Grey walls and tightly barred windows accompanied officer Verner as he passed through the security checkpoint and entered cell block C.
There was never a good or a bad time to be working at the prison, no one would ever say "I hear this place is lovely in the fall." It wasn't great it wasn't horrible it was just bland and dull and that may have been the worst part of Gravity Falls Penitentiary, unending mind-numbing boredom.
Extra work like this would normally illicit more moaning and groaning from the five year vet, but the hefty addition to his bank account made it easier to swallow the obvious injustices at play here. Not that he cared anymore; years as a prison guard had more than robbed John Verner of any sense of right and wrong he once had.
However, beyond the obvious monetary gain to be had here, there was something else, something that compelled John to go through with the commands of his contactee, it was something in her voice, a small tingle in the back of his brain that coerced him on the more seedier aspects of the deal, setting up an unlawful meeting being just one of them.
Absentmindedly reflecting on his fall from grace and where it all went wrong is his "career" he stopped at the second-to-last jail cell in the block. Peering into the gloom he called out "Gideon Charles Gleeful, looks like ya finally got yer'self a visitor."
The summer sun burned over Gravity Falls setting the town ablaze as thermometers around town reach their boiling points. With a busted a/c unit the effects of the heat wave were felt even more so in the sweaty box of a car the Pines twins were crammed into.
One year had passed since their last summer in the strange town of Gravity Falls. One year since their adventures, crushes, and their battle with Gideon (the very thought of the diminutive monster still sent chills down Mable's spine).
To compensate for the lack of cool air each twin was given a mini electric fan that buzzed at max power providing some relief from the heat. The Radio was pumping out the latest Me$ha West song which Mabel tried to keep tune with a combination of singing and humming improve.
"…And everybody's jumpin' out their seats just to see…um…hmhmhmhmm, hmhmm…POKE, POKE brosama! Come on, sing with me Dipper!"
"Ow, ow Mabel cut it out. I'm trying to concentrate here."
The poking barrage stopped momentarily allowing Dipper to focus on his latest Sibling Brothers novel. Three sentences later the poking resumed and the case of the carnival conundrum seemed a lost cause. Setting the book aside with a heavy sigh Dipper gave in and provided back up to Mabel's improve singing as the car left pavement and headed down the dirt path toward the mystery shack.
"and no one's ever gonna' stop this train you'd better believe it girl…"
Iron bars and leering prisoners like castrated animals passed by as Gideon was escorted from his own cell. One year, it had been one year since his failed attempt to grab all three journals. One year since the Pines twins wriggled out of his grasp. One year since anyone had been to visit him. ONE YEAR!
But his time in prison hadn't been all bad. Gideon had lost some weight and amassed somewhat of a cult following amongst the other prisoners while in jail. Really it was easy to do, all you needed was confidence and empty promises, if you had that then the mindless fools would follow your every word. Plus, a friendly young serial killer had taught him how to MacGyver up all sorts of interesting and malicious implements.
Suddenly his escort brought them to an abrupt halt just in front of the waiting room doors.
"Welp, this is it kiddo. She's in there" came the monotone voice of officer Verner. Gideon hadn't really paid Verner much attention during his stay in the penitentiary, but he did know his escort well enough to note the upbeat southern twang was missing it cheerfulness, something just wasn't right about him today.
Full of trepidation, Gideon Gleeful stepped through the doors.
The car doors swung open letting in a rush of hot summer air. Mom and Dad piled out right after the twins pulling suitcases and bags from the roof and the trunk. Then with a small kiss and a hug they sped off down the road leaving the twins standing outside the Mystery Shack in a cloud of dust; they were kind of neglectful like that.
Dipper tried lifting the bag closest to him before immediately dropping it. "*huff, huff* jeez Mabel, what did you put into this one?"
"Oh, not much just some art stuff and a grappling hook or two." She said distractedly examining every blade of grass and overturned rock making sure it was all just as she left it. Satisfied, everything was in its "rightful zen place"; Mabel hefted a bag over her shoulder and guided her brother into the Mystery Shack.
The Shack was covered in dust and cobwebs, which was normal. What was strange was the lack of life, no noisy tourists excitedly chatting about all the money they could spend, no TV blaring at an obnoxiously loud volume, nothing. In a cliché: it was quite, too quite.
"Hey Mabel, mom and dad did check to see if gruncle Stan still lived here right?"
"I don't know dipping sauce. Wait, maybe we can live here by ourselves and haunt this place or something like in Scooby Doo! I call headless leprechaun ghost."
"Whatever, let's just find Stan alright."
Just as the twins entered the darkened living room Dipper notice the Surprise banner loosely hanging over the entryway too little too late. The lights flicked on blinding the twins and gruncle Stan accompanied by his ever faithful employees jumped out from behind the couch
"SURPRISE!"
Gideon Gleeful stepped outside the prison gates and took a deep breath, his first taste of freedom in a year. God money was great! It could be used to buy friends, politicians, all the finer things in life and now freedom apparently. Still lost in a trance from his meeting, Gideon walked toward the waiting taxi. This was going to be an interesting summer.