the alcohol) your vision blurring as you scan the place in search of Lizzy.

“Going somewhere? Those human legs of yours don’t look very stable!”

You wobble forward, ignoring his protests as you keep moving.

“You really should listen to me if you want to avoid that nasty bruise tomorrow!”

He calls out, and before you know it you trip, and everything goes black.

Hours later… aka early morning.

You slowly open your eyes, your head pounding and your memories fuzzy. You realize you’re lying on a couch in Lizzy’s apartment, a cool cloth pressed over what you assume to be a large tender bruise on your forehead.

Lizzy is sitting perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of you, her expression a mix of worry and frustration. She notices your eyes flutter open and lets out a relieved sigh.

“Oh thank god,” she mutters. “You had me worried for a second there. I stayed up with you all night waiting for you to wake up.”

“Liz?” you mumble, head pounding. “What the hell happened? My head is killing me..”

Her expression softens at your groggy murmur, her hand reaching out instinctively to brush the hair away from your face.

“Hey, take it easy,” she says, voice low and soothing. “You took a pretty nasty fall back at the bar. Hit your head on a table on the way down.”

Your eyes widen as your memory jogs itself.

“What..? Wait, Ford.. Ford was there?”

Lizzy freezes, her expression guarded at the mention of Ford. She averts her gaze, focusing her attention on the cloth that she’s holding against your forehead.

“Uh, yeah,” she says, her voice hesitant. “He showed up towards the end of the night when I went to grab you a water… You don’t remember?”

You think to yourself for a moment, your memory patchy and vague.

“I mean, I kind of do. But it was weird? Did something happen?”

Lizzy is silent, her gaze still firmly averted from yours. She adjusts the cloth, pressing it against your head with a little more pressure than necessary.

“Nothing happened,” she finally says, her voice tight. “You just had a little too much to drink and tripped, that’s all.”

Her words are curt and dismissive, clearly trying to downplay the situation. But there’s something in her expression, a flicker of unease that betrays her true emotions.

She glances at you briefly, her eyes meeting yours for a split second before moving back to your injury.

“Lizzy..?” you say, silently pleading with her to tell you the full truth.

She exhales slowly, her shoulders slumping in resignation. She knows you’re not going to let this go, and she owes you the truth.

“Alright, fine,” she mutters avoiding your gaze. “When I got back to the booth, it was exactly when you had fell..”

You listen closely, sitting yourself up slightly.

“I had noticed Ford when I got there, sure, but when I went to go help you..”

Lizzy pauses, a frown forming on her face as she continues.

“Ford laughed,” she says as her eyes meet yours, full of concern and.. fear? “And not in a lighthearted way, in a cruel mocking way Y/N..”

Lizzy lowers the cloth from your head, placing it in her lap as you sit there, dumbfounded.

“He was just… enjoying the view, I guess,” She mutters bitterly. “Like you were some kind of joke, I don’t know Y/N. It was fucking weird, really fucking weird. I didn’t like it. He laughed as if he was the one who had done it.”

Lizzy trails off, brows furrowed as she clenches her fists. While you, on the other hand, are utterly speechless.

Your mind reels with this new information, struggling to reconcile the image of Ford – laughing coldly and mockingly at your predicament - with the caring, affectionate husband you’ve known him to be your whole life.

“I… I don’t understand,” you stutter, your voice small and confused.

“He wouldn’t… he wouldn’t do that. Not Ford.”

But as you say those words, you can’t help but recall the other strange things that had happened earlier that night. Ford’s detached demeanor, his unfamiliar choice of words, the way he seemed so cold and calculating. Your heart clenches in your chest at the thought, leaving a sour taste in your mouth. Had something happened over the few weeks you’ve been gone? Did Ford get too deep in his research? Something wasn’t right.

As you try to make sense of the situation, Lizzy watches you with a mix of compassion and concern. She knows this is incredibly tough for you to hear, but she also seems to have her own worries about the situation.

“I don’t know Y/N,” she says quietly, her hands twisting in her lap. “It was just… so not him. I don’t know what the hell happened. But I’ve never seen him act like that before. It’s like he was a different person.”

Her voice trails off, leaving the two of you in silence as you’re both lost in thought.

Eventually, Lizzy breaks the silence, her voice sympathetic as she places a hand on top of yours.

“How about this, you rest up today, and when you’re ready, I’ll take you to the cabin to get some answers from Ford? Only if you feel comfortable, of course.”

You take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside of you.

“Alright,” you murmur. “I’m still feeling pretty rough, but I’d like to see him… tonight, if possible.”

Despite your confusion and worry, you know that facing your husband and talking with him is the only way to get answers. The answers that you crave so desperately in hopes that it’ll mend your breaking heart - and marriage.

Lizzy gives you a reassuring nod.

“Of course,” she says gently. “You rest up, and I’ll come get you when it’s time to go.”

She stands up, gently readjusting the cloth on your head.

“Try to get some sleep, okay?”

You nod, laying yourself back down.

You’re going to need it to cross the bridge that awaits you tonight.

READER AND BILL INTERACTION WOOP WOOP!! Also I’m not gonna lie, I feel like I messed up the timeline a little bit but I’m just gonna go for it. Thank you for reading! :)

Tag List: @artistic-gato @karmaisacatluzi @therottenheartofscum @violetvsworld @inquiit @catr4dora

[gravityfallsrewritten]

Chapter 18: After All These Years

"Y/n."

Said girl looked up at the sound of a gravel sound calling her name. "Hello?" She called. The voice belonged to him. "Where are you?"

"Y/n."

"Stan," she replied just as quickly as before. She looked around, searching desperately for the elder man. She only needed to see his silhouette, his shadow. Where could he be?

"Y/n," he said for the final time. Finally, he materialized in front of her, but his wrists were ensnared by a pair of handcuffs. "We lost," his voice dropped in a whisper, "they... they found us."

And as if on cue, alarms reverberated around her, and flashes of blue and red appeared. A megaphone squeaked from afar, alerting them of someone coming into the scene. "This is the police!" Through the powerful blast of the megaphone, the police officer's urgent voice reverberates among the continuous sirens.

"Stan Pines, you are suspected to have been constructing a highly dangerous doomsday device hidden beneath the shack! Surrender yourself immediately! I repeat, surrender yourself now!"

Y/n remained frozen in place. The police found them and now Stan is getting taken away. Away from the portal, away from progress, away from the Mystery Shack.

Away from her.

This was her worst nightmare.

"No," She found the strength to speak. "No, please!" It all felt so real. "Stan!"

His gaze remained downwards. "I'm sorry, kid. I have no choice."

"Don't go! Please! We've worked so hard!" She tried to reason. Thirty years of trying to save Ford and it all goes downhill? Ruined by the police? Everything was gone just like that, and they were so close– yet so far.

The older man didn't say anything, but his feet moved to their own accord, taking him somewhere. Y/n tried to stop him, tried to wake him out of his trance. Maybe he was being brain-washed. Maybe his memories were wiped clean. Why was he giving up so easily?

"Stan! What about Ford?"

"We tried everything," he stopped in his tracks a bit, tilting his head to the side to address her. But he wasn't looking at her. "But I guess it wasn't good enough. Face it, Y/n. We didn't succeed.

"We. Failed."

Y/n opened her eyes, inhaling deeply as if she only remembered how to breathe again. She clenched her fist in retaliation to the dream she had. Bill couldn't be blamed– she has been having these dreams now long before she met the beast. Although, there's a possibility that he purposefully took advantage of her mind while she was asleep.

So many things to ponder about. For the last three decades, all she ever cared about was fixing the portal. Her and Stan's lives intertwined in a shared mission, dedicating countless hours, poured undying effort, and endured the passage of time. Days turned into nights, seasons passed, yet their resolve remained unwavering.

But remembering the occurrence of her dream... minutes have passed for how long she's been staring blankly at a wall.

Only realizing that this wasn't her bedroom. This wasn't the shack.

She vaguely remembered Soos suggesting they go to his house for the meantime– his house being his Abuelita's. She remembered finally falling to sleep from exhaustion and when she awoke, she saw a different living room filled with timeless trinkets. Frames of young Soos littered around the yellow walls, and the furniture was covered by meticulous patterns. Stan and Mabel laid on the ground with sleeping bags, while she laid on a mattress propped up on a couch.

A rustle beside her caught her attention. It was Dipper, He was squirming, closing his eyes tightly. Hesitantly, she placed a hand on his blanketed shoulder, rubbed soothing comforts. He was mumbling something before waking up in cold sweat. He screamed momentarily, clutching the blanket they shared.

He breathed heavily. "Y/n?" He saw her already staring at him. "I just had a horrible dream that Gideon stole the deed to the Mystery Shack, and kicked us out, and... we all had to move in with... Soos' grandma?" He all said in a series of questions.

Before Y/n could say anything, the third person sharing their bed sat up and leaned in closely towards them. "That was no dream, dude."

Soos, shirtless, said with conviction.

Dipper screamed in horror, waking everyone up. Abuelita from the side turned the lamp on and brought a finger to her lips. "Shh! Por favor."

"Uh, sorry...! Abuelita..." Dipper trailed off. He didn't even register that he was sleeping besides Y/n until he did, scooting slightly away. "Sorry, I didn't wake you up, did I?" He muttered guiltily.

Y/n's face morphed into an assuring smile. "I was already awake before you. No worries."

"Well you sure woke everyone else with that scream," Stan quipped from the ground he was sleeping on. "Now quiet! The news is finally on," he pointed at the TV.

Shandra Jimenez appeared on the screen, microphone in hand. "In a movement that has all of Gravity Falls buzzing, child psychic Gideon Gleeful has taken surprise ownership of the Mystery Shack, previously belonging to area shyster, Stanford Pines."

This time, Gideon stood in frame with the reporter. "Now that you have the shack, what exactly are you planning to do with it?"

"I have a big announcement to make today," Gideon spoke with a huge, fake smile in his punchable face, "and I'd like to cordially invite all the good people of Gravity Falls to join me. Free admission to anyone who wears their Gideon pins! It's my face!" He winked.

Y/n was the first to react. "The people of this town are too gullible to believe this despicable kid," she voiced out.

"I just can't believe Gideon beat us," Dipper lamented, sitting on the edge of the makeshift bed, "Normally, I'm able to save the day. This is all my fault."

Mabel stood beside her brother. "Don't worry, Dipper. Looks like Mabel's going to have to be the hero of the family now. I'll defeat Gideon with my grappling hook!" She brought out the tool she chose from the beginning of the summer.

Dipper glared mildly. "Mabel, no offense, but that grappling hook has literally never helped us once."

"Oh yeah? Jelly grab!" The girl shot her grappling hook at a random jar of jelly inexplicably placed on a shelf, causing it to break and splatter jelly on the walls. The paintings, porcelain angels and half of Abuelita's body were in the splash zone and are now covered by the sticky substance.

"I vacuum the walls now."

"So you lost the Shack," Soos said as if it was a normal day, like it was a trivial matter. "Look on the bright side, dudes! Now you get to live here with me. Soos!" He then invited anyone to race cars without batteries. It's supposed to be a pretend kind of game.

"We gotta take the Shack back."

***

***

The next day, the family dressed up as an undercover entourage– with help from Soos' wardrobe and went to Shack. They saw the child psychic taking up the stage and dancing around before walking up the podium and spoke into the mic. "Ladies and gentlemen! Today I am delighted to announce my new plans for the former Mystery Shack!"

Bud came up with a wagon, a covered prototype on it.

"I give you..." Gideon reached down and pulled the cloth away, revealing a miniature version of his plans. "Gideonland!"

"What?!" The incognito team exclaimed in unison.

"We are gonna turn this dirty ol' shack into three square miles of Gideon-tertainment. And introducin' our new mascot, Lil' Gideon Jr.!"

Bud pulled off a cloak to reveal Waddles in a Gideon costume, white hair and all.

"Boom, he's a pig!"

"Waddles!" Mabel screamed in horror. "You monster!"

"Alright, that's it!" Stan pulled off his disguise and angrily ran up the stage. Mabel, Dipper, and Y/n followed, destroying everything in their path.

Stan stood behind the lectern. "Listen up people. Gideon's a fraud! This kid broke in and stole my property!"

"You have to believe us!" Y/n reasoned.

"Arrest him officers!" Mabel ordered.

"Yeah!" Dipper agreed.

Gideon walked up. "Such accusations!" He said, his tone being artificially innocent. "Mr. Pines, I recall you gave the property to me!" He had the nerve to frown in confusion. "Look, here's the deed right here!" He easily pulled the deed out of his shirt for the town to see.

"Well that's all the proof I need to see," Officer Blubs dismissed.

"I love you, Lil' Gideon!" Durland hollered. "Sing them funny songs!"

"Do you actually believe that Stan Pines would willingly give the deed of his house to Gideon?!" Y/n shouted, angry and frustrated. "They're rivals for crying out loud!"

"Stan and I are very close friends!" Gideon instantly retorted, flashing his puppy eyes. "And he trusted me to hold onto the deed for safekeeping. We're the best of friends after all!"

"Best of friends?" Stan glared. "More like the worst of enemies. Give me back my deed, you pint-sized troublemaker!"

The little boy snapped his fingers and two burly guards got ready to kick the Pines off the stage. "Hey!" Mabel yelled. The other three were easily grabbed.

Y/n surprised herself that she could endure all Gideon's taunt without easily knocking him out of the stage and taking the deed. Beat up the father too for neglected parenting. But looking at the people of Gravity Falls, she knew that they were easily swayed, and if they saw her assaulting their favorite manipulator, they might shun her out and never trust her again. She had sacrificed so much to maintain her reputation.

"Now get off my property, old man!" He slapped a Gideon pin on Stan.

"I'll show you who's the old man- AH! Ow, my hearing aid! Ow!"

The Pines got carried off the stage by the guards. "Thanks for visiting Gideonland, folks!" Gideon giggled a heinous laugh. "Don't come back, I don't care for y'all."

Going back to Soos' home, Mabel, Dipper and Soos sat on the couch sadly, sulking about today. Stan and Y/n were in the kitchen. The former was pacing around with a telephone in his hands while Y/n was leaning on the countertop, her arms crossed and her face contorted into worry.

2 minutes earlier, in the midst of their argument, the ringing of the phone cut them off. Stan answered with a scowl, but when he heard the voice from the other side of the call, his face melted into nervousness. His skin paled more and he was sweating. "H-Henry! It's you! What's wrong?"

This wasn't the first time a call came up while they were talking. Stan waited, nodding consciously. Henry sounded mad at the other end from the way the older man was trying to calm him down. It seemed that the parents heard the news all the way from Piedmont. "Don't worry, your son and daughter are fine!" He reassured them, himself included. "Where're we staying? Uh, I put 'em up in this amazing four-star hotel!" There are hotels?

He seemed to be in his own world of delusions, like he was actually in a fine establishment, being served food. Y/n was getting more worried. "What, uh, sure! We got..." He glanced at the contents inside the refrigerator which was merely a near empty gallon of milk, "we've got plenty to eat..."

Stan stood back up in faux confidence. "Relax, if I thought I couldn't take care of these kids, I'd send them back right away. " That seemed to have done it. "Uh huh, you too." He ended the call seconds after.

Silence ensued, but not for long when Mabel shouted from one room away. "Grunkle Stan, can we order pizza?"

The older man checked his pockets only to discover they're empty. Y/n kept silent, tapping beats against her skin.

"They have to go back," Stan spoke in hushed tones, leaning against the tiled surface. "I can't afford to take care of them anymore, not when Gideon has the Shack."

"He also has the portal."

Stan frowned deeper, if that was even possible. He wanted to curse Gideon with every fiber of his being. How did he manage to beat them? For how long are they going to remain underneath his small thumb?

The thought of Gideon having his hands on the portal has been plaguing their minds for the last 12 hours. It's only a matter of time until Gideon dismantles the entire Shack for his tourist attraction and discovers the underground device before using it for his evil schemes. There was no way of stopping him then.

"Wait, where are you going?" Y/n stood up, seeing that Stan was about to walk out.

Stan sighed. "I'm gonna go get some fresh air. There's a lot on my plate right now." He didn't look at her. He never did, until he exited the kitchen and outside of the house.

Y/n didn't bother pursuing him, as she figured that he really needed a breather. Her mind has been jumbled. She had no idea what to do first. Should she just sneak over to the Mystery Shack and stealthily pass through the guards and Gideon to get to the basement? And what happens after that? Does she just plan on staying there forever?

"Y/n! Let's play racing cars!" Mabel's voice reverberated through the walls again.

"But we have no batteries so we have to pretend!" Soos chimed in as well.

Mustering all her positive thoughts to her facial expression, she pushed herself off and stepped into the living room with a small smile on her face. "How do you play?" She saw Soos, Mabel, and Dipper sitting on the floor with the racetrack in the middle. It had toy cars in the plastic path, waiting for control. But without the batteries, it was immobile.

"Go, go, go!" Mabel cheered on. "Go, red car!"

Y/n sat on the ground with them, placing her hands on her lap. She noticed Dipper watching her every move, and she looked back, catching his eye. He flashed a small reassuring smile, but it was strained. Her lips were pursed as she tried to smile back, but Dipper knew that she must be exhausted from the situation. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his noodle arms and force her to rest.

"Go, other red car!" Soos smiled, raising a fist.

Dipper's attention reverted back to the other two trying to entertain themselves with stationary vehicles. "This would be a lot more fun with batteries," he complained, glowering.

Sounds of footsteps interrupted the ongoing race and the four looked up at the old man who wore a worried look. Stan cleared his throat. "Kids... we gotta talk." Everyone stood face to face with Stan. "Look, I've been thinking, and... I can't take care of you anymore. I don't have a house or a job. The plan is, you're goin' home. Your bus leaves tomorrow, here are your tickets."

"But Grunkle Stan, you can't just give up!" Dipper tried to reason.

"Look, we lost, okay?" Stan cut off, casting a quick glance with Y/n. "The best thing is for you to be with your parents. I'm sorry, kids. Gideon won," he placed the tickets on the table. "Summer's over."

He didn't leave room for any objections and left the room. Soos ran after him, calling his name. "Mr. Pines! Come back! Reconsider!"

"Okay, that's it!" Dipper protested. "Guys, if Stan won't get our home back from Gideon, then we'll have to do it ourselves."

"Gideon may have the upper hand, but we have one thing he doesn't," Mabel said confidently.

"The journal!"

"A grappling hoo- oh." Mabel stopped. "The journal. Journal!"

"Y/n, you have to come with us," Dipper expressed with determination. "We need your help in getting the Shack back, too. I'm sure you're mad at Gideon and want proper revenge on him."

She does. She wanted nothing more than kicking the little guy's behind.

So the classic trio went to the Mystery Shack and concealed themselves behind large bushes. Two stoic-faced and muscly guards were pacing around the fences. They couldn't possibly get through. Dipper emerged from the bushes with a telescope.

"Okay. What can we use to defeat Gideon?" Dipper opened the journal in his grasp, flipping through the pages. "Barf fairy?"

"Yeah!" Mabel voiced.

"Nope." Dipper went to the next. "Butternut Squash with a Human Face and Emotions?" Y/n snorted back a laugh as she reminisced the exact moment she and Ford encountered this for the first time.

"Yeah!"

"Nope."

Dipper pitched to the next page, but Mabel stopped his hand, pointing at the set of symbols. "Whoa, what's this?"

Y/n leaned closer and saw the one-third part of the schematic plan of the inter-dimensional portal. It reminded her of the actual device living underneath them. She kept silent as she inspected Dipper's change in expression.

"I've stared at this page for hours. It seems like a blueprint to build some kind of strange futuristic super-weapon-"

"BORING!" Mabel bellowed. It seemed that Y/n had always underestimated Dipper, when he's actually smarter than he came off as. The braced-wearing girl continued, "To defeat those guards, we need some kind of army!"

"An army?" Y/n asked, "what about..." she temporarily took the journal and flipped to a specific page. "The gnomes?"

"Good idea, Y/n!" Dipper cheered, while Mabel nervously tugged the collar of her sweater. The three knew about their history with the gnomes. Heck, they experienced it firsthand. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

The three went back to where it all began. This was where they found Mabel tied up on the ground with a bunch of gnomes, but it seemed that the group were busy doing something else.

"I wonder what gnomes do out here alone in the forest," Mabel wondered aloud as they walked towards a nearby bush.

They got their answer when Y/n pushed apart the bunch of leaves and there they saw Jeff in a rather compromising position. Squirrels lathered his small body as he took a "bath" in a tub. The trio screamed in horror, and Jeff screamed back. "This is normal!" He tried to convince them.

There was no other way to change their mind otherwise.

"Well, well, well. Look who came crawlin' back,'' Jeff mocked, "So, changed your mind about marryin' me, did you, Mabel?"

"Ew, hardly!" Mabel replied all too quickly. "We need your help. And seriously, ew!"

"You want our help?" Jeff became angry, "after you left me at the altar? No dice!"

Y/n stepped forward with an inviting smile. "Well, what if we were able to get you a new queen?"

"Yeah, one even more beautiful than me!" Mabel encouraged.

Dipper smiled, "Her name's Gideon, and she has lovely white hair."

"Whoa. Mature woman, huh?" The gnome seemed interested in their offer. "Hey, Shmebulock, get my cologne!"

Said gnome came in with a skip in its step. "Shmebulock!" Y/n couldn't help but smile at the sight. Oh hey, it was the same gnome she and Ford experimented on.

"It's a deal!" Jeff shook hands with Dipper.

And they were off. Y/n schemed a plan to get inside as she laid out formations around the Shack. They talked about distracting Gideon before calling out for the white-haired boy. "Give us the deed to the shack, Gideon, or else!" Dipper demanded.

Gideon smirked with his hands on his hips. His two bodyguards were quick to stand behind him for backup. "Am I supposed to say, "Or else what"?"

"Yes, you are supposed to say that!" Mabel screamed as they heard the code word. "Now!"

The two guards were frozen as they felt gnome hats impaling their backs, temporarily knocking them out as they fell to the ground. The rest of the army of gnomes charged forward riding deer and bunnies. They had Gideon surrounded, number clearly at an advantage.

There was a flash of panic in his eyes. He tried to run, but it was useless as the gnomes pointed their apparently sharp hats. The three stepped forward with a threatening gaze. "You're surrounded by an unstoppable gnome army!" Dipper began, "Now give us back our deed and get off our property!"

Mabel's eyes narrowed, and Y/n's glare could cut bullets. Gideon only sighed in defeat, frowning down. "Very well," he spoke somberly. He dug through his coat pocket. "I supposed this deed belongs to-" He pulled out what wasn't the deed, but instead it was a whistle, and he didn't hesitate blowing into it. It produced a deafening, head-splitting sound, hurting the gnomes' sensitive ears. The trio looked around in worry as their plan slowly crumbled.

They guessed their other weakness other than leaf blowers were loud, shrill sounds.

The grimace on Gideon's face was quickly replaced by a cheerful simper. "Huh, what do you know? Works on gnomes too!" He shrugged before casually blowing on the whistle hard again.

Every gnome kicked their feet in reaction to the piercing noise. Their faces were scrunched in pain and for a moment, Y/n felt bad they had to string in the gnomes along. "Stop, we'll do anything!" Jeff screamed, kneeling on the ground and bowing. "How can we serve you, Your Majesty?" He continued, bringing a smile to the little boy's pale face. "The most beautiful girl we've ever seen!" The compliments were non-stop.

"I AM NOT A GIRL!" Gideon screeched, startling everyone.

"Really? But your skin is so soft! D'you... moisturize, or..."

"Subdue them!" Gideon commanded, pointing at the three. The gnomes immediately scamper towards them and easily got a hold of Dipper, Mabel, and Y/n who was thrashing around their hold.

"I have to admit, kids, I am impressed by your creativity," Gideon said, placing his hands behind his back. The audacity of him calling them "kids" was really starting to irritate her. "How did you ever-"

And as Dipper was trying to get out of the gnomes' hold, he didn't realize that the journal had slipped out from his vest, falling to the ground. Gideon instantly caught the sight of it, gasping. "Oh, no!" Dipper exclaimed in a panic.

"No!" Gideon breathed in disbelief, staring at the open pages of writings. "Could it be?" His eyes widened. "Is it...?" He went and carried it in his arms, flipping through the pages with an excited giggle. "Of course! It all makes sense! The one place I never think to look, you had it the whole time!"

If it wasn't possible, Y/n squirmed more. Just the thought of Gideon holding the journal filled her veins with fiery anger, but seeing it in person... she wanted nothing more than to choke his non-existent out of his mystery.

"No!" Dipper voiced out, trying to fight against the deathly grip of the gnomes. "Give it back!"

Gideon remained smirking. "Every victory you had because of your precious book!"

Dipper glared, "Give it back or I'll-!"

"Or you'll what, boy?" Gideon leaned forward in a mocking manner, rendering the other speechless. "You'll what? Huh? Huh? No muscles. No brains. Face it! You're nothin' without this!"

Y/n growled, trying to pull her arm out of their grip. "Don't make me beat you up again, Gideon!" She threatened, but it didn't faze the boy. She'd attacked him before, she wouldn't hesitate attacking him again for all the pain and suffering he had inflicted upon the family.

Gideon simply snorted. "I'd like to see you try!" He waved his hand, "Bye bye forever, y'all!" The whistle in his mouth produced that loud noise again, and the gnomes carried the three out of what used to be their property.

"NOOO!"

"AHH!"

"Let me go! Let me go, you dang gnomes!"

The gnomes dissipated and spread out after dropping the three of a random clearing. "Next time, do your own dirty work!" Jeff scolded before calling for his squirrels again and tucking it inside his pants.

Dipper remained seated on the dirt, placing his hands on his knees. "Well, that's it. Guess the bus should be here soon."

Mabel stopped pacing. "What?! Dipper, don't give up!" She crouched down to his height and tried to meet his eyes but they stayed staring at the ground as he aimlessly drew doodles on the soil. "You always have a plan!"

"No, the journal always has a plan!" Dipper quickly interjected. "Think about it, Mabel. Gideon was right! The only courageous or cool things The only courageous or cool things I've ever done have been because of that journal," he rambled. "Without it, I can't help you, or Stan, or Y/n..."

He briefly glanced at her. She was wearing a forlorn gaze.

"...Or anyone," Dipper finished his speech, looking back to the ground.

"There's gotta be something we could do," Mabel worried, turning her head towards Y/n, who had been silent ever since.

"What can we do?" Dipper asked, and when he was met with silence, he thought that that was it. It was over. With Gideon having his journal, he was powerless, helpless, weak.

"Bus 52, departing Gravity Falls. All aboard." The intercom sounded.

The twins found themselves in front of the bus door, opened and just too soon.

Their bags were packed, unprepared and unplanned. They begrudgingly hauled their baggage into the bus and towards the back of the vehicle, with no other passengers on board. It seemed that no one else planned on leaving this town the same time they did. It was the middle of the summer, after all.

Dipper and Mabel peered through the window from the back. There stood Stan, who could only give them an apologetic look. "Sorry, kids," they heard him through the glass. "It's for the best." There was nothing they could do. The Shack was gone, they didn't have a home, no business, no money. Everything was taken away from them, just like that.

As the bus began departing, the twins watched the friends they had made that stood beside Stan. Candy and Grenda were crying as they hugged each other. Wendy mournfully waved her goodbyes. The older man couldn't even look them in the eye.

But Y/n was nowhere to be found.

Dipper's heart squeezed painfully in his chest. She wasn't even there to say goodbye. He thought he could have one last conversation with her before leaving, but he guessed the universe couldn't even grant his one request. "I can't believe this is happening," he mumbled absentmindedly, and the bus drove further away from the town that unfurled his curiosity to the unknown.

Goodbye, Gravity Falls.

***

Back in the Mystery Shack, Gideon slammed the front door closed as he excitedly stomped his little feet on the wooden flooring, giggling in victory. All his scheming and waiting for the right time had finally come to fruition. (Though he wasn't really patient as he literally broke inside the Shack with dynamites, but that's beside the point).

He ordered his servants he call his parents out of the living room to have this moment all to himself. The mother and the father scrambled to escape his wrath and he was left to his own devices. "It's finally mine!" Gideon hollered. "At last! I have Journal number-"

He placed the journal he took from Dipper on the table. But it wasn't the first journal as he was expecting. Instead, the cover had adorned a number 3, not 1.

"Three?!" Gideon uttered in pure disbelief. "There were three of 'em?!" He slapped his forehead.

"Uh, son?" Bud's voice resonated through his son's tantrums. How he had the guts to speak to him while he was having an episode was beyond him, but it was an urgent matter. There was an unwanted visitor that he had caught at their doorstep.

"Don't disturb me, old man!" Gideon howled in anger.

Bud sighed in exhaustion. "B-but, you have a guest. They seemed furious."

"Gideon!"

His ears perked up at his name. "Let her in."

The large man hesitantly opened the door, and there stood Y/n, seething with rage. Without speaking, she quickly charged towards the little boy and tackled him to the ground. Gideon screamed for help as he tried to stop the flurry of arms coming to slap his face. Y/n's hands snaked towards his collar and began squeezing until he was choking on his breathing.

Big hands came and pulled her off, grabbing onto her arms tightly. "Now, calm down! Calm down!" Bud repeated, trying to alleviate the girl's fury. "We can all talk about this!"

Gideon was trying to replenish his oxygen, easing his collar and breathing heavily as he laid on the ground. This brought a small smirk to Y/n's face as she exhaled in exhilaration. That felt good.

"I told you I would kick your butt. Thanks for letting me in, by the way," she told Bud sarcastically.

"Ugh, get away from me, you're crazy!" Gideon screeched.

"Guess we haven't established that yet. Give us the Shack back!" She demanded, pushing against Bud's hold.

"Tell me, where is Journal number 1?!"

"I don't know."

Gideon stood up. "Don't lie to me!" He chucked the nearest chair to the other side before striding towards her. "Where's Journal number 1! The Journal that I got from that boy was the third one. I need all three for the power to be unlocked!" He screamed.

Y/n deadpanned, her lips pursed into a line. "Give me. The deed."

Gideon paced around wildly before stopping. His eyes widened as if he had a realization. "Dipper! He must know where it is. He gave me the third one and kept the first for himself!"

"Even if you try and ask him, they're already long gone," Y/n tried to say.

Gideon pulled on his hair frustratingly, his face red. "I can't let him leave Gravity Falls!" He shouted and began to take his leave, taking the two journals with him.

"Hey- w-where are you going?!" Y/n called out desperately, annoyance seeping through. She tramped her shoe on Bud's foot making him let go of her and she chased after him. Running outside of the Shack, she watched Gideon make his way to a larger version of him made out of steel. It was a robot Gideon, who can move according to his controls.

The giant stomped its way through the forest until they were gone. Y/n had to find a way to get to it somehow and finally stop his reign once and for all.

***

"Hey, Dipper, wanna play 'Bus Seat Treasure Hunt'?" Mabel offered, in hopes of cheering up her brother. They always come up with such random activities that would pass the boring time of traveling.

Dipper continued gazing through the window and watched the trees pass by. "I'm not in the mood," he answered earnestly.

"Oh, come on," Mabel insisted, opening the bus seat in between them, revealing what was underneath. "We've got a Canadian coin, gum that's shaped like Ronald Reagan's head– ooh! Miscellaneous fluid stain-!"

"Giant robot!" Dipper shrieked..

"Yeah, giant robot– wait. What?!" Mabel exclaimed back.

"LOOK!"

From the back of the bus, a giant Gideon robot slid across the dirt and was carelessly sprinting towards them. "Halt!" They heard his voice. "I demand you to halt!" Every step sent an earthquake their way. The twins screamed in a panic, going to the front of the bus where the driver sat.

"Mr. Bus Driver!" Mabel cried. "There's a giant Gideon bot coming towards us!"

"Oh, hey dudes."

"Soos!"

The twins cheered in relief when they saw a familiar face. It turns out that Soos had been taking multiple jobs at once when the Mystery Shack was temporarily out of service. Now, he had been a part-time bus driver for at least 40 minutes and this was his first day.

Soos accelerated and pressed on the gas, making the bus move faster. "Hang on, dudes!" The vehicle dodged Gideon's attacks as best as they could, but when the overly large hand went and reached for it, Soos had unknowingly swerved to a new direction, heading towards a restricted area, blocked off by wooden signs.

The bus went up a hill, the road going round and round. For a moment, they thought they lost him, but the robot was unfortunately persistent and carelessly climbed up the mountain. The twins watched through the window as the Gideon-bot made the effort to clamber up. "He already won, what does he want from us?!" Dipper asked incredulously.

They ran towards the front and saw that they were heading straight towards a cliff. "Soos! Cliff!" Dipper called out, but it was too late for Soos to kick the pedals. The tires squealed against the dirt until the bus turned and ended up hanging for its dear life, stopping right at the edge of the hill. Soos tried to accelerate, but the other end of the bus didn't have dirt to move against.

Gideon rises from the mountains, striding menacingly towards the transport. The bot easily grabbed the bus and began shaking it up and down until the roof was torn apart. There, he found Soos who busied himself reading a manual to help him in this situation. The twins were nowhere to be found.

He turned around and looked for them until he saw two kids trying to run across the railroad that connected two tunnels of the cliffs. Dipper and Mabel tried to escape, but when they saw the signed boards that said, "DEAD END", on the other side of the railway, it was hopeless to get away.

The Gideon-bot jumped down and landed, causing the bridge to quake with its weight. It was amazing that the structure could still withstand the great amount of mass. "TELL ME!" Gideon's real voice reverberated through the speakers of his machine. "Where is Journal #1?!"

"Journal #1?" The twins echoed his question.

"Don't play games with me, boy!" The robot punched the other cliff, rocks crumbling apart and falling onto the siblings. Dipper and Mabel tried their best to dodge the descending boulders.

Dipper glared at the bot. "I don't know what you're talking about, you took the only journal I ever had!" He shouted in retaliation. "What do you even want with these journals, anyway?"

Gideon didn't answer, instead he reached down and took the twins in each of his metallic hands, separating them. Mabel struggled against the tight, cold grip.

"LET GO OF HER!" Dipper punched the metal in every word he spoke.

The bot simply laughed. "You still think you're some kind of hero?"

Without warning, Gideon tossed him away. Dipper landed by the edge of the cliff, hitting his head on a rock. He felt a warm, sticky substance running down his nose. "Agh..." he rubbed the pain on the back of his head. It was getting hard to breathe, getting hard to stand up. But he managed to do so, anyway.

"Dipper, help me!" Mabel screamed. "Help!"

The boy tried to look around for a way to reach his sister and rescue her, but his mind couldn't even think properly. His mind was hazy, and his heartbeat was erratic. Usually, he would've taken his journal out of his vest right by now and flipped through the pages for the solution. But he didn't have anything, and he was left to himself.

He didn't know what to do.

He just stood there, frozen in place. The anxieties he had always felt came crashing in more heavily now. Gideon's words from earlier were plaguing his mind that his shoulders were sagging from emotions.

"Face it, kid, you're nothing without that journal!" It was true. " How're you gonna fight back? No muscles, no brains..." His words got to him. He felt tears escaping him as his lips quivered. "What are you gonna do, huh? What are you gonna do?"

Dipper retreated back to the forest in defeat. Gideon was right. There was nothing he could do. He let the words of mockery get to him as his resolve crumbled. His mind shut down.

That's why he was following his heart this time, and took a leap of faith.

He turned around and charged forward, plunging down from the cliff. He jumped, flying down towards the bot. Dipper yelled, alerting the bot as it faced him.

Dipper crashed directly through the eye– which was made of glass– and tackled the real Gideon out of the controller. They landed on the floor but Dipper quickly stood. "Let go of my sister!" Dipper reared his fist back and punched Gideon repeatedly in the face.

"Never! I finally won this time!" Gideon retaliated, pushing him off and fighting back. The two exchanged punches and hits. The Gideon bot replicated his actions, flying Mabel around.

Gideon managed to throw Dipper down, sending punches to his face until the brown-haired boy had had enough. His brows furrowed in resolution as he stood back up and prepared for Gideon's next hit. And when he did, he captured the boy's fist, easily stopping him.

The white-haired boy's resolve faltered for a bit, startled at Dipper's change in strength.

With Dipper's other hand, he guided Gideon's arm and twisted it around to aim for his pale face. He began hitting him with Gideon's own arm, playing a game of "why you hitting yourself?".

Finally, Dipper managed to force one last hit on Gideon, and the bot did the same, hitting its own head. It punched itself so hard, that the head came loose, spinning around wildly.

With Gideon out of his control hub, the robot lost its balance, until it eventually fall backwards and plummeted down. "Dudes! NOO!" Soos shouted.

The twins were falling in mid-air, screaming as they did so. The Gideon-bot crashed and caused a huge explosion, big enough for everyone in the town to see. Parts of the robot were still fizzing with electricity, convulsing as the last remaining power wore off. Amongst the destruction, a continuous squealing of a rope was heard,

The smoke dissipated a bit to reveal Dipper and Mabel, going down slowly with the help of the almighty, "GRAPPLING HOOK!" Mabel declared loud and proud. "Told you that would come in handy." She told to her brother before their shoes hit the ground safely.

"Mabel, that was amazing!" Dipper exclaimed excitedly.

"Not as amazing as you defeating that robot!" Mabel shot back, playfully punching him in the arm, causing him to knock over a random metal sheet and under it was his journal. Safe and sound.

Dipper quickly picked up the book and tucked it inside his vest, just in time for the townspeople to arrive– including the police. "Is this the thing that exploded?" A random townsfolk uttered aloud.

"What's going on?"

"What is it?"

"What happened?"

Gideon managed to pop his head out of his contraption, groaning as he felt a headache coming from the impact he dealt. The people saw him and immediately ran to his aid. "Gideon!" Deputy Durland assisted Gideon all the way down as the twins watched with distaste.

The group of people all feigned a concerned look. "What on earth happened here?" Durland asked the little boy.

"It was the Pines twins!" Gideon bawled haplessly. "They tried to attack me and blew up my statue with dynamite! Arrest 'em!"

"WHAT!?" The twins squawked in disbelief.

"Officers, he's lying!" Dipper tried to convince, but the handcuffs were already out and dangling.

Gideon wore the smirk back to his face as Blubs shrugged, "Sorry, kids, but we trust Gideon– and nothing short of a miracle could ever change our-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The Stan mobile made its entrance as Y/n carelessly drove through the dirt and even went to bump the police car so hard that it flipped to the side before parking But Stan didn't care as he jumped out of the window. "Wait, wait! Stop everything!"

"Not this guy again," Blubs discerned, not even commenting enough that a young-looking kid was driving the car in the first place.

Stan sprinted out of the car and parted the people to make way towards the cops. "Just wait! Look!" He was full of energy as he ran to the destroyed robot. "You guys all think Gideon is so perfect and honest, "Oh! I could never tell a lie! I'm Gideon!"" He mocked, making Y/n roll her eyes.

"He's more honest than you!" Blubs retorted, hands on his hips.

"Yeah!" Durland agreed, "and he's psychic too!"

"How's this for psychic? Bam!" Stan proceeded to kick the Gideon-bot, causing the metal panel to fall off. "Take a good look!"

Inside the bot were numerous monitors displaying the lives of people from Gravity Falls. The townsfolk surrounded the bot and pointed out their appearances inside the screens. "That's me!" They echoed.

"That's right!" Stan grinned. "These pins are hidden cameras! And my hearing aid was picking up the feedback! Who's the fraud now?" With a pinch, he easily broke the pin in his hands, revealing the small camera inside.

The rest of the townspeople followed suit, smashing their Gideon-themed pins on the ground before glaring at the culprit. Gideon could only giggle nervously as he feared for his consequences. Everyone marched towards the child with grief-stricken expressions. "Gideon, we gave you our trust!" Durland sobbed.

"You lied to us!" Manly Dan exclaimed with roughness in his voice.

Gideon shrank back until he was cornered. He stuttered some sort of explanation, but it was useless to change their minds now. "W-what are you gonna do with me?"

Durland turned to the town's local enthusiasm enthusiast. "Tyler?"

With a heavy heart, Tyler looked away. "Get 'em..." he sobbed, sniffling away his tears. "Get 'em!"

Gideon gasped as Blubs stood over him. "Lil' Gideon, you are under arrest for conspiracy, fraud, and breaking our hearts!" His voice cracked at the end before turning to his partner. "Durland, the tiny handcuffs."

They shackled his tiny wrists together before letting him walk towards the police car. Stan was already there by the vehicle's door. "Just one more thing," he said, picking Gideon up by the back of his collar and effortlessly shaking him.

"Let go of me!" Gideon screamed as the contents from his suit fell. There were his wallet, set of keys, an ax!?, a random crumbled paper, a photograph of Mabel, the deed, and the second journal.

Y/n nonchalantly slinked through the crowd and took advantage of them being distracted by Stan reclaiming the deed. Fortunately, she managed to slip it inside the pocket of her jacket. No one seemed to have noticed it, and when the twins walked closer to Stan, she casually just gave them a relieved smile.

"I'm glad you guys are okay," she told them.

The twins reciprocated her smile, "Finally, we're free from Gideon," Mabel sighed in completion.

"Yeah, no more of that little jerk terrorizing us," Dipper added, smiling.

Gideon was finally sent off in the police car, screaming out curses and threats. Shandra Jimenez materialized beside Stan. "There you have it. Local hero Stanford Pines has just exposed Lil Gideon as a fraud," she said, aiming the microphone at Stan. "Anything you have to say to the town, Stanford?"

The camera pointed at Stan, Mabel, Dipper, and Y/n laughing carefree.

"The Mystery Shack is back, baby!"

***

The tourist trap was indeed back and better than ever, bustling with customers and booming with sales. With the grand re-opening, they attracted fans who wanted them to autograph their merchandise. Stan did so gladly, just as gladly as he took their money.

When the Shack was empty again, the family took their time adjusting to their rooms again, placing everything back to where it used to be. It seemed that Gideon didn't really touch anything in their rooms and with that, they were grateful.

Dipper and Mabel were tidying up their room when Stan opened their door. "Hey, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel greeted.

"Uh, you kiddos settlin' back in okay?" Stan began before letting himself in. He sat on the edge of his nephew's bed, right beside him.

"Yep!" Mabel answered.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan?" Dipper spoke slowly. "Me and Mabel have been talking, and I think there's something we should finally tell you."

He showed him the velvety book with the six-fingered golden hand on the cover.

"This is a journal Y/n and I found in the woods when you sent us out," he told the older man, handing Stan the journal to peruse. "It talks about all the crazy stuff that goes on in Gravity Falls. Gideon nearly destroyed the whole town trying to find it. I don't know what it means, or who wrote it. But, after all we've been through..." he and his sister exchanged smiles, "Maybe you should finally know about it."

Stan's face was serious, void of a smile. "I'm glad you showed me this, Dipper." He closed the journal after skimming through it. For a moment, they thought he was going to say more, but he suddenly cackled aloud. "Now I know where you've been getting it all from! Spookums and monsters." He ruffled up Dipper's hair in the process. "This kooky book has been filling your head with crazy conspiracies!"

"But it's all real!" Dipper tried to convince him. He had to believe him!

Stan merely laughed. "You gotta quit readin' this fantasy nonsense for your own good. Although some of these would make great attractions!" He opened a random page and showed an illustration of the Squash with Human Face and Emotions. "Can't come up with this stuff! Mind if I borrow this?" Stan got up from the bed, taking the book with him and strutting away.

"Wait! No! Grunkle Stan!" Dipper called after him, but it all fell on deaf ears.

Stan chortled, ""Magic book." Ridiculous!" He walked out of the room, laughing echoing in the hallways.

He didn't tread long before he saw Y/n, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed coolly. "Good acting back there. For a second, I would have also thought that you don't believe in the paranormal."

The two of them walked down the stairs. "How could I not when I've been living with one for 30 years?" Stan inputted the code and the vending machine easily opened with a hiss. They slipped inside. "And hey, they have to think that I don't believe any of this stuff or it would blow my cover."

They stepped out of the elevator at the lowest level, automatically entering the room that held the key to saving her exemplar and his brother.

"Let's get to work."

Y/n sat in the chair and dragged herself over to the table, where she opened a drawer to reveal the first journal. Stan handed her the third journal, and the second one as still in her jacket pocket when she took it out. She set them down on the table. One. Two. Three.

After all these years.

Finally they have them all.

One. Two. Three.

Y/n opened the journals to their corresponding pages. The sensation of the paper against her fingers was exhilarating. It was as if each time it had a different texture. She found the blueprint and pieced it together. There it was. Codes littered the entire pages, and she immediately copied the arrangements of the alphanumeric symbols. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Ford's writing and the buttons she was pressing.

Slowly, the lights on the portal lit up, associating with the switches and levers she moved. Stan was quiet, watching her work, right until she pressed the last key, and the portal turned on.

Stan gazed at the illuminated portal, beaming with life. "It's working! Y/n, it's working!" She was speechless.

The older man madly rushed through the sliding door and face-to-face with the portal. Stan jolted the massive lever to the other side, which Y/n watched through the protective glass. The portal began to sparkle with power, emitting random laser lights before blinking to a bright white. The empty and presumed-dead was now brought back to life. All thanks to these journals.

One. Two. Three.

"Here we go," Stan said, his hands on his hips. Their hard work is finally getting paid.

Three. Two. One.

***

END OF SEASON 1.

kimmiepines originally published: july 3, 2023 words: 8131 words

author's note: hello my beloved readers. i want to send my heartfelt thanks to you guys for your patience and your comments! i love reading them and it gives me joy every time i see how immersed you guys are with the story.

i just realized that this story has reached its 1st anniversary! this book was published july 1, 2022. it's been a YEAR and we're only finished with the first season! i love u guys!

thank you for the people who took the time to decipher the little codes i put in every chapter. theyre just silly activities that i wanted to try but i am so happy that people participated! purplexpassion since you solved the puzzle in the shorts chapter, here is your reward! (you already saw it but whatever-)

i'll see you guys next time! on to season 2, baby!!!

ZIV BLF IVZWB?

[stansangel]

A/N: it's finally here....HOPEFULLY I DID IT JUSTICE LMAO (i took artistic liberties and had like 4 conversations about what to make this with my friends and how it should actually be formulated as so like idk whatever enjoy. i hate it i cant lie but WE GO ON) Pairing: Bill Cipher x Angel!Reader Warnings: none?? i think,,, Bill warning??? Word Count: 480

Off Balance

You always had a knack for disrupting the calm. It wasn’t anything major—just small, almost unnoticeable acts of disorder. Rearranging objects on a table so they didn’t quite line up, humming off-key during an otherwise silent moment, switching out someone's usual coffee order for something entirely different just to see the confusion. You never intended to cause chaos; it was more like nudging the world a little off balance, enough to keep things interesting.

Bill Cipher, ever the grand manipulator of madness, found your subtle approach amusing. You weren’t pulling reality apart at the seams like he would, but in your own way, you were constantly upending the order of things. And for reasons he couldn’t fully explain, he found it… intriguing.

"You really like shaking things up in the tiniest ways, huh?" Bill’s voice drifted into your thoughts, his presence more of an idle curiosity than the usual unsettling force he liked to project.

You glanced over, casually moving a stack of papers on a random desk so they were just slightly crooked. "It’s not chaos, just... breaking up the monotony. Keeps things... fresh."

Bill’s triangular form appeared at your side, his eye tracking your movements as you leaned back in your chair, seemingly unbothered by his sudden presence. "Fresh, huh? I’m used to turning worlds upside down, and here you are, satisfied with tipping a cup the wrong way. You’re an odd one."

You smirked. "Maybe. But there’s enough big chaos in the world. I like the small stuff. It gets people to look twice, think a little harder, notice what they usually ignore."

He floated a little closer, curious but distant. "You find that entertaining? All these little disruptions?"

"Yeah. It's harmless, but it still messes with people’s day just enough to make things interesting. Like a game," you said, pushing the papers just a bit more out of place. "Besides, I’m not out to blow up the universe."

Bill huffed in amusement. "Pity. But I have to admit, it’s kind of fun watching you stir things up in your own way. Most people don’t even notice."

You gave a slight shrug, not overly concerned with whether others noticed or not. "I notice, and that’s enough."

For a moment, Bill said nothing, just hovered there, watching you create your tiny ripples of disorder. It wasn’t the kind of chaos he usually relished—there were no massive shifts, no mind-breaking illusions—but somehow, it worked. You made the mundane feel off-kilter in a way that felt... familiar.

"Or you could try what I do." Bill said finally, his tone almost thoughtful. "Might make me stick around a bit longer."

"I think the face that I don't cause damage like you is why you stick around." You smiled lightly, continuing to mess with the small details, leaving the world just a bit more unbalanced than before. Bill didn’t say more, just floated beside you in comfortable silence, content to observe your quiet havoc.

Billll Cipher x Angel Female Reader who loves Mild Chaos when in reality it's just not but for some reason Bill finds it endearing in a way

Anon I love how your mind works, I will start on this ASAP! I love this idea 😈😈

[spider-anonymous]

Could I please get a matchup for Seven Deadly Sins and for Gravity Falls? I'm a bisexual female who loves making gifts for others, no matter the occasion and I always try to make them meaningful. Sometimes I can be mean but I always apologize after and try to not do it again. I like to tinker, to read, to draw and to photograph. I can talk for hours or be extremely quiet, depending on who I'm with. I'm open-minded but still defend my opinion. I can't stand to see others get hurt but... (1/2)

... am ready to punch someone in the face should they insult my friends or be generally an asshole to everyone. I respect others as long as they do the same. I always try to be polite and lighten up others in hopes they can smile about whatever I did. Sometimes I apologize too much without realizing it. I'm insecure about my body but I nearly never tell anyone. I'm always open to listen to others and give them advice if wanted. Thank you in advance! I'm excited who you guys pair me up with!(2/2)             

Hello! Thank you for sending in your request, we hope you enjoy.

Seven Deadly Sins

    For the Seven Deadly Sins we decided to pair you with King, mostly because of how sweet you can be but not to the point as to where you seem naïve or can’t stand up for yourself or others. 

    He likes how soft and gentle you seem when you’re lost in a book or outside taking pictures of the wildlife around you. It makes him relax and sometimes he’ll even lay his head in your lap when you aren’t paying much attention but if you bring it up this baby boy will go RED. 

     This fairy right here is very similar to you, he can be so sweet and ow-key a shy bean but mess with him and whoopsies there’s a spear in your chest (*cough cough* Ban *cough*) so he knows how to handle your emotions. He’s good with not getting upset over little things and making you upset in the process, but he admires how you can be so calm and mature in certain situations. 

    He thinks that it’s also admirable for you to realize your mistakes so easily and apologize, since some people have a very hard time doing that. 

    If he ever gets wind of you being insecure about your body he will hold you for a good amount of time while telling you how perfect he thinks you are, he’ll list too many reasons to count as to why he loves you and why you should be more confident in yourself. (One of our members actually struggle with this as well, so just putting it out there, if you need someone to talk to for reassurance, we’re here and that goes for everyone.)

Gravity Falls

  Ok, we aren’t sure if this is a surprise or not, but we think you and Mabel would make the cutest couple ever! First of all, you are always making such heartfelt gifts for everyone and so does Mabel! You two could like team up for some really big present, actually. 

   She loves how you try so hard to cheer people up and make them smile, and she especially needs it when she’s hiding in her sweater. 

   She may not have a mean bone in her body but she will stand up to anyone for you, if you haven’t already done so yourself. (Especially Pacifica....) 

    Insecurities? She will take VERY EXTREME measures to prove to you that you are worth her entire glittery existence. She will make people put on a play or SOMETHING in your honor if you so much as mutter a single degrading comment about yourself around her. 

    Ok, just gonna say it, matching sweaters. You, Mabel, AND Waddles all having a matching sweater on will be the background on her cell phone for YEARS if you let her, and of course she’d love it if you took the picture. 

    (Ever see that vine where the girl is lip syncing to that song and the other girl pops out of her shirt and they fall backwards? Honestly, we immediately thought of that, we are so sorry (Not sorry.)

We hope you enjoyed!

Hope humanity treats you well, X-Acto’s Leader -Doxy

*X-A’*

[breezeflows]

The Long Road (Stanford Pines x Reader)

Chapter 4

Y’ALL THIS ONE WAS/IS A ROUGH ONE. I had a lot of writers block with this chapter, but I think I finally accomplished fitting in everything I wanted it to have! Also just for clarification, a lot of things that happened in this chapter will be discussed more thoroughly in future chapters! (Aka Ford’s perspective.) Thank you everyone so much for your patience and continued support!! With that, here is absolutely gut wrenching chapter 4!!

Also, last thing I promise, if you want to be added to the tag list, just comment!

Themes: Lying, Arguments, Strong language, Lotsss of bottled up emotions, Fiddleford gets traumatized by the portal, Ford over prioritizing Bill and his work over sleep/his wife etc, all the fun stuff! This chapter is very sad! But we will finally be back to the present in chapter 5!

You found yourself waking in the late afternoon, your bags now packed and in hand as you make your way out of Lizzy’s apartment. And although you were a nervous wreck to return home and confront Ford about last night’s events, you were also happy at the thought you’d be sleeping in your own bed tonight. You were hopeful that Ford would have a good explanation. Maybe he was drunk out of his mind, due to your absence, or maybe Fiddleford brought the two of them there after a breakthrough in their research. You couldn’t quite put your finger on it.

You keep your thoughts running as you settle into the passenger seat of Lizzy’s car. Your mind is a flurry of hope, worry, and anxiety as you mull over all the different possibilities of what happened last night.

Lizzy hops into the driver’s seat, her gaze flickering over to you as she senses your nerves.

“Hey,” she says softly. “Everything will be okay, alright? I’m sure Ford has a good explanation for everything. At least, he better.”

You let out a nervous sigh, once again fiddling with your wedding band as you try to steady yourself. 

“I hope so,” you murmur, eyes drifting out the window as Lizzy kicks the vehicle in motion. “I really don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t.”

Lizzy places a sympathetic hand on your shoulder, giving it  a squeeze.

“Let’s just focus on getting there for now, okay? Try not to imagine any worst-case scenarios until we actually talk to him.”

You give a small nod as she drives, the world outside becoming a blur of trees and late afternoon sun.

6:00 PM.

With a final turn down the gravel path, you arrive at the place you consider home, the cabin. The familiarity of your surroundings should be relieving, yet you find yourself on edge, tugging down on the beanie that rested against your head.

You unclip your seatbelt as the car hauls to a stop, Lizzy turning to give you a reassuring smile.

“I’ll drive around closeby.” she says. “In case things go, you know, not so great.”

You nod softly, thanking her as you grab your bags from the backseat, stepping out of the car. The gravel under your feet crunches with each step, your heart beating rapidly in your chest.

Taking a deep breath, you make your way to the front door of your home, a nervous hand twisting the knob and pushing it open. As you step foot into the familiar space, you’re surprised to find Ford in the living room. He’s seated on the couch, working on what seemed to be some sort of gadget on the coffee table.

He looks up as you enter, his expression casual with a hint of excitement.

“You’re back!” He states as he stands, approaching you with a warm smile.

You swallow hard, clutching your bags tightly as you regard him warily.

“I missed you, how was your trip? There’s so much I have to tell you, Fiddleford and I had a major breakthrough this weekend!”

Ford’s words are light and pleasant, and he looks genuinely happy to see you. A stark difference from how he was the night before. He steps closer to you, looking as if he’s about to pull you into an embrace, but you take a step back, releasing your bags from your grip.

Ford’s smile falters for a brief moment, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

“Is something wrong?” he asks, his voice laced with concern.

“Where were you last night?”

He seems taken aback by your blunt question, a brow raised as he rubs the back of his neck.

“Ah… well I was here, working with Fiddleford, like I said.” he replies, gesturing to the gadget on the table. “Why do you ask?”

Your heart twists in your chest as you clench your fists, frown adorning your lips.

“Is that all..?”

Ford looks perplexed by your question, his eyes filled with concern as he takes a step towards you, his expression growing increasingly more confused and worried.

“What do you mean? Where else would I have been?”

You go to speak, but falter, looking down at the floor as you hold your elbow sheepishly.

“Nevermind.. It’s nothing, sorry.”

Ford pauses, his concern only deepening as he watches you avoid his gaze. He takes another step closer, his voice gentle.

“Y/N, please tell me what’s wrong,” he says, reaching out to touch your arm.

“You’ve been acting strange ever since you came through the door… Did something happen? You can talk to me.”

You swallow hard, before looking up to meet his gaze.

Ford’s expression is genuine, his grip on you squeezing gently as you gaze at him for a moment. This Ford was a huge contrast to whoever you had talked to last night, this was the man you knew and adored. Maybe you and Lizzy really did have too much to drink, and you mixed it all up with some other guy? It seemed too coincidental, but the way Ford was acting now made you second guess everything. He seemed totally unphased, and there wasn’t a single thing about his tone that would lead you to believe he was lying. This was still your husband, after all.

You shovel all of your thoughts and suspicions down as you sigh, placing a hand over the one he had rested on your arm.

“It’s nothing, I promise,” you say, cracking a soft smile as you lean into him. “I just missed you a lot. It’s good to be home.”

Ford’s eyes soften at your words, and he pulls you closer to him, gently enveloping you in his arms. He holds you close, one hand rubbing soothing circles on your back.

“I missed you too,” he murmurs, his voice soft and gentle. “More than you know.”

Your ears and cheeks turn red at his words as he pulls away, just enough to meet your gaze, his eyes searching yours for a moment before he speaks.

“So, you uh, need help with your bags?”

A soft blush covers Ford’s cheeks as you smile once more, your hand reaching to cup his cheek, thumb grazing the skin underneath.

“Sure, although I wanna hear everything you wanted to catch me up on while I unpack.”

If somehow possible, Ford’s cheeks turn an even darker shade of pink as you touch his face, his gaze flicking down to your hand before coming back up to meet your eyes. He then clears his throat, voice slightly strained.

“Y-yeah of course,” he stammers, his hand coming up to rub the back of his head. “We can talk in the bedroom while you unpack.”

“Sounds like a plan.” you say with a chuckle, grabbing both of your bags and handing one to Ford, placing a quick peck to his cheek before pulling away.

A small, boyish smile appears on his lips at your gesture. He quickly takes the bag you handed him, keeping his eyes on you for a moment before looking down at your luggage in his hands.

He clears his throat once more, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness as he speaks.

“Right, let’s go then.”

Ford then begins to lead the way to the bedroom, you trailing along behind him.

As you both enter your shared room you begin to unpack your bags, Ford chatting away excitedly as he helps you with your things, pulling out your clean clothes and placing them in the closet. 

You smile at his enthusiasm, but you can’t help but notice the bed as you unpack. The sheets are just how you left them, pillows fluffed and blankets tucked into the edges of the frame.

“Did you get any sleep while I was gone?” you ask, shutting a drawer after you’ve placed a pair of jeans inside.

Ford pauses mid-sentence in his excited explanation, faltering as his glaze flicks from the bed to yours.

“Uh, well… no, I didn’t,” he admits, his voice laced with a hint of guilt. “With all the work Fiddleford and I’ve been doing, I guess I just forgot about sleep.”

You frown deeply as he moves to continue helping you unpack, your arms falling to your sides.

“Ford..”

Ford pauses again, a flicker of guilt in his eyes as he senses your disapproving tone.

“Just promise me that you’ll at least come to bed tonight. Okay? I worry about you when you aren’t getting any rest.”

His expression softens, gaze full of guilt and affection meeting yours. He nods in agreement, a sheepish smile crossing his face.

“I promise.”

Over the following nights, Ford makes a point of coming to bed, holding true to the word he gave you the night you returned from Lizzys. However, the pattern you had desperately hoped for doesn’t last long. The old habits return quickly, Ford abandoning the bedroom in favor of work in the lab for days on end. Days soon turn into weeks, weeks into months, and so on. You find yourself lying alone in bed each night, your mind filled with anger and frustration. Sometimes, you’re kept awake by the bright flashes and rumbling from below. A part of you wanted to stomp down there and give him a piece of your mind, to leave him and this broken marriage behind, but another part of you yearned for Ford. You longed for the day you’d see him emerge from the lab instead of Fiddleford, or the day he’d prioritize you again. Even just a simple acknowledgement of your presence, other than “hello, how are you”, would do. You missed how things used to be. You missed him.

But the day never came.

You were too stubborn to be the first to break the now built-up tension, after all it was Ford’s fault the two of you were in this predicament anyway. At least that’s what you told yourself, feeding into the false hope that things were going to somehow magically improve. 

The same cycle repeated itself, leaving you feeling helpless and abandoned.

Until one night.

You found yourself lying alone in bed yet again, your head laid on what was once Ford’s pillow, his scent no longer attached to the fabric. The sounds of the lab seem louder tonight as you toss and turn, grunting in annoyance. You glance towards the clock on your nightstand, the glowing numbers reading midnight. Frustration mounts within you, the lack of any attention whatsoever from Ford wearing you down.

Suddenly, an extremely loud whir from the lab forces you to sit upright, your heart pounding in your chest as your irritation gets the best of you. Finally, you’d had enough.

You throw back the covers in an aggressive motion, swinging your legs over the bed. You pad across the room, your bare feet touching the cold hardwood floor. Each step you take fuels the growing anger in you, your patience thinning.

Reaching the door, you pull on it, the sound of it creaking open adding to the building tension. With a huff, you step forward into the darkness and descend the stairway leading to the lab.

You press the button to the elevator harshly, stepping inside the metal contraption. As you descend further you hear the sound of faint yelling, along with a thud. Your stomach twists with frustration and anxiety, your mind reeling with possibilities of what the hell was going on down there.

Finally, the elevator doors slide open, revealing a blinding blue light behind the glass window of the lab. Your feet carry you quickly to the source, dashing through the entryway when all of a sudden, your shoulders are grabbed.

Your body stiffens as your eyes adjust to the lighting, revealing a disheveled Fiddleford in front of you. His fearful eyes search your panicked ones, his grip painfully tight.

“Fiddleford-”

“You’ve got to get out of here Y/N,” he states frantically, his voice shaky. “This machine will bring about the end of the world, it’s dangerous beyond comprehension. It should never see the light of day.”

The sound of your heartbeat fills your ears as you process his words. The seriousness in his voice and panicked look in his eyes were enough to send a chill down your spine. You take a moment, before stuttering out a few words.

“What? Machine? The end of the world..?”

Before you can finish your sentence, Fiddleford leaves in a rush, your frightened gaze moving to the source of the light.

In front of you stood what seemed to be some sort of portal, with your husband standing right below it.

You watch him as you stand there, dumbstruck by fear and confusion. You clench your fists before taking a firm step forward, swallowing dryly.

“Ford..?”

He stands with his back turned to you, mumbling something before yelling aloud.

“No, you know what… I don’t need anyone!”

Your legs tremble as you make your way towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Ford jumps violently at the contact, his head whipping around to face you. His gaze widening for a moment, before turning cold and harsh.

“What..? What are you doing down here Y/N?” He snaps, his tone sharp and defensive.

Your gut clenches at his tone, your eyes brimming with tears as you finally break.

“What the actual fuck, Stanford!” You yell, hands formed into fists as you hold them in front of you.

“What is this?! This.. this thing?!” You yell, pointing towards the portal. 

“This is too fucking far!!”

Ford’s eyes narrow, his irritation growing apparent. He stands his ground, stepping towards you and jabbing a finger towards your chest.

“This?” he replies, gesturing to the portal. “This is my life’s work Y/N! Everything I’ve dedicated myself towards for decades! Something you wouldn’t even understand the significance of, even if I explained it to you!”

His words cut through you like a knife, tears now streaming warmly down your cheeks. You grab hold of his wrist roughly, jerking him towards you.

“No!” you yell, your grip unrelenting. 

“This is some sort of doomsday device you abandoned EVERYTHING for! That you abandoned ME for!”

Your voice breaks with that last sentence, your teeth clenching as you attempt to stifle your pain.

“I’ve stuck with you through everything, Stanford! When you lost Stanley, during those horrible years in college, through this!” You say, pointing to him and then to yourself with your free hand. “When you’ve practically neglected me as your wife, all of it! I stayed with you because I’m in love with you, Stanford!”

Ford’s eyes soften at your words, a strong flicker of guilt in his expression as you list all the sacrifices you’ve made for him.

“But I can’t,” your voice trembles with each word, your grip on his wrist loosening to where it falls back to your side. 

“Y/N…”

Every emotion you’ve bottled up until now weighs down on you, your heart racing in your chest.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

Your tearful gaze meets his, his heart aching at the sight.

Ford looks as if he’s been torn in two. Flashes of guilt, anger, and concern, all etching across his face as he stands there, desperately searching for the right answer. And although you never in a million years would intend for him to be put in this spot, he knows he has to choose. The person who devoted their everything to him, or everything he’s ever devoted himself to.

Ford stutters out his answer faster than he can think, sweat beading against his forehead.

“This isn’t,” he pinches the bridge of his nose, his expression heavily conflicted. “This is something monumental Y/N, something that could change the course of existence itself. I have to do this,” as Ford continues, you feel your heart snapping in two, your gaze lowering to the floor as you attempt to take in what he is saying.

“I have to finish what I started, Y/N.”

Your vision blurs with heavy tears as the two of you stand there in deafening silence. 

Your expression is filled with pure distraught as you lift your head, your gaze meeting Ford’s. Although he doesn’t return it, his eyes glued to the ground with a solemn frown on his lips. Your lip trembles as you lower your head once more, standing there for a few moments before forcing yourself to turn away.

“Okay.”

Your legs feel heavy with each step, every part of you screaming at you to stay. But deep down you know you can’t, it was time for you to choose yourself for once.

So with that you trudge on, out of the lab and out of the cabin.

The cabin you once considered home.

Thank you for reading! I hope y’all like how this turned out :)

Tag list: @karmaisacatluzi @therottenheartofscum @catr4dora @slay-thou-pookie @wow-life-love4 @missgurlsstuff @violetvsworld @inquiit @mandossillyriduur @mokikow @phirbat

[breezeflows]

The Long Road (Stanford Pines x Reader)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is here yippee!! I feel like these first few chapters are kind of slow but it’ll be worth it i swear!! And also a huge thank you to everyone for showing the first chapter so much love! It means the world to me. Now with all that aside here is Chapter 2! <3

Themes: This chapter is prettyyy sappy, Ford and Reader sort of make up? (Let’s see how long that lasts) sad feelings, small arguments, kissing, yearning, etc all the stuff that’s blanching okay anyways

The next day you find yourself sitting in a booth at Greasy’s Diner, idly stirring creamer into your cup of coffee. The diner is relatively quiet, the only sounds coming from the occasional clinking of silverware against plates and the soft hum of the AC unit. The smell of bacon and fried eggs wafts through the air, and sunlight streams through the large windows, casting the small diner in a warm glow. You take a sip of your coffee, the caffeine working its way into your system as you try to distract yourself from the thoughts of yesterday’s events.

You’re soon brought out of your trance as your close friend Lizzy arrives, sliding her way into the booth in front of you. Her strong perfume drifts through the air as she tucks her curly blonde hair behind her ears, showing off the golden hoops she’s adorning as she readjusts her bright green V-neck. She reaches into her purse, grabbing a bright red lipstick and begins applying it as she speaks.

“Sorry I’m late doll. Traffic was a total nightmare!”

Your face warms at the presence of your close friend, although it doesn’t seem to ease the heartache you’re feeling from your previous encounter with Ford. Your hurt being evident in your tone as you reply.

“It’s no problem Liz.”

Lizzy’s gaze instantly meets yours as she pauses, catching onto your tone immediately. She studies you for a moment, lowering the red lipstick as she takes in your tired eyes and solemn expression.

“Hey, you okay?” she asks gently, voice laced with concern. “You look like you’ve been through the wringer.”

You sigh, your shoulders drooping as you begin to explain your situation to Lizzy.

“I don’t even know where to start,” you say, fiddling with the sleeves of your sweater. (Ford’s sweater ahem ahem) “Things have been… hectic, to say the least. My relationship with Ford has been falling apart, and I feel like I’ve been living with a ghost these past few weeks. He’s been completely immersed in his research, and he barely even acknowledges my presence anymore.”

Lizzy watches you carefully with a frown, her brows furrowed in concern.

You continue, your voice faltering slightly as you recall the recent events. “Yesterday morning, we had a tense conversation where he basically said that his research is more important to him than our marriage. And then one of our old friends from college showed up and it made the situation even worse.”

Lizzy listens intently as you speak, her expression filled with sympathy. Once you finish explaining everything, she reaches across the table and takes your hand in hers, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this Y/N,” she says soothingly. “You deserve so much better than that doll. And you should definitely get out of that house for a bit and clear your mind. How about you come stay at my place for a couple of weeks? You don’t need to deal with all of this...” she waves her free hand around as she continues. “Man-stress, alone.”

A wave of gratitude washes over you at Lizzy’s offer, and you can feel the tears prickling at the corners of your eyes. She really was an amazing friend. You take a deep breath, trying to compose yourself.

“Are you sure?” you ask. “I don’t want to impose or anything.”

Lizzy chuckles dismissively, giving you a reassuring smile.

“You won’t be imposing on anything Y/N. I’ve got a spare room in my apartment, and it’ll be nice to have some company other than my boyfriend. Plus, a change of scenery might do you some good.”

You take a second to consider her offer, weighing the pros and cons in your mind. The idea of getting away from everything for awhile was tempting, and spending time with a good friend is always a nice thought. You take another deep breath, pushing down the small voice in your head that is telling you to stay and make things right with Ford. You knew he wasn’t going to change his mind anytime soon, or at least it felt that way.

“Okay,” you finally say, your voice slightly stronger now. “I’ll stay with you for a while. Thank you, Liz, you have no idea how much this means to me.”

Her smile widens, and she gives your hand another squeeze. “Of course chick,” she says. “What are friends for right?” She then reaches over and takes your coffee, thoughtfully taking a sip of the not-so-hot liquid.

“So, do you need help packing a bag, or do you want to go back home first to get your things?”

You think for a moment before replying. “I can head back to the house to pack a bag, but I’ll probably need to leave the car for Ford in case he needs it. Could you pick me up around 3:00?”

Lizzy nods in understanding, a slight frown on her face at the mention of Ford. Even when the two of you were fighting you still looked out for him, it was admirable.

“Yeah, of course,” she says. “I’ll be there at three. Text me when you’re packed and ready, and I’ll head over to pick you up. Just focus on getting what you need, and don’t worry about anything else, kay?”

You down the rest of your now-shared coffee, feeling a sense of relief at the prospect of getting away from the stressful atmosphere of your house. You thank your friend once again for her kindness, promising to message her once you’re ready to be picked up. With a small wave you leave the diner, heading back towards your house to pack a bag and prepare for your temporary stay at Lizzy’s.

As you make your way back to the cabin you realize walking may not have been the smartest choice. The skies have darkened, and the air has grown crisper. Large, plump raindrops begin to fall, creating a soft patter against the pavement. The once bright and sunny day has transformed into a dreary, rainy afternoon, the weather seeming to reflect your current situation.

You quicken your pace, the sound of rain getting louder as it hits the ground and the surrounding trees. The house soon comes into view, standing tall and imposing against the grey sky. Your clothes and hair become soaked with rain as you speed towards the front door, swinging it open and shutting it behind you.

As you step into the house, the heavy door closing behind you with a soft thump, you are surprised to find Ford standing in the entryway. He looks the same as before, tired, and a bit weathered. Although he seems taken aback by your appearance, his eyes flickering with surprise and… something else.

“You’re soaked,” he says, a hint of concern in his voice. “What happened?”

You turn your gaze from him as you shed your coat, revealing his old sweater underneath as you place it on a nearby hook.

“I went out with Lizzy for a late breakfast and got caught in the rain.”

Ford watches you as you hang your coat and begin to remove your shoes. He notices the slight distance in your voice, and the way you avoid his gaze. He knows deep down there’s more to it than just a simple breakfast with a friend. He hesitates a moment before speaking.

“I see,” he says slowly. “So, you two just… had breakfast?”

A sigh escapes you as you sit up straight, finally meeting his gaze.

“Yep.”

Ford’s jaw clenches slightly as he studies you, clearly sensing that there’s more to the story than you’re letting on.

“That’s it?” He presses, a note of skepticism in his voice.

“I’m going to be staying at her place for a couple of weeks.”

His eyes widen at your response, his lips parting in surprise. The hint of skepticism in his voice grows stronger as he takes a small step towards you.

“Wait a minute,” he says. “How long..?”

You turn your head from him with a frown, hugging your arms as you speak in a quiet yet frustrated tone.

“I’ll be out of your hair this way and you can focus on your project with Fiddleford, since it obviously takes higher priority.”

Ford’s eyes widen even further, a mix of shock and pain crossing his face at your words. His hands clench at his sides as he processes what you’ve just said, his mind reeling.

“What are you talking about?” he asks, his tone now filled with frustration. “You’re treating this like I just want to get rid of you, like I don’t-“ He pauses closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Like what Stanford?” you step forward, beginning to become angry with him. “Don’t act as though you didn’t tell me that your research is bigger than our relationship. You’ve tossed everything aside but now that I’m leaving for a few weeks you’re suddenly concerned?”

His eyes snap open at your outburst, scowling as his expression was a mix of frustration and guilt.

“You’re twisting my words,” he snaps. “I never said my research was bigger than our marriage. I just…” He falls silent, his anger deflating slightly as he looks at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of pleading in remorse.

“I just need some time to focus on this project,” he continues, softer now, his frustration giving way to desperation. “But that doesn’t mean I wanted you to leave. I… I never wanted that Y/N. Never.”

Your anger and resolve begin to crumble at his pleading state, your eyes softening as they meet his. You find your legs moving on their own as you step towards him, your arms slowly reaching to wrap around his middle. You rest your cheek on Ford’s shoulder, inhaling his scent. A mixture of pine and musk, with a tinge of smoke.

He lets out a shaky breath as you approach him, his rigid stance relaxing as you embraced him. His own hands eventually find your back, hesitating for a moment, but soon returning the embrace. He holds you as close to him as possible, trembling slightly as he buried his face in your hair.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he whispered, his voice muffled, but filled with a combination of mixture and despair.

“Please don’t leave me.”

You tighten your arms around him, your voice soft and reassuring.

“I’m not leaving you Ford,” you speak, your breath warm against his neck. “I just think we both need a bit of space right now. I need time to sort out my thoughts, and I think getting away for awhile will help with that. But I promise you I’m not leaving you.”

Ford’s grip on you tightens slightly at your words, as if he is afraid to let you go. His body tremors faintly as he absorbs your reassurance, his voice a mixture of relief and resignation.

“How long?” he asks with a vulnerable tone. “How long will you be gone?”

You pull back, just enough to look him in the eyes. You reach up, gently cupping his face in your hands, and he leans into your touch.

“Just a couple of weeks at most,” your thumb stroked his cheek as you spoke, giving him a look of sympathy. “When I get back, we can work through this, alright?”

His eyes search yours, his expression now one of understanding. Ford nods slowly, his hands moving to cover yours, his calloused fingers gripping your wrists gently.

“Alright. But please stay in touch. I need to know you’re okay.”

You manage to give him a soft smile and a nod, before leaning in and pressing a tender kiss to his lips. Ford’s eyes fluttered shut at the unexpected gesture, a small sound of surprise escaping him. His hands grip yours even tighter, his body leaning into yours as the kiss lingers for a moment.

After sharing a few more, you finally pull back. Ford’s eyes open, and he gazes at you with a look of surprise and yearning. A slight flush of pink is apparent on his features, his lips parted and slightly reddened from the act. He observes you for a moment, before bringing your knuckles to his lips, placing a gentle kiss there as if trying to hold on to this moment for as long as possible.

“I’ll miss you,” he spoke tenderly. “Don’t forget about me while you’re gone, okay?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Sixer.”

Ford’s heart skips a beat at the familiar nickname, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He pulls you closer, enveloping you in his embrace once more, large calloused hands wrapping around your back.

“Good,” he murmurs, resting his chin atop of your head.

“Because I’ll be counting the days until you come back.”

tags :) - @artistic-gato @karmaisacatluzi @therottenheartofscum

[breezeflows]

The Long Road (Stanford Pines x Reader)

Summary: You’ve finally set out to finalize your divorce with Stanford Pines after seemingly “moving on”. But what will happen when you seek him out and he’s nowhere to be found? Time to pack your bags and head out to your once hometown, Gravity Falls, to find out.

_____________________________________

EEEE it’s finally here!! This is by far one of my favorite fics I’ve ever made, and I’m stoked to work on it more in the future!!

Thank you everyone so much for the support so far, and a huge thank you to my sister for always supporting me and my works!

THEMES: Angst (this chapter is honestly kind of sad), (LOTS OF YEARNING BECAUSE READER AND FORD DONT KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS), Arguments, Emotional Conflict and mentions of Divorce :,)

With that being said, enjoy the first chapter of The Long Road!

Chapter 1

A soft sigh escapes you as you drive through the windy backroads of Oregon, a sense of familiarity and nostalgia filling you with each tree you pass. Autumn was finally in motion, bright colored leaves falling from the trees and coating the grounds below in a warm, yet damp, glow.

It was your favorite time of year, but you wished you could be visiting your once-hometown on different circumstances. The papers labeled: "DIVORCE AGREEMENT" flapped gently in your passenger seat as you glanced down at them, the chilly air seeping in through the cracked windows of your car.

 You were headed towards Gravity Falls, a town you once held near and dear to your heart. It was the place you and your former husband, Stanford Pines, had moved to after the two of you got married. It was everything you wanted, small, quiet, and isolated. Ford even had a cabin built for both of you out in the woods, and although some of the designs were questionable, you didn't mind a single bit. You were just happy to be alongside him. You had known him almost your whole life, practically growing up alongside him and his brother, Stanley, who he had eventually cut off all contact with after Stanley practically stomped on Ford's chance at a lifetime opportunity in high school. (womp womp)

Regardless though, everything was perfect, until it wasn't.

Ford always had a thing for the supernatural, and you knew that. After all it was one of the things that had drawn the both of you to this town. He had intelligence beyond comprehension, and it was one of the many traits you admired about him. You supported him and his work, always helping where you could or if you were given the chance. Whether it was chasing pesky eye-bats or bringing him a hot cup of coffee to keep him caffeinated during his late-night lab sessions, you were always there for him, even when he was engrossed in his studies and missing from your shared bed. Your unwavering support never faltered, not until Ford came clean to you about some sort of "Muse." He described him as a powerful interdimensional being, one that went by the name of Bill Cipher.

"He is truly a force to be reckoned with, Y/N. His unparalleled knowledge is unlike anything I've ever encountered, and he holds the key to improving the very fabric of our world. His power is crucial in unlocking newfound potential for our realm and beyond. He is the reason why I must keep moving forward."

Ford spoke excitedly as he cupped your cheek with one hand, the other resting firm, but gently on your shoulder.

You remembered the determination in his eyes, and the eagerness in his tone. Although you on the other hand, were less than thrilled. Your heart sunk at his words, and though you wanted to be excited for your husband, the concern you felt for him was overpowering as realization set in. The weird window designs in the cabin, the tapestries covered with curtains, it was all making sense. Your husband practically worshipped this thing, and it bothered you.

The night ended with conflict; you explained to Ford how you trusted him deeply, but his Muse? Not so much. It all just seemed too good to be true. Not to mention how it felt like a punch in the gut that Bill was his motivation to push forward in his studies, but not you.

One disagreement led to another, and Ford eventually found all his time spent down in the lab while you remained upstairs. You no longer brought him coffee or kept him company while he worked. The two of you had grown distant, and while it felt as though your heart was ripping in two, Ford never showed the same concern. Hell, you barely even saw him nowadays. The only times he’d emerge from the lab was to grab more coffee filters for the machine, which was soon moved downstairs. He no longer returned to your shared bed on late nights, opting to sleep downstairs in the lab instead. He was practically a ghost now.

You exhaled gently through your nose as you sat at your shared dining table, the fresh cup of tea you prepared swirling with wisps of steam that fogged up your glasses. It was early morning, and the sun was just beginning to rise in the sky, casting the room in a warm glow. You hadn’t gotten much sleep last night, tossing and turning with reoccurring nightmares that plagued your mind. They didn’t make any sense to you. They started out with a blue flash, followed by a yellow flash, and always ended with you and Ford finally calling things off with a bad argument. You presumed the last part of your dream was there due to your constant worrying that that was the direction your relationship was headed. Either way it troubled you deeply. At this rate things weren’t going to end well, it only being a matter of time before one of you snapped.

You’re pulled from your thoughts as you hear a familiar pair of footsteps making their way up the creaky steps, the noise echoing quietly through the house. Part of you wants to retreat to your bedroom, contemplating if you’re ready to have an encounter with him this early in the morning. It’s been a week since you guys’ last crossed paths, and you barely managed to maintain eye contact with him the last time. Your stomach churns with anxiety, and your fingers tighten around the handle of the mug filled with lukewarm tea. Suddenly, movement in your peripheral snaps you out of your thoughts, your vision glued to the liquid before you. Ford steps into the doorway of the kitchen, seemingly taken back by the sight of you there. You slowly turn your gaze towards him as he stands in the doorway, his face partly shadowed in the dim lighting of the room. He stands a few feet away from you as his eyes study you intently, as if he’s searching for something. There’s an air of fatigue about him, evident in the bags beneath his eyes and the disheveled state of his usually tidy appearance. He seems to hesitate for a moment before finally speaking as he steps forward, his voice low and rough from the lack of use. “Good morning.”

A mix of emotions stir in you as you take in his appearance, a pang of concern in your chest at the sight of his exhaustion. A small part of you wants to reach out and comfort him, but the distance that’s grown between you over the past few weeks makes you hesitate, resulting in you replying with a simple, “Good morning.” your tone neutral.

Ford then moves to take a seat at the table across from you, his fingers drumming against the wood in what seems like a nervous gesture. He looks at you intently before speaking, his voice slightly strained. “I wanted to inform you that Fiddleford will be coming to stay for a while, to help me with my research. I’ve been working on something big, something I cannot do alone.”

Your gaze softens at the mention of your old friend from college, someone you and Ford had spent a lot of time with. Back in those days you always had two cups of coffee on hand, never just one.

“I see...” Your vision retracts back to the mug as a sense of betrayal fills you. Did Ford feel as if he couldn’t come to you for help anymore? Did he just not care? Your grip tightens as you speak once more.

“Is that all you came up here for?”

Ford notices the subtle change in your tone and the way you avoid his gaze. There’s a pang of guilt in his chest as he notices your reaction, but he pushes it aside, reminding himself that this is for the greater good.

“No, that’s not all,” he says, his voice slightly softer. “I also wanted to talk to you about… us.”

You’re unable to hold back a frown as your stomach sinks, still avoiding his gaze. You manage to hold back tears at the mention of what you assume is going to be a very hard conversation. “Oh.”

Ford notices the tears welling up in your eyes, and his heart aches from the sight. But he pushes on, knowing this conversation needs to happen.

“I know things have been… rocky between us lately,” he continues, choosing his words carefully. “I know I haven’t been around much, and I’m sorry for that. But I want to talk about what’s been going on.”

You bite the inside of your lip as your fists clench, the tears welled up in your eyes now threatening to spill over as you finally meet his gaze.

“What do you mean things have just “been rocky” Ford? I feel like I’ve been living with a ghost for the past month!” Your voice betrays you as you speak, revealing your hurt. “And now you’re reaching out to someone we haven’t seen in literal years for help instead of your own wife?”

Ford’s heart sinks as he sees the tears welling up in your eyes and hears the hurt in your voice. He knew he had been distant, but hearing you say it out loud was like a shot to the chest. He flinches at your words, and guilt washes over him.

“I… I know I’ve been distant, Y/N. And I’m sorry,” he starts. “But the research I’m working on… it’s important. It’s bigger than the both of us. I need someone with specific skills and knowledge that you may not have.”

The wound in your heart deepens as you stand from your chair, the legs of it screeching against the wood as it’s scooted back. You point a finger towards him harshly as the tears brimming in your eyes begin to spill.

“But what about us Ford? Our relationship? Is it not important to you anymore? I barely see you now!”

His heart sinks even further as he sees the hurt and vulnerability in your eyes. He feels like he’s been slapped as you point a finger at him and ask him why he’s been isolating himself.

“Of course our relationship is important to me,” he protests. “I love you, Y/N, more than anything. But this research, it’s something I need to do…” he pauses a moment, before speaking again.

“It’s bigger than our relationship.”

Ford runs a hand through his messy hair, frustration and regret evident on his face as you stand there. Words fail to come out of you as you stand there, trying to process the words that just shattered your fragile heart. He wants to apologize, to take back his words and soothe your pain, but his research was too important to him.

“Y/N, please don’t cry…” Ford pleads as he stands, reaching a hand towards you. The hand rests softly against your arm as you tremble, your attempt at hiding your pain feeble.

“I wish things could be different, but this research is my life’s work. It’s all I’ve been working towards for decades.”

You remain tense and quiet as you keep your gaze down towards the table, the silence so thick you could hear your own tears hit the wood below. Although a sudden knock at the door breaks the tense silence between you both, and Ford turns his head to look towards the door. He hesitates for a moment, torn between continuing the conversation with you and attending to Fiddleford’s arrival. He glances back at you, seeing the tears still streaming down your cheeks and he feels a pang of guilt in his heart. But he pushes it aside, knowing that once again, his research takes priority.

“I’d better get the door..” he mutters as his hand slips softly from your shoulder, making his way to the front door of your shared home. You slouch back into the chair, defeated, as you raise a shaky fist to your mouth. Your tears seem to be unending as you sit there, lost in thought even after the front door creaks open. Ford and Fiddleford’s voices echo throughout the halls as they make their way to what sounds like the entrance of the lab.

“Is Y/N here? I’d love to see her.”

“Uh, no she’s uh… out in town, at the moment.”

This was going to be a rough couple of months.

RAHHH thank you so much for reading the first chapter of this fic! Please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments, I’d love any feedback!!💕

[breezeflows]

YEAHHHH BABYYYYYY 💪🏻💪🏻

Also yes, this is a Ford x Reader fic because I’m a sucker for those. The first chapter will hopefully be up tonight if all goes to plan!

[breezeflows]

i'm pretty new to posting works on here, but how would y'all feel about a ford fanfic now that the gravity falls fandom is finally reviving?

update: the first chapter is posted!

[breezeflows]

EDIT: IT IS POSTED!!

I’m hoping to get chapter one posted today! If it does well I am hoping I’ll get the motivation to make this a series🥲 This will also be my first work I’ve ever posted, so if it has a few errors please bare with me!

[gravityfallsrewritten]

Chapter 13: Through Fears and Insecurities

"So how do you play this game?"

Dipper looked at Y/n, offended. "Seriously? You've never heard of this game before?"

She rolled her eyes. The two of them stood in front of a worn arcade machine with Fight Fighters in big, bold letters on the side of it. "I have, I just never had the time to play it." She crossed her arms.

"Well, you pick a character first," Dipper said, stepping forward and moving the joystick. "My favorite one's Rumble McSkirmish." He pressed a button and the character was chosen. "Your turn."

Y/n scoured through the list of fighters until she finally stopped on her chosen character. "This one looks promising." A ginger woman with two buns in her hair, and the name 'Suggessica' above her.

"Okay," Dipper nodded, smiling. The announcer shouted that the fight had begun and the two fighters faced each other with a referee in the middle. He felt excited as he taught her the basics of the game. "First things first, you use the joystick to move your character."

He moved left and right, Y/n following after him.

"Okay. Four buttons. This one is jumping, this one is punch, this is for kicking, and this is for your ultimate attack. You wait until the blue bar is full then you can use it."

Anyone who could be listening in to their conversation would deem this the nerdiest thing, but Y/n understood it easily. She nodded, and began pressing the buttons.

Suggessica moved forward, while Rumble stepped back. Y/n and Dipper began fighting momentarily. It was clear to her that he was taking it easy since she's only a beginner– which she appreciated, but Dipper shouldn't underestimate her.

Dipper was mashing the buttons and she picked up the strategy, because doing that can do some combos. Y/n pressed the kick button repeatedly, making Suggessica jump and kick Rumble a few times while in the air.

"Woah," Dipper muttered under his breath, beginning to fasten the pace, doing a counterattack of his own.

A couple of rounds later and the score was tied. "Wow, I didn't think you could beat me at my own game!" He spoke, staring at the screen.

"What can I say, I learned from the best." Y/n winked, nudging Dipper playfully. The two of them laughed. "One more game to break the tie?"

He grinned. "Game on."

"Fight!" The announcer declared.

Y/n and Dipper focused their attention on the match, pressing buttons. Dipper had his power meter almost full when someone pushed them both away.

"You kids have been playing the game since this morning. How about you two sit this one out?" Robbie came out from nowhere and immediately, Dipper felt annoyed. His presence alone made his blood boil. More than anything, he just wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off his face.

Dipper boldly retorted, "But we just started this round."

"Whoa, whoa, hey! Relax man, I'm just trying to spend a little time with my girlfriend, alright?" Robbie was defensive. "You and your own girlfriend can play some other game for now."

"She's not my-"

"Couldn't you have asked a bit friendlier?" Another voice cut him off and Dipper only noticed that Robbie was with-

"Wendy! Hi," the boy greeted albeit awkwardly. She always seemed to have this effect on him.

The redhead smiled apologetically at the two. "Sorry for Robbie's behavior. He's just a bit nervous for his upcoming gig," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Come on, babe! Let's play!"

With that, Wendy excitedly accompanied Robbie, the game's music being mixed with their laughter.

As they played, Robbie put his arm over Wendy's shoulder, subtly glaring at Dipper.

Y/n watched Dipper with mild bitterness as he stared back at the couple with the same level of animosity.

***

***

Eventually, the two went back to the Shack. Soos invited everyone to play cards, and as much as Y/n wanted to join, she had to go down and diagnose the portal as per usual.

She must've been down there for quite some time because the moment she went back up, Dipper and Soos were gone, Stan had his back on the ground hysterically sobbing, while Mabel was on her way upstairs with Waddles in tow.

"Um... did I come at the wrong time?" she spoke.

"Y/n! Perfect timing!" Mabel exclaimed with her hands together. She sprinted towards her, literally ignoring her great uncle sprawled on the floor having fallen from fear from seeing a skydiving commercial. "I need your help."

"Woah!" Y/n yelped from the force that was Mabel Pines. She pulled her upstairs to her shared bedroom and began pacing around. Y/n dusted her clothes from being dragged. "Mabel, what is wrong? Why is Stan crying?"

She continued marching in circles. "Did you know that he secretly has a fear of heights?"

Y/n stared at the twin. She did have a hunch that he may have a phobia, but Mabel just confirmed it. All the hints that the old man didn't know he dropped, she picked it up. "What about it?" She asked instead.

"How am I gonna get Grunkle Stan over his fear?"

"What are you planning?"

Before Mabel could reply, the bedroom door opened and entered Dipper with an entire new character – literally.

"Hey, Mabel. Hey, Y/n. This is Rumble, my new bodyguard."

"The child gave me a taco!" Rumble responded with the same monotone voice and stoic expression.

Y/n wasn't able to speak as Mabel just gawked at the tall guy in interest. "Wow! He's got a crazy voice! Here, say these words," she said, writing something on a blank sheet of paper before handing it to Rumble.

"Effer...vescent! Apple..fritter! RIBOFLAVIN!"

"Mabel, he's not a toy, he's a fighting machine. I'm gonna get him to defend me from Robbie."

"Isn't that like cheating?" Y/n pointed out as she stared disapprovingly at Dipper's choices.

He simply shrugged. "I guess so." He continued to smile and a brief silence passed by. "Well, I'll see you after the fight."

The door closed. It was quiet until Y/n spoke. "I'm just as unsure as you, Mabel," she reassured the twin. "But if his plan backfires, then he has himself to blame."

"I'm not as worried for him as you do, Y/n," Mabel smirked.

"I-"

"Come on, Y/n! I have an idea on how we can help Stan overcome his fear!"

And when Mabel managed to convince Stan to walk him out while wearing a blindfold, Y/n knew she was up to no good.

She got herself another can of Pitt Cola before the three left for Mabel's adventure.

"Mabel, are you sure about this?" Y/n asked as she stared up at the water tower with a muffin spray-painted on it.

"100% sure! Grunkle Stan," she turned to him, "you have nothing to worry about! We just have to climb on a... something." If she said the word 'ladder' it would've been a dealbreaker.

Stan grunted, trying to grasp what was in front of him considering that all he saw was black. "What? Climb? You're not talking about a ladder, right?"

"No!" she giggled 'reassuringly'. "You can trust me, beloved great uncle!" She patted, slightly pushing him.

He slightly hesitated. "Alright, fine."

"I don't think he can still trust you after this," Y/n muttered under her breath, but followed after Mabel.

After a moment, the three eventually reached the top, the wind washing over their faces as their hair flew. "Take off your blindfolds now!" Mabel exclaimed.

Stan did as he was told and immediately saw the great height before him. The same feeling of anxiety returned before he could think. "Yep, that's pretty much what I was expecting," he said monotonously.

"You're doing better than I thought!" Mabel cheered. "Now let go of the handrail..."

Y/n could feel Stan shaking beside her, his knuckles were turning white from the vice grip he had on the rails. "Nope!"

All of a sudden, a teen with a scent of anger and hormones climb up the same stilted structure, gasping for air. Y/n had to step back from the stench that was Robbie.

"Hey, Robbie! Get your own water tower!" Mabel demanded.

Robbie looked uneasy and scared. Y/n's eyebrow raised in suspicion. What was he running from?

"CHALLENGER SIGHTED!"

She looked down and saw Rumble on the ground, clearly aiming for Robbie. Dipper's plan to destroy him seemed to be working.

Rumble screamed something else before attacking the water tower, kicking one of the stilts, making it lean.

Mabel panicked, shaking as she grasped the handrails. "What's happening?"

Stan's arms were shaking. "Oh, boy..."

"We're safe, right?"

Y/n held on to Stan and Mabel tightly as the older man panicked and screamed. The stilts of the water tower were punched until it weakened, and the whole thing wobbled. Y/n pushed the two to the other side of the tower to balance it, but Robbie unfortunately fell to his demise.

He was caught by none other than Rumble, who was prepared to finish the teen. But all of a sudden, Dipper stopped him with a single pebble. The fighter was perplexed, confused as to why the boy interrupted. Dipper admitted his faults, his lies– that Robbie didn't actually kill his father.

Rumble felt utterly betrayed. He let go of Robbie and began to summon the wind as he closed his eyes. He was thinking very deeply as he felt his soul get corrupted once he realized that he has been manipulated by this kid.

"If Robbie V is not the last stage..." the character began, "then it must be... YOU!"

He pointed directly at Dipper as he jumped into the air to emphasize his seething anger. A floating 'START' button appeared at his side. He stared at it before Soos came running beside him.

"Dude! Don't fight him, man. That dude's got like a black belt wrapped around his black belt! You could get killed!"

"I have to," Dipper replied, already feeling defeated. "I started all this and I got to at least try to stop it."

He looked at him, uncertain. "You sure you wouldn't rather hide like a wimp?"

Wordlessly, he punched on the 'START' button, and it vanished, signifying his agreement.

Soos crossed his arms as he looked proud. "Fight like a man it is."

The round began, and just like a video game, Rumble's stance was bouncing on his heels. Dipper attempted to follow his movement but it just looked awkward.

He fought with all of his might, but in the end he just accepted his fate– as well as Rumble's Super Power Ninja Turbo Neo Ultra Hyper Mega Multi Alpha Meta Extra Uber Prefix COMBO– leaving him bruised and beaten up.

The round ended, and as much as Rumble was very confident in winning, he just didn't know that arcade games will always have a 'GAME OVER'. Rumble screamed as he disappeared pixel by pixel.

Meanwhile, Y/n watched from the water tower, and now that the fight was over, she urged the other two to go home. "Come on, guys, let's go."

"I'm sorry, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel exclaimed over the wind. "I thought this would help, but I was wrong! So wrong!"

Stan began patting himself. "I... I survived! I survived and I feel great! Wait, let me do a cocky dance just to be sure." He placed his hands on his hips as he moved it back and forth with a huge smile on his face. He cackled. "Deal with it, world! Stan Pines has cured his fear of heights!"

Y/n rolled her eyes, but there was a twinge of amusement in them. "Alright, after you, old man."

He climbed down. "You coming, kid?" He said to Mabel. She shook her head, fearfully looking down. "What, you have a fear of heights now?"

She didn't say anything. It was quiet, and he only realized. "Uh oh." He and Y/n shared a worried glance.

"Come on, Mabel," Y/n cooed as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll help you get down." She took Mabel's hand and led her towards the ladder.

She was shaking, closing her eyes as tight as her grip on Y/n's palm. Gently, they climbed down as silence washed over them. The moment they touched the ground, Mabel immediately reached for Y/n's hand, holding it tightly that would have hurt, but it was never an issue for her.

While walking away from the water tower, Stan was telling the story about how he bravely faced his fear and eventually overcame it. Mabel was spacing out so clearly she wasn't listening, while Y/n was watching over the ruined park where Wendy had just arrived from her trip and was now talking to both Dipper and Robbie until she kissed her boyfriend and pushed down the boy's hat before walking back to her family.

The two boys talked briefly for a moment, agreeing on Dipper's offer of having a cold war with each other instead of fighting and risking Wendy seeing them. Robbie walked away with a scoff as Dipper stood there. Soos offered to walk him home seeing that he was still injured.

Everybody arrived home. Y/n already had the first aid kit out since she saw how bruised Dipper was. She waited until the door opened to the living room from the gift shop, and it didn't last long when it did open to reveal Dipper limping inside. "Ow, ow, ow," he muttered under his breath.

"Are you okay?" Y/n asked. Of course he wasn't, but she didn't know how else to open up the conversation without him overthinking the fact that she waited with the kit. "You should sit down."

Dipper obliged, sitting on Stan's yellow recliner. He closed his eyes but winced as he felt his black eye swelling again. "Ow."

Y/n ran to the cooler for ice and quickly handed it to him as he immediately placed it on his eye. He hissed as the cold, cold temperature met the bruise.. She began tending to his other wounds and it was quiet. The type of quiet where they could hear just their breathing. The type of quiet where you cringe when something rustles in the background. But it was the type of quiet where it was comfortable, calm, pleasant.

He closed his eyes as he breathed out, "Thank you, Y/n."

"You're welcome," she replied without missing a beat but she was still looking at his wounds.

Dipper had to admit, he felt guilty. He didn't know why. Maybe because she's always been helping him without expecting something in return. She had always been kind hearted and selfless, often seeming to be looking out for him and his sister.

He was brought out of his stupor when he felt her hand brush against his cheek. She was cleaning the scratch with wet cotton. He gulped at the proximity. What is happening?

Y/n was very gentle with every wipe. Every time her hand caressed against his skin, he felt warmth, but her stare could be so cold. She looked very determined to clean away his gashes. Dipper noticed the way she stopped moving. Her eyes shifted to meet his, and the two remained staring. Can you stop looking at me?

He had to back away. "Okay, I think I feel a little bit better. I can– handle it."

"Alright," she said after a brief moment and began cleaning up the dirty wipes and cottons. Dipper breathed what he didn't know if it was a sigh of relief. Y/n stood up. "I'll be in my room. Good night, Dipper."

"Good night."

***

It was one peaceful morning. Stan and the twins were watching another episode of Ducktective, when all of a sudden they heard a knock on the door.

With all of his might, Stan trudged towards it, opening it to reveal a suited man with a stern face. "Stan Pines..."

"Oh, no," Stan sweat-dropped upon a cold realization. "The tax collector! You've found me!" He threw a smoke bomb to the ground that effectively temporarily blinded the man and that was Stan's cue to take his bag of money hidden inside the walls of the living room and escape while he still could. He was looking desperately for a fake opening. "Which one of these is the trap door?!"

"Mr. Pines," the man spoke again, now inside of their living room. "I'm from the Winninghouse Coupons Savers contest, and you are our big winner!"

A cameraman, along with two women carrying a large check of ten million dollars, came in. Confettis were thrown around as Stan was shocked. "My one and only dream, to possess money, has come true!"

"We're rich!" Dipper exclaimed. "I'm gonna get a butler!"

Mabel punched the air. "I'm gonna buy a talking horse."

The man brought out papers. "Just sign here for the money."

"You bet!" Stan wrote into the paper without hesitation.

Only, it was all a lie when Gideon tore through the large check, exclaiming. "Stanford, you fool! You just signed over the Mystery Shack to lil 'ol me!" He began to do a little celebratory dancing jig.

Dipper and Mabel gasped in horror, but Stan was unperturbed. "Uh, you might wanna take another look there!"

Gideon raised the papers to his line of sight and began reading. "The Shack is hereby signed over to..." he saw the signature, 'SUCK A LEMON LITTLE MAN'?!"

Stan bellowed as he took pride in humiliating Gideon. The twins laughed as well to see the priceless look on his face.

The little boy tore the paper violently. "How dare you! I am not a threat to be taken lightly." He reached for the guy he hired to be the fake host. "Come here, I need your arms."

The unnamed lawyer followed his order and lifted Gideon before backing away slowly.

"I"ll get you, Stanford Pines! I'll get you all!"

First, get the name right.

Stan shook him off. He shouldn't dwell his attention on kids such as Lil Gideon. He had bigger matters in his hands. One of them was getting the cooler fixed– and another was setting up the gift shop. He was too lazy to do any of those, that's why he hired people for a reason. Soos will handle one of those tasks, though it was quite unfortunate that Wendy didn't work today...

He excused himself to the kids, telling them that he's going to go to the restroom. Boy, he's slowly running out of excuses and it's not even the half of the summer. He stood in front of the vending machine, surveying the closed shop before forcing it open and quickly shutting it once he got in. He meandered down the ramp that led to the elevator, punching the level's number, and waited until it took him there.

The elevator opened with a ding, and he walked to the pathway that showed the portal. "What are you doing here," deadpanned the girl who was casually working on the portal. She was typing the data that was coming out of the old-timey processing unit that Ford had designed for this portal. It was always ciphers– classic Ford– that Y/n had learned to decode. So far, the results have been... neutral.

"I should be asking you that question. You should be out there."

"I have nothing else to do."

"Then I'll give you something to do, fix the cooler."

Y/n groaned. "What? Have Soos fix it. I taught him how."

"I already assigned him other duties. Do you want to rearrange the shelves in the gift shop?" Stan asked. He waited, and when he heard nothing from her, he smirked as he felt cheeky. "I thought so. Now get off your butt and go upstairs!"

She punched down the table in defeat as she stood up, letting out an annoyed huff. "I hate you,"

"I love you, too. I'll take care of these while you're gone." He dismissed her, taking the seat she was previously in.

She rolled her eyes. As if he could understand a single symbol plastered there. Surely, he'd just take a nap.

Reaching the top level of the Shack, she took a peek on an opening from the vending machine. The gift shop was vacant, and no one seemed to be wandering around. So as quickly as she could, she slotted herself out of the machine, punching it shut for a Pitt Cola to fall off. She took it out and opened it like nothing had happened for the last ten seconds.

The universe was on her side when Soos had just opened the shop's door. "Sup, dude."

"Hey, Soos," Y/n said with her lips on the tip of the can. The two met in the middle of the room to give each other fist bumps. "You're on shelving duty right?"

"Yep, one of my favorite pastimes," he chuckled. "I just like looking at neatly arranged items that are all identical and stuff. Pretty satisfying."

She nodded, "Well, you get on that. I have to repair the cooler– again. Did you know why it broke?" The girl walked towards the cooler and circled around it, examining it from afar.

"I have no idea." Soos spotted the cardboard box from a corner and began inspecting it. It was a couple of Mystery Shack bumper stickers and other merchandise. "Maybe it was the heat of summer that's causing it to like– overheat. Or something."

Y/n couldn't help but smile. "You are exactly right, Soos. How did you figure that one out?"

"Well, the first thing I fixed was a cooler– uh, that cooler specifically. I helped Y/n – wait, not you you, but the you who was older... who was also named Y/n... She helped me fix the cooler. Your older sister."

She almost snorted in laughter. Stan was right, Soos was never going to pick up the clues. "Yeah? What did she teach you?" She already had the back of the cooler facing her, with the panel being opened. The toolbox was ajar, but she hadn't started yet.

"Everything I know," Soos answered. "She's the smartest person I know. Ten-year old me would have probably freaked out if it wasn't for your sister. Which is why..."

Soos trailed off. Y/n poked her head out the side of the freezer to look at him. "Which is why..." she repeated, wanting him to continue.

He smiled sheepishly. "Which is why... I'm kinda grateful that you're here, Y/n. The younger sister Y/n. It's like– you're continuing your sister's legacy. I don't know, I say dumb things."

There it is again, what Ford referred to as tears. It was simply there. To a normal person, it would feel like it was pricking the corner of their eye and about to come out, but to Y/n, it was just an inconvenience.

But what she felt inside after Soos said such a heartwarming statement... was enough to make her cry.

She quickly wiped it away. "I didn't think it was dumb..." she muttered.

It was times like these where she just wanted to tell the truth. "I was the same Y/n from ten years ago. I never grew up, never had a sister, and had been residing in this Shack for more than 30 years."

She wished it were that easy. Despite her desire to tell the truth, she would rather be selfish for a moment and let Soos talk about her nonexistent older sister with her than tell everything. The truth would eventually come out, and she had no idea what would happen or how he would react.

The twins entered the room before her mind could conjure up any more depressing scenarios. Dipper held a chessboard in his hands. "We need a table!"

"Hey, Dipper, what about this one?" Mabel pointed at a green, fake turtle shell with a random skeleton inside. "This seemed sturdy enough."

"Sure." The two brought the shell meters from the counter as well as dragged two tall wooden logs for chairs.

Mabel sat down, her legs swinging around because she couldn't touch the ground. Dipper crossed his legs as he brought out the chess pieces from the board. "What are we playing?" Mabel asked.

"Chess."

"Ooh, I love chess!" she expressed her excitement.

The two set everything up– well, Dipper did since Mabel doesn't know where to put the pieces– before they began the game.

Soos was on his way to reorganize a collection of Stan bobbleheads on a high shelf. Y/n was quietly turning a screw as she listened to the twins argue about the game. The game was full of commentary and Mabel impersonating a horse sound every now and then. Dipper was becoming increasingly enraged by his sister's casual approach to chess. This sport should be taken seriously.

After a few hours, Y/n had completed the cooler repair and was confident that it would work again. She connected the plug into a nearby wall outlet before switching it on. It hummed back to life as a single light turned on. She smiled proudly, her hands on her hips.

"Little guy to black space 9!" Mabel announced knowingly.

"It's a pawn, that's not your color, and stop stealing the tiny horses!" He pointed at her with an exasperated look.

Mabel smiled carelessly, cuddling the pieces close to her as it snuggled inside her sweater's pocket. "They like it better here!" She leaned closer to the black and white. "Don't you, babies?" Once again, she neighed in response to herself.

Dipper ignored her and lifted a bishop piece. He toppled Mabel's king with a big grin. "And checkmate."

"What? Booo!" Mabel shouted.

The boy took out his trusty notepad and pen, turning to the page that listed his victories in chess against his sister. He just got his 85th win. "OHHH! Dipper wins again!" He exclaimed. Mabel glared at him, annoyed.

Soos cast a glance to his right, where he noticed a brain in a jar wearing a tall hat and another brain in a jar wearing a blonde wig. He intended to replace the jars behind the bobbleheads, but he couldn't go down the step-ladder without letting go of the falling lantern beside him. He will have to fix that later, too.

He turned further to his right to go look for Y/n, but it seemed that she walked out of the room already. She was the tallest one out of the three preteens. She was taller than the twins by approximately four inches. Guess he had to go for the second tallest person in the room who could help him.

Still holding the lantern, he called, "Yo, Mabel, could you pass me that brain in the jar? The lady one?"

Dipper was already standing up. "I got it."

"Thanks, but Mabel's taller."

"What?!" Dipper reeled, "No she's not! We're the same height! We've always been."

Soos let the lantern fall, placing his fingers under his chin as he examined the two. "Better check again, dude."

He hopped down the stepladder, pushed them together back-to-back as Dipper removed his hat. Soos brought out a measuring tape he conveniently had in his pocket and began measuring. "Yep. She's got exactly one millimeter on you."

"What?!" Dipper was perturbed.

Mabel was amazed. "Woah, don't you see what's happening, Dipper? This millimeter is just the beginning. I'm evolving into the superior sibling! Bigger! Stronger!"

"Like some kinda alpha-twin!" Soos happily pointed out.

"Alpha-twin! Alpha-twin!"

Dipper crossed his arms, exhausted. "C'mon, guys, nobody even uses millimeters. It only makes you taller than me in Canada."

Mabel wondered aloud, completely ignoring her brother's complaints. "Y'know Dipper, I've always wanted a little brother. Who knew I already had one?" She laughed at her own joke.

Stan walked inside the gift shop, rubbing his eyes. "I was awoken by the sound of mockery." When actually, he was woken up by Y/n herself, telling him that she'd just finished the repair. "Where is it? Show me the object of ridicule!"

"I'm taller than Dipper!" The girl exclaimed.

"By one millimeter," the boy emphasized.

"Hey, hey," Stan warned, "don't get... short with your sister." He laughed uncontrollably. Dipper deadpanned.

Mabel put her hands together. "Now Grunkle Stan, I hope you don't think little of him."

He remained bemused while Stan laughed some more. "Yeah! And, and uh... he's short!" He and Mabel laughed in unison as Dipper began to think about his life choices.

Soos felt bad. He thought he had some kind of liability as he started all this height comparison thing. "Dude, maybe you should lay off a tiny bit."

Stan guffawed. "HA! Tiny! Soos is in on it now!" The two cackled hysterically, watching as Dipper finally stomped away.

"N-n-no, I didn't mean that!" Soos clarified.

Mabel placed her hands on her hips, walking towards her grunkle. "Dipper will forget. He's got a 3... 2... 1..."

"SHORT-TERM MEMORY!"

Y/n was about to return to the gift shop to see what Stan had to say when she ran into Dipper in the hallway. She chose not to say anything because she noticed he had a deep frown on his face and his brows were furrowed, indicating he was stressed.

She opened the door and saw Stan in tears because he couldn't stop laughing. Mabel, too, was howling with uncontrollable laughter. "What happened just now?"

"Oh, Y/n! There you are! Can you believe that I'm actually taller than Dipper? This is the best day of my life!"

"Congratulations?" She didn't know what to say to that trivial news.

Stan pulled Y/n to his side and playfully gave her a noogie. "Oh, come on, Y/n. Why don't you give Dipper some of your height? He could use it!" Once more it was followed by rounds of laughter.

She withdrew herself from the older man. "I didn't come here to make fun of Dipper. Have you seen the fixed cooler yet?"

"Eh, I trust you enough to know that you did a good job." The way he said it felt so dismissive, but she still felt pride when she heard that. Stan's compliments are a rarity. "Welp! I'm off to go back to my office. Waking up to this was better than some cup of coffee." He chuckled as he walked away.

Soos went back to the counter and got the jar of brain himself, while Mabel sat on the barrel chair beside it. Y/n bought herself a nice can of Pitt Cola before retreating towards the living room.She plopped on the yellow chair rather ungracefully, the content inside of the soda sloshing around as she did so. Sipping slowly, she stared at a random spot on a ceiling.

This was the same couch that Dipper had sat on as she had tended to his wounds. That felt like so long ago when it was actually just last night. What was she thinking?

This is just a ploy to get closer to them. The more you do something nice for him, the more he trusts you that he'll eventually lend you the journal.

He shouldn't even be lending it in the first place. It belonged to her first!

Another reminder that she's doing this for Stan as well. He was desperate to redeem himself and change. To show the kids that he wasn't just the stupid older brother. He wanted to be a good role model (though he wasn't really living up to that), but most of all, he wanted to protect them and keep them safe. And, as much as possible, they should avoid doing anything that will raise their suspicions.

Slowly, but surely.

She rose from her seat. It's pointless to dwell on these thoughts. She was drinking the last of her Pitt Cola when Dipper marched into the living room, almost making her spit it out as she noticed something different about him.

Dipper came to a halt, feeling unwell as he realized he no longer looked slightly upwards whenever he spoke with Y/n. He's looking directly into conniving eyes. They were the same height this time, and she noticed it right away.

"When did you get so tall, Dipper?"

He laughed quite nervously. "Oh, you know... puberty and stuff."

"Hm..." She'd read a few medical books about the topic because she hadn't got a personal experience, but she didn't realize that going through puberty also meant having your clothes enlarged...? It was too convenient to consider.

Dipper clenched his knuckles, looking like he was about to break. "Okay, I give up! Y/n follow me," he said, taking the lead and marching up the stairs.

Y/n watched as Dipper approached the shelves and reached for a seemingly ordinary flashlight—except it wasn't. It had a crystal taped to the spot where the light was supposed to shine.

"Wait, where did you get that?" Y/n pointed out as she realized something.

His eyes briefly widened. "Do you know this?"

"I see these exact things from time to time whenever I take walks. I thought they were just shiny rocks..." Gosh was it hard to act dumb.

He almost had a smirk on his face. "Well, you thought wrong because they were actually height-altering crystals. I read it in the journal. For example, this knight is tiny. I just shine a light at it and–" he presented like it was show and tell. "--BOOM! It's bigger now. But it can also be reversible. Just flip the crystal over and it'll shrink." He pointed the flashlight towards the knight and turned it on, this time the light was pink.

"That's interesting! But...why did you need it, Dipper?" She just had to question it out loud. Though Tall Dipper was a sight, she had to know what his intentions were.

"I... I'm just sick of my sister teasing me, and I have a habit of proving people wrong, so..."

When she said nothing else, he stepped forward and gave her the flashlight.

"Here, just aim it at me and turn it on then off. Do it quickly so I won't turn into a giant."

She nodded. following his instructions. He had his arms out as if embracing it. and that was her cue to turn it on. It was only a millisecond of the blue light washing over him and he grew in an instant.

Y/n stepped closer just to compare. This time, he was so tall that she had to look up slightly to meet his brown eyes. Woah.

Dipper's thoughts were racing. It was as if he had been slouching his entire life, and stretching his back changed his entire perspective. She was looking up at him. She had considered it before, and she had considered it again. Tall Dipper was a sight.

He couldn't help but smile at Y/n's stunned expression. He wanted to treasure this priceless reaction for the rest of his life. Surely he can keep being taller than her forever.

What was he saying?

All of a sudden, Mabel opened the door. "Give it up, Dipper!" she declared as she entered. As if they were electrocuted, the two hopped away from each other. Mabel marched up to them. Either she didn't see or she did but was too distracted by her frustration to notice.

As quickly as she could, Y/n turned around and made her exit. Only then did she notice an enlarged pawn literally behind them that went through the ceiling. How could she have missed it the first time she walked into the room? Her guard had been completely lowered.

The more Mabel trudged closer, the more she realized that her height couldn't compare to Dipper's right now. She gasped and instantly glanced down on the ground to see that he wasn't standing on anything. "What happened?!"

Dipper shrugged casually with a smirk. "I told you, sis. I just had a growth spurt. No big deal."

"This doesn't make any sense! Just a second ago you were– WAIT A MINUTE!" Mabel yelled. "This is some kinda magic-y thing, isn't it? Was it a wizard or something? There's a wizard in this closet, isn't there? ISN'T THERE?" Mabel strode to the closet.

"What? NO!" Dipper shouted back.

"You're telling me that there is not a wizard in this closet. You're telling me that if I open this door right now-"

"Fine! Open it."

She did, revealing a flannel shirt, a tee, and a pair of boots clearly too big to fit for either of the twins. Whose clothes are these?

Mabel remained unfazed, looking completely disappointed. "An invisible wizard! Really, Dipper?"

Meanwhile, Y/n had just run down the stairs. She could feel her very normal heart pounding in her chest. What the heck is happening?

"Woah, you alright?" Stan asked the moment he saw her.

She began walking away. "I'm fine. I just need... some space."

"Maybe you need some free entertainment," he suggested, on the brink of laughter. "Look out the window if you want a laugh."

She raised an eyebrow, but did what he said. She leaned on a nearby window and saw Gideon running around wildly as he smacked his hair repeatedly. He was screaming the words 'TERMITES!' over and over.

Stan was laughing beside her. "Come on, you gotta admit. It's hilarious."

"It's quite amusing."

"Boo, you're not even laughing." He glared.

Y/n looked at the clock and she suddenly looked surprised. "Oh, my! Is that the time? I have to do something really important! In the meantime, don't you have to be ready for your tour? The people would be waiting! Welp, ta ta!" She rambled before dashing away without giving him a chance to speak.

"Stop changing the subject!" Stan burst out as he watched her down the hall.

Upon entering her room, Y/n clenched her fists. Her plan to get closer to Dipper appeared to be working, but why did she feel so differently? She experienced emotions she had never encountered before. Is this normal? To be fair, she wasn't even normal to begin with. She punched a nearby wall until it was literally smashed to smithereens. It didn't hurt her hand in the least. Yep, definitely not normal.

She wasn't having the best day.

Dipper wasn't feeling well either, having been shrunken down by Gideon himself using the same magical flashlight he'd created. Now he and Mabel are trapped inside the jar as the boy takes them home. When Gideon arrived in his dark room, he opened the container and shook the twins out, causing them to fall to their butts on the wooden drawer.

"You two!"

"What are you gonna do with us?" Mabel asked.

Gideon giggled. "Why Mabel, I wouldn't hurt a hair on your itty-bitty head– if you agree to be my queen!"

"We live in a democracy! And never!" She pushed his finger away from her hair.

"Maybe you'll change your mind after this!" He picked her up by the collar of her sweater, bringing her to a pack of her favorite snack.

"Gummy Koalas!" Mabel gushed after threatening to fight Gideon until the day she died. That would keep her suppressed.

"As for you, boy," Gideon continued, facing Dipper. "Tell me, how exactly did you come upon this magic item? Hmm? Did somebody tell you about it? Did you.... read about it somewhere?"

Dipper raised his gaze to the pale child. His vest pocket became noticeably heavier as he realized the implication of his question. He remembered the journal tucked inside as the words 'TRUST NO ONE' flashed across his mind. He took a look around and noticed an air horn nearby. "Lean closer and I'll tell you!"

"Well don't mind if I-"

He sounded the air horn right in his face, making Gideon scream. He cupped his ringing ears as his face turned red from anger. He was breathing heavily before turning back around pushing away the lamp. "I COULD SQUASH YOU RIGHT NOW!"

Dipper stepped back in slight fear.

But Gideon stopped himself. "Steel yourself, Gideon. You could use them." His voice dropped into a whisper. "You could use them."

The ringing of the Shack's main telephone echoed throughout the house. Y/n's eyes opened for a brief moment. She laid on her bed with her hands on top of her stomach. She was waiting for Stan's order to answer the call, but nothing came and the ringing already stopped. He must've been nearby. After a long silence, it was cut off by his obnoxious laughter.

"Y/n, can you come down here!"

She blinked. She may not have been called to answer the phone, she was still ordered to come down nonetheless. What did he need this time?

Leaving her room, she trudged down the hallway. But before she could take a turn towards the parlor, she took a detour to the gift shop. She needed that soda intake before dealing with anything. Gideon Gleeful busted open the main door to the shop before her hand could reach the employees' only door. "The Shack is mine, Stanford Pines!" She heard, and that's when she took a peek at the slightly ajar door.

She saw Mabel's eccentric pink sweater and the blazing blue vest that Dipper wears by Gideon's grasp. In his other hand, the magic flashlight that he blatantly stole, with the pink light shining towards a direction.

Y/n followed the light, and that's where she noticed Stan's fez on the ground. She clenched her fists so tightly as she feared that Gideon may have won the battle– until he lifted the hat revealing a green speck. Gideon had shrunken Soos instead. "What?!"

The boy captured little Soos and took a random jar lying on the counter. He opened it and carelessly tossed the trio inside, even shaking them for a little bit of torture. "Tell me where Stan is!" Gideon yelled onto the jar.

Y/n observed him as he suddenly had a huge grin on his face, indicating that he had figured it out. He moved towards the door where she was hiding. She exited the living room as quickly as she could and headed straight for the kitchen."Stanford! I'm coming for ya!"

She peeked from the kitchen as Gideon turned to the direction where the parlor was located. Come on, think! She needed to tell Stan about Gideon's attempt to shrink him, but she had no idea where he was. He could be in the mirror maze that he was talking so proudly about, but Gideon could be ahead of her already.

Even after a few unsuccessful attempts to smack the glass, the twins and Soos remained helplessly trapped. As he felt guilty, Soos placed his hands on his head. "Guess I kinda 'Soos'ed that one up, didn't I?"

"It's not your fault, Soos," Dipper said," I"m the one who put together that shrinking device. I guess it's just..." he turned to Mabel, "... you kept teasing me, Mabel, like, all day! What was that all about?"

Mabel frowned, feeling bad. She tossed Dipper the notepad with the list of their games. He glanced at the paper cluelessly. "I guess it's that... you're better at me at, like, everything! And you always rubbed it in my face. Chess, checkers, ping pong..." Even croquet. "I guess I finally felt like I was winning at something for once."

Dipper felt bad as well. He lightly smacked the notepad against his head. "Aw, man. Now I feel like a big jerk."

"Don't you mean, a little jerk?"

"Oh!" The two of them chuckled at the lighthearted joke. "Alright, I walked into that one. Are we cool?" He stretched his arm for a fist bump.

"We're cool."

"Am I cool?" Soos spoke, presenting his fist as well.

"You're cool, Soos."

"Yes!"

Dipper smacked his hands together. "Alright, let's find a way to get out of this jar. We can't break it, so let's just open it the old-fashioned way. Soos! Carry me on your shoulders."

The handyman raised him until he was sitting comfortably on the back of his neck. He then raised Mabel, and Dipper grabbed her until she could step on his shoulder and sit on it, forming a tower. Mabel twisted the cover until it was loose, and a hard push was all it took. Soos stood on his tiptoes until she was able to lift the cover. The container had finally been opened.

"Let's get that flashlight before Gideon gets Stan!"

Y/n stalked after Gideon as he walked down the steps and into the mirror maze. It indeed looked like a maze made out of mirrors. Now how much did this cost Stan? "Ew, termites!" Gideon suddenly exclaimed, slapping the back of his neck. He continued walking until he saw Stan looking down on him.

He jumped, instantly reaching for the flashlight and turned it on. The light bounced off the various mirrors until it landed on the wall mount of a moose head. Unsurprisingly, it shrank.

Stan was laughing at him, causing Gideon to become enraged and throw the flashlight at him. "No!"

The flashlight broke one of the mirrors, shattering it into a million pieces. "Hey, watch the merchandise!" Gideon picked up the device, and with a devilish smirk, he had the perfect plan. He began smashing the mirrors with his flashlight one by one, not caring if it would prick him. He broke about 10 mirrors until Stan finally showed up, his hands on his hips. "You little troll! These mirrors caused me 10- I-I mean, uh 20- 5, 500... 500 dollars each! And you're paying for all of them!"

Gideon imitated his pose. "Au contraire! It will be you who pays!"

Y/n burst into the scene and tackled Gideon to the ground, reaching for the flashlight and attempting to apprehend him by pushing down his wrist, but he was quick, withdrawing his hand and pointing the flashlight at her. But before he could turn it back on, Y/n slapped his hand, causing him to drop the flashlight, which rolled to the ground.

"Ah! No!" Gideon screamed, thrashing around like a toddler. With the way he smacked his fist down her cheek, he wasn't exactly throwing back punches. Y/n didn't even flinch as she grabbed his wrist. She steeled herself against punching him back as much as she wanted to. All she has to do is keep him away from the flashlight.

"What is happening out there?!" Mabel exclaimed as her grip on Gideon's pocket tightened.

Dipper felt dizzy. "Y/n must be helping us by stopping Gideon from shrinking Stan! We gotta help her!"

"Wait, she knows about the magic flashlight-?"

"It doesn't matter, to his armpit!"

"Uh-uh!" Mabel grimaced.

"Just- just go! Come on!" He pushed her down until they were both crawling on his skin.

Gideon smacked Y/n several times, but she didn't budge. "Ugh, let go, you fool! Give me back my flashlight!"

"That's not yours to begin with!"

"You will rue the day you cut off my vengeance against Stanford." Gideon glared, pointing at her. "I wasn't going to include a nobody like you in my schemes, but now you've made a grave mistake messing with me! You and the rest of the Pines family will feel the wrath of Gideon Glee-"

He began giggling.

Y/n and Stan stared at him confusedly.

"Gideon Glee-!" He was laughing uncontrollably on the floor.

"I don't even know how to respond to this," Stan spoke aloud.

He was chortling before stopping himself. "No-!" Then he's back to laughing. Stan looked at him as if he were insane. He looked to Y/n for assistance.

Y/n stood up and began kicking Gideon, causing him to roll on the ground. She took up the flashlight as Stan took over the punting this time. The two rolled a laughing Gideon until they reached the front door, where Gideon landed on the ground with one last kick.

He finally stopped laughing. Gideon clutched his pockets and yelled, "My light!"

"You're the light of my life, too, pal," Stan replied before closing the door. "Phew! Freak show, am I right?"

He left without saying anything else. Y/n stood there motionless as she watched him walk away. "Dipper? Mabel?" she whispered after a moment.

"We're here! Y/n, we're here!"

Two little dots were jumping on the ground below her. She smiled and pointed the flashlight at them after flipping the crystal. She turned it on and the light was back to blue. The twins had all returned to their normal height, but they still needed to measure for... good measure.

"Hey! You're letting me keep my extra millimeter?" Mabel said.

"Oh," Y/n said, facing Dipper. "Do you want me to...?"

"Nope, she earned it." He brought his hand up, though he really missed the feeling of being taller.

"Aw, thanks! Little brothe-"

"Stop it."

The night had ended. Of course, they didn't forget about Soos and bringing him back to his normal height, too, before destroying the crystal completely.

***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 14!

MASTERLIST

author's note: i planned to include a scene where dipper comforts mabel after having a newfound fear of heights (it was already written out and everything), but i scrapped it since it would really cause major plot holes. let's just say that mabel's fear of heights wasn't perman64ent.

anyway-

23-8-1-20-0-9-19-0-20-8-9-19-0-6-5-5-12-9-14-7- -19-15-0-19-21-4-4-5-14-0-1-14-4-0-14-5-23-?

[gravityfallsrewritten]

Chapter 9: Even Bigger Fraud Than Stan

"Hey, have you seen my pants?"

She stood there, deadpanned, as Stan asked her in his boxers. His top half was wearing the classic Mr. Mystery shirt and coat, all that is missing is his pants. "No," Y/n replied, sipping on the soda. "Where are Dipper and Mabel?"

Stan looked around the kitchen for where his pants could've been misplaced. "The kids are in the room with the wax figures. They have been there since this morning."

Y/n glanced at the clock hung on the wall. She didn't even notice that it's afternoon already. "Oh?" she wondered, "How did they find it?"

"Eh, I have no idea. I even forgot I've been keeping 'em in the Shack!" he replied, marching to the living room. He kept muttering, "Where the heck did my pants go?" under his breath.

"Where did you last put it then?!" Y/n exclaimed, getting tired of him searching.

"I don't remember! That's why I'm looking for it!"

She left him alone by himself. Watching him looking at every crevice for his large pants even got her tired so she went to the room where the twins were.

A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered the faces of those wax figures. It really crept her out and she doesn't even know who these people were.

The door was already open when she arrived at the hall. Soos, Dipper, and Mabel in a beret were standing in front of a wax statue. Y/n took a casual sip of her drink.

"Y/n! There you are," Mabel greeted once she saw her. The girl in the sweater dashed towards her friend and grabbed her wrist before pulling her in front of the statue. "What do you think?"

Y/n's jaw dropped as the contents of her Pitt Cola had escaped her open mouth and to the ground.

"Woah!" Mabel exclaimed. "I guess my work is jaw dropping, huh?"

Stan entered the scene, now with his pants on. "I found my pants but now I'm missing my- woa- ha- AH!" He fell to the ground and scrambled away once he noticed the wax figure that looked a lot like his twin brother.

It's not him, Stan. Calm down.

"So, what'd you think?" Mabel asked Stan.

He had to ease his quickening pulse before responding, "I think... the Wax Museum's back in business!"

***

***

All of the people in the Mystery Shack helped transfer all the wax statues outside on a makeshift stage, with banners and chairs already set up.

"Ugh. So creepy," Y/n muttered under her breath as she lifted wax Sherlock Holmes, the last person, to the stand. "Never liked them in the first place."

"In the first place? Have you seen them before?" Mabel said behind her. She must've overheard.

"No. I- I've seen them on TV. I just don't like how hyper-realistic they looked."

Nice save.

"Oh, okay. I think they look cute though!" Mabel replied, holding her hands together with a huge grin. "I hope people will show up."

"I'm sure they will," Y/n reassured, "People will want to be in the reopening of the amazing Wax Museum."

Her sentence was dripping with sarcasm, but Mabel was too much of a sweetheart to notice.

Rest assured, people did come, although Y/n had a feeling that they only came because of "free pizza" that she's sure Stan wouldn't be able to provide.

"You all know me, folks! Town darling, "Mr. Mystery." Please, ladies, control yourselves!" Stan said over the microphone. As you know, I always bring the people of this fair town novelties and befuddlements, the likes of which the world has never known. But enough about me. Behold... me!" He walked towards the clothed statue and uncovered it, revealing a wax replica of himself.

Soos pressed multiple keys on his keyboard, emitting various fanfare sound effects. Two people in the crowd clapped while someone coughed.

"And now a word from our own Mabelangelo!"

"It's Mabel." she grinned, taking the microphone. "Thank you for coming! I made this sculpture with my own two hands! It's covered in my blood, sweat, tears, and other fluids!"

The crowd winced as they expressed their disgust, "Ugh, ew!"

"Hehe. Yeah..." Mabel chuckled. "I will now take questions! You there!" She pointed at the familiar hobo.

Old Man McGucket asked about the eventual wax-man uprising and Mabel wittily provided the answer. Followed by Toby Determined who was shamed by Stan who pointed out that his microphone was a turkey baster.

"Shandra Jimenez, a real reporter." A woman stood up with her cameraman. "Your fliers promised free pizza with admission to this event," she announced before showing said flier, "Is this true?"

The murmurs in the crowds resounded, until it had transformed into chatters of complaint and protests of pizza. Stan quickly exited the scene with his trustworthy smoke bomb and escaped with the box of admission fee in his grabby hands.

Dipper and Wendy sat by the booth where the admission box once lied. They both look concerned and a bit scared, while Y/n just looked out of it. Mabel enthusiastically placed her elbow on the table with a proud smile. "I think that went well."

The sun had set and the moon had risen. Owls were hooting as Stan was spouting old expressions. "Hot pumpkin pie! Look at all this cash!" He said, "Now you kids wash up. We got another long day of fleecing rubes tomorrow. Go, go!" He pushed the twins outside the room before sighing and placing an arm on Wax Stan's shoulder. "Kids."

"You, uh, got something going on there with good 'ol Wax Stan, huh?"

Stan jumped at the sound of her voice and turned around to see her behind the lounge chair. "Sheesh, you almost gave me a heart attack, and hey you should be washin' up, too, kid."

Y/n crossed her arms, ignoring his order. "I know we saw the same thing... with... this guy," she referred to the frozen smile that belonged to the wax figure in the room. "He really looked like you, you know? He could be your twin."

"Oup, no. No, no, no." Stan shook her head. "We're not talking about that. We're here to relax and watch my favorite show, Ducktective," he said grumpily, getting the remote and sitting down with wax Stan standing beside him at a weird angle.

Y/n stared at him switching through the channels. She was about to go back to her room to sleep when he spoke again.

"So, you gonna watch Ducktective or what?"

A hint of a smile appeared on her face. Wordlessly, she took a seat on the ground by Stan's feet just as Ducktective captured the criminal. The show has been their favorite ever since it premiered and they just find peace in watching it together — though they watch it to make fun of it.

Stan laughed at the corny catchphrase from the show. "Stupid duck! Well, I'm gonna use the john." he stood up and stepped away from the two of them. Y/n stood up as well, dusting her clothes. "Guard him while I'm gone, alright?" Stan told her before leaving the room.

She rolled her eyes. "Why does he act like it's a real person?" She took Stan's seat beside the figure. "Sure, he may look like him– a lot but it's not... real."

Y/n reached and slotted her hand around the wax statue's arm and leaned slightly. She chuckled weakly. "Heh, miss you. You're probably gonna be looking like an old man now just like your brother. Meanwhile, I'm still the same thirteen year old me that you left behind.

Might need an explanation once you come back..." Fatigue gradually overtook her. She really shouldn't fall asleep whilst clinging onto Ford- she meant Wax Stan, but she couldn't help but feel comfortable at the moment. She missed this.

She must've been a heavy sleeper because the next thing she heard, Stan screamed, "NOOOOO!"

Y/n scrambled up to her feet and didn't realize what was going on until she saw Wax Stan already on the ground... with its head gone.

The twins ran to the scene, Y/n stood there with a puzzled expression while Stan was shaking grimly. "Wax Stan has been murdered!" he turned to Y/n with a panicked look. "Y/n, what did you do?!"

"Me?! I didn't do anything!" she emphasized. "I fell asleep and the next thing I knew this guy's head was chopped off!"

Mabel fainted dramatically with the back of her head on her forehead. Dipper caught her before saying, "Everybody, calm down. Let's call the cops and see if they can help."

Surely enough, the cops arrived. They questioned the events before said murder, and Stan nervously told his point of view, "The three of us were just watching a show when I went to the bathroom. And when I come back, BLAMO! He's headless!"

"My expert handcrafting besmirched." Mabel kneeled next to Wax Stan's "corpse", carressing it gently. "BESMIRCHED!"

Dipper comforted his sister. "Who would do something like this?"

Blubs drank from his cup of coffee, "Why don't you ask the only person who was present at the scene of crime?"

They all looked at Y/n, who was already looking offended. Dipper frowned. "I don't think Y/n would have done this."

She smiled, grateful that he could trust her. Her happiness shifted to anger as she faced the cops again. "You can't accuse me of murder when you don't even have the evidence!"

"That's true!"

Blubs remained dismissive, "Then unless you don't think that this girl here is guilty, let's face it: this case is unsolvable."

"WHAT?!" Dipper, Mabel, and Stan exclaimed.

Stan pointed an accusatory finger at them. "You take that back, Sheriff Blubs!"

"You're kidding, right?" Dipper said, "You're not even gonna do investigations and search for more evidence?"

"Oh, Dipper can help!" Mabel chimed in, supporting her brother. "He's really good. He figured out who was eating our tin cans!"

"All signs pointed to the goat."

Even Stan wanted Dipper to help, only for the offer to be turned down by both the sheriff and the deputy. They laughed in his face, making fun of Dipper because he was a little kid.

They really shouldn't be underestimating him.

"Adorable. You should leave the investigating to the grownups," was their final words before being called to attend an emergency.

Determined Dipper turned to his sister with a fire like no other. "That's it. Mabel, you and I are going to find the jerk who did this and get back that head! And we'll see who's adorable." he seethed before unconsciously releasing an adorable sneeze that could've been mistaken for a kitten sound.

Y/n will also agree that he's adorable. His sneeze was adorable.

The twins started transforming the living room into what appears to be a crime scene. Mabel was photographing the headless wax figure repeatedly, while Dipper was pinning pictures to his corkboard.

Stan walked out of the room, depressed. Y/n wanted to go console him, but she was stopped by Dipper. "Hey, wait. Y/n."

"What's up?"

"I know that you wouldn't do this, but what happened at the time of murder? What were you doing?"

She was irritated, but she replied truthfully, "I was sleeping. I didn't know what happened. I didn't hear a sound because I was asleep."

"Well, wax Stan lost his head and it's up to us to find it and prove your innocence. Would you like to join us?"

As much as she would like to go be with them, she has to prioritize. And right now, Stan is her first priority. "I don't know," she began. "There's not much room for one more detective, don't you think?"

"But-"

"I'm sure Sherlock Holmes and John Watson will handle it." Yes, she read the books. "The question is, who is Holmes... and who is Watson?" she left without another word.

The twins stared at one another before Mabel smiled. "I'm Sherl-!"

"No," Dipper immediately turned down. "Mabel, focus. We have to solve this case. The murderer could be anyone."

Mabel's eyes widened. "Gasp. Even us!"

"In this town, anything is possible," Dipper muttered, taking out his journal and skimming through it. The book was full of codes and ciphers that he might use to find clues.

"Hey, look, a clue!" Mabel's voice brought him out the pages. She pointed down to the ground they were standing on.

"Footprints in the shag carpet!" Dipper marveled. "It looks like one of the shoes has a hole in it." Their eyes noticed the marks all leading somewhere behind the big, yellow chair.

The twins found an ax just lying there on the ground. This must be the murder weapon!

To clarify, they took the object and delivered it to Soos the handyman. He examined it thoroughly before concluding, "In my opinion... this is an ax."

Mabel suddenly got an idea. "Wait a minute. The lumberjack!"

They began to piece their assumptions together enough to go out and find the aforementioned lumberjack. Soos had told them about the biker bar.

With newfound information, they walked out the Shack in unison. They passed by Stan who was struggling with bringing out a coffin from his car trunk.

"Hey, give me a hand with this coffin, will ya? I'm doing a memorial with wax Stan. Something small, but... classy," he said, giving it all his all until the coffin eventually was pulled out.

Dipper clutched the straps of his duffel bag tighter. "Sorry, Grunkle Stan, but we have a big break in the case!" he emphasized with a clench of his fist.

"Break in the case!"

"We're heading into town to interrogate the murder."

"Oh, well in that case, do me a quick favor and fetch Y/n for me? This coffin is surprisingly heavy."

Mabel sprinted inside the shack, loudly shouting Y/n's name. "Y/n! Stan needs you!"

"I hear ya!"

And that was Mabel's cue to leave and regroup with her brother. "She's coming!"

Stan placed his hands on his waist. "I know this is dangerous and I would honestly forbid you from going if I am a responsible parent... good thing I'm an uncle! Avenge me, kids!

AVENGE ME!"

The kids took off, with Mabel carelessly swinging around the ax that they found. Stan watched them with an almost proud look on his face.

"You said you need me?"

He glanced beside him and it was Y/n, in the flesh. "What took you so long?"

"I was in the bathroom, jeez!"

Stan scoffed playfully. "You're probably performing another album from ABBA in the shower. Not surprised."

"Do you need me or not?" she glared at him.

"Help me carry this thing," he said before lifting up the other end of the box.

Y/n rolled her eyes but went to the opposite end and brought it to her chest anyway. "Put respect to their name. It's Number One All-Time Icelandic Pop Sensation BABBA."

"Right. How could I forget? You always play it in the basement. I swear, the twins might hear the sounds from the attic."

"Oh, shut your yaps and tell me why you need to set up a funeral for this wax statue that reminds you of your twin brother?"

Stan fixed his gaze on Y/n and her direct question. He stopped moving, but she knew he wasn't mad at her for essentially touching a nerve. He exhaled a sigh. "Would you mind letting me do this just once?"

He never said anything else, but she understood. It may look and sound weird, but the intention behind it was deeply saddening. It's like he wanted to do a proper farewell... in case of it being true.

"And, hey, doesn't he look like... your teacher? Your boss? Your-"

"He's my mortal enemy now, Stan," she cut off, a playful grin on her face. They positioned the coffin over two stools. Soos was cleaning the floors.

"Oh," Soos said once he saw the casket. He frowned deeply. "I'll... go and set up the chairs."

Y/n placed her hand on her hips. "Where are the twins anyway?"

"Oh, they're off to find the killer."

"What?"

Soos appeared behind her again. "Yeah, you know, the one who... ch-chopped... Mr. Wax Pines'... head. I heard them say that they're doing it to clear your name."

Her heart leapt at the prospect of them attempting to prove her innocence. She appreciated the effort of going out and probably questioning everyone in town, but she knew. She knew that no human could do this and escape in record time. No human in Gravity Falls, that is.

It was already late at night when the mini podium for Stan was set up. Dipper and Mabel eventually returned home, apparently with nothing to share. Y/n sat beside Mabel, who sat glumly holding an ax.

As Stan regained his composure, Y/n leaned in closer to Mabel and whispered, "Did something happen? Why the long face?"

"We thought we cracked the case and blamed Toby Determined for a crime he didn't even commit," Dipper answered for his sister, sighing. "Those cops were right about me."

Stan cleared his throat loudly and began his eulogy with sad organ music in the background, before Mabel or Y/n could object.

"Kids, Soos, lifeless wax figures... Thank you all for coming."

Soos dramatically blew his nose on a napkin.

"Some people might say it's wrong for a man to love a wax replica of himself."

"They're wrong!" Soos screamed, pointing an accusatory finger.

Stan tried to coax him. "Easy, Soos," he said before turning to wax Stan who lay still on a coffin. Its iconic pose of a thumbs up stuck out. "Wax Stan, I hope you're pickin' pockets in wax heaven."

This made Y/n frown. Stan was visibly upset, and she could tell it wasn't a joke to him. He took off, sniffing despondently. "I'm sorry, I got glitter in my eye!" he exclaimed as he dashed out of the room.

"Dude...!" Soos cried, chasing after Stan as he sobbed also.

Y/n stood up, looking at both Dipper and Mabel. "I have to check on him in case he does something crazy."

She walked away, straight towards the living room, where Stan sat glumly. His glasses were perched on top of his hair, and he rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. Soos stood next to him, attempting to offer him a napkin.

"No, Soos. You need it more than I do," Stan said, sniffling.

She walked into the room. He gave her a quick glance before returning his gaze to the ground. Y/n motioned for Soos to return home, and she'd take care of it. He nodded and walked away, closing the gift shop door behind him.

It was quiet except for Stan's sniffles. Y/n gave him time to let it out. She's seen him cry before– many times now. It makes him the more emotional, empathic person out of the Pines twins.

If you think it's rare to see Stan cry, then it is incredibly anomalous to see even a glimpse of Ford letting out a single tear.

The first time Stan cried was, of course, the first night of his brother's disappearance. She could hear the bawling from her room. He was completely devastated and he always blamed himself.

Every other night for the last thirty years, Stan had grown to be comfortable to be himself around Y/n. Comfortable enough for him to cry a river. She's the only one who understands what he's going through.

She leaned against the doorframe of the living room, staring at a wall painting. Stan was constantly wiping his tears away. "I..." he began, but it got cut off with a sharp exhale. "I just– really, really miss him, you know?"

"Yeah," she replied quietly.

"I don't even know if he's alive out there. What even is out there? On the other side?"

He has asked this exact same question a thousand times, and even though Y/n is vague with her answers every time, it would always end it with, "He's alive."

"I hope."

"I know he's alive," she said. "Sure, there might be aliens and other dimensional lizards and whatnot, but he is the smartest guy in the world. He knows what to do."

Stan kept to himself. Looking down, he ran his thumb across the rim of the glasses he recognized as Ford's. "You know, I'm really glad you're here ."

"Happy to be of service, old man."

They stayed within their comfortable silence.

Meanwhile, the twins faced the sentient wax figures that were all staring them down menacingly. Wax Sherlock Holmes had just recounted their heinous history up to the time of the murder.

"So you were trying to murder Grunkle Stan for real?!"Dipper asked in disbelief.

"And you could've almost killed Y/n, too!" Mabel exclaimed, lifting her forefinger. "You made her look so guilty that the cops almost arrested her!"

"Enough!" Wax Sherlock bellowed, "Now that you know our secret, you must die."

His pupils vanished as his eyeballs rolled. The other wax figures joined him and marched slowly, grunting like zombies.

Dipper and Mabel felt cornered, stepping back from them. "What do we do?!" Mabel panicked.

"I don't know!"

"What the heck is going on here?!"

Everyone came to a halt and looked at the door where Y/n stood. She looked perplexed as she assessed the situation.

"Y/n. watch out!" Mabel screamed, flailing her hands around. "Wax Sherlock Holmes was the real murderer. All of the wax figures are alive!"

Hm. Y/n narrowed her eyes on them. "I've always known you guys were creepy."

Wax Sherlock fumed, "Oh you kids are driving me up the wall. Attack!"

Half of the wax army charged towards the twins, while the rest rushed over to Y/n, who skillfully dodged them before kicking their limbs apart. Wax Thomas Edison yelled out a curse when she punched his head loose and went in a different direction.

"Y/n, use this!" Dipper threw a hot fire iron at her, and she grabbed the handle just as Wax Sherlock brought a sword down on her head. She deflected the blow before swinging her own weapon at him.

The two of them fought their way out of the room, inadvertently leading themselves to the attic, where the fight raged on. Every strike from Y/n was deflected, and Wax Sherlock continued forward until she was pushed up against the wall.

He pointed the sharp blade to her nose. "I know you're still the same little girl you were ten years ago," he said, and it couldn't help but send a shiver down her spine.

Because the fire iron was gradually losing its heat, she realized that killing him with it would be pointless. She looked out the window next to Wax Sherlock, the light reflecting off it.

So she rolled under him and escaped through the window and onto the Shack's roof. Wax Sherlock pursued the girl with the sole intention of murdering her. They fought until she was forced to retreat and stall for more time. He continued to spout more British slang before darting towards her, cornering her once more.

She glanced to her right and saw a twinkle of sunlight.

Wax Sherlock turned to face her, his sword poised above his head, ready to strike. "We all have secrets that we keep hidden, and yours is bound to be revealed; it's just a matter of time!"

"I'll let you in on a little secret: I adore watching the sun rise."

"Watching- what?!" Wax Sherlock shrieked as he realized that this was all a trap.

In his final act, he attempted to swing down, only for Y/n to literally stop the blade with her hand. Wax Sherlock quipped briefly before being knocked to the ground by her kick.

"Any final words?" she asked as she let go of the sword. His lower half was already slipping off the shingles.

"Shut your festering gob, you sniveling- grmmm!"

The rest of him melted into liquid until it all fell down to the ground.

"Gross."

She walked back to the parlor where Stan now stood. "Y/n!" The twins exclaimed. "Are you okay? What happened?"

She shrugged casually, smirking a bit. "Heh, you should see the other guy," she said before making a melting sound and moving slowly.

The twins chuckled at her joke but at the same time, glad that she was alright. "So, do you also want an affectionate noogie from Grunkle Stan?" Dipper asked.

***

"Who?"

"The 'child psycho' Gideon Gleeful," Stan told Y/n, getting the both of them Pitt colas. They were working so hard with the portal, tackling the parts for it. She didn't remember who brought in cards, but the next thing they did was play poker all night. She didn't remember who was in the lead either.

"What about him?"

Stan grumbled. "You know the monster's been terrorizing me ever since he rolled into town, and now the kids are checking out the competition with his so-called 'Tent of Telepathy'," he said the last part in exaggerated quotes.

"Woah, calm down," she said, coaxing him, "Maybe they're just seeing if it's the real thing. We all know he's a sham."

He sighed. "You're right." He took a sip of his can before retreating to his office. "I'll be in here in case you need me."

"Don't worry, buddy. You just relax," Y/n answered back.

Just as Stan left the room, the back door opened and the twins entered. "Y/n! Where have you been!?"

"Sorry, I... overslept," she trailed off, "But, hey! You're back. How was the trip?"

"Oh, Y/n, you should have seen it!" Mabel gushed, rushing towards her. "Gideon was the cutest! He had this little cape and sang in rhymes! He even guessed my name! He truly is a child psychic."

Y/n and Dipper exchanged glances. "Is that so..." she hummed, looking at Mabel's sweater with the letters M A B E L sewn into it. "He must've been really entertaining."

"She is easily impressed," Dipper pointed out, crossing his arms before walking to the kitchen.

Before going to the table by the living room, Y/n went to the fridge and got another can of cola. The boy took a glass of water and sat in the other chair at the far end of the table.

The two sat in comfortable silence until Mabel came back with sparkly gems plastered on her entire face, from her eyelids to the inside of her mouth. "Check it out, guys! I successfully bedazzled my face!" She struggled to even manage a single blink with the jewels stuck.

"That was quick."

"Is that... permanent?" Dipper asked.

Mabel frowned. "I'm unappreciated in my time."

Someone knocked on the door and the three looked at one another. "Somebody answer that door!" Stan shouted from the other room.

"I'll get it!" Mabel yelled back, easily scrubbing off the colorful stones and heading to the door.

It turned out to be Gideon on the other side, asking Mabel on a tour of his dressing room. The two hung out and played make-ups until afternoon. Later, Gideon invited her once again to come and sightsee the entire town from the roof of his warehouse. They even brought their own pair of opera glasses.

She just didn't think Gideon would ask her out on a real date. She had a good time with him, but she never liked him in that way. Mabel thought this kid was creepy as he drew her into a hug and unabashedly sniffed her hair.

The next day, she and Dipper were playing video games when the doorbell rang again. Mabel replied, opening it to reveal the head of a horse peering inside. Gideon sat atop the horse, wearing a cowboy hat and a sickening grin.

And they were off to some probably expensive restaurant that Gideon bribed the staff into doing everything he asked.

"Hey!" Stan exclaimed that morning, getting the attention of Dipper, Wendy, and Soos. "What the jackal is Mabel doing in the paper next to that greasy pickpocket Gideon?" he aggressively pointed at the large picture in the first page of the newspaper.

Wendy and Soos were excited about it, Stan was exasperated, while Dipper was a little scared of him right now. Y/n was nowhere to be found.

Stan went out as well to deal with the whole 'dating grandniece' situation. The three were left to themselves, until they had to go and do their own thing.

Dipper went back inside the living room to do some reading. He was already in the ghost section when he felt someone enter the room.

"Oh, hey, Dipper."

He looked up and saw Y/n with a cup of coffee this time. "Y/n! Hi."

She sighed and yawned. Even though she had only slept for 30 minutes, she felt a surge of rage in her veins when she saw the Journal 3 in his hands. "What are you reading?" she asked, sitting across from him in the chair. They had always sat at this table, sometimes in different seats, but their conversation was always about the journal.

"Oh, I'm just trying to catch on to some ghost categories. Can't believe there's 10! The author must've experienced all of them!"

How'd you think he would write all of that down if he didn't go through them?! I was there with him.

Y/n didn't realize she was glaring at Dipper, but she rationalized it as her being insane from lack of sleep. So she slurped the coffee silently but angrily.

"Are you okay? Looks like you stayed up all night."

She couldn't tell him that she had spent the entire morning attempting to stabilize the energy distribution of the Shack and the portal. Energy was required for the portal to remain idle, while electricity was required for the house.

"Just like you, I was also trying to catch on some... reading," Y/n replied once she had her thoughts together. "Quantum Physics."

"You're already studying in summer? What?" Dipper was grinning from ear to ear. "What grade are you in?"

Grade? She didn't know what that term meant.

"Huh?"

The employee door opened from the gift shop, and Mabel appeared gloomy as she carried a lobster past the two of them.

"Hey!" Dipper called, his smile never left his face albeit being slightly confused from Y/n's response. "How did it go?"

"I don't know. I have a lobster now," Mabel said slowly.

Y/n placed her head on her propped hand. "Well, at least it's over and you will never have to go out with him again."

But Mabel didn't say anything. She was anxiously tapping on the glass box with the idle lobster.

"Mabel?" Dipper asked after a brief moment. "It's over, right? ...Mabel?"

"BLARGH!" The twin sister flailed her arms around in a panic. "He asked me out again and I didn't know how to say no!"

Dipper furrowed his brows. "Like this: no!" he enunciated, pointing at his mouth.

"It's not that easy, Dipper!" Mabel reasoned, "And I do like Gideon... as a friend slash little sister! So I didn't want to hurt his feelings!" She smacked her fist onto the table between the two. "I just need to get things back the way they used to be, you know? Friends!"

Unfortunately, Mabel's plan did not go as planned. Her heart seemed to always win in every situation, which she disliked. She disliked Gideon's advances on her and her inability to say no. She liked Gideon, but not in the way he desired.

So, the moment she got home, she was pacing all over the living room, weighing her options. He's just too nice but she can't keep doing this! – but she can't break his heart! There's no way out of this!

Dipper's voice jolted her out of her reverie. She was terrified of her upcoming date with Gideon. Dipper reassured her that it wouldn't come to marriage, until Stan stormed in with a TEAM GIDEON sign on his shirt, declaring that Mabel must marry the twerp.

Y/n entered the room with her favorite Pitt cola in hand. She stared disapprovingly at Stan. "What?" he asked. "Bodies change."

The boy twin found his sister in a place she dubbed, 'Sweater Town'-- where she just pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her huge sweater around her until she is completely covered.

Dipper has had his fill. If Mabel does not want to end her relationship with Gideon, he will. Mabel, of course, was overjoyed at her brother's offer.

He entered the restaurant where Gideon was allegedly waiting for his sister. He couldn't believe this little charlatan would basically force Mabel to date him. He's been behaving strangely since he saw him on stage.

Gideon was initially polite to Dipper, though he was perplexed by his appearance. Gideon's eye twitched when Dipper told him Mabel didn't want to see him again, but he still wore a sickening grin.

"You're not gonna- like, freak out or whatever?"

Bygones be bygones, he said. Dipper took it in stride and walked out. He didn't look like he was angry, so he thought that he'd understood.

But Gideon's gaze remained fixed on Dipper as he walked out of the restaurant. He suddenly felt a surge of rage coursing through his veins. How dare he put himself between him and Mabel? He has no authority to intervene! Gideon and Mabel were supposed to rule the town together as king and queen!

Dipper just made the biggest mistake of his life.

The next day, everything seemed to be back to normal. The twins were having fun with Soos outside the Shack, doing random shenanigans until the phone rang from the gift shop.

"Your turn," Mabel said first, beating Dipper to it – which means, he has to go and deal with whoever was on the phone.

Dipper had no idea it would be Toby Determined, the lamest guy ever, who was suddenly interested in interviewing him about the 'unusual' things going on in town.

Dipper's excitement overtook his worry, and he quickly scribbled the address Toby provided on the notepad from his pocket. He was about to leave the gift shop and continue on his way when he noticed Y/n out of the corner of his eye.

"Y/n, hey!"

She turned around, trying to look casual after having heard of the telephone conversation. In her defense, it was a total coincidence that she walked into the gift shop from the living room and... stayed until the end of the call.

"Dipper," she answered. "What's up?"

Wendy and Soos gave her that greeting. What does she know about interacting when she's been cooped up in the basement for the past 30 years? Stan is mostly responsible for grocery shopping and going outside.

Dipper told her about Toby Determined and wanting to interview him with the address already etched in the paper.. "So, what I'm saying is," he began, "do you wanna come with me? We found this journal together, so I figured I shouldn't take the credit alone."

Her heart skipped a beat not only because of the thoughtful offer, but also because of the heavy anxiety. She took a look at the journal he had brought out. Knowing the journal was with Dipper - within her arms reach - calmed her a little, but she couldn't help but think about the risk of revealing the journal's secrets to anyone else, let alone someone like Toby Determined.

So she had to go with him. Just to make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid.

"Sure," she finally said, smiling. Dipper returned the smile, and the two proceeded to the cleared path in the forest to the address. Because the Shack is located at 618 Gopher Road, it took some time to locate 412. It appeared to be an abandoned warehouse on a cliff.

Y/n and Dipper exchanged uncertain glances before hiking up the hill to the main door. Dipper opened it to reveal a dark room full of shelves and unused cardboard boxes.

"Hello?" Dipper's voice echoed through the confines of the warehouse.

Y/n furrowed her eyebrows, confused with the silence. Someone was supposed to meet them there, but apparently no one came. "Let's just get out of here. Maybe it was a prank call."

"Yeah. Maybe you're right."

The two were about to leave when the door unexpectedly shut. Dipper jumped and tried unsuccessfully to open the door. He knocked, expecting someone to close the door on them as a joke, but no one answered. Panic gripped their chests.

A row of lights illuminated the warehouse until it reached the far end, revealing an office chair.

The seated turned around to see Gideon, who was petting his puppet version of himself like a supervillain. He had a menacing grin on his face. "Dipper Pines... oh, and you brought Y/n, too. Isn't that just swell?"

"Gideon?" The boy beside her rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"How long have you been living in this town, a week? Or two? You like it here?" Gideon inquired, innocently fidgeting with the stuffed toy.

Dipper crossed his arms. "What do you want from me, man?"

"Listen carefully, boy," he said slowly, "this town has secrets you couldn't even begin to comprehend."

"Is this about Mabel?" Dipper asked. "I told you she's not into you!"

"LIAR! You turned her against me!" Gideon stood from his chair and marched towards the two of them. "She was my pink dumplin'!" He grasped his bolo tie with a hard look on his face.

Dipper had the nerve to be concerned, "Are you okay, man?"

Gideon raised his hand, and the two of them were surrounded by a blue aura. They quickly realized that their feet were no longer touching the ground. Dipper panicked slightly, whereas Y/n felt dread mixed with familiarity.

When Gideon made a motion with his hand, the two were launched into the air. They landed in a heap of cardboard boxes containing his merchandise.

"Wha-what? But I- I thought he's a fake!" Dipper stuttered.

"Oh tell me, boy! Is this fake?" His hand on his bolo tie again, he lifted the other and the stuff around them were floating.

Y/n was staring at Gideon's closed fist. It can't be.

Gideon laughed maniacally as he directed the floating clocks towards Dipper. Dipper was the most targeted of the two, so he had to avoid the most hazards. Y/n stepped to the side, conjuring up some sort of plan. If only there was some kind of distraction so she could retrieve the mystical amulet.

So that's why his hair was unnaturally white.

Dipper jumped away from the tumbling shelf, rolling until his back hit the wall. He stroked his head, which he was certain was developing a lump. "Grunkle Stan was right about you, you are a monster!"

"Your sister will be mine!" Gideon's laughter was cut short when a pair of arms wrapped around his neck from behind. He screamed and flailed his arms around, attempting to punch Y/n but failing. "No! Let go of me!" He screeched, but she didn't falter, only squeezing tighter.

"Dipper, get the amulet!" She feared that once she let go of her other hand and reached for the necklace, Gideon would have the chance to unhand himself and use the magic against her.

Dipper stood up and ran towards the two of them. Gideon was still writhing under her grasp, sweating like a pig now. Dipper had a small triumphant smile on his face as his hand inched closer to the amulet, until-

"Guys?"

The three looked over to see Mabel by the opened door.

"What's happening?"

It was silent. No one really knew how to start at explaining the whole situation.

But Gideon quickly recovered, elbowing Y/n in the face—which didn't hurt, but caught her off guard—causing her to loosen her grip, and that's when Gideon took the chance, holding his bolo tie again and lifting his other hand, sending both Y/n and Dipper afloat. So much for a diversion, she reasoned.

"Gideon! What are you doing?!" Mabel exclaimed, panic settling in her features.

"Marshmella, I want to apologize for my behavior, but these two have come between our sweet relationship! Don't you want to get rid of them?"

"Heck no! I'm sorry, Gideon, but I can't be your marshmallow. I needed to be honest and finally tell you that myself," Mabel replied.

Gideon furrowed his brows. "I... I don't understand," he said, clutching the amulet tightly, with the gesture and his growing frustration, it made it so that he was choking both Dipper and Y/n while they were still afloat.

Dipper thrashed around in an attempt to relieve the pain in his throat. Y/n imitated the action, attempting to persuade herself that she, too, is in pain.

She yanked the glowing amulet from his suit as quickly as she could. "No!" Y/n and Dipper both fell to the ground, their magic practically unused. "You were like attacking my brother and my friend!What the heck?!"

"My tie! Give it back!"

He tried to reach it, but Mabel tossed it to Dipper.

"Ha!" Dipper caught it. "Not so powerful without this, are you?"

Gideon screamed and charged at Dipper, making him drop the amulet and breaking through the window.

"Dipper!" Mabel yelled. Y/n glanced at the amulet on the ground and wasted no time going for it. She picked it up, grabbing it tightly, and harnessed its powers. It was the same feeling when she held it the first time. With her mind, she thought about floating and instantly she was.

Mabel was astounded. She levitated as Y/n raised her hand with the amulet. She rushed the two of them outside the broken window and, with no time to waste, gestured her other hand up to stop Gideon and Dipper's horrific fall. The two stared up at them until Y/n and Mabel gracefully descended.

"Listen, Gideon," Mabel began once her feet landed, "It's over. I will never ever date you."

Y/n, too, put her feet on the ground, eventually letting go of the magic before it could affect her again. After all, the white streaks were still visible beneath her natural hair. She gave Mabel the amulet, knowing exactly what she wanted to do with it, and Mabel delivered, throwing it to the ground and breaking it.

"My powers!" Gideon exclaimed. "Oh this isn't over. This isn't the last you'll see of wittle... ol'... me," he said before walking back to the dark forest.

The twins looked at each other, both weirded out, before they turned around and made their way home. Meanwhile, Y/n stared at the broken pieces of the mystical amulet.

"'Buried deep underground where nobody can find it,'" she muttered under her breath. Ford was a terrible liar.

***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 10!

MASTERLIST

RG'H Z HNZOO DLIOW ZUGVI ZOO RG'H Z HNZOO, HNZOO DLIOW

[gravityfallsrewritten]

Chapter 5: Curse this World

author's note: TW blood, vomit, hallucinations. take care!

***

Fiddleford McGucket was distinct from Ford, as Y/n discovered once the three began working together. She remained on the sidelines, only waiting for orders because she couldn't contribute anything useful to their conversation. She chose to be a simple assistant, which she has always been good at.

"The plans in these blueprints are unbelievably complex," F said after the three of them had moved on from the subject of the "leg warmers" fashion trend. "Did Y/n also help you come up with the idea, or did you consult with anyone else?"

Ford paused for a moment, as if he was debating something. He looked at the girl next to him, who was trying not to look like she was judging him despite the fact that she was speculating on his expressions. F's question made her think, too; she knew damn well that Ford didn't have anyone else to consult about his plans because it was just the two of them.

The man in question then averted his gaze from F, then from her, before dismissively stating, "With hard work, anything is possible. Anyway, I want you to double-check these," he said before moving to the other side of the table and handing F a stack of calculations. "Y/n, follow me."

She did, trailing behind Ford as he scribbled in his journal. Before she could take a peek at it, he shut it close, earning a loud poof. He turned around and handed her a copy of the blueprint, as well as a demonstration of the portal's structural form, and suddenly everything made sense. She was a quick learner, which was one of the many benefits of eating that mushroom.

It was the following day when F suddenly went into a panic and began rambling about how the portal would require a Temporal Displacement Hyperdrive before spouting about his worries about humanity and its limited knowledge. At that moment, Y/n remembered something, and it appeared that Ford did as well. They exchanged glances before Ford exclaimed, "We know exactly where to get that kind of device!"

F was stunned, pulling some of his hair out, and their grins grew even wider at his reaction. The destination was Crash Site Omega, which had the coolest name ever, and Y/n and Ford had already begun packing for the two-day trip.

Ford had reminded Y/n to bring curses and spells for when they ventured into some of the dangerous areas of the Uncharted Forest, and they were on their way.

***

***

On the first day of the journey, Ford, F, and Y/n hiked up the granite pass to the lake, where their secret mountain shortcut is located. For years, Y/n and Ford had been walking and climbing up mountains, but that wasn't the case for Fiddleford. Around midday, he took a break and could be heard grumbling about wanting to invent a pair of robot legs while eating a sandwich. With a stick, he even drew a diagram in the dirt.

"Would you like one?" " F offered the girl, but she politely declined. She ate a light breakfast, but it was sufficient.

A low-pitched growling was heard, and an odd red-and-black-checkered beast unexpectedly waddled out of the brush for a bite of F's sandwich.

Standing up from the small boulder, Y/n exclaimed. She looked at the creature with awe. She didn't believe they were real! "Oh my gosh," she mumbled, hiding her mouth behind her hands.

"Don't go near it, Y/n," Ford cautioned, but Y/n paid no attention. Many of Ford's commands were always ignored. "Y/n, it could be venomous."

"It could not," she countered. One of her hobbies appeared to be defying his orders.

The creature stared up at Y/n, motionless, but when she took a step forward, it growled, causing her to come to a halt. "Actually, I would like a sandwich," she said to Fiddleford, who gave her one shakily. Y/n unwrapped it from its plastic wrapping and waved it in the air, as if producing an aroma. The creature perked up in interest and approached her innocently.

Her face lit up as the creature bit off a piece of the sandwich and munched on it quietly. It bit again, and this time a larger piece was ripped off. "You're so adorable," Y/n said. She looked up to see Ford scribbling in his journal with a small smile on his face. F was also taken aback.

"It looks like a platypus-" F began.

"But its skin has a plaid pattern," Ford added. Y/n stood there, a teasing smile on her face, waiting for her friend to make yet another witty pun. "I'm guessing it's called a plaidypus?"

Her lips trembled with laughter. The sandwich in her hand was gone, and it appeared to want more. Y/n took an item from her bag. It was a biscuit box. The plaidypus seemed to enjoy salted crackers as well. She deliberately picked it up and gladly obliged, as long as it was accompanied by food. The plaidypus made a sound, but she couldn't tell if it was happy or disgruntled due to a lack of crackers.

"Don't feed it too much or we might just run out of food."

"Yeah," she said. "Or I could've been destroying this cutie's dietary habits or nutritional intakes, or something..." She petted its bald head, and her heart skipped a beat as she listened to its purr.

"Is it a female?" Fiddleford questioned, repacking his backpack.

"I think so," Y/n concluded after peering into its underbelly. The plaidypus wriggled its way out of her arms, and she let it go, carefully placing it on the ground. It waddled back to where it came from, and Y/n dutifully followed. Silently, the two men followed as well, intrigued by this creature's movements. They didn't want to split up so might as well follow the girl's trail.

What welcomed them was the plaidypus' nest where its egg had the same plaid pattern as its skin. "Good thing none of us are hungry, because I would advise not to eat those eggs."

The sun had finally set, and the three of them had unanimously decided to take a break. Ford proposed going to the top of Gravity Peak and setting up camp for the night. Y/n huddled inside her sleeping bag, gazing up at the vast expanse of night sky made up of various constellations. She mentally named a few constellations that she recognized right away. Her favorite was the Big Dipper. It appeared to be so simple, and it is literally a big dipper.

Ford had situated meters away, and Fiddleford had followed. For a brief moment, there was only the sound of the flickering fire, which provided them with some light and warmth against the cold midnight air.

F began to open up and talk about his plans after the project was finished. Ford and Y/n listened intently. The former was lost in thought, relating to his friend's ambition. Y/n wondered about her future as well, knowing that this project would end sooner rather than later. She can't keep relying on Ford indefinitely. He'd have to leave Gravity Falls once his research was finished, leaving her all alone.

But she'd considered this possibility before. She considered her own future plans and what she might do. She needed to prepare. She wasn't stupid, after all.

"And how about you, Y/n?" " Ford inquired, clearing his throat.

"Well, I know you won't be here forever, Ford, so... once you leave, I'm thinking of opening some sort of treatment facility for the creatures that live here," she explained, leaving out the fact that she is vulnerable to physical pain. She and Ford had already discussed not telling Fiddleford because he would freak out even more. She didn't like lying to the guy, but she reasoned that it was for his own good. "I sincerely want to assist everyone."

"Such an admiring dream for a little girl. We have the same goal; helping people," F remarked, giving her a smile.

Ford followed and shared his own thoughts, expressing his desire to prove his theory and getting excited about the future, already seeing himself as a prizewinner and genius and rubbing shoulders with other notable prizewinners and geniuses. Y/n admired his determination despite the fact that his dream seemed to be more for his own benefit.

The scope of Ford's plans perplexed F. He's caught a glimpse of the journals, which are thick with pages of amazement that he never imagined could be true. He explained that his former classmate should publish his findings and then enjoy life. But Ford was adamant, acting as if he was in a race with other scientists who also wanted to get their hands on this discovery.

Ford ended the conversation with a sweet reminder that he was glad to be accompanied by his two friends.

The two-day trip was clearly well planned, because they arrived at their destination after an encounter with cows. Y/n noticed that nothing had changed since she and Ford left this two years ago. Ford's excitement returned as he gleefully broke open the hatch and climbed down. They soon discovered what they were looking for: the Hyperdrive. Fortunately, with F's mechanical knowledge, Ford's keen intuition, and Y/n's clairvoyance, they were able to locate and extract it, which is now safely stored inside F's backpack. It was quite bulky, and Y/n agreed that it would be too heavy for her sadly short stature.

Mission accomplished..

It was about to be a terrific day for the three of them, until that turned terrible. Y/n was so used to Ford's life-threatening curiosity. She was confident that she wouldn't get hurt, yet sometimes she feared his complacency when nearing a beast like this one. He doesn't have the same invulnerability as her.

The Gremloblin was a legend, that was what she heard from Ford, and now he got the chance to draw its figure up close because they knew that creatures like it are heavy sleepers. Normally, when it's the two of them, Y/n can sit beside Ford and watch him draw, all the while admiring his line work, but it was different this time now that they have a new addition. Fiddleford was shaking up in his boots as he cowered behind Ford.

"C-can we please, just, move along? I don't like them large chompers."

"You don't have to worry," Y/n reassured F, but just as she finished, the Hyperdrive emitted an ear-piercing alarm from F's backpack. "What! I thought it was inactive!" She exclaimed, slightly alarmed.

The Gremloblin awoke with a start, seized Fiddleford with its gigantic claws, and peered deeply into his eyes, as expected. Ford flung his canteen at the beast, hoping to shock it, but it had little effect. The water simply made the monster scarier!

The creature has just mutated, and its wings have grown to be twice their original size! It flew down the mountain with F still in its grasp, with a powerful heave of its wings. "Come on, Y/n!" She sprinted alongside him, her gaze fixed on the Hyperdrive in F's arms. The gleaming metal glistened in the harsh sunlight, and she had an idea.

"Ford! "Give me your bag," she demanded. Ford handed it to her, unsure why, preferring to trust her rather than question her. The two ran down the cliff-side, tearing their clothes. Ford had a bloody scrape, but Y/n was unharmed. He looked up helplessly as the girl rummaged through the bag, eventually finding what she was looking for. It was...

"The magnet gun! Y/n, what a brilliant idea!" She handed him the gun, and as the Gremloblin slowed down, Ford took advantage of the opportunity and aimed at the Hyperdrive, holding Y/n close to him. With a magnetic rush, the two were lifted fifty feet into the air and landed on the monster's back. Ford drew his gun and delivered a hard blow to the back of the head, knocking it out cold. The four had landed in a soft, cushioned hayloft after crashing through the barn roof.

F's condition caused Y/n to frown deeply. His entire body was trembling, his eye twitching uncontrollably, and his knee bouncing faster than usual. He was in such a state of terror that he didn't seem to notice that his arm was broken and pierced in several places with the venomous quills of the Gremloblin.

Immediately, Ford and Y/n took F home for treatment.

Y/n took the liberty of tending to her friend's physical wounds, having learned to do that because she had practice. The practice being Ford, that is. She successfully wrapped bandages around his arms and forehead, but he was still left shaken. He was still mumbling something about his family. He tends to mention that word a lot.

With a worried gaze, she turned to Ford who was deep in thought. He also appeared to be very concerned about his friend. Finally, he stood up. "Thank you, Y/n, but I fear there are mental wounds not as easily remedied." He grabbed her shoulders and gently drew her away from F. He knelt down to her level once more. "We've survived many monster attacks without trauma, but perhaps he is more sensitive than we realized..." Ford mumbled to the girl, who nodded understandably.

"Maybe you should spend the rest of the afternoon with him. He needs to face his fears with his closest friend."

Ford agreed with her suggestion and nodded. He stood up and affectionately brushed her hair. "You should get some rest. Your dream of opening a clinic will come true thanks to your expertise in wound care."

With a spring in her step, she left the two friends to their own devices. Ford appeared to know what to do, deciding to teach Fiddleford some of his meditation techniques as well as a heart rate slowing exercise he learned to help him control his fear. She was curious where he had learned it because the information came out of nowhere, but she decided to assume he had known it since high school.

A few more weeks had passed and the three were still working on the project until Ford decided it was time to take a break. Fortunately, Y/n read in a newspaper, after beating the daily crossword puzzle, that "Mama Misfortune's Traveling Carnival and Freak Show" was in town for the day. She told Ford that this could be good to get F's mind off his recent trauma.

Ford agreed to go albeit she knew his distaste towards nickel-grubbing circuses and sideshows. She reassured him, telling him that this could be a day of relaxation for poor F and also an opportunity for new discoveries.

Surprisingly, at the mention of a carnival, Fiddleford was excited and was already looking alright, going back to his usual mannerisms.

People swarming in left and right. Looked like it was jam-packed even with the town's low population. And looking at the lively decorations, Ford and Y/n exchanged excited glances and the three entered the carnival.

Unfortunately, Ford and Y/n's excitement turned out to be short-lived. The first "beast" they had encountered at the fair was literally a chicken duck-taped to a silver-back gorilla wearing a wizard hat.

She knew those creatures were fraudulent, but Y/n couldn't help but stifle laughter at the mere stupidity. Ford grumbled lowly as he scribbled on his journal. If Ford hated them so much, then why go through the effort of sketching them. And they looked so detailed!

Even though Ford's mood was sour, he was still happy for his friend who was clearly having the time of his life. He had just won first prize on a pig race by using advanced probability calculations.

A stand of jewelries caught Y/n's eye. She approached the man and inquire about the necklaces hanging from the metal bar. The man with a mustache and kind eyes happily told her about the low price.

"What d'you got there?" Someone stood beside her. It was Ford, and suddenly Y/n wanted to walk away. But a certain necklace attracted her. Ford saw her eyes focused on the jewelry. "Would you like one, Y/n?"

The girl looked up at Ford, a blush on her cheeks. She averted her gaze from him and began thinking of ways how to tell him that she wanted this. Ford took one of the necklaces from the stand and inspected it real close. The pendant was awfully familiar to him. He's seen it before.

"It's a real, tough metal, sir. No need to doubt my handicraft," The man remarked, not liking the way Ford handled the jewelry.

"I can see that," he replied, flipping the pendant back and forth. Y/n smiled, knowing that he was probably looking for parts that might be mystical. The two had a fair share of experiences with cursed objects and magical items after all. "Alright, we'll get this. How much?"

Ford's wallet felt a little lighter after that purchase, but every penny was worth it if he gets to see Y/n's wide smile as she admired the necklace around her neck.

The pendant was a flower with a yellow bud and white petals, resembling a daisy.

Fiddleford brought something troubling over breakfast a few weeks after the carnival. He proposed that the three construct an additional underground laboratory, one designed with the utmost paranormal security precautions. Its purpose is to store and study more dangerous specimens that are on the verge of leaking into their dimension. Fortunately, the three had discovered a location for their hidden storage bunker and began excavating.

Y/n mostly assisted with the layout of each room, deciding which one to put where, while Ford considered the pros and cons of living underground. They would need cooling systems, the ability to provide oxygen, and strong walls to protect themselves from underground creatures.

Meanwhile, FIddleford was the genius behind the horrifyingly complex security room. While assisting F with carrying equipment for their cooling chamber, F revealed the security code, which included multiple variables and equations, but Y/n easily remembered it.

The plans were completed, and the cooling system was completed and ready. They only needed to clear the dirt to find space for each of the rooms. Ford had discovered a large blue egg containing a strange creature during the dig. Y/n approached it with caution, having never seen anything like it before. The first thing it did after hatching was transform its body to Ford's coffee cup, leading them to believe it is a shapeshifter.

F suggested freezing it right away to test their cryonics, but Ford had grown attached to the creature. He even dubbed it "Shifty." Ford enlisted the help of Y/n in caring for this creature. She was assigned to bean duty and reluctantly agreed. Shifty grew so big every day that they had to upgrade from a small kennel box to a full-sized steel cage.

One night, while working late in the bunker and Y/n was about to step in for feeding time, they heard a high, otherworldly, parrot-like voice call out, "Beans!" They knew Shifty had learned to speak at that moment! Ford was the most ecstatic about the news, while F has grown increasingly skeptical of the creature.

Several days later, around midnight, Fiddleford approached Y/n, who was cleaning the surveillance room. He appeared panicked once more, so she was concerned and ready to assist. He was coughing a lot, claiming to have a sore throat, and asking for her assistance in retrieving the journal. "I-I -" he coughed again, "I think I- I saw a remedy in the journal for... these-" cough cough. "-coughs!"

F's unusual behavior piqued Y/n's interest, "I think cough drops are the best sore throat treatment. If you want, I can get you one from the first-aid cabinet-"

"NO!" He screamed. "I- I mean. Little girl, the journal has the answer and I need it."

She became uneasy under F's incessant gaze, and the way he addressed her as "little girl" just doesn't feel right. "Ford?" She called out, her gaze fixed on F's agitated expression. "I'll get you the journal... just stay right here."

Y/n visited Ford's bunker. Maybe he was there, but when she arrived, Fiddleford was leaning against Ford, shaking uncontrollably. His anxiety had rendered him nearly speechless. Strings of rope were on the ground, and the steel cage had been busted open, proving to Y/n that the Fiddleford she spoke with earlier who claimed to have a "sore throat" wasn't the real Fiddleford, but rather the shapeshifter.

"He said he wanted the journal," she said as her voice dropped to a low whisper.

Ford carefully placed F on the mattress and quickly devised a strategy. He drew a crude six-fingered hand on a plumbing manual found by Y/n with gold spray paint. He tossed it into one of their three cryogenic tubes before strolling back to the surveillance room, where the imposter F had been waiting impatiently, his chair shaking involuntarily. "There you are, Fiddleford. You said you needed the journal for your coughing problem, right?" F almost immediately nodded. "I've looked everywhere in my bunker for it, but to no avail. I believe I had inadvertently left it in the cryonics room. Could you please get it for me?"

The imposter didn't even wait for Ford to finish his sentence before fleeing for the journal. If Ford wasn't interested in the unknown, he'd be scamming people left and right with his acting abilities.

The instant he stepped inside the tube, Ford slammed the red button, trapping him in.

Following this incident, the three agreed to put it behind them. Before Ford apologized profusely for yet another traumatic experience, Y/n made sure Fiddleford had no wounds.

Several nights have passed, and the three have spent their time working on the portal, which is nearly finished and will soon be ready for the first major test. Ford had grown extremely frustrated by the necessity of sleep as Y/n dozed off for a bit of rest. He didn't like how fatigue loomed over him, taunting him with the relaxing prospect of sleep. Why sleep when he could've been working on his most important project yet? He's squandering valuable time!

F's mechanical knowledge is impressive, but he occasionally frustrated Ford. He could consider Y/n because she is less knowledgeable in engineering, but F is just stubborn. Ford realized that if they were to stay on schedule, he would have to work at least another three hours. He envied Y/n's peaceful slumber as the minutes passed, and he, too, began to feel fatigue's wretched powers pull on his eyelids.

Y/n blinked a few times before hearing a low hum, which was how a headache felt to her. She was still awake when she noticed movement and realized she was surrounded by stacks of paper. Her arms didn't hurt from sleeping on the table in an idle position. She eventually found Ford, who was concentrating on writing multiple equations. Ford had just finished a calculation when he noticed Y/n and turned to look at her.

Is it just her eyes playing tricks on her because she just woke up, or does Ford have different shaped pupils? It was a thin slit, similar to a cat's eyes. His eyeballs glowed a faint yellow before he cracked a wide grin. "You should go to sleep, Daisy," he urged, scratching her hair. "I'll take care of this."

It was a nice offer, and she was really tired, so she accepted and sat on the couch instead. She had some difficulty getting comfortable in her bed because of the items placed at her feet due to the lack of free space in the house. "Good night, Ford."

"Sleep tight, Daisy."

She fell asleep completely, and the confusion of Ford calling her "Daisy" didn't even enter her mind.

It was the night before the test. Fiddleford, Y/n, and Ford all went out to eat at a local diner to toast their future success. Ford was the most ecstatic, F was uptight and concerned, and Y/n simply wanted food. If nothing seemed to be wrong with the portal, she figured it was safe to proceed.

Ford raised his glass, and Y/n followed, attempting to match his zeal, but F couldn't meet their gazes. "I'm having second thoughts about this," he said nervously as he slid a napkin across the table. It had a diagram with the words "Probability of Failure" on it. "My final calculations revealed significant flaws in your design, flaws that could have disastrous consequences."

The man across from him remained silent.

"I feel like we're being reckless. Reconsider the whole plan for the safety of the town."

Y/n looked at the paper, shaken by F's words. The graph's arrow just kept going up, and she had no idea what would happen if they continued. Fiddleford is the more cautious of the two inventors. He quadruples checks each calculation, so if he knew the portal could fail horribly, she trusted him.

She looked at Ford, who seemed to be contemplating something.

"Where do you get these ideas for the portal, Ford?" Fiddleford asked the same question as that morning from months back. His tone was so careful, as if he was willing to listen and Ford almost considered telling him the truth, the both of them the truth, until F showed him something that shocked Ford. In his trembling hands was a thesis paper: "The Astonishing Anomalies of Gravity Falls" with Ford's name credited underneath. "I have spent the last three days working without breaks and have written a paper exhaustively chronicling all of your greatest discoveries. Publish this," he said, placing it on the table. "This is your research, I merely went through the trouble of cataloging it for you. There are enough discoveries here to make you a multimillionaire. With this, you will have everything you ever wanted, and you won't need to go through with this risky test. Forget about the portal and the Grand Unified Theory of Weirdness! Publish this, get your life back, and move on!"

Y/n sank deeper into her seat. She had never heard Fiddleford yell before. He has always been timid, so careful with his words. She looked at F before turning to Ford and saw that something changed in his eyes. Could it be regret? Restraint? Contempt?

Instead of replying to F's proposal, he asked for the check and refused to even give the paper a glance.

"We will do the test tomorrow night at eight o'clock sharp," he told him. "Be there or get left behind. The choice is yours. Come on, Y/n."

She swallowed nervously and followed without saying anything else. Ford felt something in his pocket as the two walked home in the murky twilight. It was the ring given to him by the Palm Reader at the carnival. Y/n stared at the gleaming black ring, but before she could ask him about it, Ford had already tossed it into the lake before storming off.

Ford opened the door to the house, and Y/n preceded. He threw away his coat, took off his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was clearly tense from the previous situation. Fiddleford's "thesis" paper was a slap in the face, and he couldn't believe he'd done it to him. He couldn't believe it when his friend betrayed him.

"Ford?" Y/n's voice cut through his thoughts. The man turned and faced her. "I can trust you, right?"

'What a random question', Ford had thought at that moment. But he gave her a reassuring smile. In some ways, he felt guilty for dragging her along, and seeing Fiddleford's outburst might have rattled her nerves. But she shouldn't be concerned about a scribbled graph on a napkin. The three of them had been working extremely hard for several months. They couldn't go back now!

"Of course, Y/n," Ford began, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. "You can trust me. And I trust you."

With a smile on her face, she drew him into an embrace. Ford reluctantly returned the hug, but his gaze was distant. He just wanted to skip ahead to the first portal test and succeed. He is excited about tomorrow. Tomorrow, everything could change, and they'll laud him as a hero.

He could feel Y/n's hug tightening, but he couldn't see her frown deepening and her gaze glowering on the ground. She was afraid that this was the last hug she'd ever get from him because his promise could be empty words. Everything could change in an instant, so she's seizing every opportunity. If the portal test is successful, he'll take the first bus out of town the next day to publish his theory and never return. If it didn't work out... that was a thought Y/n didn't want to entertain.

"Good night," Y/n said, pulling away and immediately turning to her couch. She didn't look back or he'd just see her tears.

"Good night, Y/n."

If monsters and other hideous creatures don't scare her, the unknown future might. But Ford had taught her that if she trusts her instincts, there is no need to worry about tomorrow. Her instinct is to trust Ford, so she tried to reassure herself. They had worked so hard on this, so she had to wait for their inevitable success.

And her birthday is the week after that.

***

The big night had finally arrived. This could be a major breakthrough, or it could all go horribly wrong. Fiddleford returned the next day and can be seen working on the finishing touches, but he didn't say anything to Ford. The two exchanged no words. Y/n wasn't sure where to stand. F had also become her friend. She would not dismiss their year-long journey. They were both stubborn scientists who preferred to work in their separate areas rather than work through their differences. She knew from some of Ford's stories that forgiveness wasn't his strong suit.

She sighed helplessly and resolved that if these two boneheads don't get along, she'll just mind her own business.

"Thank you all for coming," Ford said, standing in front of the portal. It was a meaningless speech. He rubbed his right eye vigorously, and Y/n noticed that it was different from his other eye. It appeared irritated, bloodshot, and sluggish. He said a few more words before the three of them went to carry the test subject, a mannequin. A rope hangs from its feet. Ford had the right limb, F had the left, and Y/n had the back.

The portal was so bright that it looked like a sea of diamonds swirling around it. Something is waiting on the other side. They may be testing the safety of this portal, but Y/n should have suggested attaching a camera for photographic evidence.

Standing in front of this portal with the other two is actually making her giddy. This is it. This is it.

"Ready... steady... and-" They all released the test dummy and it got pulled into the portal. So far, so good.

Her joy quickly turned to dread as the rope wrapped around her ankle. Y/n's heart leapt to her throat as she was abruptly lifted from the ground, and gravity was not on her side. She tried to grasp something, but all she found was air. "Help! "She gasped. "Help me!" "

"Y/n!" Ford screamed.

The gravitational magnet was too powerful, sucking half of her body inside before being pulled by the other end of the rope. The two men yanked and yanked on the string until the portal consumed so much energy that it malfunctioned. Static electricity erupted until everything went dark. They were able to pull her out because the portal was no longer active.

She crashed on the ground, hard. Fiddleford's brow furrowed, but Ford was only concerned with what she saw on the other side. "Did it work?" He inquired. Y/n was breathing heavily before twitching uncontrollably. F buried his hands in his hair and tugged hard. "What exactly is it, Y/n? What did you see?"

She sat upwards and the two watched as she slumped exhaustively. The girl was muttering the words, "ꟻɘɒɿ ɟ⑁ɘ dɘɒƨɟ wiɟ⑁ ᒑuƨɟ onɘ ɘγɘ" repeatedly before suddenly retching significant amount of dark brown blood in her vomit before passing out. F grimaced deeply, while Ford was greatly shocked at this revelation.

"We have to shut this portal down," F spoke. "It's clearly highly dangerous! See how this affected a little girl!"

"I can't stop this; it's my life's work!" " Ford drew his brows together.

"This is your life's work?" F angrily motioned to Y/n who was still lying on the ground.He knelt down and drew Y/n to him. "She was almost dead, Stanford!" Ford was surprised by his use of his real name. "Can't you peer inside your heartless soul that we just put a child in danger?" Destroy this portal before it annihilates us all! "

Ford remained deafeningly silent. He wanted to yell at him that Y/n would be fine and that they should try again. Although he couldn't help but feel a pang of panic in his stomach when Y/n didn't move. F lowered his gaze to the girl in his arms. He paused, a deep frown on his face. He was disgusted by this man's complete lack of understanding of the situation. He wanted to take her in his care if he walked away, but... he'd rather forget about it all.

Quickly but carefully, he handed the girl to Ford. Instantly, he pulled her close to him. "I quit," F declared.

"What?"

"I said I quit!" He stormed off without another word.

Anger filled Ford's veins. He clutched Y/n's frail body. "FIne!" He screamed. "We'll do it without you! We didn't need you!"

Those were their last words to one another.

He looked down at Y/n, searching for her pulse. He felt a faint beat on her wrist and felt relieved for a moment. "Y/n? " He said quietly. "Talk to me, Y/n."

She only let out a few groans before collapsing again.

He frowned. He didn't like that response, prompting a sigh from him. He's been working so hard, and sleep is finally catching up with him. However, he became aware of whispers. Ford looked up, alarmed. Did Fiddleford decide to return and apologize for his insulting remarks?

However, there were whispers coming from the left, right, and back. "Is anyone there?" " Ford yelled into the night. "Show yourself! " The whispers continued. It was getting louder, and Ford couldn't stand it any longer, so he stood up, bringing Y/n with him. He needed to get out of this room.

Ford cradled her against his chest and moved her to the upper floor of the elevator. Because he couldn't see well due to the blackout, he walked cautiously between the scattered items left on the ground until he arrived at his room. He carefully placed her on the cushiony mattress and covered her with a thin blanket, but before he could pull away, Y/n reached for his sleeve.

Ford looked at her, but her eyes were closed and she was silent. He tugged on his sleeve, but she wouldn't let go. He decided to comply with her wishes and sat beside her. He placed her head on his chest, and Y/n immediately became calm as she breathed slowly.

As he looked down on Y/n, he felt another pang in his heart. Was it remorse? Guilt? Pain from his anger?

He is indeed guilty for stringing her with this. He went down a dangerous path that he ventures alone, yet somehow she's still here. She has been a part of his journey in Gravity Falls ever since the beginning. He can say that they have been through thick and thin, and these last 6 years have been an adventure.

Ford's thoughts returned to Fiddleford, and his rage resurfaced. He took his journal and pen from his coat pocket without disturbing Y/n's sleep. He had a lot to say to F, words that would look better on paper rather than spoken aloud. He'd rather save his time than spend it yelling at him.

GOOD RIDDANCE!He wrote in bold letters. It felt final and liberating. He shouldn't have contacted Fiddleford in the first place. This project could have been completed with just Y/n and his muse. He'd introduce Y/n to his muse, and the three of them could collaborate. F and his weak, cowardly demeanor were utterly pointless.

His right eye felt like it was burning again. It was stinging and it was much more painful than the last. Is this a symptom that his muse is contacting him?

"wfs yic fswty?"

"jvy xijily cgcujk"

"vevibgsrmt droo xszmtv"

"!eye eno tsuj htiw tsaeb eht raef ,yks emoceb htrae dna sllaf ytivarg nehw"

"Stop!" Ford screamed, standing up. "Stop it!"

He dashed out of the room, but the whispers remained. He clutched his journal close to his chest. It felt like he was drowning for hours, but it had only been a minute. Slowly, his muse's voice became clearer.

"THE DOOR IS OPEN..."

What had he done?

***

Y/n opened her eyes to find herself in a void. She looked around but saw nothing but darkness. Is she able to walk? She took a step forward, luckily not falling. She walked and walked until she felt she had no choice but to run. Y/n was getting short of breath. She didn't have to look behind her back to realize that she was being pursued.

Her foot suddenly lost contact with the ground, and she began to fall. She could see the ground from below and instinctively put her hands in front of her to brace for impact, but she was floating before she could land.

First and foremost, she was perplexed. "Huh..."

Maniacal laughter erupted from above, and she was left puzzled by what was going on. From above, a yellow glowing triangle floated down. He had thick lines for limbs, a top hat, and a bowtie to complete his one-eyed body. She was still processing her situation. Where the heck is she?

"You're inside your mind, short stuff."

Internally, she screamed. Can this slick-looking fella hear her thoughts?

"Oh, why thank you for the compliment. I tend to dress up for a special occasion!" He even stretched his bowtie for effect. "Anyway, how'd you like that glimpse, Daisy?" He placed both his hands on the side of his head/body.

Y/n suddenly remembered everything. She remembered the first test, how she accidentally got caught on the rope, how half of her body got sucked in, how she got a glimpse of what was really on the other side, how she puked blood. If she's in this void of nothingness, is she still unconscious?

"Boy, your thoughts are loud. Ever taught them to shut up?"

She huffed, "Stop reading my mind! And who are you?" she suddenly felt chills as she realized that he had that similar black slits for pupils, similar to a cat's eyes. It dawned on her like a meteor shower. "You were the one helping Ford, aren't you."

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Here's your prize; a handful of fish guts!" he snapped his fingers and it magically made her hand catch, you guessed it, guts from a fish.

"Agh!" Y/n screamed in utter disgust as she threw it away from her. Bill's obnoxious laugh just echoed. With another snap of his fingers, the fish guts disappeared and her hands were clean of the blood.

"Haha! I knew I liked you better than that weak, obstinate Glasses! He was too cowardly to carry out the plan. Meanwhile, you blindly obey every command from Six Fingers. That's exactly what we want to see! Let's give Daisy a standing ovation!"

Y/n stood there, unimpressed as Bill summoned multiple pairs of hands surrounding her, giving their rounds of applause. Some even hollered and cheered even though they didn't have any mouths. He's starting to annoy her second by second. His taunts, his maniacal laugh, and what's with the "Daisy" calling? When had she heard it before?

"Sleep tight, Daisy."

At the chilly realization, she felt like she was showered with a bucket of ice cold water - because she was literally showered with a bucket of ice cold water by Bill. Y/n sputtered and spat out the water as Bill's maniacal laughter resounded. "Stop it and stop mind-controlling Ford!" She pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"HAH! But why should I do that? He's just completed an interdimensional bridge connecting our worlds! We owe him a heartfelt thanks. This dimension will soon learn how to party. Are you ready?" he leaned down and produced a party pipe out of thin air before blowing it in her face. She slapped it away angrily, making Bill laugh again.

"Party? What the-" Y/n shook her head. She didn't know what he meant, but it sounded dangerous. She shouldn't have to think too much anymore or he'll just hear her thoughts! She was already well aware that Bill is a dangerously powerful being. "I'll stop you! I-I'll force Ford to close the portal!"

"And what makes you think I can't take over his body just like last time?" he replied without missing a beat. If he had lips, he would be smirking.

"You aren't welcome here, you psycho! You- you pyramid jerk!"

"Heh, your childish insults tickle my funny bone, and I don't even have one! I don't think you have a choice here once the portal finishes, Daisy." he taunted, pointing finger guns at her. Suddenly, his eyes changed and Y/n didn't like how it meant that an idea had entered his mind. What could the idea be? "And if we're going to have a party..." Bill paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes and before she knew it, it glowed to yellow and emitted a laser. He zapped her, enveloping her entire body in a yellow glow. He cackled so carelessly. "Woo!"

Her body was no longer glowing, and she scanned herself for any changes. Her physical form was unchanged, and she didn't feel any different, but Bill had clearly done something to her. "What have you done to me!"

"Even if Six Fingers stops the portal, he's just delaying the inevitable!" Bill chuckled. Even if it takes a thousand years, I'm sure you'll be present to see it! "

"What the- Bill!"

He began to float away. "Have fun with your birthday present, (nickname)-y! You'll thank me later!" his voice faded and the world around her began to flicker in black and white. "OH! Hey Daisy!" Bill exclaimed one last time. When she looked up, his eyes widened into saucers.

"WANNA HEAR AN IMPRESSION OF FIDDLEFORD?"

She awoke with a start, having no memory of what had happened in her dream or her harrowing encounter with the portal.

***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 6!

MASTERLIST

9-0-11-14-15-23-0-23-5'-12-12-0-13-5-5-20-0-1-7-1-9-14-0-19-15-13-5-0-19-21-14-14-25-0-4-1-25-!

[gravityfallsrewritten]

GRAVITY FALLS: REWRITTEN MASTERLIST !

Table of Contents:

SEASON 1 !!!

Ch. 1: Beginning

Ch. 2: Into the Woods

Ch. 3: Lend a Helping Hand

Ch. 4: Let's Get the Ball Rolling

Ch. 5: Curse this World

Ch. 6: I Just Got Him Back

Ch. 7: Pseudonym

Ch. 8: Her Aim is Getting Better

Ch. 9: Even Bigger Fraud Than Stan

Ch. 10: Real Man Or Real Dead?

Ch. 11: I Always Have a Plan

Ch. 12: Sacrifices for Your Sibling

Ch. 13: Through Fears and Insecurities

Ch. 14: Halloween in June

Ch. 15: Exchanging Bosses and Bodies

Ch. 16: Bros Before Dinos

Ch. 17: Escaping Dreams

Ch. 18: After All These Years

SHORTS !!

• Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained #1

• Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained #2

• Dipper's Guide to the Unexplained #3

• Mabel's Guide to Life #1

• Mabel's Guide to Life #2

• Fixin' It With Soos

• Mabel's Scrapbook

• Stan's Birthday

• Pterodactyl Troubles

• Revisiting the Pages

SEASON 2

Ch. 19: Scary-oke

Ch. 20: The Bunker and Tiny Men

Ch. 21: Where's My Other Sock?

Ch. 22: Into the Unseen!

Ch. 23: The Woodstick Festival

Ch. 24: Haunted Mansion and Hugs

Ch. 25: Operation: Don't Get Caught by the Government

Ch. 26: Now He's Back, the Mystery in the Mystery Shack

Ch. 27: Excelsi-Whatever!

Ch. 28: Elections and Betrayals

Ch. 29: Y/n and Dipper Sitting on a Van

Ch. 30: Everything You Care About Will Change

Weirdmageddon Part 1: Beginning of the End

Weirdmageddon Part 2: Escape from Reality

Weirdmageddon Part 3: Take Back the Falls

Weirdmageddon Part 4: See You Later

[gravityfallsrewritten]

Gravity Falls: Rewritten! (A Reader-Insert Fanfiction)

Let's rewind.

It all started when a brilliant man named Stanford Pines ventured to a place he believed was strange; Gravity Falls. Lots of adventures awaits.

Keep in mind that this is set in an alternate universe where a mythical creature named Y/n...? How do you even pronounce that? Anyway, she exists.

***

DISCLAIMERS: Essentially, this story was written to satisfy the author's longing for her favorite show. There are codes and secret messages hidden between the chapters, so keep an eye out! Also, this reader has she/her pronouns because I am used to that! I sincerely apologize in advance.

CAST: Stanford Pines as himself Y/n as herself Stanley Pines as himself Dipper Pines as himself Mabel Pines as herself Others as themselves Eloo Flskhu dv klpvhoi

Started: July 1, 2022 Ended: ????????????

MASTERLIST

[cross-posted from wattpad] note: i have decided to post this story on my tumblr as some sort of back-up/archive. i guess it's also for the people who still has a love for gravity falls and its characters like me. ignore my cringe-y writing and grammar mistakes if u decide to read it.

[gravityfallsrewritten]

SHORTS #8: Stan's Birthday

SHORTS 8: Stan's Birthday [Takes place after "I Always Have A Plan"]

It was a success when the Shack threw its first ever party to attract the youth. However, it occurred to Y/n as she realized that they had not held a separate party to commemorate the older man's birthday. June 15th. This irritated her because she felt compelled to make an effort despite the man's wishes not to go too much on something so insignificant.

Now she made it her mission to throw a big surprise party that will hopefully send him into a heart attack– she was kidding. Or was she?

When she told Mabel of her plan, she had to cover the girl's mouth to prevent her from screaming excitedly. "Mabel, shh!" She hissed. That man's ears are too big for his own good. "It's supposed to be a secret!"

"I love surprise parties!" The braces-wearing girl squealed, twirling around. "Dipper and I are born birthday experts," she said, throwing an arm across her brother's shoulders.

Dipper pointed a finger gun at her. "We shared every birthday together so we know how to make them perfect."

"Alright," Y/n smiled. "I'm counting on you, guys. I guess I'll be the one distracting him while you guys do the planning."

"We need all hands on deck," Mabel said, reaching for her phone. "I'm calling for back-up," she hurried and dialed the numbers she obtained from her newfound friends, calling Soos for help. She walked downstairs, leaving the two.

Dipper didn't question Y/n's sudden decision to throw a surprise party for his great uncle, but he remained curious. Heck, he didn't even know that his birthday passed. But he felt warmth in his heart when he saw the way that she was willing to give him the best day ever, so of course he would help.

"What are you doing?" Stan deadpanned, not looking away from one of the control panels.

"Whatever do you mean?" Y/n asked with a slight smile, expecting Stan to question her behavior.

He rolled his eyes as if it was obvious. "You're doing that thing where you couldn't keep your hands still. Your tapping hurts my ears,"

"Well, you're an old man with huge ears after all, so of course you're sensitive to these noises," she replied easily, leaning back with her arms behind her neck.

"You only do that when you're nervous or anticipating something," he paused for a moment. "Are you hiding something from me?"

"I would never," Y/n breathed, her face morphing into an offensive expression. "I was just wondering if you'd like to go on a little expedition with me."

"Expe- what?" Stan questioned, glancing at her. "What's with the sudden activity? We haven't gone outside for the last thirty years."

"You mean we haven't gone outside together for the last thirty years," she easily corrected. "Come on, it'll be fun." She stood up and dusted her clothes.

He narrowed his eyes on her. "I'm suspicious of all of this." He spoke slowly, but after tossing the tools to the side, he relented. The two re-boarded the elevator, which took them to the top floor. She peered in through the vending machine's peeping hole. They quickly exited the multipurpose machine once the coast was clear. Y/n wondered where the gang was, but she had a feeling they were going to throw the party outside.

She led Stan outside, purposefully through the gift shop door—the exact opposite side of the Shack where the surprise was still going on. She was grateful for the events' precise timing. Stan wouldn't suspect anything because they walked out the door in front of them. From the corner of her eye, she saw a stray streamer flying aimlessly on the ground. Hopefully, Stan with his poor vision wouldn't notice. He didn't even question the disappearance of his employees and his niece and nephew.

"So, where are you taking me anyway?" Stan asked after a moment of walking idly around town. It took them about half an hour to exit the forest where the Mystery Shack resides. After crossing the wooden bridge, they were finally on the asphalt road. Thankfully, the streets were almost empty, but it was still a small town with people going to places they should go. She was also thankful that they minded their own business that day.

They passed by the Tent of Telepathy, Gleeful's Auto Sale, Greasy's Diner, a few more houses, until they rounded a corner and there was the local market at the other end of the avenue.

Y/n shrugged at his question. "We're going grocery shopping,"

"Well, you're unlucky," he faced her with a solemn smile. "I didn't bring my wallet-"

His words were stuck in his throat when she lazily raised her hand that held his auburn wallet. "You mean, this wallet?" She smirked.

Stan glared. "What are you planning..." He grouched.

"We've run out of food, Stan. What else are we supposed to do?"

He begrudgingly retrieved the shopping cart and began rolling his way in each aisle, Y/n in tow. She had the grocery list memorized in her head as she obtained what they needed. While strolling by the fresh goods area, Jimmy popped his head out from the corner with a smile.

Jimmy was the local grocer, ever the enthusiastic and perky teenager. Y/n flashed a kind smile at him. "Hi, Y/n!" He chirped. "Hey, Mr. Pines~!" He sang, already on his way to gather a dozen eggs. "Ya ready?"

Stan grinned, immediately shifting into a position. His legs were slightly apart as his body crouched. His hands were open and accepting as he eyed the eggs in the other person's arms, about to be transferred into the other. Y/n rolled her eyes playfully, moving the cart away for safety. They always seemed to do this every time Stan went to the market.

'Toss me a dozen eggs' was what they named the game.

But on the bright side, if Stan does catch the eggs, he gets to take it free, and no charge. But if even one egg slipped and fell to the ground, he gets nothing and he gets to pay for the cracked egg.

Stan was confident, though, and it didn't fade when he effortlessly secured them in his arms. "Ha! Nice throw, Jimmy!" Stan didn't forget to leave a compliment. If it wasn't for the boy's skill, he wouldn't have caught it properly.

Jimmy chuckled, impressed. He had his hands on either side of his hips. "Thanks for playing, Mr. Pines. 'Till next time," he retreated back to the storage room again.

All of the eggs Stan had captured were placed neatly on one side of the cart and they began pushing again. They didn't have to buy a lot of stuff so they were quick to check out. The bags they carried were light and soon their feet carried them back to the Mystery Shack.

"So you seriously forced me to go outside with you to go... grocery shopping?" Stan raised an eyebrow.

Y/n couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Maybe."

"That was it!?" Stan actually looked rather annoyed at the entire situation and she could only respond with an amused laugh.

"Yep! Now wasn't that fun?" She proudly smiled at him, to which he didn't reciprocate.

"I'm not having fun," he glared. "I'm not gonna agree to anything you offer ever again."

"Oh, come on!" Y/n expressed, her smile never leaving as she took the grocery bags inside and into the kitchen. She saw Mabel appearing behind Stan while he was busy glaring at her, showing an enthusiastic thumbs up– which only means that they were done with everything.

Well. that was fast.

"Okay, Stan, you caught me," Y/n raised her hands in faux defeat. "I brought you with me to go grocery shopping. But I've actually been wanting to expedite with you. I have these creatures I've been taking care of, but you might need some safety glasses before going to the site." The lie slipped easily from her lips. Stan kept his gaze at her, and his eyes became narrower and narrower in every sentence.

He kept quiet, but his hands remained on his hips.

"Now, we don't have access to either of our safety glasses, so we might need a makeshift one. Uh..." she looked around for something in the kitchen and settled for... "this one!" she said, holding up a random washcloth by the sink. "Here, wear it."

"What?!" Stan exclaimed. "Why do I need to wear one?"

"Um, because I don't feel pain?" She replied as if it was obvious. "And the site is very... bright and colorful. I hope you don't get sick of it." She said slowly, her story gradually falling apart. But the description reminded her of Rainbow-Blooded Equestrians she and Ford had an arm-wrestling match with that lasted for 30 hours.

Stan groaned. "Now I'm having second thoughts."

"Just- just put it on!" Y/n said, frustrated. She just needed Stan to be blindfolded. Was that so much to ask? "You can remove it once we're there."

He reluctantly put on the cloth around his eyes after handing the glasses to her. "Couldn't I put it on when we're near the site?"

Y/n resisted the urge to roll her eyes and bang her head against the wall. Of course Stan decided to be smart and calculating that day. "Good point, but we're actually nearer than you think." She retorted lightly. "Now, hold my hand, and follow the sound of my voice."

Stan wobbled around as he tried to step his foot on the ground. He was voicing out noises of discomfort of not being able to see while Y/n was happily guiding him towards the side of the Mystery Shack where a surprise was waiting for him.

Y/n made sure that her voice was loud for everyone else in the party to hear, taking that as their cue to hide. Everyone hid and managed to fit behind the table. "Okay, just walk over here," they hear Y/n's voice from the corner of the Shack. "And... stop." Y/n placed Stan in a spot where he could see everything.

There was a huge banner with the text saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY STAN!" with streamers and balloons hanging from the trees. The tables were filled with food and Y/n wondered how they prepared it quickly. Then again, they were outside for almost 2 hours.

"Okay. On the count of three, you're gonna remove your blindfold..." She ran to the side and shouted the following words. "3, 2, 1. Now!"

Stan pulled the cloth away from his head and adjusted his eyes to the lighting. Y/n handed him his glasses and as if on cue, the twins and their friends jumped out from the table. "Surprise! Happy Birthday Grunkle Stan!"

"Happy Birthday, Mr. Pines!" the others greeted.

"What...?" Stan was lost for words, looking at the scene in front of him. Mabel wore the biggest grin, while Soos had just thrown a handful of confetti. Grenda and Candy were also present, but Y/n was sheepishly bouncing on her heels.

Stan turned his head towards her. "So this was the reason why you deceived me."

Y/n's smile remained. "It was worth it, wasn't it?"

He wasn't able to provide an answer as the kids surrounded him with big smiles and hugs. "Happy Birthday, Grunkle Stan! Y/n told us pies are your favorite, but we didn't know which one specifically, so we have pecan pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, key lime pie. Lazy Susan and Soos' Abuelita helped, but it's not a birthday without cake so we didn't forget about that one!" Mabel relayed the information to Stan, who was rendered speechless. He was left utterly stunned, his eyes widened in amazement. It was a rare expression for Stan to wear.

"Mr. Pines?" Soos called from beside him. "Are you crying?"

"N-no!" Stan quickly denied, looking away from them. He choked back a sob as he yelled, "I'm just sweating through my eyes! Come on, everybody, let's eat pie!"

"Yay!"

***

It was already nighttime when the duo found themselves back in the basement. It had gone quiet, the remnants of the party dying down from the excitement. The girl silently sat back on her chair after carefully placing the last slice of cake by her table. In the darkness, the older man with her brought out a lighter and a small candle, placing it on the cake after lighting it up.

The fire from the candle flickers, casting a soft glow that reflects the atmosphere.

It wasn't just Stan's birthday.

It was always a tradition on every birthday to make a wish before blowing out the candle. And in that moment, in the silence of the portal room, their hearts seemed to intertwine as they yearned for the same thing: to bring the real Stanford back.

The two exchanged glances, nodding as if to say, "I've always got your back."

They'll bring him back.

***

author's note: HI YALL! welcome to another set of shorts! these are original ones, and will be composed of 4-5 shorts! no codes this time, but prepare for lotta ones in the second season ;) (no way, confirmed second season wowie)

anyways, happy birthday to the original pines twins! in a way, this is my belated birthday present for them. it's all up to u what to give your old man :)

keep on a look out for... anything honestly. sometimes i might feel silly and change things. my brain is getting foggy from writing so i apologize for the mistakes and cheesy writing. i might forget anything important, but i'm sure future me will handle it and add it to the next one. we'll see.

as always, i love you guys so much. i appreciate your comments and they make me amuse every time. i read them all!!! keep commenting!!! i love u !!!

kimmiepines