Enter the Mystery Camp
EVERYTHING seemed good in Gravity Falls after the end of Weirdmageddon and the defeat of Bill Cipher. But amidst the enactment of the 'Never Mind All That Law', a man spied on the processions in a nearby building.
He stood by the window and watched from afar, drawing out a phone from his jacket pocket, "Mayor Tyler did it; he thinks orders came from the president. The next phase Weirdmageddon can proceed."
THE RED alarm clock rang on Dipper's beside and he turned it off, jumping out of bed with vigour and walking up to the mirror. He saw his reflection and smiled to himself; he was taller now. He put on his clothes quickly and moved up to a calendar on the wall. On it was a circle with the words 'Gravity Falls' on it.
"It's the big day!"
Dipper moved closer to the mirror and squinted at his upper lip. A tiny moustache hair stood out and he grinned.
"The beard's coming in pretty nicely. This is perfect!"
Mabel's scream came from the hall along with her hasty footsteps as she burst into the room. "It's finally here!"
"We're going back to Gravity Falls!" The twins said together.
"I can't believe this day has finally arrived! I'm so excited!" Dipper said.
"Yeah. I can't wait to see my friends again. Grenda and Candy, ooh it's been so long!" Mabel said.
"Yeah and it'll be finally a good time to see Grunkle Ford and Stan again!" Dipper walked up to a desk, "I really hope they're back because there's a lot I wanna talk about."
Dipper picked up a journal from his cluttered desk and looked at it. It was Journal Number 4 with a pine on the cover and his handwriting in it. His eyes nearly popped from excitement when Mabel jerked him out of his daze.
"And I bet you wanna see a special someone," Mabel said.
Dipper turned to Mabel and saw the sly grin on her face, "Who?" He adjusted his hat.
"Oh, come on, you can't hide it from me! Who else have you been collecting all this cologne and have been calculating your height for?" Mabel gestured to his messy wardrobe which had several bottles of deodorants and sprays next to measuring tape. She raised her brow and pulled out a bottle. "Shaving cream? Seriously?"
"It is for the future." Dipper grabbed the bottle from her and shut the closet quickly, coughing uneasily.
"Come on, Dipper, there's nothing to be embarrassed about ... even though there totally is."
"Ugh! Mabel, don't you have someone else to talk to or something? I've got stuff to pack." Dipper walked past Mabel.
"I have no one to talk to." Mabel scoffed then drew out her phone, quickly looking for a message. "I mean, I'm so over Justin - I'm so over guys." She walked over to her bed. "In fact, I'm so over them, I'm going lesbian!" Dipper raised his brow and she whimpered. "Oh, why did he leave me!?" She cried hysterically, sliding down the wall in a heap.
"Oh, come on, Mabel, you don't need him." Dipper walked up to her.
"It's not him. I'm wondering if I'm the problem - why do they keep leaving me?"
"Who cares? Look, you don't need them."
"So, you're saying I should go lez?" Mabel raised her brow.
"Eh, if you want"
"That's gross, Dipper." She deadpanned.
Dipper sat beside her. "Look, it's summer and it's time for a fresh start; you don't need to cry over him."
"Yeah, you're right! I don't need him."
"Exactly, you've got me!"
"Yeah!" Mabel grinned.
"Yeah!" Dipper draped his arm over her shoulder. "It's you and me, Mabel, the Mystery Twins! And if we survived last summer, we can do it again!"
TOM MCCARTHY, a 13-year-old brunette-haired boy in a red checked shirt over a white-tee, black pants and shoes, huffed as he stood before the calendar in his dim room. On it were the words "Camp at Gravity Falls".
"Shit."
TOM RANG the doorbell as he stood outside his friend Mary's house. The door swung open and the girl in question, a 12-year-old with white hair clad in a bright hood, jeans and shoes, walked up to him with a grin.
"You ready?" Tom asked.
"Yeah." She adjusted her backpack. "You told me last week, remember?"
"Well, my mom told me to, so." Tom shrugged.
"Oh, stop blaming your mom, Tom; you wanted me to come along!"
"Pfft, as if." Tom walked on and Mary followed him.
"Uh, yeah, I only came along because I didn't want you to be alone the whole time - you know you can't make any friends." Mary said.
"Don't need any."
"You're just acting tough." She nudged him.
"Please." He pushed her aside.
"It's okay, I'll be by your side each step of the way," Mary smirked.
"Look, my mom forced me to bring you along; I don't need you."
"Sure thing, honey," Mary smiled at him and he blushed. "You're so cute!" She laughed, gaining a scowl from him. "Oh, come on, you know you can't resist me."
"Leave me alone!" He walked on.
"Baby, come back!" Mary teased and he growled as he walked away.
DIPPER AND Mabel got off the bus as it dropped them off at summer camp. The looked around in anticipation as several kids from all over the country roamed the main grounds. They looked up and saw the sign hanging above them.
"Camp Mystery Camp?" Dipper raised his brow.
"Told you it wasn't a typo." Mabel said as the two walked on.
"I didn't really think that was the case because -,"
"Mabel?" Grenda's voice came.
"Grenda? Candy?" Mabel grinned as she saw the two girls come running to her.
"Mabel!" Candy said excitedly.
Mabel ran up to the girls and embraced them. "Oh, it's been so long, you guys!"
"We couldn't wait to see you!" Grenda said.
"I couldn't wait to see you!" Mabel said.
Dipper cleared his throat, causing the girls to pull back. "Whoa, Dipper." Candy walked up to him, her eyes dilated in surprise. "You had a growth spurt."
"Hey, Candy, me and Mabel were looking for our dorms so -,"
"Ooh, you should check out our dorm!" Grenda cut him off.
"You are going to love it." Candy grabbed Mabel's hand.
"Okay." Mabel turned to Dipper as she was dragged off. "See ya, Dipper!"
Dipper waved uneasily as Mabel left with the others. Looking around with a huff, he walked down the main grounds and accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Na, it's coo - whoa!" Wendy stepped back in surprise. "Dipper?"
"Wendy?"
"Whoa, dude, it's been a long time." Wendy stepped back.
"What're you doing here?" Dipper asked.
"I'm the Assistant Camp Manager in this bitch, so I make the rules, sucka!" She smirked and he laughed. "Man, you've gotten taller."
"Y-Yeah, I guess." Dipper said uneasily.
Wendy smiled then squinted slightly. "You still have my hat?"
"What?" Dipper asked then realized. "Oh, yeah, I do." He glanced around. "You still have mine, huh."
"It was something to remember you by." She adjusted the cap.
Dipper looked into her eyes and cleared his throat. "I, um ... I'm gonna see where my dorm is."
"Yeah, sure thing."
Dipper adjusted his hat and walked past Wendy, moving up to the dorms nearby. She watched him leave and her brows stitched slightly as she stared at him for a bit. Adjusting her cap slightly, she walked off, heading toward Mr Poolcheck's office.
DIPPER DREW out his journal and started to read, bringing up to the strange weather reports from the arctic when he heard footsteps down the dorm's hallway. He shut his book in surprise as he saw Pacifica walking toward him.
"Dipper?" She raised her brow.
"Pacifica?" Dipper put the journal away. "What're you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that question."
"Well, this is my dorm," Dipper said.
"It's actually my dorm - Team Pacifica." Pacifica said.
"Wait, what?"
"Each dorm is a team, so you'll call me Captain from now on." Pacifica walked on and Dipper groaned. "Make sure you don't slack off, I don't want to lose because of you."
Dipper grunted and continued to read when he ended up at his room door. Seeing the number, he looked up and entered, finding a bedroom in which Tom was arguing with Jerry, a short, fat, raven-haired boy with in a red shirt, black jeans and shoes and glasses.
"There are no ghosts in this town!" Tom yelled.
"Wait, did you say ghosts?" Dipper asked.
"This jackass thinks there're ghosts in this town." Tom scoffed and sat back.
"Actually, there are." Dipper said.
"See? He agrees with me." Jerry crossed his arms.
"Oh, yeah? What's your proof?" Tom raised his brow.
"I have this journal where I write down all my –,"
"Fanfiction? Geez, why're so many people writing fanfiction?" Tom huffed.
"It's not fanfiction, it's true!" Dipper frowned and opened the journal. "See, there's gnomes, vampires, ghosts -,"
"Minotaurs and unicorns?"
"Um ... y-yeah." Dipper's eyes darted about.
"Look, I know a lotta things too like the CIA and stuff, but that's stuff is pure garbage." Tom said.
Dipper shut his journal angrily and Jerry moved up to him. "Don't listen to him." He placed his arm over his shoulder. "When the aliens come and try to take our bones, we'll be there to stop them."
Dipper frowned at Jerry and Tom laughed, making him more annoyed as he walked off. Getting to his bed, Dipper opened up his journal and started writing, wishing time would pass so he could visit the Mystery Shack.
MARY ENTERED Tom's room and saw that Dipper and Jerry's beds were empty. The girl shook her head as she saw Tom seated on his bed playing with a yo-yo and walked up to him.
"Pissed everyone off already?" She put a hand on her hip.
"Does it matter?" He raised his brow.
"It does to me." She sat on the bed. "Look, you can't only be hanging with me and nobody else."
"... I don't hang out with you all the time." Tom said and Mary looked at him sceptically. "Mary, I don't need to hang out with anyone at all; don't give a crap about this camp stuff anyways."
Mary huffed and held his hand. "Tom, look, it's okay if you're afraid."
"Afraid? Of what?" Tom asked and she looked at him seriously. "Look ... it's not that, I ... I'm fine now."
"Well, even if that isn't the case, you can't be cooped up like this."
He huffed. "Mary, I –,"
"Tom!" Mary frowned slightly and squeezed his hand gently. "Tom, why can't you open up to anyone else?" She asked and he looked downward, sifting his mind. She sighed. "Look, I won't force you, but ... you're the one who's gotta decide if you're gonna be a grumpy hardass with no friends or the badass, kind kid I knew you to be."
Tom frowned slightly and Mary smiled at him, slowly leaving him in his room. He looked at his yo-yo and grunted, crushing it between his fingers and tossing it aside in anger.
NOISE FILLED the mess hall as Dipper got his food and he muttered to himself, trying to drown out the noise as he walked up to his desk. Setting the tray down, he sat and drew out his journal when a loud voice interrupted his thoughts.
"See? I knew it! I knew there was a bunch of crappy food up in here." Mitch, a fat guy clad in black, grunted as he sat back.
"Just eat your food, fat-ass" Christopher Corduroy, a redhead wearing a flannel vest, black jeans and boots, smacked him upside the head.
"Watch it!" Mitch butted heads with Christopher.
Dipper groaned and left his table, ignoring lunch and headed out the front door. He got onto the porch and drew out his journal when he heard a sigh nearby. Turning to his left, he saw Pacifica leaning against the guardrail and staring out aimlessly. She seemed sad from what he could tell. He moved toward her when Mr Poolcheck called out with a bullhorn.
"Alright, campers, get over here!" Mr Poolcheck yelled.
The campers left the mess hall and moved up to Mr Poolcheck, albeit disorderly, who stood beside Wendy as he drew out a clipboard.
"Welcome to the worst summer of your lives! I am Mr Poolcheck and I'll be your manager this summer!" He read the clipboard. "Six dorms have been filled this year and thus there will be six teams. Team Pacifica led by Pacifica Northwest, Team Narwhal Blast led by Christopher Corduroy, Team Elf led by Grenda, Team Royalty led by Sherry, Team Gurren led by Kris Powers and finally Team Chicks Dig Giant Robots led by Mitch Rivals." Mumbling came from the campers. "Might I say that those are probably the worst names I have heard all year." He cleared his throat. "We'll have a wide variety of activities ranging from survival skills to hunting for mysterious creatures in the great forests around us. Each team must compete to receive a Camp Camp badge and whoever has the most badges will take home the grand prize."
The campers mumbled amongst themselves. "What's with all the Camp Camp stuff?" Mabel leaned to Candy.
"I'll leave you to Assistant Manager Wendy Corduroy - I've got to find a camper who went missing last night." Mr Poolcheck handed the clipboard to Wendy.
Watching Mr Poolcheck leave, Wendy cleared her throat. "Alright, guys, we're playing Catch-the-Flag today. Each team will have a fortress and a flag to protect while trying to steal flags from other teams. Captains come get your maps to your fortresses and good luck."
The Team Captains lined up before Wendy who handed out small papers from the clipboard. Pacifica received her paper and turned to see Sherry walk over to her team.
"Good luck!" She said smugly. "You're gonna need it!"
Pacifica frowned.
PACIFICA SQUINTED as she looked out the window of her team's small fortress. Making sure there was nobody outside, she turned to Dipper, Tom and Jerry who were seated around her, none of them giving any attention to her.
She exhaled, "Alright, guys, we've got five other teams out there and any one of them could burst in here and steal our flag, but if we work together, we can take all of theirs instead. Here's the plan -,"
"I'm just gonna have to stop ya right there, ma'am, if you will?" Jerry asked in a southern accent.
"Ma'am?" She squinted.
"Pardon me for interruptin', but how are we preparing for the alien invasion that could happen at any second!" He began to shiver.
"What?"
"Oh, it's over! It's over! It's over - it's the apocalypse!" Jerry said.
Tom groaned, "Okay, while I'm not with Dr Seuss over here," Dipper raised his brow, "I'm not on board with this whole 'catch-the-flag' thing."
"Why?" Pacifica asked.
"What's the point? We catch the flag; get a stupid badge and then what? We become celebrities or something?"
"The point is that we win." Pacifica frowned. "This Team has my name on it and I don't lose."
"Then get the flag yourself - I don't give a damn."
Pacifica growled in anger and Dipper noticed it, scowling as he tried to concentrate on writing. Jerry continued to whimper and Tom groaned.
"Goddammit, Jerry, are you still on that? Really?" Tom frowned and started arguing with Jerry.
Dipper tried to write and squinted as he focussed on his book, but their bickering got louder and louder and he snapped. "Alright, shut up!" Tom and Jerry turned to Dipper who stood up. "Come on, guys, can you really gonna argue all day long?"
"Hey, I'd be quiet if this dumbass would shut up about -,"
"Can it, Red!" Dipper moved and stood beside Pacifica. "Guys, we may not all have wanted to come to camp, but one thing we all don't want is to be humiliated at camp. Do you really want to be losers on the first day of camp?"
"Pfft, no." Tom crossed his arms.
"Then let's work together and win this, alright?" Dipper shut his book. "Now, Tom, go with Jerry and find another team's flag while Pacifica and I hold down the fort."
"Fine by me." Tom shrugged and walked off. "Come on, Jerry."
Tom and Jerry left and Dipper sat down beside Pacifica, instantly returning to his book. Pacifica glanced at him and sat back, waiting for the others to do their job. Time flew past quickly however and the two were out for an hour.
"Should they be out this long?" Pacifica turned to Dipper.
"No." Dipper said.
"Should we go after them?"
Dipper continued to write then huffed. "Alright, let's go find them."
THE ORANGE skies coloured the earth as Pacifica and Dipper made their way through the forest. Nearly an hour had passed since they went out to search for their friends and they slowly got concerned. Putting his journal aside, Dipper looked around carefully, trying to make sure he didn't miss anything.
He turned to his left when light hit his eye, nearly blinding him. His eyes blinked back open and he saw a ray of light bend on its own toward him.
"Pacifica, look at this." He took her hand and directed her toward the light.
"How's that happening?" She frowned.
"That's what I'm going to find out." Dipper drew out his journal and started reading. "Ah-ha! It's an illusion spell."
"An illusion spell?" She turned to him.
"Yes! One made to keep people trapped in a loop for as long as possible. It says the spell can be broken by water at its transmutation circle."
"And how do we find that?" Pacifica asked.
Dipper walked onward, seemingly ignoring Pacifica who frowned slightly. He rubbed his feet against the earth, shuffling grass around as he walked.
Pacifica raised her brow in confusion. "Uh, what're you doing?"
"Looking for the circle." He continued stepping and felt a vibration. "Found it."
Dipper pulled out a bottle of water and poured it on the ground before him, revealing a magic circle that slowly dissolved in the mud. The forest around them fizzled and a large tree nearby disappeared, revealing Tom and Jerry who were walking in the distance.
Dipper put the bottle away and saw them. "Hey, guys, over here!"
Tom saw them and moved up to them. "Weren't you guys supposed to hold down the fort?"
"We were, but you took so long, that's why we came out." Pacifica said.
"Well, we wouldn't have taken long if Jerry hadn't blathered on about some mystic stuff." Tom said.
"I'm telling the truth! There was an illusion spell!" Jerry yelled.
"Oh, come on!"
Pacifica shook her head and turned to her left where she saw a girl from Team Sherry running. "Uh, guys?"
"No, it's true." Dipper drew out this journal. "The spell alters light and your perception and that was what kept you -,"
"Don't start with that shit, fanfic boy." Tom frowned.
"It's not a fanfiction!" Dipper growled.
"Guys!" Pacifica called.
"What!?" Tom and Dipper yelled simultaneously.
"Team Sherry took our flag!" Pacifica frowned.
The guys turned and saw Charlie Natural, a blonde, slender girl wearing a white dress with a pink trim and boots, who ran off with their flag. She was followed by Peter Rock, a tall, slim teen wearing a blue shirt and black pants, who walked nonchalantly.
"Oh, man." Dipper groaned.
THE SUN had set by the time the campers returned from their game and Sherry, the captain of Team Royalty, held the six flags above her head, showing off her victory. Team Pacifica just arrived when it happened and Dipper frowned in shock.
"Wait, you got all the flags?" Dipper asked.
"Yeah, momma's the boss in this bitch." Sherry smirked.
"We're just that good." Lil Gideon, who stood by Sherry, said with a grin.
"You!" Dipper moved up to him. "Now it makes sense!"
"Why, of course it does - I am brilliant." Lil Gideon laughed.
"You obviously cheated!" Dipper scowled.
"Why in heaven's name would I do that? I'm just an honest boy nowadays."
Dipper growled and turned to see Mr Poolcheck arrive with Lily Cello, a raven-haired brunette girl in a black blouse, green skirt and boots, who he dragged along by her collar as she thrashed about. Dipper smirked and moved up to him.
"Team Royalty won? Well, what a surprise!" Mr Poolcheck said.
"Why, thank you Mr Camp Manager, sir; it always feels good to be acknowledged." Lil Gideon said.
"No, sir, they didn't win, they cheated!" Dipper said.
"My word!" Lil Gideon gasped. "Now why would you come up with such a ridiculous lie, Dipper Pines?"
"Do you have any proof?" Mr Poolcheck turned to Dipper.
"Yes, I do." Dipper drew out his journal, "You see -," He cut himself off as he saw Tom standing nearby. Looking to Pacifica, he withdrew his journal and lowered his head. "No, I don't have any proof."
"Well, while all the losers were going to be on kitchen duty tonight, because Team Pacifica tried lie, only they will be on duty."
"What?" Pacifica's eyes dilated.
"Ain't that some shit." Tom threw his arms up.
Dipper glanced at Pacifica and sifted his mind. "Wait!" He drew Mr Poolcheck's attention. "It was my fault ... I was slacking off and I tried to get us the win by cheating."
"Dipper?" Wendy turned to him in surprise.
"Dipper cheating? How's that possible!?" Mabel said in shock.
Dipper huffed. "It's true."
"Well, then, guess you're on kitchen duty tonight." Mr Poolcheck turned to the others. "Alright, campers, hit the showers and prepare for dinner. It's lights out at 9pm!"
Mr Poolcheck walked off and the campers began to disperse. Dipper remained where he was and Wendy and Mabel left in surprise. Pacifica walked off slowly, glancing at Dipper and Tom watched her leave, feeling a pit in his stomach. Mary saw this.
DIPPER GRUNTED as he put the trash out after lights out. He walked down the moonlit grounds when he saw Pacifica seated on a stump far from the dorms. Looking around, he pocketed his hands and walked up to her.
"Room for two?" He asked.
"What're you doing here?" She asked.
"I came to apologise." Dipper sat down and sighed. "We made things difficult for you and our arguing cost us the contest. I'm sorry."
"You know, I don't even really care about the camp either."
"You don't?"
"Well, you get a badge at the end of the day and then what? It's not important." Pacifica pointed out.
"Then, why do you wanna win?" Dipper asked.
"It's because of Sherry." Pacifica huffed. "She's a Northwest, my cousin, and she's always one-upped me even as kids. Not only is she rich, but she's super talented and all I had was money to my name. Now that we don't have any anymore, she just keeps surpassing me and I can't do anything. I'm nothing on my own."
"Don't say that." Dipper said and she turned to him. "You're capable of a lot of things; you're strong on your own."
Pacifica smiled slightly. "Thanks."
Dipper returned the gesture when he heard footsteps approach. "Oh, Tom, what're you doing here?"
"Hey." Tom pocketed his hands as he stood before the two. "It's Pacifica, right?"
"Yeah." She said.
"Well, I ... wanted to ... to," Tom sighed. "I ..." He rubbed his neck. "I -,"
"Apology accepted." Pacifica smiled.
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I know it's hard to do sometimes."
"Whoa, heh, okay," Tom smiled slightly when a loud crash drew their attention. "What the?"
"Look." Dipper pointed to the forest where a billow of dust arose in the distance.
"Whoa!" Mabel ran up to them with a bag of candy in hand. "Did you guys hear that?"
"Yeah, it came from the -," Dipper turned to her. "Wait, didn't mom say no candy at night?"
"What? It's just a snack," Mabel ate a handful.
"But you get all jittery when you -,"
"Come on, you'll chastise me on the way to the forest," Mabel grabbed Dipper's arm and ran on. "We've gotta figure out what that explosion was!"
Tom and Pacifica looked to each other and shrugged, following the Twins as they ran off.
DIPPER, MABEL, Pacifica and Tom searched through the forest and followed the dust cloud. As it drew closer, they got jittery.
"What do you think it is?" Pacifica asked.
"Probably some monster." Tom said.
"Oh, now you believe in monsters?" Dipper asked.
"Yeah, and unicorns, fairies – in fact, I even met a magical space princess once." Tom said.
"What?" Dipper stopped. "If you've seen all that, why were you antagonising the whole time?"
"It's my nature and I don't believe in unexplained magical bullshit." Tom said.
"Then what about what you just said?" Dipper asked.
"Meh." Tom shrugged. "This monster will tear all of you limb from limb up in this bitch."
"Wha, pfft, you don't know that." Pacifica scoffed.
"Wanna bet on it?"
"Shh! You guys." Dipper said in a low tone.
The four stopped as they saw a large crater a few feet away from them. Dipper and Mabel walked toward it instinctively and Pacifica gulped as she followed them. Tom shrugged and walked past all of them up to the crater.
"Whoa, be careful! You don't know what it is!" Dipper shouted silently.
"Well, come check it out then." Tom gestured to the crater.
Dipper, Pacifica and Mabel joined him and looked as the dust settled around the crater, revealing a large, green eyeless humanoid reptilian beast with four arms, spikes along its back and tail, and a large mouth on its stomach.
"Cue the screams," Tom said and the others screamed in terror. "On point."