Chapter Text
I think it's pretty safe to say that summer is easily the most popular season. Well, realistically it's fall, but when you're away from school for the next three months, it's automatically the best—except for the heatwaves, rising temperatures, mosquitoes, and everything else that stinks about the weather. It was the time of year to let loose, kick back, and relax from the constant stresses of life. And speaking from experience, that's something I could use.
I never really traveled much during summer break, but all that changed when I first arrived in Gravity Falls, Oregon. It was something I didn't want to do at all at first, seeing as though my parentsreallywanted me and my sister out of the house, but after discovering a journal that belonged to one of my Grunkles, I just had to find out every mystery this town had. It was home to various supernatural creatures, ranging from gnomes to flying skulls to a multi-headed bear—you could say it had a weirdness magnet.
Spending my last summer in Gravity Falls was an absolute blast, even if there were definite obstacles. And some of those obstacles weren't exactly the greatest, but I pulled through. But I had always wondered, what other secrets could be out there in Gravity Falls for me to discover?
Well, that's how this all began.
A small bus drove down an empty dirt road through the thick forests of woodland critters as the sun shined down upon it through the tall trees. The bus was vacant of any significant activity inside, except for the driver himself and an additional three passengers alone.
The passengers looked to be a boy and a girl no older than the age of thirteen, both of whom sat next to each other in one seat with their luggage just beneath them. The young boy had relatively pale skin, a dark-brown trapper hat that covered most of his messy brown hair, a blue sweater with a red shirt underneath, dark-blue jeans, and light-blue shoes. The young girl's choice of clothing was a complete contrast to the former's; she, too, had pale skin, brown hair puffed with a ponytail with a pink scrunchie, a purple knitted sweater with a cute kitten design stitched on, a lavender skirt, and pink sneakers.
However, despite the different clothing styles they wore, the two passengers just so happened to be twins.
The boy stared out the window, lost in thought, watching the numerous trees blur past. He couldn't believe it had been a whole year since they last visited the strange oddity of a town, the event of wishing farewell to their friends and family feeling like yesterday.
"Whatcha thinkin' bout, Dipper?"
Dipper was brought out of his thoughts by his name being mentioned. He turned and expected to see his sister looking at him, but was met with the face of a pig staring at him with little innocent eyes instead.
"Are you thinkin' about sad stuff?" the girl squished the pig's mouth as she spoke in a goofy voice. "You know Waddles doesn't like it when you think about anything sad. That sure does make your sister Mabel pretty sad, too, y'know that?"
Dipper couldn't help but crack a smile. "No, Waddles, I'm not thinking about anything sad," he assured with a wave.
"Well, that's a relief!" Mabel beamed as she set Waddles beside her, prompting a little snort from the pig. "Sooooooo, whatareyou thinkin' about, bro-bro?" she nudged his arm.
Dipper let out a small exhale. "It's nothing bad or anything, just that... well, it's weird to believe it's been a full year since we've been here. It just feels strange coming back, y'know?"
"I know!" Mabel cheered with a wide smile. "This is going to be amazing! We'll see everyone again and go on so many different adventures! Oh, and think about all the stories Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford could tell us while they were out adventuring! The possibilities are endless!"
"I can't wait to ask them what kind of anomalies they've found!" Dipper said, sharing the same amount of excitement as his sister. "I wonder if it'll be enough to get a good amount of my own journal pages filled."
"Oh, Dipper, you and your nerdy books," Mabel grinned, her hands jokingly on her hips. "Can't you just go one day without being a little dork?"
"The world is full of mysteries, Mabel," Dipper remarked with a grin of his own. "And it is my sole job to uncover as much of it as possible."
"Yeah, how about you uncover the mystery of your forehead," Mabel laughed as she received a playful punch in the arm from her brother.
"Very funny," Dipper rolled his eyes with a smirk. "But seriously, I wonder how everybody's gonna react to seeing us again."
"Yeah! Everyone's gonna see how tall we've gotten!" Mabel exclaimed. "But we already know they're gonna notice who has the superior height."
"Okay, first off, just because you're one millimeter taller than me doesn't make me little," Dipper immediately retorted. "Second off, just cause we're thirteen doesn't mean we'll suddenly be as tall as a supermodel."
"A girl can dream, Dipper," Mabel said dramatically. "A girl can dream."
"Whatever you say," Dipper said, rolling his eyes before letting out a small sigh as he adjusted his focus back to the view outside. "Hey, at least we don't have to worry about Bill anymore. I think our summer will be a little easier with him gone."
"You said it," Mabel agreed as she played with Waddles' hooves, something which the pig found amusing. "Isn't that right, Waddles? The big ugly triangle guy is gone for good."
Even if he didn't want to admit it, Dipper still held a lingering remnant of Bill stuck to his psyche from all those months ago. The boy wasn't as fazed as he first was when dealing with supernatural anomalies, yet the inter-dimensional demon remained the prime cause of his silent fear. He slowly grew out of his paranoia over the course of his last visit in Gravity Falls, though once he returned home, the reoccurring nightmares he had of Bill became a minor occurrence. Dipper and Mabel may have beaten the malevolent demon, but the aftereffects that slowly followed haunted Dipper to no end.
However, once summer came around the corner, Dipper tried to throw all his worries away to acknowledge his visit back to Gravity Falls. He knew it wasn't healthy to worry too much, so he did his best to keep his mind elsewhere. And besides, the psychotic demon was gone and was no longer tormenting him or anyone else.
After a short while, the bus began to slow its pace as it pulled towards its destination. "This your guys' stop?" the bus driver said rather dully.
The twins jumped out of their seats and looked out the opposite window from their seats, a gasp leaving the both of them at what they saw.
Right in the middle of shrouded woods stood the Mystery Shack in all of its rustic glory; even the "S" still remained as loose as ever.
Dipper and Mabel both beamed excitedly at the sight.
"Yep! This is our stop!" Mabel exclaimed excitedly as she and her brother grabbed their luggage. It was a bit of a challenge considering their luggage was a tad on the heavy side—and with Waddles not too far behind—yet they managed to hurry off the bus and rush down the dirt path leading to the shack.
"Hello, Mystery Shack! How I've missed your dirty windows and creaking floorboards!" Mabel cheered once she reached the shack's gift shop entrance, planting kisses on the floor out of excitement. "Aw yeah! I can still taste the moss!"
Dipper was a little grossed out by his sister's strange act, but he decided to let her have her moment. It had been a whole year since they last visited, so it was warranted Mabel would show some form of extreme affectionate bliss. While his sister continued scoping around the shack in amazement, he approached the gift shop's door and looked up in awe; the portion remained unchanged, just as when he had first visited, minus a few new welcoming decals plastered on the wall.
With a huff of anticipation, Dipper placed his hand over the knob with a warm smile. "Feels good to be back," he smiled.
Without wanting to waste any more time, he pushed the door open as the jingle of a welcoming bell rang throughout the room. However, upon entering, the sight he and Mabel saw was the least of their expectations. The gift shop portion remained intact, yet nobody was inside the room. All the lights were off, with the only source being the shining sunrays cracking through the windows, not to mention the eerie silence accompanying it.
"Uh... is the shack closed?" Mabel questioned as she rolled her luggage in with Waddles behind her.
"It shouldn't be, there should be at least someone in here," Dipper replied, looking around the room full of gifts and trinkets. "Hello? Is somebody here?Hellllo?"
The twins searched around the dimly lit room, the sunlight peeking through the window aiding them a tad in their search for somebody. Everything almost looked almost the same as the day they left, but something had caught the corner of Mabel's eye.
"Oh my gosh! Look at this huge card rack!" she announced as she approached the new sighting in the room. "It's so big!"
True to her word, the card rack was indeed abnormally big—almost sized enough to fit a whole person inside.
"Geez, why would the shack need something this big? And another card rack, of all things?" Dipper questioned, a brow arched as he picked a card off the stand. "And why do all of the cards say surprise on them?"
"I have absolutely no idea, but they're all so pretty," Mabel casually plucked each card from the rack and thoroughly admired its design.
Dipper started to gain a hint of suspicion in his system, unnerved by the lack of activity the shack usually owned. One, there wasn't anyone in the shack. Two, the lights weren't on at all. And three, there was a suspiciously massive card rack here. He brainstormed what could be the meaning behind this as the pieces started to come together.
"Wait a second," Dipper began. "Nobody's inside, all the lights are off, and there's a bunch of surprise cards here."
"It seems you have found my secret hiding spot,"
Dipper and Mabel released unified screams of terror as they ran to the door from the sudden intrusion.
"A magic-talking surprise card rack!" Mabel yelled. "My worst nightmares have come true!"
"Wait, what?" Dipper raised a brow at his sister's outburst.
"No, silly, it's me," the voice stepped out from behind the rack, revealing it to be a girl of similar age to the twins. "Hope I didn't scare you both too much."
Mabel gasped, her eyes wide. "Candy!" the energetic girl ran over and embraced her best friend. "It's so good to see you again!"
"It feels good to be back in your presence, too, Mabel," Candy said. "I have truly missed how your hugs feel."
"Well, this is sweet and all, but maybe it's not the best idea to startle your returning visitors," Dipper appropriately chimed in. "What are you doing in here all by yourself anyway?"
"Oh, that? I was simply just a distraction," Candy nonchalantly replied.
"...What do you mean distract-"
"SURPRISE!"
"Ahh!" Dipper yelped as he fell on his back, startled by the unexpected scare. "Can that stop happening, please?!"
"Geez, kid, and I thought you'd be less of a wuss by now,"
Looking up from the familiar voice, Dipper took in the sight before him and Mabel. A welcoming banner hung on the ceiling as a small portion of Gravity Falls' residents stood around the room, with Stan proudly standing before the twins.
"You two gonna leave your old man standin' here?" Stan asked them with a smile and open arms.
"Grunkle Stan!" Dipper and Mabel exclaimed as they jumped and hugged the old man, nearly knocking him down.
"Hey, welcome back, kids!" Stan greeted as he returned the hug. "Wow, you two are almost getting as tall as me."
"Really?" Mabel asked with a bright smile.
"No, not really. But you'll sure reach me one day," Stan admitted, though he soon felt a nudge from his leg. Looking down, he found Waddles nuzzling against him, rolling his eyes from seeing the pig. "I guess I missed you too, swine."
"They'll catch up to you in the blink of an eye if you say so," Ford jokingly argued. "How've you kids been? Must've been a journey knowing what teenagers are up to these days."
"We've been doing fine! Oh, I have so many questions about the adventures you guys went on!" Dipper beamed, digging into his bag and pulling out one of his journals. "What kind of anomalies did you guys face in the Arctic? Were there any spider penguins or shapeshifting sea lions?"
"I think we should save that for later," Ford laughed, a grin forming at the boy's eager interest. "We'd be here all day if we told you everything we've seen."
"I got to sock a Kraken in the eye!" Stan righteously declared, swinging his fist as an example. "Sucker didn't know what it had coming."
"Lil' dudes! It's good to see you again!" Soos greeted as he came over and gave the twins a tight embrace. "You two look like you haven't aged a single bit! Seriously, you two look like you haven't aged a day, like, at all."
"Awww, Soos! We missed you too," Mabel giggled as she returned the hug.
"Thanks for the welcome, Soos," Dipper wheezed, the strength of Soos' hug too much for his frail build. "But, uh, do you think you could let us down now? I think you're about to break something."
"Aw yeah, sorry about that, dude," Soos apologized as he placed the twins back down. "Should've expected something like that to happen."
"And wow, look at you! The suit looks great!" Mabel complimented, inspecting Soos' new sharp attire. "Didn't know Mr. Mystery could be so dapper."
"I'm right here, y'know," Stan piped in with a cough.
"Thanks, hambone," Soos replied. "I couldn't have done it without my lovely dudette getting it tailored just for me."
"Oh, stop it," Melody giggled with a light blush on her cheeks.
"MABEL!" Grenda shouted as she tackled her unsuspecting friend, entangling Candy in the mix. "We've missed you so much! It's been like a whole year since you left us!"
"Me and Grenda marked down the days you'd return by collecting sticks we found," Candy said. "There are now a lot of sticks in my backyard."
"Girls!" Mabel beamed as she returned the hug to her best friends. "Ahhh! We have so much catching up to do!"
"Haven't you guys called together every night since we left?" Dipper inquired.
"There are principles when it comes to us ladies, Dipper," Mabel teased with a sly smirk, though her attention soon shifted upon spotting someone in her vicinity. "Pacifica!" she exclaimed as she ran and hugged the formally snobbish girl tightly. "Awww! You're even wearing the sweater I made you!"
"Ay! Carfeul with the hair, please," Pacifica calmly protested. "I can only get it styled once a month now and not once a week like I used to."
"Oops! Sorry," Mabel apologized as she released her embrace. "It's just so great to see you again."
"So, any new family issues?" Dipper jokingly remarked.
"Very funny, big head," Pacifica retorted with a grin. "Eh, they've still been pretty upset after losing our family fortunes and our mansion, but I think they're changing for the most part. More down to Earth, you could say. Unfortunately, I've had to pick up being a waitress at the diner to get some of my own money, but it's better than nothing."
Dipper rolled his eyes, content to see Pacifica's honest character still intact after their last visit. The boy remained so distracted that he hadn't even noticed his hat was no longer on his head until he felt himself caught in a noogie.
"Looks like someone left my hat in good condition," Wendy joked with a hardy smile.
"Gotta keep your memories clean somehow," Dipper replied with a chuckle before a slight pain reached his head. "Okay, that'sreallystarting to hurt."
"Sorry about that, dude, just couldn't keep it in," Wendy teased as she placed the boy down. "So how's it feel being teenagers now? Any ance spotted?"
"Ehhh, a few here and there, but it's nothing too bad," Dipper said, waving his hand in assurance.
"Don't say nothing too bad yet, it'll sneak up on ya when you want it least," Wendy quipped with a smirk. "So, will I ever get my hat back?"
"Sure, as long as I getmyhat back, too," Dipper replied with a smirk of his own.
"Hmmm, I don't know. I think it looks pretty nice on me," Wendy said coyly. "But if we're switching just for the summer." she pulled off the cap on her head and placed it back on its original owner. "It's a deal then."
Dipper felt refreshed to be reunited with his cap, a familiar wave of nostalgia hitting him almost immediately.
"So, Soos, how's it like running the Mystery Shack now?" Mabel asked as she approached the Mystery Shack's new owner.
"Aw, dude, it's totally radical!" Soos exclaimed. "Being in Mr. Pines' shoes feels amazing! I really feel like I'm purposely spreading misinformation and lies to gullible people without feeling terrible inside."
"I taught him best," Stan laughed, placing a proud hand on Soos' shoulder. "Deceit is the best way to make honest cash. Look where it's gotten me most of my life."
"Don't even get me started," Ford joked.
"Okay, Poindexter, no need for that," Stan retorted, unable to suppress a smile. "Kids, how about you put your things down upstairs in the attic. I haven't taken a look around the Shack yet and I'm not prepared to see the damage Soos did."
"Don't worry, dudes," Soos piped in as he picked up the twins' luggage. "You guys are my guests, and as my guests, it's my duty to deliver the proper etiquette. Also, I think there's a pack of wild raccoons up there that won't leave," Soos then left the room and made his way up to the attic.
"So, what's the plan between you two knuckleheads?" Stan asked, kneeling before Dipper and Mabel. "You've got the entire summer to do anything you want with endless possibilities... Well, endless if you don't involve the authorities."
"I wanna make as many friends as possible! My Mabel irresistibility has gotten stronger over the last few months ever since I got a boyfriend at school!" Mabel gleefully cheered with a pumped fist. "We were together for only one day but that means my charm is working!"
"I've actually wanted to make my own journal on any new discoveries I could find around Gravity Falls," Dipper said. "I call it: "Dipper's Journal of Extravagant Oddities & Extras!"
"I must say, Dipper, that's one heck of a title!" Ford complimented with a grin. "Sounds exhilarating and animated."
"And nerdy," Mabel joked under her breath, a small laugh escaping her.
"It's still troubling to understand a single word you two say sometimes," Stan remarked, rolling his eyes. "Point is, you're both back here for the summer. And mark my words; you kids are about to have the best summer anyone's ever seen, and nobody is gonna tell you otherwise. Unless they wanna meet a punch to the gut."
Hearing the kind words from their great uncle, the twins were enlightened. Knowing that they had new opportunities, they were sure this was truly gonna be the best summer vacation they would ever have.
"Ahhh! The raccoons are attacking! Someone get me a spare hotdog!" Everyone heard Soos yell from the attic, panic evident in his voice.
Night had fallen upon the town of Gravity Falls as Dipper and Mabel had switched to their night clothes and were finishing unpacking their belongings in the attic. The room itself remained structurally the same, though it was much cleaner and swept out compared to when they first resided, though the creaking floorboards were still present. And thankfully, Soos was able to get the pack of raccoons out.
The events of their day went by fairly simply, which was strange considering this wastheGravity Falls they were in. The twins had hung out with Wendy and her friends in various juvenile activities that any teenager would do, Mabel had caught up more with Candy, Grenda, and even Pacifica, and Dipper had learned all about the numerous creatures his Grunkles had seen out in the Arctic and elsewhere. The town hadn't changed much from their last visit, but seeing the familiar faces welcome them back was a pleasant experience.
"So, Dipper, what's our next plan of action for ultimate summer vacation?" Mabel cheerfully asked as she taped a cat poster on her side of the room. "I was thinking maybe we could meet someone new who moved into the town. Y'know, show them our twinsie charm."
"Well, Mabel, what I wanna do is search for any new anomalies around the town," Dipper replied as he placed his belongings on his side. "Who knows how many things must've popped up since we were last here, so getting my journal filled is my number one priority."
"That does sound pretty cool," Mabel replied with a finger on her chin. "But still kinda dorky."
"Hey, I'm just one for discovering the mysteries of the unknown," Dipper remarked, rolling his eyes. "Besides, you watch those cheesy teen movies to see how to get a boyfriend."
"And I think they'll work," Mabel replied, hands on her hips. "With my rebranded Mabel irresistibility, I'm sure I can find the perfect one this time."
"Didn't you cause someone to leave the school a few weeks ago?" Dipper questioned, not all too convinced of her sister's words.
"I'm sure that was just his way of saying he was taken already," Mabel nonchalantly shrugged. "But hey, I guarantee whatever we do will be awesome! Which is why I've brought a new scrapbook for this occasion." She opened her suitcase and brought out her flashy new scrapbook.
"You really came prepared, huh," Dipper said with a smile.
"I sure did! We're here to have what Grunkle Stan told us we're gonna have," Mabel proclaimed as she hopped off her bed and jumped on her brother's, extending a fist to him. "To the best summer ever?"
"...To the best summer ever," Dipper smiled as he fist-bumped his sister.
"That's the spirit!" Mabel joyfully beamed, jumping off Dipper's bed and back into her own. She yawned as she snuggled within the comforts of her blanket, the warmth of her bed bringing a drowsy wave across her. "Well, today was pretty fun. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Good night, Dipper."
"Night, Mabel," Dipper replied, turning off the lamp on the desk and slipping into the comforts of his bed. However, he stopped himself once he got a view of the moon outside, its luminous light peering into the room through the window. A confident smile grew on the boy's face as he covered himself with his blanket. "Whatever secrets wait for me out there, I'll be there to solve it."
And with that, Dipper soon found himself drifting off to sleep.
CRASH!
Dipper was startled out of his sleep by the sudden noise, his eyes flashing wide yet drowsy. "Wuh?" he questioned groggily, sleep still evident in his tone. He looked around the room for the source of the disturbance, though he couldn't find anything. "...Huh, weird." He then covered himself back in his sheets and tried to continue his sleep.
BANG!
Dipper, now fully awake, jolted out of his bed and onto the floor with a thud. "Ugh, where in the world is that coming from?" he questioned further, picking himself off the floor. He listened intently for wherever this sound was coming from, another sudden bang causing Mabel to turn in her sleep. Thinking she was awoken by the noise, Dipper tiptoed over to her and tried to get her attention. "Mabel? Pssst! Mabel, wake up."
"Heh eh... Of course, Mr. Gumdrop, you can ride down the rainbow slide... " Mabel sleeptalked, indulged in her dream. "Watch out for the laser whales..."
Dipper sighed tiredly before another crash could be heard nearby, his suspicions suggesting it was coming from outside. Grabbing his flashlight, he stood on the table between his and Mabel's beds and peered out through the window into the nearby forest. He opened the window and shined his flashlight down in search of any movement, the area suddenly growing quiet. It wasn't long before another crash came from down below, Dipper's arm whipping sharply once he spotted a rolling trash can in view of his flashlight. He thought it would just be a raccoon or a possum searching for some thrown-away food, yet his predictions were proven false when a lone gnome scurried out from the bin.
"Shmebulock!" the gnome said before running off back into the woods.
"Oh... it was just a gnome. Just great," Dipper deadpanned, his rude awakening all caused by a little rambunctious creature. Finding his good sleep was being wanted, Dipper closed the window and jumped right back into his bed, covering himself nicely in an attempt to drift off once more.
Unbeknownst to the boy, a faint glow rose with the shrouds of the woods nearby, coating it all in a deep shade of blue. And just like as it had arisen, it vanished entirely.
A balmy summer morning had fallen over Gravity Falls bright and early, causing the already high summer temperature to rise than how it already was. Seeing as though the Mystery Shack still didn't own any air conditioning, Dipper and Mabel had left the place not too long ago before its initial opening of the day, deciding to hang around the town instead and hopefully get a headstart on any new mysteries around.
"So, bro-bro, what's on our list of adventures today?" Mabel asked her brother, skipping lightly down the sidewalk toward Main Street. "Think we're gonna find some lost jewel in a hidden underground temple? Maybe find a conspiracy about lizard people camouflaging as us? Or like, what if there's a secret society of super smart moles trying to take over the world?"
"You've been watching way too many of those cheap movies recently," Dipper replied, rolling his eyes. "Look, Mabel, the day just started. I wanna discover something big too, but why don't we do something normal before throwing ourselves out there immediately?"
"Something normal? That sounds a littleborrrrrring!" Mabel groaned dramatically. "This is Dipper we're talking about right?"
"Hey, we have all summer to go on as many adventures as we want, and we're totally gonna make it worth it," Dipper remarked. "So, did you have anything in mind?"
"Hmm... y'know, I think I do have something we could do," Mabel pondered before a playful grin grew on her face. "Race you to the arcade!"
Dipper wasn't given enough time to prepare before he watched his sister book it past him without a second to pass. Accepting the challenge, the boy grew a sly grin before sprinting at almost equal speed after his sister. The twins skirted across corners and hopped across objects on their way as if they were on some typical obstacle course on television, but way less impressive. Compared to Mabel, Dipper didn't exactly match the amount of energy his sister contained, both physically and energetically, so it didn't come as a surprise to see him trickle down the more he tried to catch up. After a short while of panting and wheezing, Dipper was able to eventually catch up to his sister at their awaiting destination.
"Eh... eh... eh... I made it..." Dipper breathed as he placed his hands on his knees, panting heavily. "I... may have lost... but this proves I'm getting more fit with my legs... Hear that, Mabel?" The boy expected a snarky response from the girl, but he grew confused that he didn't hear one. "...Mabel?"
Although he found his sister by his side, Mabel herself was focused more on the scene before her. A majority of the townsfolk were gathered around an area surrounded by police tape, murmuring about. Upon gaining more focus on his surroundings, it didn't take Dipper long to notice the glaring problem. The town's popular arcade had completely vanished from its premises; where a place of fun and rivalries stood was now nothing but a crater of dismembered pipes and sparks. However, the strangest thing about the crater was the eerie—almost otherworldly—blue glow it emitted around the rim, something of which caught Dipper's eye.
"What... happened here?" Dipper asked, bewilderment apparent in his voice as he took in the scene.
"Alright, everyone! Stand back! Stand back now!" Sheriff Blubs ordered to the crowd of concerned townsfolk. "No need to be alarmed!"
"No need to be alarmed? But the arcade's gone!" Lee, one of Wendy's good friends, shouted.
"Indeed it is," Sheriff Blubs responded. "But we are currently looking into whatever happened to the building, and we should find our culprit soon...! We just need an investigator actually to help look into this."
"Whoever does it... I don't know, you get a gift card or something," Deputy Durland blatantly added with a shrug.
"So where will my sons go when they want easy entertainment?!" Manly Dan angrily exclaimed.
"Where am I gonna go and get all my precious high scores again?" Thompson said fretfully.
"...I just moved here," a random guy said from the crowd.
"We are gonna take care of this mess here, so you folks can run along now while we get to work, alright?" Sherriff Blubs announced in an orderly fashion, eventually getting the crowd to disperse from the premises.
"Are we really gonna look into this now?" Deputy Durland asked his partner.
"Nah, let's go drive some donuts in a mud pit," Sherriff Blubs replied before he and Durland laughed excitedly as they entered their police car and sped off shortly after.
While all of the townsfolk left the scene to continue about their day, only Dipper and Mabel remained afterward, quite bewildered at what had just occurred before them. They approached the shabby police tape and gazed around the crater's rim with bewildered eyes.
"Mabel, do you have any idea what's going on?" Dipper instinctively asked.
"I have no clue," Mabel admitted with a shrug. "I just got here before you, and bam! The arcade was gone! You think some weird mystery monster thing did this?"
"I don't know, but what thing would just want to steal an entire building for themselves?" Dipper chalked up, rubbing his chin in thought. "I mean, what kind of thing would want something to do with an arcade?"
"To play video games?" Mabel innocently answered with a goofy smile.
"I don't think so, Mabel," Dipper deadpanned.
"Pines twins!" The twins' attention was caught off guard once the new voice entered their hearing. They turned to find Lil' Gideon, Gravity Falls' resident cutie pie and ex-villainous psychic, approaching them while he rode on his mini scooter. "Pines twins! Thank goodness you both showed up! Boy, am I glad to see you two! I thought we'd never see each other again!"
"Ohhh... hey, Gideon," Dipper awkwardly greeted the small boy as he and Mabel exchanged mere waves. Although Gideon had promised himself and the rest of the town that he would change his ways and no longer be evil after the events of last year, the twins had every right to feel a little weary considering the number of times he tried to get them—not to mention his former crush on Mabel. "Uh... how's it been? What, uh... what brings you here?"
"Well, firstly, I would like to formally apologize for not showing up to your welcome party yesterday as I had some very important business to attend to," Gideon began before a baseball bat fell out of his backpack, something of which he quickly stuffed back in. "Secondly... Oh, it's terrible! All these big crater things started popping up all over town last night! "
"Wait, there's more of them?" Dipper asked the young psychic, suddenly interested in what he told.
"Indeed there is," Gideon answered. "They've just been showin' up everywhere! Even in my own backyard!
True to what Gideon said, the backyard of his house sat a large crater where the once-rich grass frolicked. However, Gideon wasn't the only one to notice as his mother and father stood around the hole's rim.
"Dang, those wolves sure know how to dig," Bud Gleeful noted, scratching his chin. "Think it's time I buy one of those domesticated house bears I keep seeing on television."
"I was planning on gettin' my playground back there soon..." Gideon whimpered fretfully. "But take a look at these! I was able to take a bunch of pictures of them holes popping around town."
Gideon handed Dipper a series of pictures of the recent craters he photographed, each containing a familiar location around the town. A select few areas fell victim to the paranormal activities, including the town's pool, the junkyard, pieces of the mall, the library, and even the high school. And all of them sported the same otherworldly flare that stained the remains of the arcade.
"Woah..." Dipper and Mabel awed in union as they flipped through the pictures.
"And you said this happenedallover the town last night?" Mabel inquired, curiosity visible while Dipper continued looking over the pictures.
"Yeah, I just said that," Gideon replied with a questioning brow, knowing he made himself quite clear. "Nobody knows where they came from or what it's even from—all I know is that some strange thing is behind all this. And knowing you two, I'm positive you both are gonna be able to solve this problem, right? I mean, you both were able to save the town and help me see the error of my ways and change into a better person, and now here we are!"
The twins' uncertain expressions soon morphed into looks of interest. They had spent a good chunk of their last summer solving mysteries and interacting with all sorts of Gravity Fall's paranormal activity to the point where, much to Dipper's annoyance, they were considered the "Mystery Twins." But while they had expected their summer to begin normally, even though the town they were visiting was anything but that, they hadn't known their mystery expertise would be needed for something this huge already.
Seeing this as a prime opportunity for some grand new adventure, Mabel looked at Dipper with stars in her eyes and a wide perky smile. Dipper quickly noticed his sister's expression from the corners of his eye, smirking as he fully knew where this was going, but giving in regardless.
"We'll get this solved soon enough," Dipper proudly agreed with an encouraging smile.
"Yeah! We'll get this thing solved lickity-split because we're the Mystery Twins!" Mabel delightedly exclaimed as she brought her arms around her brother's shoulder.
"I thought we agreed not to call us that," Dipper immediately retorted.
"I sure didn't!" Mabel remarked with a wide grin.
"Finally, a nice and calm morning," Stan said as he relaxed down on the living room recliner. "No distractions, no weird creatures, and no sudden thing busting in abruptly. Just me and my old television." However, the second he picked up the remote, his relaxation was soon cut short.
"Emergency! Emergency!" Mabel exclaimed hysterically as she burst open the front door before tumbling into the living room. "We have a code something!"
"I spoke too soon," Stan deadpanned.
"What's all this about an emergency?" Ford quired as he came into the room holding a frying pan. "I've made enhancements to some of the kitchen supplies in case of anything going haywire." He pressed a button on the side of the pan, the bottom sliding open to reveal an electrical laser gun.
"Is that why my bacon kept electrocuting me?" Stan inquired.
"No, Grunkle Ford, somethings happened around the town," Dipper corrected. "Me and Mabel were heading out to the arcade, but as soon as we got there, it was gone!"
"The arcade's missing?!" Soos exclaimed concerningly as he heard the conversation from the gift shop. "Don't worry, dudes, it is now my sole duty to return it home!" He then left the room in a hurry. "Melody, I might be gone for days, but make sure no one takes the last chocolate bar in the vending machine."
"Gone? What do you mean gone? It just vanished away?" Ford questioned, bewildered.
"Some robbers must've really hit the gym," Stan added casually.
"We don't know, but Gideon gave us these pictures he took, and it turns out the arcade wasn't the only thing that disappeared," Dipper answered as he handed Ford the collection of pictures.
"Hmmm..." Ford hummed thoughtfully as he flipped through the pictures of the craters, trying to decipher the oddity of their sudden appearances. "Strange; my watch would've alerted me about these anomalies appearing, but something about these couldn't be detected."
"How come?" Dipper asked, uncertain in his tone.
"I'm not too sure," Ford replied skeptically. "I would believe these have to be some after-effects from Weirdmaggedon, but it would be preposterous for them to appear when it's been months since we've stopped it. I believe that whatever could've done this must not be from our world."
"So we're about to deal with another pest that's not from our world?" Stan inquired. "Well, so much for some relaxation."
Ford rolled his eyes at his brother. "Otherworldly or not, we have a serious case on our hands," he affirmed as he placed the pictures in his pocket. "We'll need to find a lead to our little crater creator first, that way we can see who exactly we're dealing with."
"You can leave that to me and Dipper!" Mabel proudly declared with a wide grin. "We're mystery experts at this point, like how we solved the mystery of Grunkle Stan's back pain!"
"I still don't know how that badger got in my room," Stan said nonchalantly.
"With those pictures, I'm sure our culprit still has its sights set on the town," Dipper explained. "If me and Mabel could get a picture of it then we can see who it is!"
"That's a fantastic idea, Dipper," Ford complimented. "I'll keep these photos to get any further analysis on them, that way we can advance on the source of our culprit's abilities."
"Welp, there goes the nice morning I was having," Stan said as he stood up and ruffled the younger twins hair. "Looks like we got another mystery on our hands, and you two knuckleheads are comin' along on the ride."
"Yeah! Mabel and Dipper are back in business!" Mabel cheered excitedly with a fist bump. "Time to plan to take this thing down! To the attic!" She tried to backflip out of the living room but failed miserably as she face-planted onto the floor.
"You really gotta work on that," Stan commented.
"Alright," Dipper began as he spread a map of the town across the shabby floor of the attic. "So these craters popped up in only a few spots so far, so the pool, the mall, the library, the high school, and the junkyard," He drew a coherent line across the map as he listed the locations. "And now the arcade was the next spot to be affected by this, so it looks like whatever's doing this is getting closer and closer to the main part of town. And if my logistics are correct, the next best possible spot that'll disappear has to be... the bowling alley!"
"Of course!" Mabel agreed ecstatically. "Bowling alleys are always the next stop for eerie, weird stuff to happen."
"So if we set up around there, we could have a chance to get a picture of it," Dipper added as he rolled up the map and put it in his bag. "Alright, let's make sure we have everything. Camera?"
"Check!" Mabel beamed as she held the item.
"Walkie-talkies?"
"Check!"
"Flashlight?"
"Check!"
"Snacks?"
"Check!"
"Extra snacks?"
"Check!"
"Your scrapbook? Because I know you're gonna bring it anyway,"
"Obviously!"
"Great, I think that's everything we need," Dipper chalked up as he looked over the items again.
"Woah! Slow your role! We can't forget my most important contribution," Mabel prompted as she pulled out her desired possession from her suitcase and flashed it with enlightening pizzazz. "Grappling hook!"
"...Can't argue with that, I guess," Dipper said, seeing a good use for the item and knowing his sister would be delighted to use it for another adventure. However, he also knew she would annoy him relentlessly if he disagreed.
"I've secretly been improving my grappling hook expertise, so whatever gets in our way gets a hook to the face!" Mabel exclaimed proudly as she twirled the device before accidentally hitting herself on the head. "Ow!"
Soon after the twins had packed all their supplies in their bags, they headed downstairs and out of the shack, though not without telling their Grunkles they were out for their search. They were ready to take on their first mystery of the summer, and having known of what they dwelled in the past, they were prepared to face whatever challenge stood before them.
"Alright, now that we got everything, we should be all set to get going," Dipper said as he tightened his bag. "We'll need to find a good spot to hide so we don't look suspicious; I'm thinking that we should-" He paused abruptly once he spotted a glaring issue with their setup. "Mabel, why is Waddles with us?"
The pig in question casually stood by his owner's side as he looked around with innocent eyes. "Because he's the perfect companion to help sniff things out! Isn't that right, Waddles?" Mabel asked as he squished the pig's face, earning a small snort. "Awww, just look at him! Doesn't he look ready for adventure?"
Dipper's deadpan expression said everything. "You sure Waddles can sniff out an unknown entity who we have no idea about?" he sarcastically asked, crossing his arms.
"Yep! Top-notch sniffer right here," Mabel proudly affirmed, a grin on her face as she picked up a nearby pinecone. "I heard that if you let a pig sniff a pinecone, they instantly gain detective-like skills. He'll lead us to a clue in no time!"
"And where'd you hear that?" Dipper inquired.
"The internet," Mabel casually answered. "Now watch this!"
Waddles sniffed the wooden object before letting out a satisfied snort as he walked into a nearby bush that led into the surrounding forest.
"See? He already has a scent of something," Mabel said before she began to follow the animal. "Wait up, Waddles!"
"Mabel!" Dipper called but his sister was already gone in the forest, releasing a defeated sigh before tightening his bag as he ventured off after her. "So much for the plan."
The sunlight peeked through the thick leaves of the trees, offering a dim path of light to aid the trio in their exploration. Waddles led the twins through the dense forest, sniffing the ground thoroughly for the scent of pinecones. Mabel felt certain the pig would lead them to a clue, sharply remembering how that video on the internet instructed her. Despite his current predicament, Dipper felt nice soaking in the familiar surroundings around him, feeling as though not much had changed even after a year passed. They walked through the same small ravines, passed the vivid mushrooms, and saw the trees with old people's faces still engraved on them, and Dipper wouldn't have it any other way. However, his trek through the forest went painfully uneventful, and Mabel's preppy attitude didn't exactly help Dipper's increasingly growing attitude.
"Hey, Mabel, could we maybe focus back on the arcade situation," Dipper remarked, almost fed up. "It feels like we've gone down this same path for the fifth time now."
"But we're so close to finding something!" Mabel retorted, picking up a stray pinecone. "The random guy on the internet said that pigs gain a new mystery-solving sense from sniffing a pinecone, so we gotta be close!"
"Mabel, maybe it's best not to believe everything you see on the internet," Dipper deadpanned. "I get that you wanna help, but maybe let's focus on the obvious right now."
Mabel understood her brother's wishes, but she couldn't help but feel a little down. "Sorry, Waddles, your sniffing prowess didn't get to be shown today," she said dramatically, picking up her pig. "Maybe you had to sniff a squirrel instead now that I think about it."
"You think this is who he sent us here for...?"
Dipper and Mabel perked once they heard a dim voice nearby, shrouded by the trees of the thick woods.
"It's hard to tell, it doesn't seem to be living..."
The twins heard another voice chime in, both confused as to whoever was speaking. Dipper slowly walked in the direction of the unfamiliar voices, motioning for Mabel to follow him. The two, plus Waddles, slowly snuck further into the deep woods, the newfound voices becoming clearer to listen to. They stealthily hid in the bushes once they got a crystal clear hearing of the conversation and looked over the shrub to see who was conversing, sharing looks of bewilderment once they finally got a good look at their discovery.
What stood in an open clearing of the woods looked like a duo of bizarre creatures, their builds about the same as a gnome, yet their appearance was far more regal as they wore pure white cloaks that clashed with their pitch-dark heads.
"Soooooo... we take it to him, right?" Tórel curiously asked his comrade.
"What I believe he requested of us is to find the individual who's meant to be alive, not some piece of stone rotting in dirt," Hókin chastised, eyeing their supposed objective.
Where the creatures stood around looked to be a statue made of stone covered in heaps of moss and chipped cracks on all sides. Its body was in the shape of a triangle wearing a top hat and a singular eye laid its center, and at its side reached out an extended hand.
Dipper and Mabel's once confused expressions suddenly morphed into faces of pure shock once they recognized what the anomalies were surrounding.
"Bill?!" the twins gasped quietly, not at all believing their eyes. The psychotic, interdimensional demon only sat a few feet away from the twins, coated in nothing but solid stone and tainted moss.
"I don't know, hedidspecifically send us for a triangle made of stone," Tórel remarked innocently.
"I'm sure he meant a triangle made of stone that'salive," Hókin retorted sharply. "What makes you think he will accept this?"
"We've taken things less than valuable before and he hasn't gotten mad at us," Tórel assured. "And you know we're supposed to follow his every request."
"That's because he plays favorites," Hókin argued, rolling his eye.
"Wait, I'm his favorite?" Tórel questioned.
Hókin only gave his comrade an irritated glare. "Let's just get this over with," he miserably sighed. The cosmic entity's finger began to glow a soft hue of blue before he stuck it in the dirt, motioning around the statue in a perfect circle as a blue light flared behind. Once he released his finger from the ground, the circle surrounding the statue began to glow intensely before it effortlessly ripped itself out of the ground.
The twins watched in both amazement and bewilderment at what they were witnessing before their eyes.
The piece of floating ground housing the stone statue was soon sealed within a glass-like orb that reflected off the surrounding area, Hókin snapping his fingers as a portal opened before the two. "If he berates me because of this, you owe me," Hókin scowled as he took the orb through the portal.
"So am I his favorite?" Tórel questioned once more as he stepped through the portal too.
Dipper, ensuring the coast was clear, walked out from the bush they hid in. His mind had trouble processing what just happened, not at all accepting that he saw the remnants of Bill Cipher himself after all this time believing he was gone for good.
"What were those things?" Dipper questioned, his gaze strong on the open portal.
"They kinda looked like deer, but like, evil-looking," Mabel replied casually.
Dipper's attention was soon drawn to the rim of the ground from which the two creatures stole. It owned the same blue flare that was at the missing arcade and other locations Gideon had photographed. "Wait a second," he noted, the pieces in his brain connecting. "Mabel! I think those things are the ones stealing everything from around Gravity Falls. The crater is glowing like the one from the arcade and everywhere else!"
"Oh my gosh! You're right!" Mabel gasped, hopping out from the bush before a sudden realization hit her. "Wait, if that's the case, what are they doing with Bill? He's supposed to be gone! What if those things find out he's an insane freak of nature and he might come back to get us?!"
"We have to go tell Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford," Dipper advised urgently. "Whatever those things are doing with Bill, it can't end well."
"Ugh, this whole thing is making my head hurt so much!" Mabel dramatically groaned, rubbing her temple. "I could use some Waddles cuddles right now to make this go away. Waddles?" She looked down for the comfort of her pet pig, only to be met with dirt. "Waddles?"
A pit of dread plummeted into the girl's stomach once she spotted the pig edge near the open rift, curiosity apparent in his steps. Right before Mabel could react, Waddles stepped through the portal with little hesitation.
"Waddles! No!" Mabel yelled so loud it echoed throughout the entire forest, startling a few nearby critters. The girl didn't miss a beat as she scrambled into the unknowing portal, not caring what was on the other side and only wanting to keep her pet safe.
"Mabel!" Dipper called to her, which was ineffective as she had already entered through. "Ugh! This can't be happening!" The boy let out a tired huff, the stress of the events getting to him. As much as he didn't want to enter through the abnormal rift he knew nothing about, he had to make sure his sister wasn't in any danger. "Welp… here goes nothing."
The boy gained a strong sense of determination, knowing fully well what he was getting himself into, yet he wasted no time. He shut his eyes tight and charged right into the portal of unknown territory, expecting to feel some sort of strange effect on his end from entering an otherworldly rift, but he felt oddly normal. He cautiously opened his eyes, fully prepared to face whatever horror lay before him, but they immediately became wide with wonder as he took in the sight. The valley of space surrounded him whole, the endless number of glistening stars reflecting off his eyes and shades of purple and blue bouncing off his skin.
"Woah..." Dipper gazed around in astonishment. He glanced around and noticed he was standing in what looked to be a glass prism floating through a system of space, its location hard to tell. All thoughts were erased from the boy's mind once he spotted Mabel not too far away holding Waddles tightly in her arms, the girl herself intrigued by the valley of stars as well. "Mabel? Mabel?! Are you alright?" he urgently ran over to his sister and frantically checked her over.
"Woah hey, I'm fine, Dipper, no need to worry," Mabel reassured her paranoid brother. "But hey, Waddles is safe and sound again!" she brought the pig up to her brother's face.
Dipper gained a small reassuring smile. "I guess Waddles led us to a clue after all," he admitted as he scratched the pig's head.
"Vyódin, we are here with your latest request," a voice in the distance said. The twins suddenly glanced over at the new sound in the room, the source coming from Tórel and Hókin. "I think you'll be very pleased about this."
It didn't take long for the twins to spot another figure in the area, its body terrifyingly tall and intimidating, with its appearance identical to the small beings that stood.
"Come, show me," Vyódin instructed the two, his voice deep and ominous. His body hadn't turned to face his assistants, choosing to stare out into the endless void of space instead. Hókin guided the orb in front of his leader, knowing the repercussions he would face in case of disappointment. The celestial being cast a downward gaze at the new orb, his expression not shifting in the slightest. He deeply inspected the features it contained with a judging eye, letting out a satisfying hum as he turned to his henchmen. "Excellent work, it seems you two have brought to me just who I was hoping to meet."
"We sure did! But may I ask, who is this exactly?" Tórel asked, curious as to who his leader was referring to.
"This right here is the great Bill Cipher, a demon of many traits," Vyódin explained as he cast the orb before his assistants. "He is one I've been immensely impressed by. He can bring chaos and destruction however and wherever he pleases. To think he was capable of controlling Gravity Falls in one fell swoop is something I can admire."
"So he's a tyrannical demon capable of destroying anything he wants?" Hókin questioned.
"Precisely," Vyódin answered. "It is a shame he resulted as stone at the end of his control" he distributed away the layer of the orb and took hold of the statue's extended hand as dirt and moss fell to the floor. "But, he shall do nicely."
Suddenly, a white glow began to seep around the statue as Vyódin's grip tightened, his power coursing through. New cracks popped as seconds passed, but the celestial being showed no signs of weakness as more and more energy flowed into the glorified rock.
Dipper and Mabel watched in awe at the celestial being's powerful presentation, the two increasingly growing worried as they figured out what he was trying to do.
Not before long, however, the stone began to glow harsher before a burst of light filled the room, blinding everyone who looked but Vyódin himself. Once the light dimmed, the statue that was once in his hand was no longer there, but it instead manifested into what floated in the air before them.
"What in the ever-loving abomination happened...?" Bill Cipher spoke, dazed as he rubbed his sole eye.
Dipper and Mabel thought this had to be a dream—just a simple joke they could laugh off afterward as they woke up. But no, Bill Cipher in his physical prowess floated right before them in all of his triangular glory.
"No... this can't be," Dipper dreaded, having trouble processing what was happening.
"Wait a second, where the heck am I? This isn't Gravity Falls or my castle or the Nightmare Realm," Bill said as he looked around the clear prism and into the pit of space. "One minute I'm in that wrinkly bag of flesh's mind, now I'm stuck out here in the middle of space. Just where the heck am I?"
"Bill Cipher, it is an honor to acquaint with you,"
Bill snapped himself around at the source of the new voice, finding himself floating in front of Vyódin's tall figure. "Woah woah woah! Who are you, mister tall guy? And what’s with the flashy get-up?” the demon inquired as he examined the celestial being's build.
"Apologies for your sudden reawakening there, allow me to introduce myself," Vyódin began politely. "For I am Vyódin, and where you reside at this moment is my sanctuary where I am able to view all walks of life from afar."
"Sudden reawakening? Huh, never heard of whatever the heck that is before," Bill said as he floated next to the celestial being. "So what’s this sudden reawakening you’re talking about, one-eye? Get it, because we both have one eye?"
"I am the one who was capable of helping you regain your physical form," Vyódin answered calmly, not at all phased by the Dream Demon's anger. "After your little invasion in Gravity Falls had failed, you were reduced to a mere recollection of yourself."
"Weirdmaggedon failed? Welp, now that I’m back to being psychical, I can just start it right back up again," Bill said with a hint of co*ckiness.
"I wouldn’t advise that of you, Mr. Cipher. It has passed as soon as you were erased from reality on that day," Vyódin explained thoroughly. "My assistants here retrieved your remains for me to see up close, so I have brought you the chance of life once more."
"...Alright, alright, you have my attention," Bill admitted before floating down to eye level with the celestial being. "So what's the deal with all this? You've brought me here to your little place and just cause you gave my life back you expect me to be your friend suddenly? There's a catch in this, isn't there? Because if there is, then I tip my eye to you."
"There is no catch in this, simply put," Vyódin retorted as opened a portal behind him that showed some of Gravity Falls' locations encased in orbs. "My assistants and I have visited Gravity Falls as of late, and we've gathered some interesting locations in that little town."
"Hey! That's the stuff from Gravity Falls thatIwas supposed to be conquering!" Bill fumed, more than ready to attack and take back what was his "property."
"I was not finished," Vyódin abruptly paused the demon with a hand. "I have taken an interest in your abilities, and I greatly admire the characteristics of what you contain. You're a being run off pure chaos, and I endear that to a degree. Someone like you would be a phenomenal asset to what I seek out there in all of the worlds that lay beyond me. What I plan is to create something big of my own, so it is a must that you join me in this pursuit."
Bill wasn't the slightest bit convinced. "Well, I'd love to join your little party, but I'm usually the one making the deals around here. What's in it for me if I join you?" the triangular demon crossed his arms with a minor skeptical glare.
"You get more," Vyódin answered casually. "More to conquer, more to corrupt, more to spread your chaos within. This is an opportunity for you to expand, and with my assistance, I could simply help you accomplish your wishes. I was able to revive you after all."
Bill stood afloat as he thought about all the opportunities in his possession. He could have more places to call his own, more things to destroy, and more chaos to cause. It sounded all too good to be true, especially with him gaining his physical form again.
"You know what," Bill thought momentarily before making his final decision. "We have ourselves a deal here, fellow one-eye! And I think all good deals deserve a little shake on it?" he extended his arm like a snake to the celestial being.
"No," Vyódin declined without a change of emotion.
"Aw well, suit yourself," Bill shrugged as he chillaxed in the air. "So, what am I supposed to do anyway?"
"Take as much as you can and bring it back to me, simple as that," Vyódin explained blatantly. "I need as many pieces of these worlds as possible."
"Sounds like a cakewalk!" Bill exclaimed. "Say, I wouldn't mind going back to Gravity Falls to get some good memories back. Heck, I wonder if I can find those two brats who-" Bill's eye suddenly darted over once he locked onto the additional presence in the room.
Dipper and Mabel gasped when he spotted them, taking steps backward out of fright for what was to come.
"Well, well, well! Look at who's here!" Bill laughed manically as he shot toward the twins at the speed of light. "Pine tree! Shooting star! I never would've expected to see your faces here at all! Just always gotta find a way to meet in the same spot, huh? That's hilarious!"
Dipper stepped in front of his sister protectively with a hardened look. "I don't know how that thing brought you back to life, Bill, but don't think that just because you're alive again doesn't mean we can't take you down again!" the boy yelled defensively.
"Yeah, what Dipper said!" Mabel added.
"Ha! You and what army?!" Bill laughed harder. "Doesn't look like you have anybody else with you, kid, so what's the point in stopping me?"
Bill summoned a ball of blazing blue fire in his palm, eyeing psychotically at the twins with despicable intentions. "So how about we just make this really quick and painless... FOR ME!"
"Halt, Bill,"
Bill's maniacal splendor soon faded once he heard Vyódin speak. "Huh? I was just getting to the fun part!" the triangular demon exclaimed, his whole body turning blood-red.
"I shall handle this," Vyódin assured as he strode past the malevolent demon and towered before the children. He stared down at them with his blank, soulless eye and expressionless face, causing their fear to worsen. "Which one of you left a pathway open?" He cranked his neck to his two assistants.
"Hókin!" Tórel affirmed immediately, earning a tiresome eye-roll from Hókin.
Vyódin, however, didn't truly care who left it open, for which he cast his gaze back to the two children beneath him who had not moved once.
"Dipper and Mabel Pines, the saviors of Gravity Falls," the celestial being stated, his tone strangely inviting before he bowed before the kids. "I welcome you."
The twins gave confused glances at each other, unsure of what to make of the celestial being's strange friendliness.
"Um... hello?" Dipper greeted awkwardly, a bit of nervousness creeping into his voice. "Uh, how do you know our names?"
"Oh, I know everything about you. How you've escaped from an army of gnomes? Discovered evidence of prehistoric territories? Managing to raise the deceased? I know about every step you have taken," Vyódin acknowledged.
"Creepy," Mabel whispered to her brother.
"I must say, my compliments to your craft—the intelligence you both possess is quite remarkable," Vyódin complimented as he circled around them. "Given that you've managed to defeat numerous entities of greater power than you, it came as no surprise Bill would fall to the wits of you. You should feel accomplished."
"Hey! I'm right here!" Bill retorted angrily.
"However, this is an occasion where I cannot afford a distraction at this moment," Vyódin decided before he snapped his fingers, granting an enriching chime throughout the room.
A beat of silence passed without a shred of movement, but it didn't take long before a crackling sound emitted from behind Dipper and Mabel. The twins looked behind them to find a portal had opened, the continents inside unknown as they exchanged expressions of fear.
"The deeds you have done are acknowledgeable, but I cannot afford my plans to be affected by mere mortals," Vyódin belittled, raising his hand before the twins. "You two have seen enough. Begone."
With a simple force of his powers, Dipper and Mabel were pushed into the portal without a second to react. They both let out unified frightened screams as they fell into the unknowledgeable portal, their voices growing distant as they fell further before they could no longer be heard. Waddles happened to be the only survivor during all this, but being the faithful pig he was, simply walked into the rift after the twins.
"Huh, well that was easy! I should've thought about doing that ages ago!" Bill cheered as he returned to his original yellow pallet. "Where'd you send 'em to?"
"The destination for what awaits those children is something I do not care for," Vyódin spoke roughly as he closed the portal with another snap of his fingers. "I do not wish for any interruptions with my plan, and I want it to stay that way for how long it takes. I know what those mortals are capable of, seeing as though you ended up as stone because of them."
"Relax! With them hopefully turned into corpses, your plan can go smoothly," Bill assured, hoping that was the case. "So what are you anyway, an evil deer or something?"
To say Dipper wasn't feeling an intense adrenaline rush coursing through his entire body would certainly be an understatement.
The boy frantically flailed around as he attempted to gain some form of control as he fell through the portal's contents. Flashes of magenta and blue coated his skin as he fell further, trying to get a bearing on his surroundings in the seemingly endless rift. It felt like he fell through the bottomless pit again, except more floaty and not pitch-dark this time.
It wasn't long before the flashes of color subsided, and the clear view of the valley of space caught Dipper's eyes, the multitude of stars gleaming around him, earning a look of amazement from the boy.
"Whoa..." Dipper gasped in awe at the voyage of stars.
"Dipper!"
Dipper's attention snapped to the sudden mention of his name, his eyes widening once he spotted Mabel at a distance, trying her hardest to reach him with little succession.
"Mabel!" Dipper exclaimed, motioning his body in an attempt to reach his sister. "Hang on, I'm coming!"
Dipper tried to maneuver himself through the air, the action being quite difficult the more they fell. He desperately reached out his hand to try and get a hold of Mabel, but it seemed that the force of the portal pulled her back. Growing desperate, Dipper took off his bag to help reduce his weight, seemingly assisting him as he gained some form of movement.
Mabel did the same as her brother and moved closer to Dipper, the two soon becoming within arms reach. With enough resistance against the portal's force, the twins grasped each other's hands, holding tight so the other didn't let go.
"Dipper! What the heck is going on?!" Mabel exclaimed hysterically, her eyes frantic.
"I don't know!" Dipper replied, his eyes full of worry. "But wherever this thing is taking us, we'll be alright! I'm sure of it!"
Truth be told, Dipper had a gut feeling that they would be anything but alright. The fact the two weren't absorbed in the outreaches of space was something Dipper was greatly thankful for, but he had a feeling that this rift wouldn't keep them forever. Though his heart suddenly dropped once he saw a breach of light from the corner of his eye.
"Uh, Mabel?" Dipper nervously said, keeping his eyes on the light in the distance. Mabel motioned herself at what her brother was viewing, her heart dropping to her stomach as well.
The twins let out screams of terror as the light got closer to them, shutting their eyes to avoid going blind.
Their voices fainted, and the light enveloped them whole.
