Mabel is missing. Dipper paces restlessly around the Mystery Shack. Should he glance through the library's volumes? Can one of the spell books help him find his twin? He has to try! What if she's in danger?!
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Books are scattered across tables, pages open and read. These spells would take days, weeks, even months to learn! "If I enter the mindscape will I find answers?" He set up candles conveying nature's salty seas and whimsical forests, sat on a cushion, and closed his eyes. Darkness dawdles. Like a winter night. Then, clouds reveal a starry midnight sky. Woodlands clarify below and descend into meadows.
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Dipper realizes Gravity Falls is fixed at the center. He looks around to find that he's standing upon the old wood train track suspended in air. Everything seems peaceful. Until he notices the smoke.
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Purple-blue smoke. Fire circles the town. Sirens blared. Dipper flinched and covered his ears. People scatter fearfully. Cries wail just below the alarms. Storm clouds shoot thunder. Flashes of red, yellow, green, purple, blue, and silver magic explode by darkening smoke.
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Scars, like the ones he's seen in the forest materialize. Decay leaks out from the depths and anything in contact rots, ages, rusts into nothingness. Not even ruins withstand the dark magic.
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"What is –huh?!"
Two beings ascend into sky. Clad in shadows he can't tell who they are. They are immensely powerful mages though. Spells crackle from their fingertips and magical equipment. Shockwaves clatter the wooden tracks, the slim slabs swaying. Thankfully they hold.
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In fact, their fighting is so incredible that the earth is trembling!
No. Wait. A mechanical beast slithers through woodland labyrinth to enter battle. A lizard? Its metal skin gleams and reflects faint chips of moonlight. Jaws scream as it cranks open –displaying mighty stash of metal sharp teeth, wires and coils. A man sits at the controls shielded in a glass orb.
Dipper shook his head. Is this a nightmare or vision?! Where is Mabel? Is this the past or future?
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The moon normally a silvery-white is now washed in deep despairing blues. Two objects flicker upon the cosmic giant's face. A fractured metal staff decorated by a weeping man and an attractive stone in a bowtie.
A scary metallic booming voice echoed like war drums, like howling storm winds.
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This divination foretells of bloodshed
Created by turmoil and dread
Magic warfare reviving new and old adversaries
An ancient curse looms over this town's societies
If the heroes' questing is abruptly terminated
Then everybody's end is fated
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Dipper's vision vanished. He's in the library. Heartbeat racing, he writes down the omen in a notebook, leaving blanks to fill in later when he could understand its meaning. Who were those mages? What is significant about those items?
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"This has been such a fun day!" Mabel and Gideon are at Greasy's Diner. The past four hours they toured Gravity Falls –stopping at any shop that was interesting. Gideon is delighted; he never had enjoyed anyone's friendship before. How can it be possible someone so wonderful to be related to his worst enemy?
Gideon's fame attracts excited crowds. The brownie shoos them away with signatures, boasting his iconic value over his fans. His attention never fades from Mabel.
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He chuckled, flattered by her words. "I've never had better company."
She bashfully laughed. "Thanks."
The door opened rowdily and Stanley entered, glowering at Gideon. The murmuring clamor of the diner shortly died.
"Gideon!"
"Stanley. It's a pleasure to see you again after –how long? Five weeks?"
"Save it. Mabel, we're going home. Now."
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Mabel felt all eyes on her. Eyes sink to the floor and her protest dispelled in her throat.
Gideon frowned, brows furrowed, and he pat her hand reassuringly. "Stanley. It isn't good to be so curt. Besides," a smile unfurled on his face. "Shouldn't Mabel decide which friends she'd like to hang out with? Our rivalry shouldn't get between that."
"Rivalry?"
Gleeful hopped from his seat and bowed elegantly. "I'm afraid this is where we part ways. I'll see you again."
"I won't let that happen you-"
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He handed Stanley a blue envelope. "Here. Some tickets to my next show. You'll attend? I'm sure no one wants to miss my act at the Tent of Telepathy." The brownie left. Stanley crossed his arms.
Mabel doesn't meet his gaze. She followed him to the car.
Fiddleford smiled weakly when they entered, cleared his throat, and started the engine. The silence is tense. Heavy like wearing metal armor. He knows they're having a telepathic argument.
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'Do you know how worried we were?! We searched all over town! I couldn't even contact you telepathically!'
'I just went shopping. I met Gideon and we hung out.'
'I don't want you to be friends with him.'
'Why not?! He's the first actual friend I've had in years. Mom and dad said Dipper and I couldn't have friends anymore because of our magic symb-'
'I know. Your parents are jerks. I'd be fine if you made friends with anyone but a Gleeful.'
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Mabel huffed and crossed her arms. 'Why? Because he's a rival? How did that even happen anyway?'
'Gideon and Buck are traitorous tricksters. Evil. They'll do anything to be the most powerful mages. Gideon especially. He wants every family's secret spell books.'
'But how do you know?'
Stan rubbed his face. Rage prodded him like thorns as he remembered past interactions with the Gleefuls. 'He ruins other tourist shops. And he brags being knowledgeable and omnipotent about magic when he hardly even knows how to cast it.'
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"I'm happy you're safe." Fiddleford adjusted his glasses and laughed. He hesitantly tries to break the tension. "What should we cook for dinner?"
They grumbled.
"Okay. I'll just make pasta then."
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"You guys are back! Hi Mabel!" Dipper is relieved to see his twin unscathed. But their bitter and disconsolate faces said otherwise. "What happened?"
"She uh…was hanging out with one of Stan's bitter enemies. Gideon." Fiddleford clarified.
"Mabel, clean up the rest of the attic. You'll be grounded for four days. Understand?"
Rolling her eyes, she complied.
"Dipper, help me cook dinner."
"Okay Fiddleford."
Stanley sighed. He decides to spend time in his study.
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It's awkward. For a long time one could only hear silverware scraping dishes. Nobody has the heart to bring up any discussion. Stanley had stowed the tickets somewhere.
Dipper didn't know how to say that he had had an omen. He'd have to wait.
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Mabel refused to speak to anyone –even Dipper. He doesn't understand the resentment towards him. Did she not believe he could be helpful? They often support each other when sad. 'Does Mabel think it's my fault?' Dismayed, he instead read the stack of books he had carried from the library.
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When the twins were asleep Stan and Fiddleford sat in the TV room. The mage sighed and popped his shoulders and neck. "Why is parenting so hard?"
The scientist chuckled and offered his old friend a soda. "You're not alone. Talk to them tomorrow."
"Thanks. I hate getting sympathy from anyone –but you're an exception."
"Hah. I'm grateful Stanley."
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His eyes fluttered closed. "That Gideon. Always up to something. He's a smug, insufferable, irritating bas-"
"I know. I think most of the town is blind to his uh, fake charms though."
A few heartbeats later Stanley opened one eye. "Why do the kids respect you?"
Fiddleford shrugged but grinned. "Because I'm patient and not as grumpy?"
Pines grumbled.
"But kids respect a tough parent too."
"Really?"
He nodded. "They may not say or show it but kids regard daring people. Why do you think there are many stories about such characters?"
"Heh. You can be too. After all you saved my neck dozens of times."
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Stanley eyed the scientist. He knows that face. "What's wrong?"
"The…the scars reopened."
Alarmed he sat up. "How?!"
"I don't know. Dipper had stumbled upon one in the woods."
"Ugh. Knowing him, he'll try and find out why they're there. Can we reseal them?"
"We can try. Last time it was a miracle that we did."
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For a minute the two are troubled by this info. Their thoughts wind into the past. "Does this mean there'll be another war? That they'll return?"
Stanley huffed. "I hope not. I'm sick of war. I just want to teach magic and run the Mystery Shack. But can you check our supplies?"
"I'll make a fresh batch of healing potions. And check our storage."
Stanley raised his soda can. "Thanks. It'll be a long night. I guess I'm making food and brewing coffee." Stanley rose and got to his tasks. There's no time to waste. If the dark magic mended –a cataclysmic war will surface.