Title: Summer Mission (pt. 1)

Length: ~1250 words

Summary: If Mabel can't adopt these puppies, then she will do whatever it takes to make sure that someone does.

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A/N: So I've been animal care staff at a no-kill shelter for almost two years, and I constantly get ideas for shenanigans I can imagine Mabel getting into if she had my job.

I'll just write her as a volunteer because she's young, she's only in Gravity Falls for the summer, and she's much too pure to be burdened with all the politics and crap that goes on behind the scenes at a place like that. But: she's spunky, she's optimistic, and she visits that run-down shelter every day, determined to do whatever she can to make those animal lives better.

The first story is split into two parts, because it got a little lengthy, but all the others will be loosely-connected one-shots that can stand alone.

Happy reading!

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"Puppies!" Mabel squealed, giggling euphorically as they lapped playfully at her face. She struggled to hold all four of them at once, and Ford quickly lunged to catch one as it fell backward out of her arms.

The author placed the little brown mongrel back into his playpen on the floor. "They are very sweet," he granted, a polite smile gracing his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, the sweetest." Grunkle Stan gave his thirteen-year-old niece a slap on the back. "C'mon, you saw the puppies, now let's beat it. I still got a lotta sleep to catch up on after Poindexter dragged me halfway around the world chasin' after the kraken." Stan and Ford had only been back in Gravity Falls for a few days when Mabel and Dipper arrived, and while they thoroughly enjoyed their nautical adventures, they were both looking forward to staying in one place for a little while.

"But Grunkle Stan!" Mabel whined, arranging the three puppies in such a way that she had room to scoop the fourth one back into her arms. "You let me go a whole summer without knowing that the Central Oregon SPCA was this close to Gravity Falls, and now you wanna take me away from it?"

"Mabel, come on, let's just get back to the shack," Dipper groaned, siding with the older twins.

Grunkle Ford knelt down to Mabel's level, again taking a puppy from her as it started struggling to stay in her arms, which were just too small to safely hold all four dogs at once. "Soos and his Abuelita have been working very hard to prepare our rooms for us so that we can stay in the Shack for the summer," he reminded her. "And we hardly even gave them a proper greeting before we turned around and came here. They're leaving tomorrow morning to spend the summer with Melody's family in Portland, so we should be spending as much time with them as we can to thank them for their hospitality."

Mabel relaxed her puppy-holding muscles as she listened to her great uncle's words of reason, oblivious to the fact that the squirming mixed-breeds were slipping from her grasp. Ford caught a second fallen pup in his six-fingered hand and laid it safely beside its littermate in the playpen.

"Besides, wouldn't Waddles be jealous to know that you've been hanging around with other animals?"

Mabel pouted. "That's the thing, Grunkle Ford!" She stomped her foot as the researcher quickly rescued a third pup from her ever-weakening grasp and returned it to its pen. She tightened her hug around the one remainder, a little black-and-tan puppy named Bear. "Waddles wouldn't be jealous! He's been wanting a new friend all year!"

Dipper, Stan, and Ford all shared identicle shocked expressions for a good two and a half seconds. When they responded, it was a simultaneous outburst of three very different reactions.

"No." Stan pointed a very firm finger in Mabel's direction. "Do you have any idea how much those things poop? How expensive they are?"

"Now, Mabel, I know you love the idea of a dog now, but they are a large responsibility." Even as Ford spoke calmly, his voice was lined with anxiety. "Besides, I'm afraid your parents won't let you come back to Oregon next year if you continue to bring home more pets-"

"Oh my God. We're getting a dog," Dipper panicked, gripping his hair in his hands and starting to pace nervously. "I'm not ready for this. He's gonna poop in my shoes. He's gonna tear up all my research."

"We are not gettin' a dog, kid," Stan said with conviction. "The pig, okay, I could get behind that, but dogs are different. Dogs are smart. They're crafty."

"Pigs are smart, too," Mabel insisted.

"Yeah, but Waddles is dumb. You want a dog, you talk to your parents when you get home. But I ain't takin' care of some mutt while I try runnin' the shop for Soos all summer, ya hear?"

"Waddles is not dumb!"

"Regardless of the pig's intellect," Ford cut in. "You just can't have a dog, sweetheart. It's much more complicated than simply bringing home a puppy. We'll need a crate, dog food-"

"Toys, treats, collars, leashes," Dipper interrupted, already having analyzed the whole situation. "You'll have to train him like you did Waddles, but a lot faster and a lot firmer. Waddles was already kinda there, but a puppy? That's like starting from scratch! And he'll be huge! Look at that thing's feet, Mabel! He's all little now, but he'll be twice Waddles's size in a matter of months! He'll be bigger than us before we turn 15! Not to mention vaccinations, vet care." He started listing things on his fingers.

"Stop," said Mabel, silencing her family. She looked down at the puppy in her arms. He was starting to fall asleep, its little fuzzy legs twitching. "I know I can't have a dog, but... it's just so sad. What did these puppies do to end up here? Every animal deserves to have a home." She put the puppy back down with its siblings, frowning. "I just wish I could help."

The boys exchanged glances, searching for a way to help console Mabel. All three of them came up empty.

But then, Mabel's face lit up. "We can't give them a home, but someone can! I could help get all of them adopted! I'll stay here, and I'll talk to the people who come in and try to convince the good families to adopt one of them! It shouldn't be too hard, there's only four of them, and they're super cute, and..." Mabel trailed off, looking at the tired faces of her family. "...And we'll have to stay longer." She sighed. "I really do miss Soos and Abuelita. And I know you guys wanna get back to the Shack..."

As disgusting as Stan personally found the idea of spending the day with a bunch of diarrhea-ridden animals, he knew that Mabel felt differently; his attitude softened when he saw how badly his niece wanted to stay and help the puppies find new homes. "Well, kid, you're a teenager now. You could probably hang out here for a while by yourself. Besides, Soos would be pretty ticked to think you left this little mission behind for his sake."

"Yeah, and the shelter closes at six," Dipper chimed in. "So we can still pick you up in time for dinner."

"Those pups will sure appreciate your help," Ford added.

A hopeful grin lit up Mabel's face. "You'll really let me stay?"

"You kiddin'?" Stan ruffled his great niece's hair. "We'd start thinkin' there was something wrong if ya didn't kick off the summer with one of your 'good deeds' or whatever." He put air quotes around the phrase 'good deeds.'

Mabel giggled, turning her attention to the clock on the wall. It was already 3:30. "Well, then it looks like I have two and a half hours to get four puppies adopted! No time to waste!" She hugged her brother tightly, then hugged each of her great uncles. "I'll see you soon!"

"Seeya soon, runt!"

"Buh-bye, Mabel!"

"Goodbye, dear."

Mabel's family smiled as they waved goodbye, heading out toward the parking lot.

Once they were gone, Mabel turned her attention to the four young'uns napping in a big snuggle pile in their playpen. "Well, pups, today is your lucky day. Because Mabel is here, and she's gonna get all of you guys adopted!" she optimistically declared, hands on her hips.

She had two and a half hours to find these puppies the perfect homes, and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that she could do it.