I do not own Gravity Falls.
CC: Wendy Corduroy (Lumberchick); Stanley Pines (StantheMan); Dipper Pines (GhostHarasserfan); Mabel Pines (ShootingStarRainbowUnicorn)
From: Soos Ramirez (QuestionMarkDude)
Subject: It's finally time
Today's the day, dudes. After almost four months, I'm gonna nail the S from the sign back into place. No longer will we be the Mystery Hack. Let's get this done.
See all messages in this thread (Expand)
Dipper Pines: Is it weird that I feel weird about Soos doing this?
Mabel Pines: Nope. It's totally weird.
Stanley Pines: How did that stupid letter fall off anyway?
Mabel Pines: It was Dipper's fault.
Dipper Pines: Okay, no, it was wax Sherlock Holmes' fault. He's the one that knocked it off.
Stanley Pines: Stop making up stories and accept responsibility for your summer-long mistake.
Dipper Pines: I'm not going to accept responsibility for something I didn't do. Plus, it was just one mistake. We were all too lazy to fix it, so it lasted all summer. Not like anyone really noticed anyway.
Soos Ramirez: If I'm fixing up the Shack, I gotta fix the sign. Or else it won't fit with the rest of the décor.
Mabel Pines: That's true. We can't have a frumpy looking sign for a spic-and-span Mystery Shack!
Wendy Corduroy: Yeah, if it's one thing the Shack will never be, it's spic-and-span. It will always be in shambles. You're trying too hard, Soos.
Soos Ramirez: C'mon Wendy, we can at least make the sign like new, if nothing else.
Wendy Corduroy: I'm pretty sure we tried that once. It fell off immediately after.
Soos Ramirez: Please?
Wendy Corduroy: Fine. I'll be over in a bit, dude.
Soos Ramirez: Sweet!
Stanley Pines: Hey! How come you were never that accommodating with me?
Wendy Corduroy: Because you're a rude old codger and I miss giving you a hard time. Soos isn't nearly as argumentative as you are.
Stanley Pines: Tch. You better enjoy it, because the summer management will be cracking down upon his return.
Soos Ramirez: Let's put this S back where it belongs!
Mabel Pines: Can we watch? This is like, a historic moment!
Dipper Pines: Little bit over exaggerated, but I'd like to see how this plays out.
Stanley Pines: You losers have fun. Call and show me the finished product, if you manage to make it that far.
Hands slung lazily in her jean pockets, Wendy strode across the grassy lawn towards the Mystery Shack, her blue-and-white cap tilted slightly over her eyes. Soos was already outside, standing on the ground and staring up at the broken sign with thoughtful eyes.
"Yo," she called, alerting her friend to her presence.
"Hey, Wendy," he greeted cheerfully, turning to look at her. "Thanks for comin' out to help."
Wendy smiled. "Well, I guess I wasn't doing anything anyway. Am I getting paid for this?"
"Sure."
"Yeah, next summer is gonna be a hard readjustment," laughed Wendy. "Especially to my paycheck."
Since Stan and Ford would return to the Mystery Shack for the summer, Soos had offered to give Stan control of the Shack anytime he was back in town. Not much of his and Abuelita's stuff occupied the already-stocked home, and his old house was still under his Abuelita's name. As far as they were all concerned, Stan would always be Mr. Mystery, and the Shack would always be the Pines' home.
"We're just waiting on the hambones," spoke Soos. "They should be calling soon."
Glancing over her shoulder, Wendy noticed a laptop balanced on a stack of crates, a distance away from where they were standing. The webcam was ready to go and already displayed their images on the screen.
"Cool. Where's Melody at?"
"She's running the gift shop while we do this."
Tring! Tring! Tring!
"Woo, our homies!" cheered Wendy. She hurried over to the laptop and selected the Accept button. The twins' faces soon filled the screen and they waved in greeting.
"Hey!" shouted Mabel with a wide grin.
"How's it going?" added Dipper.
"Not much yet, dudes," said Soos, coming over and holding his hand up. "Virtual high-five!"
Dipper and Mabel lightly smacked their hands against their webcam, pretending it was Soos' waiting hand. "We'll provide the commentary while you work away," said Dipper with a laugh. "Good luck."
"Thanks," snorted Wendy. "Let's get this over with."
Picking up the laptop, Soos walked over to the ladder leaning against the Mystery Shack. He climbed up first with Wendy following behind. They stepped carefully to the falling-apart roof and stared at the red wooden S lying haphazardly on the roof.
"It kinda looks comfortable there," observed Mabel.
Soos set the laptop beside the toolbox, which was already set up. He picked up a hammer and some nails. "You wanna hold it for me?"
"Sure." Wendy picked up the S and held it in place. "How's that?"
"A little crooked," answered Mabel.
"Babe, I'm pretty sure the entire Shack is kinda crooked. And I'm not talking about your uncle's business skills."
"Fair point," she conceded.
Soos hammered the nails into the top and bottom of the S. When he finished, Wendy let go and they all stared at it. After a beat, the wooden letter fell back to the roof, kicking up a slight cloud of dirt as it landed.
"Okay…maybe more nails?" suggested Dipper.
They tried again, with Soos putting in twice as many as nails to keep it fastened to the plank of wood. But the same thing happened and it tumbled off only a moment later. Wendy set her hands on her hips with a frown. "Alright, now this is ridiculous."
"What if you tried staples?" suggested Mabel. "Or hot glue? Or screws? Or tape? Or everything?"
Soos and Wendy exchanged glances before nodding in determination. "Sounds good," declared Soos. "No matter what, we shall prevail!"
It took a minute to gather all of the supplies, but the two were soon back at it, sticking nails, screws, staples, tape and other adhesives to the back of the S and then to the spot where the letter would go.
"If this doesn't work, I declare the sign cursed," spoke Dipper, watching his friends work.
"Tape fixes everything," said Mabel optimistically.
"Okay, I think we got it," said Wendy. She assisted Soos in pressing the letter in its spot, holding it firmly down for a minute before stepping away.
"The moment of truth," breathed Mabel.
They stared intently at the troublesome consonant, and after a long stretch of time they erupted into cheering when it stayed in place.
"The Mystery Shack is whole again!" cried Dipper dramatically.
"Good job, guys!" praised Mabel.
"Fist bumps all around!" whooped Wendy, bumping her knuckles against Soos' fist before lightly tapping the laptop screen, where the twins had their fists held up. "Geez. That took longer than it should have."
"Let's call Grunkle Stan," said Mabel eagerly.
"Yeah! I'm sure he'll be happy to know that fixing the sign didn't cost a cent," said Soos. He typed a few keys and soon Stan's face joined the video-chat. "Hey, Mr. Pines!"
"Hey," greeted Wendy with a smile.
Stan surveyed them with slight amusement. "It's been almost two hours since Soos sent out that e-mail. Don't tell me you've been working on that stupid sign since then."
"You should appreciate their dedication," insisted Mabel.
"Stubborn persistence is more like it," snorted Stan. "Alright, let's see the fruits of your labour."
Wendy lifted up the laptop and moved cautiously to the edge of the roof. She tilted the screen so that Stan could get a full view of the repaired sign. For a while, the five of them stared at it, and then Stan spoke.
"Yeah…I don't like it."
"Me neither, now that I've had a proper look at it," admitted Dipper, nose wrinkled slightly. "It looks…out of place."
"It feels like we lost an old friend," said Mabel sadly.
"I don't think I can come to work under these conditions," said Wendy seriously.
"Definitely weird," agreed Soos, scratching his head. "Maybe some things are better left alone."
His friends chimed in their agreement. Soos walked over to the S and tugged at it until it ripped from the wooden plank. It lay flat on the roof, where it belonged, and he dusted off his hands. "Much better."
Dipper could not help but be amused. "Are we weird for feeling this strongly over a tourist trap sign?"
"Oh, totally," confirmed Mabel.
"Something's wrong with us," agreed Wendy.
"We're a little off alright," cackled Stan.
"We're not entirely normal, but that's cool," said Soos dismissively.
"Just want to make sure I'm not the only one who thinks so."
Hey, I thought you and Wendy were fixing the sign today. What happened?
-Melody Travers
We realized the error of our ways, and learned that we cannot mess with the natural course of fate.
-Soos Ramirez
You and the others didn't like it, did you?
-Melody Travers
Yeah, that too.
-Soos Ramirez
