Oh My, Demigod

Velma said, "McGucket just said something really strange: 'This body is strong.' Nobody talks that way about themselves. They would say. 'I'm strong.'"

"Unless they were swapped in from a different body," said Dipper.

"Are any of you aware of technology in Gravity Falls that could do that?" asked Velma, raising her eyebrows sceptically.

"It's called an Electron Carpet," said Dipper.

"Yep," said Soos. "I was in the body of a pig for about half a day."

"Dipper and I were swapped once, too," Mabel said.

"I would have called that scientifically impossible, but I've learned stranger things can happen," said Velma.

"Rike the whole world turning rifferent," said Scooby-Doo.

"So we weren't really talking with the author?" asked Dipper.

"We were talking to the author in McGucket's body, but maybe the author was someone else, just using that body," said Velma.

"Or, like, McGucket was crazy and that's what he thought," said Shaggy.

"Reah, razy," said Scooby.

Dipper said, "Whoever he was, or thought he was, he was about to kill us. Thank you for saving us, Soos."

"No problemo, dude," said Soos.

"How did you know where to find us?" asked Mabel.

"When there was a big flash of light from the Mystery Shack I knew the time was right," said Soos. "So I rushed over just in time to see them taking you away, and I followed."

"The time was right? What do you mean by that?" asked Pericles.

"Like, have you heard of the Percy Jackson stories?" asked Soos.

"I've read some of them," said Dipper. "About people who are children of the Greek gods."

Soos said, "I'm like that. At least, that's what a message my dad sent me said. My nickname's because of him: Zeus, instead of Jesús, you know."

"You're a demigod?" said Mabel. "Cool!"

"Not so cool," said Soos. "A Greek god is just like any other deadbeat dad, never there for you. Every year he promised to be there on my birthday, and he never was. That's why I hate my birthday."

"I didn't know you hated your birthday, Soos," said Mabel. "That's terrible. I wish we could do something."

"Thanks, dudes, but there's nothing you can do," said Soos.

"What about your mom?" asked Dipper.

"I think she, like, died a long time before I was born or something," said Soos. "My Abuelita is the only parent I've really had. Anyhow, I got a package from him about a month before you got here. He sent me a history book and a ship painting to put in your room in the attic. There was a note that said it would help when the time was right."

"How is it supposed to help?" asked Dipper.

"You can use it to go back in time or something, to get a weapon you're gonna need," said Soos. "The Sword of Domiclese."

"How do we get back?" Mabel asked.

"There's a trigger device on the back of the picture," said Soos. "Take it with you and click it when you have what you need. You and everything you're holding will return to the room just a minute after you left."

"This reminds me of something," said Daphne. "Remember how we had to get the Heart of the Jaguar before we could face the Evil Entity?"

"What was the Heart of the Jaguar?" asked Dipper.

"A spear that was supposed to destroy the Entity we were fighthing," said Fred. "Except the most important thing turned out to be the strength of our friendship as a gang."

"This could be the big showdown, like last time. We need to gather everyone who's in your mystery-solving gang," said Velma.

"We have everyone here now, except Wendy and Waddles," said Mabel.

"Let's split up, gang," said Fred. "Shaggy and Scooby, you go with Dipper and Mabel in Soos' truck to check out the painting. The rest of us will take the Mystery Machine and find Wendy and Waddles. We'll meet outside the Mystery Shack."

"Zoinks! Why us?" asked Shaggy.

"Who else do we get to do the spooky stuff?" said Daphne.

"It's because of your extraordinary luck," said Velma. "You always come through."

"But re always get scared," said Scooby.

"Things are beginning to come back to me," said Pericles. "You may also require four keys, connected to the ancient elements of earth, air, fire, and water."

"Four elemental keys?" said Dipper. "This is getting harder and harder."

"You may already have these keys in your possession, kinder," said Pericles. "The last time, Mystery Incorporated obtained them with very little effort."

"We'll think about the keys later," said Dipper. "First we need to find the Sword of Domiclese."

"You know, that name sounds familiar," said Mabel. "I think I read it in a history book when I was working on my Guide to Stickers."

"That book was ridiculous," said Dipper. "It had a story about a dog who played basketball for the ancient Mayans."

"It also had a story about Domiclese," said Mabel. "He was a Greek shepherd who was secretly a robot with a laser face."

"Dudes, that's the other thing my Dad sent to put in your room," said Soos. "You should definitely read that for clues."

The two groups split up into the two vehicles, with Shaggy and Scooby joining Dipper and Mabel in the truck with Soos, while the others jumped into the Mystery Machine.

Back at the Mystery Shack, Soos said, "There's a weird feeling about this place. Something bad is going down."

"We'd better sneak up to our room very quietly," said Dipper.

"I know how to get there!" said Mabel. "Grappling hook!"

Before anyone could stop her, she fired the hook through the triangular window that looked out from their attic bedroom.

"Zoinks!" said Shaggy. "So much for quiet."

"Reah," said Scooby.

"Hang on, and the hook will pull us all up," said Mabel.

Dipper sighed. "I guess we might as well get in as quickly as we can, get into the painting portal, and get out with the weapon. It won't take any time in there."

"Dudes, I'd weigh the hook down," said Soos. "I'll stand guard down here while you go in."

Dipper, Mabel, Shaggy, and Scooby clung together as Mabel activated the grappling hook reel-in switch and all of them were pulled roughly into the attic bedroom.

"I'm going to change clothes for this mission," said Mabel.

She pulled on a black sweater with a white owl on it. "Good for a night mission. I'll take my favorite white flower hair pin too, named Molly."

"Like, you have names for all your hairpins?" asked Shaggy.

"I have names for everything," said Mabel with a smile.

Dipper took the history book and put it in his vest pocket, in the place he used to keep Journal 3. He found the remote control on the back of the picture. He, Mabel, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo stood together on Dipper's bed, right in front of the picture. Dipper used the control and turned it on.

The picture began to move. The waves swelled and the ship's sails blew in the wind.

"We're going to Narnia!" said Mabel. "I hope we meet that cute Prince Caspian."

Dipper made sure the remote was securely in his pocket. "Ready?"

"Like, ready as we'll ever be," said Shaggy.

"Ready," said Scooby.

They all jumped, and with a splash they were in the sea.