The Truth is out there: Book 1 Of the inside job/gravity falls universe
By
Neztro
Chapter 5: Inside the hollow earth.
Notes:
Hello everyone, this is based on a piece of fan art where Reagan and adult Dipper hook up so I decided to write a whole story/universe around it… I may bring Mabel into the mix with Brett at a later date but first some ground rules. 1). Reagan is in her early thirties like the show and Dipper is 19, 2). it is going to be a slow burn type fanfic. 3). it's not gonna be perfect but imma try so if there are Any OOC moments just know I am improving as I go along.
The Hollow earth was a lot cooler then Dipper had initially Assumed. He expected it to be hot like in the media he watched but instead it was like walking on a warm beach, with dirt on his feet instead of sand, and krakens in the water instead of sharks.
Dipper looked down at the long river which bled into the circular pool known as the nexus where he and Reagan had arrived at… luckily they hadn't met any krakens thanks to her invention of a device that messed with the krakens psionic detection.
The two were here on a diplomatic mission. Which is to say they are here because Jr. Made a joke on the deep state equalavent of facebook at the mole peoples expense…. Which made them very upset.
"alright, let's take a break, I need something to drink." Reagan reached into her jacket's pocket and pulled out a flask.
Are you… drinking on the job?" Dipper asked, He knew Reagan as a professional and though he's seen her drunk before it was always outside of work.
"It's Brandy, it keeps you warm in extreme cold. Until we reach the molemen's forgehives we won't be able to maintain bodyheat thanks to the ocean." She took a swig from the flask and extended it out to Dipper. "Take a swig, now."
"I-I can't, I'm not legal age." Dipper held up his hand and took a step back.
"Don't be a baby, you're 19 not 10, at this point taking a couple sips of brandy isn't gonna kill you. If you were a german child you'd have been drinking for the last 3 years… now drink or do you want to experience hypothermia?"
Dipper blinked his eyes at her explanation then looked at the flask then back to her. He hesitantly took it and then drank a little of it. He would be lying if he said it didn't feel good, it warmed his body and it was hot going down… but he did feel a little light headed.
Reagan rolled her eyes at his reaction. "Jeez, you weren't kidding, you're such a light weight." Taking the flask from the shaking Dipper.
The two continued on their path. Dipper held on to his backpack which had his psionic disruptor in it with a small antenna poking out from inside it.
"So, what'd you think of meeting my team?" Reagan asked, looking back at Dipper.
The two ascended an upward slope with stone steps carved by Molemen hands.
"well I have to say they are all eccentric." Dipper followed close behind Reagan.
"Phew, that's putting it lightly."
Dipper remembered each team members appearance and reaction.
The most friendly of the group was Gigi who Dipper was pretty sure tried to flirt with him. "So Gigi, she must be very popular."
"Yeah, that's why she's our media manipulation department head and also the company bike." Reagan replied with a snide edge to her tone.
"Ouch, what did she sleep with your boyfriend or something?" Dipper asked, then piped up. "She did didn't she?"
"Yep, three times." Reagan sighed.
"I'm so sorry Reagan." Dipper replied sympathethic.
"It's cool, just a friendly word of advice, don't sleep with Gigi until we get you on the company health plan, she has a lot of Std's. To the point where we have to give her weekly cures because she is so active in her social life."
"Noted?" Dipper gulped. "So what's myc's deal, you told me he was from Hollow earth, shouldn't he be coming with us?"
"Myc? On a mission? Ha! He'd never leave the Office, he's got everything he needs there and also the reason why he works with us is that he's a criminal to his own people."
"What'd he do?" Dipper asked, looking up to see they were half way up the stairs.
"He ran out on his arranged marriage with another mushroom person who turned out to be the cousin of the monarch of his people." Reagan chuckled to herself. "He wouldn't shut up about how if he went back to the Hollow earth, there'd be hell to pay."
"yeah, he is definetly a drama queen." Dipper replied, remembering how Myc had assumed that he was Reagan new play thing… and read his mind then shouted that Dipper liked babba making the asian doctor guy laugh.
"so is andre an actual doctor?" Dipper asked, his first time meeting the korean had the same vibe that you'd get when watching those PSA's about drug safety in the 80's… complete with the lab coat full of drugs.
"that's what he claims but personally I think he is a med school drop out… but he does know how to make a good chemtrail." Reagan admitted reaching the top of the stair.
Dipper followed close behind her and noticed a bright orange glow at the end of the long stone hall. Even this far away he felt the warmth of the glow.
"So what's the deal with dolph?" Dipper remembered meeting the dolphin man and could've sworn he was a demon until he revealed that he also liked babba.
"he's our military control department head and the first in a failed experiment to make a dolphin man hybrid." Reagan gritted her teeth as they began walking toward the glow.
"he seems to remind me of my dad's war buddies… he seems to be like a typical drill sergeant."
"Yeah, he's a walking military cliché… but don't tell him I said that." Reagan and Dipper drew closer to the glow and walked in to see a pool full of lava surrounded by the four foot high mole humanoids gathering stone and placing it in the lava.
Dipper saw them take a huge rock then place it and their hand in the lava. They began chanting and the lava glowed and when they pulled the rock out it had turned to solid gold ore.
"Woah, he just turned a rock into gold?"
"Yep, the molemen are known for their mastery of geomancy. They can turn earth into anything that comes from it. In fact 80% of the worlds earth based minerals and resources come from them."
"what about the other 20%?"
"Nature finding a way." Reagan said walking up to a mole humanoid sitting on a throne made of Sickly yellow bones.
"My Mole king, I bring you this gift of milk from the great horned beast of the sky realm." Reagan said in a formal and flowery tone of voice. She reached into her bag and pulled out a robotic thermos which she invented to keep the item inside at it's perfect temperature. She reached out the thermos and handed the Moleman the milk.
The king drank deeply letting out gleeful squeals of joy.
"He really enjoys milk?" Dipper whispered to Reagan.
"I know, the molemen love it, it's the one thing they can't get down here save for kraken's milk and they particularly love goat milk of all milk… so we trade them milk for their precious minerals." Reagan whispered back.
"I have finished the delicious Nectar of life. I will here your reason for entering the domain of the mole king." The king said in a scratchy voice. His eyes were like regular moles which meant he was blind and probably went by smell and feel.
"I am Reagan of cognito inc."
A hissing chorus responded to Reagan's annoucement.
"We have heard about Cognito's traitorous slander to my royal majesty." the king replied, screeching.
"How? You can't see?" Dipper stated making the Mole King and his subjects gasp.
"He made a public annoucement on your site!" the king exclaimed holding out his phone and showing that Jr. Made a sound file. With a text saying 'for the vision impaired.'
"he's sorry your Kingship, we wish to make Amends for our company's slight against your majesty's lineage." Reagan apologized stepping between Dipper and the king.
The king leaned back on his throne and began scratching his chin. "Very well, I will allow you to make up for it." the king snapped his fingers and two molemen dressed in stone armor run up with a roll of cloth.
"The hated mushroom men have stolen my royal scepter. Made of the skystone rock which even the great geomancers cannot recreate… bring it back to me and you shall be forgiven." he exclaimed as the roll revealed the picture of a mighty mole king with a scepter of silvery stone.
"Great they stole a meteorite scepter." Reagan groaned then clapped her hand displaying a fake smile. "we will undergo this task for you your Majesty."
"Excellent now begone!" he decreed and Reagan stormed off the way they came.
"So this staff how much power does it actually have?" Dipper asked following Reagan down the same set of stone stairs. The chill of the sea filled his body again.
"by itself, none. But when paired with someone who has supernatural powers it has an enhancement effect which can be disastrous in the wrong hands." Reagan rubbed the bridge of her nose. "why couldn't this be a simple apology."
Dipper and Reagan then retraced their steps until they returned to the crossroads above the entrance to the hollow earth where they descended.
Reagan pointed to the south. "that way, it's going to be a long way, so I'mma need you to take another sip of brandy." she said taking a swig from the flask then handing it to the boy.
"Okay," Dipper took the flask and drank letting the warmth overtake him. He felt even more lightheaded by he managed to hold ti down.
The two journeyed for an indetermined amount of time. The only thing that helped them track the passage was a watch on their hands barely visible save for the goggles that Dipper had on his face which granted both the scientists night vision.
Eventually they came upon a small village filled with giant mushroom buildings in a facsimile of a human city.
"alright, my tracker dictates that the scepter is on the outskirts of this town. Let's go." Reagan ordered looking down at her tracker.
Dipper followed close behind. "How do we know we're following the right signature."
"Becuase, I triangulated the position of meteorite stone with the location of the mushroom realms which led me here… the mushroom men have no use for stone or metal due to their reliance on foilage."
"Interesting… myc seems to enjoy his devices." Dipper commented.
"Once again, myc is the exception that proves the rule. Though he does behave the same way most of his people do."
The pair entered the town and noticed mushroom folk going about their daily lifes. They cussed each other out when they passed each other and did lewd gestures when they weren't cussing.
"this is all so wonderful. I only regret that I can't see my notebook in dark or I'd write all this down immediately."
Reagan rolled her eyes and smiled. "nothing gets to you does it dipstick?"
"Not when a new discovery and addition to my journal presents itself! I only wish grunkle Ford could be here."
"so he was the one who first wrote the three journals?" Reagan asked as they reached the edge of the village and looked up to a slope which held a two story house on it… that is where the staff should be.
"Yep, If it wasn't for him then the world itself could be destroyed. Not to mention he made that summer one of the best I've ever had." Dipper said, remembering the first time he read the journal and how happy he was when he discovered their secrets.
"you really thought that highly of him, huh?"
"He was my hero… how could I not?" Dipper and Reagan walked up the slope in silence for but a few seconds until they reached the top where they noticed the pinging of reagans trackers.
"It seems there are seven clicks of mushroom folk in their… which means that they are almost definetly here for the staff. Move out." Reagan said running into the house with her gun drawn. Dipper followed close behind and held his gun which was a present from the company to emulate Ford's.
The scientist kicked down the door and held her gun. She scanned the parameter and noticed that the interior was plain. "clear." she said continuing in the house.
They then entered a room that seemed to be a library complete with bookshelves carved of the fungi and little book shape molds.
"Look for a secret entrance. Mushroom folk love trying to do what myc calls big brain plays." Reagan instructed never lowering her gun.
Dipper walked around and noticed a mold book on the ground. He picked it up and he noticed that it had a title. 'not a lair entrance button.'
it can't be that simple? He thought as he opened the book and the floor shifted open to reveal a dimly lit corridor.
"good job dipstick… so much for big brain plays." Reagan replied going down. Dipper watched her descend and smiled… this was one of the few time she complimented him without a snide remark following it… at his expense.
Dipper wandered down with Reagan and snuck up to corner. He leaned in and saw six mushroom men in robes surrounding a seventh as he wielded a stone scepter. They seemed to be in a daze. Their heads swaying back and forth like clock work.
"what's wrong with them?" Dipper whispered to Reagan. He looked around at the carving which were done in line with the stone.
"Communicating. The mushroom folk have the ability to talk telepathically… they seem to be talking with someone not here… that must be why they are using the scepter." Reagan raised her gun and cocked. "you ready dipstick?"
Dipper nodded his head and raised his gun.
Reagan started by firing a blast from her gun at the scepter which reflected off the meteorite to hit each tentacle in the circle boring red holes in each of them.
"Intruder!" the center one exclaimed and realized a load psionic screech which deafened Reagan as she wreathed in pain.
"Prepare to die surface dweller, he will rise!" a purple blast from the scepter shot forward toward Reagan.
Dipper jumped onto Reagan knocking her down and saving her. He then aimed his gun and fired hitting the mushroom man on the head.
"you think this is over, scion of the six fingered one… he has already returned and he will finish what he started… and you. Will. Perish." the mushroom man fell backwards and went limp.
Dipper looked up at the carvings and saw at the center of a worshipers with triangle heads was a triangle with a top hat and cane and a single eye… bill cipher.
"Wooo! You saved my life dipstick. That's some quick shooting tex." Reagan exclaimed placing her hand on his shoulder. "what's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost?"
"I have…" Dipper turned his head upward.
Reagan followed it. "Old friend?" she asked pointing at bill's carving.
"an enemy, me and my family almost died fighting him. If it wasn't for my grunkle Stan we'd have never beat him." Dipper replied, frowning.
"well look at you being all dark and brooding. Come on kid, this scepter won't return to the mole king by itself. After all this I think we should get some coffee, I know this great place near our apartments… my treat."
Dipper froze and looked at the triangle headed figures and he let the mushroom man's word ring in his ears. Then a realization came to his head…. Did Reagan just ask him out for coffee.
A blush rose on Dipper's face when she said that and he smiled. Even though it confused him, he didn't think it'd be a bad idea