"Hey, what's your name?"

Danny swung a leg over his perch, peering down at the child below. A brash girl of maybe 6 or 7 years stared back up at him, flicking curly brown hair out of her eyes and clutching a stuffed goat that swung dangerously low to the ground.

He blinked.

"Aren't you not supposed to talk to strangers?"

She made a face at him, looking around.

"Pssh. There's no strangers here. You're Phantom, right? I saw you on the news! My parents dont think you're real"

He shifted in the tree, brushing a leaf from his own hair and dangling his arms down. She hopped in a weak attempt to touch his hand, but missed by a good foot.

"Maybe I'm not real."

Not to be dissuaded, the girl started eyeing the tree critically. Yeah, he didn't need a kid trying to climb up and breaking their arm.

"Why'd you ask my name if you already knew who I am?"

"'Cause it's polite, duh."

He stuck his tongue out, and she laughed, grinning up at him with crooked front teeth.

"Where's your parents, anyway?"

The girl gave a spin, holding the plush out.

"Oh, they're around."

"-ellll…. -able!?"

The girl perked up at the sound of someone yelling, raising up the goat to wave it.

"Roddy, c'mere!

Another kid came tumbling out through the brush, just as skinny and small, with matching curly brown hair cut short.

"C'mon, stop calling me that."

"Well, I'm not going to call you -Richie-, Anyway, look at this cool guy I met!"

Cautious brown eyes stared up at Danny, who was still lounging in the tree. The teen waved down at them.

"Why not go by a different nickname? Like, I know a guy who people call 'Dash', because they think he runs really fast. His real name is something like 'John', but no one really remembers except like, teachers." Danny shot him a lazy grin.

"Anything people would know you by?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably, flattening his bangs.

The girl nudged his shoulder, whispering something in his ear. Something about the two… Even with the giant handcrafted sweaters the girl wore, and the obviously shyer disposition of the boy, they seemed really similar.

"Hey, you guys aren't twins, are you?"

The girl made a silly noise.

"Whaaaat, it took you this long to notice? Laaame. Roddy, show him! We need a nickname, remember? Show him, show him."

The girl started poking his shoulder repeatedly, chanting the last words over and over until the boy swatted her away, lifting his bangs and averting his eyes.

Danny recognized the pattern instantly, face stretching into a happy grin.

"Dipper!"

The kid flattened his bangs again, looking up at him in askance.

"Your birthmark - it's in the shape of the big dipper. If you're into constellations, and you're looking for a nickname anyway…"

The boy lowered his eyes, biting his lip and rubbing at his forehead.

"It could… work. Mabel, what do you think.?"

The girl pounced on him, grinning like mad. Danny wondered if she ever got to relax her face, with such an enthusiastic smile.

"I could dress in your clothes again and we could be a DOUBLE DIPPER! Ahahahaa! Gross!"

The boy finally relaxed, face melting into soft giggles that echoed his twin sister's.

"Richie! Mabel! Time to go!"

The three of them perked up, and Danny waved at the two kids.

"Sounds like your parents. Better run."

The girl was off like a shot, leaping over branches and shouting "Race ya!" over her shoulder.

The boy stumbled after her, but paused at the edge of the clearing and looked back. He opened his mouth, a 'thanks' on the tip of his tongue.

Danny was already phasing up through the branches of the trees, flickering out of sight as invisibility took over.

Brown eyes widened.