McGucket answer the door to his mansion and found Ford waiting there, looking a little nervous. The two quickly shook hands and exchanged a hug before McGucket let his old friend inside.
"Well, ol' buddy can I do you fer?" the hunched, once-hermit asked with a pleasant smile. "It's been a nice surprise to have you back, but this ain't a visit I was expectin'."
"Fiddleford, I've come here because I need you mechanical expertise," Ford admitted. "Do you remember the aurora we saw in the sky when we tried to summon Bill Cipher?"
"That I do!"
Ford scratched his forehead and said, "I should have been better prepared, but sadly I was too hasty. There was something about those colors. I wanted to know if you could build me a specific light lens in which I may be able to try to recreate that same aurora, but using different particles mixed with light? I am confident that once I recreate the phenomena, I can accurately compare it with other powers I have encountered. I've been consulting my old notes and my research, but so far, I'm drawing a blank! I'm not sure if what I'm looking for even originates from Gravity Falls or somewhere else in the multiverse."
McGucket patted his friend's shoulder sympathetically and said, "There, there now, ol' friend. I think you are lettin' yet worries get ahead of that brilliant brain of yers, and you are jumpin' to conclusions faster than a rabbit hyped up on Jumpin' Beans!"
Ford gave his friend a weak smile and said, "Thanks. I know I need to slow down. But I feel responsible for Dipper and Mabel's wellbeing and safety. I cannot take a break until I know what we are up against."
McGucket heaved a sigh and asked, "You got the plans fer me then?"
Standford revealed his designs with a flourish and gave the papers to McGucket before requesting, "Also, is it possible for you to cook up some inventions that will allow us to take on possibly very large and powerful monsters. I would like to see what you did with the Shack improved, if possible."
His old colleague's face lit up as he answered, "That's a sure jiggity thing! I've been watchin' a ton of anime with and without Soos! I reckon I can get proper gun and laser swords working. Ever heard of the show EMRLD?" Ford shook his head and McGucket cackled, "It's an American anime where everything's a gun!"
"Well, I look forward to seeing your inventions in action, but please, make sure to work on the lens first. I feel like will be the key to solving this mystery," Ford pleaded.
"No one's going to be inventing anything in my mansion anymore," a bossy voice declared loudly.
Ford and McGucket spun about to see who had arrived. A gun flashed into Ford's hand and he leveled it coolly at the newcomer. The moustached man just shrugged off the welcoming as though it were nothing. Preston Northwest was very skilled at looking down on others and acting unconcerned.
"What are you doing here? You lost your fortune to investments in Weirdmageddon," Ford said angrily. "Fiddleford own this place now, fair and square."
"Ah but you see, my bespectacled friend," Preston said to manicured nails. "I have come into possession of a very large sum of money, gold to be specific. I am here to work out a deal with, err, the hillbilly, in order to reacquire my home. I'm sure we can come to a an arrangement, or I will have him thrown out!"
"What in tarnation and hootenanny are you talkin' about," McGucket exclaimed.
"Don't worry Fiddleford, I'll get to the bottom of this," Ford vowed. "Just be sure to get working on that device. Northwest! By the laws of Gravity Falls, one of the few non-ridiculous ones actually, I can appointment myself as the arbiter to this transaction and I demand to see this gold that you are speaking of!"
Preston suddenly looked a little off balance and then quickly grew sullen. "Alright Pines, if that is what you want, then let's going. My car is out front."
"The rusty Astro," Ford guffawed.
"It's the only rental I could get at the moment with enough room for the gold," Preston sputtered.
"Then you'll need better shocks and more air in your tires," Ford replied dryly.
"Very well," Preston snapped. "We can take care of that on our way there!"
With that, they both clambered into the and drove off into town.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I'm bored," Mabel complained to Dipper.
"Same here," Dipper moaned into his hat. "Who knew that taking time off from school could be so blah!?"
"It's because our friends are there and we can't be," Mabel said, pressing her face into the dining table.
"Come on guys, there's plenty to do," Soos said encouragingly as he entered to grab some old burritos from the refrigerator. "In fact, I'm vertain I saw some gnomes working on digging up something near the Shack. Maybe you twos could have a look and see if it needs our help sorting out."
"Wait, what," Dipper exclaimed into his hat, before pulling it back and jumping up.
"What's the rush, Dip," Mabel asked.
"You know! The special something we got from that one time?"
"There were lots of times, Dipper, elaborate here. Level with me," Mabel said exasperated.
Dipper leaned in and whispered, "You know… The time treasure."
"Did someone say treasure," Grunkle Stan asked excitedly, appearing out of thin air. "Tell me more!"
"Well, we were thinking of sharing it with them anyway," Mabel sighed. "Alright, let's check it out."
Stan reached behind a cabinet and pulled out a shovel, "Soos, grab up some more equipment, I can feel it in my bones! There's gold and jewels to be had! Maybe even some hot wenches hiding among the treasure!"
"Trust me, that would be very disturbing if that were the case," Dipper assured his Grunkle.
The four of them did not have to go very far into the woods behind the Shack to find where Dipper and Mabel had hidden their infinity sacks, but it turned out they were not that well hidden. Gnomes wearing black overalls with a red circle splashed across their chests were quickly churning up the earth and revealing the silvery bags. Dipper and Mabel rushed forward, causing one gnome to yelp and drop the bag he was hauling up. Some coins spilled out and one rolled towards Dipper. He scooped it up as he ran.
"Hey, butt faces, those are ours," Mabel shouted angrily.
"Finders, keepers," one of them sang. The same gnome's face let loose a nice musical note as Stan slammed a shovel into it.
"Clear them out," Grunkle Stan roared. "Save the gold!"
The Pines and Soos let loose war cries as they scattered the gnomes to the trees and underbrush. Grunkle Stan planted his shovel into the ground like he was claiming a new land and laughed triumphantly.
"Finder keepers, losers go home and cry! Yes! Now let me have a look at this loot!"
Mabel wagged a finger and said in her bossy voice, "Now, now, Grunkle Stan, are we forgetting something?"
"Yes, we are kids. I should have brought a camera to document this glorious occasion! Money! It's everything I ever wanted!"
"And here I thought paying your brother's bills was the motivation behind things," Soos admitted.
"You didn't see him when Mabel brought back unicorn treasure," Dipper deadpanned.
Grunkle Stan opened up the sack that hadn't fallen open and looked inside. "Hot Belgian waffles! It goes one forever in there!"
"They're infinity bags," Dipper explained. "They exploit a loop in time and-"
"Yes, yes, just skip the science mumbo-jumbo kid," Grunkle Stan said, waving a hand. "Let's get this back to the Mystery Shack! Woah! It's also kind of heavy. Wow… That's kind of deep when you think about."
"What is?" Mabel looked confused.
"You know, infinity and all that nonsense," Grunkle Stan said, heaving the sack over one shoulder. "Soos! Hurry up and get the other one!"
Just then, an old Astro crashed through the trees and pulled up. The driver's door burst open and Preston Northwest jumped out and cried, "Don't touch that! Those are mine!"
"Didn't we just got through this," Stan asked.
"I own this land, so therefore I own what it is both on and under that land!" Preston looked beside himself.
"I bought this property fair and square," Ford retorted angrily, getting out of the passenger's side.
"And I have the stolen deed to prove it," Stan said happily.
"Grunkle Ford, what are you doing with him," Dipper asked quickly.
"This numb skull buffoon wants to buy his mansion back from Fiddleford and kick him out. He said that he had enough gold to do it, but then I appointment myself the arbiter of the transaction and demanded to see the gold in question. So, we came here," Ford explained rationally. "And it looks like it would be theft. By my legal right and office, I hereby pronounce your claim null and void, Northwest. Now clear out!"
Preston suddenly pulled out a gun and screamed, "I can't go back! I can't keep living a life that is beneath me! I can't stand being on your level! Put the sacks down Pines and gopher man-child, or I'll shoot!"
"Hold the phone and let's be reasonable," Mabel cried out. "Think of Pacifica! Would she want this?"
"Don't you dare bring my daughter into this," Preston seethed. "You Pines twins corrupted my perfect child! She deserves better than where she is now. I'm doing this for her!"
"You're doing this for the sake of your wounded pride," Ford responded thunderously. "You are going to get yourself killed doing this!"
"No, just anyone who gets in my way," Preston countered, his voice and hand now really shaky.
Ford began inching forward and Dipper shouted out, "Be careful!"
Preston wobbled as he pulled the trigger accidentally, probably set off by Dipper's warning. Instinctively, Dipper reached for Mabel and pulled her towards him. There was a hole that opened itself in her chest. She had a blank, shocked expression. There was a flash of light and Dipper was running again, the coin in his hand as Mabel shouted, "Hey, butt faces, those are ours!"
"Finder, keepers," the same gnome sank again.
Both Mabel and Dipper pulled up short and looked at one another. As Grunkle Stan began laying about the gnomes, laughing savagely, they asked each other, "Didn't this just happen?"
"Het kids, help me and Soos kick out the squatters," Stan roared.
Dipper and Mabel shakily obliged and soon the gnomes were all scattered. Stan planted his shovel triumphantly once more and said, "I do claim this gold in the name of the Pines!"
"Uh, that's already technically ours," Mabel pointed out.
"Stan's there's something we need to tell," Dipper began, but his Grunkle cut him off.
"Yes, yeah, that can wait. Woah, tis stuff is heavy. Just like gold should be!"
Soos then spoke up. "These little guys are so weird; they tried digging under the bags. Ha! They would have been flattened into little bearded pancakes had they made the hole any bigger. Hmm, bearded pancakes. That sounds like the next food craze, dudes!"
"Definitely copyright right," Mabel said, nodding sagely.
"Wait? A hole? But that wasn't there before!" Dipper came to have a look.
"Of course it was. You kids buried this stuff, and without telling me. And after all the things I did for you," Stan muttered.
"But you don't understand" Dipper said, after seeing the large, random hole where the bags had been. "This wasn't here the last time we did this!"
"Come again," Soos asked.
"Don't encourage him Soos," Grunkle Stan huffed. "He's just getting giddy with how rich we are about to be!"
Just then, the Astro van pulled up and Preston shot out like before, yelling at them to let go of his gold. As Ford got out, Dipper pointed to Mr. Northwest and shouted, "He has a gun, and he'll use it on us!"
Ford reacted immediately and pulled out a blaster and fired just as Preston whipped out his handgun and shot at him. They both hit.
"Ford! Nooooo!" Stan dropped the sack and rushed to his brother's side. There was another flash of light, and Dipper and Mabel were running again towards the gnomes.
"Mabel, this is definitely time travel," Dipper cried out.
"I know! And just when I thought we'd never have to deal with that stuff again."
"We need to stop Preston, but how," Dipper ranted.
"Bro, I'm already on it," Mabel flashed her twin a grin. "Trust me. We're going to get our gold and stop Pacifica's dad from committing a capital crime."
"Hey you layabouts, help us out, or I get everything," Stan hollered.
Once more, they helped to route the gnomes with the strange overalls and recover the treasure. This time, Soos fell into the hole, but with an important difference. It was ten times larger than before!
Stan looked down at his dazed handyman and asked the kids, "Did you two rig a trap when you buried these sacks of loot?"
"No," Dipper answered slowly.
"Dipper, why is the hole now more of a hole than it was before?"
"Can a guy get some help down here," Soos asked weakly. "I'm most definitely not alright!"
"Hang on buddy, we'll save you," Mabel called down.
"Waits Mabel, we can't," Dipper began.
"You're right! More treasure for us! Don't worry Soos, I'll make sure that Abuileta and Melony are set up for at least a year," Stan called down.
"You are the best Mr. Pines," Soos said with a shaky thumbs up.
"Don't worry Soos, we'll get you out of there," Dipper said, throwing a scowl at his Grunkle. "First we have to deal with something very important."
Just then, the Astro appeared for the third time and Mabel leaned in and whispered, "Act just like last time."
"But that got Ford shot," Dipper recoiled.
"Not this time," Mabel gave a devilish grin.
And so, like clockwork, Dipper warned Ford about Preston's gun and they both drew. But they did, Mabel pulled out her ever faithful grappling hook and took out the handgun, knocking it into a far away bush. Preston's clutched his right hand and let out a shout of pain. Stan wrestled the man to the ground.
"No one attacks my family, you hear," he ranted as he punched Mr. Northwest across the face.
"This man is trying to steal his mansion back from Fiddleford," Ford explained. "He said that he had access to gold, and I demanded to see it. Turns out to be a farce."
"Actually, we do have gold," Mabel said brightly. "Lots and lots of it! Or however much infinity is."
"Your grappling hook just keeps saving the day," Dipper said thankfully.
"Best gift ever," Mabel agreed.
"You two have an infinite treasure," Ford asked. "As in the famous treasure of Captain Time Beard? How did you two ever manage that!?"
"Well, it's kinda a long story," Mabel began. "It was full of difficult choices, strange places, and tons of things I've probably forgotten. But what would you say, Dip? It'd probably take up a whole book or something to tell it all."
"I would agree with that," Dipper grinned. "But Grunkle Ford, we have a problem on our hands."
"Yeah, like what are we going to spend all of this cash on," Stan grinned, decking Preston once more.
"No, not that," Dipper scowled once more. "See, I think we might be stuck in a time loop of sorts. We have already lived through these events twice before. Once, Mabel got shot by Pacifica's dad there. The second time, you and he both shot each other. Now this. Also, that hole that Soos is down in-"
"'Sup Mr. Pines, who is not Mr. Pines, but still is," Soos called up.
"-it wasn't there before. But now it's appeared and it just got a lot bigger than before."
Ford knelt over the side and looked in. After a moment, he said, "I think I know what is going here. Time is not meant to be messed around with. You can alter some events to produce a different outcome, and you can even revisit the same moment multiple times and rework it constantly."
Dipper blushed a little and said, "Yeah, Mabel and I know that already."
"More like you know it! He messed around with time to win a toy for Wendy, hoping she'd like him," Mabel teased.
"And I cut it out, didn't I? So you could have Waddles," Dipper pointed out.
"And a nobler thing you have not done, brother mine," Mabel responded earnestly.
"How did you do that," Ford questioned.
"We have this guy from the futurecome with a measuring tape that allowed us to travel through time," Dipper explained. "And I stole it from him."
"He later tried to kill us in a gladiator match," Mabel inserted.
"How did I miss that," Stan wondered aloud.
How indeed," Ford threw his brother an exasperated look. "Okay, now things come together to make some sense. You see, unlike last time, you-"
"Freeze," a gnome shouted as it came out of the bushes, holding Preston's gun aloft. "Nobody move, and hand over the treasure, in the name of our glorious leader Jeff!"
"Not that guy again," Mabel moaned. "Can't he just learn to be a little more chill!?"
"Don't you dare even allude to that traitor," the gnome screamed, now pointing the gun at Mabel.
Dipper stepped in front of her and demanded that the gnome back down. The gnome either by accident or on purpose set off the gun and the bullet hit Dipper with another flash of light.
"I would complain about us being at the beginning, but I like my brother alive," Mabel said, looking sheet white.
"Arg! We're back here," Dipper complained. "This time, we're making sure that the gun is safely in our hands!"
Once more, they went through the motions, though they were certain to pull back Soos and Grunkle Stan from falling into the once-hole now cavern. The bags fell down spilled their great contents all over the place. Grunkle Stan let a solitary tear roll down his cheek.
"It's so beautiful," he croaked. Soos pulled off his hat and patted Stan gingerly on the back.
"We can't rest yet," Dipper said quickly. "If the gnomes were after our treasure, others will be too. If anyone else comes, we need to restrain them."
Stan and Soos agreed that this was sound and when they saw a van approaching, they hid themselves. When the Astro pulled up. Soos tackled Ford to the ground as Stan knocked Preston out with his shovel.
"Soos! Get off me!" Ford quickly threw the handyman off him and demanded, "What is going on here? I came with Mr. Northwest to check out a claim he had of lots of gold. He wants to take the mansion back from-"
"Back from Fiddleford. We know that already," Mabel said, quickly, cutting him off. "Trust me, we've been through this before."
"I have the gun!" Dipper said triumphantly. As he tucked it into his vest he continued, "Grunkle Ford, we are caught in a time loop, where we keep reliving the same moment again and again, though with different consequences, and it's happening with a time traveling measuring tape!"
"Really? That is a bad, yet wonderfully rare, cosmic anomaly," Ford gushed happily. "Yes, without good tech from Time Baby or anyone else with good time traveling sense, reliving the same moment again and again will start to tear holes in the surrounding environment and can even create gaps in time and space, causing entire dimensions and timelines to collide and obliterate each other. I guess this massive hole is just the beginning."
"Kind of like the bottomless pit," Soos pointed out. "I've been keeping up with my supernatural homework," he then confided in the twins.
"Yes, like that, but much more unstable," Ford explained. "I just wonder how this happened."
"Well, we won't find any answers up here," Stan said happily. "So let's get down there and round us up some treasure!"
As they started climbing down, Dipper remembered something. The coin in his hand! He looked at it and saw a graceful, but weird creature smiling back at him. He showed it to Ford, whose eyebrows shot up.
"I saw this image everywhere when I was in Dimension 52," he said softly. "I have always wondered its significance. Dipper, it might be very possible that this is a special coin, allowing you to bend the rules of space time."
"Then how come I know what is going on, if Dipper has the coin," Mabel asked confused.
"Tell me what has all happened so far," Ford invited.
As the they all gathered up the treasure, the twins explained to the adults everything that had previously happened. By the time they were finished, all of the gold and gems had been recovered. Climbing out of the cavern Ford then put forth his hypothesis.
"I think that what is going on here is that the power of the coin, if it is indeed the coin that is doing this, was also transferred to your sister when you rushed to save her. It was your first choice to change the past, and so she became an integral part of your changing time."
Dipper nodded and then he admitted something else, "When Mabel and I worked with Blendin to find this treasure, we encountered so many decisions. Whenever we made a bad one, we could always kind of rewind. But that had nothing to do with Blendin's tape measure any of those times."
"Yeah, I kind of forgot most of it, but it was creepy," Mabel said.
Ford rested his six fingered hands on their shoulders and said, "There are very strange forces out there. If that is what happened, then it was destined that you two were to get this treasure."
"But for what reason," Dipper couldn't help but ask.
"So that we could be rich," Stan said assertively.
"For reasons we may never know," Ford said with a small smile. "But I hope we can find the answer some day."
As they got out of the time-made cave, they found Preston tied up and surrounded by gnomes. He wailed to them, "I trusted them, and they betrayed me! They want the treasure all for themselves!"
It was a small army of dark trousered gnomes with the same red ring across their chests. They all looked murderous and stared down the Pines and Soos with looks that could kill. Glaring at the Pines, they all parted in unison to make way for a gnome who looked a lot like Jeff, but with a black beard.
"Treasure is fine all," the gnome said with a deep, sultry voice. "But what I'm after is the Gnomilungen Ring of Power!"
"Sounds totally nerdy and awesome! What is it," Soos asks happily.
"It is a ring that was stolen from this world long ago by time pirates that when worn by a gnome of the noble blood will grant him ultimate power!" The new gnome bellowed with rage and threw his hands up into the air before laughing maniacally.
"So that explains the power bit of the name, I see," Soos responded with a sagely nod.
"If that's the case, then we can't let him have it," Ford said sternly.
"Not in the least because it's ours now," Stan taunted.
"I, Geoff, the true leader of the gnomes, will not let another thief take what is rightfully ours!"
"Oh, now I get it," Mabel said after blowing a 'duh' raspberry. "We thought it was incompetent Jeff, but really that other gnome was referring to this guy."
"Don't mention that loser's name in my presence," Geoff spat. He then pulled out a gem from his overalls. "It is forbidden that any gnome should attempt to make himself larger than the rest, but for this, I am more than willing to break every rule in the book to have the Gnomilungen Ring!"
Geoff held the gem to the sunlight and he started to grow into a giant. Ford shot a blaster at him, but the laser just bounced off the thick and growing midget. Soon, Geoff was a black bearded monster of epic proportions. As he stooped down to crush the Pines, there was another flash of light.
"Okay, this time, we are going to get it right," Dipper shouted angrily as they returned to the present, or past, whatever.
"After this, I never want to time travel again," Mabel groaned.
Once more, they scattered the gnomes and managed to pull Soos and Stan away. This time, the cavern was bigger than ever, and a ghastly green portal of energy was at the center of the pit. Sure enough, the sacks fell down and exploded their contents all over.
"Quick, let's grab up the gold before those pesky gnomes return," Stan encouraged.
"Wait! We have to wait for Ford," Dipper said stoutly.
"Why? He's off goofing around with Old Man McGucket." Stan asked.
"No, he's coming right now. You'll see, but we need to stop Preston Northwest," Mabel added.
Reluctantly, Stan and Soos got into position, when the Astro van pulled up to the large hole, only Preston was tackled to the ground. Before Stan could knock him out or Ford could protest, Dipper stepped in.
"Hold on! We need to take care of some things immediately. Ford, there's right now a rift in space time opening up in a cavern that has been created by us reliving this moment multiple times without any safety measures!" he held up the strange coin, "Last time all of this happened, you said that this coin was probably the cause of it so that we could have the best possible outcome to our current predicament. It's similar to the adventure Mabel and I went on to discover the Time Pirates infinite treasure, which is all down in that pit right now. Preston wanted to steal this gold to use it to kick McGucket out of the mansion. But, there is an evil gnome called Geoff, not to be confused with stupid Jeff, who was using Preston, apparently, to get the Gnomilungen Ring of Power. We need to find a way of solving this before he comes and tries to kill us again!"
"What he said," Mabel chimed in.
"Wait, a rift in time and space?" Ford said incredulously.
"I was being used," Preston exclaimed.
"Infinite treasure," Stan said gleefully.
"Soos!" said Soos happily.
Ford set a grim face and walked over to the pit and looked in. "That is a bad sign. It means that this area is unraveling fast. We need to seal it up before anything comes through and potentially destroys this dimension!"
"But how will we do that," Mabel asked. "Do you need my grappling hook?"
"No, that will be unnecessary," Ford said quickly. "What we need is an item of immense power to meet with the portal. The two will cancel each other out, I hope. Let me have a look at that coin, Dipper."
Dipper handed it over and Ford inspected it. "The markings on this coin remind me of the strange salamander depictions all over the temple in dimension 52…" After that he was quiet for a moment as if lost in thought and then suddenly came to. "Alright, this should work, if what I told you in another timeline is correct, which knowing me, it probably was."
"Wait, what about all of that loot down there," Stan pointed out.
"The infinity treasure was collected all over time and space. A lot of it is an anomaly here, which means much of it will disappear after it is out of its containment. That's actually why the Time Pirates never spent it or even took it out. The Time IRS is even more brutal than they are here on Earth," Ford explained.
"So, it's useless," Stan asked sadly.
"No Stanley, we can still recover what we can and see what sticks around," Ford answered, rolling his eyes.
"Hold just a second there," a gnome wheezed.
Everyone turned around and saw the gnomes in their black uniforms arrive. They were all sweaty and soiled from running hard. All, except for one. Geoff strode forward confidently.
"It seems like things have gotten pretty hectic here. I see you have made a thorough mess of this place Preston. I should have known not to trust a human to help me discover the ring."
"Well, to be fair, I was going to double cross you," Preston confessed.
"Actually, none of this makes any sense," Dipper ranted. "What could either of you have to gain by working with the other?"
Preston and Geoff shared an awkward glance and then Preston coughed into his hand. "You're a kid, so I wouldn't expect you to understand the complexity of business and nation building, or even that of real revenge."
"Well, since I have my enemies here, and the treasure, it's time that I lay claim to what is rightfully mine. And I am willing to do anything necessary to get the Gnomilungen Ring," Geoff screeched.
He pulled out the crystal that would allow him to change sizes and Mabel shot her grappling hook at him. One gnome jumped in the way and took the blow. Ford fired off a few shots and more gnomes took the hits. Soos threw rocks, and Stan revealed that he has swiped Preston's gun when he had tackled him. He also fired off some shots. More gnomes fell injured and broken to the forest floor as Geoff grew once more into a giant.
"It's no use," he laughed in his now booming voice. "Gnome hide is impenetrable when we are this big! It's over!"
Something red blasted out of the hole and came to hover over the scene. As it did, the treasure that had spilled into the cave showered everywhere. It was a bright red dragon with gleaming, yellow eyes. He looked down at Dipper and Mabel and smiled.
"Mabel! Dipper! It's so good to see you again! Remember me? Connerheart!"
"Oh yeah," Mabel said, her face lighting up. "I helped you with your many, various deep-seeded issues. How are things?"
"Well, the old king finally kicked the bucket, and Wendinella is ruling the kingdom with a radical hand. I kinda figured my services weren't needed anymore and then this portal opened up. I could smell my old friends on the other side and decided to come for a visit."
"How fortuitous," Ford mumbled.
"Wait, you dudes are friends with a dragon? How awesome is that," Soos gushed.
"Yeah, it was something," Dipper grinned. "Seriously Mabel, we should write that all down some time."
"Yeah, it would make a decent selling, choose your own adventure novel at the very least," Mabel beamed.
"So what now?" Stan asked. "We have a raging evil gnome, a friendly dragon, and money we might not even be able to use!"
"Evil gnome? Where?" Connerheart looked excited. "Evil gnomes are so tasty!"
Everyone, including Preston and the wounded gnomes pointed to Geoff. Geoff for once did not look confident, but really scared. He turned to flee ranting, "I'm only 500 years old! I'm too young to die!"
Connerheart set Geoff on fire with nice fireball to the butt and then pounced on the large gnome.
As the dragon began to gorge himself on the hapless, evil gnome, Stan shook his head and remarked, "It's totally disturbing to watch, but I can't look away."
"Fascinating," Ford agreed.
The Astro van kicked to life and they turned to see Preston driving away with a pile of gold in the back of his car.
"That no good thief! Why I oughta," Stan began.
"Grunkle Stan, let's just let him go. There's plenty of gold, even if a lot of it fades away," Mabel said sincerely. "Let's just enjoy what we have and close the portal."
"That's right," Dipper exclaimed, and he went over to the hole. The ground was now shaking.
"If we don't do it soon, more strange and bad things could happen," Ford said, walking up beside Dipper, as the others gathered the treasure.
"What do you think will happen to the coin? Will it be destroyed," Dipper asked.
"I have the feeling that that coin will look out for itself and reappear when it is needed. If it is anything like Dimension 52, I can assure you that it will be for a good cause, and at the right time," Ford smiled.
Dipper flicked the coin into the portal. There was a brilliant flash of white light, and once the Pines and Soos blinked away the spots in their eyes, they found that the portal and hole had both vanished.
"All's well that ends well," Dipper said to himself. Though I really want to know where that coin went! And where does it come from?
Connerheart eventually came over and helped them gather up the treasure. There was a ton of it to carry, and at least they still had one sack that had flown out when the dragon appeared.
"Sorry about trapping you here, big guy," Dipper apologized.
"Nah, it's all good," Conerheart said. "It's a brand new start here, and I'm near friends!"
"There are some caves in the mountains you could hang out at," Ford suggested. "I can even draw you a map."
"Oh, I like this guy," Connerheart smiled.
"And do you give rides," Soos asked. "Because a romantic flight on a dragon's back sounds totally rad!" he leaned into Dipper and Mabel, "I really need this. I only just now realized that there's not much romantic stuff to do in Gravity falls beyond holding hands and being at the mall!"
The dragon laughed and said, "Bring some cream our goat butter to protect your loins and you should be good!"
The Pines and Soos waved Coonerheart goodbye at the Shack, and he took off with a map from Ford. He then had to excuse himself to go again and talk to Fiddleford and see what they could do about Preston and his pile of probably vanishing gold. Knowing the crook, he would find some way of turning it into an asset to use against them.
Grunkle Stan hugged the infinity sack and reclined in the living room saying, "Kids, you done good. I'm ashamed that you kept this a secret from me. Your own Grunkle! But as always, you were impressive back there, figuring out stuff that only nerds like my brother can really understand. So how about we then split this treasure evenly, I take 90%, and you two split the rest!"
A massive wrestling match ensued as Mabel and Dipper jumped on their great uncle and tried to tear the bag away from him. Their laughter could be heard echoing through the forest.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Back in town, Shandra Himenez turned down Toby Determined once again. As he shuffled away cursing his marbles, Connerheart swooped down and carried him off.
"Not again," Toby wailed.
"Reckon we should do something about that," Deputy Durland said to Sheriff Blubs.
"Only after I'm done with my coffee," Blubs said, and he proceeded to take a very slow, long sip from his cup.
TIVZHB'H WRMVI MLD HVIEVH YVZIWVW KZMXZPVH
DRGS YIRTSG IVW QZN!
WLM'G ZHP…