Chapter 1: Tourist Trapped...with Gnomes!
(Emily's P.O.V)
Okay, I've spent a few weeks in Gravity Falls and I'm loving it! Working at the Mystery Shack is a dream come true. I usual get up pretty early so I can use the bathroom to wash myself off. Sometimes when it's raining Stan let's me sleep on the couch. Wendy introduced my to her friends. Tambry was sweet, once she got off her phone a little, Lee and Nate we're funny and really welcoming, Thompson was a bit nervous, but mostly sweet. Robbie was well, Robbie. We hung out a lot after work hours sometimes and they considered me one of them. Soos really cared about me and often asks if I was sure I could live in the treehouse. I kept telling him yes, but he keeps asking.
Now, I've tried searching for clues on how I ended up here. Though I didn't have a lot to go one. Just being lifted up and waking up in the woods. I considered digging up Journal 3 or sneaking in the basement and looking at Journal 1 but decided against it. I didn't want to risk getting caught or messing with the plot. Right now I was focused on work.
"That'll be $12.25." I said as a costumer bought a few items. She handed me the money and I gave her the bag of items.
"Okay everyone, I have an announcement!" Stan exclaimed as he came into the gift shop.
"What is it Mr. Pines?" Soos asked. "Are you finally going to give us a raise?" Wendy asked.
"Hahahahaha!...oh wait your serious? No." Stan said and I giggled as I handed Wendy a soda I took from the cooler and opened my own and started drinking.
"The news is my great niece and nephew are coming to visit for the summer." Stan explained and I choked on my soda and started coughing.
"Uh...you alright there?" Stan asked. I soon stopped and cleared my throat.
"Ahem...yes I just didn't know you were a Grunckle." I said quickly. Though the really reason is I was exited I was going to meet Dipper and Mable. Who wouldn't be?!
"Well sounds cool, you never mentioned them before." Soos said. "That's cause you never asked. Now I need help clearing the attic for them..."
"On it!" Soos exclaimed and rushed up the stairs.
"Well he's gone. So when are they coming?" I asked curiously.
"A week." Stan said and came up to the cash register and opened it to see the money.
"Nice, we've been getting better. Soon I'll be so rich I'll need an extra room for the money!" Stan said visualizing it. I rolled my eyes playfully. He sure was something.
One Week Later:
I woke up in my treehouse and stretched my arms up. I quickly made my way over to the mirror and brushed my hair when I noticed what day it was and gasped.
"Dipper and Mable are coming!" I exclaimed excitedly and quickly changed before climbing down and rushing to work. I entered the Shack and noticed that Soos wasn't here yet.
"Huh, just me..." I muttered and walked into the kitchen and grabbed a frying pan and a few eggs. Scrambled eggs were one of the only things I knew how to make. Once they were cooking I heard a yawn and Stan trudged in.
"Morning Stan." I said. He yawned again.
"Morning...wait, why are you cooking?" He asked, still maybe half asleep, must have been working in the portal all night.
"I got up early to help set for your niece and nephew. I was hungry too. You like scrambled eggs?" I asked holding the pan up.
"Yeah...I may have you cook more often." He laughed as he opened up a newspaper. I laughed. "Don't hold your breath, I never learned to cook much, this is the best I can do." I placed some eggs on the plates and set one by Stan and got my own plate before grabbing an apple.
This would be a fun day.
"There almost here!" Stan cried as he finished adjusted his eye-patch. "Emily where's the smoke bombs, I wanna make a good impression!" He cried rummaging through the shelves.
"Mr. Pines, catch!" Soos cried as he tossed a smoke bomb, only for it to fall on the floor and go off. We started coughing and waving the smoke away.
"Don't be such babies, it's just smoke." Stan said as he adjusted his eye patch and we heard a bus horn. "That's them! Okay Emily, on my signal." Stan said and I gave a thumbs up and walked out the door, hiding behind a nearby tree.
Next thing I know the Speedy Beaver appeared. I peaked out and smiled as I saw Dipper and Mabel exit the bus with several of their bags. I stared at them for a few seconds when I remembered that I was supposed to throw the bomb. I quickly tossed it in front of the Mystery Shack and Stan magically appeared where the smoke bomb landed.
"Welcome, Dipper and Mabel, to the one and only Mystery Shack!" Stan exclaimed and pointed his 8-ball cane towards the Shack and, like the intro, the S fell right off. I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Wow! That was amazing!" Mabel exclaimed clapping her hands excitedly. "Um...was the S supposed to fall?" Dipper asked unsure of things already. Heh.
"Uh...sure...sure. Anyway, come on in and get settled we don't have all day!" Stan said and rushed the, inside. Dipper then started protesting that he needed his bags. I smiled and walked over and picked up a few suit cases.
"...and then there's the cash register, which is where I keep my money. So no opening in unless it's important." Stan explained as I walked in. Mabel then turned to me excitedly.
"Oh hey! I'm Mabel and visiting for the summer! This is my brother Dipper!" She exclaimed happily, grabbing her brother next to her. Man this is so, in the words of Wendy, stupid cool!
"Hi, I'm Emily. I'm one of Stan's employees." I explained as I set the bags down.
"Hey, our bags! Thanks." Dipper said as he grabbed his own. "Soos will show you the attic, I'll get the rest of your bags." I said and before I could leave, Mabel grabbed my hand.
"Nah, you stay here. We can get them!" Mabel cried and ran outside, dragging Dipper with her.
"They sure are something." Wendy said coming up next to me. I nodded.
"You have no idea." I mumbled.
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
So the next few days were somewhat normal. I was kinda sitting around waiting for the first episode to start up. Mabel was nice to get to know. She always managed to get me to smile with whatever came out of her mouth. Dipper kept thinking something unusual was going on, like I expected. They we're even better kids in real life. I actually never mentioned to them I'm 'homeless' I didn't want them to worry too much about me. Mainly cause I ain't a damsel in distress.
Anyway, it was another day at the Shack. Like always Soos was hard at work. Wendy was trying her hardest not to work, and I was somewhere in between. I glanced at Mabel and noticed an excited look on her face.
"He's looking at it! He's looking at it!" She squealed. I then realized that I was now in the first episode.
"Uh..Do you like me? Yes? Definitely? Absolutely?" A boy asked reading the note. He then glanced around. Probably wondering if this was a prank.
"I rigged it." Mabel snickered. Dipper sprayed a jar and cleaned it off as he responded.
"Mabel, I know you're going through your whole 'Boy Crazy' phase, but I think you're kind of overdoing it with the 'crazy' part." He said with a hint of annoyance.
"Aw leave her alone Dipper, this is something girls go through. Let her figure it out." I said from behind him.
"Thanks Emily. And Dipper, this is our first summer away from home! It's my big chance to have an epic summer romance!" She said happily.
"Yeah, but do you need to flirt with every guy you meet?" He asked. Causing random flashbacks to occur. I didn't see them, sadly, but I could tell he was thinking of it.
"Mock me you want, dear brother, but I got a good feeling about this summer. I wouldn't be surprised if the man of my dreams walked through that door right now." Mabel said pointing to the door and Stan then walked through. Burning and started coughing as it got caught in his throat.
"Oh! Oh, not good. Ow." He grumbled.
"Aww why?!" Mabel cried as Dipper and I laughed. "Better luck next time." I said.
"All right, all right, look alive, people. I need someone to go hammer up these signs in the spooky part of the forest." Stan said holding up a few signs.
"Not it!" Dipper and Mabel said in unison.
"Uh also not it." Soos said from the ladder he was on. "That goes for me too." I said, normally I wouldn't mind, but this was Dipper's time to shine.
"Nobody asked you two." Stan said. I raised an eyebrow. "Then why'd you announce it?" I asked. He ignored me.
"I'm comfortable with it." Soos shrugged and ate a chocolate bar.
"Wendy, I need you to put up these signs." Stan said turning to her at the desk.
" I would, but I, ugh, can't, ugh, reach it, ugh..." She muttered as she 'tried' to reach it, without even looking up from her magazine.
"I'd fire all of you if I could. All right, let's make it... eenie, meenie, miney...you." Stan said pointing to an unpleased Dipper.
"Aw, what? Grunkle Stan, whenever I'm in those woods, I feel like I'm being watched." Dipper said.
"Ugh this again?" Stan muttered, rolling his eyes.
"I'm telling you, something weird is going on in this town. Just today, my mosquito bites spelled out BEWARE." Dipper said showing his arm to Stan.
"That says BEWARB." He said as Dipper scratched his arm. and I looked at it too.
"Isn't it weird that is says anything at all? When I first came here it spelled BELCOME on my leg." Not lying, it actually said that. I was freaked out before I realized where I was.
"Look, kid. The whole "monsters in the forest" thing is just local legend, drummed up by guys like me to sell merch to guys like that." Stan said and gestured to a man playing with one of his bobble heads.
"So quit being so paranoid!" Stan said, giving Dipper the signs and the boy sighs and walked out.
"Okay...I'll get back to work." I said and walked up to the cash register where the man playing with the bobble head was ready to buy it.
Later I was getting another soda when Stan came up. "So how'd we do today?" He asked and I finished my sip before I answered.
"Well, after the tour you gave, several people bought souvenirs. And others kept saying that they should come again with their friends so worthier time." I reported. Stan rubbed his hands together.
"Goodie. Welp, time to relax. Go watch the ol' television." He said and we headed towards the living room. I then noticed Dipper looking at Journal 3! Yes, so far so good!
"What'cha reading there, slick?" Stan asked. Causing Dipper to gasp and hide the journal under the seat cushion
"Oh! I was just catching up on, uh...Gold Chains For Old Men Magazine?" He asked realizing what he held.
"That's a good issue." Stan said nodding and Mabel came in standing next to 'Norman'.
"Hey, family! Say hello to my new boyfriend!" She exclaimed excitedly.
"'Sup?" The gnome in disguise said nervously.
"Hey..." Dipper said. "How's it hanging?" Stan asked.
"Um, nice to meet you." I said, not knowing how to approach this.
"We met at the cemetery. He's really deep. Oh. Little muscle there. That's...what a surprise..." She said as she felt his arm. Wasn't that only a stick? I kinda was confused, but played along.
"So what's your name?" Dipper asked suspiciously.
"Uh...Normal...MAN!" Norman said nervously. Jeez this was weirder in real life.
"He means Norman." Mabel said dreamily.
"Are you bleeding Norman?" Dipper asked. "It's...jam." The gnome said quickly. Mabel gasped happily.
"I love jam!" Look at this!" She said gesturing between them.
"So, you wanna go hold hands or... whatever?" Norman asked.
"Oh, oh, my goodness. Don't wait up!" She waved and walked out. Norma just fingered guns at us before running into the wall.
"Uh you okay?" I asked. "Fine." He simply replied and went to join Mabel.
"Well that was...interesting." I muttered and looked at Dipper, who was in deep through I figured I'd just leave him be.
Okay, so I haven't been watching the show play out. Mainly cause I want about to join Dipper in stalking Mabel Jeff, Carson Steve, Jason and Shmebulock. So I hung out at the Shack. At one point a went over the portable toilets after herding a kid complain and opened the door to a huge stench that cause me to gag.
"Stan! We gotta situation!" I exclaimed as ran over to him and holding my mouth and nose. Stan then grumbled. "Don't tell me..." I nodded sadly.
"Soos! The portable toilet is clogged again!" Stan called up to Soos. I ran into the bathroom not wanting to get anywhere near that stench again. I'm thankful for plumbing. Later I was on the couch reading the Gravity Falls Gossiper. When Stan came up to me.
"Hey Emily, I'm gonna need you for this group. Just in case I get those annoying questions." He said and grabbed my hand before I could answer and dragged me to the tour group.
"And here we have Rock that looks like a face rock: the rock that looks like a face." Stan said showing the weirdly shaped rock on the stand. I gave jazz hands and several people took pictures.
"Does it look like a rock?" A tourist asked. "No, it looks like a face." Stan said.
"It is a rock." I said stressing the 'is'.
"Is it a face?" Another tourist asked. I face-palmed.
"It's a rock that looks like a face!" Stan exclaimed in annoyance. I notched that Dipper was in the crowd trying to get Stan's attention but he was being pestered by questions.
"For the fifth time! It's-it's not an actual face!" Stan cried trying to reason with them. I then sighed as I saw a Dipper run over to Wendy.
"Hey everyone get your picture with it for only $5.00!" I exclaimed and everyone seemed interested and got their money out. Stan beamed.
"Nice move kid." He said gives me a playful nudge. "You're welcome. I'm just glad that it over about the rock face. You might want to consider taking it off the tour." I said. Stan laughed.
"Not a chance since you gave me a new money maker with it." He said and walked over to another tour group. Well, I tried. Going back inside I picked up the book again and check the time. Maybe another 5 minutes before the giant gnome monster attacks. I never thought I would be so calm thinking something is going to attack. I then heard a 'BOOM' and nearly jumped out of the couch.
"That's gotta be them." I muttered and went outside. "Dipper? Mabel? Was that you...Whoa!" I screeched as I saw the giant gnome monster.
"Emily! Duck!" Mabel cried and I noticed a lawnmower being tossed me. I ran out of the way and joined the twins behind the golf cart.
"Norman turned out to be a bunch of gnomes and they want me to be their queen!" Mabel blurted out in one breath.
"Okay, let's calm down and think of how to stop this without letting Mabel marry a man that comes up to her knee." I said. Then the giant stomped on the ground causing us to jump in the air and land on our butts.
"It's the end of the line, kids! Mabel, marry us before we do something crazy!" Jeff exclaimed. "This doesn't count as crazy?!" I yelled back.
"There's gotta be a way out of this!" Dipper cried. Mabel then stood up. "I gotta do it." She said bravely.
"What?! Mabel, don't do this! Are you crazy?" Dipper asked. "You can't marry him. He lied to you! Like a lot!" I hissed, playing along.
"Trust me."
"What?"
"Dipper, just this once. Trust me!" She pleaded Dipper glanced at the gnomes and Mabel. I gave her a serious nod and backed away, Dipper did the same.
"All right, Jeff. I'll marry you." Mabel said walking up to him.
"Hot dog! Help me down there, Jason! Thanks, Andy! All right, left foot, there we go, watch those fingers, Mike." Jeff said as he climbed down from the gnome tower and pulled out a diamond ring for Mabel. "Eh? Eh?" He said wiggling is eyebrows. Mabel held out her hand and Jeff slipped it in her finger.
"Bada-bing, bada-bam! Now let's get you back into the forest, honey!" Jeff said about to head back into the trees.
"You may now kiss the bride." Mabel said, still staring at the ring.
"Well, don't mind if I do." Jeff said and puckered up his lips, preparing for a kiss when Mabel takes out the leaf blower and aims it at him. I smirked at Jeff. He so deserved this.
"Ah! Hey, hey, wait a minute! Whoa, whoa! Wh-what's goin' on?!" He cried as he was getting sucked in.
"That's for lying to me!" Mabel cried as she increased the power. "THAT'S for breaking my heart!"
"Ow! My face!" Jeff cried as he got sucked in further.
"And THIS is for messing with my brother!" She said and handed it to Dipper. "Wanna do the honors?" She asked.
"Yes, care to join us?" Dipper asked and I nodded. "On three!" Dipper cried.
"One, two,...three!" We cried and blasted Jeff straight into the gnome monster. It explained and several gnomes scattered everywhere.
"I'll get you back for this!" Jeff cried. "I don't think so!" I called after him causing the siblings to laugh.
"Who's giving orders? I need orders!" A gnome cried in desperation. "My arms are tried." Another whines and Mabel started blowing gnomes away.
"Anyone else want some?" Dipper asked. The gnomes started backing away. "Didn't think so. Scram!" I yelled and they all ran off one getting caught in a six-pack holder and carried off by Gompers. I laughed and watched Gompers go.
"You play nice!" I called after the goat as the gnomes screamed.
"Hey, Dipper? I, um...I'm sorry for ignoring your advice. You really were just looking out for me." Mabel said ashamed she didn't listen to him. Dipper smiled.
"Oh, don't be like that. You saved our butts back there." He said encouragingly.
"Yeah, you were able to think on your feet. That's awesome." I said. Mabel smiled and picked a leaf out of her hair and stared at it sadly.
"I guess I'm just sad that my first boyfriend turned out to be a bunch of gnomes." She mumbled.
"Look on the bright side. Maybe the next one willbe a vampire!" Dipper said. I held in a laugh. This was too cute!
"Oh you're just saying that!" Mabel said.
"Hey, you're in Gravity Falls, keep an open mind." I said tapping my head.
"Awkward sibling hug?" Dipper asked reaching his arms up.
"Awkward sibling hug." Mabel said and they embraced. "Pat, pat." We then walked into the Shack seeing Stan counting money.
"Yeesh. You three get hit by a bus or something? Ahah!" He laughed and I noticed that I did have a few leaves in my hair. The twins started to walk away but Stan stopped them.
"Uh, hey! W-wouldn't you know it? Um, I accidentally overstocked some inventory, so, uh... how's about each of you take one item from the gift shop? On the house, y'know?" He said and I gave him a nice smile.
"Really?" Mabel asked excitedly. "What's the catch?" Dipper asked with his arms folded.
"The catch is do it before I change my mind, now take something." Stan said. I walked over to him and smirked. "You growing a soft side?" I asked. He gave my a glare but I still held my smirk.
"Hmm. That oughta do the trick!" Dipper said and I now saw him in the all famous pine tree hat.
"And I will have a...GRAPPLING HOOK! Yes!" Mabel cheered. Stan glanced at me and Dipper.
"Wouldn't you rather have, like, a doll, or something?" Stan asked. Mabel fired the grappling hook on the ceiling and pulled herself up.
"GRAPPLING HOOK!" She said sincerely.
"Fair enough." Stan said and I smiled happily. Later I was at my treehouse and got settled into bed.
"It finally began Georgia...I'm now one with the series." I said as I rubbed my necklace. I opened the window and looked up at the sky. Watching the stars gleam brightly. I sighed and placed at hand on my cheek.
"I don't know what's gonna happen, but one things for sure, I'm not going to blow this. No way no how. It won't be the same without you, but I'll make you proud." I said and got settled into bed and closed my eye.
Tomorrow was a new day.
Author's Note:
Yes! Done, hope you enjoyed this. I'm sorry if updates are slow, but I want to try and fit an episode into one chapter at the most. So it'll take a while. Now please leave a review, I'd love to know what you think so far! The more reviews I get the more motivated I'll be!