Robbie drives up to the Mystery Shack and parks, turning to the Twins as they get out of the car.
"See you two tomorrow?" Robbie asks as they unload.
"Yeah sure, where abouts?" Dipper asks.
Robbie thinks, "at the middle school, after school."
Mabel leads Waddles up to the shack as Soos comes out to take their stuff inside. Dipper nods to Robbie as he shuts the boot, "after school tomorrow it is, Gruncle Stan and Gruncle Ford are probably done fighting that monster."
"Yep, I'll tell them, you two get settled in. See ya tomorrow," Robbie says as he rolls up his window and drives off.
Melody walks up to the Twins, "we put your stuff in the attic, why don't you go unpack?"
The Twins nod, waving to her as they go inside and up to the attic.
The twins are unpacking when Dipper's phone rings. He answers it, "Hullo Gruncle Stan, done fighting?"
"Yep! We also had tea with Cthulhu, pretty nice guy. Robbie told us everything, We'll be there in a week," Stan says.
Dipper adjusts his pillow, "wait, a week? I though you guys are in the middle of the Pacific? Or close to the middle."
Stan laughs, "We're on our way home!"
"We met him on the way!" Ford yells in the background.
"How is tea with Cthulhu, exactly?" Mabel asks them.
"Terrifying, but quiet," Stan says.
"He's given us some supplies for the sea, and directions that should get us to you in a week," Ford says, a dull thump of something being placed on the deck.
"We'll see you in a week!" Mabel calls.
"See ya kiddos!" Stan responds.
"Bye my soldiers!" Ford calls as Stan ends the call.
Dipper puts his phone on the end table and looks around their attic. They've been in this attic for two other summers, but the room always brings him a sense of nostalgia. Memories of a summer filled with mystery, lies, time travel, meeting and be-friending monsters surface and he smiles.
"Mabel?"
"What is it, Dipdop?"
"Thanks for trusting Gruncle Stan when I couldn't."
Mabel smiles, "Dipper, that was two years ago and you tell me that every time we arrive."
"I know, but really, thanks," Dipper says, pulling back the closet curtains and meeting a large pawn chess piece.
"Right, forgot about that," he says, taking the Shrink-and-Grow Light from the shelf and shrinking the piece.
"Awww, I liked that," Mabel whines as she pats Waddles.
"If we're going to stay here, we need more space."
"Oh yeah, good point. Wow this feels weird," Mabel says, flopping onto her bed.
Dipper walks over to his bed and sits down, "yeah, it does. Haha, what are we going to do for a month?"
Mabel thinks, "mmmmmm, I don't know, maybe see if Soos and Melody need anything?"
Dipper gets up and moves to the door, "well Mabel, lets go see."
Mabel gets up from her bed and both of the twins walk down the stairs.
A week later, early in the morning, Dipper groans awake, Mabel appears in his view suddenly.
"AAAUUUUUUUGH?!" he slams his head on the tilted ceiling, "ooooohhhhhhh."
Mabel cackles on the floor as Dipper glares at her, "Mabel, why."
She takes a few deep breaths before replying, "morning Dipping Sauce!"
Dipper stretches, "morning."
Suddenly their door flies open and Stan jumps in, "HELLO!"
"AAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH?!" the twins scream in unison.
"Hahahaha-" Stan starts before being interrupted by a fit of coughing, "-hahaha, worth it."
Ford chuckles from behind him, "morning you two."
Dipper glares at Stan, "morning."
"When did you guys arrive?" Mabel asks.
The Gruncles grin nervously, a little too nervously. Dipper pursed his lips, "let me guess; you just arrived, two hours and 12 broken laws?"
"30," Ford corrects, fixing his glasses.
The twins sweatdrop.
"But enough of that! You two need to tell us yourselves, Robbie just said you were here because of some problems," Ford says.
Stan grimaces, "which I may have known about but could do nothing."
The Twins nod and tell the Gruncles everything. It didn't take them long to explain.
After the explanation, Ford gets a thoughtful look and turns to Stan, "you said you knew about this?"
"More or less," Stan confirms.
Ford takes out his phone, "could one you give me the number to your parents cell? I wish to have a word."
Ford's expression is impassive, but Dipper could tell he's not happy. Dipper types in his dad's number and Ford rings it.
"I am trying to see how this is going to end well," Dipper says.
"It'll be hilarious!" Mabel says, a hint of sadness lacing her voice.
Stan watches with a grin as Ford stands around waiting for the Twins' dad, his nephew, to pick up.
"Good morning, my nephew!" Ford greets calmly, his eyes closed.
He waits a bit, "yes I have called to tell you about the Twins."
Muffled frantic 'worrying' is heard from the other end.
Mabel giggles, getting up from the floor and moving to her bed.
"They are physically fine, though mentally and psychologically they are not. I'm sure you'll get a document from child services with in a few weeks," Ford says, hanging up.
Stan laughs loudly, "hahahahaha, nice Poindexter!"
Ford goes to the door, "come along Stanley, we need to sort out some things."
Stan leaves with him, no doubt to head down to the local Police Station to have a chat with the Sheriffs.
Dipper looks at Mabel and they grin, today was going to be a good day.
Dipper sat on Stan's recliner as Mabel knits another sweater. It's been a month and now Summer is officially starting, the Gravity Falls school let the kids have two weeks early. Wendy, Gideon, Pacifica, Candy and Grenda are watching TV with the Twins while they wait for Soos, Stan, Ford, Robbie and McGucket to finish up what they're doing in the forest.
"Geez how long are they going to take?" Wendy asks from her spot on the dino skull by the recliner.
"Robbie said something felt off about the Cipher statue," Gideon says, refraining from saying his full name.
"How can a statue feel off?" Grenda asks from the floor, wiggling fingers.
Mabel shrugs, "I have no idea."
"I'm sure they'll tell us when they get here," Pacifica says from the back of the recliner.
A door slams shut and voices follow. The men come into the room with worried faces.
"Speak of the devil," Dipper says, "so?"
Ford sighs, "this is bad, it's empty."
"How can a statue be empty?" Candy asks.
Ford shrugs, "I don't know, all I know is that five of us aren't getting any sleep for the next month."
"Dude, you are terrible at giving news," Wendy says, concerned.
Ford grips the bridge of his nose, "well what do you want me to say? 'Yep have fun with sleep deprivation and possible hallucinations for a month'?"
"That would have been better, anyway, any theories?" Pacifica asks.
"Unfortunately none," Ford shrugs.
"I got nothing," Stan says.
McGucket's face fell, "I tried scannin fer magicka, but nothing came up."
"Yeah, it's like a normal statue now," Robbie says with a worried look on his face.
"Doods, this is like, really bad news."
"You don't say, Soos," Stan says to his former employee.
"Who wants to play DD&MD? We might as well take advantage of our sleep deprivation," Ford says.
"As much as we want to stay, we need to get home," Grenda says, grinning apologetically.
"We'll see you guys tomorrow with 20 tons of coffee!" Candy says.
"Bye, see you tomorrow!" everyone calls as the girls leave.
"Where are we going to play?" Gideon asks.
Ford thinks, "my private study, it's empty and large enough."
"We'll get the game and nerd papers!" Mabel says, grabbing Dipper and dragging him with her.
"Meet you there," Wendy says as they head into the gift shop.
Shortly after everyone filed into the study, the Twins came down with the game and papers. Let the games begin.