Our tale begins with a flower, blessed by a drop of fallen sunlight. The flower blossomed, a radiant white and gold lily teeming with untapped power. Its roots stretched into the soil, enriching the earth with its magic. Over time the island became flooded with power, drawing curious beings to its shores.
Years passed and the island became inhabited by people from the mainland, whose journey was fueled by rumors of the mysterious coast always shrouded in fog. A kingdom steadily grew, founded by the knighted captain, Sir Quentin Trembley III, Esq. King Quentin held a deep regard for the supernatural natives of the island, and brokered a treaty with them. Unfortunately, his reign was short-lived, and as he was called back to the mainland, he selected a fresh face at random, appointing him the new king at the docks – a man by the name of Filbrick Pines.
Pines and his wife had recently travelled with their ten year old twins to the freshly settled Gravity Falls in the hopes of striking it rich in business. He was a greedy man, and probably the least qualified to rule a kingdom. Within the first fifteen years of his reign, he marketed the island to mainlanders, who eagerly purchased real estate not readily available. In order to keep their demands, he violated the treaty that King Quentin had established, forcing the supernatural beings deep into the forests to secure more land for expansion. Resentment boiled amongst the natives, and the kingdom inevitably found itself caught in a supernatural war.
King Filbrick led his forces against the magical creatures, the twins, now in their thirties, his reluctant generals. They managed to quell the resistance after a hard-fought four years, during which the youngest Pines brother, Sherman, married and had a son.
What followed were a couple years of apparent peace before tragedy struck: King Filbrick and his wife were found dead, assassinated by a couple of rebels. The citizens of Gravity Falls mourned for a week, during which the remaining Pines deliberated the fate of the kingdom. It was determined that because Sherman was the only one with an heir, he would take the throne. Stanford and Stanley would serve as diplomats, positions the island was severely lacking during their father's reign.
The Pines sons were not as tyrannical as their father had been. Their mother was a free-spirited soul, who raised them with brilliant open minds and gentle spirits. Stanford quickly became the mediator for the magical beings of the island, promising to leave the forests untouched and managing to work out a trade agreement with them. Stanley bartered with neighboring islands, striking deals and alliances.
Despite Stanford's efforts, King Sherman still had his hands full with crimes committed by humans and rebel creatures alike. Using Stanley's resources, he militarized the country, but it was difficult to fight a force not understood by man.
Realizing that negotiating wasn't enough, King Sherman assigned a new task to his brother – studying and analyzing the supernatural beings of Gravity Falls.
Stanford's curious and exceptional mind eagerly accepted the challenge. Being the most logically inclined of the three brothers, Ford was always looking for mysteries to solve and new things to learn. He fully immersed himself in his work, documenting all of his findings in a series of journals. In order to avoid being overwhelmed, he employed a childhood friend of theirs and fellow scholar, Fiddleford Mcgucket, as his assistant.
As the years passed, King Sherman and his wife grew weary of the difficulty of managing a kingdom and raising their son. One day, King Sherman collapsed of exhaustion. The doctors put him on bed rest for a few weeks, leaving his son, Robert, to oversee everything. Sherman called in his brothers to supervise the sixteen year old; while he'd been born and bred for the job, he was only a child.
Robert showed much promise and maturity as interim king, so much so that his parents decided to step down from the throne and hand it over to him full-time. Sherman's health was declining, and Robert was more than willing to relieve him. Immediately following the coronation, Sherman and his wife moved to the mainland to seek proper treatment for the former king.
Stanley continued to serve as a foreign diplomat, while Stanford doubled as supernatural studier and royal adviser. King Robert followed the precedent set by his father, maintaining relative peace and happiness. He welcomed more and more newcomers from foreign lands, and often hosted diplomats and distinguished guests.
One such guest was a wealthy young woman named Caskey. While all of the other guests sought out the king's attention, Caskey hovered about the food table, arms crossed and a bored glaze over her eyes. Robert felt himself drawn to her, excusing himself and making a point of showing her a good time. Four years later, the couple was wed under a clear, starry sky.
The couple enjoyed five years together before discovering that they were pregnant with an heir. It was an incredibly joyous occasion for the kingdom, and a full week's festival was held in honor of its favorite rulers.
Unfortunately, after the high always comes the fall. Amidst the celebrations, travel, and booze, a plague found its way onto the island. The disease spread like wildfire, devastating a large part of the human population. Stanford was called in to help contain it with magic, but he wasn't quick enough to save his nephew.
Queen Caskey fell gravely ill soon after. Within a month, she was confined to her bed. There was little doctors could offer – the only thing that could save her at that point was a miracle.
Stanley tapped his fingers against the edge of the ship impatiently. If the vessel wasn't docked in two seconds, he was leaping overboard and swimming to shore. It had taken him long enough to receive word about the plague; he wasn't exactly eager to waste another minute.
Stanford met him on the docks, two horses' reins in one hand, a journal in the other.
"How can you read at a time like this?" Stanley scolded, snatching a set of reins and mounting a horse in one graceful sweep.
Stanford snapped the book shut, shooting his twin a glare as he jumped onto his own horse. "For your information, Lee, this book could contain the only chance we have."
Stanley immediately shut his mouth, gripping the reins tightly. "I'm listening…"
Stanford rolled his eyes, whipping the reins and steering toward the castle, shouting his findings over the wind to his brother.
"And are you sure this will work? What if it isn't even real?"
Stanford stopped in front of the gates, hopping off and placing his reading glasses on his face. He caught his brother mimic him in his peripheral vision as he pulled the journal back out, thumbing through the pages.
"Here!" he cried triumphantly, gesturing his brother closer. "According to this entry I wrote a few years back, this island was discovered to have literal magical roots."
"Yeah, that clears things up," Stanley huffed, peering over his twin's shoulder as they strode briskly through the castle.
"Well if you'd let me finish," Stanford grumbled, fishing a folded piece of paper from his coat pockets. He opened it, revealing a map of the forests. "A gnome by the name of Shmebulock, Sr., told me that he'd seen the flower somewhere around here," he pointed at a circled area, "but a demon who had been advising me told me that it had been moved by some human who'd found it long before we were born. He couldn't give me an exact location, but he said it was in this general vicinity," he pointed to a large "x" on the map.
"Alright, so the fate of our niece, her unborn child, and the entire kingdom, rests in the vague directions to a 'magic flower' given to you by a demon and a weird gnome." Stanley crossed his arms incredulously.
"I know it seems sketchy, but this is our only shot!" Stanford countered, waving the map. "Are you with me, Lee?"
They stood in front of their niece's bedroom, Stanford's six-fingered hand outstretched. Stanley looked from the hand to his twin's sincere face. His service in the magical forests had kept him youthful, though his eyes were crinkled with worry.
Stanley forced a small, hopefully reassuring smile, gripping his brother's hand and giving a firm shake. "Whatever you need, Sixer, I'm your man!"
Stanford returned the smile, squeezing his brother's hand for a bit of extra reassurance. Suddenly, the doors burst open, a guard scrambling out and nearly running into them.
"Oh, Sir Stanford, Sir Stanley, thank goodness you've returned!" the guard bowed to them quickly.
The twins nodded politely, waiting for the man to continue.
"Th-the queen is getting worse!" he stuttered, wringing his hands around his spear anxiously. "The doctors have hit a wall with what to do next. We were hoping that you'd found a solution, sir."
Stanford stepped forward, his war general instincts kicking back in. "I believe I have. Please assemble every guard available in the throne room as soon as possible. That includes those set to guard the queen. I will need all hands on deck for this."
The guard opened his mouth to counter, but was dismissed with a salute. As the man hurried off, Stanford turned to his brother, grabbing his shoulders.
"Lee, I need you to guard our niece. Stay by her side, get her whatever she needs, and monitor her condition. I will lead the expedition for the flower."
Stanley frowned, swatting his brother's hands off. "No way! I should be right there with you! Leave a couple of guards to assist her! Heck, let Fiddles babysit! Why do I have to do it?"
"Because she is getting worse. I may not find the flower, and even if I do, there's no guarantee that it will heal her. If this worst case scenario comes to pass, I want her last moments to be with someone that I can trust to make it the most comfortable for her. We're all the family that she has left, Lee."
Stanley nodded, wiping the traitorous tears from his eyes before they could fall, catching Stanford doing the same. "You're right. It would be my greatest honor, sir."
He saluted to his brother, who returned the gesture grimly. "Good luck."
Meanwhile, deep in the forests of Gravity Falls, there lived a man by the name of Gideon Gleeful.
A young Gideon and his parents were part of the wave of settlers that moved to the island after King Quentin passed the throne over to the Pines Family. Like many others, they were involuntarily swept into the drama of the supernatural war.
Gideon's house had been near the outskirts of town on a large plot of land, his parents believing it to be enough room for their energetic son to play in. All seemed well, until Gideon's father was drafted to the king's forces. Despite the humans winning, the casualties suffered were not to be overlooked. Gideon's father returned with a wooden stand-in where his left leg had been.
Every night, Gideon would hear him moan or cry out in pain. He knew that his father put a brave face on for him during the day, but there was no hiding the trauma the injury caused.
Then came the rebels, who struck under the cover of darkness. The king and queen hadn't been the first assassinated at the hand of the revolutionaries. No, the family that lived closest to the woods were the first to experience their wrath.
It happened all too quickly and not fast enough for the teenager. Rustling could be heard from outside, followed by inhuman snarling. His mother rushed in and dragged his sleep-dazed body to the closet, throwing a blanket over him and kissing his forehead.
Before he could react, the front door was broken down and the windows simultaneously shattered. His mother shot him a final, tearful gaze before shutting the closet and diving onto his bed. Not a second later, the door to his room was thrown open, and a couple of snarling shades scrambled in. They wasted no time in launching themselves at the bed, claws fully extended and fangs bared. Gideon stifled a cry at he heard his mother scream, his father's shrieks of pain not far off.
The pale teen helplessly watched his mother be shredded and torn apart without remorse. Blood painted the white walls and wood floors. Pieces of hair and skin flew across the room. Bones knocked against the door he hid behind, muscle still attached to some.
He lost track of how long the torment lasted, but the shadowy figures did not retreat until the rising sun forced them to. Gideon waited until the house was dead silent before tenderly emerging from his hiding place, the blanket his mother threw on him securely fastened around his shoulders. He gripped the fabric with bone-white knuckles as he took in the full scene before him.
He carefully tiptoed around the blood and dismembered parts of his mother, entering the corridor and closing the door. He took a breath, checking his feet for blood before catching a glimpse of red animal prints staining the floor. Peering into his parents' room, he found a sight that instantly made him empty the contents of his stomach.
His father's head had been severed off, the cold, dead eyes staring up at him. The creatures seemed to think it would be humorous to remove the rest of his limbs from his body, an arm dangling off the bed, the other arm hanging on the hat rack, his remaining leg sticking out of the dresser, and his spine half out of the window.
Gideon closed his eyes, but the scenes continued to flicker in front of him. He raced blindly out of the house and into the woods, tears involuntarily streaming from his face. He was afraid. Not of the beings that viciously murdered his parents, but of the result – death. His father's injury had made him fear pain, but this… No, he could not die; he could never die. He would never die.
The answer had to lie in magic. If magic could kill, it also had to bring life.
Gideon had made his way into town, wasting no time in finding the library. He spent years in and out of there, studying magic, but mostly searching for answers to immortality. Eventually, he stumbled upon a book that told of a magical flower with the ability to heal the sick and injured. Two spells were inscribed in the corners of the page. Encoded on the following page was a map.
Ensuring that no one would be able to follow, Gideon tore the pages out of the book and slipped them into his hair. Eager as he was to search for this flower, he knew that he'd have to be prepared before venturing back into the forests for so long.
Years passed as Gideon worked on strengthening his magic. Finally, when he deemed himself ready, he reentered the magical forests.
"Just tell us where the flower is!" Stanford demanded, sword pointed at the half-demon's chin.
Pink and blue swirled eyes stared back at the man coolly, a smug smirk stretching plump red lips. "Oh, come now, Ford, after all that I've helped you with, this is how you repay me?"
"As much as I've enjoyed your little games, Miss Matrix, I do not have time for them."
Star Matrix rolled her eyes, casually swatting the sword aside. "Look Fordsy, there's not much else I can tell you."
"Bullshit," Stanford declared angrily, moving his blade closer to her throat. "I know that you know where it is, and you're going to lead me to it!"
Star glared at him, arms crossed. "I don't appreciate this tone you've picked up, partner. Why don't you try asking nicely?"
Stanford grit his teeth and inhaled slowly, mumbling to himself. Star giggled upon hearing numbers under the man's breath.
"I'm calm, I'm calm," the man reassured himself before returning his gaze to the woman leaning against the tree before him. She was dressed in almost the same fashion she always wore to meet him: a thigh-length ruffled pink, baby blue, and sunflower tie-dyed-on-black dress with knee-high black boots. He shook his head at her bizarre and promiscuous clothing choice, but decided not to look too far into it knowing her.
"I know that you like me, babe, but don't you have more pressing matters to attend to?" Star teased, exposing her pearly white teeth.
Stanford frowned, rolling his eyes. "Miss Matrix, would you be so kind as to show me where the flower is?"
"Aw, so close, sugar, but I didn't hear the magic word," Star pouted, though Stanford could see the amused light flickering in her eyes.
"I could kill you, you know," Stanford growled.
Star giggled, raising her hands mockingly. "Alright, fine, I know when I'm beat. Here, help me up!"
She reached a hand out, allowing Stanford to pull her up onto his horse. She draped herself along his back, snaking her arms around his waist to grab the reins.
"Hang on to something" was the only warning Stanford received before being forcefully thrust forward by the sudden gallop his horse was thrown into.
Gideon whistled a tune as he sauntered through the woods, confident that the coast was clear. He nibbled on a piece of bread he'd bought in the market earlier, where someone had pointed out a few exposed grey hairs in his white mane.
It was quite a hike to make every week, but the benefits were well worth it. His tired eyes lit up with youth upon spotting the thorny bush he'd placed over his flower.
Yes, his flower. His wonderful, magical, youth-bringing flower!
Gideon recalled tales from his childhood that cautioned against immortality and taught it to be a plague. He assumed that they would be right. Never could he have anticipated how delightful it was to live for as long as you wished!
Carefully, Gideon kneeled down and removed the bush, exposing the delicate gold lily. He took a moment to admire its beauty, feeling as though he had all the time in the world – which, at this point, he did.
"Rewolf maelg dna wolg," he began to recite, already feeling the magic of the flower pulse through his veins.
Tel ruoy rewop enihs
Ekam eht kcolc esrever
Gnirb kcab tahw ecno saw enim."
Just as he finished the spell, he heard a horse whinnying and distant rustling.
"Shit!" he cried, quickly grabbing his basket and throwing the bush back onto the flower. He managed to retreat into the shadows right before a horse burst into the clearing, two humanoid figures on its back.
Gideon sank further into the bushes, studying the newcomers through a haze of rage.
"So is this it?" the man asked in an accusing tone. "Where's the damn flower?"
The woman giggled, slipping off of the horse calmly. "Relax, Sixer, it's right here."
The man frowned, sliding out of the saddle to join her. Gideon noticed that he had six fingers on each hand, a rather distinct and rare trait.
"Your frustration is blinding you, dearest," the woman spoke gently, stroking the man's back in soothing circles.
The man tried to shrug her off, but she continued to stick close to him. "Star, please," he grumbled. "Why can't you just show me where the flower is? You know how important this is!"
"Yes, yes, you need the flower to save the queen. If I had a gold coin for every time you told me that-"
"I'm sorry," the man said sincerely, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But to me she's not just the queen. Aside from my brother, she and her unborn child are the only family that I have left."
The woman, Star, he assumed, resumed stroking the man's back. She gingerly led him closer to the bush, her odd-colored eyes finding Gideon's and a smirk tugging at her lips. "This is good, darling. Now that you're no longer angry, try looking again."
The man nodded, adjusting his glasses and looking around with a determined gaze. Finally, his eyes rested on the bush, eyebrows furrowing.
"That's a rather out of place bush…" he murmured, grabbing the thorny bush with his riding gloves and lifting it.
Gideon bit his lip to keep from storming out of his hiding place. If it had only been the man, he would have defended his flower, but the woman with him gave him an uneasy feeling.
"Th-This is it!" the man exclaimed, hands shaking as he reached toward the flower. "Star, could you-"
"Say no more, babe." Star reached into the side pack attached to the saddle and fished out a trowel and small sack, handing both to the man.
"Thank you!" The man shrugged his coat off and rolled up his sleeves, revealing well-defined, muscular forearms. He handed his coat to the woman before picking up the trowel and breaking into the soil. He quickly and carefully removed the entire plant and, with a bit of help from Star, placed it into the sack.
"Alright! Let's get this to Caskey right away!" He clutched the flower like a lifeline, turning to his companion with a bright smile. "How can I ever repay you?"
The smug smirk returned as Star leaned in and whispered something to the man that made his face break into a furious blush. He leaped back bashfully, but Star followed him, planting an audible smooch on his lips before vanishing with a giggle.
The man shook his head, looking back down at the flower in his hands with a smile. Wasting no more time, he mounted his horse and hurried off to the castle.
Gideon watched him go with a glare, silently swearing his revenge.
Stanford hurried into the sitting room, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for his brother.
"Ford!" Stanley's eyes widened upon seeing his brother back so soon. "Good news or bad news?"
"See for yourself!" Stanford couldn't contain his excitement as he placed the flower on the table between them.
Stanley was speechless as he stared at the gorgeous flower. Finally, he closed his jaw and swallowed hard. "So, how is this going to work?"
"Well, I was hoping you'd be willing to test it with me first?" Stanford admitted bashfully. "We don't have much time now that it's been unrooted, so we'll just conduct a quick test. If it works, then I'll help the chefs prepare a soup for the queen."
Stanley glanced at the flower one more time before nodding. "Fair enough, let's do it!"
"Great! Now there are two incantations that I know of, one for youth and one for healing–"
"Let's do youth. We're certainly not getting any younger here," Stanley grumbled.
"Right, let's see if I remember correctly…" Stanford closed his eyes and concentrated, reciting the words that Star had written for him a couple of years ago.
"Rewolf maelg dna wolg,
Tel ruoy rewop enihs.
Ekam eht kcolc esrever,
Gnirb kcab tahw ecno saw enim."
Almost immediately, the twins felt themselves wrapped in a soothing blanket of what seemed like pollen, streaming out of the flower's petals. At the same time, they could feel their skin softening and its elasticity returning. The grey faded from their hair, replaced with the dark brown it had been before. Their joints sprung back into place. It was liberating.
"Yep, I think it works, Sixer," Stanley chuckled, punching his brother in the shoulder like he did when they were younger.
Stanford laughed, picking up the flower. "This is great! I'm going to get to work on the soup. You should get back to Caskey."
"Yessir!" Stanley saluted before literally running back into the bedroom.
Stanford shook his head fondly at his brother. Finally, things were looking up.
The magic of the flower instantly cured the queen's illness. Two months later, she delivered not one, but two healthy babies, a girl and a boy. She named the starry-eyed girl Mabel and the quiet and contemplative boy Roderick.
"Oh, Ford, Lee, just look at them!" Queen Caskey cooed, cradling her two bundles lovingly.
The elder twins stepped up with gentle smiles on their faces. Caskey handed them each a swaddled baby, curling up into her blanket as she gauged their reactions.
Stanley looked down at the girl in his arms, running his fingers through her full head of hair. Mabel's large brown eyes focused on him, a merry light dancing in them.
"She's beautiful," Stanley chuckled, rocking her gently. Mabel's eyes closed and she released a content sigh. Stanley could feel his heart melt.
Stanford brushed Roderick's hair back, eyes widening at the strange mark that streaked across the baby's forehead. "Was he born with this?" he asked Caskey, who sat up to get a better view.
"Well I certainly didn't have anyone draw across his forehead, if that's what you're implying," she jested lightly.
Stanford smiled and shook his head. "Right, sorry, it's just that… this mark…" He glanced back down at the connected lines. "It resembles a constellation, the Big Dipper."
Stanley gingerly made his way over, still bouncing with Mabel. "So the kid has a weird mark on his head, what of it?"
Stanford didn't answer, mumbling something as he passed his fingers delicately over the mark. The constellation suddenly lit up, Roderick's eyes glowing faintly. As Stanford continued, the glowing brightened but Roderick remained silent.
"Ford, what are you doing?!" Caskey shrieked, reaching for her son. She moved to get up, but was made suddenly aware of how weak she was, falling back onto her pillows. "Wha-?"
Stanford began chanting louder, turning toward his brother and great niece. As he predicted, Mabel's eyes and hair began to glow faintly, also growing stronger as he continued.
"What the hell?" Stanley exclaimed, holding Mabel away from his person.
Finally, Stanford finished, Roderick's eyes and birthmark and Mabel's eyes and hair fading back to their natural colors. The babies each released a small yawn, stretching their limbs before curling back up into their great uncles' arms. Stanford turned to face his niece, an uncertain expression on his face. "How can I explain this?" he contemplated.
"Hmm, how about by telling us what the fuck that was about?" Stanley grouched, receiving a warning glare from Caskey. "Oh please, it's not like they can understand me!"
"Well, during my studies I found a report in a book that said star-related markings carry power," Stanford began, adjusting his glasses. "Knowing that you drank the flower's essence around the time that the mark would have developed, I wanted to test whether or not Roderick absorbed some of its magic with a simple reveal spell. Then when I saw how weak you were, I stretched it to Mabel, too. As I guessed, it seems that they both have magical properties, though Roderick's is stronger because of his birthmark."
"That doesn't explain why I feel so weak, though," Caskey said, wrapping herself in another blanket.
Stanford's face fell and he looked away. "Well, you were cured because of the flower's magic flowing through you. When the twins were born, they literally sucked the magic out of you. Now it's all flowing through them, an unlimited supply that now feeds off of their life forces. Unfortunately, this means that you no longer have the flower's healing in you."
"What?!" Stanley cried indignantly. He marched up to his brother, trying to meet his gaze. "Tell me there's a way to reverse this or something! Maybe take some magic from Roderick and put it back into Caskey?"
Stanford shifted Roderick to one arm, holding his free hand up to Stanley's face. "I'm afraid it's irreversible. The twins could eventually transfer magic to her willingly, but we can't force it. On the bright side, we can use their magic until they're old enough! Remember the spell I tested on us before we gave her the flower?"
Stanley paused to think. "The spell… Oh yeah! But that one's for youth, right?"
"Right!" Stanford agreed excitedly, glad that someone was finally on the same page as him. "However, I do know a spell similar to it for healing! All she needs to do is hold them and have someone recite it."
The elder twins hastily placed the babies into Caskey's open arms and stepped back. Stanford whipped out his journal, thumbing through the pages before stopping on one. His eyes scanned the page quickly, then glanced back over to his niece.
"Are you ready?" Receiving a nod, Stanford began to read the incantation aloud.
"Laeh tahw sah neeb truh,
Egnahc eht 'Setaf ngised.
Evas tahw sah neeb tsol,
Gnirb kcab tahw ecno saw enim."
Both Stans looked back to their niece, smiles coming to their faces. The spell had lulled the queen to sleep, both babies nestled against her.
"When she wakes up, she'll be better," Stanford reassured, snapping his journal shut and tucking it back into his coat. "It would probably be best to do this once every day or two." Straightening his clothes, he walked toward the door.
"How long do you think she might need us here?"
Stanford paused and turned back to his brother, who remained at Caskey's bedside. Stanley gingerly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling gently.
"It's hard to say," Stanford replied carefully. "The incantation is only a temporary fix, and even then she might relapse without the magic constantly flowing through her. If she starts to get better, though, we may be able to leave her within a year or two." He raised a brow at Stanley's expression. "Why the sudden concern?"
"What do you mean?" Stanley huffed. "You're the one who's had me at her bedside for the past half year; you think I'm not going to get attached? Besides, like you said, we're the only family she has left."
Stanford's eyes widened at his brother's response. Admittedly, he did not anticipate such an earnest answer. He chuckled, punching his twin's shoulder playfully. "You're getting soft, Lee."
Stanley rolled his eyes, punching his brother back. "And you're getting nerdier, Sixer."
A/N: (Prologue split into two parts due to length)