A/N:

Hey, guys! I just wanted to let you know that you reading this is very much appreciated and I would love it if you could leave me a review! Also, I will not have a consistent updating schedule, and I will only be able to update when I can. I am working very hard to get these chapters out, so thank you to thoses who, again, are viewing this!

Paper, Author of the Fanfic


"Gideon Gleeful."

A short, white-haired ten year-old kid wearing a baby blue T-shirt and jeans slowly made his way out of the crowd. Dipper recognized him from the Tent of Telepathy fraud across from the Market.

"Robbie Valentino."

A tall fifteen year-old teen who seemed to be emo because of his withered black hoodie with a stitched heart on it walked past him.

"Soos Ramirez."

A friend of his who was in his twenties. Sure, he was fat and chubby, even with the constant hunger in town, but he helped a lot of the folk with fixing things. He had learned how to make the best homemade superglue ever. There was even some folklore about him.

"Wendy Corduroy."

Another friend of his. She was also fifteen and wore a light green plaid button down shirt and jeans during the summer. She hunted down rabbits, birds, and, sometimes, though rare, deer, when one came along. She cut down trees too and would deliver a few logs to Dipper every few days when Winter started. She'd definitely win Weirdmageddon.

"Fiddleford McGucket."

He was an old man in his fifties. He had a worn band-aid over his long white beard and had bandages over his feet and right arm. He also always wore a large dark brown farmer's hat. He liked to play banjo's, but most people thought he was crazy. Dipper knew better, though, and visited him a few times a month. He was always trying to build something out of the metal scraps from the garbage dump.

"Stanley and Stanford Pines."

He had never heard of or seen those two in town, but they had the same last name as his. He guessed they were somehow related to them.

He crossed his fingers, hoping that the last two names wouldn't be him or his sister.

"Mason and Mabel Pines."

His breathing suddenly hitched. His heartbeat quickened. Everyone turned their heads to stare at him. He could barely inhale and exhale.

He and his sister looked down at the ground, walking to the stage, going up the stairs.

"Let's all applaud the following chosen Victims that stand before us!" said Pacifica way too enthusiastically. Nobody clapped.

Instead, everyone put their hand on their heart, then rose it into the air, holding up two fingers. It was an ancient gesture of love - they were silently saying they would miss the twins… as they could only quietly but sadly look at them.

"Okay then! Well, it's time to board the train to the Capitol. On now, go, come on." She smiled as she led them to the train that had been waiting for them by the tracks the entire time. Mabel was about to step in, when she felt a tug on her skirt.

She looked down to see Waddles. Immediately tears welled up in her eyes and they trickled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Waddles, but-" She sniffed. "You have to stay here!"

He kept tugging.

Lazy Susan stepped forward and grabbed the pig lightly away from her. He squirmed in her hold, but could not escape. "I'll take good care of him while you're gone, sweetie." Mabel wiped her tears. "Thank you."

She petted Waddles for one last time, and then turned away, boarding the train. He oinked and screeched after her, but she was gone now.


It wasn't long before the train arrived, after thirty minutes, into the Capitol. Mabel looked out the window, curious to see what it looked like in person. Dipper could only stare down at the soft carpeted ground beneath his shoes.

'Arriving into the Capitol. Please be ready to board off in approximately one minute.' a male voice said over the intercom. Please be ready?! They weren't even allowed to bring anything with them except for the very clothes on their bodies!

Slowly but surely, the train came to a halt and Pacifica happily escorted them off. They stood in a single file line, arms by their sides. She walked past each one, slowly, as if she were examining them carefully. "Head up, darling." she said as she went by him, pushing his chin up with her hand, then patting him on the shoulder as if he were a good dog who had obeyed her orders.

Gosh, how much he disliked her. If Capitol people were like this, then he was bound to hate all of them.

She stood in front of them, as if she were a second-grade teacher leading her children in the hallways. "Alright now. Each of you will be interviewed by Shandra Jirmenez. I expect you to be on your best behavior. Do well!" She stepped out the way as the door automatically and swiftly (the Capitol had 'advanced technology', unlike Gravity Falls) slid open for them to enter.

When they walked in, they were instantly greeted by bright stage lights shining from above in the dark theater and loud applause and shouts. They made their way to the velvet red front row seats. On the stage sat Shandra Jirmenez on a chair, as an empty stool sat a few feet aside from her. Dipper looked above at the balcony to see Preston, Pacifica and the Gamemaster standing there, near the railing, clinking martini glasses full of some strange light purple liquid.

"Good afternoon, Gravity Falls!" Shandra shouted into the microphone. Loud shouts and more clapping suddenly erupted all over again like lava from a volcano. It took awhile for it to settle down.

"As you all know, it's me, Shandra Jirmenez, and we are here today to interview our Victims for the thirtieth Weirdmageddon! First I will call to the stage… Wendy Corduroy!" She looked tired, but rose from her seat, climbing the stairs to the stage and taking her seat.

"So, Miss Corduroy, people from Gravity Falls say you're the lumberjack's daughter?"

Wendy actually smiled slightly at the question. "Yes, that's true. I gather firewood for the townsfolk during the Winter. Keeps the heat goin'. I also make my own crossbows, too. I help a lot with hunting and gathering food. My dad taught me."

A timer began to go off.

"Oh! And it looks like Miss Corduroy's time is up. Next: Gideon Gleeful!" Wendy descended down the stairs quickly as Gideon, the short kid could actually walk really fast, passed her by. She slumped into her chair and let out an exhausted groan.

"You okay?" Dipper whispered to her.

"I'll survive." she said as she looked back at the stage.

"So, Mr. Gleeful, people say you started something called the… Tent of Telepathy?"

"Why, yes. You see, I deliver hope to all my people and help them to solve their life problems. We can all unite together and have glory even when we all are in tough times, y'all!" He could tell that Gideon was enjoying the attention.

Shandra's face turned into a frown. "Some people say that you're a fraud. What do you have to say about that?"

"Well, uh- I- I- it's-"

The timer ringed again and Gideon sighed, going back to his seat. At this point, Dipper was snickering, trying not to burst into a full-out laughter. "Shut up." the white-haired kid said in a hateful tone, his face beginning to redden with anger and embarrassment.

"Fiddleford McGucket!"

The old man slowly got up from his sea and made his way over.

"What do you think when people tell you you're crazy?"

"Oh my donkey spittle! I can't believe 'em people be sayin' that 'bout me! I be spendin' my days in that dump, tryin' to make computers, I tell ya! I still can't figure out what's wrong with that doohickey, it keeps fryin' up every time I build one! But I'm on the verge of succeedin'!"

"Is it true you had a past partnership with Stanford Pines?"

When this question rolled around the corner, McGucket went blank. Dipper glanced back up at the balcony to see how the Gamemaster reacted. He wasn't smiling: he looked pissed. He glared at Shandra with a look that said, 'Why, out of all things, did you bring that up?' Shandra didn't see it, though. She was focused on McGucket.

"Uh, I- I don't really know what ta tell ya about that…"

Thankfully, the timer interrupted Shandra just as she was about to ask another question.

Dipper didn't pay attention to the rest of the interviews. Time happened to be on his side that day, and was moving rather quickly. Before he knew it, Shandra was calling him to the stage.

"So, there's word that most people you know call you Dipper?"

"Oh! Uh, yeah. I actually got that nickname from this weird constellation of the Big Dipper on my forehead. I've had it ever since I was born." He took off his hat and moved his hair to the side, displaying it for a few seconds.

The audience seemed surprised, but, apparently, loved it. They started cheering.

"Well, that's quite interesting! Are you into astronomy?"

He didn't get to tell her about how fascinated he was with the paranormal before the timer went off.

"Oh! My bad, time's up! How about we call your sister, Mabel Pines, to the stage!"

She was actually a little excited. He could tell by the pep in her step as she made her way there.

"That's quite a nice sweater and skirt you've got there, I do have to say!" Shandra couldn't help commenting. Mabel smiled. "Why thank you! Dipper got it for me!" She twirled around, and when she did, the bright colors and patterns of her outfit combined as it flew through the air, making it seem like she was a real shooting star. The crowd oohed and aahed.

"Oh my! Again, please!"

She did it once more, and there were even more shouts from the audience. They were going crazy like moths drawn to a bright street light!

The timer once again went off.

"Well, that's all for the interviews! We'll see one of you next time!" shouted Shandra. She waved as they were once again escorted out.

Pacifica was absolutely delighted. "That was wonderful! Just wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Alright, now we're going to the Ceremony before you leave for Weirdmageddon! Let's go now!" Her high heels clacked loudly as she led the way once again.


Moments later, the nine of them were marching down the long length of Main Street. Capitol citizens filled the sides as if it was the Fourth of July parade or they were waiting for the store or open on Black Friday. It seemed to be endless and his feet were starting to ache. If this doesn't end soon, he thought, then I'm going to collapse in front of all these people right on television, I swear! It was as if they were literally trying to torture them, as if they hadn't been enough, before the worst part even happened: Weirdmageddon.

Luckily, they came to a stop, reaching the end of the long journey, as nine seats were waiting for them. In a more luxurious and bigger chair, a few feet in front of them, sat the Gamemaster. Preston and Pacifica stood from behind him, trying to hook up another microphone.

"People of the Capitol of Gravity Falls!" boomed Preston.

Loud cheers of excitement came from the citizens around them. He was definitely going to be halfway on the road to losing his hearing after this.

"Tonight is the night we have all been waiting for, and now it has come for us to say goodbye to these beloved Victims and begin the Games!

"But this is not about us! This is about them! So, let us watch as we see these Victims walk by us for possibly one last time as they head to the Arena."

With that, their rest was short-lived as they were forced to stand back up again. Pacifica stood at the front of the group, as usual, ready to escort them. The Gamemaster got up from his chair, and leaned next to it, as if waiting for something… or someone.

One by one they all walked by. When Dipper came near, the Gamemaster grabbed his arm lightly - not too rough, just enough to stop him - and they made eye contact.

"Good luck, Pine Tree." he whispered to him, an evil grin spreading across his face. He let him go by.

"May the odds be ever in your favor!" shouted Pacifica from behind him.

But he now knew that the odds were nowhere near his favor.

Because the Gamemaster was about to make his life a literal living hell.