WEIRDER THINGS
Weirdmageddon Part 2: Escape from Reality
When you think of the end of the world, how do you see it happening? Do you think it'll happen in nuclear fire? Perhaps an alien invasion or a zombie outbreak? A pandemic? How about an evil triangle opening the door between worlds and unleashing cosmic horrors beyond imagining?
It was the fourth day of Weirdmaggedon, and all hope was lost. While some have taken to hiding and surviving however they can, others, like Farmer Sprott, have taken a…different approach.
"End times are here, folks," Sprott shouted, wearing a tinfoil hat and a triangle sign that said 'the end is nigh' on it. "Only way to salvation is to embrace the triangular ways of our overlord. Any object with more than three sides is sinful." He looked over at Manly Dan, who was holding up a triangular section of a stop sign that he had cut. "That's it. That's probably what Bill wants."
An Eye-Bat came and Manly Dan screamed as he was turned to stone. Having no fight in him left after losing his children to the same monsters, he allowed himself to be turned to stone.
"I reckon I've been livin' a lie," he said. Sprott screamed in agony as he was turned to stone too. The two stoned men were then carried away by the Eye-Bat towards the Fearamid.
Inside the pyramid, the Henchmanics were still partying and having the time of their lives. However, the party came to an end when Bill Cipher tapped a fork on Ford, who was still turned to gold. The music stopped and everyone turned to him.
"Ladies, gentlemen, that creature with like 87 different faces."
"88 different faces!" the creature with 88 different faces snapped.
"Whoa-ho, sorry - touchy subject," Bill said apologetically before quickly turning back to everyone else. "Anyways, it's been fun turning Gravity Falls inside out, rounding up all its terrified citizens, and then stacking them into this massive throne of frozen human agony."
Lightning flashed from the other side of the window as Bill gestured over to his newly constructed throne. All of the residents of the town's faces were frozen in a state of terror and horror. It was a terrible sight to behold, but it only put a nonexistent smile on Bill's face.
"Don't worry, they're not conscious anymore," he said, sitting on the throne. "Probably."
On the throne, Lazy Susan suddenly became unfrozen and groaned. Uh, my omelets. They-they have friendly faces," she mumbled, almost about to fall off.
"Whoops. Hehe, back, back you go there." Bill chuckled as he poked Lazy Susan back into place until she turned back into stone. "But Gravity Falls is just the beginning. It's time to take our chaos WORLDWIDE!" Bill announced, his eye turning red with a white image of the spinning earth displayed in it. "Alright boys, to the corners of the Earth. Set the world aflame with your weirdness. This dimension is ours!" He declared, opening a hole in his Fearamid for his Henchmanics to fly out of.
Bill's friends flew out of the Fearamid and headed towards the dark clouds that blacked out the sun. As he watched them go, Bill sighed in satisfaction. "Ah, global domination. I could get used to -"
All of a sudden, he was cut off when the demons hit an invisible barrier that rippled the sky. They all fell down to the ground.
"WHAT?!" Bill shouted in fury.
Flying out of his Fearmid, Bill went up to the sky and stopped at where his minions ran into the barrier. He tapped on it with his and the barrier rippled once again. The rippling effect allowed him to see that the whole town is surrounded by an invisible force shield, containing the rift and Bill's chaos from the rest of the world
"Hmm, this might be more complicated than I thought." He mused
On the ground, his Henchmanics groaned in pain. "I think I broke something," Paci-Fire said, his leg visibly broken.
"Walk it off!"
The first thing that Patrick saw when he entered the bubble was white. And nothing else. He, Dipper, Soos, Wendy were walking in a white void. Their reflections were partially visible on the floor.
"Mabel! Mabel!" Dipper called, his voice around them. They stopped walking and looked around. "Okay guys, Bill has taken over the town and if his weirdness spreads he's gonna take over the whole world. Our first step to stopping him is rescuing Mabel, but he's got her trapped in this strange prison bubble."
"What is this place anyway?" Wendy asked, holding her ax in her hand. But seeing no threat, she tucked it into her flannel tied around her waist.
"Not sure," Patrick said, crouching down. He stared at the floor and placed his hand on it.
This however was a mistake, as the ground started to crack with rainbow-colored fractures all around them.
"Oh no."
And just like that, the ground gave out, and they all screamed as they fell into a rainbow vortex.
"Guys, if I die, I wanna die hugging!" Soos exclaimed, grabbing Patrick, Dipper, and Wendy into a hug. Squeezing them with his large arms around their necks. Causing their faces to turn red.
"Soos, you're choking me!" Patrick yelled, beating on the man's arm.
"Let my body be your shield!" He shouted.
They all continued to scream as they fell, until the four landed on something…oddly soft and rubbery. They bounced up and down once before stopping completely.
"Are we dead?" Soos said, opening one of his eyes.
"I don't think so," Patrick said, trying to stand up. The floor was still rather bouncy and felt like it was filled with air. Looking around, he saw that the ground was a mix of green and blue, and the walls behind them were red and yellow. "Did we fall into a bouncy castle world or something?"
"How is that even possi…you know what, I'm not going to complete that question," Dipper said, deadpanning.
"Do you hear 80's music?" Wendy asked, listening to their surroundings.
"And does the air smell like childlike wonder?" Soos added in slight amazement.
Patrick turned around towards the mesh curtains of the bouncy house. He opened the curtains and his eyes widened in shock. When Bill trapped Mabel in the bubble, he was fully prepared to see a never-ending nightmarish world that he would have seen from something like Hellraiser or something like that.
But this was nothing he was prepared for.
The entire landscape of the bubble was like looking at a Candy Land game come to life. It was a brightly colored and sparkling wonderland filled with happy, colorful, and goofy objects and characters. The sky was bright and had sparkling rainbow colors, and the air was filled with bubbles and other colorful objects. All the buildings were colorful and looked like food, sweaters, bouncy castles made from yarn and sweaters or other childish objects from over the summer. There were many of Mabel's idols and imagining beings, including Duck-tective, a flying armed dolphin that spat rainbows, and a giant Waddles with a saddle on his back.
"You…got…to be kidding me," Patrick said in disbelief as the others stared in wonder.
"This is Mabel's prison?" Dipper murmured.
Just then, the same boy in green that Mabel tried hitting on at the beginning of summer popped up. He was holding up Mabel's letter with every box checked. "Yes. Definitely. Absolutely," he declared excitedly before a bell tolled.
"It's fun-o'clock everyone. Today's weather calls for rainbows with a chance of dance parties," announced a voice on the loudspeaker as everyone seemed so happy and hugging each other. "If you are the owner of a unicorn with a top hat, please come to the ice cream beach. Your unicorn is being towed."
The group crawled out of the window and descended down the hill, looking around in wonder. "What is this new world? Shining, shimmering, splendid," Soos said, stretching out his arms.
Just then, a magenta car came driving down the road towards them. It came to a shrieking halt in front of the group, as a pineapple with glasses ran away screaming, having almost been run over. The drivers were none other than Xyler and Craz, the same annoying dream boys from the one movie Mabel's obsessed about.
"Welcome to Mabeland," greeted Craz.
"MABELAND!" sang a disembodied voice as the team looked up at a billboard that had Mabeland on it. It was 'perfection, but better!'
"And this is worse than the apocalypse," Dipper deadpanned.
"Dude, this place hurts my eyes." Wendy winced as she covered her face to shield it from the bright light.
"Oh that's normal," Xyler said as he and Craz got out and walked over to them. "Mabeland's rainbows have colors only bees and art students can see. Now, who wants to go on the grand tour?"
"Do we have F #$ing a choice?" Patrick asked, only to notice his cussing was being censored. "Oh, are you F #$ing kidding me!? I can't cuss in this place!?"
"No!" Xyler and Craz exclaimed, exchanging a look.
Somehow, they managed to shove the four of them into the back of their car before they started their tour around the city.
"Mabeland is the ultimate paradise and the only rule: there are no rules," Xyler explained to them.
"Except for one rule which is very serious," Craz said in a serious tone. "But no one would ever break it, so it's not worth mentioning.
"Yeah!" Xyler and Craz cheered, passing by a rainbow-colored billboard.
That's when Patrick shoved his shotgun into the back of Craz's head.
"Listen, creepy dream guys, we're not here to party, okay?" He mentioned, angrily. "We just need to find Mabel and get her out of here. You're going to take us to her, or your friend's gonna be picking up your head in pieces!"
"Our home girl Mabel lives at our next stop," Craz not even bothered by the gun that was pointed at him. The group screamed when dream guys then drove the car through the glass window of an ice cream shop, rebound off a fire hydrant, and then skid through the street.
"Watch it, a #hole!" Patrick yelled.
"No rules!" Xyler laughed.
Luckily, the rest of the drive went much smoother than before. They arrive at a beach. Instead of coconuts, the palm trees grew disco balls and the Smile Dip candy dog was far off in the water. Once the car stopped, Patrick was quick to jump out with the others. They followed Xyler and Craz over to a teens beach party that was going on.
"Now, come have rad snacks served by awesome penguins," Xyler said, as three multi-colored penguins walked up with trays full of food and drinks.
Wendy took a coconut drink. "Oh, score! I'm so hungry."
"Yeah, I haven't eaten anything except for part of my hat for the last three days," Soos said, pointing to the part of his hat that had a bit in it. He grabbed a glass filled with fruit punch.
The two coworkers clinked their drinks, while Patrick and Dipper exchanged looks of concern.
"Can you guys just hold on a second?" Dipper asked as he and Patrick guided them away from the dream people and animals. Once away, his face turned gravely serious. "Do you see what's happening here? Don't forget this world was created by Bill."
"Dipper's right," Patrick said, before seeing Soos about to take a sip from his juice. He quickly slapped the drink out of his hand. "Soos! Think, man! That punch is probably blood! And that glitter rain…" he then pointed up to a cloud of glitter that appeared over him. "…is probably ground-up bones, or babies, or something."
"What are you saying, dudes," Wendy asked, tossing her drink over her shoulder.
"Bill's using Mabel's own fantasies as some sick trap," Dipper said, collecting some glitter in his hand and dropping it. "We need to grab Mabel and get the heck out of here."
"Oh, Mabel?" Craz said, getting their attention. "She's at the top of the tallest tower guarded by those big buff waffle guards. There's no way to get past them!" He pointed to a giant sandcastle that had two waffle guards with butter knives standing guard. Patrick remembered they were her original idea for the wax figure.
Soos narrowed his eyes and cracked his knuckles. "Someone hand me some syrup," he said in a threatening tone.
When the guards weren't paying attention, Soos crept up to one of the waffle guards and jumped on him from behind. Grabbing a hold of him, Soos started to eat his head.
"Aaah! It's happening! The moment we've trained for!" The waffle screamed as he was brought down to the ground. All the while his companions turned to him in horror.
"Oh, don't worry, man! I've got ya-" The second guard screamed as his face was punched out by Wendy.
"It's now or never, guys!" Wendy shouted.
Inside the tower, there were several animals that were frolicking about when Patrick blew down the doors with his blaster. "This is a rescue! Everyone hit the deck!" Patrick yelled before blasting a teddy bear in the face. Wendy punched a blue bunny in the face, Dipper kicked a glittering butterfly, and Soos picked up a ballerina bat and threw it across the room.
"Hang in there, Mabel!" Soos shouted as they ran up the stairs as fast as they could.
Once they reached the top, they burst through the doors to the bedroom. The room was dark and somewhat eerie as they looked around. However, they could see Mabel's figure sleeping in a canopy bed at the far end of the room.
"There she is!" Dipper exclaimed.
"I'll grab her! Wendy, Dipper, Soos, barricade the door! We'll fight our way out of here!" Patrick ran over to Mabel. Wendy slammed the doors shut as Dipper and Soos picked up an industrial-sized container of sprinkles to block the doors.
As they continued putting anything they could grab to barricade the door, Patrick rushed over to the bed and pulled back the curtains."Mabel, please wake up," Patrick said softly as he shook Mabel gently.
She shifted and opened her eyes tiredly. "Patrick? Soos? Wendy? Dipper?" She asked in confusion.
"Yeah, Mabel. It's us," Patrick said, placing his hand on her head with a smile. Beyond relieved to see she was okay. "We're here to rescue you."
"The waffles are coming back!" Wendy yelled as swords were being poked through the door. Patrick quickly ran over to help her and the others as the guards started banging on the door. "We gotta hurry!"
"Uh, guys?" Mabel looked at them in confusion as she jumped out of the bed.
"Don't worry, Mabel, we'll get you out of this!" Dipper shouted.
"But, Dipper!" Mabel suddenly clapped her hands twice.
The next thing the group knew was they were lifted into the, along with everything they put in front of the door. Using her arms and hands, Mabel placed everything down in order and seated Patrick, Dipper, Soos, and Wendy on some chairs. The guards came in and pointed their butterknife spears at them. Patrick was about to jump back into action when Mabel clapped again and the guards stopped.
"Ho…How did you…" Patrick looked at her in bewilderment.
"Mabel! What are you doing?" Dipper shouted. "We're trying to save you from this prison!"
"This isn't a prison! I made this world!" Mabel clapped her hands, and the lights came on. The bedroom was beautiful and colorful, with a zodiac on the floor, two stone Mabel statues on either side of the bed, and red streamers and golden bows decorated the ceiling. "Well, I sort of woke up here. It's complicated."
"Mabel, what are you saying?" Patrick asked
Mabel walked over behind a desk in front of a window and turned a plague on it around. Revealing it to say "MAYOR MABEL". "I'm saying this is my home now. And I don't want to be saved!"
"What…?" Patrick whispered, stunned.
"What do you mean you don't want to be saved!?" Dipper shouted.
"Look, after you said you wouldn't come back home with me at the end of the summer for your 'apprenticeship,' I wanted to hide in my sweater forever."
"Good one, dude," Wendy said, glaring at Dipper, who looked away with a guilty expression.
"But then I woke up in a place that gives me exactly what I wanted: an endless summer where I never have to grow up! Here the sun shines all day, the party never ends, and now that you guys are here, it's finally perfect!"
"Perfect?" Patrick asked, not believing what he was hearing. "Mabel, Bill built this place. We can't stay here!"
"I know you want me to leave, but once you stay here for a little longer-"
"Staying here…means letting Bill destroy our world. And need I remind you that Bill tricked you into giving him the rift?"
"I know, Patrick, and I'm sorry," Mabel said, looking down with a look of guilt. But she quickly replaced it with a smile. "But now we don't have to worry about Bill. Now we can do whatever we want and never have to leave Gravity Falls."
"Listen, Mabel, we're not here to party. All of this is crazy!" Dipper yelled.
"Ugghh. I figured you might say something like that, Dipper," Mabel groaned. "That's why I prepared a backup Dipper with a more supportive attitude."
They all turned around to the door they came from and watched as they slammed open to reveal another Dipper riding a skateboard. Confetti burst from the stair's railing as he made his entrance.
This Dipper looked like the real one, but with major differences. He dressed in heavily 90's-inspired attire and had the same t-shirt and hat as Dipper, wore his hat backwards, and his shirt was tucked into his pants. Both items of clothing were also more brightly colored than Dipper's. He wore gray jeans, a fluorescent green belt, green and pink high-top sneakers with blue lightning bolts and red flashing lights, a blue vest with yellow lightning bolts, and a pair of visor-like green sunglasses with purple lenses.
"Wohoho!" The other Dipper cheered. He zoomed past the group and high-fived Mabel. "Yeah! Wiggity-wiggity-what's up, dude-bros? I'm Dippy Fresh! I like skateboarding, supporting my sister, and punctuating every sentence with a high five! Hup!" Dippy Fresh held up his hand for a high-five.
Dipper instantly hated him.
Soos laughed. "Oh! Don't mind if I-" Dipper cleared his throat, looking at his friend with a glare and shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't leave him hanging! Yus!" He high-fived Dippy Fresh.
"You're dead to me, Soos."
"Trust me, you guys are gonna love it here. This world always knows what you want. Sometimes even before you do!" A small flash of light appeared over her and a chinchilla dropped into her arms. "Apparently I wanted a chinchilla! Right again, Mabeland!"
"Mabel, listen to yourself. This is crazy! I'm sorry about our fight, and I'm sorry things aren't great right now but that doesn't mean you can just stay in here forever!" Dipper said, looking at her with a pleading but stern expression.
"Hey, take a chill pill! Those grow on trees here!" Dippy Fresh said.
"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS, DIPPY FRESH!"
"Dude, calm down; Dippy Fresh didn't do anything to you, dawg," Soos said, trying to calm Dipper down. However, this only aggravated the young boy, who growled at Dippy Fresh as the döppelganger skated out of the room.
"I know it sounds too good to be true, but just give this place a chance! Mabeland knows just what you want and always provides!" Mabel put the chinchilla down and clapped her hands. To their shock, Patrick, Dipper, Soos, and Wendy's clothes go back to normal and their injuries are healed. Patrick's hat was returned to his head by a bird and a flying hamburger floated up to Soos, and the handyman took a bite out of it.
"Pudding center. Nice!" He said.
"Uh, actually, Mabel, I'm with the Dipper on this," Wendy stated. "Gravity Falls is in trouble and I really think-"
A loud car honk cut her off. They looked over at a window to see Thompson driving up with Wendy's friends in a monster truck. "Wendy!" Thompson, Tambry, Lee, and Nate cheered.
"Wha- guys? You're safe!" Wendy cried.
"We've got a monster truck full of fireworks, fake IDs, and pranking supplies," Lee said, jingling a set of keys.
"Wanna drive this truck to the high school and glue this plunger to the principal's head?" Nate asked.
Wendy's eyes sparkled brightly. "Yes. Yes, I do. Come on, Patrick!" She took his hand and tried pulling him when he yanked back.
"Wendy, you can't be serious!" Patrick exclaimed. "Come on, you're smarter than this! They aren't our friends. It's an illusion."
Wendy looked at him with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, Patrick, but I've always wanted to do that. I'll be back in just a few minutes." Not giving Patrick a chance to speak, she jumped into the truck. The teens drive away on the rainbow road, cheering.
"Wendy!" Patrick shouted, but it was too late.
"Don't worry, dude," Soos said. "There's nothing in this world that could break me from our mission."
However, the doors burst open, and a muscular man with a wrestling mask and a champion belt that said 'PAPI' entered. "Soos, mijo. I have returned." He declared as they stared at the man in awe.
"Holy crap…whoa, whoa. Dad?" Soos asked in disbelief.
"Seriously!? He gets to cuss!" Patrick complained.
"You don't remember what I look like, so I have the body of a pro wrestler and a face you once saw on a hot sauce bottle," Ernesto said. "I was never there for you, but in this world, I can be."
"You're perfect!" Soos said in awe. He slowly walked towards him, but Patrick rushed over and grabbed his arm.
"Soos, don't do it!" He pleaded.
"It's a trap!" Dipper waved his arms in protest. "Don't go with him, Soos! No matter what he offers you!"
Soos's dad held up a ball and baseball glove. "Want to play catch?"
Seeing that, Soos looked at Patrick regretfully. To the teenager's shock, the handyman pulled his hands off of his arm. "I'm sorry, dude. Even if it is all a dream, I've gotta play just one game. Hahaha! Come on, Dad!" Soos laughed as he chased the ball his "dad" threw. The two went off, leaving Patrick with the twins.
Dipper whirled around to face Mabel. "Okay, this has gone too far!" He yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her as she came down from behind her desk. "You can't honestly think these fantasies are good for anyone!"
"Dipper!" called a familiar voice that made Dipper gasp. To his shock and amazement, Ford came flying into the room with a jetpack and a big smile on his face. "There you are!"
"F-Ford!? You're okay!" Dipper exclaimed with a big smile.
"Yes I am, and I've defeated Bill! Now come on, who wants to come with me to fight a mummy?" he asked, offering his apprentice another jetpack
"I do!" Dipper exclaimed with an excited grin.
"What? Dipper!" Patrick tried to stop him. "Are you serious?! That's not Ford!"
"Patrick, what if Mabel's right? We get to be together, and I can still be Ford's apprentice," he said, slipping on the jetpack. Before his cousin could protest any further, Dipper and Ford blasted off.
"Damnit, Mabel! Will you stop this nonsense!" Patrick yelled angrily, walking up to her and grabbed her arm. "Call off all of the tricks and let's get back to Gravity Falls."
"No, Patrick. I don't want to leave!" Mabel yelled, pulling away from him "Can't you see that I'm happy here? I don't want summer to end, and I'm able to make everything I want to happen. You can't argue with the results: people are happy here! Does it really matter if it's real or not? For once, stop listening to your head and listen to your heart. Mabeland has something for everyone! Even you!"
"Listen to yourself!" Patrick snapped. "You're not a god, Mabel, you're a 12-years-old girl. You…are…a KID!"
"For how much longer?!" Mabel cried. "One more week, and I'll stop being a kid and become a teenager. Everything that made me Mabel will disappear! Do you want that, Patrick? Huh? You tell me."
Patrick pointed his finger at her head. "Somewhere behind all that nonsense is a girl who taught me that life's only worth living if you truly take the chance and enjoy it. And I traveled all this way to rescue that girl, because I believed her," Patrick said to her, looking down at Mabel dead in the eyes. His tone then changed to a voice that had pleading mixed into it. "Mabel, please, come home with us. It's not too late to stop this."
Mabel's expression turned into an upset frown. "Well, you wasted your time." She turned her back to him and crossed her arms.
Deeply hurt and surprised by her decision, Patrick looked at her with wide eyes. He wanted to say something else. Something that would get her to leave with them. But what could he say? She's already made up her mind. With a sigh of defeat, Patrick headed towards a flight of stairs to the side, leaving Mabel alone.
As he descended down the stairs, he didn't notice Mabel looking back at him with a sad expression.
Bill was not in a good mood. He used to be in a good mood, but that was back when his plans were going smoothly and he was finally winning. Now he was back inside the Fearamid, pacing back and forth in the air as the other demons groaned in pain. All because they couldn't leave the Gravity Falls.
As he started talking to his Henchmanics, a dark thunder cloud started to form over him. "Alright, can anyone explain to me why, even with our newfound INFINITE POWER!" Bill yelled and blasted light from the cloud, making the demons duck for cover in fear. "None of us can escape the borders of this STUPID MOTHERFUCKING TOWN!"
Bill floated down and sat on his throne, which had the golden Ford statue sitting on its right armrest. "There's some kind of force field keeping us in, but who would know how to fix it?" He picked up Ford for what would have been just a moment. However, as he looked at the author, he started to form an idea. "Hmm. Maybe someone needs to come out of retirement," Bill said, his eye flashing pages of the now destroyed Journals.
"Bill!" yelled Keyhole as he ran into the throne room. Bill's eye turned back to normal as his friend approached. "Uh, sorry, Boss, but Gideon let the Pines family escape! They're inside Mabel's bubble as we speak!" Worried that Bill would unleash his wrath on him, Keyhole braced himself.
However, to his surprise, Bill laughed. "Buddy, Mabel's bubble is the most diabolical trap I've ever created," Bill said, looking through a triangle window at his best creation to date. "It would take a will of titanium not to give into its temptation. Fetch me Gideon and take the rest of the day off. Things just got a little more interesting."
Patrick had hit a lot of low points in his life, and this ranks among them. Staring down at his reflection in a river, he sighed and sat down on a log. Trying his best to ignore the annoying music playing and the stuffed animal tree singing, Patrick picked up a stone and angrily threw it across the river. It skipped perfectly while a child's giggling was heard. "Are you…Ugh, even my stone skips are perfect!" Patrick yelled.
He let out a sigh in annoyance. "Who am I kidding? Maybe Mabel's right. It's a horror show out there. At least the air in here is breathable," he said. Patrick looked back down at the water and stared at his own reflection. "Well, you finally did it, Bill. You've won. Well played."
"Dude, you're talking to a river." Patrick saw Wendy walk up to him.
"Oh, hey, Wendy, what's up?" He asked as his girlfriend carefully sat down next to him, and leaned on him. Resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her. "I thought you were busy wrecking the school or whatever."
"Yeah, that got old quick," Wendy said with a frown. "And this music is really starting to get on my nerves. I think that stuff you said about this place is right. There's something off about it."
"Yeah. Well, now we just need a plan to get Mabel and the others out of here," Patrick said, trying to think of something.
"Don't worry, you always think of something." Wendy picked up a rock and threw it. Just like Patrick's, it skipped while giggles were heard. Only this time the stone exploded in the sky and a screen popped up that said "100 POINTS".
"Hmm. Nice one," he said, before looking at her. Patrick paused as he took in the sight of her in the light of the afternoon sun. It really did bring out the beauty in her like nothing else.
Seeing that he was staring at her, Wendy turned to her girlfriend and smiled. "What?" she giggled.
"Nothing, it's just…you're so beautiful," Patrick said with a smile.
Wendy smiled back with her eyes sparkling. Scooting closer to him, Wendy wrapped her arm around him and he did the small. Their free hands interlocked together as they stared out at the water together. Enjoying the moment they had together. "You know, I really am an idiot," she said.
"Now why would you say that?" Patrick asked, kissing the top of her head.
"Ever since you came into my life, I knew you were someone special. Heh. It's kinda funny. There I was, wasting my time dating other guys when I knew you were my dream guy."
"Wait, do you really mean that?" Patrick asked, pulling away from her in shock and a hopeful smile.
"Wait a minute. In this place, you don't have to leave me. If we stay here together, we wouldn't ever have to be apart!" Wendy said excitedly.
"Wait, for real?!" Quickly standing up, Patrick stared at his girlfriend with a sense of joy and hope.
"I bet we could do it all here! Go to school, have sex, heck we could even get married here! In this place it could finally be just you and me," Wendy said with the biggest smile she could muster. "Come on, man! Just take my hand." She stood up and held out her hand.
Patrick slowly reached out his hand until…she winked.
In that instead, Patrick was suddenly reminded of what happened in the bunker. Pausing, he slowly retracted his hand from her, much to 'Wendy's' confusion. "What's wrong?" She asked.
"Yeah, that would be nice…if you were the real Wendy!" Patrick yelled, grabbing her by the wrist. "You're not real! None of this is real! What have you-" He was cut off when the fake Wendy's arm broke off.
Looking at it, his confusion turned to horror when it turned into a bunch of centipedes and fell apart in his hand. In fact, fake Wendy's entire body turned into red and black centipedes that wiggled and squirmed, with one bright yellow eye staring back at him.
"OH MY GOD!" Patrick screamed in horror, backing away from the bugs as they scurry off. The sky and landscape around him darkened.
The stuffed animal tree rotated around to face him, with the same glowing yellow eyes as 'Wendy'. "You shouldn't have done that, Patriiiiccckkk! We're watching you," it said as the stuffed animals rotated around, all of them now had one giant eye. The same eye as Bill.
"THERE ARE EYES EVERYWHERE." They echoed.
The tree then grew a pair of long, horrible-looking arms and pulled itself out of the ground. Its roots twisted and turned into stubby legs to stand on. Patrick stared in terror and back away as the tree started coming towards him. It was about to attack when…
"Alright, that's enough."
After hearing the voice, Patrick watched as the tree started to shrink. Its limbs retracted back into its body, as the tree roared in agony. But as he watched on, Patrick realized that it wasn't shrinking. It was getting younger at increasing fast speeds. All the way, until it was an acorn.
Patrick stared at the acorn for a moment, until he noticed the leaves flying around him stopped moving. The creatures and characters stopped moving. Everything stopped moving. Just then, a sudden bright light flashed behind Patrick. He turned and saw Father Time floating down from the sky to meet him.
"Patrick Louise Pines," he said, using Patrick's full name. "It is so good to finally meet you in person. I just wished that the timing could have been different."
One of his clocks fell off, landing next to Patrick.
"Sorry."
"Who…Who are you?" Patrick asked, staring at the clock being in wonder.
"I am Father Time."
More clocks fell off, making Patrick move out of the way to avoid getting hit. "You don't look so hot," he said worriedly.
"I don't feel so hot. It's been a long time since I've been the keeper of time. However, with my son, Time Baby, having been killed by that crazy triangle, I must take up the mantle again."
Patrick's eyes widened in shock. "Time Baby's dead?"
"And now Bill has complete control over space, matter, and time itself. Meaning my days are numbered," Father Time said, before coughing into his hand. "But he's still trapped within Gravity Falls. The town's natural law of weirdness magnetism is keeping him from the rest of the world. You must stop him."
"But how?" Patrick asked, desperately. Now knowing just how bad things were, he needed to know how to convince his family to come with him. "None of them want to leave this place. They would rather live in this fantasy world than save the real one."
"Well, that's the real question, isn't it," Father Time said, putting a hand under his chin.
"W-Well, can't you do anything?! Your time personified!" Patrick exclaimed.
"I can't. With the powers of Time Baby, I can't stop him," Father Time exclaimed, shaking his head. "But there's still hope."
Patrick looked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
"Allow me to explain." Father Time waved his arm, and the two of them disappeared from Mabeland.
When Patrick opened his eyes, he was treated to a sight that was beyond imagining.
Standing in a black void, Patrick found himself surrounded by endless streams of orbs that slowly wiggled and shifted. Each stream had a different color to it. Standing up, Patrick walked over to one of the streams and looked into one of the orbs. Inside he saw Dipper and Mabel on their first day in Gravity Falls. But for some reason, he couldn't see himself. As he went down the stream, he still couldn't find himself in an orb, even though they showed events that he was there for.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Patrick gasped and turned around, seeing Father Time floating towards him.
"What is this place?" He asked.
"My place," Father Time said, floating over to one of the streams. "I exist outside of the laws of space and time, and while my child was the overseer of all time, I merely sat back and watched history play out in the multiverse.
"So, that means…"
"These are all different timelines. They're not the prime timeline, but are merely the alternate universes that are created from the main one."
Patrick shook his head in confusion. "So how come I'm not in any of them?"
"You will be, if you succeed," Father Time told him, floating down the streams as Patrick walked behind him. "Each one tells the same story, but in a different form. And sadly, all end the same."
Father Time pointed towards the end of the timelines. There were no more orbs, and the ones that were near the end had the same red color. All of them showed the same image. Bill laughed as the world burned down.
"When Bill murdered my own son, I immediately tried to find out what had happened. To my horror, Weirdmaggedon was happening all over the multiverse," Father Time explained, touching one of the orbs of one of the timelines. "In every timeline, it ended the same way. Dipper, Soos, and Wendy try to save Mabel from Mabeland, but never leave the bubble. With no one to save him, and his brother being killed by the demon that he fought so hard against, Ford breaks under Bill's torture and gives him the key to leave the boundaries of Gravity Falls and conquer the universe."
Patrick stared at all the timelines in horror. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream. He turned to Father Time, only to see him floating over towards a larger, pink-colored timeline that was much larger than the others, with many more orbs in it.
"This is the Prime Timeline. Your timeline." Father Time lifted up his arm and softly rubbed it. His clock hand glided across the tightly packed orbs. "It is this that influences all other timelines. So many times I've tried to change the outcome of Bill's Weirdmaggedon, but there's no way to stop his madness. No matter how I changed the timeline, in every outcome, it all ends up with your cousins and your friends remaining trapped in the bubble, and Bill destroying the universe."
Seeing just how hopeless it all was, Patrick lowered his head.
"But, there is still a chance," said the super-being. "And it lies in you, Patrick."
Patrick looked up and saw Father Time floating further down the Prime Timeline and picked out an orb. One that showed two twin babies together. "In one of my timelines, I saw something that I never expected. A timeline in which your great-great-uncle Filbrick had a sibling. Alexander.
"You mean my great grandfather?" Patrick asked with wide eyes.
"That's right. At that moment, I came up with an idea. What if there was something, or perhaps someone, that could break the deadlock in the timeline and reset the flow of time. Someone who could convince your family to leave the bubble and save the world. So, as I let the Prime Timeline take its course, I merely planted the seeds that would lead to an eventuality. The brother of Filbrick Pines would have a child, and that child would bear their own child, leading to the birth of the one that would change everything and help save the universe."
Patrick stood there in silence, as he thought and contemplated what Father Time was saying. The one that would save the timeline? Who was he talking about? It all started with his great-great-grandfather Alex, and his child was his grandmother, Veronica. Her child was his mother, Nora. And then that…would…mean…
"...me?"
"You, Patrick Pines," Father Time said, placing his hand on Patrick's shoulder as the young man stared up at him in shock. "I planted the seeds that would lead to your existence. Your personality, your strength, your skills, even your love for Wendy. You are now your world's only hope of salvation. Convince your family and friends to leave this bubble and stop Bill."
Still shocked by the revelation, Patrick shook his head and asked, "B-But how?"
"That is all up to you. You need to show them the reality of things. And who knows, maybe doing something different will make all the difference. Now come, I'll walk you out."
"Wait!" Patrick said, stopping Father Time. "If…I really do get them out, and if we really do beat Bill, what will happen to me? Wouldn't my purpose be, like, fulfilled?"
"Nope." Father Time turned back to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Your purpose will be to live your absolute best life, Patrick Pines."
And then, there was a sudden flash of bright light.
Patrick gasped as the flash of light went away. He was back in Mabeland. Everything was back to its colorful and cheerful self. As he looked around, Patrick started to wonder if it was all a trick. Did he really meet Father Time, and did the superbeing really just tell him that the fate of the universe was now on his shoulders? It almost seemed too unreal. But whether or not it was real, something was for sure. He had to find Mabel.
He quickly ran off to find her and his friends. Luckily he didn't have to look too far and found them playing with a frisbee. "Mabel!"
Mabel turned and saw her cousin rushing over to her. She gasped happily. "Patrick? I knew you'd come to accept-"
"No, just shut up and listen!" Patrick said, stopping in front of her as the others gathered around. "We've gotta get out of here. I met Father Time and he explained it all to me. The others all go in to try and rescue you, and end up getting trapped."
"What are you talking about," asked Soos.
"I'm saying that this has happened before! Bill's killed Time Baby and he's going to force Ford to tell him how to leave Gravity Falls and take over the world!"
"That's impossible," Fake Ford said with bravado. "I've already defeated-"
"You're not Ford!"
"Patrick, please, just calm down," Mabel said, walking up to her cousin. "Why can't you see that we're safe here? There's no reason to leave."
"Damnit, Mabel! This is not up for discussion!" Patrick yelled at her. "We have to get out of here. We have to go back…."
Knowing what was about to happen, Mabel reached out to stop him. "Wait, Patrick, don't!"
"To the real WORLD!" Patrick yelled. The word 'World' echoed all around Mabeland and everyone on the streets turned to Patrick and gasped.
Mabel looked worried. "Oh no."
All of a sudden, Patrick was tackled to the ground by two waffle guards. Another held his giant knife to his head. "Hey! Let me go!" Patrick yelled and struggled under their grip.
"Under Article Smiley Face of Exhibit Squeaky Duck, you are hereby accused of breaking our one rule: mentioning reality," the head guard announced. The growing crowd muttered in shock at how someone could possibly commit such heresy. "Prepare to be banished from this land FOREVER!"
The guard pointed to his left, as a portal to the real world opened.
"MABEL!" Patrick cried, fighting against the grip of the waffle guards. He stared at the young girl, who was just watching the scene unfold. "You're smarter than this! Bill has you hypnotized or something! Are you really gonna let them banish me?!"
"No! Of course not; that's my cousin, guys! There's gotta be another way," Mabel said.
"Very well. If Patrick wishes to stay, he must plead his case in the ultimate trial. Of fantasy vs. reality." the guard declared. However, he noticed that another bite was taken out of him on his lower half. "Hey! Seriously?"
Soos slowly chewed a piece of waffle with a maple syrup-covered hand. He then pointed to a stuffed rhino. "It was him."
Patrick was dragged towards the courthouse by the guard and sat down in a seat at the table near the front of the room. All of the living cartoon characters from the bubble filed in behind them, taking their seats in the yarn bleachers. Dipper, Soos, and Wendy were sitting in the crowd, looking around uncomfortably.
"Seriously, Mabel? This is idiotic! You're letting them take our argument to court?" Patrick asked, finding the whole thing to be absolutely ridiculous.
"Hey, I didn't make the rules in Mabeland," she said with a shrug, annoying Patrick even more
"Then what the h #$ is that?!" Patrick yelled, pointing up at a tapestry of Mabel making the rules!
"All rise! For the honorable Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartstein," Policegiraffe announced.
Emerging from his hole in the bottom of the cat scratcher was a giant pink cat with judge clothing and a white wig. He climbed to the top and banged his squeaky mallet, calling everyone to attention. "Order! Order! This trial begins right meow!" He said, before seeing a piece of string hanging from the ceiling. Unable to resist himself, the judge started batting at it. "Ooh! Hahaw! Oh!"
Patrick facepalmed.
Policegiraffe cleared his throat. "Judge?"
The judge snapped back to the matter at hand. "Sorry, sorry." He cleared his own throat before beginning. "We are here to try Patrick Pines in the case of fantasy vs. reality." The word "FANTASY" appeared on one side of him, written in fancy handwriting. The word "REALITY" was written like a stamp, appearing on the other side.
"If Patrick wins, Mabel will return with him to the real world!" the judge said, making Mabel turn away from Patrick with a scowl and her arms crossed. "But if he loses he will be banished forever! The final decision will be made by a jury of your peers."
"What peers?" Patrick asked.
Mabel clapped her hands with a grin. Sparkles rose up from her hands and drifted over to the jury stand, creating six copies of Mabel. Each one wore a different sweater from the summer. They started laughing and complimenting each other.
"Hi, there! I love your headband!"
"Shut your mouth, I love your headband!"
"We're all wearing the same headband!"
"HEADBANDS!" The clones all laughed happily.
Patrick turned to his real cousin. "Mabel, this whole thing is ridiculous. This isn't even a fair trial if you're the prosecutor and the jury!"
"I'm sorry, Patrick, but I can only speak through my legal team now," Mabel said with a look of superiority. The doors at the back of the courthouse swung open, and Xyler and Craz entered, wearing suits with the sleeves cut off.
"We have a doctorate degree in hunkiness!" Craz announced.
"Also criminal and international law," Xyler added.
"Wait, where's my lawyer?" Patrick asked.
"I'm sorry, but in Mabeland, the defendant isn't given a lawyer and most prove themself innocent," the judge said.
Patrick turned to Mabel with a glare. She just leaned back with a satisfied smile. "If winning this trial is what it takes to get you to come home with us, then so be it," he said. This entire case was rigged against him. But he wasn't giving up on her that easily.
"Let's hear openin' statements," the judge said.
Xyler and Craz took the floor first and stood before the court. "Your honor, townsfolk, lovely ladies of the jury," Xyler said, tuning to the Mabel clones. They all laughed at his compliment, with one rolling out of her seat.
"My case is simple: this very unrighteous dude thinks that reality is better than fantasy." Craz pointed at Patrick, who scowled at him. A board appeared and he pointed at it with a stick. "But reality is bogus, lame, and whack." Each descriptive work appeared on the board as he said them. Written in the same creative font.
"Objection your honor," Patrick protested. "That's clearly conjecture."
"Meowverruled," the judge dismissed.
"I'd like to show you this 'reality' that Patrick loves so much, and show you how it has wronged my client, her twin, and Patrick, their entire lives," Xyler said as Craz brought out a case. The first boy opened it and took out a book titled Mabel Memories on it. "Exhibit A. Mabel's scrapbook."
The crowd muttered in shock, while Mabel looked uncomfortable. Xyler opened the book. "Second grade. October tenth."
All of a sudden, the scene around them changed to a parking lot in front of a school in the autumn. Patrick's eyes widened when he realized where they were. This was Eggbert Elementary. Dipper and Mabel's old elementary school.
"Photo day…" Dipper murmured in the crowd.
Patrick turned to see a very young Dipper and Mabel, both in second grade, sitting in a chair with some other kids getting their picture taken.
Dipper, who was wearing a blue hat and green jacket, sniffed and rubbed his nose. "Darn allergies."
Young Mabel was wearing a purple sparkly skirt and a pink shirt with a rainbow on it. Her arms were covered with slap bracelets and her hair was down in two braided pigtails with pink ribbons. "Boom! A million slap bracelets! I'm gonna have the best photo ever! And how d'you like my new pigtaaailllls?" She waved her head back and forth, swinging her hair around.
"Have fun, brat!" Said some random girl who had just finished taking her picture. The girl walked behind Mabel and put her chewed-up gum in her hair, making the other children laugh at her.
"Ah! Gum! You ruined my hair!" Young Mabel cried as she desperately tried to get the gum out of her hair. However, it only made it worse and she started to cry. "Dipper, what do I do?"
"Um, well, I, um. I don't-" Dipper stuttered, which caused Mabel to run away crying. "Mabel!"
As he watched younger Mabel run away, Patrick wanted to rush over and hug her. Tell that it was all okay and help fix her hair. But he couldn't. The only thing he could do was look over at Mabel, who avoided eye contact.
"Mabel's fantasy was having a great school photo, but reality had other plans," Craz said sadly, getting on Patrick's nerves.
"Objection!" Patrick protested, facing the judge. "He's basing his entire argument on one bad day!"
"One of many. February fourteenth, fourth grade. Valentine's Day," Xyler said as the scene around them changed to the inside of a classroom.
Patrick looked and saw Dipper and Mabel as they were in the fourth grade. Still wearing pink, but now with her hair up in a ponytail, Mabel dumped all of the Valentine's cards she got onto her desk. "How many valentines did you get, Dipper?" She asked her twin, who was wearing that same ratty hat he took with him on the first day of summer.
Dipper shook his bag, but nothing came out. That's when some fat kid started laughing at him. "Oh, hey, haha! Dipper didn't get any! Oh, man, I thought I was the class loser! Hey, everyone, Dipstick didn't get any!"
The whole class started pointing and laughing at Dipper, chanting the humiliating nickname all because he didn't get a card. Embarrassed, Dipper rushed towards the exit, crying. He tripped over a wastebasket before running out the door.
"I can't believe that kid's your brother." The fat kid elbowed Mabel. But she didn't laugh with them. She just looked at her cards while frowning.
The scene changed back to the courtroom, and Patrick was now furious with the two dream boys. "Objection!"
"Meowverruled," the judge dismissed again. "And one more objection, and I'll hold you in contempt of court!"
"I've got nothing but contempt for this court!" Patrick snapped, before turning to Xyler and Craz. "What's even the prosecutor's point? That was in the past!"
"What about your past, bro? Unless we must remind you about what happened with Shawn," Xyler said.
"Don't you f #$ing dare!" Patrick yelled.
The judge banged his squeaky gavel. "Order in the court! Continue."
"And what about now? Is your life any better now, bro?" Xyler held up the scrapbook. It was now on a page that was labeled 'bad memories'. The first image showed Patrick sitting on the roof of the Mystery Shack after witnessing Wendy hook up with Robby. "Heartbreak." The next image showed Patrick sitting on a log, holding the twins after losing the Mystery Shack to Gideon. "Disaster." The final image showed Patrick watching as Mabel yelled at Dipper. "Broken promises. That's reality for you."
"Out there, it's nothing but heartbreak," Craz added. "But in here, who wants pug sundaes?!" Dog head-shaped sundaes appeared in the hands of all the Jury Mabels, who licked the sundaes in unison. "Hand me a microphone, Xyler."
Xyler gave him a microphone, and Craz dropped it.
"Totally righteous, bro!"
"Are we brothers?"
"I don't know!"
"Well, I think we're ready for a verdict," The judge said, casually batting the string again
"Wait! Hold on!" Patrick stood up and yelled. "I haven't even presented my case!"
"Do you even have a case?"
Patrick looked at Mabel, who was rocking in her chair and singing to herself. Confident in an easy victory. He stood up and went up to the judge. "Yes, I do, your honor. I call as my first witness: Soos!"
The crowd gasped, turning to Soos, who looked rather surprised. He got up and walked over to the red chair for the witness. Patrick approached the handyman.
"Soos, what the h #$ man? You really want to stay here because you can see your father?" He asked. "The man that abandoned you. Who didn't even come to see you on your birthday."
"W-Well, yeah. I've always wanted to meet him," Soos said.
"But Soos, you have a dad. Well, not a dad, but more like a father figure!" Patrick said, rubbing the back of his head. "It's Stan, Soos! He's been more of a father to you than your real father. And then there's the rest of us. It's like you said yourself. Your dad could take a hike, because in reality, you know who your real family is, and it's us!"
Soos was shocked by this and smiled happily.
Seeing this, Mabel started to get a little worried. "U-Uh, objection!"
"That's alright, I'm already done with Soos," Patrick said. "I'm calling my next witness: Wendy!"
The crowd gasped again, with the redhead getting up and walking towards the chair. Soos sat back on the bench with Dipper. He looked at his 'father' who held up a baseball and glove. But Soos turned away from him with a frown.
When Wendy sat down, Patrick walked up to her. "It's been really fun in this place, huh?" He asked with a smile. "Pulling pranks, causing property damage with no repercussions, and all with your friends. But come on, you're smarter than this, Wendy. You know they're not real. In reality, they're still turned to stone back outside this bubble. Along with your dad and your brothers, Marcus, Kevin, and Gus. They're waiting to see you rescue them. And besides, if I get thrown out of Mabeland…well, then we really will be apart forever."
Wendy's eyes widened when he said that, realizing just how right he was.
"T-That's not true! I could always make another Patrick!" Mabel said desperately.
"But I don't want another Patrick, Mabel," Wendy told her, smiling dreamingly at her boyfriend. "I want mine."
Patrick smiled back at her and nodded. "I'm calling my next witness: Dipper!" He then called out.
Dipper looked at Soos. The handyman nodded, prompting the young boy to stand and walk over to the red chair as Wendy sat down next to Soos. When his cousin sat down, Patrick walked up to him and shook his head.
"Dipper, you're the smartest guy I know. But I've got to say that all week you've been a real idiot!" Patrick said, almost laughing. The crowd muttered as Dipper looked a little embarrassed. "I mean, look around you, man. Mabel might be living in a fantasy world, but you've been living the dream, man. You wanted Ford's apprenticeship for the adventure, but what do you think you've been doing all summer, man!? You solved crimes, hunted ghosts! Helped stop an evil triangle on two occasions. Are you going to stay and be Ford's apprentice! Spending your entire teens cooped up in a basement with a lab coat? How ridiculous is that when you could have the best adventure of all time; grouping up with your sister?"
Dipper's eyes widened as he took in all the words, realizing just how right his cousin was, and just how much of an idiot he really has been. Seeing that realization in his eyes, Patrick nodded.
"And for my last witness, I'll call on you, Mabel Pines!"
The crowd all gasped in shock, as Mabel went from worried that her friends and family would want to leave her again to surprise that she was being called.
"Uh, objection?" She pleaded, raising her hand slowly.
"I'll allow it. Us cats are famously curious. Meow-meow," said Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartstein.
As Dipper walked back to the bench, Mabel walked forward to the red chair and sat down. Patrick looked at her and took a deep breath. This was it. This was the moment of truth. If he can't convince her to leave the bubble, then he'll fail. Bill will get out and the universe will be doomed.
"Mabel, I'm so sorry," Patrick said sincerely, walking up to her. "I never should have let things come to this. I'm not stylish, or cool, or make pugs appear out of thin air."
"Booo!" The Jury Mabels started shouting.
"What, come on!"
"GUILTY!"
"And most of all I couldn't keep us together. But I need you to please listen to me when I say I know what you're going through. When Shawn died, it felt like the world was dying with him. And it is dying! Bill's out there, destroying the town and likely killing everyone. You want to live in this fantasy so that you can never be hurt again. To escape the reality that you caused the apocalypse! Just to have one more day of summer!" He said angrily to her, making Mable flinch and look away in guilt as tears started to form.
She quickly covered her ears, trying to block him out. "LALALALALALA I'M NOT LISTENING! GUARDS!" She clapped her hands. "The FINGERS!" Two waffle guards stick foam fingers in her ears.
"But I also know what it's like to want to escape from reality and. I was scared of the changes in my life, just like you're scared of it too. You're scared of growing up, Mabel," Patrick said, and Mabel heard him through the foam fingers, making her eyes her eyes. "I'm not going to lie to you. Real-life sucks, okay? I know. But there's a better way of going through it than denial. But living in this place - you trying to make it perfect for everyone - it's causing real harm. Not just to others, but to yourself. That's why we all have people in our lives who care about us. People who care about you! I mean, look at you and Dipper. You two have been together your whole lives and you've always been there for each other. And it's not just Dipper you've been there for."
Patrick picked up the scrapbook off the table and flipped through the pages. The courthouse changed his house, 4 years ago. Just a few days after Shawn's death. While everyone was downstairs talking, Patrick was in his room. Curled up in a ball on his side as he cried. He continued sobbing in misery, not noticing that his door opened, and two people entered his room.
"Hello?"
Patrick gasped and turned around to see 8-year-old Dipper and Mabel looking at him with curious wide eyes. "Are you Patrick?" asked the young girl.
Sniffing a little with red eyes, Patrick sat up and faced them. "Y-Yeah. Who are you?"
"We're your cousins, Dipper and Mabel," Dipper said.
"And do you know what you need?" Mabel asked with a bright smile. "A cousin hug!"
She and Dipper climbed onto the bed and hugged Patrick on both his right and left. Feeling the love and warmth from the two siblings, Patrick started to tear up again as he hugged them both tightly.
The courtroom returned to normal as Patrick turned the book around to show more memories. Mabel had the guard take the foam finger away from her ears. "We've been there for each other," he said, as the book showed them the time Patrick agreed to let them keep the Journal. Their victory at the end of the sock puppet opera. And finally, how happy they were when a battered and bloodied Patrick turned out to be alive after fighting the Gideon-Bot.
"Everything we've done this summer, we did it together and I loved every moment of it," Patrick said with a big smile as he placed the book down and walked up to her. "I don't know what's gonna happen in the future, but just know that I speak from experience when I say, 'you decide how you grow up.' And just because you're growing up, it doesn't mean that you have to stop being you. In fact, it'll allow you to be your most Mabelest. You don't have to be afraid, because no matter what or where we are, we'll do it together. We've traveled to Hell and back to get you and now I want us to go back together. Because I still want you in my life, Mabel. Leave this fantasy world. Let's beat Bill and grow up together!"
He held out his hand to her. The entire courtroom went silent as everyone watched Mabel, waiting to see what she'll have to say.
Mabel stood up. "I've reached a decision."
Patrick was about to say something when Mabel rushed towards him and him to the ground. Her arms wrapped around him tightly as he held her close to him.
"I don't want to stay here anymore!" Mabel cried loudly into his chest as she clung to his sweater.
The crowd of stuffed animals and made-up characters started muttering and screaming, absolutely shocked by this. The Judge started to panic. "ORDER! ORDER! ORDER IN THE COURT!" He yelled, banging his mallet, which only made a squeaky noise. "DANG IT why is this hammer squeaky?!"
"It's okay, Mabel. It's okay," Patrick said, rubbing her head softly. Trying to calm her down as she continued crying. "I'm gonna get you out of here."
"So are we." The two of them looked to see Dipper, Soos, and Wendy walking up to them with big smiles. "Patrick's right. I was being stupid. I'm not taking Ford's apprenticeship," Dipper said.
Mabel sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "You mean it? You're really coming home?" She asked with a hopeful look.
"Yes," Dipper said with a nod.
"Definitely," Soos and Wendy said.
"Absolutely," Patrick said with a smile. "Awkward family hug?"
Those three words caused the crowd to completely panic and shriek in horror. "DON'T DO IT!" Craz yelled.
"You do this and it's all over!" warned Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartstein.
But Mabel wasn't listening to them. She looked at her arms and held them out wide for the four of them. "Sincere family hug," she said.
Patrick wrapped his arms around the twins as they hugged each other tightly. Then Wendy came in and hugged them, before being joined by Soos. The Mystery Team was together again.
"DON'T DO THE PATS!"
"Pat pat." They all patted each other on the backs. Causing a ripple to come from their spot, blowing Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartstein's wig away and knocking one of the benches over. All of the jurors disappeared with loud pops.
Slowly, they let go of the hug. Opening her eyes, Mabel had to stop and blink for a moment. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up at the ceiling. "Aw, man, I never noticed how bright this place is, ugh! Have I actually been listening to the same song for an entire week?"
Patrick chuckled, but for only a second. Something caught his attention and his eyes widened. "Uh, Mabel," he said, nervously pointing at Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartstein. His cousin turned and saw the cat judge meowing in a distressed manner.
"Whoa, time to calm you down," Mabel said, clapping twice. But nothing happened. The crowd around them started to glare, as an uncomfortable feeling started to be felt by the group. "Uh, why isn't this working?"
"Because your reign over this land is OVER!" Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartstein yelled. The cat suddenly split open right down the middle and becomes a nightmare-ish pile of black yarn. The demonic yarn roared at the team.
"AH!" Patrick, Dipper, and Mabel screamed. They turned and saw all the crowd turning gray and their eyes glowing red. Surprisingly, Xyler, and Craz didn't turn evil, but did hug each other and yell.
"We gotta get out of here!" Mabel exclaimed.
"Right! Dipper, Wendy, Soos! Paradise is canceled!" Patrick yelled.
The Mystery Team ran out of the courthouse as fast as they could as the whole world of Mabeland turned gray and unraveled. Loose strands of yarn fell from the crocheted clouds and the sky turned blood red. As they ran, a statue of Mabel fell over, barely missing Patrick. The citizens rushed towards them, as Mabel led them to Waddles. The sleeping pig was now the size of an elephant.
"Everyone get on!" Mabel shouted. They all climbed on the pig, with Patrick, Wendy, Soos, and Dipper behind her. Mabel slapped the pig on the head and he woke up. Seeing the evil citizens coming at them, he stood up and let out a loud oink that stunned them as they covered their ears. "Take us to freedom, Giant Waddles! Yah!"
The pig ran off as fast as his giant, chubby little legs could carry him. In the back, Dipper clung onto Soos, when Dippy-Fresh jumped on behind him. "Hey man, your hat's on backwards," the evil doppelganger said, twisting Dipper's hat around to have it facing backwards.
"Oh yeah?!" Dipper yelled. "Well, your head's on backwards!" The young boy then violently snapped Dippy-Fresh's neck. He then pushed the dead clone off Waddles and sat back down, all the while Soos looked at him with wide eyes. "I hated him so much."
"What's the plan, Mabel?!" Patrick yelled.
"Don't worry! Just hang on!" she yelled back. Mabel reached down and grabbed a giant knitting needle from a giant ball of yarn. She walked onto Waddle's head, pointing the end of the needle forward. "Sorry, Mabeland. It's time to burst your BUBBLE!"
Waddles jumped into the air and towards the edge of the bubble. With the needle, she pierced the bubble. Causing the bubble to explode into confetti instantaneously. The team landed on the top of the cliff and fell off Waddles. With the bubble gone, they went back to the clothes they had on before.
"Ugh. You all good, everyone good?" Mabel asked as Waddles shrinks back to his normal size.
"Yeah, we're good," Patrick said. He, Dipper, Soos, and Wendy all hugged the girl tightly.
"We've missed you, Mabel," Soos said, voicing everyone's thoughts.
As they let go, Mabel looked at her brother and cousin. "Hey, Patrick? I appreciate what you said back there," she said with sincerity. "And Dipper, if you want to take Ford's apprenticeship, I won't get in your way."
Dipper waved his hand dismissively. "Psh. And miss out on your awkward teen years? You wish." The three started laughing together.
"Man, I went nuts back there. I mean come on. The real world can't be that bad, right?" Mabel asked.
She turned around and saw what had become of the town down below. The water town was still a walking monster, Gompers was still a giant, and the Fearamid still loomed over the valley far in the distance.
"Oh boy." She muttered
Eventually, they made it into town and quickly noticed that the whole place was destroyed. Sticking together, the Mystery Team scanned the ruins in growing horror. It was as if an atomic bomb was dropped on the town. There were wrecked buildings, shattered windows, and destroyed roads with several ruined cars scattered everywhere. Dust was blown by them by the wind. However, one thing they noticed was that there was total silence. There weren't even Eyeball Bats around.
"Where is everyone?" Mabel asked.
"The town's deserted," Wendy commented, holding Patrick's hand tightly.
"Did Bill already win?" Soos asked.
Patrick frowned. "No," he said, gaining the attention of everyone. "Bill hasn't won yet. He's still stuck in Gravity Falls. If what Father Time said is right, we've still got time to save Ford before he breaks and gives Bill what he wants. Let's go to the Shack and think of a plan."
"So, what exactly did Father Time tell you?" Dipper asked.
"And that's what he told me," Patrick said as they walked down the road that led to the Mystery Shack. They kept close to the treeline, in case one of the bats came flying by.
"So…all this…this all happened?" Dipper asked, just as astonished as the others. In the wake of Patrick's detailed explanation, the entire group was rather stunned. "And…he created you to convince us to leave the bubble, and stop Bill?"
"So, that like made you the universe's last hope," Wendy said, staring at her boyfriend with wide eyes.
"Pretty much," Patrick said, walking in front of the group. However, he stopped when he felt a tug on his shirt. Looking back, he saw it was Mabel. The group stopped their march to see her looking down with a look of sadness and regret. "Mabel?"
"Guys, can I ask you something?" Mabel asked.
"I swear to God if you want me to look at another rash, I'm gonna hit you," Dipper said.
"No, it's just...I really am selfish, am I?" Mabel asked the group, catching them by surprise at how serious she was being and by what she was calling herself. "Dipper, I-all summer, I've been so caught up in my own 'Mabelness' that I neglected those around me. I've interfered with you and Patrick's wants, and I took you two for granted. Especially you, Patrick. Mermando, the time-machine, the sock opera, even putting you and Wendy in danger. Heck, I caused the apocalypse just to get one more day of summer!" She looked down at the ground as tears started to form in her eyes. "Those unicorns were right about me, I am a bad person..."
"You're wrong."
Mabel looked up at Patrick as he knelt down and stroked the top of her head, smiling at her. "Mabel, let's say there's like an infinite amount of Mabels in the multiverse. I'd never trade you for another Mabel if I had the choice. And even if I had to pick a Mabel, I'd still pick you. You're perfect just the way you are. Even with every time you've been a brat, look at how far you've made it! I've seen you grow over the time we spent in Gravity Falls. You're not the same person you were when we first came here."
As she whipped her eyes, Mabel looked at her cousin nervously. "Is it bad that I kinda wish I was?"
"Yes! You were a terrible excuse for a human being!"
"Hey!" Mabel laughed and punched his chest. Patrick laughed with her, before pulling her into a hug.
"We love you, Mabel. Flaws and everything," he said as she hugged him back. The two then pulled away and the group continued on their journey. After pushing past some bushes, they soon came to the Mystery Shack.
"Yes! It's in shambles! Just like we left it," Dipper exclaimed happily.
"Oh, man, this is the first time I've ever felt happy going to work," Wendy said, before quickly correcting herself when Patrick gave her a sly smirk. "Well, other than seeing you."
They rushed over towards the door, excited to be home at last and behind the barrier. "Hello, house. Hello, porch. Hello, wads of gum I left stuck to the couch," Mabel said, jumping on the couch and peering behind it.
Once they were on the deck, Patrick went to grab the handle of the front door. However, he stopped just inches from it when he heard scuffling coming from inside.
"Wait, shh." He quickly hushed the others, before pulling out his crowbar. Patrick handed the blaster to Wendy, who activated it. Soos turned his hat around and pounded his fist together. Dipper picked up a golf club and Mabel held up her grappling hook.
"Let's get 'em, dudes," said Soos.
Patrick walked up to the door and prepared to kick it open. He's found Mabel, just convinced his family to leave Bill's trap, and got the team back together. Now there was only one thing to do: finish the fight!
To Be Continued
AN: I'm not doing the same ending scene twice. I'll save it for the next chapter.
And that was Escape from Reality, the second to last chapter of Weirder Things. We had laughs, we had action, and we had emotional moments.
Mabel making a Ford for Dipper was actually inspired by an interview by Alex Hirsh. I can't find the video, but I remember there was one where Alex explained that one of the original ideas for the episode was that Dipper's wish was to have Ford come in, say that he defeated Bill, and then take him on adventures around the world. So, that's what I went for.
And then we have the bombshell reveal of Patrick's true origins and why he was so important. So, to put it simply, there's no stopping Weirdmaggedon, no matter how many times Father Time tries to change the timeline, it always ends the same. With the destruction of the world. So Patrick was created to fix the timeline by getting the team out of Mabeland so they could stop Bill. Admittedly, it's kind of a late idea that was kind of inspired by Halo 4, when Master Chief met the Liberian, and how she planted the seeds that would have led to him. I hoped you all liked that revelation, and even if you didn't I hope it didn't detract from the rest of the chapter.
And now, it's time. The next chapter shall be the last chapter of Weirder Things. We've come a long way from this fanfic's humble beginnings. But it's time to bring it all to an end. Patrick's first summer in Gravity Falls, and the best summer of his life, is coming to a close in the epic finale. The final battle for the fate of the world.
I doubt I'll be able to make the next chapter by Christmas Day, so I just want to take the time to tell you all MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Next up: Take Back the Falls.