Gravity Rises

Double Dipper

"Why are we going to this party, again?" Mabel asked for the umpteenth time. She was wondering if she was being too quiet again, or if everyone was just ignoring her.

"Because it's a town party for all the young people," Dipper imitated the old lady who had told them about this party in the first place. He returned to his normal voice, "Plus, Wendy will be there."

Mabel rolled her eyes. She didn't want to encourage this behavior, but her brother was stubborn. Even if she tried to explain that she was fifteen, and he was twelve, he would have put some annoyingly optimistic spin on the situation and ignored her. Like usual.

"It's a family event," Ford explained while adjusting his coat and tie, "And I agreed to help host it."

"Lazy Susan pulled you into it, didn't she?"

Ford sighed, "That woman is like social quicksand."

Mabel shook her head. Looks like the only one of them set on having a good time was Dipper, and that was sure to end in tragedy as well.

They drove their way through town and to the high school. The gymnasium had been rented out for the event, a town meet n' greet where everyone in Gravity Falls shows up to gossip and chat about endlessly. There was a place for the grown-ups, and the dancefloor was reserved for the kids.

Local, self-employed handyman Soos was working as the DJ for the day's events. He worked with Ford often, and he had become good friends with Dipper on their first day here. The teens had taken the dancefloor, standing around with punch and milling about. Many looked to be just as excited to be here as Mabel was. The younger kids (i.e. those not old enough (or tall enough) to be in high school) took the corners and walls of the room, shuffling around the teens like gazelle trying to avoid lions.

"Well," Ford said, "You kids have fun, I have to go… make my rounds, as it were, with the locals."

With that, he left Dipper and Mabel to the mercy of the event.

"Whelp," Dipper said, puffing out his chest, "Time to go mingle. Catch you around."

"Wait, where're you-?" Mabel tried to reach out to him, but he was gone. Great, now she didn't even have Dipper to hang out with.

The "party" went on forever. Mabel spent her time hiding from conversations by the punch bowl, endlessly sipping on her cup of punch. Every now and then, she'd spot Dipper in the crowd, trying to strike up a conversation with the teens, who ignored him or laughed awkwardly at the small fry who thought he was a big shot. Whenever Mabel spotted him, she would try to glare at him, silently sending him all of her disgust towards him, but he never turned to her or gave any indication that he was aware of her. That kid must have been working on some serious caffeine, Mabel could swear at one point she saw two of them. Maybe she was just tired, or someone spiked the punchbowl when she wasn't looking.

"Hiding out by the punch bowl?"

Mabel snapped her attention to her left, where a boy had appeared from nowhere. He had white hair and spoke with a southern accent. He wore a rhinestone suit and bolo tie. Honestly, the only thing he was missing was the cowboy hat.

"Uh, yeah," Mabel answered, coughing slightly.

He saw that she was staring at his suit. "Yeah, this wasn't my first choice either," he said, "That dress looks nice on you though."

Mabel was surprised he could tell. She had worn the dress Ford had gotten her- a modest white number with sleeves and a billowy skirt- but she had kept her orange jacket on over it this entire time. Ford had said this was a formal event, but none of the older teens were dressed particularly well for this. She spotted Wendy wearing flannel and a bowtie.

"Thanks," she answered, taking another sip from her cup.

"My dad wants me to socialize more," he said, "thinks I'm becoming some kind of shut in."

Mabel snorted. "Well, I'm a shut-in, and I would never have started up a conversation like you have. So I guess you're in the clear."

"Heh, tell that to my dad," he chuckled, "My name's Gideon, by the way."

"Mabel," she answered back.

Oh God, was she doing this? She was actually holding a conversation with another person? What should she talk about now? Does he start? Does she start? Who starts first?

She was so busy panicking that she missed the question.

"What?" She asked.

"Have you seen anything strange in this town?" Gideon repeated.

"Uh..." Mabel set down her plastic cup decisively, "Nonspecific- I mean- Gotta go."

She marched off to a roped off hallway, where the teachers' lounge and restrooms were located. The lounge was open and full of laughing grownups who took turns switching out to check on the kids. Mabel went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. She was so glad she wasn't the type to wear make-up.

"I hate small talk," she told her reflection, who silently gave her an equally irritable look to let her know that she agreed. Talking is the worst.

She finished up and walked out, bumping into Ford.

"Oh, hey kiddo," he greeted, appearing thankful that he ran into someone he knew. "How's the night going for you?"

"Terrible," Mabel said, feeling the need to complain, "I mean, why do people have to talk to each other? Why can't we just... enjoy the quiet?"

Ford sighed and got down on one knee in front of her.

"Socializing is a skill humans have developed for strategy in hunting, and to end things peacefully with rival groups. It is a skill that some, like your brother, have honed like a sharp blade. People like us do not have that special ability, which is why we need to practice more than others. Yes, it is easier to shut yourself out from the rest of the world, but talking to people becomes more and more a chore until..." He sighed, looking back at the room he exited, "You're the madman of Gravity Falls."

Mabel looked away, ashamed. That was what the townsfolk referred him as when they think her family was out of earshot. There was even one time where a child services agent was called to investigate the house, since Dipper and Mabel were living there for the break.

"Try to socialize a little more," Ford told her, "I know it's going outside your comfort zone, but who knows? You might find some adventure while you're here."

Great Uncle Ford, you have no idea, Mabel thought internally. She nodded.

He got up and straightened his bowtie. "Back into the fray," he waved and returned to the lounge.

Mabel also "returned to the fray," entering the dance floor one more time. She looked around for Gideon, but he had disappeared. So Mabel searched further until she spotted two girls sitting by themselves off in one corner of the room. Okay, so... baby steps.

She walked up to them and tried a friendly smile, in contrasted to her speeding heart.

"Hi," she said over the music, "I'm Mabel. Is this seat taken?"

The duo shook their heads and Mabel sat down.

"I am Candy," the little Korean girl introduced, "and this is Grenda."

She gestured to the girl sitting next to her, who was holding a pet iguana. "I thought bringing Reggie would help spark conversations," she said dejectedly.

"It's cute," Mabel said, reaching over to pet it.

New music started to play, and the teens started to dance. Er, at least, the dancefloor cleared up a little bit. Now everyone was grabbing partners and dancing like maniacs.

"We could dance," Mabel offered, "Or try to, in my case."

The two girls looked at each other and smiled. They got up and the trio danced with each other without a care in the world. Mabel didn't care who was watching her or how ridiculous she probably looked. She made two new friends today.

At one point, Mabel felt someone tap her shoulder. She spun around, expecting Gideon to have reappeared (though as to why she was expecting him, she had no idea), but she found her brother instead. He was huffing, out of breath, and his bowtie was undone.

"Mabel…" he huffed, "I could use your help…"

Mabel crossed her arms, remembering how irritated she was with him.

"It's rude to interrupt someone when they're dancing," Mabel told him, "Also not introducing yourself to my friends. Also ditching me at the start of this party."

"Sorry," he apologized, but there was a glimmer of pride in his eye when she mentioned friends. He didn't press it further, instead just continuing with the conversation. "Ladies, apologies." He tipped an invisible hat. "Mabel, I need your help."

She sighed and turned to the girls.

"Do you have a pen?" she asked them, "or a sharpie?"

Candy handed her one and she wrote her phone number on Grenda's arm.

"Let's all hang out sometime," she told them. She was then led away by her brother.

"What's so wrong that you can't handle it yourself?" Mabel asked her.

"Uh…" Dipper thought for a second. "It involves a copy machine… and an uprising of other me's."

"Of course," Mabel said, "How silly of me to think that you haven't messed with something."

Greetings, fellow Fallers! Thank you for reading this far, and I am sorry about some of the au's you might have wanted to see here. Some of them are interesting, but I can't really think of a decent way to include them. However, more one-shots abound for universes like this.

Thank you again, and see y'all next time.