Author's Note: In this chapter, Dipper and Mabel discover it's Soos' birthday! However, the twins learn quick Soos never wants to have a birthday again, due to something personal having happened on that day. Meanwhile, Blendin seeks revenge against the twins who ruined his career! Will Dipper and Mabel find a way to save Soos' birthday, or perish from Blendin' vengeance here in Chapter 54: Blendin's Game AU!
Family Tree:
Stanley and Carla - James and Jessie Pines
Stanford and Addi - Shauna, Shannon Pines and Shifty Pines
James Pines and Tara Grayson - Cormac (19), Arya, Aria, and Anais Pines (15)
Jessie Pines and Lillian Prescott - Tanya (21), Stanley Jr aka Junior, (16) and Tyrone Pines (14)
Shauna Pines and Marcus Valdez - Quincy Pines (7)
Shifty Pines and Tate McGucket - Isaac McGucket (14)
Shannon Pines and Clyde Bone (dating) - Drake Bone (5)
Tanya Pines, Frederick "Fred" Palovich, and Kyle Harper - Cadence Pines (unborn)
Enjoy Fellow Gravity Fallers!
In the incredibly far distant future of 207̃012….
Blendin Blandin escaped from the Infinetentiary not too long ago, now running for his life with a black hooded cape concealing his face while Lolph and Dundgren were in hot pursuit of him. The alarm going off across the futuristic city. Images of the Time Baby's face everywhere as he supremely ruled everything with an iron-baby-fist. The screens on the nearby buildings flash a warning that read in orange letters on a red background, "Emergency! Escaped convict on the loose. Emergency!"
Blendin takes a moment to turn around to check if he's being pursued, to his dismay, he was by the very same men who brought him in. Blendin kept running on the street, hearing Loph command, "Halt!"
While running, along with robots and other members of the Time Paradox Avoidance Enforcement Squadron with them, Dundgren comments, "I've got to hand it to this perp, no one's broken out of the Infinitentiary before."
Lolph remarked about Blendin to his partner in response, "He's either the bravest time convict I've ever seen, or the dumbest."
Proving Lolph's point, Blendin was too focused looking behind him that he ran into a nearby wall, letting out an, "Ow!" He stumbles into some barrels and falls over, causing his face to be revealed to all nearby as he rubbed his sore knee, "Oh! My time-knee! Oh, time-dang it!" He looked up to see Dundgren and Lolph caught up to him, the other members surrounding him as well.
Dundgren agreed with Lolph while he pointed a laser gun at Blendin, "Definitely the dumbest."
Lolph exclaims, "Freeze! You're surrounded by the Time Paradox Avoidance Enforcement Squadron. Anything you say can and already has been used against you in future court."
Dundgren takes out the futuristic handcuffs, asking Blendin before arresting him, "This is it, Blendin. End of the timeline. Any last words?"
Blendin had to think fast before he gets imprisoned again. He thought of the only way that stood between his freedom and incarceration again was to proclaim, stammering the invocation, "Uh-uh-uh-uh-I-I-I-I... I INVOKE GLOBNAR!"
The crowd witnessing the apprehension gasp in shock, talking about Globnar amongst themselves. It even surprised Dundgren and Lolph for but a moment before they composed enough to give him a chance by law.
Dundgren takes out a futuristic tablet device when he inquires Blendin, "Very well, speak the name and century of those accused."
Blendin didn't have to think hard at all of the two kids he had in mind, mentioning them almost immediately, "The two kids that ruined my life: Dipper and Mabel Pines. 21st century."
Dundgren typed in Mabel and Dipper's names into the tablet, the clip of the two playfully hitting each other with soft bats while laughing appeared on screen, along with the buildings large screens as well. The words, "GLOBNAR TRIBUTES" appeared over the clip moments after displaying the clip for everyone to see. It caught the eyes of two young adults, showing great concern for the twins on screen as if their own existence was at stake as well.
"So be it. May Time Baby have mercy on their souls," Lolph said in mention of Dipper and Mabel. Blendin hopes he'll have his vengeance against the kids who ruined his career.
Meanwhile at the Mystery Shack in 2012….
Dipper inserts a quarter, inputting numbers and a letter into the vending machine for a bag of candy for him and Mabel to share. The twins chanting in eager anticipation, "Candy! Candy! Candy!" The vending machine attempts to drop the bag, but it gets stuck against the glass. The twins became disappointed of not getting their treat.
"No! It's trapped!" Dipper said when he gasped.
"Everything is terrible forever!" cried out Mabel in dismay.
Much to their relief, Soos comes by to help them out with their problem, "Psst. Hey, dudes! You wanna know a trick?" Soos proceeded to to hit the vending machine a specific way, using his hands and elbow, "Bibbity-boop. Wop!" He successfully propped open the vending machine like a pro, "A genius taught me that once." He takes out several candies for Dipper and Mabel to enjoy, "This just in: weather stations are calling for a... candy blizzard!" He drops the candy into their hands, making the twins smile in sheer delight and thankfulness.
Mabel being too eager to consume her candy, "Forget taking off the wrappers! I'm eating these now!" She stuffed the unwrapped candy in her mouth, proceeding to chew them. She come to regret it soon.
Dipper praised his friend, "Soos, you are the greatest human ever to live."
Mabel began to regret her decision as she started choking on her wrapped candy, "Agh! Oh! That was a mistake!" She collapsed on the floor, proceeding to cough out the candy.
Soos found it not an issue for doing a kind gesture for his friends, "Hey, no sweat, dude." He inserts some more quarters to compensate him taking candy from the machine, "I'd do anything for the Pines family."
From the other room, Stan calls out for Soos' help, "Soos! Need you to come help me and Carla out with this computer! Ford and Addi are too busy!"
Soos confirms to the twins, "And I mean anything!" He calls out to Stan, "Coming Mr. Pines!" He leaves behind his wallet on the nearby table while walking away to help out Stan and Carla.
While Mabel hacks out the remaining candy from her mouth, Dipper noticed Soos left his wallet behind. Dipper goes over and picks up the lonesome wallet, "Whoa! Better makes sure he gets his wallet back."
Mabel got too curious for her own good, wanting to know what contains inside Soos' wallet than just money. She goes up to her brother to say, "Wait! I've never seen Soos' wallet before. Don't you wanna learn some Soos secrets?"
Dipper expressed his hesitation, "I don't know if we should be-" One glance inside the wallet was all it took for Dipper to take out a laser tag membership card from Soos' wallet, reading it, "Wo-oah! Soos has a membership to Laser Tag? Ha ha, I didn't know they let grown-ups in there."
Mabel spots something else in Soos' wallet, "And look." She pulls out the slice of salami with a sticky note attached to it that wrote, "4 emergencies" on it, "Emergency salami! Soos, my respect for you has grown."
Dipper takes out Soos' driver's license with an old cup stain on it, reading what's printed, ""Jésus Alzamirano Ramirez. Organ donor. Birthday: July..."" Dipper gasped, realizing that today was Soos' birthday, "Wait a minute. That's today."
"Woah…." Mabel said in surprise.
Dipper said his thoughts aloud, "That's weird. I wonder why he didn't tell anyone."
Mabel makes her assumptions known, none of them knowing the real reason behind it, "Uh-duh! It's probably because he wants someone to throw him a surprise party; I can relate. I've been waiting for a surprise party my whole life."
Candy Chiu comes running towards Mabel, throwing confetti in the air and cheering, "Surprise!"
Mabel wasn't easily impressed while she turns to face her friend, "Too little, too late, Chiu."
Candy sighs in disappointment, walking sadly away.
Dipper smiled to his sister to ask, "So we're throwing a surprise party for Soos?"
"Yep!" Mabel gets out her cell phone with her cousins names on speed dial, "Gonna call the "cousin crew" to help us out. Starting with Tanya!" She calls Tanya's number and greets when she answers, "Hey Tanya! I got something we can all do today!" She whispers in case Soos was around, "We're gonna throw Soos a surprise birthday-"
To Mabel's shock, Tanya explicitly tells her, "Oh no, no, no, no! Me and Cory will be there asap!" She hung up abruptly to rush over to the Mystery Shack.
"Um, hello? Maybe they wanted us to wait until they get here?" Mabel wondered nervously, her brother looking equally perplexed. She never heard Tanya deny them doing something fun for Soos before.
Suddenly, Tanya herself, along with Cormac, enter the gift shop with annoyed expressions on their faces. They were more worried that the twins will do something they'll end up regretting and upsetting Soos at the same time. Something the two would much rather avoid.
The moment Tanya sees Dipper holding Soos' wallet, it made sense how they could have known about his birthday when no one else mention it. Dipper and Mabel immediately knew they were in trouble.
"You little turds," muttered Tanya under her breath, but Dipper and Mabel still heard her.
Cormac crossed his arms, like a parent about to scold them, and scolding he does, "Why are you two rifling through Soos' wallet without his permission? What he has in there is none of your business."
"Like Ma always said when pickpocketing, just nab the money and book it! But this case is different," said Tanya, looking rather disappointed in the two.
Mabel smiles up at her cousins, "We wanted to know Soos' secrets! Did you know he has emergency salami in his wallet?"
"Yeah, I can smell it from here. He carries a slice in case he's out of salami for a sandwich, I think," admitted Cormac, having smelt it on Soos almost daily.
"Why can't we throw Soos a birthday party? You mean none of you, his best friends, have ever thrown one for him?" frowned Dipper, wanting to know why as did Mabel.
Tanya frowns as she tells them the reason, "Soos hates his birthday."
Dipper and Mabel let out a shocked, "What?" in unison.
Tanya continuing, "Oh we did once for his thirteenth birthday, but… it just made him incredibly uncomfortable and depressed for the rest of the day." Tanya and Cormac guide the twins out of the gift shop and to the backyard, telling them more, "Ever since he was twelve-years old, he never wanted another birthday party - in his name - since. Cory and I also learned a new word that day too."
"Oh…." Dipper says quietly, seeing why they objected the notion of throwing a birthday party for Soos.
"We were there when happened and… let's just say it's very personal to Soos not have any reminders," added Cormac, kneeling down to Dipper and Mabel's height. He placed each hand on their shoulders to say, "I know you both have good intentions throwing him a party, but it's not what he wants."
Mabel questions, really wanting to do something for Soos, "There's gotta be something we can do!"
Dipper adding, "We wanna do something for him at least."
Tanya makes a smile, figuring something out that has worked in the past, "You know, Cory and I would take Soos somewhere he wants to go every year. It has nothing to do with his birthday whatsoever, even if it kinda does in hindsight! Just remember: don't ever bring up his birthday. He gets real depressed whenever it's brought up."
"My lips are sealed!" Dipper said confidently.
It made both twins breathe easier to hear their cousins already have a plan to make Soos happy, even if not to celebrate his birthday exactly.
"Can we invite the others to join us?" Dipper offered, wanting friends and family to possibly participate.
"Sure! Just gonna go get Soos and we'll be going," Tanya tells them with confidence. However, when she headed towards the Mystery Shack, she could see Soos' crestfallen expression, seeing him staring at an old postcard from New Orleans on the porch. She figured he must have overheard the whole conversation, cursing herself silently for ever bringing it up. Tanya goes up to Soos, telling him, "Sorry ya had to hear all that, Cory and I were just telling Dipper and Mabel so they'd know, you know?"
Soos slowly nods to her, "Ah thanks, Tanya, I know you and Cory are looking out for me. Sorry for bumming you out with my sulking mood right now." He sighs in sadness.
Tanya assures him, "No don't be sorry, buddy, it's okay to be sad. I know just the place that may bring a smile on that face if you want." Soos nods with a small smile, wanting to humor her offer.
Soon at Mr. ZZZ's Big Gunz Laser Tag….
Dipper and Mabel, along with Tanya, Cormac, David, Taro, Kevin, Candy, Grenda, all the Pines cousins and Wendy lead Soos inside the far future-themed building, with him wearing a blindfold to surprise him.
Soos saying, "Alright, guys. Hopefully this isn't Hoo-hah Owls -" He takes a whiff to smell hot dogs, reminding him he's familiar with, along with the future sounds and sticky floors, "Hot dog smell? Sticky floors? Future sounds?" He takes off the blindfold to behold his favorite place to be besides the Mystery Shack and Arcade, bringing a big smile on his face, "Laser tag? I-I love laser tag. You dudes are all awesome!"
"Yeah we are!" exclaimed Mabel, turning around to listen to the small video briefly set up the theme of laser tag: a future set in the year eight-thousand where society collapsed and fog machines everywhere.
Wendy touched the mattress walls spray painted purple, having once been a mattress store when she says, "Hmm, they spray painted these mattresses purple. Yeah… it used to be a mattress store a long time ago."
David reminds Taro while putting on his laser tag vest, "Remember, Taro, set your lasers to non-lethal."
"Why of course, David, I know when not to use the lethal lasers," Taro retorted, setting their lasers to non-lethal mode.
As Soos puts on his laser tag vest and gets his laser gun, his somber mood was getting to him when he says with a frown, "I-I don't know, guys. I'm not sure I'm up to this today."
Dipper tries to assure his friend, "Don't worry, Soos. As soon as you start playing with us, you're gonna have a great time."
"We promise, no matter what happens, we won't leave your side," Mabel vowed with a bright smile, pointing to Tanya and Cormac, "Plus, they got your back too."
Soos nods, putting faith in his friends to be there for him, easing his worries, "Well, I guess I could give it a shot."
The Laser Tag game announces with a disembodied voice, "Prepare for laser battle! In three, two," the billboard flashed the word, "GO!" signalling everyone to enter the large mazed area for the fun to begin. The cousins and the other kids enter inside.
Soos looked down to see his shoe untied, wanting to tie them again before entering while he knelt down to do so, "Wu-oh. Better tie down these cowboys."
Dipper and Mabel were about to enter the room with the others, however, the entrance becomes a portal into the future for the two exclusively. Dipper and Mabel take a moment to note their new surroundings, noticing the lack of lasers, fog machines, and their friends and family members nowhere to be seen.
"Whoa, this is even cooler than I imagined! Look how real these laser guys are!" remarked Mabel, noticing Lolph and Dundgren in the room. She makes the decision to kick Lolph at his crotch twice, but not affecting him when his digi-codpiece spoke.
"Kick deflected! Thank you for buying Digi-cod: the smart codpiece!"
It shocked Dipper and Mabel with her saying, "Wait, what?"
Dipper gasped, turning around to see Soos still out there, calling out for him, "Oh no! Soos!"
Unfortunately for the twins, the portal closed before Soos caught sight of them, entering the laser tag arena. Soos didn't see Mabel and Dipper anywhere from where he stood, "Mabel? Dipper? Dudes?"
Tanya and Cormac run up to him, showing that at least he has backup. Cormac telling him, "It's alright, Soos," he shoots at Grenda's vest when she tried to ambush them, "we got your back, dude! Things are getting intense here!"
Meanwhile in the future….
Dipper calls out for Soos still, "Soos!"
Mabel proceeded to kick at the wall multiple times, understandably wanting out. They had to get back to be there for Soos, or else he wouldn't have a good time.
Lolph informs them that it's impossible for them to escape, "Nice try. But that's solid time-tanium, kid! There's only one way out of here!"
"Through me... " said Blendin, but his suit was acting up, blending in the background where the twins only saw his head and hands. Blendin took notice in his error and tries to correct it, "Oh, uh," he says while fiddling with his wristwatch device as his suit alternates different sceneries found in Gravity Falls and Glass Shard Beach, "Sorry... C-come on…." After a moment, Blendin gets his suit to turn to its normal gray color, repeating his introduction, "Through me! And that's, what it would be like if I'd just...gotten it right the very first chance, but it's still as effective."
Dipper and Mabel gasped, surprised to see Blendin again, having thought he was arrested by the same two men next to him.
Mabel thinking back to those weeks ago, though she forgot his name, "The time traveler guy! What did you say your name was again? Blendo... Blondin…"
Dipper snapped his finger to confirm, but assumes incorrectly, "Blar-blar!"
"There it is!" Mabel supported.
Blendin angrily corrects them, expressing his discontent, "It's Blendin! Blendin Blenjamin Blandin! How could you not know my name after you ruined my life?"
Dipper and Mabel exchanged looks of confusion, not having been aware that their actions involving Blendin had impactful consequences towards him.
Blendin proceeded to show them exactly what happened to him, "Initiate flashback!" Pressing a button on his wristwatch, it shows a holographic screen projection to depict the events before the twins, "It was after you stole my time device to win your stupid pig! I was cast out of the Time Anomaly Removal Crew; my whole life's purpose." On screen, his name tag was removed and his suit changed from gray to black and white to become a time-prison uniform, ") And then I was given ten squared life sentences in time prison. I spent every day since then planning my vengeance." On screen, Blendin mashed his potatoes that he shaped in Dipper and Mabel's image. He turns off the holographic flashback and grins at them, "And now finally, it has come!"
Seeing that they've done wrong, Dipper apologized for his and his sister's actions, while at the same time, urgently needing to get back to the past, "Look, we're sorry about all that, but we're in the middle of something really important right now."
Mabel adding in reason, "It's our friend's birthday today, and we promised we wouldn't leave his side!"
To their dismay, Blendin wasn't concerned about their friend's feelings in the slightest, "What? You think some dumb birthday matters right now? Do you know where you are? Welcome...to Globnar!"
The far end of the room opens to show the Globnar arena, the crowds cheering on. Events are taken place, like falling through portals, being set on fire, fighting a glob monster, battling on a moving clock, and fighting one another with age-altering weapons. Everything was intense for the contenders fight for their lives.
Mabel was in awe, "Is this a reality show? Are we in Japan?"
Blendin dismissed her curious assumptions to explain, "It's gladiatorial time combat!" He points over to two of the contenders, one wearing green being defeated by his opponent in a sky blue future suit being the winner, being lifted by a rock and given a yellow orb: a time wish. "The winner gets a precious time wish, and then decides the loser's fate!"
The losing contender begged for mercy, shaking with fear, "N-n-no! Please!" However, his fate was sealed when the winner gives a thumbs down, deciding the loser to die in a purple beam of light, desentegrading him into nothing.
Dipper and Mabel were shocked, their very lives at stake by a man who wants nothing more than to see them gone and get his job back.
Blendin grinning to them, eager to defeat them, "And the two of you are officially challenged." He ordered Dundgren nearby to accessorize him for the event, "Dundgren! Get me my war-paint."
Dipper and Mabel take the chance to come up with a plan to escape possibly dying from the vengeful man.
Mabel telling her brother, "Dipper, we need a way out of here! But how?"
Dipper sees Lolph possessing a time tape measure device, the same one he used to travel back in time before. It gave him an idea, "I have an idea."
Mabel says to herself, thinking of Soos, "Hang in there Soos, we're coming for you."
In the laser tag room….
Soos, along with Tanya and Cormac walk around, seeing Dipper and Mabel nowhere in sight, which was odd, but they reasoned they could be out getting the other players.
Tanya assures the worrying Soos, "Don't worry, Soos, we got your back." As soon as she spots Junior, Isaac and Ty going in to shoot with their laser guns, she was quick on the draw and gets them all with her aim, "Got ya, turds!" She laughed.
Cormac creatively used his prescription sunglasses to deflect the lasers from coming right at Soos and himself at all sides, managing to hit his triplet sisters, "Nice try, girls!"
Arya calls out her older brother, "Hey that's cheating, Cory!"
"Tactical advantage!" excused Cormac with a mischievous grin, putting his sunglasses before his red eyes start to hurt from the lasers.
Anais does the same trick with her sunglasses and deflects the incoming laser from David back at him, smiling when it happens, "It does work! Finally an actual use for these things."
"Copycat!" excused Aria when she tries to grab the sunglasses from her sister's hand, chasing after her.
Cormac shoots at disappointed Robbie, then Quincy coming up to the older teen to shoot at him with his laser gun, cheering, "Yay!" The boy ended up burping a red and marigold orange butterfly right out of his mouth, to which he quickly hid them, excusing himself, "I ate a caterpillar by accident…."
Soos felt better that his long time friends have his back, yet couldn't help to think about Mabel and Dipper, wondering where they could be. It wouldn't be like them to ditch him. He's assume as such.
Back in the far distant future at the Globnar arena….
Mabel approached Lolph, commencing the plan Dipper came up with to distract the adult. She clears her throat to say to Lolph, "Oh my stars! Could it be? My little, uh-hum…" She took a moment to read Lolph's name tag on his armored suit to get his name right, "Lolphie! It's me! Your great-great-great-" She looked at her brother behind Lolph with a questioning expression, him signaling her to continue, "-great-great-great-" Dipper held up his hand in a stopping gesture to Mabel, figuring it's enough for her to finish, "-great grandmother! From the past times."
Lolph stared at Mabel menacingly for a moment before soften in expression, thinking it's really his many-times great-grandmother, "Gam Gam?"
With Lolph distracted, Dipper successfully extracted the time measure off his belt.
While that was happening, Blendin had Dundgren paint his face in neon green warpaint in the symbol of a horizontal hourglass, "Yeah, neon green is good, this is a good color for me. It's fierce-" He noticed Dipper took the time measure off Lolph, alerting Lolph and Dundgren, "Who? What? No! You can't let them escape! Stop them!" He dived for Dipper and Mabel, only to cause Dundgren to trip over him that gave Dipper and Mabel enough time to make a run for it.
Lolph felt betrayed when he says, "Gam Gam! How could you?"
While running, Mabel taunts, "I ain't no one's Gam Gam, sucka! You just got time-tricked!"
As if in slow motion, Dundgren and Blendin exclaim in unison in a deep voice, "Noooo!"
Mabel urged her brother, "Hurry! Back to Soos' birthday!"
Dipper pulled at the tape, "Okay! I think...I've...got it!" He let go of the tape, locking arms with his sister to travel back in time in a bright flash.
In the year 2002….
Not only did Dipper and Mabel make it back into the past, but they over-shot their destination by ten years further than they intended. Dipper and Mabel landing on top a mattress instead of the floor, finding themselves in the mattress store before it became a place for laser tag.
Mabel gets up from the mattress, seeing her surroundings to question in an unsure manner, "Uh... Are we back?"
Dipper gasped, telling his sister, "Oh, no, look!" He points out, the mattress store going out of business and that they didn't make their intended time period, "Mabel, the laser place is a mattress store! We went too far in the past!"
Mabel complains irritably, "Time travel, man! Why you gotta be so complicated?"
The twins caught glimpse of Dundgren, Lolph and Blendin appearing back in time to find them, thinking fast to get under the bed to hide.
Dundgren pointing out, "It looks like they overshot their destination by ten years."
Blendin was determined to find them, "I don't see them." He wiped off the warpaint to bark orders at Dundgren and Lolph, "You better find those kids!"
Lolph assured the irritated convict, "You'll get your justice, Blendin."
Blendin stammering angrily, "I'm gonna keep stammering until you find them! I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I...!"
Lolph saying under his breath, "I hate that guy."
"Let's move," ordered Dundgren.
Dundgren and Lolph proceeded to jump and flip over the mattresses, landing in front of the door. They gave each other a fist-bump with a, "Yeah!" before walking out the door. The two wanted to do that.
Dipper crawled out from under the bed, helping up Mabel as he tells her, "Okay. We just gotta to go forward ten years. We can be back before Soos even realizes we were gone."
Mabel looked around to find the time measure, didn't take to see it on the floor by the bed. When she picked it up, her and Dipper were shocked to see the device got damaged somehow, "Oh no!" The device was dented, radiating blue electricity from where it got damaged, "The timey thing, it's busted! Can you fix it?"
Dipper takes up the time measure, unable to pull at the tape as he thinks. He figures out a way he could possibly fix it, "M-m-maybe. I need some tools. And I think I know where to get some." He turned to the sign, pointing in the direction of the Mystery Shack.
The twins walk outside, noting how similar yet different Gravity Falls and its people were in the past.
Dipper reminding his sister, not wanting to change anything in the past that could impact the future. He didn't want a repeat of what he did, "Let's try to lay low. We don't want to change the future. Or cause the future. I forget how this works exactly."
Tyler was listening to a boom box mounted on his shoulder. Sheriff Blubs has an afro. Tats was getting his first tattoo. A billboard shows Bud Gleeful and a baby Gideon that reads: "BUD'S AUTO JUST HAD A BABY" however the billboard was graffitied with red paint: "baby" is crossed off and replaced with "demon," Gideon is given horns, a tail, and a demon trident. Bud had a curly mustache, and the bottom right says "RV WUZ HERE."
Mabel commenting about what she's seeing, "Wow, ten years in the past." She sees a younger Robbie chase Thompson, spraying him with a water gun. "Everything is same-y, but also different-y."
Mabel turned towards the large window of the tattoo parlor, seeing a familiar younger face. It was Maurice Pierce Pines, inking a tattoo for Tatts with a smile on his blonde bearded face.
Mabel tugging on Dipper's arm to show him, "Oh my gosh! Dipper look! Uncle Maurice is alive here!"
Dipper's eyes widened, seeing the thirty-year old man currently alive and well, "Woah…. He looks so different."
Maurice wore a black graphic tee shirt with torn sleeves and a flaming skull, denim jeans with brown boots, his red bandana wrapped his head of long dirty blonde hair with a short bushy moustache and beard combo. He definitely resembled his father, Jimmy Snakes. On his chair rested the leather black jacket Junior would wear for Summerween in the future. He also had tattoos on his arms and body, depicting of a flaming motorcycle and of different flowers. He was contently finishing up Tats first tattoo, wiping it up and placing the plastic film over it, "There you go, man! How do you like it?"
Tatts showed a big smile while looking at his tattoo on his arm, "Lookin' good, Maurice! This is great. I know I can count on you and ol' Rough Sketch for a good tatt." He pays Maurice the cash and gets the gel to apply to the tattoo later.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Maurice nodded to Tats as he left.
Outside of the parlor, Mabel waved to him, forming an idea in her mind, "Hey Dipper, I'm thinking of telling him about what happens to him. I mean if we can prevent his death, then-"
Dipper got flashes of what he did to mess with time and the consequences that followed. He protests the notion with pleading eyes, "No, Mabel. Like I said, we can't mess with the past." He frowns, glancing over to Maurice to say, "I want him to be alive and learn more about him too, but we have to consider this: if Maurice hadn't died a few years from now in this year, then Tanya may never go to Portland, meet Sunny, her husbands, or become pregnant with her baby. I really don't want to screw up time again for our personal gain."
Mabel sighs heavily, seeing Dipper's valid perspective, "You're right, Dipper. I don't want to mess with the past either. Plus, since Quincy is seven in our time, if we mess up here, he may never be born. I don't want him to not exist."
Dipper nodded, "Exactly."
Though a moment the twins turn to the road, they see three older teens coming their way. It was Shauna, Shannon and Marcus, looking quite different compared to the present day versions on themselves, almost. They weren't alone as there were some other people with them too. The trio's friends from college being, Mei, Dante, Jacob, Crystal, Clyde and Iris. Mabel and Dipper could recognize Clyde and Dante along with Marcus, Shauna and Shannon, but not the other four older teens.
The older teen Dante Basco having his short black hair down, wearing a red button-up shirt with dark jeans and black converses. Dipper and Mabel could see he used to smile much more than he does in their time. Dante's girlfriend/future late wife, Mei Long, was around his age, having her short, straight black hair down, wearing a pink bomber jacket over her black shirt with black jeans and navy blue shoes. To Dipper and Mabel, Mei seemed like a cool lady to be around.
Jacob Lite, the one talking to Marcus Valdez, was an older teen like the others. He had black wavy hair with a short moustache and goatee. He wore a red leather shirt that covered his black shirt, having on jeans and black shoes. Jacob seemed, to the twins, he was some kind of smooth-talking guy the way he carried himself with suave, must have been the flirt among them.
Crystal Anderson, the blonde young woman talking to Shannon and Clyde, had her long hair in a braided ponytail. She wore a blue jacket over her white shirt, wearing jeans and brown boots. To Dipper and Mabel, she seemed to be a tad more serious among the group from the way she talked to Shannon and Clyde, dismissing something outlandish.
Finally, there was Iris Rhian, talking to Shauna, Dante and Mei. Iris had short blonde hair and an outgoing vibe about her, yet she was scholary from what Dipper and Mabel could tell about her. She wore a lavender jacket over her white shirt, wearing jeans and black flats to complete her outfit. Iris was showing Shauna a magical book of sorts, bringing a bright smile on her face as they gushed about it.
Shannon wore a pair of stylish purple and pink roller blades, along with bedazzled brown shorts and a light blue naked shoulder blouse with sequins. Shannon's brown hair was short and she wore a pink bedazzled eye patch over her missing left eye. She had a green hair clip in the shape of an emerald in her hair. It was almost as if she was shining in the sunlight. She was chatting with Clyde along with Crystal having to do with magical stones and creatures that Dipper and Mabel caught.
Shauna still had her long, marigold blonde bangs cover her missing right eye, but her hair had more length that grew down to her back. She carried a skateboard and black helmet in her arms. She wore darker clothing, wearing black studded boots that reached just below the knee with black pants, black and yellow collared shirt, and a dark hoodie along with a black beanie on her head. She was discussing magic with her best friend, Iris, along with Dante and Mei.
Marcus, however, his brown hair was to his shoulders, not having grown his small beard like in present day. He wore a cyan colored graphic tee shirt of a lunar moth with dark brown pants with green tennis shoes. He too carried a skateboard and helmet with him while discussing something in spanish with Jacob.
Mabel and Dipper were amazed to see how different their aunts and uncle looked in the past, seeing them happy with their own group of friends, not unlike Wendy and her own friends. Mabel was in awe of Shannon's fashion sense, and Dipper wanted to know more about what they were all talking about that concerned magic and creatures. The twins couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened to tear Shauna, Shannon and Marcus' friends apart. However, they had keep in mind of their goal: to get back to their own time and be there for Soos.
Dipper urging his sister when he reminded himself, "Come on, Mabel, we have to get to the Mystery Shack."
Walking down the street, Dipper and Mabel not only pass by Mr and Mrs Gleeful pushing a stroller with a baby Gideon with brown hair, but they encounter a younger Wendy and Tambry riding on their tricycles.
Dipper stopped and goes, "Woah!" when Tambry and Wendy made a sudden stop right in front of him and Mabel.
Tambry apologizing, "Oops, sorry." Wendy whispered something in her ear, Tambry pointing and telling Dipper, "My friend thinks you're cute."
Wendy was embarrassed her friend told him, "Oh-my-gosh, Tambry!" She pushed her friend hard enough that Tambry was knocked off her tricycle, "Shut up!"
Tambry went, "Ow! Hey!" before getting back on her pink and purple tricycle.
Dipper blushed from the compliment, nervously laughing when he said, pointing out how weird it was due to the age difference, "Thank you. I mean... you're super young, so this is weird.
Mabel commented, nudging her brother in the irony of it, "Heheh, now you know how she feels, creep."
Wendy and Tambry ride away while Dipper makes the realization that yeah, he saw how it can be creepy to crush on someone older than him, "Heh heh, yeah, I-uh. Huh. Wow." He paused for a moment, "Wooow…."
Before Dipper and Mabel continued on their way, they see a middle-aged woman with long brown hair and eyes of the same color, wearing jeans, browns boots and a long sleeve purple flannel button-up shirt. She was carrying two small boys in her arms respectively. It was Linda Corduroy, late wife of Manly Dan and mother of Wendy, Marcus, Kevin and Gus Corduroy.
Linda said to Dipper and Mabel, "Sorry, kids, excuse me while I catch up to my daughter and her friend." She caught up and tells her daughter and her friend, "Wendy, Tambry I told you two to not go too far ahead of me." She smiled at the girls nonetheless.
Dipper's eyes widened, seeing Wendy's mom in the flesh. He remember the times Wendy and Kevin mentioned her a few times, even seeing her picture in the Corduroy home. Each of Linda's pictures had a pressed flower attached to them, Kevin having told him they were her favorite kind. It almost felt surreal for him and Mabel to see Linda alive, knowing she'll die some years in the future from an illness that couldn't be treated.
Wendy apologized to her mom when her and Tambry stopped, "Sorry, Mommy, I'll try not to go too fast."
"Thank you, sweet log, try to be mindful. I got your brothers to look out for too," Linda said in parental affection that made Tambry giggle and Wendy blush in slight embarrassment.
Dipper and Mabel didn't stick around to watch everything as they traveled in the direction of the Mystery Shack. When they got there, hiding in the bushes, they can see the place being mostly the same on the outside for the most part. Except, the twins see younger versions of their cousins - with the exception of Quincy - playing at the back of the home with a kid Gompers.
Mabel cooed seeing young Junior tug on his red wagon with flames painted on the sides, pulling it with the triplets, Ty and Isaac inside the large enough space. They were having a lot of fun with Junior making, "Vroom, vroom," sound effects while the others giggled. A kid Gompers riding in the wagon with them, chewing on grass Isaac was giving him.
Six-year old Junior wore a blue shirt with green flames illustrated on it, brown shorts and dark blue shoes. He had his short brown hair styled with a braided rattail, and the sides of his hair buzzed off to a shorter length. He was elated to have gotten the new wagon recently and he wanted to play with it today.
The five-year old triplets, Arya, Aria and Anais looked different from each other in their past as well as the future. Arya wearing a light green shirt with black shorts and her short auburn hair in a bob, wearing the same kind of black tennis shoes her sisters were wearing. Anais' shirt was pink and her shorts were brown, her long auburn hair having a red ribbon tied in a bow for her downwards ponytail. Aria wore a similar shirt, but it was baby blue in color along with having pink shorts and her own auburn hair had two puffy pigtails.
Ty was the smallest, next to Isaac, compared to his older brother and cousins. Ty's had a small fro on his head, wearing a red and blue tie dyed shirt with black pants and purple sneakers. He was holding onto the side of the wagon, afraid he may fall out.
As for Isaac, he had the shaggy dirty blonde hair and soft face, before the change in the future. He wore a sunny yellow collared shirt with purple sleeves and brown pants, along with dirty white shoes. Isaac was chatting away with Gompers, having a conversation with him in the wagon. It was much better than seeing the wax people his grandpa and grandma stole. He knew something was off about the wax people.
Adeline was there watching the kids from the porch, making sure they don't wander off into the woods. To her relief, none of the little kids planned to unless they ask her to walk with them.
Junior proclaiming, "Someday, I'll get a real car and it'll have flames too!"
"Then we can all ride it!" stated Aria in excitement.
"Dibs on front seat!" Arya said.
"No me!" argued Anais.
"Boy you girls sure like to… bark up storm. That you need to… fetch a chill pill," Junior said, being sarcastic with them, chortling as did Ty and Isaac.
Arya groaned from the dog-puns her cousin made.
From the bushes, Mabel and Dipper smiled, seeing how cute their cousins were as younger kids. They seemed much happier in their youth, but the twin noticed Tanya and Cormac weren't outside with them.
"They so cute, I just wanna pick one all of them up and give them hugs!" Mabel whispered to not be noticed by the young kids.
Once the scene was clear, Dipper tells Mabel as he took off his laser vest, "Alright. The coast is clear."
Mabel does the same with taking off her own laser vest to confirm as they run for the window, leading into the gift shop, "Now's our chance!"
While getting inside, they could hear Stan and Carla introducing their new wax exhibit.
"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, to see my latest attraction. A man, made of wax, and several other people, made of wax, It's a whole wax exhibit," proudly announced Stan.
"Nothing can go wrong!" added Carla in a cheery tone.
Inside the gift shop, Dipper immediately finds the toolbox right next to the freezer for the ice cream treats, although it hadn't been installed yet.
Dipper smiled as he picked up the red screwdriver, "Hah! Bingo." He immediately began working on fixing the time measure the best he could, "Alright, let's see…."
Mabel turned to see three kids at the vending machine, seeing them disappointed that the candy they were getting got stuck. What she didn't know immediately was that it was a twelve-year old Soos, an eleven-year old Tanya and nine-year old Cormac.
Soos wore a red shirt with a green T-rex holding a flag and stars on it, wearing a birthday blue and green party hat on his head, along with green shorts and brown shoes. Tanya wore a teal flannel shirt, wearing a pink and blue party hat on her head, along with red pants and black shoes; her blonde hair being in an upwards ponytail. Cormac wore a long sleeve purple shirt, wearing a red party hat with white stripes, along with black pants and navy blue shoes. Cormac still wore his sunglasses to cover his red eyes, and still had shaggy white hair as a kid. Tanya and Cormac were carrying two small gifts for Soos, wrapped in colorful paper.
Soos banged on the glass to try to make the bag fall down, but it doesn't work, saying to the vending machine, "Ah, c'mon candy. Fall. Fall."
"It happens, Soos. I think I can go get a stick to knock it down. Thing always does this," suggested Tanya.
"I can probably try," added Cormac, wanting to help.
Mabel comes in and gives them assistance from what she learned, "Allow me. You just need to know a guy on the inside. Bippidy-boop. Wop!" She used Soos' method of opening the vending machine, getting the candy along with a few more for him to share, "Jackpot!" She gasped the moment she got a good look at Soos, Tanya and Cormac, recognizing them instantly while she hands over the candy.
Soos thanks her, appreciating the assistance, "Thanks, dawg." He accepts the candy, walking away with Cormac and Tanya as he adds, "You must be some kind of genius."
Tanya says as she takes one of the bags of candy with a mischievous grin, "We should exploit that trick next time. Hehehe…."
Dipper smiled as it seemed he got the time measure to work after a few more screws, "Alright. I think I've got this thing working."
Mabel runs up to her brother, shaking him in excitement, "Dipper, Dipper! Look!" She turned her brother's face towards Soos, Tanya and Cormac.
Dipper was astonished to say the least, "No. Way."
Soos looked at a Mystery Shack staff shirt, then at his own wishfully, wanting to have that kind of shirt for his own. Suddenly, Soos' abuelita enters the gift shop, beckoning her grandson.
"Mi precioso. You keep wandering off. You don't want to be late for your big day." Abuelita addressed Tanya and Cormac with a smile, "You two ready to go?"
"Yes, ma'am!" confirmed Tanya and Cormac in unison.
Soos apologized to his abuelita while heading out with her and holding her hand, along with Tanya and Cormac following in tow, "Sorry, Abuelita."
Mabel realized it's his birthday, telling Dipper, "Big day? This could be the birthday where that personal biz went down. We could finally find out why Soos hates his birthday. I mean, Tanya and Cory didn't tell us what exactly happened." She smiled, seeing that there's a benefit to having gone back ten-years further.
Dipper was hesitant at first, but he too wanted to know what caused Soos to hating his birthday. He looked at the time measure to agree with his sister, "Alright. But let's be quick."
At Soos and Abuelita's house, the backyard was bustling with Soos' relatives -from cousins to aunts and uncles- to celebrate his birthday. Dipper and Mabel spy on Soos, Tanya and Cormac behind the nearby bushes. Two of Soos' older female cousins were giving him attention, while Tanya and Cormac were eating candy at the table, sitting in between their friend.
"Who's a handsome birthday boy?" rhetorically asked one cousin while lightly pinching Soos' cheek.
"It's you!" said the second cousin as her and the first cousin left Soos alone.
Abuelita giggles while she walks toward Soos, carrying a box that contained his race car cake as she teases, "Soos, you are such a lady's man."
"They're my cousins, grandma, gross," said Soos, knowing his abuelita was joking with him.
Abuelita opened up the box to show Soos his cake, "I got you a racecar cake."
Dipper wondered aloud, seeing nothing wrong having happened yet, "Man, I don't know why Soos hate his birthdays, this looks great." It won't be long before him and Mabel witness the scene about to unfold as they kept watching like an interesting movie.
Soos was licking the icing off his race car toy from his cake when a kid takes a seat at the head table. Soos telling him the reason why the boy couldn't sit there, "Uh, sorry dude, but could you move seats? That's the seat of honor."
The kid asking, "Uh, who's it for?"
Soos telling him that sheds light, "Oh, heh. It's for my dad actually. I haven't seen him in like... eight years. But he's coming today!" Soos, along with Tanya and Cormac hear the doorbell ring. Could it be that Soos' father has arrived? There was only one way to find out when Soos eagerly announces, "That must be him!" Soos wiped his face, rearranging his party hat and runs for the front door to answer himself.
"Oh let's go meet him, Cory!" said Tanya, wanting to meet Soos' dad as she dragged Cormac by his sleeve.
"Okay, okay," chuckled Cormac as he runs with her into the house.
Dipper and Mabel look at each other with concern, moving towards an opened window to get a better view of Soos answering the door. They were about to watch the life-changing scene play out.
Soos takes a deep breath, telling himself, "Alright Soos. Today's the big day. Be cool. Be. Cool." Soos opened the door with a bright smile on his face. His smile changed into a frown when it wasn't his dad that rang the doorbell, but the mailman with a postcard for him.
The mailman addressing, "Postcard for…" he paused to read the card, "...Soos!" He leaves just as he handed the postcard from New Orleans to Soos.
Soos looked at the cover of the postcard - the same one he kept in the future - turning it over to read what his dad wrote him, ""Sorry, champ. Couldn't make it this year. Real busy again. See you next year for sure. Dad.""
Tanya and Cormac frown, they too saddened to see their friends getting depressed by the second, wondering why his dad wasn't able to come. It was just like last year and the years before. Abuelita feeling great remorse for her grandson to see him disappointed on his birthday like the previous years.
Soos' cousin, Reggie, tried to reassure his cousin, but failed, "Hey, don't sweat it, cuz. You'll see him next year."
Soos was unsure more than ever, believing his dad will never come to see him, thinking his dad must hate him for one reason or another. Not even see him on his birthday as he said in a quiet tone, going over to a box, "Heh, yeah. Next year." He opened the box, revealing all the postcards his dad sent him over the years, using the same excuse to not come to see him on his birthday. They were all from different places in the US such as Massachusetts, New York. Soos tells his friends and family, being too saddened to participate in his own birthday party, "Uh, I'm gonna go lay down. You party without me dudes." He walked away in the direction of his room.
"Soos…." Tanya said, breaking her heart to see her friend in sorrow. Cormac shared the same feelings when he sadly whimpered for his friend, looking as if he was about to cry.
Abuelita attempted to have Soos stay so he could open his presents, "Wait! What about your presents?" She picked up present and pushed a key through the paper, which makes a "Yeah!" sound, similar to Soos' keyboard machine in the future.
It was no use when Soos made it to his room, wanting to be alone and not let anyone see him cry.
Dipper and Mabel sunk down below the window, talking about what they've seen. It was worse than they expected. It was no wonder Tanya and Cormac warned them about the party, along with why they didn't share the whole story behind it. It really was too personal and depressing to bring up.
Dipper saying, "So that's why Soos hates his birthday. It's the day he realized his dad wasn't coming back. That's why Tanya and Cory told us to not throw him a birthday party and never bring it up to him."
Mabel had to ask, "So, how much partying can fix that?"
All of a sudden, the young Robbie from before goes up to Dipper and mischievously shoots his with his water gun, exclaiming before running off, "Heheh, dorks. Young Robbie!"
In his room, Soos was sulking on his bed, having much to think about when his Abuelita, along with Tanya and Cormac, outside his room.
Abuelita was angry at Soos' absent dad for missing out on his son's birthday yet again, saying to herself, "Ay, Soos' father is a deadbeat! ¡Si alguna vez muestra su carota por aquí, se la voy a partir pieza por pieza! Ahem." She cleared her throat and composed herself, not noticing Tanya and Cormac nearby to have heard what she said. Tanya and Cormac clearly understood what Abuelita said in spanish, yet wondering what the word "deadbeat" meant. Abuelita enters Soos' room with a plate of dinosaur shaped cookies for him, hoping they would make him feel better, "Soo-oo-oos. I made you cookies shaped like dinosaurs."
Soos laments, not in the mood for having his favorite cookies, "I don't want cookies. I wanna see Dad again."
Abuelita tried assure her grandson, if hesitantly, "And he wants to see you, he's just... busy."
Soos bitterly remarked about his dad, "Busy in New Orleans…."
Abuelita fully agreed with him, planning on sending Soos' dad a letter herself, wanting to make sure he'll never come back to hurt Soos more than he has emotionally, "Aye, yes...Trust me. You will feel better one day."
Outside of Soos' bedroom, Dipper and Mabel watched from his window, hurting them to see their friend so heartbroken by what happened. They weren't even sure how to fix Soos' birthday, seeing how serious it was. The twins knelt down below the window, away from view as they discuss their options.
"Ugh, this is awful," stated Mabel, hoping her brother has a solution like he usually does.
"We promised Soos a happy birthday, but how can we give him that now? This goes beyond anything we know how to fix," said Dipper, not being sure himself.
"This way!" yelled Blendin, reminding the twins who they're hiding from.
Dipper urging his sister, "Uh-oh. Hide!" The twins run off to find a place to hide from Blendin, Dundgren and Lolph, really trying not to get caught.
Lolph, Dundgren and Blendin walk in the direction of where Dipper and Mabel were, determined to find them no matter what time period they're in.
"They've gotta be around here somewhere. I-I-I think I heard them!" Blendin said, looking in the direction of a nearby tree.
Lolph yelled, "Freeze" proceeding to shoot the tree, causing it to explode, revealing the frightened Robbie, making the boy run off and cry. Lolph ordering, "Trace their chrono-signatures." He and Dundgren take out a device, proceeding to walk around the area in order to find Dipper and Mabel.
Blendin takes a seat on the nearby bench, more than eager to get his time wish, "Man, the sooner I defeat those kids in Globnar, the sooner I can win my time wish."
Dundgren shared his thoughts of what he'd do with a time wish, wistfully thinking of his kids back home, "Tell you what I'd do if I had a time wish. Retire early. Spend more time with the kids."
Blendin wasn't too respectful of Dundgren's choice, seeing much more useful possibilities with the time wish as he says, "Naing, Niang, Niang, with the kids! Don't you know a time wish can do literally anything? Any impossible problem solved," he snapped his finger to emphasize, "just like that? I mean, imagine the possibilities."
Dipper and Mabel overheard Blendin from behind a tree, forming an idea that could help Soos out with his problem, "Wait, Mabel, that's it! The time wish! If we defeat Blendin in that space battle…."
Mabel finished his idea for him, "...Then we can wish that Soos' dad came to his twelfth birthday!" However, it was possibly a bad idea, not knowing what Soos' father must have been like as a person.
Dipper agreed with her, "And Soos' birthdays would be fixed forever." He snapped his finger, "All of them."
Mabel expressed her concerns about Globnar, "But do you really think we can win Globnar?"
Dipper turned to the direction of Soos' room, seeing him sad and not eating his dinosaur cookies, "It's the only chance we have. Besides, it's for Soos. He would do the same for us."
It was settled, Dipper and Mabel nodded to each other before coming out of their hiding spot with their hands behind their heads, showing they're no threat to Blendin, Lolph and Dundgren.
Dipper telling the three, "Here we are Blendin. We surrender."
"It's them!" cried out Blendin.
Dundgren aiming at them with his laser gun, "Freeze!"
Lolph does the same with his own laser gun, warning, "Careful, they're from the past. They might have powder muskets or slap bracelets."
Dipper assured them honestly, really not wanting to be blasted like the innocent tree, "Look guys, no tricks this time. We're ready to challenge you, okay?" Him and Mabel didn't have much of a choice.
Blendin cheered, excited to possibly wipe Dipper and Mabel out of existence, "Yes! Let the Globnar begin! Prepare... for... GLOBNAAA-" He was cut off when Lolph pressed a button on his wrist to mute him, a green mute symbol appearing over Blendin's mouth.
Lolph smiled over to Dundgren, happy to finally make Blendin shut the hell up, "Hey, turns out I can mute him."
Dundgren commented, "Man, I wish we'd known that earlier."
"Initializing!" Lolph pressed the button on his wrist, the group disappeared in a white flash, sending them all forward to the distant future. However, the red screwdriver from the Mystery Shack was left behind.
Back in the Globnar arena….
Dipper and Mabel, along with Dundgren, Lolph and Blendin appeared at the center of the arena. The crowd shouting repeatedly in excitement, "Globnar," to watch who will win and who will possibly cease to be as they raised their fists in the air. In the crowd, there was a young adult man named, Marshall Pines, and his female cousin named, Lynna Pines, appearing worried for the twins while looking at their great family tree on a holographic tablet device under "Pines." Marshall scrolling through his family tree until he found Mabel, who she married and the descendants that came after her; Marshall himself included. Lynna did the same, finding the same results for Dipper on her part.
"So that's really them, huh?" Marshall said to himself, seeing his many-times great-grandma about to fight for her life as well as his many-times great-uncle.
"Yep," Lynna took a deep breath while making a bitter remark about Blendin, "can't believe I used to date that guy. Now he's trying to erase our ancestors from existence, but knowing Blendin, he must have forgotten..." Part of her felt bad her and Blendin's relationship ended sourly the way it did, thinking perhaps she could try talking to him again if she doesn't cease to exist.
Marshall grinned a tad, showing a glint in his synthetic eye, "Got a good feeling about this match though. From the stories our elders told us and what's said in the archive, I think Dipper and Mabel will pull through this. The archive remain intact so far." It made Lynna be a little more at ease, but she still worried while she rubbed her mechanical prosthetic leg out of habit.
On one side of the arena, a large hole opened, the supreme ruler himself, Time Baby, floated out of said hole. As the name implied, Time Baby was an incredibly huge infant, about the size of a small building. Dipper and Mabel were in fear and astonishment by the cosmic being before them.
Time Baby ordered everyone in the crowd with the raise of both hands and a booming, eloquent tone, "Silence!"
One Globnar fan didn't process the order, going, "Wooh! Oh yeah!" He was instantly disintegrated by Time Baby's laser vision for his disobedience.
Mabel commented, "That is one big baby."
Time Baby proceeded to greet Mabel, Dipper and Blendin as tributes, "Welcome Globnar tributes! I have a very important nap to get to so let's make this quick. You each have a chance to settle your time-feud through gladiatorial combat." The arena presented many holographic weapons for the three to choose from that could help them succeed.
The robot carrying a large hourglass-shaped baby bottle full of cosmic sand added, "You will have until Time Baby finishes drinking the cosmic sand in this hourglass." The robot moves towards Time Baby, about to give it to him, though he resisted. Time Baby was still a baby after all.
"No!"
"Come on," coaxed the robot, poking Time Baby with the bottle to get him to feed.
"Ow!"
"It's good for you," said the robot when it poked Time Baby again with the bottle.
"Wah!" resisted Time Baby, but ultimately relents and accepts the bottle.
Blendin threatening Dipper and Mabel, "Get ready, kids. When I get that time wish, you'll wish you were never born. Or rather, you'll wish you were born, because I'm gonna wish you were never born!"
"Dream on. There's two of us," retorted Dipper.
"And we have hair!" added Mabel.
Blendin showed the twins he was not to be underestimated or threatened by them, "Oh-oh, yeah? Well I have training!" He twirled a spear with control and ease, having practiced while in prison, "What do you think I did in prison all that time?" He showed a confident grin, seeing Dipper and Mabel surprised expressions of how skilled he's gotten since last time.
Mabel going, "Uh oh."
Time Baby commenced Globnar, "Let the Globnar... BEGIN!"
Lightning struck and a scoreboard lights up, giving each team zero points. Blendin's, Dipper's, and Mabel's handcuffs fall off. Blendin lets out a warcry before their first of many challenges started. From combat, to racing, to many more that pushed their limits, Dipper and Mabel won and lost challenge after arduous challenge against Blendin. Blendin proved to be a formidable opponent than the twins gave him credit for, managing to beat them in some of the events, though he did lose some challenges too. Near the end when Blendin, Dipper and Mabel managed to push back the Cyclocks behind the large door, there was only one more challenge left. Dipper and Mabel appearing roughed up by some of the physically demanding events.
Marshall and Lynna rooting for Dipper and Mabel in the crowd.
Time Baby was rather impressed by how the three tributes persevered through almost every challenge thrown at them when he says to three, "Very good. You have escaped the Cyclocks."
Blendin got excited with being just one point ahead of the twins, "Yes! Blendin for the almost-win!" The scoreboard showed Blendin having 764 points compared to Dipper and Mabel's 763 points.
Time Baby tells of one more challenge, "There is only one final challenge for Globnar. An ancient game, thousands of years old, chosen for its exemplification of pure strategy: The ancient art... of Laser Tag!" The arena turned into a laser tag course, outfitting Blendin, Mabel and Dipper with vests and laser guns. It greatly surprised Dipper and Mabel as they first thought it would something much more difficult than all the events combined. Time Baby telling the rules, "The one who touches the victory orb first will win!"
"Laser tag? Seriously?" Dipper questioned.
Blendin mocked him, "Oh, I know it doesn't seem that challenging now, but just wait till they turn on that fog machine. You'll be done for! You just wait until ya-" He was interrupted when Dipper shoots him with the laser gun multiple times, having gotten tired of the time traveler monologuing away. Blendin sighs and goes, "Aw, man."
Dipper telling his sister, who was already on her way to get to the glowing yellow orb, "Mabel, grab the orb!"
Mabel reached to the top of the pyramid, "Got it!" The moment she touched the orb, the game was over. In the knick of time too when Time Baby finished drinking his cosmic sand from the bottle.
Time Baby telling the crowd, "It is finished!" He was burped by the robot who helped feed him. The crowd, along with Marshall and Lynna, went wild as the score reached to 999 points for Dipper and Mabel, much to Blendin's dismay and the twins relief.
"No! No! No! No! Nooooo!"
Dipper and Mabel high-fived each other in victory, "Yes!"
Time Baby floated down to Dipper and Mabel, congratulating them, "You have made victory in Globnar. Before I give you your time wish, tell us; what fate have you decided for the loser?"
Blendin feared for the worst, "Oh, jeez…." Dundgren and Lolph being there in case they have to take him back to time prison.
Mabel screamed, being in the moment, "Death!"
Lynna very quietly saying, "No…." in the crowd.
Dipper was quick to have her dismiss the sentence, "Mabel!"
Mabel apologized, "Sorry. Got carried away…."
Dipper decided to have a small chat with his sister concerning Blendin and his fate, "So Blendin did try to wish us out of existence, but it was kind of our fault for ruining his life." Dipper still felt awful about what he did to change the future, over trying to get together with Wendy. It truly wasn't Blendin's fault but his own.
Mabel had to agree with her brother, having been at fault too, "Yeah, and he's kind of too sad to be a real bad guy."
Dipper thought of a solution that could better Blendin instead of harming him even more, "Maybe if we treat him right in the present, he'll turn out better in the future." He turned to the Time Baby, determining Blendin's fate, "Okay. As long as you keep an eye on him, we'd like to set Blendin free, and restore his position at the Time Anomaly Correction Unit."
"And give him pretty hair!" added Mabel.
Time Baby accepted their terms, using his power to make it so, "So be it."
Within moments, Blendin's cuffs fall off, the man sounding grateful and surprised they're being nice to him, "Wh-what? You'd do that for me?" A moustache-shaped hairstyle appeared on Blendin's head, making him elated, "I got my job back!" He placed a hand on Lolph's chest, "I feel like hugging somebody."
Lolph wasn't up for hugging at all, "I can kill you in eight different ways."
Blendin retracts his hand, not wanting to test Lolph's patience, "Yes, sir."
While rubbing his face to summon the time wish, presenting the powerful orb as Time Baby asks of the twins, "Now, children. What is it that you want for your time wish?"
Mabel looked at the orb in between her and Dipper, smiling up at Time Baby when she answered, "Thank you, but the wish... isn't for us."
Time Baby was shocked, not many tributes would grant their earned time wish onto another so easily, questioning, "Not you? But then who? Who is worthy to receive such power?"
Back in the present at Big Gunz Laser Tag….
Soos, along with Tanya and Cormac were having fun playing laser tag, but they saw no sign of Dipper and Mabel anywhere. Everyone else left but the trio. Soos frowned as he called for the twins, "Dipper? Mabel?"
Tanya stopped with him, feeling Soos' dampened mood as she says, "I don't know what happened to them, Soos. Like they disappeared or somethin'."
"You going to be okay there, buddy?" Cormac asked in concern, placing a hand on Soos' shoulder.
Soos admitted in all honesty, "I'm real sorry, dudes, this was supposed to be fun but…."
Tanya hugged him for a moment before letting go, "Hey it's okay, we can leave if you want. It ain't fun when you're not having fun. The others will understand when we tell 'em."
Soos takes a deep breath, beginning to head for the exit while taking out a quarter, making a flip of the coin to the decision, "Heads I stay, tails I go make myself some dinosaur shaped cookies. I'll share 'em with you guys."
The moment he flips the quarter in the air, time around him, Tanya and Cormac began to come at a stop. It was really strange, to say the least.
"Hey what the…." Tanya said, being perplexed. Cormac was more alert about what's happening.
Soos examined his quarter in the air, touching it when he remarked, finding it all confusing, "Huh. That's... unconventional."
Suddenly, the three see Dipper and Mabel appearing with Blendin, having returned and gave Soos, Tanya and Cormac great relief to see them.
Dipper and Mabel greet them with, "Soos! Tanya! Cory!"
Soos smiled brightly to see his friends again, "G-guys!"
"We're so sorry we left you hanging, guys. We got caught up in this time travel junk-" Dipper tells before Mabel added in eagerness.
"And there was a time cyclops-"
Dipper also adding, "And don't forget about the-"
"Time race!" Dipper and Mabel laughed in unison.
"So that's where you little turds were. I knew you two wouldn't just ditch us unless something happened," Tanya remarked when her and Cormac knelt down to hug them.
Cormac smelt the dirt, sweat and hints of foliage they have on them, "You two must have been through a lot."
"Oh you have no idea, Cory," Mabel said, returning the hugs to her cousins as did Dipper.
Dipper apologized to them, "Sorry we made you all worry, we had to make things right with a vengeful time traveler. Even if it meant going through a whole bunch of challenges to achieve it."
"That's a reasonable excuse. Proud of you two," Cormac said, turning to glance over at Blendin.
"Aw thanks, Cory!" Mabel then turned to Soos, "But, the point is, Soos, we think we know how to fix your birthday."
It surprised not only Soos, but Tanya and Cormac as well to hear the two having found a solution. Soos saying in astonishment, "Woah, really? Wait, you guys did all of that... for me?"
Blendin walks up to them and adds, "And that's not all." With a press of the button, Blendin presented the time wish before Soos and the others, "Behold your time wish! The power to alter time paradox free in any way you choose."
Dipper tells the genuine reason to Soos, "We think the only thing that can make you happy is meeting your dad."
Mabel adding, "But the choice is yours."
"Well holy damn," Tanya formed an amused grin, "you kids did so much more than what Cory and I have been trying to do for Soos for years. Real awesome, kids."
"Now that is a great gift to give," said Cormac as he examined the floating glowing orb.
Soos couldn't help to question, going through much in his mind to process, "You mean I can finally see my dad by touching this thing? And you guys battled through time and space just to get this for me?" He looked to Tanya to assure her and Cormac, "Dudes, I really do appreciate you and Cory for being there for me after all these years, and what you try to do to help me out." It assured Tanya and Cormac hearing him say that, feeling they needed to hear it. Soos then takes a moment to look at the old postcard, wondering if his dad would have done the same for him; he knew Tanya and Cormac surely would've if they had the chance, possibly.
Dipper asking Soos, "What are you waiting for, Soos?"
Soos puts away the postcard in his pocket, smiling as he was about to touch the time wish, "Alright, here goes nothing." The moment he touched the time wish, everything went white for a brief few seconds before fading away. Dipper and Mabel having been cleaned up from their time in Globnar. The twins felt their minor injuries faded away and giving them energy.
Dipper looking at him in bewilderment, "What the-?"
Mabel questioning too, "Wait what?"
Soos smiled, having patched them up as part of the wish, "Bam! I fixed you dudes up."
Dipper had to know why, "But Soos, what about meeting your dad?"
Soos gave his explanation, kneeling down to Dipper and Mabel, "Well, birthdays are supposed to be spent with the people who care about you. But you know what, that dude didn't care about me enough to visit me once, let alone fight monsters through time and space like you dudes." He looked to Tanya and Cormac when he adds, "And try to make my birthdays better." He focused back to Dipper and Mabel, "I mean, you had a gladiator fight, just to make me happy. I've been being ridiculous this whole time. Whoever my dad was, he can take a hike." He hands Tanya the postcard, permitting her, "Do the thing, Tanya." Tanya does just that, conjuring a flame to ignite the postcard, letting it be reduced to ash in the palm of her hand. Soos continued to say to the twins, "I know who my family is now, and it's you dudes." He hugs not only the twins, but for Tanya and Cormac too in his arms, "Thanks for giving me the best birthday ever."
Blendin was furious when it seemed Soos wasted the time wish for something so minimal, "Are you kidding me?! Do you have any idea what you've just wasted?! Do you how many have died to get the time wish; the wars that were started?!"
Soos assured the time traveler, "Oh that's not all dude." He holds up a large pizza box, saying the words, "Bippidy-boop. Wop!" then opening the lid to reveal a whole freshly baked pizza pie, "I also wished for this pizza box that can make any kind of pizza appear inside when I say those words. I just have to think of any kind of pizza imaginable and it'll appear. And it can do it for... infinity. Enough for me to share with everyone!"
Everyone agreed it was a great wish to make, being very happy for Soos.
Blendin hearing a ringing on his wrist device, excusing himself since his job was done, "I need to take this call." When he sees who's calling him, the name reading, Lynna, it took him by surprise, thinking she'd never call him again after what happened in their past, having said things they both regret. He decided to accept her call when he got back to the future. And perhaps, they can work things out.
Soos tells his friends, holding up the pizza box, "Say, lets go tell the others that pizza's on me after laser tag when it closes in ten minutes. You dudes wanna play?"
Dipper and Mabel, along with Tanya and Cormac couldn't agree more. They all go back inside the laser tag maze, joining back with their cousins and friends.
Dipper and Mabel saying, "Happy birthday, Soos!"
Back in 2002….
Soos, along with Tanya and Cormac go outside to see what was going on, having heard some commotion going on. Cormac having covered his sensitive hears when it happened and shaking nervously.
"Whoa. Though I heard an explosion." Soos sees the red screwdriver on the ground, reading the label on it, ""Mystery Shack.""
Cormac took notice and wondered, "Why's that doing here?"
"I dunno," responded Tanya. She then came up with an idea that could make Soos' day better, "Say Soos, I know just the place that may bring a smile on that face if you want!"
"Really?" Soos said with a small smile.
Tanya and Cormac lead Soos to the Mystery Shack to not only bring back the screwdriver, but seeing if they could convince their grandparents to let him pick something to have - free of charge. When they got there, Stan and Carla were throwing out the young adult Durland outside.
Stan telling off the scared Durland, "That is it! You are single handedly the worst handyman I've ever seen."
Carla put it more lightly to Durland, "Sorry, hun, but it just won't do."
Stan watched as Durland runs off, turning to see his grandkids and Soos come by, "Heya, kids!"
Tanya and Cormac greeted, "Hey Grandpa, Granny."
Soos greeting his friend's grandparents sheepishly, "H-hey Mr. and Mrs. Pines. We brought back the your missing screwdriver."
"Why thank you, kids, didn't know it was missing," Carla said, accepting the screwdriver. She then asked, "So did you have a good birthday, Soos?"
Soos shuffled his feet, looking away, "Well…." Tanya and Cormac shake their head to confirm he didn't have a good birthday to Carla and Stan.
Stan grumbles about needing a new handyman and get the golf cart fixed, turning to Soos, "Hey, kiddo, think you can fix a golf cart?"
"Stanley, I don't think he knows how to-" Carla was about to say until Tanya said.
"We can show him how to fix it!" offered Tanya, smiling to Soos who had a perplexed expression, "If Soos wants, he can be the new handyman; just gotta show him how."
"We'll help you out, Soos," assured Cormac with a bright smile.
Soos adds his input, "O-okay… I can try to fix it." He loves the Mystery Shack, that's true, but he never thought he'd actually get to work at his favorite place.
Stan tossed a dark green shirt with a black question mark on it, "Boom. You're hired. One size fits all." Stan then addressed the group of tourists nearby, "Step right up to the Mystery Shack folks, step right up…."
Carla tells Soos before joining her husband, looking forward to teaching the boy about working at the Mystery Shack, "We'll talk to your grandma about you working here and see if it's okay with her."
Soos smiled up happily at Carla, nodding, "Okay, Mrs. Pines! I'll try not to let you and the Pines family down!" He turned toward Tanya and Cormac, thanking them, "Thanks a bunch, guys! This is the best present I didn't know I need." Soos embraced his friends in a hug, looking forward to be actually working at his favorite place in Gravity Falls; the arcade being second of course.
A/N: Another chapter written by vulpixen! Sorry for the delay with this chapter, life obligations happen. We like to believe the Pines family line would continue on for many, many years into the distant future; characters such as Marshall Pines (descendant of Mabel) and Lynna Pines (descendant of Dipper) for example among many that thrive across the ages. Join us next time when it's the annual Woodstick festival in Gravity Falls! Not only that, but love is in the air when Mabel works her match-making skills to get a girl for Robbie's lonely soul, meeting a master of match-making in the process. Stan and Carla, along with Ford and Adeline get ready to face an old enemy: Thistle Downe. Meanwhile, James Pines, along with Greg Valentino, Nate's dad, and Lee's dad prep the old grunge band to perform like old times. Will Junior finally ask out Wendy on a date? Find out in chapter 55: The Love God AU!
