Gravity Galaxy
Dragon Fire
It was the first week of June 2013 and Dipper and Mabel Pines have returned to Gravity Falls. They were staying at the Mystery Shack again with Stan and Ford who agreed to come back to town during summers to spend time with the kids. "So, Dipper; find anything that could be our next adventure?" Mabel asked as she came into the kitchen.
"Nothing that I haven't read or seen before in the Journals. I've been asking around town if anyone has a weird or supernatural problems we could help with but nothing so far." Dipper said staring out the window.
"Maybe Grunkle Ford knows about something we could investigate because I am eager for us to be the Mystery Twins again!"
They found Ford with Stan in the living room playing cards. "Well Sixer, call or fold?" Stan asked.
Ford tapped his six fingers against the table. "Hmmm, statistically my best option to fold but I also know you have a tendency to bluff."
"Grunkle Ford is there any anomaly you need help investigating?" Dipper asked.
"You two haven't been back a week and you're looking for trouble?" Stan said.
"Stanly you know as well as I do that they can handle themselves. But I'm sorry but I haven't detected anything since we got back to Gravity Falls."
"They're still our responsibility Ford. "
"Grunkle Stan we can take care of ourselves." Mabel said. "We need to find more ghosts or monsters or something if we are going to become world traveling mystery hunters like the two you." Mabel said.
At that point Soos walked into the room. "You'd be happy with how many tourists came in today Mr. Pines."
Stan gave a smile. "Soos I'm not your boss anymore. Call me Stan."
"Sorry…Stan. It's just good you're back. It took a lot more getting used to running the Shack then I thought but things have been good. I'm even thinking of popping the question to Melody."
Mabel took a deep breath and squealed. "Oh, Soos that is so wonderful! The wedding is going to be so beautiful."
"Hey Dawg, she hasn't said yes yet. I've been waiting for the perfect time to ask her. I knew I wanted to marry her ever since this last Valentine's Day. I really loved spending the day with her; before I spent every Valentine's Day with…" Soos paused to remember what Stan just told him. "…Stan, looking for that buried treasure."
"Treasure?" Dipper, Mabel, and Ford asked.
Ford then said. "There's only one legend in Gravity Falls about a buried treasure. Stan while I was trapped in other dimensions did you go looking for the Dragon Fire Fortune?"
Stan sighed. "Look I had to find your other journals, I heard the legend after about living in town about five years and figured I'd might find the gold too while I was looking. Twenty-five years of searching and I only found out where it wasn't. That and the first time I looked for it I found Rock that Looks like a Face Rock. A Mystery Shack classic. Though the thing did fall on my foot."
"What is this Dragon Fire Fortune?" Dipper asked.
"Oh, may I tell them? This is one of my favorite stories." Soos asked.
"Go ahead Soos." Stan said.
Soos sat down and pulled Dipper and Mabel close. "So, the year was 1883 and Oregon was in fear of the Dragon Fire Gang. They got their name from how they started large fires to distract the local towns people while they broke into the bank. They did this to four towns before coming to Gravity Falls. The fire they set burned out of control burning down almost a quarter of the whole valley, killing six people. It came to be known as the Gravity Falls Blaze. The Dragon Fire Gang stole gold bars from the bank worth like a million dollars and hid it somewhere in the valley. Only one member of the gang was ever caught, when he was asked about the gold all he would say was that the gang shot their leader in the back so they could steal his share of it. But when they tried to take the gold from the cave the rest of the gang died from some booby trap. Until the day he was hanged the dude would say only one thing after that, 'the flames' and the gold was never found."
"Wow." Dipper said.
Ford then placed his hand on Dipper's shoulder. "That's not the only interesting thing about the legend. According to eyewitness accounts of the Blaze, when it started with a loud sound like thunder and the fire came down from the sky. Did they find some way to fling a bomb to start the fire? Or did they somehow used an anomaly to start it. No one knows the answer."
"This is perfect!" Mabel said. "This is just the adventure we were looking for!"
"You want to look for the Fortune?" Stan asked.
"It will be great! We can invite all our friends, have a fun time."
"We can make it an overnight camping trip." Dipper said. "We could do it this weekend."
Soos had a disappointed look on his face. "This weekend? Oh, dudes I can't come. I' almost finished with this new exhibit of the Shack and the unveiling is this weekend."
Mabel gave Soos a smile. "It's okay Soos, I'm sure some of our other friends will come."
"Alright, Grunkle Stan do you have a map of where you looked for the fortune?" Dipper said.
"Yeah, I can go it."
"Great, this can be a chance for us to show you guys we can handle mysteries on our own without the Journals. Mabel how about you call our friends and see who can come while I write up a list of supplies we need and make a plan on how to find the treasure?"
"On it Bro Bro!"
Later at the penthouse apartment the Northwest family moved to after they had to sell their mansion the phone rang. "Northwest Residence." The butler said after he picked the phone. "Just one moment. Miss Pacifica you have a phone call."
"Thank you, Harrison. Hello?"
Mabel's voice came from the other side of the line. "Hey, Pacifica it's Mabel. Dipper and I are going on camping trip/ hunt for the Dragon Fire Fortune this weekend. Most of our friends can't come but I was hoping you might want come with on an adventure with us."
Pacifica thought for a moment and said. "That does sound like fun, but I need to ask if I have the weekend off from working at Greasy's Diner. I also will have to ask my parents. Not looking forward to that."
"Well be positive, they might say yes. So, call me back when you get an answer."
"Right, Goodbye Mabel." Pacifica hung the phone up and sighed. She went into another room which acted as Preston Northwest's study. Both her parents were in the room. "Mom, Dad, Mabel Pines asked me to come her and Dipper on a camping trip this weekend so…can I go?"
Preston stood up from behind the desk. "The Pines twins? Absolutely not! Your misguided behavior started with you interacting them!"
Priscilla then placed a hand on her husbands' shoulder. "Now Preston, while it is true that they did put these ideas in her head she is just going through her rebellious teenage stage. Now Pacifica we have been supportive with the whole doing normal people things like wrapping gifts yourself and working at that…" Priscilla gagged a little. "…diner, but I will not have you wandering around the filthy woods at get eaten by bears or something."
"But that's not fair!" Pacifica snapped. "I just want to spend some time with my friends! And it's not some teen rebellion thing! I am trying to be better than how our family has been! I trying to become a better person like Dipper and Mabel showed me I could be, and I just want to have some fun with them! I don't even think they'll find the Dragon Fire Fortune! It's not like it's even real."
"Dragon Fire Fortune?" Preston asked. He then got a serious look on his face. "Very well Pacifica, you may go."
"Preston!" Priscilla said.
Pacifica was also confused. "Why change your mind now?"
Preston closed the curtains and locked the door. "The Dragon Fire Fortune is real. It was stolen from the bank your great great grandfather owned so by all rights it belongs to us. It is a tradition that a Northwest look for the treasure once they turn eighteen, but it looks like your going to do it early." Preston then open a secret compartment of his desk and pulled out a very old looking letter. "But unlike the commoners who grab a shovel and starts digging up the woods our family has the only clue to its location."
"And what rotten thing did our family do to get? You just want to use Dipper like you did last time!" Pacifica said.
Preston had a glum look on his face. "It's time you heard about the greatest shame of the Northwest family." Pacifica was worried. She knew how bad her family was. What could be so terrible that would make them feel ashamed?
At the Mystery Shack Dipper was in the kitchen going over the map Stan had of everywhere he looked covered in red X's. Then he heard a knock at the front door. Mabel was there at the same time when they opened the door Gideon Gleeful was there with Ghost Eyes waiting in the car. "Mabel, Dipper it is so good to see you two again."
"Gideon what are you doing here?" Dipper asked.
"Well… I don't have a lot of friends my age to hang out with and I wanted to show you both how much I changed since last summer." Gideon said.
Mabel looked uncomfortable. "Gee, Gideon we would love to, but we got this overnight mystery hunt we're planning soooo…"
"I can help!" interrupted Gideon. "Sorry, it's just I went into the woods all the time during my scheming days looking for the things in Journal #2."
Dipper stared at the pleading look on Gideon's face. "Um, could you let me and my sister talk about it for a minute?" Gideon gave a nod and Dipper turned Mabel around and whispered. "He seems sincere; he may actually want to help."
Mabel then whispered. "I don't know Dipper… it's not that I don't think he could change but what if he tries to take the gold for himself? Not only that but I don't want to listen to him trying to get me to date him again."
"Goods points but how will he ever change if no one gives him the chance?" They turned around. "Okay Gideon we'll let you come along on this mystery camping trip but first we are going to need lay down some ground rules first since one of points of this trip is to show our Uncles we can be responsible and take care of ourselves you are going to need you parents' permission first."
Gideon smiled. "No problem! They'd be happy I'd be doing something with you two."
Mabel then spoke in a very serious tone. "Second, no flirting or asking me out! In fact, this rule applies for the whole summer! You want to prove you changed? Be a friend first before trying to be a boyfriend."
"Ye…Yes. I understand." Gideon said. This was going to be harder than he thought.
Dipper then spoke again. "Lastly, if you pull any kind of double cross on us, we reserve the right to throw you in the Bottomless Pit."
"Right you have a deal." Gideon shook their hands and ran to the car. "I'll see Y'all this weekend!"
As Ghost Eyes drove, he said. "Well camping. That should be fun for the guys."
Gideon stared out the window. "Ghost Eyes, I want to go on this trip just me. I overheard some kids in school saying how I always need you guys to do things for me and if I'm going to show Mabel, I'm someone worth loving then I have to start do things for myself."
"I get it little buddy. A man's got to do what a man's got to do."
At the same time back at the Mystery Shack Soos' grandmother was holding the phone. "Dipper, there is a young lady on the phone asking for you. I had no idea you had a girlfriend."
"She's just a friend Mrs. Ramirez." Dipper said with a blush taking the phone. "Hello, Pacifica?"
It was Pacifica's voice that came out of the phone. "Dipper, I can come on the trip and I have some good news. Turns out my family was sitting on a clue to the fortune all along. I don't want to go into how they got over the phone, but the clue is 'You'll find the gold passed the watchman's stony gaze.' Does that mean anything to you?"
"Maybe… I need to ask my uncle something; we'll pick you up Friday."
"Alright I be waiting then… goodbye Dipper." Pacifica hung up the phone.
Dipper then found Stan in front of the T.V. "Grunkle Stan could you show me on the map where you first looked for the treasure again?"
Friday came and Soos was loading Stan's car with camping supplies. "You dudes sure you packed everything you need?"
"Food, tents, sleeping bags, clothes, everything we need. Even that little last-minute art project Dipper asked me to make." Mabel said as she got into front seat of the car. She then looked at Waddles who was sitting on the front porch. "Don't worry Waddles I'll be back soon. You won't have to wait long."
Ford spoke to Dipper. "Now if you find out anything about how they set that fire be sure to take as many notes as you can in your journal. I'm looking forward to going over them. You and your sister are going to do great things together far after this trip. I just know it.
"Thanks, Grunkle Ford we won't let you down." Dipper said as he got in the back seat. "Why do you get the front seat?" Dipper asked.
"I am not sitting next to Gideon." Mabel said bluntly.
"Mabel were going to be spending the weekend with him. You can't just avoid or ignore him. Besides Gideon's place is our first stop."
"I know, it's just… it's going to be hard."
Stan got behind the wheel. "Are you kids sure you want to do this thing? Do you really have to prove something to me and Ford?"
As Dipper got into the back seat. "I think…we need to prove it to ourselves. Right Mabel?"
"Yeah. We handled all kinds things, but this is going to be the first time we're made a plan and we're going to follow through with it."
Soon they were at Gideon's house. Bud was opened they front door and let Gideon outside. "No have yourself a good time son. I'm going to pick your mom up from the doctor in an hour, so we'll be waiting for you when you get back."
Gideon looked up to his father and smiled. "Thanks Daddy." Gideon got into the car. "Well this is going to a whole lot of fun. So, you never told me what we are looking for."
Dipper started to sweat. "Uh, we'll talk about after we get to the campsite, we need to pick uo Pacifica first."
As they pulled up to the apartment building Pacifica was already outside with her parents. "Now remember what we discussed." Preston said.
Pacifica turned to her father and yelled. "Yes! I remember! You both are so concerned with your own wealth and status! Didn't you learn anything last year? Someday you going to look up and everything you care about will be gone and you're only going to have yourselves to blame!"
Pacifica climbed into the car and slammed the door finding herself sitting next to Gideon. "Uh, are you all right?" Gideon asked.
"Just the same old same old with my parents." Pacifica said not even looking at Gideon. She then sighed and turned to him. "Sorry, it's a touchy subject for me. You're Gideon, right? We never really hung out before."
Mabel spoke up. "Yeah, that true. It's funny you both lived in the same town all your whole lives, you're two of the town's most famous kids. You'd think the two of you would see each other more often."
Stan then said. "You kids will have to pick this up later. We're here." They got out there supplies from the trunk. "Okay, now the campsite you picked out should be that way." Stan pointed towards the woods. "Now all of you look out for each other out there. I'll be back here tomorrow afternoon."
Before Stan got into the car Dipper and Mabel gave him a hug. "Just to be clear. We're not doing because we think we don't need you." Mabel said.
Dipper finished the thought. "It's because we what you to know can count on us both when you need us."
Stan was at a loss for words. He returned the hug and whispered. "I love you both." Then he got back in the car and drove back home. The kids made their way to a campsite by a small stream.
Dipper put his backpack down. "Alright we should set up camp first."
Mabel pulled the cooler with all their food under a tree. "Right Bro Bro. I'll hang our food from this tree, so bears don't eat it."
"Here let me help." Gideon said grabbing a rope. "Eh!" He tried to throw it over a branch three times, but he couldn't get it close. Mabel took out her grappling hook and shot it over the branch and tied the line to the cooler.
Meanwhile Dipper and Pacifica were pitching up the tents. "So, we snap these rods together and push them through the sleeves in the tent?" Pacifica asked.
"That's right. Then we hammer the stakes in the ground and tie the tent to the stakes. After we get these tents up we just need to put anything we don't need to take on the treasure hunt in the tents. Then it's time for to look For the Dragon Fire Fortune." Dipper said snapping a few of the rods together.
Pacifica then had a sad look on her face. "Dipper there's something I need to tell you guys before look for that treasure." It was a little bit later as Gideon was bringing a large pile of sticks for firewood for that evening. He tripped and the other helped him pick it all up. Then Pacifica got them all together. "Okay so about the dragon Fire Fortune…"
"That's what were looking for?" Gideon asked.
Mabel growled. "Yes Gideon, please don't interrupt. Go on Pacifica."
"Any way, the clue I gave you guys. The only reason my family even had that was because it was the gold was stolen from a bank we owned, and the leader of the Dragon Fire Gang left a note."
"But why?" Dipper asked.
Pacifica sighed as she remembered what father told her earlier this week…
Preston looked Pacifica right in the eye. "You know of how many in our family built our fortune but there is one member of the Northwest family we never speak of. The only one whose actions directly led to people's deaths. His name was Westly Northwest the youngest son of Nathaniel Northwest and he was the leader of the Dragon Fire Gang."
Pacifica was confused. "But why would he become an outlaw? Why steal from his own family? Even if he was bad as the others it just doesn't make sense."
"I do not know. All I know is that he left this letter behind in vault during the robbery." Preston then read the letter out loud. "Dear father, if you want the gold back, you'll find the it passed the watchman's stony gaze." He then put the letter back where he got it. "Getting the gold back will help restore some of our wealth but the most important thing is that you must destroy any evidence that Westly was a Northwest. We cannot have our family name associated with a murderer."
"And that's all I know." Pacifica told everyone. "I only agreed to do it so I could come with you guys. I have no intention covering anything up. When we find that gold my vote is, we give it to the town. A Northwest nearly destroyed it to get that gold, so it belongs to Gravity Falls."
Dipper looked at Pacifica with a combination sympathy and pride. "I know that it isn't easy for you facing the things your family has done again."
"Thanks Dipper."
Mabel then pointed to the woods. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's find that treasure!"
So, the young group friends walked into the woods Dipper and Mabel leading the way. Gideon was falling behind insisting he carry the supplies. "I know what you're doing." Pacifica said.
"What you mean? I'm not plotting or anything like that like that." Gideon said.
"No, I mean your working too hard to impress Mabel."
"Well that's only part of it. You see I heard some kids gossiping about how I get my friends from prison to do some the harder things for me do all the time and that made me realize I need to be more self-reliant. I also want to show Mabel and Dipper am not the same boy I was last summer."
"I know what you mean. It' hasn't been easy, I took that part time waitress job at Greasy's because it's something the old me would never do. I obviously don't need the money, but it lets me talk to people without my wealth getting in the way. And I admit I still can be vain at times."
"Yeah, still go into my rages as Daddy calls them sometimes and I even unleashed Ghost Eyes and Bone Cruncher on a kid once for making fun of me once."
"Pacifica, Gideon try to keep up!" Dipper called.
The two looked on as Mabel made a funny face making both Dipper and her laugh. "I thought about them every day since they left." Pacifica said.
Gideon replied. "Me too. They changed everything for us both. We have to live up to the trust they've shown us. Hey since they can't be here all the time maybe we should be I don't know redemption buddies? Keep each other going in the right direction?"
"That's not the name I would go with but, yes it's nice to have someone to talk to about this kind of stuff."
Soon the group came to a stop. "This is it." Dipper said. "We'll find somewhere around here."
"And what makes you think you that?" Gideon asked.
Dipper pointed to a tall stone that looked broken on the top. "This is just as Grunkle Stan described it when he told me about the first time he went looking for the gold. A piece of this rock fell off and hit his foot. He kept the rock because it looked like a face and it's been at the Mystery Shack ever since. He was closer to the treasure than he realized but he didn't know about the clue that was left to your family Pacifica."
"So, this is supposed to be the watchman? How can we tell which way it was looking?" Pacifica asked.
Mabel reached into one of the bags. "Presenting Cereal Box that looks like a Face Cereal Box!" She pulled out an old cereal box that was cut to look like a face covered in glitter.
Dipper looked over the tall rock again and grabbed the box and placed it on top. He began to pivot around looking for something. Then he saw it; the wind blew at some low hanging branches revealing the mouth of a large cave. "It's there!' He said pointing.
They made their way to the cave. "Wow this place is big!" Mabel said.
Suddenly Gideon screamed. "Skeleton!"
There was a skeleton wearing a cowboy outfit holding a book. Its coat had several holes in its back. Pacifica picked up the book and read the cover. "W.N.W. Westly Northwest. This must be his diary or something." Pacifica opened the diary and began to read the last entry aloud. "Today I finally have exacted my revenge on my family. After years of my father's belittlement I stole a good part of the family fortune and made the beast set that pathetic little town he is so proud of ablaze. I still can hardly believe that all it took to make it my slave was one little tune! Now they have paid for how they treated me! I still remember what I said to them. Someday you going to look up and everything you care about will be gone and you're only going to have yourselves to blame! I have ordered the beast to guard that gold until I return; let the others have the larger shares as long my father doesn't have it. There no way it will help them rebuild now! Ashes, that is all they will…" Pacifica closed the book. "That must be when they shot him." Pacifica said with tears in her eyes.
Dipper placed his hand on her shoulder. "Pacifica what's wrong?"
"He didn't even care about the money. He was so angry at his dad that he didn't care who else got hurt. I said those same words! I thought I was becoming better but what if I'm just end up like him? I am angry at my parents all the time! What's to keep that anger from turning me into a monster?"
Gideon the said. "You have me. Redemption buddies remember?"
Mabel smiled while Pacifica wiped away her tears. "Redemption buddies? I like it, you both are getting better."
The group continued until the found another chamber, deep and dark. Dipper saw something. "Guys this wall is charred."
"Uh, Dipper…" Mabel pointed to a lower part shining her flashlight on a large red reptile with sharp teeth and claws lay next to a pile of gold bars. Small flames leapt out of its nostrils and its back was covered in sharp spines.
"The Dragon Fire Gang used an actual dragon to start the Blaze!" Dipper said as Gideon inched for a closer look kicking a small rock that landed on the dragon's nose. Its golden eyes opened staring right at the children. "Seriously?" Dipper said knowing trouble was coming.
The Dragon's tail swept them all to the lower part of the cave as it began to breath fire at Mabel who ducked behind a large rock. "It's a good thing Waddles isn't here, or he'd be roasted!"
"Hey scale face!" Pacifica shouted. You obeyed my great uncle, so you have to listen to me!" The Dragon responded with a burst of fire that barely missed her. "This is going to give me split ends!"
Dipper wracked his brain for what to do. "Wait the dairy said it did what Westly told it to do with a tune!" Dipper cleared his throat and sang. "Disco Girl! Coming through… woah!" Dipper ran as claws came down on him. "Okay he's not a fan of Baba."
"Let me try." Mabel said. "Puff the magic dragon…" All that did was make the Dragon swing its tail again.
Gideon was panicking. "What do we do?!" He the saw something white on the pile of gold. "Is that a miniature tuba?"
Pacifica ran for the tuba looking horn. "If this isn't what Westly used to control this thing or we're all doomed! Does anyone know how to play it?"
"I know how! Dipper shouted. However, the dragon got right in between them.
Pacifica threw the horn to Mabel. "Mabel catch!"
Mabel grabbed the horn, but the Dragon was coming right for her. "Gideon pass it to Dipper!" Mabel said as she tossed the horn.
Gideon did catch it, but he seemed frozen. "But, but… you saw I can't throw!"
"You can do it Gideon! I know you can!" Mabel cheered. Knowing Mabel believed in him ran toward Dipper. The Dragon breathed fire right at him, but Gideon jumped into a slide, the flames passing right over him. He then threw the mini tuba with all his strength right into Dippers hands.
"Got it! Tuba lessons don't fail me now." Dipper then took a deep breath and began to play. As the music from the horn filled the cave the Dragon's eyes dilated as it seemed to calm down and sat right down. "Now I'm glad Dad is pushing me to be in the marching band. This thing must hypnotize it. The diary did call it a slave. It's guarding this treasure waiting for a man who could never come and break the spell."
Mabel looked sad. "The poor thing! Dipper we should set it free! It didn't want to do all the bad things those outlaws made it do."
Dipper turned to the Dragon. "You don't have to guard this place anymore. Go home, you're free now!" The Dragon's eyes went back to normal and began to make its way out of the cave.
Pacifica breathed a sigh of relief. "Let's follow it out and get the gold tomorrow. I've had enough of this place for one day."
"Agreed!" the rest said.
The sun was still a few hours from setting when they got out of the cave. "There's still one thing I don't understand." Dipper said. "All the eyewitness reports of the Blaze said the fire came down from sky when it started but this guy doesn't have any wings so how it start the fire if it can't fly?" The Dragon stood on its hind legs and lifted its tail. Flames shot out from it rear as it began to be lifted off the ground and that when they all saw the dragon's hind feet had holes in the bottom that were also spewing fire as the large reptile flew off into the sky like a rocket higher and higher until it could no longer be seen.
"Now there the Gravity Falls weirdness we've loved and missed!" Mabel said with joy. "Oh, one last thing." She then snatched the horn from Dipper and threw it on the ground and began to pound it with a rock smashing it to pieces. "Die! Die! Die!"
"You do realize we unleashed a fire breath dragon on the world, right?" Gideon asked.
"It'll be fine." Mabel said nonchalantly.
June 8th, 2013
"…And that is how we solved the mystery of the Dragon Fire Fortune." Dipper thought as he wrote in his Journal. "After talking a little more with Mabel and Gideon Pacifica says she's going to try to convince her parents to reveal the truth about Westly Northwest and to donate the gold to the town as an apology to help fix their reputation. She also said that she can't just try to make herself better but also try to show her parents they can be better too. Hopefully this will end this cycle of all the bad things the Northwest's do. This trip has really shown what the four of us can accomplish together and the summer is just starting. Who knows what else we'll see and do? All I do know is no matter what comes our way we'll all face it together." Dipper then began to make a sketch of the four of them around the campfire. "Yeah, what's the worst that can happen?" Dipper thought.
To be continued in Gravity Galaxy.