Episode 1: Pilot
A/N: I couldn't wait anymore. I've had this thought in my head for almost half a year before I started writing for this. If anyone has any questions about this Alternate Universe, please DM me. Anyway… onto the show!
. . . .
Whoa.
I must be dreaming.
Either that or I'm about to hit the ground from a couple thousand feet to my demise.
Really hoping for the dreaming right now.
This doesn't really worry me that much. I have dreams just like this all the time. It's just that this one… seems so much more realistic than normal.
Like, I can feel the wind coursing through my hair as I fall…
Wait…
I'm falling at an alarming rate. This feels too realistic.
It's alright, it's just a dream. It's gotta be. What else would explain it? Then again, this is Gravity Falls, so almost nothing has a rational explanation.
I try pinching myself.
Ow.
Crap.
I smack my own face.
Ow again.
Double crap.
This isn't a dream. This is real life.
The horror of the situation pumped adrenaline through me, speeding up my heart rate.
There's nothing I can do about this.
I'm going to die.
My breathing rate accelerated significantly. I'm about to pass out.
I just fell through clouds, and now I can see the town of Gravity Falls.
I'm no mathematician, but I calculate I have about thirty seconds till I splat wherever I land.
My stupid mind is trying to figure out a way out of this debacle. My dad always said I had an innovative mind.
I can feel my skin start to heat up. I'm becoming a meteor.
The ground becomes bigger and bigger in my sight.
With the last seconds before the impact, I let out a scream that I would never have been proud of in any other scenario. In one last, useless effort, I put my arms in front of my face for protection.
. . . .
EIGHTEEN HOURS EARLIER…
. . . .
Well, this is exactly the opposite of what I wanted to do with my summer. A bus ride over 10 hours away from my home in Piedmont to a town in the middle of the woods with someone I barely even know.
Oh, even better yet.
I get to spend the
whole
Frickin
Summer here.
Fan-flipping-tastic.
On the bright side, I'm not alone. My twin sibling is tagging along as well. That's a good thing, since we've been so close for all these years.
Oh, sorry. Let me introduce myself.
My name is Dipper Pines.
And I'm about to have the worst summer ever.
I'm fifteen years old, and so is my twin sister Mabel, though she is older by five minutes.
She's always made fun of me for being younger.
I always say that she'll die first.
I have a pretty sick sense of humor.
Anyway, our parents decided that it would be "in our best interest" to stop being so dependent on technology and enjoy the outdoors.
So our parents sent us up north to some weird town called Gravity Falls to go live with our great uncle Stan.
I mean, that's cool and all, but I really don't think it's a good idea to leave your kids hundreds of miles away with a person that's been to prison in three separate countries.
So now Mabel and I are sitting in the hot, damp bus, waiting to be dropped off. I look out of the window, only seeing green trees and brush. I sigh. No sign of civilization anywhere. I put my Piedmont High School baseball hat on my face to cover it. Probably a good time to take a nap. I nudge around a little until I find a comfortable position.
Suddenly the bus slowed down.
The bus driver turned around.
"Attention all Gravity Falls passengers, your stop is here."
Son of a…
"Ugggh." I groan in frustration. I nudge Mabel in the shoulder, waking her up.
Her eyes opened very quickly and she screamed at the top of her lungs. "You will be overthrown, clown prince!"
A lot of the other bus passengers gave us funny looks. I blushed in embarrassment.
"Come on, Mabel, let's go." I said, taking my suitcase and hers and started walking down the center bus aisle.
Mabel, still groggy, nodded her head and followed me.
I thanked the bus driver and we stepped off. The bus pulled away, driving down the road until it becomes a speck in the distance. I look up from where the bus was and there was a giant water tower saying "Gravity Falls" on it.
"I guess we're here." I said.
"Now what? I'm bored." Said Mabel.
"You're always bored."
"That's not the point. The point is that I'm bored… right at this moment!"
I looked at my phone. "Mabel we haven't even been here for a full minute."
"Like Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, geniuses have short attention spans!"
"I doubt that he ever said that in his existence." I reply.
"What do you know?" said Mabel, crossing her arms in a very childish way.
I chuckled. "What do I know…"
"So what do we do now? Do we wait for him or what?" asked Mabel.
"Why wait for him when he's already here?" says a voice behind our backs. Mabel and I turn our heads to see the person who said that.
Standing behind us was a man who I presume is our great uncle Stan. He was an inch or two shorter than me (I'm 5'11"), with grey hair. He was wearing a suit, with a shoelace tied tie. He was wearing a fez with some sort of a crescent/Pac Man shape on it, along with an eyepatch, which was lifted up at the moment over his glasses. Mabel and I said nothing. We just stared at the man.
He coughed. "Well, let's start this off simple. I'm your great uncle Stan, but you can call me Grunkle Stan." He held his hand out for me to shake it.
I gulped. "My name's Dipper." I said as I shook his hand.
"That some kind of nickname?"
"Yes, sir."
"You can cut the sir crap, Dipper. I'm family, not a drill sergeant." said Stan.
"Yes, sir."
"I'm serious kid. Any reason you have that nickname?"
"Yeah, I'll tell you later." I let go of Stan's hand. He caught view of Mabel, who was still gawking at him.
"And this is my twin sister Mabel." I said, gesturing to her. She snapped out of her trance and leapt in for an aggressive hug that Stan was not prepared for.
"Twin sister?" said Grunkle Stan, looking lost for a second or two.
"Hi Grunkle Stan!" said Mabel with such enthusiasm. "I can already tell it's going to be a great summer!"
"Heh, me too, Mabel, is it?" said Stan.
He looks just about as thrilled as I am.
"Alright, it's 5:07." said Grunkle Stan. "I think it's just about dinner time."
Mabel nodded hungrily. I just shrugged my shoulders.
Grunkle Stan flashed a long face at me.
"Mabel, sweetie, can you take the luggage and put it in the trunk of my El Diablo right over there?"
"Sure thing, Grunkle Stan!" said Mabel, saluting. Grunkle Stan flinged the keys at her, and after a couple of seconds of fumbling, she caught it and was on her way.
Now he looked at me with a slightly worried face. "You okay, champ?"
"Me? Sure."
"I can tell when people are lying, kiddo. What's wrong?"
I sighed. What's the point in telling another lie? "Honestly, no offense, but I really don't wanna be here."
"None taken. But don't worry. I may not be the best law-abiding citizen that your parents think I am, but I guarantee that I'll be the best summer caretaker that I can. I don't get to see much family, especially in the last thirty years, but you happen to be in one of the most beautiful towns I know, plus you've got three months away from all the stresses of your normal life!" said Stan.
I shrugged my shoulder. "I guess you could say that."
"Cheer up, Dipper, it's summer!"
"True. School did just end yesterday."
"That's the spirit. I'll tell you, once you get to know me and this town, you'll love it here. Take my word for it. This town will grow on you." said Grunkle Stan.
"Okay, I'll try." I said.
"That's better. Now get in the car. I'm sure you're starving."
My stomach rumbled in agreement.
"Alright, Grunkle Stan."
We both headed to the car, and to be honest, I'm surprised it wasn't on fire. Mabel has a thing with fire.
Soon enough, we were off to Greasy's Diner, or that's what I think it's called, with Stan blaring classic rock songs on his radio and Mabel singing along to them slightly off key.
. . . .
Believe it or not, I actually had a lot of fun at dinner, and on top of that, the diner had the best club wrap I've ever eaten.
A good portion of it was us talking about our lives and preferences. Grunkle Stan and I talked for about half an hour just on football. Though Piedmont is really close to Oakland, I was a San Diego (now Los Angeles. Rip) Chargers fan. Poor Grunkle Stan was a Philadelphia Eagles fan. He said he grew up around there in New Jersey. We spent another half an hour making Chuck Norris jokes and making fun of Donald Trump. Mabel kept us entertained by performing magic tricks like the salt shaker through the table trick and sticking french fries up her nose. Before we know it, dinner was over and we were leaving the diner.
We got back in the El Diablo. Grunkle Stan turned to us.
"I say we go home. You guys should unpack and get used to the house."
Mabel and I nodded.
It took a little while to get back to Grunkle Stan's house. Eventually Mabel and I slept on the ride, exhausted from the trip and all the food intake.
"Get up, you two." said Stan, getting out of the car, waking both of us up.
We groggily got out of the car and grabbed our luggage, paying no attention to the house. We were about to step in when Grunkle Stan yelled:
"Welcome, Dipper and Mabel, to the Mystery Shack!"
"Mystery Shack?" I said, still rubbing my eyes. "I didn't know you named your hou-" I gasped as I looked at where we are going to live.
Mabel gasped a millisecond later. We did not expect this.
Turns out the Mystery Shack is actually some kind of tourist attraction.
Mabel started hopping in joy. "This is so cool!"
So this is what my parents meant when they said he worked at home.
"So what does this mean?" I ask.
"Well, how do I say this in a legal way… you're going to work for me too."
"Grunkle Stan, don't we have to be sixteen to be hired?"
"Actually, the laws allow labor at 14. Check mate." said Grunkle Stan.
Fantastic.
My parents never mentioned this to me.
"Aw come on, it'll be great! I'll teach you so much about business, like how to add zeros to the end of prices!"
Oh, and he's cheap too. We got a real winner here.
We walk to the door, where he let us in and showed us around the house. I was not impressed by the tourist attractions he made. How did he get all that income for this long with that crap?
Then he led us to the upper floor, where he opened up a back door, revealing a rather spacious attic.
"And this is where you two are going to be staying." said Grunkle Stan.
"Don't you think that's weird, Grunkle Stan? We are different genders and we're almost sixteen." I said.
"Eh, just look the other way if you're changing. No biggie." said Stan. "Well, I gotta close up shop. Feel free to unpack and mill about." He left after that.
I shook my head as I started unpacking my stuff on my bed.
"What's the matter, Dipstick? Don't you wanna room with your hot sister?" said Mabel as she popped a quarter pound of bubblegum in her mouth.
"That's utterly disgusting, both you making that remark and the fact that you're choking yourself with bubblegum." I retort as I resume unpacking. "This is gonna be a long summer." I mutter to myself.
Soon after, we finish unpacking and head downstairs.
"Hey, you two!" said Grunkle Stan, pointing at us, which scared me and forced me to cry a rather pubescent scream. "Note to self: scare Dipper more often." he added, writing down on a notepad.
"Not funny. What do you want, old man?" I said.
"I was just going to introduce you knuckleheads to the other employees." said Grunkle Stan, playfully hitting me on the shoulder with a newspaper. "C'mere."
We followed him into the gift shop, where one person was screwing in a lightbulb with a… hammer? And another person was literally hitting a customer out of the store with a broom.
"I think I've found my people." said Mabel.
I rolled my eyes. I think she's found her people as well.
"Soos! Wendy! Here pronto!" said Grunkle Stan. Once they finished their jobs, they headed over. The man who was working on the lightbulb came down first.
"I'm here, Mr. Pines! Now may I be adopted?"
"For the thousandth time, Soos, you're too old to be adopted in the first place. For Christ's sake you're basically an adult."
Soos narrowed his eyes. "I will not be stopped by your discouragement."
"Wendy! Get over here!"
The other employee who I guess is Wendy came over.
Wow.
She is drop dead gorgeous.
My jaw hit the floor.
"Soos and Wendy, this is Dipper and Mabel." Said Grunkle Stan, patting our shoulders.
"Sup dawg?" Said Soos, giving me and Mabel a knuckle knock.
"Hey dude." Says Wendy nonchalantly, which makes me freeze.
"Uh… you too." I managed to utter. What? I blushed red in embarrassment.
After the meet and greet Grunkle Stan let us go do whatever we want, as long as we're back before dusk. I check my phone. 7:48. Enough time to mill about in the forest.
I sneak off into the forest without having Mabel stalk me.
Finally. Some time to relax by myself. Just me and the silence of the woods. Note to self: come here more often.
I pause to sniff in the lovely aroma of the pine trees…
And animal excrement. Ew.
Suddenly a loud noise pierced through the forest. I stopped breathing. Wolves. A whole bunch of them.
They're coming this way. What am I gonna do?
Then I see the first wolf. Making a beeline for me.
Without even thinking, my instincts took over, and before I know it, I'm ten feet in the air, kneeling on a large branch of a tree. I hold my breath.
The pack sprinted by. I wait another ten minutes before I move.
What a relief. I wiped my brow and started getting up. I reached for another branch to help me get up. I grabbed the branch and pulled up.
The branch… went down like a lever? My disbalance caused me to fall off the other branch.
I landed with a thud on the forest floor. I got up off the ground and stared at the branch. It looked a lot like a lever. Problem was that it was only halfway down. My curious side took over me and I was back up there, pushing the lever down.
A mysterious whirring of circuits came from inside the tree. I take a step back and almost lose my balance again.
Suddenly, a rectangular part of the tree opens up, brilliant white light bursting out of it. I shield my eyes until they adjust.
I'm starting to think this tree isn't so natural anymore.
What was inside this mysterious white void caught my attention.
It looked a lot like a book.
I took it out. It was extremely dusty. I blew on the dust, revealing the cover of the book.
It was really weird. It had a golden hand on it with the number three sprawled on it. Hmm….
Then a millipede walked along the front cover, and I lost it.
I fell off the branch again.
When I got back up I picked up the book, making sure the millipede went away. It did. I looked back up at the tree, and it whirred and clicked until it went back to its original state.
What the heck just happened.
I look back at the book again, and I decided to open it to the front cover.
June 18th, 1986.
I have come to a conclusion where I'm no longer safe in this town known as Gravity Falls. I have been betrayed, and constructed a device that may threaten our entire existence as humans. I have already hidden my other works, and must hide this before he finds it. I fear greatly of the mistakes I've made, and fear even more of the end of the world.
If there's one thing I learned in my exploits in Gravity Falls, it's that no one is what they seem to be, and it's best to trust no one, sometimes not even yourself. If anyone is reading this, it's probably already too late. Save yourself while you can and put it back, or -
Or what?
This book is intriguing. And today's June 18th as well. Exactly 30 years ago. That's freaky. I turn the page.
What?
It's like some type of Ghostbusters book. It has all weird sorts of paranormal creatures. Like the loblin (goblins with lobster claws) and a picture of a Sasquatch that looks almost identical to Danny Devito.
Come to think of it, I would want to see that.
But on almost every single page repeats the words "trust no one."
"Trust no one…" I say to myself.
"Heyo!" Said Mabel right behind me, scaring the crap out of me.
I let out a shrill scream.
Mabel laughed at me. "What's that you got there? Some kind of dictionary or nerd book?"
"It's nothing."
"It's nothing." Said Mabel, imitating me. "You're not gonna show me?"
I sighed. "Let's take this back to our room. It's almost dark."
Mabel and I walk back through the woods. Somehow she had managed to videotape my scream out on Snapchat, so that'll be fun. She kept replaying the clip, slowing it down and speeding it up to change pitches.
"Hahaha… you're a freak." Said Mabel.
"How nice of you." I said sarcastically. The Mystery Shack came back into sight. Something caught my eye. "Wait… is that a goat?!"
"Yeah, say hello to Gompers." Said Mabel, petting the goat. The goat threw up.
"Wow! You're almost as disgusting as Dipper!" Said Mabel hopefully jokingly. I rolled my eyes.
I go in the Shack.
"Exactly forty-three seconds late mister." Said Grunkle Stan from the tv room, watching what looks like a soap opera.
"Mabel's later." I retort.
"You're still late." Said Stan. "Now shut up, I heard this part's really good."
I roll my eyes and head upstairs to the attic.
I plop down on my bed and start reading the journal again.
Gnomes? Unicorns? Zombies? There's another mention of the Danny Devito Sasquatch. This doesn't seem like a nonfiction book. Well, I'll have to see if it's real or not tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
I check my phone. 8:24. I don't feel like staying up till midnight tonight.
I go and brush my teeth and go into my bed. I pull out my phone.
Time for my daily dose of memes.
. . . .
After checking out some memes, I opened up the book again. I took out one of my handy dandy pens and begin writing in one of the blank pages near the back of the book.
June 18th, 2016
Today's my first day in Gravity Falls, and so far I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary, but this journal tells me it's quite the opposite. I'll have to investigate this further.
I closed the book and put it inside my suitcase under the bed. No one will ever think about finding it there. Unless it's the goat. He already went through an entire bag of chips I stashed away.
I checked my phone again. 9:19. Whatever, time for bed. I turn my phone off and plug it into the charger and turn off the lantern I use as my light.
Good night, Gravity Falls.
. . . .
I'm up bright and early today. Not because I'm starting my investigation early, but I've got to go to work today. Yippee.
I dressed into my usual Superman t-shirt and cargo shorts and headed downstairs.
"Grunkle Stan, why do you have to wake us up at 8? The Shack opens at 11." I ask as I head downstairs.
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person like you have really good eyes." Muttered Stan as he started making breakfast for both of us.
"That's not right at all." I said as I grabbed the newspaper and a cup of orange juice. "And you're the one who has glasses."
Grunkle Stan grunted and continued cooking.
I rolled my eyes and looked at the paper, sipping my orange juice.
A certain article caught my attention and made me spit the orange juice out. I jumped out of my seat. "I have to check this out!" And I sprinted out of the door before Grunkle Stan would even react.
I sprint into the woods and pull out the journal.
That was undeniably easy. Almost too easy.
So what should I look at first in the book to prove that it's true?
Like all other books, it's probably a good idea to start in the beginning.
I flip to the first page. Loblin.
On second thought…
Nope. I'll do that later. Plus those things freak me out. I flip to the next page.
My research lab
Bingo.
Only problem is where is it? Good thing I got all day to find it.
. . . .
After two full hours of searching , I found the entrance of the lab. The trapdoor was hidden inside a bush, and after punching the code, I headed down.
Ouch.
That was a really thorny bush.
Now I've got little cuts all over my body to worry about. How am I gonna explain this to Grunkle Stan? Maybe I should head back.
No. Then this is gonna nag my head until I go and explore.
I'm not leaving. Not now.
I continued down the ladder. It got dark very quickly. Thank god I have my phone. I turned it on flashlight mode and examined my surroundings.
It's very dusty here.
It looked like a small room, like a studio, but with science involved.
That's a dumb way to describe it.
I take a few steps and investigate. First I look at a control panel and notice a mug of coffee. I dip my finger in the mug. Ice cold. I put that finger in my mouth.
I spat. More bitter than Grunkle Stan.
"Eugh! Gross!" I say, my voice echoing in the room.
Then the flashlight went out, and my phone flashed grey, then plain black.
Crap. Mabel stole my charger last night. I'll get her for that later.
But the thing is, it's pitch black in here. I fumble on the control panel for a light switch. I find one switch and flicked it.
Self destruct sequence in 10...9...8…
"Jesus Christ!" I say out loud before undoing that switch, thankfully stopping the countdown. I fumble for another switch.
Who would even put a button there like that anyway?
Huzzah. The lights are on. I let go of my breath. I turn around and looked at other documents with the same handwriting as the author of the journal.
Warning! Shards are unstable! Warning! Shard are unstable! Some speaker blared.
I whip my head around to the control panel. Shards? That reminds me of something in the journal when I was skimming through it last night.
I turn to the journal and flipped through the pages. Aha! Shards!
Shards
In my research, the shards can easily be the most dangerous and mysterious items I've ever encountered. I've tested the radiation against dead animals, and have seen many strange attributes attained to the animals. I fear of what these shards will do to human victims, and I have decided to put them carefully in cryogenic chambers and discontinue my research on it. One of my biggest fears of the shards is the question of where did they come from? Are they of extraterrestrial origin? Are they formed from prehistoric weather patterns? Or are the shards only a piece of a bigger chunk?
Just my luck. I look at the page again.
If the cryogenic chambers were ever to malfunction and make the shards unstable, honestly I don't know what could happen. I bet it's not good. This will most likely never happen, so I'm not worried.
Ugh, this guy.
I look at the control board. What do I do?
Warning! Shards are in critical condition! Warning!
Crap. I duck under the control panel.
System meltdown! System meltdown!
I hear glass shatter. A red glow illuminates from where the shards would be.
Well, I'm in a predicament.
The ground started shaking violently. This caused me to jump up. Not a good idea.
That's when I see the shards. Three of them. Glowing radiantly. So pretty.
I can already feel myself absorbing the radiation. It's making me sick to my stomach. I instantly vomit. I accidentally press a button on the control panel.
Escape pod sequence initiated.
Everything's spinning. I took too much radiation. I feel myself being pulled into some sort of metal sphere. I can't move. All my energy is sapped.
I feel the entire sphere being shot up into the sky.
I dry heaved and got back on my feet. The radiation has obviously done something to me.
Escape pod malfunction! Escape pod malfunction!
Man, today is not my day.
Suddenly, the pod starts splitting and opening up. A lot of air comes in, making it hard to breathe. Then I realized.
I'm in the sky. And my only means of survival is splitting in half.
In case you're wondering, that's not good.
Crap. Wait. A parachute!
I reach for it.
The pod splits into two. I fall out of the pod, free falling.
And to add other measures on that, the two halves explode, most likely incinerating the parachute.
Oh crap.
What am I going to do?
I'm falling at an alarming rate.
It's alright, it's just a dream. It's gotta be. What else would explain it?
I try pinching myself.
Ow.
Crap.
I smack my own face.
Ow again.
Double crap.
This isn't a dream. This is real life.
The horror of the situation pumped adrenaline through me, speeding up my heart rate.
There's nothing I can do about this.
I'm going to die.
My breathing rate accelerated significantly. I'm about to pass out.
I just fell through clouds, and now I can see Gravity Falls.
I'm no mathematician, but I calculate I have about thirty seconds till I splat wherever I land.
My stupid mind is trying to figure out a way out of this debacle. The inside of my head says I'm going to die.
I can feel my skin start to heat up. I'm becoming a meteor.
The ground becomes bigger and bigger in my sight.
With the last seconds before the impact, I let out a scream that I would never have been proud of in any other scenario. In one last, useless effort, I put my arms in front of my face for protection.
THUNK
Yes I meant to repeat that.
Ouch….
Everything hurts.
Wait.
How… how did I survive?
I fell at least fifteen thousand feet. How did I survive? I weakly get up.
I made a mess.
Wherever I landed, I made a decently sized crater.
This is a lot to process. What in blazes just happened the last half hour? I look down at myself.
Oh crap.
Grunkle Stan is gonna throw a fit if he sees me like this.
My clothes are all tatters, and burned, probably from the flying shrapnel from the explosion up there. But aside from the little aches and pains, I'm perfectly fine.
But how?
I decide that that's enough adventuring for today. I walk home.
The same thought swarm my mind. How am I alive? What had the shards done to me? Am I going to die from the exposure? Or is nothing gonna change? Who knows.
I'm not walking with a limp at all, which is basically a miracle considering what I just went through.
I still barely believe it. I survived what only few have ever done without suffering a single scratch. Not that anyone would want to try it.
Of course if it weren't for the shards, I'd be a dead man. Or teen, should I say.
"Where's Dipper?" Said Mabel…?
I jumped. That sounded really close. I quickly turned my head around.
There was no Mabel anywhere.
That's really odd… I could have sworn I heard her as if she was right behind me.
I wonder…
I know. I'm hallucinating from the radiation of the shards or whatever. That's the only logical explanation for this.
Then again… this is the same town with a Sasquatch that looks like Danny Devito.
I feel really strange. I should be exhausted, but I feel more energized now than any other point in my life, and that's really hard to beat.
I finally reach the Shack.
I look at the house, scanning for any signs of Grunkle Stan so I can quickly change my clothes before he notices.
Then suddenly the Shack disappears and I see both Mabel and Grunkle Stan. Somehow Mabel's standing two stories in the air.
I know for sure I must be hallucinating now.
What is going on with me?
I quietly step into the Shack and avoid Grunkle Stan until I come up into the attic. I try to open the door as silently as I could, but Mabel noticed me, but didn't turn around.
"Grunkle Stan was looking for you." She said. "I had to work double."
I could tell with her tone that she was thoroughly annoyed with my abrupt absence.
"Sorry, Mabes, something popped up." I say as I throw the journal on my bed. She turned around, to my dismay, before I was able to change clothes.
Mabel gave me a shocked look and gasped. "What happened to you? You look like you've been put through a paper shredder!" She still cares about me. That's a good sister there.
"Look, it's a long story, and I don't want you to worry about me."
"And what's up with that book again? You never told me about that thing last night."
I bite my tongue. I really don't want to stress her out about the incident at the lab. Plus the journal told me to trust no one. But she's my sister, and she deserves the right to know.
I sigh. "I can't keep this from you any longer, so I guess. Just gimme a second to change. I don't want Grunkle Stan to think I was in a fight."
"Whatever you say." Said Mabel, turning around so I can change. "That was one of your favorite shirts, Dipper. You've loved that Superman shirt."
I chuckled. "No shirt lasts forever. Although it was one of my favorites, I still got plenty others."
"Maybe I should make you one." said Mabel.
I put another shirt on. "Mabel, that's a really nice offer, but you honestly don't have to." I said, turning around, revealing to her a Superman shirt that's basically identical to the torn one.
"You wear almost the same thing every day. What's the fun in that?"
"I don't wear the same thing every day! I just have one particular taste."
"Whatever. I'm making you a shirt. Now tell me about that red book."
"Fine. It was the craziest thing that happened last night. I was going for a walk, then suddenly a pack of wolves came, and I hid, but pulled a lever, revealing a fake tree with this book in there. Look!" I showed her the book, with the Loblin and that Sasquatch that looks like Danny Devito.
Mabel sighed. "Dipper, this is just some kind of character encyclopedia to those nerd shows you watch. And the illustrator has a weird fascination with Danny Devito."
"I'm not kidding! I already proved it was real today with the author's lab!"
Crap. I shouldn't have said that.
"Author's lab?" said Mabel.
"Anyway, I know it's real and I can finally prove that something weird's going on in this town." I was desperate to change the subject. "I've always had a feeling something's happening right under our noses here."
"No no no… what about this author's lab?" said Mabel. She's got her serious voice on. I'm in big trouble.
"It's nothing."
"It's nothing my butt. What happened? Is that the reason you were so beat up?"
"No, it's just I-"
Mabel gave me The Glare. I froze. Then I sighed.
"Yes, that's the reason my clothes are shreds."
"I knew it. Well why the hell did you do that?"
"I already said it. To prove the journal is real."
"Well what kind of hell did you go through to prove that?"
No turning back now. I have to tell her. I've always been a terrible liar.
"You're gonna have to sit down on this one. It's a very long story."
"You already said that."
"Stop being impatient and let me tell the story."
. . . .
"So you're telling me you're basically radioactive?" asked Mabel right after I summed up my adventure today.
"Well, maybe. I don't even know." I replied.
"And the fact that you fell fifteen thousand feet and survived unharmed is a load of hogwash to me." she added.
"I'm not lying! You know I'm a terrible liar!"
"Then… how did you survive? If what you said is true, you should be a smear on the ground."
"The thing is I don't know. Look." I opened the journal to the lab page with the shards. "It says it's so dangerous the author didn't even test the radiation on dead humans, so he didn't even think about testing live humans."
"Why didn't you listen to the book?"
"The place was about to blow up."
"And how did you do that?"
"I pressed the wrong button."
"Boy are you living up to your reputation of destroying things." said Mabel.
"Shut up! If anything, you do that!" She did have a point to that.
"But not this time." she stuck her tongue out at me.
She can be so immature.
"Laugh all you want, but as in status for the summer I'm way cooler than you, but get this, after the crash, I had these weird side effects. I figured I was hallucinating in shock."
"Well what did you hallucinate?"
"Well, though I was half a mile from the Shack, I heard you say 'Where's Dipper?' and when I came up to the Shack, the building disappeared and you were standing on nothing twenty feet in the air. Creepy, huh?"
"Nah, you must've been hallucinating. There's no way that can happen."
"I know, but it felt so real."
"I bet you're just having a stressful first full day here, that's all."
"No. Something big happened to me today."
"Hearing me from half a mile and seeing me through a building. That sounds like someone's trying to be his favorite superhero." said Mabel.
"I'm not lying just to make it seem like I've become Superman!" I spit. "Why would I lie about this?! I just told you seconds ago, I'm a terrible liar!"
"You've done it before."
"Mabel, I was seven."
"Still, this story doesn't seem as convincing, even if it is true."
"You don't trust me?"
"Unless you somehow prove me that it's true, I won't believe."
"Fine. I'll show you I'm not fibbing."
"And how will you prove that?"
"I'll find a way."
"Hmph." Mabel walked away, giving me a competitive glare.
Why doesn't anyone believe me? Grunkle Stan would believe me.
No he wouldn't.
I sigh and fall on my bed.
How can I possibly prove her?
Ugh… though I don't feel tired at all, I feel myself going to sleep.
. . . .
I suddenly woke up and popped my eyes open. I sat up.
And I banged my head against the ceiling of the attic…?
This day just brings more and more surprises.
What the heck?
"Mabel! Mabel! You've gotta see this!" I said in fascination. I can't believe it. I'm actually levitating.
Mabel nonchalantly comes into the room. "What do you want?" Then she looks up and finds me up there. I wave to her. "Why are you up there?"
"No, wait. Watch!" I said. I show her my hands and my feet, which are clearly not against any part of the support of the attic.
"Stop playing games with me, Dipper. We both know you're using a cable. Get down here."
"I also have a way to prove you that the effects of the shards are true."
"Fascinating. Now get down or I'll cut the cable for you." said Mabel.
I razzed at her. "Come and get me, Pines."
Mabel sighed. "I hate it when you act stupid like this." she said as she started climbing up to where I am. I pretend to hold onto the beam on the ceiling.
"I'll go far away, and have you tell Wendy, Soos or whoever some type of question and I'll text you the answer within a minute."
"That actually sounds fair. I'll take that bet. No cheating! Nobody will call you at all!" she said, finally meeting me at the ceiling. "What the- there's no cable!"
I take my hand from the beam, and I let myself fall on my bed.
"I must've been hallucinating!" said Mabel. "For a second it looked like you were flying!"
"We're still doing that bet. Bet you five bucks I'm telling the truth." I say.
"Deal." said Mabel, shaking my hand.
"It's settled." I said, going to the window in the attic.
"What're you doing?"
"Mabel, I don't know if it's destiny or just sheer dumb luck, but I've been given a gift. It's best to control it as soon as possible." I leapt out of the attic.
"Dipper, you idiot, you'll get yourself killed!" said Mabel from the window. Time to give her a heart attack.
At the last second, I pull myself up, levitating. With a little difficulty, I raise myself up to the window.
Mabel fainted.
Not really surprised at that.
After a few minutes, I woke her up.
"Please tell me I'm hallucinating." she said.
I gave her a goofy grin. "That was real as you and me. Now if you excuse me, I've got a bet to win." Once again, I zoom out of the Shack, and with a little bit of difficulty again, I fly off deep into the woods. Not into the town. Though they're oblivious, they're not that oblivious.
It's pretty hard flying. I don't know how Superman does it.
Wait.
If I'm able to fly, hear from far away, and see through buildings, am I really becoming my favorite superhero? And doesn't he have heat vision, freeze breath, and super strength?
Why is this making me giddy? This is impossible!
I'll be a freak! Even more than I was!
Whatever. First I've got a bet to win. Then I'll worry about this.
I stop and land down on the forest floor.
I try my best to hear Mabel's voice in my head. I could hear a woodpecker pecking from a distance away and the sound of what sounds like a marching band practicing their show for halftime.
They don't sound very good.
I try harder.
"Hey Grunkle Stan, did you know that the first word I've ever said was unicorn?" said Mabel from a mile away. I smiled. I got her. I pull out my phone.
No bars.
Crap.
How can I win this challenge now? I look up to the trees as a bird flies by.
Wait, I can get up past the tree line. Smart thinking, Dipper. Use your gift.
The top of the tree, of course!
I fly up to the top of the nearest tree. Wow. I'm already getting the hang of flying. I rest on top of the tree and whip my cell phone out again.
I texted Mabel.
The first word you've ever said was unicorn. I clicked send. Delivered.
I should head back.
I'll do that after I test something out.
I go back to the ground and pick up a pinecone. I stared at the pinecone intensely, concentrating. Just when I was about to give it up, a small spark erupted on the pinecone. I was so surprised that I dropped it.
I picked it up again and tried again. Almost instantly I set the thing ablaze.
I gasped. I was out of control for a second there. I dropped the pinecone. In panic I blew at the pinecone and it became a chunk of ice.
I backed myself up. I can't be around anyone until I figure out how to control these powers. I look at the trees behind me. Unintentionally, my heat vision acted up and cut the tree in half. I gasped again and went to grab the tree.
I wrapped my arms around the trunk as it was staggering. For extra grip I squeezed the trunk.
The trunk, which is about four feet in diameter, splintered into millions of pieces, destroying the tree. I loose my balance and fall on my butt. I skittered backward from where the tree once stood.
I…
I'm a monster. How can I protect society if I can't even protect myself from me?
I put my hand in my knees and I silently weep.
This isn't a great thing at all.
I'm never going to be normal again.
I'll be a freak. I'll be no one's friend.
Even my own twin sister Mabel will shun me away.
I wish I never went into that stupid laboratory.
I wish I never found that stupid journal.
I wish I was naive just like everyone else in this stupid town.
. . . .
Sulking time's over.
I force myself back up and force myself to look at what I've done carelessly to that tree.
I've learned my lesson.
I have to keep the thought of controlling my powers in my mind at all times. I don't want to hurt anyone.
It's time to head back.
I'll walk this time. Enough superpowers for today.
Though it took a lot longer, I trudged back to the welcoming sight of the Mystery Shack. I couldn't help but smile. I've had a very long day and could use the smart comments of Grunkle Stan. I walk into the Shack.
"There you are. Where've ya been? You've been missing all day!" said Grunkle Stan as I closed the door behind me.
"Let's just say that the woods was calling my name."
"Call of the Wild, heh?" said Grunkle Stan.
Good book. I highly recommend it.
"Something like that." I responded.
"You're probably really hungry." offered Stan, pointing his thumb to the kitchen, where something on the stove is on fire.
Honestly, I'm not hungry at all, even though I haven't eaten since breakfast. But he might gain suspicion if I don't comply. Plus I could go for some bonding time.
"You know I was worried. I went on a little walk in the woods, then I smelled smoke… forest fires are more common here than you'd think." said Grunkle Stan. "Please be careful out there. I don't care if you're freaking Superman. Be careful."
Him saying Superman like that made me freeze. I know he doesn't know, but that gave me a small heart attack.
"Ok, Grunkle Stan." I reply.
Grunkle Stan leaned into me and sniffed.
"Yeah, you smell a little like ash. Go take a shower before you stink up the whole house. Also wipe your face, Dripper." Stan pretended to wipe his nose in indication.
Taking his hint, I wiped my nose and found a glistening red stain. Blood. Ew. I start heading up the staircase to get cleaned up.
"Wait, didn't you have a different shirt on?" called Grunkle Stan after me.
"No." I lied.
Grunkle Stan shrugged and went back into the kitchen. I stayed on the staircase just long enough to hear the clanging of pots and pans and Grunkle Stan having a cursing fit.
Ya gotta love the guy.
I trudged back upstairs into the attic to find Mabel on her phone.
"Alright, see you too. It was nice meeting you. Bye." said Mabel as she hung up her phone.
"Was that mom and dad?" I ask.
Mabel giggled. "Maybe, maybe not."
I raised my eyebrow. Mabel giggled again and I shrugged my shoulders.
"Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes." I told her while she texted on her phone.
"Uh huh." she said, not putting the phone down.
"Who are you talking to?"
"No one." she answered very quickly.
I'd interrogate her further, but I've got a shower to take.
"Fifteen minutes." I reminded her.
"Yeah yeah, go take a shower you smelly boy." said Mabel, not taking her eyes of the phone. After what it looks like reading a text, she blushed.
She's texting a boy. I didn't need to use my detective skills to know that.
I take off my shirt and head into the bathroom.
I obviously don't need to describe how I took the shower.
After taking the shower, I head back out into the attic, where Mabel lay. She didn't move a muscle.
"You should really go downstairs before Grunkle Stan throws a fit." I say, putting a new shirt on. "Go tell the boy you're texting that you're eating dinner."
Sne snapped at me. "I'm not texting a boy!"
"I doubt that."
"You don't know that."
"Mabel, the evidence is there."
"You have no proof."
"Now I do." I say as I playfully use my super speed (until now I didn't know I had that) and swipe her phone from her.
"Hey! Give that back!" said Mabel.
"Only if you stop talking to the guy until after dinner."
"You can't blackmail me!"
I look at her phone. "I love you, Mabel." I say in a dreamy voice, dancing around like a ballerina.
"Shut up!" fussed Mabel, trying to get the phone from my grasp.
I gasped. "You know who would love to hear this? I bet Grunkle Stan would be more than happy to know about this."
"I'm serious Dipper. Give me my phone back or I'll...I'll…"
"You'll what?"
"Or I'll tell him you have the journal and superpowers."
I froze.
"Mabel, you can't do that." I said in a serious tone. "The last thing I need is him verbally assaulting me calling me a freak."
"Or would it be even better for me to tell Wendy?" said Mabel. We both know she has me.
"You will not tell anyone of the sort." I say angrily.
"I won't tell if you give me back my phone."
"I'll give you the phone back if you stop texting that guy for the rest of the night."
"The rest of the night? Are you crazy?"
"No, I'm Dipper."
Mabel groaned. "Please don't start with the dad jokes. Grunkle Stan already does enough of that."
I smile. "Oh does he?"
"Crap." said Mabel. She released very useful information. "Give me my phone!" She tried again.
"Ah ah ah! Not until you agree not to text the guy. For the rest of the night." I say.
Mabel groaned. "Fine. Deal." She shook hands with me.
"Oh and that reminds me. I'll have my five dollars now." I say, holding my hand out. Mabel quietly cursed and fished a five out of her pocket. She forked it over to me. I smelled the crisp dollar before pocketing it. "Nothing smells better than profit."
"Did somebody say profit?" Said Grunkle Stan as he entered our room. "No? Just me? Anyway, dinner's ready knuckleheads. So it's probably a good idea to go downstairs." He left after that.
"I sure hope Grunkle Stan's better at making spaghetti than French toast." Said Mabel.
"Amen to that." I agree.
We heard a muffled "I heard that!" From downstairs. We giggled. I started heading down the stairs, until Mabel grabbed my arm.
"What?"
"Aren't you gonna actually tell anybody about your…thing?" Said Mabel.
"No way. Not yet for sure. They'll be scared of me. As if I'm not scary enough already." I said.
"I'm serious Dipper. This is too big for it to go right over their heads. They're gonna find out sooner or later."
She's right. They're not idiots. They will find out. But I just got here yesterday. I'm already an outcast. I just want to fit in for once. This is the one place I can have a fresh start. I can actually fit in for once.
I don't know if it's destiny or dumb luck, but it seems everything's trying to prevent me from being normal. It's working obviously for everything but me.
Oh well. What can I do?
"Let's just not worry about that now and spend some time with the guys." I said. It certainly looked like that cheered her up.
"Suit yourself, ya dork." She playfully punched me in the shoulder and headed downstairs.
I smile.
I love her to death.
I follow her down to supper. Once we hit the bottom of the stairs we could already smell burnt food. We walk into the dining room which also was the TV room.
"Way to join us you two knuckleheads." Said Grunkle Stan, who was oddly wearing a chef's hat on top of his fez.
Joining us at the dinner table was Wendy and Soos.
"Sup dawg?" said Soos as I sat down next to him.
"Howdy." I said awkwardly.
Soos looked a little uncomfortable, which made me a little sad.
"I heard you like video games." I started. "I like video games too… maybe we should play sometime…"
Soos's face lightened up like a Christmas Tree. "How'd you know that I love video games?"
"I have my resources." I said cheerfully, winking at Mabel, who winked back.
"So what do you like… the classics or the new games?" asked Soos, mesmerised by the fact that we shared something in common.
"I admit… I love Madden… but who doesn't love Tetris and Pac-Man?"
"Tetris and Pac-Man? Yo dude, there's an arcade downtown with those games there. You and I should go sometime."
"Heck yeah, I'd love to do that!" I reply.
"Yeah, dude! Just ask Mr. Pines to pay your salary in quarters!" Said Soos with a chuckle.
I fake scoff. "Grunkle Stan only pays me 75 cents a day!" I say jokingly.
Soos chuckled. "You're not that bad, Dipper."
"Right back at you, Soos." I say. I look over across the table and see Mabel and Wendy yakking it up. Mabel somehow found two bendy straws and stuck them up her nose.
She held out her hand and separated her fingers like Spock. "Greetings, human. I am from France." Wendy giggled and so did Mabel.
God, does Wendy look hot when she giggles.
Note to self, be funnier.
She's as good as mine. Muahahahhaha…
Grunkle Stan entered the room carrying a pot with an oven mitt. He's still wearing the chef hat on top of his fez. He grunted a word that I assumed meant "dinner" but for a second I thought he said "Dipper." He plopped the pot on the table and lifted the lid, revealing a tub of mac and cheese.
Soos nodded his head. "Tonight we dine on the finest cuisine…" He then pretended to pose like Master Yoda.
Wendy laughed at that statement. "Soos. You're hilarious." She took a wooden spoon and dug a heap and splattered it in her bowl.
"I try by best." blushed Soos, giving himself a serving of the cheesy goodness.
"Grunkle Stan, why did it take you so long to make just mac and cheese?" I asked innocently.
Grunkle Stan burped and squinted at me. "What are you, a cop?" He asked suspiciously. I raised my eyebrow mainly in confusion.
"Oh, right." said Wendy, slapping herself in the face. "I forgot to tell you guys, but Mr. Pines tends to break the law… all the time."
"Believe me, Wendy. I already figured that out." I said.
"Wow… my great uncle's a criminal. Cool!" said Mabel, high fiving Grunkle Stan, who seems oddly proud of this.
For a little while, we ate in peace. The mac and cheese was alright, but somehow the old man managed to slightly burn the mac and cheese. How is that possible? It's another mystery in this spooky town that I'll need to investigate.
After dinner, Wendy left for home and it was just Mabel, Soos, Grunkle Stan and me sitting in the TV room watching "Ducktective."
"Wow… this show is faker than Dipper's masculinity!" commented Mabel after watching another abysmal special effect attempt.
Grunkle Stan bursted out in laughter. "Oh boy, do I like your style, kiddo." he said, rubbing her head. "You and I are destined for greatness. Perfect at insults!"
"Double the points when insulting Dipper!" exclaimed Mabel.
"An unstoppable force!" bellowed Grunkle Stan.
"Hi, I'm Dipper, and I'm super paranoid. Everything's not what they seem. Oooohhh, Gravity Falls is a spooky town." Mabel attempted to mimic my voice.
"Heh. The only creepy part about this town is the people!" said Grunkle Stan.
"Very classy." I say. "But come on, guys. Are you serious that you don't see these strange things?"
"Those are citizens, Dipper." said Grunkle Stan.
"I'm not joking! Every time I walk in the woods I feel that something's watching me." I shudder and get goosebumps as I say this.
"Kid, those are just stupid folk tales to get me to sell my merchandise to gullible meatheads." said Grunkle Stan.
"Those people are called 'customers.'" added Soos.
I got quiet, unable to respond to any of that.
A little while later, Grunkle Stan headed back into the kitchen as Mabel went to the bathroom, leaving me and Soos alone.
"Soos, am I just crazy about all the weird stuff going on in this town?"
"Nah dude, I believe you. I always notice weird stuff going on in this town. Have you seen the mailman? Dude, he's gotta be a werewolf or something!"
"Soos, the mailman's Irish. Irish people tend to be hairy." called Stan from the kitchen.
"A likely excuse." Soos said. "I've read it somewhere that 86% of all werewolves are Irish."
"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one to think about this." I said in relief.
"Truth to that, brother. But here's the thing… you can't go around telling people about these things without solid concrete evidence. Otherwise the townsfolk are gonna think you're as crazy as that nutjob McGucket."
"I've heard legends of that McGucket." I silently add. "But how am I gonna prove this?"
"Well sometimes the answers to our problems are right under our noses." said Soos.
"What?"
"Go ahead. Check."
I check under my nose. "Soos, there's nothing there."
"This time the answers are not under our noses." Soos concluded, closing his eyes. "But seriously dude, you gotta have evidence or else they'll think you got a screw loose. Ever heard of the Boy Who Cried Cheese Danish?"
Stan shouted from the kitchen again. "Soos, it's the Boy Who Cried Wolf."
"Again with the wolves." said Soos, flashing a skeptical look. "Anyway, what the boy saw was true, but he had no proof, so he got eaten alive."
"How unfortunate." I say.
"Quite, dude. I'll say this again, you've got to have evidence. Like all good crime shows, they have evidence. Remember that."
"Thanks for your advice Soos."
"Of course, dude. My wisdom is both a blessing, and a curse." he said hollowly.
"Soos! The mac and cheese is moving by itself!" shouted Grunkle Stan from the kitchen, along with the clang of pots and pans and Grunkle Stan screaming. This is followed by a loud bang. "Soos! The mac and cheese is eating the trash can again! Aaaggh! And it just ate my golf club!"
"Just like last week." Soos narrowed his eyes. "I am needed elsewhere. Carry on, my young friend." And with that, Soos pulled a toilet plunger out of nowhere and pivoted his hat backwards. "Time to deal with leftovers." He charged into the kitchen, and after that I heard an inhuman shriek and both Grunkle Stan and Soos screaming.
Sounds like a good time to go upstairs before I get involved in that fiasco.
I walked into the attic yet again and saw Mabel on her bed, looking straight up in the ceiling.
"What're you looking at up there?"
"I'm just looking… imagining the stars there." She points at the ceiling. "There's Draco… and Gemini… and Ursa Major… otherwise known as you."
"Mabel that's the ceiling, not the sky." I reply. "Also that's pretty sweet."
"I'm not an idiot Dipper. I'm not tired at all. I just wanna look at the stars until I fall asleep, you know?" She sighed. "Whatever, you just think I'm crazy." She rolled over, facing away from me.
She just wants to see the stars before she sleeps.
"You want to see the stars?" I ask to confirm.
"Of course." she said. "For some reason, I don't know if it's destiny or whatever, but I feel connected with the stars, y'know? So why are you asking? Normally you wouldn't bother to ask."
"Well, it's just that a thought had surfaced in my brain…" I started, unsure of how to put the words together. The only way I could say it would implement romance, and she'd be teasing me forever if that happened.
"Yeah?" She raised her eyebrow. I can't say nevermind now. I got her full attention.
"Well… since I kind of have super powers now… would you like to go with me for a late night flight so you can see the stars?" I asked with a little hesitation.
Mabel's eyes lit up like my phone screen when I check it at night. "Dip, I'd love to. Thank you thank you thank you!" She jumped up and down and hugged me tightly.
"Don't sweat it." I reply.
Mabel practically was bouncing around the walls. "Can we go now? I really wanna go now! Can we go now?" She was really hyperactive. Actually, that was an understatement. She resembled Taz from Looney Tunes.
"Calm down! I'll take you in just a sec!" I said, trying to calm her down.
"Not until you take me to the stars." She said.
I sigh. Sometimes it's useless with her.
"Fine. We can go now."
She squealed in delight. The high pitch hurt my ears. Then again they might be sensitive to those frequencies because of my super hearing. I should keep that in mind.
"Cool! Let's go!" said Mabel, heading right to the window.
"Mabel, wait!" I said, but it was too late. She jumped out of the window.
Instinctively, I jumped out of the window, flew down, and caught her just in the nick of time before she hit the ground.
"What the heck were you thinking?!" I said, still holding her before I let her go on the ground.
Mabel tapped her noggin. "I meant to do that, dummy. Anyway, while we're out here..."
"You're lucky I like you. Come on." I levitated myself a couple of feet off the ground. She gawked at me. "What?"
"Nothing. It's just really weird seeing you being taller than me." she said.
"Hilarious. Come on or I'll put you back in the Shack."
"Alright, alright." she said, and grabbed my hand. I started rising up, and she followed because I held onto her. "Whoa."
"Yeah, this puts a new aspect on how you see things."
"You're telling me." She said in amazement. "I've always heard that the nighttime skies in Oregon are absolutely beautiful."
"Well…" I started. "What do you think?"
"By the gods... I have not been disappointed, Dipper." Replied Mabel.
"Good." I reply. While guiding her, I flew up above the trees and just stared at the stars in amazement.
"Do you ever look up there and wonder if we're the only guys around?" Asked Mabel.
"I may not know much, but I know that the universe is expanding every second. Other life forms are bound to appear. We aren't the only guys in the universe."
"Why do you always have to use science for logic?"
"Science is everything, Mabel."
"You shouldn't rely on science so much. Sometimes you've got to believe in the impossible, especially the scientifically impossible. Weird stuff happens, y'know? I know you don't understand what I've just said, and I know you're probably going to ignore it, but hear me out. Just believe anything can happen." Said Mabel.
"...Ok?" I said, thoroughly confused by what she just said. I spent the next few minutes trying to process her words.
"What do you mean?" I say ten minutes later her initial monologue. She didn't respond. "Mabel?"
She had fallen asleep.
I smiled. She looked so peaceful. I yawn. It's time for me to go to bed. As quietly as I could, picked her up and flew back into the Shack's attic. I layed her silently on her bed and wrapped her blanket around her.
"Good night, Mabel." I whispered softly before crawling in my bed and letting sleep consume me.
A/N: So I couldn't wait any longer. This is it. Though no one has called it officially, I guess I'll be the first. So here it is: Justice Falls! I will be publishing each chapter as an episode of the story I will tell. As always, review, and hopefully you guys will like this.