Hello, reader! If you're happening across this fic for the first time, a disclaimer:
This fanfic was written in most part between the Gravity Falls finale and the release of Journal 3 to the public. Because of that, there are some canon non-compliant elements to this story. Most can sort of be fudged as far as I'm concerned, but one is a big issue: my choice of 'real name' for Dipper. I decided a grown man would no longer go by the name 'Dipper,' and I did not choose my theory wisely. So, if Dipper going by 'Abel' is going to be a problem for your suspension of disbelief, either let me know or turn back now. Thank you! And if you do read on regardless, I hope you enjoy!
On a relaxed sumer day, shaded by the trees around the clearing, tourists gathered at the entrance of The Mystery Shack. A sign in front of the steps proclaims Next tour: 1:35. The time is 1:34. Small children are gathered nearest the porch-come-stage, waiting eagerly for the show. A few let out gasps as fog starts to pour out from under The Shack's door. The door bursts open, and the tourists' chatter falls quiet.
"Behold!" booms a young man's voice.
"Wonders found in these very woods!" a young woman chimes in, both of their figures still shrouded in fog.
"Beasts so horrible-" he continued, stepping from the fog,
"So spooky-!" she emphasized, joining him before the crowd,
"They drove six residents from these very premises!"
"No including the pig!" she added, crouching down closer to the eager kids' level.
"And you can see it all!" he added,
"For only ten measly dollars a person!" his sister confirmed.
"Right here, at The Mystery Shack!" they explained in unison. "And we will be your guides."
"For we are only the most qualified," he boasted, taking a dignified stance,
"Only the most specialized," she added on with a flourish,
"The one,"
"The only," they traded off, before unifying for their final point:
"The Mystery Twins of Gravity Falls!"
The crowd applauded, and they exchanged grins; that never got old.
"Stan and Gabby Ramirez," they elaborated with a bow, "at your service."
"Now if you'll follow us into The Shack," Gabby called over the crowd's amused mutterings, "our first exhibit is the illustrious Jackalope!"
Three hours down the nearest highway Cassandra Pines is tapping away on her handheld system, numbed by over four consecutive hours driving and no real end in sight. Her dad tried to engage her:
"We'll see your aunt! And your cousins!" he offered.
Cassandra snorted,
"We see them, like, once a month. That's nothing special."
"The joys of the great outdoors!"
"You mean ticks? Because it's gonna' be a forrest full of ticks and you know it."
Her dad paused;
"You know, I don't think I ever got bit by a single tick. I got bit by a lot of things in Gravity Falls, but never any ticks!" he realized.
"She doesn't have to like it just because you did," her mom noted from the passenger seat, "this is your reunion, enjoy it for you! She barely remembers anyone in this town anyway."
"Oh my god, that'll be awkward!" Cassandra groaned, "It's so weird when adults know you, like, really well, and you have no idea who they are!"
"You remember some of these people!" he insisted, "You remember Soos, and Melody, and their kids!"
"Kind of. I mean, the last time I saw them I was, like, seven."
"You've met Wendy too, right?"
"Once," Cassandra pointed out.
"Have you ever met Candy and Grenda?"
"Nope. I just know you talk about them sometimes."
"Hm," her father concluded.
There was a moment of silence in the car before Cassandra concluded:
"I'm gonna' plug into my music."
Ashwin Howley was more than happy to take the trip to Gravity Falls. He'd been badgering his mother all week about what was fun in Gravity Falls. Were the trees good for climbing? Were there cool rocks? Were there any neat, local stores? Was it a good place for a summer love?!
Occasionally his little sister, Faith, would interject with a slightly more ridiculous question, like if there was a (apparently not, but there might be a 'Hoo-Ha Owl's Pizzamatronic Jamboree'), or was there a pool, or was there anything cool in the forrest? Like fairies, or Unicorns? Ashwin thought this question was silly, but their mother had never answered that question.
"And Cassie'll be here too, right?" he perked up from the backseat of the minivan, "So I'll know somebody."
"You bet! And you have your sister," their mom pointed out.
"Are there cool bugs?" Faith chirped, "Could I catch some? Take 'em home and impress my teacher?"
"Probably," Mabel allowed. "there's a lot of interesting stuff. But mostly we're meeting the people!"
"Why this summer?" Ashwin asked, "Why are we going now? We've only been a few other times."
"It- It just feels important," Mabel explained, "it's been 30 years since our first summer there. We thought we should go back."
"You and Uncle Dip?"
"The man's name is Abel!" Dad interjected, "Why do we stick with his old nickname?"
"Force of habit," Mabel shrugged, "he's fine with the kids using it."
"Uncle Dipping-sauce!" Faith cheered.
Cassandra removed an earbud as interstate started to give way to infinite, shady woods on either side.
"How close are we?" she asked, turning from the green-brown blur out her window to her parents in the front seat.
"Should be about half-an-hour out," her dad responded. "Oh my god, it's the sign!" he exclaimed, throwing an arm across her mom's field of vision as a "Welcome to Gravity Falls" billboard appeared over the horizon. "I'm pretty sure I drove a golf cart through that once! OK, so, we'll stop by the rental cabin first," he concluded, falling into super-planner mode, "drop all our stuff, meet Mabel, get settled in, then Soos has invited everybody to dinner at the Shack, so if we get there around five, five-thirty, maybe six-"
"Honey," his wife interrupted, placing a hand on his shoulder, "we know. I think this might be the third time we've gone over this on the trip. Granted, it's been eight hours."
"Hey, it's been eight hours!" Cassandra pointed out, "Can we breathe for a second or what?"
This may have been the first time this had crossed her father's mind. There was a moment of silence as he thought about that concept.
"She has a point," her mom admitted.
"I need room time!" she insisted.
"Yeah," he sighed, "yeah, you're right. I can go just me tonight. I'm not sure anybody else will bring their kids either. besides, we'll be in town for a while, you guys will have plenty of time to say hi to everybody."
When Ashwin and his family reached the rental cabin Uncle Dipper and his family was already there; he came to meet them at the door. The twins hugged a long moment while their spouses exchanged pleasantries, then they broke to exchanged greetings with their other half's other half.
"Christy!" Mabel beamed, exchanging air-cheek-kisses with the other woman (a custom Mabel had always adored), "How are you? You smell fantastic! What shampoo do you use?"
"Hey, Matt!" Abel attempted, patting the taller man on the arm. "How- how's it going? Good?"
"It's good, man, how're you?" Matt returned.
Faith quickly zeroed in on her cousin,
"CASSIE!" she hollered, catapulting herself at her older cousin, who stumbled under the wight of her hug.
"Hey, Faith, w-what's up?"
"I'm good," Faith replied, "I'm gonna' collect bugs for school! That'll impress Ms. Williamson for sure!"
"I bet," Cassandra accepted.
"Hey, 'cuz!" Ashwin grinned, wrapping an arm around his cousin and mussing up her hair.
Cassandra winced under the playful attack,
"Hey, Ash."
"How've you been holding up?" he asked, releasing her, "Still being smart and nerdy and stuff?"
"I guess?" Cassandra tried, "I don't- can you be more specific?"
"You still get good grades?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Sweet! I wanna' see if you can help me with some weird math stuff."
"Cassiiee!" the excited call of her aunt got Cassandra's attention right before she found herself smushed into Mabel's hug. "You're getting so tall!" she gaped, "You must've grown six inches since I saw you last!"
"I- I'm not even sure I've grown an inch," Cassandra interjected.
"You guys are kind of late," her dad pointed out, "Mabel, you want to get going? We're leaving Cassie here tonight."
"Well, Ash and Faith could stay too, then!" Mabel realized. "Does that sound like fun, guys?"
"Yeah!" her children chorused.
"Then it's a deal!" Mabel decided, "Kids' night tonight!"
Cassandra tried hard not to groan.
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