I really shouldn't be starting another story. Hopefully this one will be a bit shorter? Whatever, it may or may not be. I know it may not seem like my character choices may be a bit scrambled, but just hang on. I got this.
Also, tell me what you want to see! I'll try and work it in- and maybe I'll add some one shots of scenarios in this universe if you guys want specific scenes.
Disclaimer: What I don't got is ownership of either Ib or Gravity Falls.
"Bwap!"
Soft hands clamped down over Dipper's cheeks, startling him from the art book he had buried his nose into. His gaze snapped up to meet one identical to his own, paired with a large, silly grin. He couldn't help but match his sister's beaming smile.
"Mabel!" His twin giggled, squirming around in her seat. "What was that for?"
Mabel merely grinned. "What? I can't help what I do when I'm excited, bro-bro! Are youuuu excited?"
She bopped Dipper on the nose, who laughed and batted her hand away. He nodded and raised his book to empasize his agreement. "You know I am! I can't wait to see what exhibits they have! I've been following this guy's work for ages!"
"Dipper, he hasn't made anything new in over thirty years," Mabel laughed. She grimanced internally as Dipper's eyes lit up with nerd conspiracy sparkle. He grabbed her arm in his excitement.
"That's the thing, Mabel!" Dipper bounced excitedly, the spine of his paperback book bending under the pressure of his grip. "He's been missing for all these years! He was just suddenly gone, leaving nothing except his artwork behind! Maybe we could find some clue as to what happened while we're here! He was really into the occult and such, so maybe something went wrong and he painted some sigil wrong or someth- mmph!"
A burrito was stuffed into his mouth. Mabel grinned at him, clutching her own burrito in the hand not mashed to his face. "Sorry, bro-bro, but you were nerding off again. I had to save you before your brain turned to mush!"
Dipper rolled his eyes fondly, swallowing the bite of burrito he had stuffed down his throat. "Thanks, sis."
Ugh. He shuddered as the taste hit him. Leftovers.
"No problem, Dip Dop." Her eyes trailed down to the book in Dipper's hands. The cover depicted one of the most famous paintings ever created by the artist, who only ever signed his last name. Mabel frowed in thought. "Huh. Kinda funny that the artist has the same last name as us, yeah?"
"Probably a coincidence," Dipper shrugged. "Pines is a fairly common last name."
"I guess so..."
"Alright, alright, you two. Listen up! We havea very special mission today," their Grunkle Stan grumbled from the driver's seat. His knuckles were white from the tight grip he had on the steering wheel. "We're here to figure out what kids these days like so we can get them to the Shack and rip them off! Also, because Dipper is a nerd that wanted nerd things done on his birthday."
The twins shared a look.
"Grunkle Stan," Mabel began, "the last time you tried to be 'hip'..."
"...It didn't end so well," Dipper finished nervously, images of that horrid hot air balloon flashing in front of his mind's eye. He shuddered in fear of the memory.
"Alright, so one attempt didn't work out," Stan mumbled. "Whatever we glean from here is sure to be useful! Wendy said that tons of kids with money hang out at these places!"
"Maybe if they're Pacifica Northwest," Mabel chirpped. Dipper knew she was just happy to be able to go into town, even if it was simply to the small Gravity Falls art gallery. He also knew that Wendy would say anything if it got Stan out of the shop so he wouldn't yell at her for reading the tabloids while at the register.
Stan growled at the mention of the Northwest name. Dipper tucked his art book into the back pocket of the seat in front of him as Stan pulled into the parking lot. The twins cheered and hopped out of the vehicle, each secretly relieved to have made it to the gallery in one piece. As used as one may get to Stan's driving, that feeling never quite goes away. Stan climbed out of the car, slamming the door shut. Each twin took a side, following their Grunkle into the gallery.
"You kids know where your presents are?" Stan asked. Mabel beamed up at him, even as Dipper readjusted the hat on his head. "You don't want to lose them."
"I left my glitter yarn at home," Mabel explained. "Because everyone would leap at a chance to steal that!"
Stan chuckled, ruffling Mabel's hair. "Of course they would, sweetheart. Dipper? You got your hat?"
Again, Dipper shifted his baseball cap around on his head, flattening his bangs futher over his birthmark. "Sure do, Grunkle Stan."
"Good," Stan grunted, even as he smothered a smile. "Don't lose it. It cost me a lot of money."
"You dug it out of the gift shop, Grunkle Stan," Dipper rolled his eyes, jogging ahead a couple steps to open the door for his sister and grunkle. He recieved a mock glare for his efforts as Stan took the door from Dipper. He slipped inside, eyes darting around excitedly as he attempts to drink in the artwork. He frowns when, of course, all the artwork is exhibited beyond the archways of other rooms and a second floor.
"That was fifteen dollars I could have sold, boy."
The three marched up to the information desk. Dipper glanced through a pamphlet as Stan engaged in debate with the cashier about senior citizen's and kid's discount. Mabel tugged on Stan's sleeve.
"Grunkle Stan, can we go on ahead?"
"Sure, kiddo." Stan waved them on, despite the protesting cashier. "Don't break any priceless artifacts, and if you do, don't get caught. And, uh, whatever else responsible adults tell kids."
The Pines twins grinned at each other and ran further into the lobby. They paused for a second, looking at the different routes. Dipper glanced up the stairs. Mabel pointed to the room in front of them. In unison, the two chimed, "Let's go this way!"
"..." Dipper grinned as Mabel huffed. "How about I go check out the upstairs and you see what's down here? Then, when we meet up here again, we can tell each other what's worth seeing and what's not."
"Oh!" Mabel bounced around, beaming. "That's so smart, Dipper! I guess that nerd stuff pays off sometimes!"
Dipper rubbed the back of his neck, an embarrased grin curling on his face. "Haha... yeah. I guess so."
He turned to leave, but Mabel snatched his arm. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Mabel grinned and released him in exchange for holding out her arms. "Before we split... awkward sibling hug?"
Dipper smiled, wrapping his sister in his arms. "Awkward sibling hug."
They hugged for about two seconds before Mabel became too antsy to stand there any longer. She jerked away and bounded away a few steps.
"Okay! Let's go!" She smirked. "I saw the gift shop here had some Smile Dip knock off! I'm gonna go find out if it's the same as real Smile Dip!"
Dipper paled and bid her a hasty adieu, darting up the stairs before Mabel could somehow rope him into her Smile Dip kock-off shenanigans. He cautiously peeked around the corner, intimidation squelching up through the cracks of his excitement.
That's a lot of adults... but the art's just so... Dipper took a deep breath and straightened up, squaring his shoulders. I am not letting anxiety ruin this for me!
He stuck his hands in his pockets, fingers curling into fists in his efforts to contain his excitement. Strolling from one painting to another, his chewed on the inside of his cheek to hide his grin. The artwork ranged from painted depictions of fairies- though much darker than your run of the mill greeting card fae- to moldings of the grotesque deformity of the banshee. None if it was light and fluffy like in Wizney's cartoons. It was dark and forboding, as if warning everyone to keep an eye on the shadows and watch their backs.
Dipper loved it. It ignited the boy's thirst to learn, to figure out the world, to find out where Pines recieved his inspiration for his artwork. He stepped up to a painting of a wyvern, scanning over the way the oils blended together in such a way to make the dark skin of the wyvern blend in with the darkness around it.
Someone at the painting next to the one Dipper was at laughed quietly. The slight hysteria in the giggles set the boy on edge. He glanced over to see what was so funny. A young, blond man was studying a painting of a white stag that was strung up over a tree. It seemed to be bleating helplessly, twisting around to free itself. Dipper glanced at the man, struggling to find the humor in the painting.
The man himself was more of an older teen, maybe eighteen or nineteen. His browned skin rippled when he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. A wide grin stretched across his face as he stared at the painting with undisguised delight. His flaxen hair draped over one eye. The other gleamed bright gold. Thin locks of black hair curled lightly over the blond strands. And he was dressed to the nines. Who wears a suit- much less a gold suit- in Gravity Falls? He set Dipper's nerves on edge.
Dipper jumped as that grin and golden eye slid over to him. His gaze snapped away and he tugged his cap down to hide his embarrassed blush.
"S-sorry," he stammared, turning on his heel and marching away. Dipper barely glanced at the artwork as he passed, too busy fighiting off self-condemnation and anxiety. He jogged down to the other end of the room and slipped into the next, which was surprisingly empty. The only exhibit was a large, wall-to-wall painting. Dipper slid down against the blank wall opposite the mural, lacing his fingers together over his hat as he curled up to rest his head against his knees. The boy drank in deep gulps of air, attempting to ward off the beginnings of a panic attack.
In... Out... In... Out...
After a few minutes, he was able to look up and uncurl, although his hands still shook. Dipper shakily stood up, leaning lightly against the wall. He readjusted his hat, the cardboard of the brim serving to help ground him. Slowly, he pushed off the wall and approached the mural.
The colors were dark , with a few splashes of colors contrasting against the shadows. It almost looked as if it depicted a whole other world. Dipper peered at the plaque beneath the painting.
"Nightmare Realm... Seems fitting..." He stepped back, gazing at the painting once again. It gave him that same feeling that man did... unsettling, as if they don't belong to this world.
Dipper's jerked from his musings as the lights flicker.
"Nononono..." He jerks into motion, determined to find Mabel before the lights-
They cut out completely.
"Oh no..."