We Need a Time Anomaly!
Chapter 2: A Good Sign?
Mabel stared hypnotized at glittery cotton candy stuffed in jars almost as tall as she was. Her pupils grew into star shapes and she was drooling slightly. Dipper and Soos stood aside and watched her.
"Wow Soos, this is great. Mabel loves this place." Dipper said.
"I know dude. This is where I always came whenever I was feeling down in the dumps. Abuelita always brought me here. Favorite place in the whole town. Well, until the Mystery Shack that it."
The two of them laughed, and Dipper looked around the shop. The place was a candy paradise, decorated in bright colors and decked out to the ceiling in sweets. Kids of super highs were bouncing all over the place. Even those twins who look oddly like Dipper and Mabel were there too. The boy was laying down on a sack and holding his stomach, which was visually very stuff. His sister say on the floor and comforted him. He had trails of sour candy all over his mouth.
Dipper followed Soos over the wall filled with dispensers. He filled up a paper cup with round, sour candies.
"You know dude, you should always remember what it's like to be a child." He said to Dipper.
"It's one of those things that makes life so great."
Dipper nodded his head and looked over to his sister, who was now running around with some over sugar crazed kids. Candy was actually with her, go figure.
"I know what you mean. If Mabel ever lost her inner child, well, I just don't know what I'd do. It's what makes her, her."
"You're sisters a nutcase. Totally loveable though."
Mabel ran over and shoved a big marshmallow turtle into Dipper's mouth.
"C'mon dudes, enjoy yourselves. It's all on me." Dipper was in the process of chewing, so Mabel asked, "Is that really ok Soos?"
Soos looked over at the cashier behind the counter. She smiled and waved.
"Let's just say I and the guys here go way back."
They strode down the street, each carrying a brown paper bag filled with candy. Dipper especially liked how some of the selections looked like anomalies written about in the journals.
"Whoa! What is going on here?" Mabel asked in surprise.
In the street there seemed to be some kind of outdoor display going on. Pieces were on display behind ropes people gathered around to see them.
A very large group had situated on one particular side, and the three of them wondered over. A hansom teenager with black skin and expensive clothes was standing next to a huge water basin and charismatically charming the audience. Dipper was in thinking mode as he examined the basin.
"…I've seen those marking before," He said as he reached into his vest and pulled out the journal.
"Those were in the walls and that ancient temple site. Look." He opened to a page that displayed black stone structures with golden accent paint. While Dipper talked to Soos, Mabel's eyes wondered over the basin. A large hourglass shape was smack dap in the middle of it. She thought about Globnar and the giant Time Baby. Mabel looked over at Dipper and Soos, who were both distracted by the journal, then Mabel began to push her way through the crowd.
Up front the boy was talking about the mysteries of the basin, when suddenly someone was saying,
"Excuse me, hi, hi." He looked and saw a short girl with fluffy brown hair emerging out of the crowd.
"By chance, would it be possible to look inside the basin?" She asked.
The boy looked at the basin, and then said "Well yes, I suppose that'd be alright. But how do you plan on getting up-hey!"
The fluffy haired girl jumped on him and started climbing up like she was on a ladder. She sat on his shoulder as he struggled awkwardly to keep his balance. Mabel gazed into the basin and sure enough saw the time baby's face etched into the bottom. She quickly jumped off her guide and declared that that was all she needed and disappeared.
"Dipper! Dipper!" Mabel called as she ran back to them.
"Mabel? Where were you?" Dipper asked.
"I got a look at the basin, it has something to do with the Time Baby from Globnar!"
"The time baby? Are you sure?"
Mabel nodded her head. "Positive."
"Globnar?" Soos asked.
"Remember that birthday when we got you that time wish?" Mabel asked.
"That's where we went to get it. The arena."
"Are you serious? Mabel that thing could be connected to time travel! Man I wish we could get a better look at it!"
Mabel almost said it right there, but she looked at Soos and figured it should be something she and her brother discussed privately.
"You can do this Stan. He's your brother after all."
Stan stood outside of the vending machine, a bowl of chowder in one hand and the red sweater Mabel made draped over the arm. Just get in, give him the stuff, and get out. That was the plan.
"Okay, here we go."
He punched in the code and rode the elevator down. When he got to the basement Ford was standing by the portal with his back towards him, writing on a clipboard. Something is Stan's chest shook as he looked at his brother. Finally gathering the courage, he stalked over to the side of the room.
"Hey, uh, nerd!" He called. Ford looked over his shoulder, appearing very annoyed and not thrilled at all. Stan dropped the bowl on the top of the machine.
"It's chowder. You have to eat sometime." The unsaid 'since you won't come up at eat with us' hung in the air. Ford turned his head away, and for a second Stan could have sworn he did a cliché "Humph" with it. Stan furrowed his brows and marched out of the basement.
He stopped midway and held out the sweater.
"Your great grandniece made this for you by the way." Stan said bitterly. He carefully put in on the back of a chair and left.
Ford stayed still in place and listened for the elevator to stop. When that happened, he turned around at dropped his stoic, angry face. He looked at the bowl Stanley had placed-carelessly- atop one of his machines. Then he turned around and saw something on the chair. He refused to look at his brother at all, so he didn't know what else he'd brought. He advanced towards the chair, and a deep red sweater came into view. Mabel. She had a fondness of sweaters as well, even wearing them in the summer. He picked it up and saw that it was extremely well made, tight and even stitches, would probably last a lifetime. His eyes trailed down it and he saw the golden six fingered hand.
A/N: This was mostly exhibition on Mabel and Dipper's part, but I had to set up for the time travel eventually. The time traveling will probably start in the next chapter, so stay tuned :) Thank you everyone who's reading! I hope you guys are liking it so far!
