AN: Welp, this took a little longer to get out than I hoped, but it's still November at least!

Thank you all so much for the new follows, favorites, and reviews, and most of all your patience. I'd actually like to take a little time here and address a few of the reviews.

Kraven the Hunter: The ghost incident at Northwest Manor has happened, since the ghost was set to come back in 2012 and the Infinity Engine erupted in 2015. However, the incident occured much differently than it did in the original show. The Pines Twins were not called in to handle the threat - rather, Dr. Mandell and a to-be-revealed acolyte took care of the problem, and the Northwest party gates were never opened to the common people.

MyBilogicalClockIsRuined: The full extent of Dipper's abilities will be revealed at a later date.

Guest: Pacifica becoming an equivalent of Arrow is such a great idea, and I wish I had thought of that before planning out her arc. Ah, well. Maybe that story can be told another day.

Gravity Falls and The Flash are not mine.

Chapter 6: Reconnecting Part 2

"Got everything?"

Dipper nodded, hoisting his backpack with its assorted content from his bed onto his back. The pack tugged at him, but Dipper had been stuffing it to excess since the second grade. He'd almost gotten used to the crushing weight. Theoretically.

"You have the suit?" he asked. Mabel nodded, pulling up the sleeves of her black sweater to reveal the bright pink foam-like substance underneath.

"I just hope I don't have to use it," she said, rubbing her arm. "I…I'd really like to not go there again. It was yucky. All over." Dipper zipped up his black jacket.

"Hey," he said, gesturing to his backpack. "That's what this stuff is for. So we don't have to rely on…" He pointed to his headphones, which rested snugly around his ears. "We should be fine. Old Man McGucket is crazy, but he's not evil."

Mabel stretched out her arms. "Awkward sibling hug?"

"Awkward sibling hug."

The two embraced, placing two synchronized pats on each other's backs.

"PAT PAT."

Dipper re-hoisted the backpack. His lower back was already starting to feel the stress. The twins made their way to the door, only for the handle to turn on its own.

"Hey kids!" Stan said, walking in in his sleeveless shirt and boxers. He cuddled a large tub of popcorn with his left arm. "I was thinking that since fishing day got ruined, we could watch a marathon of Ducktective! I gotta catch you numbskulls up before the new season starts next week!"

"Sorry Grunkle Stan," Dipper said. "We're heading out."

"Aw, come on!" Stan said, placing his free hand on his hip. "What could be more important than some family bonding? Whatever you're planning, it can wait."

"Grunkle Stan," Mabel said, eyeing the clock on the wall. "We really should get going. We're meeting with some people, and it's kind of a big deal."

Grunkle Stan frowned, not moving from the doorway. He took in how the twins were dressed, Dipper's fully stocked backpack, and their anxious demeanor.

"You bozos are going on a mystery hunt, aren't you?"

Dipper tried to push past Grunkle Stan, but Stan didn't budge. It was like the old man's feet were rooted in the floorboards.

"Yes, Grunkle Stan, we're going on a mystery hunt." Dipper said, backing up. "Please let us through."

Stan sighed, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. "I thought this was over after that stupid Infinity Engine. Dipper, that stuff you're always looking for, it doesn't exist. Period. Do you understand me?"

"Please Grunkle Stan," Mabel said, inching closer to act as a buffer between him and her brother. "Not now."

"No, I think now is exactly the time. And you need to hear this too." Stan put the popcorn down. "Things are as they are. You need to get your head out of the clouds before your delusions get you and everyone else hurt." Stan pointed an accusatory finger at Dipper. "There is no Gremoblin, gnomes are just little things you put in your yard, and the moth man is just an urban legend. But looking for this stuff, sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, that's how you become Dr. Mandell. Next thing you know, you're building machines and blowing up dozens of people!"

"You're using one bad example!" Dipper said. "You don't hate Mandell because of what his machine did, you hated him the minute he stepped foot in this town! Science moves forward because people look into this stuff, Grunkle Stan! Discoveries don't just happen! Things only stay still when you don't do anything about them!"

"You're kids."

"We're fifteen, Grunkle Stan. And, honestly, we haven't been kids since Mom and Dad died."

The room went silent. Grunkle Stan studied the floor, rubbing the back of his head.

"What happened to your parents…was awful." Stan said. His face pulled taught. "But they died in a fire. Set by a man who's rotting in prison. This ongoing obsession you have…you just want to find some way to convince everybody that a demonic triangle did it. You were kids. You saw something terrible, and you've been trying to justify it as something unreal ever since." He reached to put a hand on Dipper and Mabel's shoulders, but Dipper stepped away.

"It's time to move on," Stan said. "Please."

Mabel lingered on Stan's hand, then peeled it off her shoulder. Stan's arms fell to his sides, and he deflated.

"I'm sorry, Grunkle Stan," Mabel said, walking to the window. "But we've got a job to do."

Mabel opened the window, and Dipper climbed out into the cool night air. Stan made no move to stop them. His lingered in the doorway, the light from the other room casting a long shadow that reached the window.

"Grunkle Stan?"

Mabel sat halfway through the window. She pulled down the sleeve of her jacket, exposing the end of her arm. She took a breath, and her arm glowed. As small sparks began to flicker off, Stan jerked back, spilling his popcorn across the ground. His slippers crunched the kernels as he took another step back. Mabel pulled up her sleeve, gave Stan one last small smile, then disappeared into the night.

The car ride was silent. Candy had met the twins at the end of the road and instantly realized they weren't in the talking mood. Dipper leaned on the door, the cold penetrating his jacket and making him shiver. The waxing moon, a couple days away from being full, lit the town in its brilliant light. As they pulled up to the lake, they were met at the parking lot by two large valets in velvet red vests.

"Invitation?" the one with a curled mustache said.

"We're not here for the party," Candy said.

"Lake is closed for a private affair," the man with a scar under his sunglasses said. "Unless you have an invitation, I suggest you leave."

They drove on and parked further up the road. The trio made their way through the brush to a secluded overgrown section of the shore. Mandell, Wendy, and Soos were already set up by the water's edge, Mandell resting in a lake chair.

"Taking in some moon, Doctor?" Candy said. Mandell shrugged.

"What can I say?" he said. "I need to work on my pale." Despite themselves, Dipper and Mabel smiled.

"You doods feeling okay?" Soos said, holding a fishing pole out to the water. The end of the line was tied to a small gear. Mabel stood by Candy while Dipper kneeled in the dirt and opened his backpack.

"It's just our Grunkle Stan," Dipper said, rifling through the contents of his bag. "He doesn't believe in the supernatural and…it's this whole thing. Since we were kids." At the mention of Stan, Soos looked out over the water, watching the small dark waves overlap each other.

"Yeah…he's not a great dood." Soos said. Wendy moved over to him and placed an arm on his shoulder.

"Is that why you left?" Dipper said, tilting his head. "I always thought it was because he was being a cheapskate. Not paying enough and all." Soos remained silent, turning his attention to his line. The gear rested at the bottom and started to get coated in mud.

"Mr. Ramirez has…a troubled history with your uncle," Dr. Mandell cut in. "It's a sensitive subject that we should avoid at this current juncture."

Mabel and Dipper shared a glance. The trees began to sway, amassing a growing storm of whispers. Dipper winced and turned up the dial on his headphones.

"How is the headgear working, Mr. Pines?" Dipper shook his head.

"Better than the last pair," Dipper said, his fingers lingering on the cool metal. "But not perfect."

A loud horn bellowed across the lake, followed by very audible cheers. Everyone's attention turned to large yacht lit up like a lava lamp. Dipper was able to make out several people on the deck swaying to whatever music was currently playing.

"How's Pacifica been, Candy?" Mabel said. Candy smiled. Normally, asking how someone has been indicates a genuine interest in their wellbeing. In this case, Mabel had meant how Pacifica had been to others. Candy liked that small irony.

"I'm not really sure, actually." Candy said. "After the Infinity Engine, she was gone for two weeks. Then she came back to school for a month and left again. We're pretty sure her parents got her tutors and have been teaching her from home, but she hasn't been out in public very much."

"Yeesh," Mabel said. "You think it has anything to do with the accident? Like, she lost somebody? Or got powers?"

"Pacifica as a metahuman," Candy said, shivering. "That would be awful."

"Maybe we should check on her sometime," Mabel said, crossing her arms. "You know, when her father's party isn't ruining a wedding."

"Speaking of which, have any of you guys seen Tate McGucket?" Dipper said, scanning the horizon. Wendy held up a pair of binoculars, and Mandell mirrored the action with his own.

"Not yet dude," Wendy said, taking a peek at the other side of the lake. "'Course, they might be behind the yacht. Or hidden. That thing's really bright, so that might have something to do with it."

"What's with the gear, Soos?" Dipper said, gesturing to the end of the big man's line. Soos pulled it out of the water eagerly, the goop from the bottom of the lake dripping off.

"Food for the Gobblewonker, dawg." Soos said. He held up the line like a prize fish.

"I don't think that's going to attract it, Soos." Dipper said.

"Aw, c'mon dawg!" Soos said, casting the gear back into the water. "It's totally foolproof! I was thinking, if McGucket is bringing this metal thing to life, it's going to get hungry!"

"I think it's worth a shot," Mabel said, nodding.

"Please don't encourage this," Dipper said. Mabel stuck her tongue out at Dipper.

"Our premiere metahumans, ladies in gentlemen," Mandell said, shaking his head. He raised the binoculars to his face, and his smile faded. "Contact."

Candy, Dipper, Mabel, and Wendy moved to Mandell's side as he pointed to a section of the shore where the canopy of trees bent inward towards the forest. Wendy raised her own binoculars.

"Doc's right," Wendy said. "It's pretty feint, but there's some light over there. And I think I can see the groom in a suit."

"Perfect!" Soos said, tossing his gear out to the water once more. "The monster's gonna be attracted over here instead of over there!"

"We may have another problem," Mandell said, returning the binoculars to rest on his chest. "We weren't the only ones to spot the wedding party. A couple of Northwest's valets are on their way over there. It's probably not going to be pretty."

"We should go help them!" Mabel said, shedding her sweater to reveal her suit. In the luminous night, the neon seemed to glow in an intensity all its own.

"Our priority is McGucket," Mandell said, shaking his head. "It's unfortunate, but we need to keep our eyes peeled for the monster."

"Aw, she can go over there, Prof!" Soos said, reeling in the gear. "When the monster comes-"

A gigantic, metallic head burst out of the water, gleaming brightly in the moonlight. Before anyone could react, the beast swallowed the gear whole and plunged back into the water. Soos, holding the fishing pole with a death grip, momentarily turned to the group with wide eyes, his smiling face opening up to let out a cry of enthusiasm. Before he could utter a word, Soos flew into the water at super speed, bouncing across the surface as the line dragged him along.

"Soos!" everyone said in unison, dropping everything and booking it for the small boat docked at the water's edge. Candy helped Mandell into the boat, and Wendy revved the engine. Dipper was about to get in himself when Mabel tugged at his sleeve.

"I'm gonna head over and help the wedding party," Mabel said.

"What?" Dipper said. "But Soos-"

"Get on board, Ms. Pines!" Mandell said. "We may very well need your abilities!"

"Dipper, please. McGucket's here for his son. Maybe he can talk him down."

"I…" Dipper looked back at the Gobblewonker, which was dragging Soos further and further away from shore.

"Today, people!" Wendy said.

"Trust me," Mabel said. Dipper shut his eyes to think, but there was no time. Mabel coming with the group was the logical option. But, despite what others may think, Mabel didn't just do things. And, in their many years of adventuring, she'd never let him down.

"Go." he said. Mabel smiled at him, then took off down the shore. Dipper climbed in the boat. Mandell cursed.

"Ms. Corduroy!" he said. "Full speed, now!" The boat lurched to life and zoomed across the surface of the water in pursuit of the giant beast and its unwitting cargo.

"Come along, come along now," Preston Northwest said, guiding the investors across the yacht. Quietly, he took in their postures and body language. He didn't like what he saw. Despite the extravagant yacht, despite all the glitter and sheer perfection Preston had put into the party and his smooth talking, the men and women in suits and dresses seemed distant, more content to sip their champagne than to listen to any business proposal he had to offer. Damn Dr. Mandell. Preston had been so convinced that the Infinity Engine was a surefire investment, something that was going to rocket his hometown into the global market and transform this backwater region into a place that would cement his family's name in global history. There was never such a thing as overreaching in the Northwest family legacy – one can never have too much. Instead, his time and money had been rewarded with complete and utter failure, and pulling Mandell's funding hadn't happened soon enough. He'd lost billions of dollars all in one careless investment. It hadn't helped that he'd had to spend even more money afterwards to clean up one of Mandell's other messes.

Preston caught sight of his daughter. Pacifica stood by the railing in an extravagant sea-foam green dress with her golden hair meticulously combed to be perfectly straight. She attempted to discreetly pull at her dress to allow herself more breathing room. Preston shot her a cold stare. Pacifica caught a glance of it and retreated into herself. He really didn't know what he was going to do with that girl. He'd drilled into her everything about proper decorum since she was old enough to walk, and she was still incredibly careless out in public. He didn't for the life of him see how she was going to carry on the Northwest reputation with that sort of behavior. And with the…trait she'd picked up after the Infinity Engine went off, which he was still having to pay for treatment for, it looked to him like the future was indeed not bright.

"And this," he said, guiding the guests to her, "is my daughter Pacifica. She's won multiple golf tournaments, and has one of the highest GPAs in the region."

Pacifica smiled and curtseyed, not looking in her father's direction. Preston inwardly scoffed. He was sure that the other investors didn't notice, but the curl of her lip was too exaggerated and her curtsey too lazy. He'd have a stern word with her about this after the party.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said to the group. The investors acknowledged her with either a nod or a slight bow, turning their attention immediately to Preston.

"Is it true you reserved the whole lake for this evening, Preston?" a bald man with large spectacles said.

"Only the finest for my honored guests," Preston said, his moustache curling upward with his smile.

"What about the rumors, Preston?" a woman with a diamond necklace said, cupping a glass of champagne in her hands. "Is it true that this town is overrun with freaks?" Preston gritted his teeth. Of course someone would ask that question. Pacifica found the floor very interesting and rubbed her arm.

"Just rumors, my dear." Preston said, gesturing to the calm lake. "Do you see anything freaky around here? Any mystery men or colorful light shows? No. I understand you're all hesitant to invest in this town after Dr. Mandell's unfortunate incident, but that's exactly why now is the best time. No one else wants to touch this place, which means there's no competition." He shot a wink at the group. "Believe me, Gravity Falls has never been cheaper or more profitable."

The group mumbled amongst themselves, nodding their heads but not completely sold. The woman with the diamond necklace looked to Pacifica.

"What about you?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You've grown up here. You've seen it in the day to day. What's your take, kid? Is Gravity Falls worth the investment?"

A pit formed in Preston's stomach. He kept a straight face, but watched his daughter from the corner of his eye. Pacifica considered the question for what seemed like an eternity.

"Gravity Falls doesn't look like much," she finally said, looking the woman right in the eyes. "But what it lacks in refinement, it makes up for in opportunity. It's not a pretty town, but you'll get your money's worth here."

The woman raised her jaw, sizing Pacifica up. Pacifica held her ground, maintaining her cold stare. The woman slowly nodded.

"Your daughter has a passion to her," the woman said to Preston, swirling the champagne in her glass. "The Northwest family business has a strong future, it seems."

"Thank you," Preston said, laying a hand on Pacifica's shoulder. He detected a slight recoil, but he held firm. He squeezed softly to let her know she'd done a serviceable job.

"Now then," Preston said, letting go. "Let's move on to-"

"Ahrm, Preston?" The man with the glasses said, pointing out to the water. "What the heck is that?"

Everyone turned to the side of the boat the spectacled man was referring to, where a large mass of metal was accelerating towards the boat. A small speck bobbed in the water behind it, followed by a small boat in hot pursuit. Preston frowned. What the hell was all that doing in his lake?

The guests slowly backed away, then scrambled around to find any form of safe shelter. Preston silently agreed that that was a good idea and bolted towards the cabin. The man with the glasses bumped into Pacifica, causing her to collapse to the ground. Preston ran right by her, reaching the cabin and grabbing ahold of the wall.

Then the metal mass slammed into the boat.

Despite the terrible last couple of days, Tate McGucket could tell this was going to be the greatest night of his life. Standing on the end of the black tent the wedding party had scrounged together, he looked out at his wedding guests. Each and every one had pitched in to make this little event happen, and even though the visibility wasn't great (the improvised venue was lit by a few spaced-out candles to not draw too much attention), he couldn't have asked for a better group of people to call his family and friends. His stomach twisted every which way, and even though the light was dim, he was sure he was beaming. He'd always been a simple man, and as long as he and his bride got to enjoy this night together in their favorite location in the whole wide world, he would be happy.

Except…

Tate frowned, trying to push back the twang of guilt that lingered in his chest. It was great to have everyone here, but as much as he hated himself for it, there was one more person that should've been here too.

Tate still remembered how his dad's madness affected his mom. Her otherwise bright demeanor had slowly faded, a hard exterior forming in order to cope with the love of her life letting her down. She'd done her very best to give Tate everything she could, taking up multiple jobs and falling asleep on the couch the second she came home. His father had left a hole that never quite sealed, and his mother had borne everything she could like Sisyphus and Atlas rolled into one.

He hadn't gone to college, partly to prevent yet another expense his mother had to worry about. But there was another reason. His father had been an up-and coming genius, so much so that his brilliance had caused him to crack and splinter. And, as much as Tate hated to admit it, he had that spark too. He did his best to hide his advanced diction and knowledge from others because he'd seen what became of that. Intelligence meant nothing, he reasoned, if it came at the cost of love. His dad had taken that from him and his mother, and his mother had died overworked and tired.

So it was killing him that, on some level, he wished his dad could've been here.

Tate shook his head, blinking some moisture from his eyes. His dad had made his choices. All that was left was to pick up the pieces and move forward with what he had.

The acapella group he'd hired began humming the bridal march, and everyone stood. Tate turned to take in his bride, and his heart practically burst out of his chest. As Nellie moved toward him, her blue eyes bright, Tate swallowed and swore to himself that he would never, ever abandon her.

"Shut this down right now!" someone called.

The acapella group cut themselves off as a couple large men in valet vests burst through the tent, each carrying batons. The wedding party collectively gasped, and Tate found himself standing between Nellie and the men.

"This entire lake is reserved for a private affair," a man with a large scar over his eye said. "Vacate the premises now."

"You can't do this!" Tate said, stomping towards the man with the scar. The valet towered over Tate, but his bubbling anger overrode any fear that lingered in his chest. "Please, it's my wedding. Make an exception."

The man's lips curled into a small grin. His fist found Tate's stomach, and Tate fell backwards into the damp earth. Nellie screamed and rushed to his side. Tate choked, momentarily breathless. The muscled men reiterated their desire for everyone to clear out. Tate rose to his feet, Nellie helping him. He glared at the man with the scar, who cracked his knuckles.

"It's gonna be like that then, huh?" the man said.

A loud metallic crang caused everyone to wince and clutch their ears. The valets frowned and parted the tent to see what was happening.

"My god," the man with the scar said, attaching his baton to his belt and rushing out of the tent. "The boat is under attack!"

The valets poured out, followed by the wedding guests. As Tate made his way out, he sucked in a breath. A large, metallic sea monster with an elongated neck was pulling a chunk off the yacht's deck. The sound of screaming people make its way to the lakeside. Tate took a step back. His dad had arrived at the wedding after all.

"Tate!" someone said. He and his bride turned to see a teenage girl in a neon pink and white outfit dashing over to them. As she got closer, Tate was able to recognize her.

"Mabel Pines?" he said. Mabel ran up to him. She looked at his bride.

"Oh, you look gorgeous!" Mabel said. She grabbed Nellie's hand and shook it. "Congratulations!"

"Uh," Nellie said. "Thanks?" Mabel turned her attention back to Tate.

"You need to go talk to your father!" she said. Tate did a double take.

"What?" he said. He pointed at the metallic creature in the distance. "How do you expect me to do that?"

"I'm sure you've got a boat! You need to go over there and hash things out!"

"That man never listened to me when he wasn't operating a killer robot. How in the world is he supposed to listen to me now?"

"I think he's doing this for you."

"For me? How the heck do you get that out of this?"

"Preston Northwest took your wedding venue from you, right?" The beast took another bite out of the yacht. "Your dad just wants to get even for you."

"That's beyond stupid!"

"I think you should go," Nellie said, squeezing his hand. Tate turned to her. Something in his gut was starting to crumble.

"I…I can't face him alone."

"You won't have to." Nellie pushed a hair out of her eye. "We'll do it together."

"I'm not letting you go out there!" Nellie smirked at him.

"Let? I'm not asking. I'm going with you."

"Oh, I like you," Mabel said. Nellie offered her an awkward smile. Tate rubbed his face. He looked back out at the gleaming lake monster, which was currently occupied with something else in the water he couldn't see. Burning anger started building in his stomach again, chasing away the fear and uncertainty.

"Ok," Tate said, kissing his bride's hand. He pointed to an outcropping of dirt that met the water a couple of yards away. "Let's go talk to him."

Water sloshed alongside Mandell's boat as it sped after the Gobblewonker. The wind slammed into the group, and Dipper had to pull his hat down to avoid it flying off. Soos was still, somehow, holding on to the fishing pole that somehow hadn't snapped under the strain of the Gobblewonker's speed. Dipper cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Soos!" he said, the wind pushing the water out of his eyes. He blinked several times. "Let go of the pole!" Soos continued to bellow something incomprehensible as he held the pole firmly.

"I don't believe he can hear you, Mr. Pines," Dr. Mandell said, clutching the side of the boat so tightly his knuckles were whitening. "Ms. Corduroy, while I appreciate your dedication to getting Mr. Ramirez back, could you cut down on the speed?" Wendy's gaze remained forward, her jaw set. Despite Dr. Mandell's plea, she pushed the engine's lever further forward, and the boat increased in speed. Dipper took the sight of her in. Wendy's focus was absolute, her limbs rigid and showing no sign of faltering. With the engine at her side, the water splashing around her, and the wind barreling through her long hair, she looked like a proud sea captain at the helm of a warship. Wendy was in her element, and to Dipper, she'd never looked better.

Candy's lips were pulled into a tight smile, and her hand clenched her seat. She let out a small hoot and holler. It was clear she was enjoying herself, but didn't want to get too carried away to the point where it would become dangerous.

"What's the plan for when we catch up?" Dipper said, looking to Mandell. Mandell had shut his eyes tight.

"A good question," Mandell hollered over the roar of the water. "Your sister was the best firepower we had. If all else fails, we may need to find her and let her wreak havoc." Dipper grimaced. He hoped he'd done the right thing in leaving her to get Tate. The last thing he wanted was to see her like she was after the gnome incident again – drained and scarred.

"Until we resort to that option," Mandell continued, pulling a tarp away from the interior of the boat, "we'll use these."

Dipper straightened up as he gazed upon the silver harpoon guns Mandell had revealed. Unlike normal harpoon guns, these were bulkier, and had neon buttons and switches attached to them. Candy picked one up, clicked a green button and flipped a switch.

"Sonic harpoon guns," she explained. "We built them so when the harpoon hits the metal, it will send tremors through the machine."

"Making it fall apart," Dipper said, "so McGucket will be more focused on putting it back together than on attacking."

"Bingo," Dr. Mandell said.

"Heck yeah," Wendy said, holding out her free hand. "Pass me one, dude."

Dipper grabbed one and handed it to Wendy. Her skin briefly touched his as he made the exchange. Dipper's pulse quickened, and he rushed to grab one for himself so Wendy wouldn't see the red on his face. It was night, and the visibility wasn't great anyway, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"It's veering to the left!" Mandell said, squinting at the beast. "Away from the path of the wedding!"

"What?" Dipper said. The Gobblewonker's wake impacted the boat, and Dipper grabbed onto the side to steady himself. "Where's it going, then? What does McGucket want?"

"It's headed for the Northwest Yacht!" Candy said. The group exchanged a look.

"The target was never the wedding," Mandell said, gritting his teeth.

"He wanted Mr. Northwest the whole time!" Candy said. She turned to Dipper. "That's why attacked the boats earlier! He wanted to scare the Northwests away-"

"-so his son could have the river for his wedding!" Dipper said.

"Hold on everybody!" said Wendy, twisting the lever. The boat lurched to the left, water splashing into everyone's faces and drenching their clothes. Dipper leaned into the boat so he wouldn't fly out. As the boat straightened out, he noticed the lights of the yacht gave the mechanical beast an unearthly outer sheen. The beast reared up and barreled into its target.

The sound of wrenching metal shrieked through the night air, and the group winced. The Gobblewonker retreated a few feet from the yacht, which was crumpled inward in the impact zone. Screams erupted from the yacht, and the Gobblewonker reared its head. It shot back into the boat and took a chunk out with its teeth. As Mandell's speedboat neared the monster, Dipper took in its sheer size. It towered easily at four stories high, larger when it extended its neck to its full length. Chunks of wood and finish were launched to the side as the Gobblewonker spit them out. Wendy swerved the boat, managing to miss a shower of splinters that jetted into the water. Dipper gripped his harpoon gun tight. The boat reached the creature and, without missing a beat, Wendy raised her harpoon.

"Hey!" she said. "Fishface!"

She clicked the trigger and the harpoon shot through the air, a metallic braided rope trailing behind it. The harpoon clanged into the beast's enormous stomach, and Wendy pulled the rope taught. She flicked the switch on the gun. A vum vum vum emanated from the harpoon, and the surrounding metal began to vibrate and rattle. The Gobblewonker continued to feast on the yacht, not acknowledging the young woman's attack.

"If anyone could help out here," Wendy said, maneuvering the boat around the creature, "now would be a great time."

Candy fired her harpoon, but it sailed over the beast's fin and plucked into the water. Dipper fired his next, landing it on another part of the beast's midsection. Dipper flipped the switch, and the vibrating on the creature's chassis became more violent. The beast dropped a section of the deck from its mouth and glared at the group. It thrust its head at Wendy's rope and thrashed it to the side.

"Crap!" Wendy said, her harpoon gun flying out of her grip. The force of the action made the girl almost lose her balance, and she had to grip the lever and thrust it to the side to prevent the boat from plummeting into the yacht.

"Ms. Coudoroy's harpoon is still operational!" Dr. Mandell said, pointing to the gun that was now hanging off the creature's side. The harpoon was still sending vibrations through the creature. The Gobblewonker roared, taking another chunk out of the yacht.

"I seem to have caught something," Candy said. Her line was receding back into the harpoon gun, and clutching the end of the rope was an enormous hand.

"Whoo!" Soos said, Dipper and Candy pulling him aboard. Every single inch of the handyman was drenched, and his hat was nowhere to be seen. He collapsed into the boat. The entire structure rocked under the impact. "That was…" Soos drifted off, snoring a second after he closed his eyes.

"Well, at least we got him back," Dipper said. He grabbed another harpoon with his free hand. He and Candy took aim again, Wendy maneuvering the boat to prevent them getting hit with more debris. The two fired in sync, their harpoons striking different parts of the midsection. They clicked their switches, and a metallic screeching sound erupted from the beast. With the four harpoons feeding vibrations into the chassis, bolts began shooting off and shards of metal broke away.

"Brace yourselves!" Wendy said, gunning the boat out of harm's way. An abrupt crunch resounded in the boat, and Candy screamed. Her glasses went flying into the dark waters, and the girl touched the side of her face that a bolt had come within an inch of hitting. Dipper clasped her shoulder, and the two hunkered down together.

The Gobblewonker screeched, its shrill cry nearly deafening the crew. Sheets of metal near the harpoons began bending outwards, and the interior gears and machinery started pouring into the water. The beast began to sink, the water enveloping half of it. The crew began to cheer.

Then the Gobblewonker's face contorted, its eyes and teeth bending backwards. A light blue tinge emanated from the metallic surface. The neck constricted, and scrap metal and wires burst out of the head to form makeshift fingers. The metallic fingers wiggled a bit before the entire makeshift arm rose into the night sky. The appendage slammed into the beast's midsection, its fingers vibrating at the touch. With a mighty heave, the arm tore away the section peppered with harpoons and tossed it into the air. Dipper and Candy's guns flew from their hands, the devices trailing after the sheet as it splashed into the lake.

The entire beast glowed light blue, and the sound of metal grinding against metal emanated from it. Slowly, the remaining metal plating bent and restructured itself, covering over exposed areas while leaving new gaps that were filled with wires and gears. New bulbous eyes pushed out from the end of the giant arm, and the thing glared at the boat.

"Zombie Gobblewonker," Candy said.

"Heh heh heh!" concurred a voice from inside the beast.

Slowly, the chest cavity under the creature's arm-neck parted, and Old Man McGucket became visible. The old man was sitting at a chair, holding a lever with each hand (as well as with his beard). He gave a half-toothed smile to the gang, a bronze tooth glinting in the moonlight. Despite his evident joy, McGucket didn't look very healthy. He was almost as thin as a flagpole, his pale skin sticking out like a sore thumb. Apparently, he hadn't seen much sun or eaten for a significant amount of time.

"Ah have to say, ah think it looks a little better this way!" Mgunkett said, nodding to Candy. "Say, do y'all remodel death robots often? Ah could use somin' like that for m' shame bot!"

"McGucket!" Dipper said, waving his arms. "You have to stop! You're hurting these people!"

"Aw shucks," McGucket said, dismissing Dipper with a wave of his hand. "Ah'm not hurtin' nobody! Gobblewonker here is just doin' some remodlin' of this here boat."

"I am very much in pain!" came a voice from the yacht.

"You can't just go smashing Northwest's boat!" Wendy said, eyeing a remaining harpoon gun in the boat. "Not with people on it, anyway. You're doing this for your son, right? Do you really think he'd want you to do this?"

Mgunkett paused, looking back at the yacht. A gigantic hole jutted from the side, and dozens of people were still clutching the deck in fear. Even Preston Northwest, normally stoic in the most charged of situations, was clammed tight against the mast. He looked out at the small boat and the Gobblewonker, and Dipper could've sworn he saw the man shivering.

"Ah…ah messed up big time with Tate," McGucket said, hanging his head. "Ah should have been there for everything, but ah'm me, and now he won't talk to me.

"Y'jest don't understand." McGucket fingered the levers. "Y'get older, y'drive people away, and then they won't take you back when you're sorry. Some wounds don't heal, y'know? And it's his weddin' and all…so the least I can do is make that right, right?"

The metal began to close over McGucket again, and the head-arm reared its head. It roared at the night sky-

"Dad, stop!"

A small motorboat pulled up alongside the Gobblewonker, and Tate waved at his father. His fiancé gripped the boat's lever, ready to pull away just in case. Mabel was on board too, glancing between the beast and Tate. Dipper let out a breath. She'd managed to get ahold of Tate after all. Now they just had to hope it would work. The Gobblewonker reopened its chest cavity.

"Tate?" McGucket said, letting go of his levers. "Ah-"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tate shouted, his jaw clenching and his fingers curling into fists. The Mandell crew looked at each other, and Wendy began to reach for the remaining harpoon gun.

"Ah…" McGucket opened and closed his hands, as if trying to grasp an answer from the air. "Ah was jes-"

"I think for one moment that I made a mistake not inviting you to my wedding, and this is what you do?" Tate pointed an accusatory finger at his father. "You build another stupid robot, and you think it's going to solve anything?" The Gobblewonker lowered itself further into the water, bringing McGucket level with his son.

"Ah thought ye'd want Northwest out of the way," McGucket said, standing. "Ah thought ah could give ye somethin' for yer wedding…"

"That was your brilliant idea?" Tate said. It was hard to make out from the light of the moon, but Dipper could tell that Tate's face was getting red. "Just like it was your brilliant idea to leave me and mom for some grubby street corner? Just like that great idea to celebrate my graduation by trying to blow up downtown?"

"Ah…"

"You wreck everything you touch, you stupid old man!" Tate said, slamming his fist against the metal of the Gobblewonker. "Don't you see that? Damn you! Damn you!"

Tate let loose slug after slug at the metal, a resounding clang echoing each time. Eventually, McGucket crossed over into the boat. Tate and McGucket collapsed to their knees, falling into each other and letting loose a river of tears. Everyone was silent for a while, the only sound coming from the lapping of the water and the bark-like weeping of the two men.

"Do you think they're going to be ok?" Mabel asked, holding her arm. The group was back on land, each draped in a towel and helping themselves to some hot tea that Dr. Mandell had brewed. Blue and red lights flashed from the ambulances and police cars that had arrived on the scene, and many of the yacht's passengers were likewise strewn about the shore with distant looks in their eyes. What remained of the Gobblewonker was resting in the dirt, its metal and wires in disrepair without McGucket's technopathic grip. The man himself was handcuffed and being led to a police car by Sherriff Blubs and Deputy Durland, Tate and his fiancé walking beside them.

"I don't know, Mabel." Wendy said, shifting on the rock she was sitting on. "McGucket's got a lot of stuff to make up for."

"They got their feelings out in the open, though." Dipper said, holding his tea close to his chest. Heat emanated from the cup, pushing away the goosebumps along his arms. "That's something."

"They likely won't have too much time together," Mandell said, fingering his cane. "Mr. Northwest is most assuredly pressing charges, and if he has his way, McGucket will be headed for state penitentiary."

"They'll figure something out," Dipper said, watching Blubs and Durland duck McGucket into the car. "I just hope McGucket doesn't go crazy in prison and create another giant monster. Well, crazier."

"Yes, we'll have to figure out a way to suppress metahuman abilities if more are going need incarceration." Mandell's glasses glittered in the moonlight.

"Well, this has been fun," Wendy said, rising from her rock, "but I better be getting home. It cool if I sleep in tomorrow?"

"I'd say you earned it," Mandell said. He gestured to his compatriots. "That goes for all of you. Take the day off, if you wish. We'll pick up our activities the day after." Dipper and Mabel nodded. As they said their goodbyes, Mandell gave Mabel a firm handshake.

"Your methods won the day," he said. "Perhaps there is room to be made for your improvisation in the future." Mabel gave him a half-smile. Dipper patted her on the back, and the two of them made their way up the hill with Candy to her car.

"Welp," Dipper said, "that's another terrifying experience I'm glad is over."

"Yeah," Mabel said. "I'm just glad I didn't have to use my freaky light blasts or anything. It's good that-"

The trio stopped in their tracks. Another car was parked next to Candy's, this one a red Devil Duster with worn tires and finish. Grunkle Stan stood in front of the vehicles, his jaw set and his arms crossed. He was still in his undershirt and boxers, but it didn't impact his intimidating presence in the slightest.

"Go ahead, Candy." Dipper said. "We've got a ride."

Candy nodded, passing by her friends with a knowing look. Her car came to life and pulled into the road. The red light of her vehicle faded into the distance as the Pines remained still.

"How much did you see?" Dipper asked. Stan was silent for a little longer, then sighed.

"Enough."

"Then you know about the strange occurrences in-"

"Kids, listen." Stan rubbed his neck. "I've known for a while, ok?" Dipper and Mabel stood in stunned silence. They looked to each other, then back at their uncle.

"I'm not an idiot," he continued. The wind blew, sending strands of his fez through the air. "Of course this place is weird. And that weirdness is dangerous. I've always tried to steer you away from it because I wanted to protect you from it. Lot of good that turned out to do."

"We didn't just go looking for this stuff, Grunkle Stan." Mabel said, her eyes glistening. "It found us. It killed Mom and Dad."

"I know," Stan said, finding the ground very interesting. "I know."

"What do you want us to say to you?" Dipper said, his chest heating up. "You told us over and over that we were wrong. You said it to our faces for years."

"I'm not asking you to forgive me. I just want you to understand."

Dipper didn't feel like understanding. He felt like doing the opposite, actually. And one look at Mabel told him she felt the same. Her skin was starting to light up, and she took a couple of deep breaths to bring it back under control. Dipper felt like he was being rocked to his core, like a ship crashing violently to shore. But…

Stan had cared for them. Even though he'd lied to them for years, he'd done his best to make sure they had the best life he could provide. So even if Dipper wasn't sure how much he could trust him…he did understand. The last thing he wanted was for them to become like McGucket and his son. He couldn't push him away like that. He wouldn't. He looked to Mabel, and they reached a consensus.

"Promise you don't have any more bombshell secrets," Dipper said.

"If you promise me you won't go near Mandell anymore," Stan said.

"We can't do that, Grunkle Stan," Mabel said. "As much as I don't like him, we need him to help us with our powers."

"You both have them?" Stan said, looking to Dipper. Dipper nodded. "Doesn't matter. We can figure them out by ourselves."

"Grunkle Stan, you're not really in a position for anything right now." Dipper said, stepping forward. "Mandell has the resources to help us. You know he does. You let him care for us when we were in our comas."

"Because he was my only option for what you were going through! I didn't think he'd be keeping you!"

"Grunkle Stan," Mabel said. "Please."

Grunkle Stan turned away from the twins, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He stood like that for a minute, looking out towards the road, the trees, and the starred sky.

"Fine," he said, turning back to them. "One condition – I come with you whenever you go over there. I watch you two like a hawk, and if he crosses the line, we're done with him."

"Fine," Dipper said.

"Sounds fair to me," Mabel agreed. They stood awkwardly for a while. Stan scratched his arm hair.

"So….." Grunkle Stan said, adjusting fez on his head.

"Let's go home, Grunkle Stan," Mabel said, walking to the car. Dipper followed suit. Stan nodded to himself. Before they got in, Mabel stood in front of her uncle, not knowing how to form the right words. She decided on hugging him. Dipper, after a moment's hesitation, hugged him too. It wasn't a bone crunching hug that exuded affection, but there was an understanding to it. An attempt to bridge a gap, a rickety connection between two enormous cliffsides. It wasn't huge, it wasn't strong, but it was something, and that was all that mattered. In that one moment, they knew they would be ok.

Preston stood at his window, overlooking the darkened valley of Gravity Falls from the comfort of his study. He held a wineglass at his side and fingered a band-aid on his face in his navy-blue pajamas laced with gold trim. The fireplace bathed the room in heat, the flickering light casting a shadow on his face. It was about four in the morning, but he hadn't been able to sleep. As he'd laid in bed with his wife, all he could think about was what he'd seen and what it meant for the future.

"Long night, Preston?"

Preston turned to see Dr. Mandell in the doorway. He frowned.

"Mandell?" he said. "How the blazes did you get in here?"

"Your gatekeeper let me in," Mandell said, moving into the room. His cane tiked against the hardwood floor. "I told him I had something urgent to discuss with you. You'll find I can be very persuasive when I want to be." Preston cursed under his breath.

"You don't need to tell me," Preston said, moving away from the window and approaching his desk. "I invested billions of dollars into your Engine. You assured me you were going to make Gravity Falls more profitable."

"I've been paying for that mistake," Mandell said, looking down at his leg. "That's actually what I came here to discuss." He gave Preston a small smile.

"You know about them, then?" Preston said, leaning on the edge of his desk. "The people with powers?" Mandell nodded.

"Do you realize what we could do with this?" Preston said, pushing off his desk and walking to the fireplace. "Those people, those super humans. The old man, he was able to repair that sea monster without lifting a finger. There's rumors that the Pines girl can shoot energy out of her hands." He turned to Mandell. "She was with you. Can she do that?" Mandell's smile grew wider.

"Remarkable," Preston said, taking a small sip of his champagne and walking over to Mandell. "I thought my daughter was an isolated incident, but you've created a city full of them. Do you know how much money I can make if I figure out how to harness that power? The military contracts, the government funding? I lost a couple investors today, but if I get this right, they'll be worth lost pocket change."

Preston grinned at Mandell, toasting his glass. "I'm going to find these people, doctor. And if you help me, I'll make sure you're more than compensated. What do you say?" Mandell nodded to himself. He looked Preston in the eye.

"Well, that's an enticing offer," Mandell said, fingering his cane. "Unfortunately, I have my own plans."

As Preston sneered, Mandell stood up straight and took his cane in his hands. He twisted the handle with a click and tossed away the bottom of the cane to reveal glittering metal. Preston stepped backward, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You-" Preston was interrupted by Mandell plunging a blade into his chest. Preston's glass dropped to the ground as Mandell pushed the blade further into him. Screaming agony filled Preston's chest as he contorted to scream, but Mandell used his free hand to cover his mouth.

"Shh shh shh," Mandell whispered, shaking his head. "None of that, none of that." Preston tried to grab at Mandell's hands, but Mandell's grip was unwavering. Mandell pushed further, and Preston collapsed to the ground.

"Now Presto," Mandell said, his blade beginning to glow with blue fire. The blue fire made its way up Preston's body, numbing every area it touched. "I don't want you thinking this is personal. It's not. But the metahumans, the Pines especially, are important to the future. My future. So they need to be kept…."

Preston wasn't listening anymore. The blue fire had consumed his body, and his flesh faded into grey stone. The Preston statue existed for a moment, then cracked and crumbled to dust at Mandell's feet. Mandell dusted off his blade, looking down at what had once been Preston Northwest.

"…safe."

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