Hey, everyone! Welcome to Chapter 2! I know it's been a while but I hope you enjoy!

Mallory read the road sign aloud as the rain pitter pattered against the windshield. "Thirty miles to Gravity Falls." She grinned at Robyn, who was sitting in the passenger seat of her SUV. "Time to start recording!" On cue, Robyn pulled out the camera sitting at her feet and began to film Mallory. "So, I'm almost to Gravity Falls and I'm getting more and excited the closer I get. The legends surrounding this place in the cryptozoological community are astounding. UFO's, aliens, monsters, fantastical creatures, ghosts, and more. But most people don't even know this town exists. Which leads to the question I hope to answer on this investigation: are the legends about this town just that? Or is there something more hidden between the pine trees? That's what I'm here to find out." After Mallory finished, Robyn stopped recording.

"And cut," she said. "That was perfect!"

"Are you sure?" Mallory asked with uncertainty. "I want it to be genuine…" She trailed off, looking dead at the road. Robyn placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It will be. Show them all who you really are. You're Mallory Minton, Paranormal Investigator and future history maker. Just…keep your eyes on the road."

"Oh, right," Mallory giggled. She drove in silence for the next half an hour. Along the way she could've sworn she saw a large furry creature. Someone normal would have said it was a bear, but she thought it was a sasquatch. The urge to jump out and investigate was strong but she had already been driving a long way and knew that she had to keep going. Soon after that, the water tower of Gravity Falls rose over the forest trees. Mallory filled with excitement but that all changed when the rest of the town came into view. It looked like an earthquake had hit it recently. Buildings were toppled, cars were upside down and fire hydrants were busted, spraying water everywhere.

"Well so much for finding an inn…" Robyn said. Mallory glanced in her direction. She parked her car and they both got out, looking around in confusion.

"What happened here?" she asked. It was a question she didn't have to wait long to be answered.

Dipper let out the loudest shriek of delight he could when he saw the maroon-colored SUV roll into town. "Mabel, that's Mallory's car!" he gasped. "Come on!" he grabbed his sisters' hand and raced towards where Mallory parked. He saw her get out and look around. Dipper took a moment to revel in the sight of seeing his idol for the first time. She was a lot taller than he thought and curvy, but thinner than she looked on camera. Dipper nearly began to hyperventilate.

"Go on, Dipper," said Mabel. "Just talk to her!" Dipper took a deep breath and approached Mallory just as he heard her say, "What happened here?" Dipper coughed and then spoke.

"H-Hi Ms. Minton!" he hated the way his voice cracked. Mallory turned around and looked down at him with a smile.

"Oh, hello young man," she said in a kind voice. "What's your name?"

"Dipper!" he responded eagerly. "Dipper Pines!" Mallory thought it an odd name but said nothing of it.

"And I'm Mabel!" said a young girl popping up beside the boy. Upon closer inspection, Mallory saw they were exactly alike.

"Oh, you're twins!" she gushed. "How precious! It's very nice to meet the both of you."

"I can't believe I'm meeting you!" Dipper smiled. "I'm your biggest fan!"

"Really?" she responded, looking at Robyn. "I'm surprised I even have a fan all the way out here."

"Please Dipper watches you just as much as he watches his crush work behind the register all day. Hey-O!" said the girl, Mabel, who gave her brother a little shove.

"Are you kidding?" Dipper said. "I've been watching you ever since season three but I've seen all the episodes! The lake you investigated in Minnesota last season was my favorite!"

"Ah, where I hunted for the elusive Foopengerkle, the American version of the Loch Ness monster."

"Exactly!" Dipper exclaimed. "I one hundred percent believe that the black mass you captured in the water was his shadow!"

"So do I, Dipper," Mallory smiled back. Of course, she couldn't let him know that the 'black mass' he was referring to was actually just a huge piece of black rubber that Alan had the props guys make to fit the description of what the locals said the creature looked like. For extra effect he stuck a stuffed tube sock on top to look like a head. Mallory thought that while they were setting up, she saw the real Sinkhole Sam. She raced towards the water with her camera but unfortunately whatever it was disappeared before she could record it. But if Dipper or anyone else knew that it would ruin the magic of the show for them. She couldn't afford to let that happen. "So, what can I do for you, kid?" she asked. "An autograph? A picture perhaps?"

"How about a place to stay instead?" Dipper said shyly. "The town is kind of a mess right now and I'm sure you'll need somewhere that has food on a plate, a pillow under your head and a roof." Mallory looked around and saw the destruction.

"I suppose you're right," she said. "What happened here anyway?" she looked back at the twins.

"Um, an earthquake!" said Dipper.

"Flying cow!" said Mable simultaneously. Mallory looked at them with an odd expression, then looked at Robyn who shrugged.

"So you have a place for us to stay, you said?" she asked. Both the twins nodded. "Shouldn't you ask your parents?"

"Pssh," scoffed Mabel waving her hand. "We're staying with our great-uncles this summer. They won't mind. Besides we have a spare bedroom that no one uses."

"Well in that case, hop in and lead the way." Dipper and Mabel looked at each other with wide grins and climbed in the backseat of Mallory's SUV (as best as they could with all the equipment). They pointed her through many turns in the direction of an odd-looking house, which was also pretty shabby. "What is this place?" she asked the kids.

"Welcome to the Mystery Shack!" Mabel said. "Home sweet home!" Mallory got out and looked around. The place looked to be some kind of tourist trap or museum, yet Mallory already felt at home here. Mallory followed the twins out of the car and retrieved her and Robyn's luggage, plus all the filming equipment. As they were gathering everything up to take it inside, they heard a gravelly voice.

"Ah, tourists!" Mallory and Robyn turned around to see a man in a black suit, fez, and an eye patch holding a cane and spreading his arms in a grandiose way. He was most likely one of the twins' uncles. "Welcome to the Mystery Shack, ladies!" he said. "Unfortunately, we're closed for repairs but I think I can squeeze a mini tour in. Prepare to enter into a world of—" The man stopped short of his sentence and stared at Robyn as if lost in a trance. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and flashed a charming smile. He walked over to Robyn and took her hand. "Well, hello, Miss," he said. "This must be your first time visiting. I definitely would've remembered a face so beautiful." He kissed Robyn's hand and she blushed, yet somehow managed to look weirded out at the same time.

"Why thank you," she managed to say. "Mr…?"

"Stanley Pines is the name. But you can call me Stan," he said, adjusting the lapels of his suit. "And you are?"

"Robyn Studebaker," she said. Mallory couldn't help but snicker. Robyn was indeed beautiful for her age and had high standards when it came to men. The only thing Mallory knew about her love life was that she had been married once, but that was long ago and she didn't like to talk about it much for whatever reason. Mallory didn't blame her. Her last relationship was over five years ago when she was in college. She was now 25 and hadn't dated since. After she laughed, Stan noticed her.

"Oh, hello there, Miss," he said. "Sorry to miss ya. Stan Pines." He extended his hand to her.

"Mallory Minton."

"Oh, you're that ghost hunter Dipper won't shut up about," chuckled Stan. "I've heard a lot about you over the past couple of days."

"I'm not just a ghost hunter," Mallory said, shaking her head. "I've spent my entire life hunting and trying to prove the existence of all sorts of paranormal creatures. And I'm certain in my research that your town holds more secrets than any place I've ever seen."

"Great," mumbled Stan under his breath. "Now there's two of 'em,"

"And she's staying with us, Grunkle Stan!" Dipper said, piping up from behind his uncle. Stan cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Really…" he said with a cocksure grin. "Well rest assured ladies that you'll be staying in luxurious comfort!" He gestured to the run-down shack. A goat was trying to eat the railing and there was a pig rolling in a mud puddle.

"Do we have any other options?" Mallory asked Mabel, who just shook her head.

"Right this way!" Stan said, leading the way into the house. Mallory and Robyn picked up their luggage and the equipment (Dipper tried to help as best he could and Stan carried Robyn's suitcases for her). They went inside the back entrance. "The spare room is up the stairs, down the hall and to the left. Make yourselves comfortable." The doorbell then rang.

"That's Grenda!" Mabel gasped. "I'll get it!" She took off running down the stairs.

"Thank you, Mr. Pines." Robyn said. "I'm sure we will." She batted her eyelashes and touched Stan's arm in a flirty way. He blushed profusely and let out a bashful chuckle. He tipped his hat to Mallory and Robyn as they walked down the hall, giggling to each other. They entered the room. It had one big bed and a decent sized couch, a triangle shaped window that gave plenty of light, and it was clean enough. Robyn set her luggage down and reclined on the couch. Mallory did the former, but instead grabbed her hunting backpack her handheld camera.

"You're going investigating?" Robyn asked in disbelief. "But we just got here and we were driving for so long. Why don't you rest, my sweet?"

"Rest while there's so much to film? Especially when I'm trying to beat Alan? No way!" Robyn simply smiled and shook her head.

"I suppose I shouldn't keep you from doing what you do best," she said. Mallory put a hand to her chin in thought.

"But where to start…" she pondered. "I'll ask Dipper. Kid seems to know a thing or two." She put on her backpack and rushed down the stairs. Mabel, Stan, and a hulking girl who Mallory assumed was Grenda were standing at the base. "Hey, Mallory!" Mabel said. "Mallory, Grenda. Grenda, Mallory." She shook hands with the other girl.

"Hello!" she said, taking Mallory aback with her burly voice. Mallory reciprocated her greeting.

"Mabel, where might I find your brother?" she asked. "I need to ask him about good filming locations."

"I think he's in the basement lab," she said. Just as she was about to show Mallory where the basement was, the clock struck seven. Mabel gasped with delight. "Viewing positions!" The three of them raced into the living room and all let out loud gasps. Mallory came to see what the matter was. Her eyes widened when she saw the graph paper covered living room and Dipper sitting on the floor in front of what looked like a board game. There was obviously someone he was playing with, but whoever it was, they were concealed behind Stan.

"AH," screamed Grenda as she stomped on the paper. "Graph paper! Kill it, kill it!"

"Dipper!" Mabel whined. "Can't you two move this to another room?"

"No dice!" replied a deep, husky voice. "We ran out of room in the basement and we're going for a world record!" Mallory peered over Stan's shoulder to see who the voice belonged to. It was another man, an older one, who looked so much like Stan that Mallory easily deduced that they were twins as well. But yet he was different. He was more polished, refined yet rugged, someone who looked like a well-seasoned hardened traveler or scientist (perhaps both), yet had kind eyes. He was easily 30 years older than Mallory. But he was easily the most handsome man she had ever seen. "Now dice!" he exclaimed, rolling a die out of his hand. "Six fingers?" thought Mallory. For some reason they made him more attractive to her.

"32! Yes!" he cheered. "7000 points damage!" Dipper laughed alongside his other uncle. Stan and the girls sighed in frustration.

"Why with this?!" facepalmed Stan. "You wanna break a record, Ford?" he sneered. Ford. "A fitting name" thought Mallory. "You already got one for 'World's Nerdiest Old Man'!"

"Hey at least I'm not all geared up to watch a kids show!" replied his brother.

"I'll have you know that Ducktective has a big mystery element!" Stan continued. "And a lot of humor that goes over kid's heads!"

"It starts in a few minutes Grunkle Stan!" cried Mabel who was eagerly bouncing in place. Stan moved to turn on the TV but was blocked by his brother.

"Move that and pay the price," growled Ford.

"Price?" mocked Stan. "You mean 50 magical dwarf dollars?"

"Do not mock our fantastical monetary system!" Mallory knew she had to jump in before it escalated any further.

"Hey, calm down you two," she said rushing to step in between the two brothers. Ford stared at Mallory for what seemed like forever.

"Stan, you didn't tell me we had guests," he said. He adjusted his glasses and stuck out a six-fingered hand to Mallory. "Stanford Pines."

"Mallory Minton," she replied for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. When she placed her hand in his she swore she felt an electricity, a connection. Or maybe she was just being silly. Yes, that was most likely it.

"Yeah, yeah we're all friends now," Stan rolled his eyes. "Look Ford, now scram. It's my TV room."

"Well, its my house!" retorted his brother. Ford sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look Stanley why don't you join us?" he offered. "You might have fun!" Mallory looked and saw what they were playing. It was Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons. She was shocked. It used to be her favorite childhood game.

"What?!" Stan retorted. "No, you listen to me! As long as I live I will never—" He snatched the brown bag from Ford's hand.

"Grunkle Stan, wait!" Dipper exclaimed.

"Ever—"

"Stanley!" shouted Ford.

"Play your stupid, smarty-pants, nerd game!" He threw down the sack and out of it rolled an iridescent die. As soon as the object contacted the ground a vortex opened within the living room. Mallory watched in shock as several life-sized figures jumped out of the game box.

"Probabilitor?" Mallory gasped. The wizard and his cronies from the game had come to life. "Okay, maybe this town is more interesting than I thought…"