Hey guys! I appriciate all of the positive comments back in Chapter 9! Sorry for the long wait. School finals are gonna happen in the next few weeks, and I have to start studying soon. Having said that, there will be an announcement at the end of this chapter. Anyways, Mabel will return in chapter 11 where more secrets will be revealed about Mailliw, and the new character, Llib. Chapter 10 consists with Dipper and Stanley...well, I don't want to give too much away. I'm happy you're all still enjoying it! Let's get a move on with Chapter 10 of Alternate Universe

-Williebadger618

Chapter 10: Tasks Underway

Location: Gravity Falls

Dipper's POV:

"You have a p-p-p-p...a p-p-p-p..." I had such a difficult time getting the words out since I was too shell shocked to say anything in one piece. I can't believe that the author had a portal down here this whole time, and I didn't find it the first time I came. I should have stayed in this room longer and discovered this instead of almost getting killed by the shapeshifter.

Unable to get any clear sentences out, I felt a small shove make contact with my body, which made me lose my balance slightly. I looked back up towards the author and he shot me an annoyed glare. "Spit it out kid!" He said. Boy, someone seems to be in a nasty mood all of a sudden.

"You have a portal?" I finally ask excitedly, but also a little nervous. Stanley walked up close towards the ninty percent complete portal, and I followed slowly behind. I saw lose wires and unfinshed pieces by the outer rims and corners of the device and since it was so close to be finished, I figured around a couple of hours. At least I hope I was right.

"Yes. We decided to build a second portal just incase the one under the Mystery Shack malfunctioned. We never got a chance to complete this portal because the device in Stan's lab was complete before this one. I guess Stan and Fiddleford forgot about this machine, but I never did." Stanley said while examining the incomplete parts on the portal.

"This is amazing! I can't believe that there was another portal down here the whole time!" I said, while examining the device and looking at the similar outlook that was in 'Grunkle' Stan's lab. I know that Stan and Stanley are twins, but I was not expecting both machines to be triangle shaped. To me, that seems a little odd, but I don't say it out loud. I didn't how he would react if I said it.

Getting no reply from the author, I decided to speak up again, and ask him about an estimated time range for the full completion of this teleportation device. Looking from my perspective, I think I could easily finish this in under a few hours. After all, I did join forces to work with a 'talking' scientific pig a few weeks ago. If I was able to complete the "Smarticle Accelerator" in a few hours, I'm pretty sure I have the capability to join forces with Stanley, and finish the portal in a short amount of time. I crossed everything in my body when I heard the author begin to answer my inquiry. However, I guess luck seemed to be repelling from me, since his answer, was not the one I was looking for.

He walked into his seperate lab, where he examined the parts of his rusted and dirty metal table along with the old computer screens that were either cracked, or broken down completely. I followed him in the lab as well, biting my lower lip for a good answer to my question I asked a short time ago. I heard him sigh aloud, in a seemingly frusterated and doubtful way. When he exhaled, my hope was draining out of me like a faucet. "Well, looking up close with this device, I can easily tell that the wiring is definitely shot. The devices in the seperate lab room need to be redone. The interiors itself would take the most time to fix up completely and correctly." He stated while observing some damages. "That doesn't sound good." I said to myself. "Maybe there's something good in this whole thing that he just didn't say yet." I knew he wasn't done. There was still more to his answer, and I was really hoping that it would end up being a good one.

"If I had to say an estimated time frame, I would think around..." Stanely said while calculating the time it would take to complete the portal. "A few hours." I said to myself confidently. "a few days." Stanley concluded.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head and I almost fell backwards. "A few days? C'mon, there's not that much stuff that needs to be done." I protest towards the author. He had to get that; a ninty percent portal means that it should take only a few hours to complete it. (At least in my book)

"Well yeah, it will only take a few hours to physically complete all of the wiring, and replace some of the damages." He said. "Haha! I knew I was right!" I said to myself, but he continued talking. "However, it needs to be activated. Once it's fully complete, and has enough power sources to actually function properly, you're looking at a few days; maybe a few weeks until it's actually up and running efficiantly." He concluded while looking at the triangle machine once again. "You've got to be kidding" I said in my mind.

"How long do you think it took until your brother's portal reached its maximum power?" I asked him. He gave me an "Are you serious?" look, like I don't comprehend something important in time or some sort.

"Dipper, you do realize that I've been gone for the past thirty years. How do you honestly think I know how long it took Stanford to activate the portal underneath the Shack?" He asked me in an annoyed tone. I don't bother replying back since I didn't really want to pick an argument with him. Was he still upset that Stanford was taken into custody? I don't know. Was he annyoed with me that I kept asking him questions? I don't know. Heck, my number one priorty right now, is saving my twin sister from that alternate universe, and I haven't asked him one thing about the journals. Maybe I'll ask him later when my sister's back. I don't know.

He then turned around and walked out of the lab and up the wooden stairs of the metal tree to the ground level. I followed him a short time later, and stood by him as we stayed silent for a while. Owl's could be heard from a far along with the lighting bugs lighting up the big pine trees as if they were decorated for the holidays. Mabel would have loved to see this scene; if she was here, she'd probably glue the lightening bugs to the braches and place a giant star on top of the plant, so it seemed like a Christmas Tree. Her creative imagination can take her to wonderous places sometimes. Others times...well, let's not go to far.

After what seemed like forever, I grew tired and stubborn just standing around and not uttering anything in the outdoors. I actually yawned, while stretching some of the aching bones in my body. I didn't know if it was due to not doing anything, or being awake for sixteen hours straight; it had to be around 11:00 at night right now, for all I knew.

"Tired kid?" Stanley asked me as he patted me on my back a little. I didn't expect him to question my actions, and I only nodded back to him. Of course I was tired, but sleep didn't matter right now. I wanted to at least start working on the final pieces of the portal before my body shut down for eight hours. Or better yet, no sleep. If I don't sleep, then we can finish the final touches tonight, and work on the lab stuff all day tomorrow. It seemed like the perfect plan I made inside my head, but I then let out another yawn. "Why don't you get some rest kid?" He asked me in a calm and stern way.

"No." I said while letting out another yawn. "I want to get some things on the portal, fixed up and then I'll rest." I state tiredly.

"I'm actually going to start working on the portal tomorrow. Don't you want to get some rest Dipper? It's been a long, stressful day, and you've been through a lot." He stated while letting out a yawn as well. I must have passed it on to him.

"Good point, but don't you think it's important that we should at least start a few things on that portal?" I asked.

"What's important is that you get some rest. We'll worry about the portal tomorrow." Stanley said while directing me back down to the metal tree. He sat me down on his old, dusty bed, and told me to get some rest. I'd tried to protest but nothing I said, changed his mind. He really wanted me to sleep, and so I layed back and stared at the ceiling as he sat in his lab chair.

I remained stairing up at the ceiling in the bunker, thinking about Mabel and how the alternate universe may be treating her. I had no idea if she was captured, in trouble, or was in close to death situations. Even though I'm the younger twin by five minutes, it's important that I'm always there for her, and always protecting her. I know she didn't press the button back there, and I know she didn't listen to me and chose to listen to "Conman Stan", but I literally dropped everything. My anger, my feeling of betrayal, and my million questions I wanted to ask Stanley Pines: the author of the six-fingered journals; volumes one, two, and three. I know what's important to me right now, and it's fixing that portal.

And I know what else is important to me right now; and that's saving Mabel in the alternate universe.

Alright, this concludes chapter 10! Once again, sorry for the long wait. Now comes the announcement!

Because of my school finals, I will not have time to update this story for two weeks. My last day of school is on June 18 (Which is also on Alex Hirsch's birthday!) However, my last final is on June 15. So if you're thinking about an update, figure around the week of June 15. Sorry for the little pause, but I gotta pass my finals if I wanna continue on, and not get held back.

Question: Do you think Mabel will encounter Llib in Chapter 11? What are your predictions for Chapter 11?

Leave your answers in the reviews please!

Thanks for the understanding, and I will see you all in Chapter 11!

Reviews always welcome!

R&R

-Williebadger618