"We have a doctorate degree in hunkiness! Also criminal and international law."
"Is the entire ground a bouncy castle? "Do I hear 80s music?" "And does the air smell like childlike wonder?"
"Yeah! Wiggity-Wiggity-whats up, dude-bros? I'm Dippy Fresh! I like skateboarding, supporting my sister, and punctuating every sentence with a high five!"
Hello again everyone! I'm back with a new chapter, as promised. Sorry it has been taking too long, I'm afraid I can't really put these out regularly at this point. Hopefully in the future. But anyway, this happened to come out on Christmas (it isn't a special or anything, I just happened to finish this now. Or then, since many of you will be reading this way into the future. Hi future people! How ya doing? Do we still use cars in your time? Who's President? Yeah.. that was awkward). Merry Christmas! Anyway, my thoughts on "Escape From Reality": That was a really, really good episode. It wasn't quite as funny as the last episode, but was just as crazy, although it had more of a Mabel-crazy than a Bill-crazy. This episode really made me sure that they will nail the finale, which would give them a near perfect series. Honestly, I think if they really get the finale right, Gravity Falls might just replace Avatar as my all-time favorite show. Both have simply been amazing. Anyway, back to the point, this episode served a really important focus for the series as a whole. Not only did we reunite the Mystery Twins, but we also find Stan and the rest of the survivors. But what was truly important about this episode was to remind us of just why we care about Dipper and Mabel. Why we care about them individually, why we care about them together (and no I do not mean pinecest), why they are so powerful working together, and just how much they need each other. It was a truly heartwarming episode that I will remember as one of my favorites. And now on to the story.
Chapter 10
The car creaked to a halt outside the small house. Stan sighed. He didn't really want to be doing this. He had asked around town for Fiddleford McGucket, and had gotten directions from a nice old couple running a convenience store that he lived here. Most people only knew him as a friend of Stanley's, and Stan couldn't find any worthwhile information about him. Like Stanley he was a recluse to the rest of the town, a mysterious stranger they tolerated. Besides what Stanley had told him, Stan was going in blind.
It was a small, simple place. A tiny house on a tiny plot of land, a couple of trees on opposite sides of the front yard, one with a tire swing hanging off the lowest, sturdiest branch. A swing set stood vigil next to the fence, a small wooden thing. Stan got out of the car, scoping out the place. He had a history of needing quick escapes, and searching them out had become a habit of his. Just because this place didn't look dangerous didn't mean it wouldn't be. He knocked on the front door, unsure of what kind of man would answer. After a few moments he knocked again. Maybe Fiddleford was out for groceries or something. Stanley wouldn't have sent him here if Fiddleford was gone. He knocked again.
"No one is ever going to answer." Said a soft voice behind him.
Stan whirled around to see a kid standing by the fence gate. He had light brown hair, a large nose, and wore a beat up cap low over his eyes. His clothes were dirty and scruffy, as though he had been wearing them for quite a while. His mouth quivered as though he wanted to cry but couldn't let himself.
Stan quickly regained his composure. "Uh, who are you? And do you know if Fiddleford McGucket lives here?"
The kid was quiet for a moment. Stan remembered the swing set, and then the tire swing, and put two and two together. "Oh crap… you…. he has a kid… aw shit."
"He's gone." The kid muttered sullenly. "He's been gone for a few months. And he's never coming back."
Bad news for Stan. "What do you mean he's gone, kid? He isn't… dead, is he? Speak up!"
"Something happened to him. He changed. I was used to him not caring about me, but it got to where it didn't even seemed like he knew who I was anymore. Then he just disappeared one day." His expression got darker. "I don't know where he went, and I don't really care. I'm better off without him."
Stan didn't know what to do. Now Fiddleford was lost and Stan had no way of finding him. All his leads were gone, and all he knew was that he needed this Fiddleford guy and Stanley's journals to fix that damn machine in Stanley's basement. Without those he couldn't get his brother back. But how was he going to find Fiddleford now?
"You got a name, kid?" Stan asked gruffly.
The kid hesitated before answering. "Tate McGucket."
"Now Tate, I'm looking for your dad. He can help me find something I'm looking for, so I need to find him. Do you have any idea where he could have gone? Anything he might have said?"
"I told you, nothing." Tate spat back. "Dad left and I don't want him to come back. There is food in the fridge and I don't have to do any chores. Life is perfect!"
Stan glanced back at the house. "Where's your mom kid?" Was this kid all alone? Stan had a sneaking suspicion that McGucket's disappearance wasn't just his problem.
"She's back at home. I would call her, but I can't. I don't know her number."
Poor kid. Stan knew what he was going though, to be all alone. He had felt that way for more years than he could count.
"Hey kid. I'm gonna go look around for your dad. You can come with me, if you want. This place hasn't had its bills paid in a while, I reckon. And I could get you a burger or something."
The kid considered it for a moment. But then he drew away. "My mom always told me never to get rides from strangers."
Stan nodded slowly. "Yeah, I wouldn't trust me either. Take care kid." His hands in his pockets, he walked back to his car. Hopefully McGucket hadn't left town. Stan just had to check everywhere.
It ended up taking all day and well into night.
The car creaked to a halt outside the dump. Stan sighed. Junk was all over the place. He had been forced to park on top of half a mattress, and it was as good as he could have gotten in this mess.
Stan looked left and right, seeing large mounds of garbage and huge ruined sculptures of what had once been a boat, a pile of cars, and small building. "This is sick." He muttered, walking on a half-rotted dresser. "There is no way anyone is out here." But he had to make sure. He couldn't afford to leave any bit of this place unturned. His brother needed him.
He spent half an hour searching, and he soon became sure that this place was indeed empty. He would have to check somewhere else. Maybe McGucket had left town…
"'You'll be able to find him easily enough' my ass, Stanley." He muttered, quoting the letter his brother had left him.
He had almost reached his car when he heard something cough. He whirled around, but there was no one there. He was about to walk away again when a glass bottle fell and broke, about twenty yards ahead of him. Stan picked up a broken bar of metal off the ground and approached carefully. There was a hole there, something he had missed before. He looked carefully in the hole. There was something moving in there. An animal? A person?
"NO NO NO DON'T HURT ME!" The man squealed. Stan backed up. Anyone living in this place would be very dangerous. Or at the very least have diseases.
"Come on out! Now!" Stan ordered the person. He held up his bar of metal, just in case.
The man crawled out of the hole slowly, standing very awkwardly, as though he had been crouching for a long time. Heck, he probably had. He had a scraggly blonde beard with hints of grey in it, and wore a large, brimmed hat. He didn't look that old, so Stan figured it was his living conditions. "Don't you worry about me, I'm no danger… DON'T HIT ME DON'T HIT ME DON'T HIT ME!"
Stan was taken aback. This man must be a lunatic. "Calm down…."
"Imma find me some beans! Mmmm I love me some beans!" the man said, cackling. "When Gravity Falls and Earth becomes Sky, fear the beast with just one eye! NOOOOOOO NONONONONONONO! GOTTA MAKE THE VOICES STOP, MAKE EM GO AWAY!" he dropped down to the ground and crawled back into his hole.
Stan backed away. This was fucking crazy. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Answer me, dammit!"
But the psycho trash dweller was lost in his own world again. "Ooh hoo, where did I put my glasses? They were mighty dern expensive, McGucket liked those. I would love some bacon, hot dog! Maybe some rat could do for now."
"Hey wait!" Stan exclaimed. "Did you say McGucket? As in Fiddleford McGucket?"
This seemed to catch the man's attention. "Yessiree I did, I reckon. I know a McGucket. Also know a badger, too, if you be needing one of those."
"No, I just need this McGucket guy. Do you know where I can find him?"
"Oh yeah I know where he's at! Come follow me, I'll show you McGucket!" the crazy man scampered out of the hole and ran deeper into the junkyard. Stan quickly followed, happy to have at last found a lead to McGucket. He was one step closer!
They traveled quickly, through an elaborate path of junk terrain. Over waste, under garbage, and wading through trash, it was disgusting work. It quickly all became a blur, and Stan was soon hopelessly lost. Now this lunatic could be his only way out of here, at least until morning. And he didn't want to stay overnight.
"Lookie here! I found him!" the crazy man shouted.
Stan caught up. "Wha? Where is he? Where's McGucket?"
The lunatic reached into a mound of trash and pulled out a squirming, angry badger. "See? See? I told you I would find my badger! Isn't he just the cutest darn thing you ever did see?"
"Dammit! Where is McGucket at?" Stan said angrily.
"McGucket? Ha that's what they call me! Ya should a just asked!" the lunatic grinned toothily.
Stan's heart sunk. This was McGucket? This couldn't be McGucket. Stanley had called him a crazy genius. But this guy was just crazy. What a disappointment. Stan suddenly remembered what the kid had told him. Something happened to him. He changed. I was used to him not caring about me, but it got to where it didn't even seemed like he knew who I was anymore. Then he just disappeared one day. Maybe this really was McGucket. But then what had happened to him?
McGucket was trying to gnaw on his own foot, and the badger was trying to help. No, this man couldn't help get Stanley back. He was a lost cause. Just another dead end lead. But then Stan remembered something. The journal! McGucket might not be any help, but the journal still could be. It had everything Stanley knew about this damn town, including how to build that machine!
"Hey you, cooko brain, where did you put the journal?" Stan asked McGucket urgently.
McGucket looked up from his gnawing. "Journal? Now what in tarnation would I need one of those for?"
Stan sighed. That was all the answer he needed to know that McGucket didn't know where it was. At least, not anymore. But where could it be? The house was the most likely answer, but Stan had been let down enough so far to know that he would be very lucky indeed to find it where he hoped it was. Well he had better go check anyway. Maybe he could bring the kid some food or something. It was the least he could do.
"Hey, can you lead me back to my car?" Stan asked McGucket. The crazy coot got a gleam in his eye and Stan had a feeling he wouldn't find his car for a while. He sighed as McGucket once again lead him through the maze of trash.
Tate McGucket sat on his porch, feeling sorry for himself. Why hadn't he just gone with that man? He hadn't been able to eat much besides pinecones and berries in a couple of weeks and when a chance to finally eat real food again had come he let it pass! What was wrong with him? Maybe his dad had been right to leave him. He was just a sorry excuse for a son, wasn't he?
"Hey." Said a voice nearby.
Tate looked up to see a child standing there in the yard. The wind picked up and lightning flashed behind him. He had a weird smile, one that seemed bigger than it should be. And were his eyes almost yellow?
"Uh, hey." Tate answered, unsure.
The boy's gaze seemed to see beyond Tate and see inside of him as well. "You look lonely. My name is Bi-Tad, and I'll be your friend. What's your name?"
"Tate." He said unsurely. "Tate McGucket."
It seemed impossible, but somehow Tad's smile got even bigger. "Oh good, good. Tell me, Tate, was your father ever reading a book? One with a number on it? Because I would VERY much like to see it."
The lightning flashed again before everything became black. Everything but those yellow eyes.
So what do you guys think of this chapter? As you can tell, I'm trying to give some of the characters that wouldn't have normally gotten much insight in the show (such as Tad Strange, Tate McGucket, and others) a chance to breathe and even shine on their own. I will try to integrate even more of the less explored aspects of Gravity Falls in time, and I have a good idea of where I'm going with Stan's side of the story. Stanley's (Ford's) isn't quite as clear to me, but I'll live. So while I'm here, I'd like to bring up the fact that the show is ending. Like most of you, it breaks my heart to see this amazing show leave us. But as much as it hurts, I know it's the right thing to do. I think they could have done on for a third season if they had made "Not What He Seems" the season two finale, but Alex Hirsh has made his decision and I will respect that. It's better to go out Avatar-style than to keep going like SpongeBob has, so I think they are making the right choice. It's sad to see them go, but at least we will have great memories to hold on to. Besides, as Dipper would tell us, even though the story has ended it doesn't mean the mysteries are over. So hold on to that. Before I go, I'd like to remind you to fave, follow, and review, and be sure to check out my other stuff. I released a Star Wars one shot a week ago to pay my respects to the new movie, so check that out. Also, if you have any recommendations for the Pokémon story I mentioned before be sure to PM me or tell me in your review. Thanks for reading, guys! I really appreciate it! Till next time! #TakeBackTheFalls
"Mabeland's rainbows have colors only bees and art students could see."
"Hand me a microphone, Xyler" (drops mic) "Totally righteous, bro!" "Are we even brothers?" "I don't know!"
"Hey take a chill pill! Those grow on trees here!"
"Flip-a-dip-dip!"(I know I quoted Dippy Fresh a lot, and I don't particularly like him as a character but damn is he quotable)