They had been sitting in the bus for hours now.

Mabel gazed out of the frosted window, hand on cheek as she watched the powdered trees rush by. She was adrift in her own thoughts again.

Gravity Falls… she thought excitedly, in spite of the fatigue that was currently laden about her like blanket. Mabel had already known about that place and the multitude of rumors and myths that surrounded it. She'd invested countless hours of research, absorbing whatever she possibly could about the small town. The lore behind was incredible and it enchanted the girl more than anything. Hell, it obsessed her.

It is rumored that this rather innocuous looking Oregon town is a hotbed for paranormal activity, one of the articles she'd read about it explained. There have been a number of accounts-mostly from tourists-claiming that there were ghosts and other supernatural phenomena occurring in the forest that surrounds the town. Her fingers tightened its grip along the hems of her orange coat, trying to contain the adrenaline that was beginning to build up in her veins. A smile slowly started to creep onto her face. Ghosts, aliens, will-o-the-wisps, so many delicious secrets! Oh, it was like a dream come true! If she wasn't so tired then she'd be bouncing off the walls.

The sky was pink with the coming dawn. Mabel could see weak rays of sunlight coming over the horizon. How long had they been traveling for...? Days, maybe?

Couldn't they have just sent us on a plane? Mabel thought tiredly. Her entire body ached terribly, the bus was loud and shaky, and it reeked like something had gone bad. Had they flew over then she and Dipper would've been at Oregon hours ago, not in some rundown bus. But her parents said that there were costs, and that it was safer to go by bus, for planes were prone to crashing.

'But it's more safer to travel by air!' Mabel had corrected them passionately. 'I read that you're more likely to get into a car accident than a plane crash!'

Unsurprisingly her parents brushed off her remarks, saying, 'Oh, we don't want to take the chances...' Like her opinion didn't matter.

Chances! Her parents were so paranoid that she wouldn't be surprised if they kept tinfoil hats in their closets.

"Yeah, right," she murmured, frowning at her blurry reflection in the window. "Once the bus driver gets a heart attack and drives us off a cliff in the process, then you'll wished you-"

"You're still angry about that, Mabes?" came a nonchalant voice. Dipper.

Mabel turned to face him. Her brother's face was fixed in his trademark expression: one cocked eyebrow, half lidded eyes, bit lip.

"What-no-maybe." Mabel looked at her boots. "I mean, I tried to tell them, Dip, that they could take the airline instead..."

"And they didn't listen," Dipper completed for her, a look of understanding coming into his eyes.

She sighed, her body sagging. Maybe she wasn't as angry at taking the bus as she was at not being taken seriously.

"Well, you can't stay being angry at them, Mabes," said her brother. "You gotta just keep going."

"I know that, Dip," Mabel lamented, "but-"

"You gotta work for it. Force people to take you seriously."

"Maybe you're right," Mabel murmured, drawing the heels of her boots along the floor. Easier said than done, though, she thought unhappily. One day she'd find somebody who would take her seriously...not think she was just some silly little girl running her mouth...

"And anyway," Dipper said more enthusiastically, "we're on winter va-cay! C'mon, Mabes!" He gave his sister, who was still rather down, a playful little nudge. "Snowmen, skiing, snowboarding, snow mobiles..." he listed out, counting each finger. "Snowballs! I heard Gravity Falls' got the sickest-"

The mere mention of Gravity Falls was enough to send Mabel through the roof.

"Don't forget the other 's', ya big dummy!" she gushed delightedly, grabbing her brother by the shoulders. "The supernatural!"

Dipper rolled his eyes, all too used to hearing his sister's prattling about the small town.

"Oh-right," he scoffed dryly. "Your favorite tv show."

Mabel cried out in exasperation and drew away from him. "Look, see, there you go again! Practice what you preach, why doncha?"

"What?"

"You're not taking me seriously!"

Dipper groaned and fell on his back on the seat. "But they're not real, Mabel. I keep telling you that the rumors about Gravity Falls"-he covered his weary face with his hand-"they're not real."

"Oh yeah?" Mabel challenged him, crawling over and pinning the boy down with her knees. "Then explain to me the Anomaly of '82!"

Dipper's face contorted in pain at the feel of his sister's knees digging into his arms. "Get off me-Mabes-you're hurting me-"

"When the citizens of Gravity Falls reported seeing a strange blue light in the sky!"

"You're messing up my shirt-" Dipper wheezed desperately. And it was his favorite one too-a blue t shirt with yellow sleeves and a star printed on the front.

"If you don't explain I'll rip it!" Mabel threatened him.

"A meteor! Get off me...please!"

The noise they were causing did not fail to escape the ear of the bus driver. "D'you want me to kick ya crazy kids off this bus?" he shouted at them over the roar of the engine. "Cause I can if ya keep that goddamn noise up!"

Mabel, who was still in her confrontational mood, was about to shoot back an angry retort when Dipper pulled her down and covered her mouth. She let out muffled grunts and cries while she struggled in his hold.

"Everything's fine, sir!" Dipper reassured the driver, his voice strained with the effort of keeping his sister at bay. "Just fine! Just-uh-sibling bickering, that's all!" He even threw in a little chuckle for extra effect.

The bus driver gave a low 'humph' in answer and said no more.

"Okay, Mabel," Dipper whispered to his livid sister, who was still squirming like a large orange worm, "once I let go of you, don't shout out any insults at the bus driver. You hear me?"

"Mmm-hmm!" she growled, glaring at him resentfully.

Nodding slowly, Dipper took his hands off Mabel's arms and mouth. She scrabbled back up on the seat, gasping for the much needed air, and then sat down sulkily.

It was quiet between the twins for a moment. The bus roared on. After a while Dipper finally broke the spell and said to her, "Look, I'm sorry for being a jerk to you, Mabes."

Mabel side-eyed him, frowning. Not a single word came from her. Defeated, Dipper looked away from sister, his entire body heavy with guilt.

Taking note of her brother's mood, Mabel gazed at him sadly. No, it wasn't his fault, she realized. It was my dumb self's.

"No, I'm sorry, Dip," she apologized shyly. "I-I was just being a big buttface towards you. Like I always am," the girl added quietly.

Dipper gave her a little smile. "It's okay," he answered gently. "And anyway I think you're a pretty chill person."

Mabel, grinning in satisfaction, scooted over and pulled her brother in for a tight hug.

"Oh no!" Dipper cried in mock fear as his sister rubbed her cheek against his. "The Mabel Smother of Doom! My only weakness!"

Giggling, Mabel soon let go of him and fell back. She gave a great yawn then and stretched her limbs.

"I'm tired," she said aloud, tucking her legs up. "I'm gonna sleep now. Or at least try to." The bus wailed loudly in answer.

"But you never get tired, Mabes! That's like physically impossible for you," Dipper gasped in disbelief as he watched Mabel curl up against the wall of the bus.

"I'm tired," she asserted, closing her eyes. "I'm gonna sleep forever."

"Good luck with that," answered her brother, grabbing his backpack and rummaging through its contents. "As for me, I'm gonna try to beat that boss battle..."

Smiling drowsily, Mabel fell asleep to the sound of a frustrated Dipper pushing buttons on his game console.

It's gonna be great... the girl thought as she spiraled deeper into slumber. Images of the forest, crawling with all sorts of fantastic creatures and phenomena flashed through her mind. I just know it...

"Mabes."

Mabel was vaguely aware of a finger poking her on the shoulder. Groaning, she hid her face in her long brown hair, muttering sleepy nothings.

"Mabes, c'mon!" The poking turned into light punches. "We're here!"

"At where?" Mabel slurred, rubbing her head, for she had suddenly developed a nasty headache.

"Gravity Falls!"

Mabel was a stick of dynamite, and those words were the fuse. In a split second the girl got to her feet and ran down the aisle of the bus, squealing out, "Ohboyohboyohboyohboy!"

She jumped from the bus door and into the crisp, cold air. Her boots landed on the snow with a soft crunch. Practically shaking with excitement, Mabel stumbled out further and took in her surroundings.

The entire world looked as though a cloud had fallen from the sky. Regal redwoods, clad in white, loomed high above her head and into the icy blue sky. Rays of sunlight shone down onto the forest floor, dappling the ground with luminous specks and causing the icicles on the trees to shine. In the distance Mabel could see a small cabin crouching amid the snow drifts.

"It's so beautiful..." she breathed. Being from California Mabel had only got to see snow once or twice in her twelve years of life...but never like this. It was like a dream...and what a dream it was!

And imagine all the stuff that's lying in the forest, Mabel! Just waiting to be discovered. Surely a place as gorgeous as this could be hiding the most juiciest of secrets….

"Mabel!" The familiar sound of Dipper calling out her name brought her back to the real world. Turning around, she felt a deep twinge of guilt at the sight of her brother dragging all the luggage off the bus. In her excitement she'd forgotten her stuff.

"Sorry, bro bro," she apologized hastily, running up to assist him. "I-I was just so..."

"It's fine," sighed Dipper, grabbing his briefcase. "I know you, Mabes-you always get caught up in the moment."

Flashing him a shy little smile, Mabel hefted her heavy backpack onto her shoulders and struggled towards the cabin.

She'd loaded it with all sorts of stuff. There were the basics: clothing, toothbrushes, what have you. But that wasn't all: Mabel had also packed the equipment she'd be needing for her investigations. Flashlights (she'd brought a dozen of them, better safe than sorry), several books on the supernatural, notebooks, pencils, video cameras...she'd made sure that she was be fully prepared. If I'd ended up forgetting all that... Mabel shuddered, not even wanting to think about it.

The cabin seemed to be thousands of miles away; every muscle in Mabel's body screamed for her to collapse onto the snow. She swore that the load she was carrying was crushing her spine.

"That the place?" Dipper said, walking quite easily beside her.

"Y-yeah!" Mabel gasped, feeling her entire body quiver underneath the weight of her burden.

"Geez, Mabes," her brother observed. "It's like you're carrying a truck on your back."

"I'll survive," she grunted in answer.

"I'll pray for ya." Suddenly Dipper's attentions were directed to something else. "Oh...hey!" Well, someone.

Before Mabel could inquire about what was happening she suddenly bumped into something warm-and very large.

"That's a big load you got there, dude," said a great booming voice from above her. "Mind if I take that for you? I mean..."

Petrified with fright, Mabel looked up. Looking down at her was the most hugest man she'd ever seen in her entire life. He was clad in a fur rimmed parka, which only served to make him look more intimidating.

"...no hard feelings, dude, but you look you're gonna die of...hey?" Mabel had dropped her backpack and rushed to hide behind Dipper. She crouched behind him, shivering and whimpering.

The man looked at Dipper, a mixture of confusion and apprehension on his face. "What'd I do?"

"No, you're cool, you're cool..." he reassured him, putting a calming hand on his sister's shoulder. "Sorry, she's just super shy."

"I didn't scare her, did I?" the man continued, his tone becoming considerably lighter. "Bet she thought I was a bear!" He chuckled, amused by this prospect.

Dipper grinned, his teeth shining in the morning light. "You'd make a pretty good bear, then. I like ya! What's your name?"

"Soos' the name, handyman's my game," the man introduced himself proudly with a stamp of his snow shovel. "And you are..." Soos began theatrically, gesturing to Dipper, "...uh...who are you?"

He's gonna show him his birthmark, and then he's gonna have him guess, Mabel predicted.

Dipper flipped up his bangs, a lofty smile on his face.

Called it.

"Woah...what is that?" Soos gasped. "A tattoo? Dude, you're already pretty high on my cool list!"

"Even better-it's a birthmark!" And then he added more suspensefully, "And it's my name, too."

Oh, great. What was it with Dipper and his stupid pleasantries? She wanted to go inside already-the cold was killing her!

"Your name...it's...uh...Spoon! It's gotta be Spoon, right?" he guessed.

"Close." Dipper's smile grew wider. Mabel resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Ladle! Uh...boat paddle!"

"You're getting warmer," her brother said with a wink. "Think of constellations."

"Oh man! Dude...you're making my mind doing all these weird thinking things! Hmm...wait a minute..." Soos' chubby face lit up as it finally dawned upon him. "Your birthmark...it's like the Big-"

"Dipper!" Mabel cut him off, finally losing her patience. Angrily she stomped past Dipper and Soos and to the cabin. "I have no time for this!" she hissed under her breath.

"Wow, your sister's good, dude." Soos watched her running towards the cabin, his eyes glowing with admiration. "How'd she do that?"

"Sorry about that," Dipper laughed, his sight on Mabel as well. "I guess we were holding her up." He ran after her then, Soos following suit.

"Don't forget about me!" he called after him. "I didn't even tell you my name yet!"

Mabel pushed past the door, a light jangle of bells announcing her arrival. She found herself standing in a small gift shop. It was quiet for the most part-a song she didn't know nor cared for droned on in the background.

Weird...why would Granpa Stan have a gift shop? Mabel bit her lip and frowned as she looked around. The shelves were fully stocked with all a variety of souvenirs. However, there didn't appear to be a single customer in sight. I guess they're not open yet, Mabel concluded.

Funny. Certainly she hadn't expected his house to be a business establishment.

"...so yeah, it was a pretty good gig." At the counter sat a rather scruffy looking teenager, donned in a gray beanie and red flannel. He was busy tuning his guitar as he was making his call. "Higher turn up than last time. I think we're getting out there..."

Mabel's heart pounded terribly. She'd only expected to see Grandpa Stan, not a bunch of...strangers.

"...no kidding?" Dipper's voice came drifting up the cold air that was entering the shop. "Your name's really Jesus?"

"Really! I can turn water into wine, dude!" Soos and Dipper came walking in, deep in conversation. They had hit it off immediately. At the sight of them Mabel felt a small twinge of envy. Dipper could make friends with a rabid dog if he wanted to; she couldn't even approach a person without feeling the urge to faint.

"Well...not really," Soos added on a more forlorn note. "Wish I could though. I could become, like, famous! Get all the ladies!"

The guy at the counter gave a quick gesture. "Hey, would you guys mind closing the door? I'm getting massive chills in here."At the sight of Mabel and Dipper, who were now observing the shop, his eyes shone with recognition."Hey...uh...Lee, gonna have to call ya back. Pressing matters." Putting the phone down, he leaned forward on the countertop, once eyebrow arched cheekily.

"The old man's grandkids, right?" he asked, causing the twins to turn around from a bowl of gemstones they were inspecting. There was an air of carefreeness about him, which reminded Mabel so heavily of her brother. "The grandkids, right? Stan the Man's?"

Dipper nodded cheerfully, his old energy gradually beginning to come back to him. "That's us! The name's Dipper. Like the constellation." He flipped his hair up again.

"Color me impressed. The Big Dipper...that's one helluva name, kid." He laughed as he and Dipper bumped fists. "Aw yeah, put em up! And how 'bout you?" The guy looked to Mabel with a friendly gleam in his eye. "What're you called?"
Mabel tensed up at the question and looked down at her boots. She wanted nothing more than to disappear into the floor.

"Mabel," she practically whispered.

"Shy one, aren't you?" the teenager chuckled. "How old are you?"

"Twelve." Her voice was so small it was microscopic.

"Well, Mabel kid, you've got nothing to be afraid of. Name's Robbie," he said. "I'm not like other teenagers. I'm not gonna beat you up and eat your bones...well...on my good days anyway…."

The atmosphere in the shop was casual for the most part...and also incomplete. That could be attributed to a single problem: the absence of the master of the house.

"Where's Granpa Stan?" Dipper asked.

"Stan? He's up in his room," answered Robbie, pointing a guitar chip towards the stairs, "doing his research. He doesn't come out much actually."

The mention of 'research' made Mabel forget her shyness. "Research? What research?"

"On this town. He's determined to find out more about the paranormal shit that goes down here. It's pretty cool actually-"

The girl couldn't help it. A squeal of delight came tearing out of her mouth, which was enough to send Robbie almost falling back in his seat.

"She's really cool, dude," Soos said to Dipper, who was facepalming. "Wish I could scream like that."

Mabel jumped onto the counter, her timid shell completely shed off. Robbie gripped his chair, frazzled by the girl's unexpected burst of energy.

"HE RESEARCHES THAT?" Mabel cried. "YOUHAVETOTELLMEMOREPLEASEPLEASE-"

"Dang! Is that what fires you up, Mabel kid?" Robbie laughed. "Alright, well...I dunno. He keeps track of the weird stuff that happens in Gravity Falls. If he needs to he does field work...and by that I mean he kicks monster ass-"

Another squeal. Mabel lay down on the countertop, trembling wildly, as though she had seen some great vision.

My grandpa-investigator and hunter of the paranormal? WHY HADN'T I KNOWN THIS UNTIL NOW? This break was turning out even better than before. Perhaps she wouldn't be alone in her investigations, not when she could have her grandpa assist her! Oh, the possibilities were endless!

"Where's my backpack? I have to show him!" She jumped off the counter and searched for it desperately. "I have to show him my work!"

"Calm your jets, dude," Dipper said, pushing the backpack towards her. "It's right here."

"I have to show him," Mabel vowed with the deepest of paced back in forth, caught up in grand fantasies. "I can see it now-Mabel and Stan, investigators of the unknown! We'll be a team! The greatest! Nothing can stop us!"

"I don't know if-" Dipper began, but he was interrupted.

Heavy footsteps and the creaking of wooden steps could be heard, causing Soos and Robbie to stand up straighter. Dipper caught Mabel by the white hood of her jacket and stopped her in her tracks.

Stanley Pines haughtily walked into the gift shop, looking very irritated indeed. Mabel drew a breath, both impressed and frightened by his presence. He was the most imposing man that she'd ever seen, and for all intents and purposes looked like someone who fought monsters in his free time.

"Oh, hey Mr. Pines!" Soos greeted him as he strode into the room.

"Keep the noise down, would you," he snapped to Robbie and Soos. "I'm on the edge of my latest breakthrough and I can't afford-"

He cut off his sentence when he noticed his grandchildren, who were looking up at him as though he were a particularly impressive skyscraper.

"Oh-uh, right," he began awkwardly, scratching the nape of his neck. "Grandkids. I forgot."

"Hey, Granpa Stan!" Dipper began, stepping forward. "I'm Dipper and-"

Mabel did not hesitate-she was on her grandfather in an instant. "TELLMEWHATYOUDOIHAVETOKNOWIRESEARCHTHESAMETHINGSYOUDOI'VEEVENGOTMYNOTESANDEVERYTHINGTOPROVEIT-" Taken aback by his granddaughter's relentless stream of questions, he could do nothing but hold her up by the hood of her coat and shake her a little-as though that would keep her quiet. A very excited Mabel still continued to ramble on.

"Robbie?" Stanley called to his clerk, sounding very confused indeed. "What am I-what's happening-"

"-IKNOWEVERYTHINGABOUTTHESTUFFYOURESEARCHI'VEREADUPONALLTHEPHENOMENAANDTHECREATURESANDTHISTOWNANDYOUHAVETOSEEMYWORK-"

"Remember what I taught you, Mr. Pines," Robbie told him. "Hug 'em. We've rehearsed this."

"Right..." He placed Mabel back onto the floor. She was still firing off words like there was no tomorrow. Awkwardly Stanley bowed down and took Mabel into his arms, obviously not used to dealing with children.

For a second Mabel looked awestruck. Then she was hugging her grandfather back, giggling all the while, even rubbing her cheek against his chest.

"Well..." Stanley stood up, Mabel still clinging onto him. "Now that's done." He nodded to Dipper, who was grabbing his luggage. "I've got a room for you kids upstairs. Make yourselves at home."