Dipper glanced down at Ford. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course!" Ford was currently hanging from the Gravity Falls water tower. Dipper was spotting him, and keeping an eye on the rope to make sure it didn't snap. Ford was currently chipping off samples of the strange cocoon growing on the side of the water tower.
"Can you tell what it is?!" Dipper asked.
"Not yet." Ford continued to chip the sample into a jar. Dipper sighed and rested against the railing. He looked out over the town and smiled. It really had become home to him over the past many summers and now he was living here year round. "Dipper!" Ford called.
"Yeah?" Dipper looked down.
"Mind pulling me up?" Ford smiled up at Dipper.
"Got it!" Dipper reached over and clicked a button causing the rope to start moving up. The gears of the machine whirled. Dipper looked down as Ford started to move up. Something flew past Dipper and he jerked to attention. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Ford called up. He was still moving up the tower. "Dipper?"
Dipper looked around. "I think there is something-." Dipper jumped as something large flew past him- right at Ford. "GRUNKLE FORD!" Dipper watched as a large bat flew straight at Ford.
"Not today." Ford pulled a gun out of his jacket pocket and shot the bat. It shrieked as a bolt of blue lightening hit the bat's wing. It spiraled down and then soared off back towards the forest.
"Grunkle Ford?" Dipper watched as Ford quickly scrambled over the railing. He was breathing heavily. "I'm getting too old for this… don't tell Stan." He sighed.
"Wasn't that a giant bat?" Dipper asked as Ford slid the gun and sample into his duffle bag. "Why would it attack us?"
"Not sure." Ford finally looked off after the bat. "We'll have to go check the cave tomorrow." Ford frowned. "Remind me to pick some fruit up before we go."
Dipper nodded but he had a bad feeling as they climbed down the tower ladder.
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Mabel smiled as she waved goodbye to Tyler, her date. "Have a good evening!" She laughed and then spun around and started to walk towards her apartment. Tyler and her had gone skittle bowling and then gotten some dinner from the on campus cafe. It had been a good date and Mabel was glad she had agreed to go. She skipped as she headed home.
Mabel paused. She was sure she had heard a noise but she wasn't sure where it had come from. "Hello?" She asked looking around. She was half way across campus in a large open courtyard.
And then something grabbed her shoulders and she was whisked up into the air. She gasped out in shock and pain.
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Bree drummed her fingers over the table in front of her and frowned. "Darn it." She groaned and leaned back. "Why is this math problem so difficult?!" She rubbed her face and sighed. Why am I doing this again? Her hand strayed to the chain around her neck. "It will all be worth it." She whispered.
"Hey Bree." Dipper said walking up. "Have you seen Mabel?"
Bree frowned. "Why would I have seen your sister before you today?" She folded her arms over her chest. "She's your roommate right?"
"Yeah." Dipper sighed. "She wasn't home when I got home and went to bed last night.. And she wasn't in the room when I woke up."
That's odd. Bree frowned. "Did you try calling her?"
"I did but she didn't answer." Dipper sighed. "I'm starting to worry."
"Didn't she have a date last night?" Bree stood up and gathered up her math homework. "Do you know the guy she was going out with?"
"Some guy from her class… Jason I think… No that was last week… This week was Jake." Dipper frowned. "I think."
Bree rolled her eyes. "How can you not- never mind." She shoved the papers into her bag. "Come on. I think she told me she was going bowling." Bree started walking. Dipper hurried after her.
"Where are you going Bree?"
"I'm going to find Mabel." She walked into the security office. "Hey Bruce!" She called out. "You here?"
"Bree?" A big man with dark hair came walking out. "What can I do for you?"
"I need to look at the security cameras." Bree said.
The big man was silent for a moment and then nodded. "Come on it…" He glared towards Dipper. "Who's the kid?"
"He's with me."
"Alright. Come on in." The big man led them into a room. There were tons of computers. "You need anything else?" He asked.
"No I'm fine." Bree sat down at the computer desks. "Dipper what time was Mabel's date?"
"Seven thirty... And I got home at nine thirty." Dipper looked at the cameras.
"Right…. Let's see." Bree frowned. "A game of bowling usually lasts about an hour… Give or take a little… She probably would have gotten home around nine thirty if you factor in dinner time as well." Bree frowned and her fingers moved up to fiddle with the necklace chain around her neck. "Let's try nine twenty." Bree fast forward through the security cameras.
"So um… Why did he let you?"
"Because my grandma is the dean… She's basically told him to allow me to check on stuff if I ask… Mostly I use it to try and prove if Ford is responsible for destroying something." Bree frowned as she continued to fast forward. "So far I've proved that he blew up a classroom a month ago."
Dipper sighed. "You really have it out for Grunkle Ford."
Bree just shrugged and then froze. "Hang on." She scrolled back a little. "Look at this." She paused on an image of Mabel walking across campus. "Look here."
"It's Mabel."
"Right. Now watch closely." Bree slowly fast forward until an image of a large bat flew down and grabbed Mabel. "There's what happened."
Dipper frowned. "A giant bat…" A-1
"Looks like it." Bree leaned back in her chair. "Seems a little strange… Probably should call Ford."
"Now you're fine calling him?" Dipper raised his eyebrow.
"Yeah." Bree stood up and smiled. "Bat's don't live on campus so if he destroys anything it won't be my grandma's problem." That and I'm sure Mabel isn't the only person to have been kidnapped.
"I'll call him… Want to come?" Dipper smiled and held out a hand to her. "We could use some help."
Bree looked at him and then shook her head. "Sorry I've got lots of homework I need to get done. Good luck."
"Thanks for the help anyways." Dipper nodded and then hurried out the door. Bree watched him.
"That Dipper isn't as bad as I expected." She sighed. I guess I shouldn't be that surprised.. Not every family member is the same as another…. He's not Ford… She tugged at the chain and sighed. "Thanks Bruce." She yelled and then walked out.
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Dipper looked over at Ford and Stan as they headed towards a large cave. "Is this the right spot?"
"Yeah." It was Ford who answered. "But this is strange… The bats have never kidnapped people before. I mean they don't even eat meat." He hefted the bag of fruit on his shoulder.
"Could they be a new set of bats?" Stan asked. "New to town?"
"I guess that is possible." Ford said as he took the lead. "But it still doesn't seem likely."
"I just want to find Mabel." Dipper looked around the cave as he walked. "Who knows what is happening to her." He held up the electric bolt gun Ford had given him. "And any bat that hurts my sister…"
"Don't worry kid." Stan shoved Dipper slightly. "I doubt Mabel really needs help. That girl is tough." He smirked. "Don't forget she's the one who dealt with those flying monkey's last summer."
"Not to mention the time that she sealed that golem two summers ago." Ford said. "Both times by herself."
Dipper smiled. "Mabel is a tough one."
"I wouldn't be surprised if she decided she wanted to adopt the little creature." Stan said.
"Little?" Ford and Dipper asked together. Stan just laughed. But they all went silent as they heard a scuttling noise. Ford waved his hand and the three of them leaned up against a wall. They peaked around a corner to see a large group of bats hanging upside down and sleeping. Mabel was curled up in the middle of the cave next to some rocks. The largest bat slept next to her.
"Mabel!" Dipper whispered and waved his hand.
She looked up and smiled. "Dipper!" She waved her own hand but flinched as the bat near her shifted slightly.
"What do we do Grunkle Ford?" Dipper looked at him and held up the gun. "Shot?"
"Wait a minute." Ford looked around. "Those are giant fruit bats…. And Mabel doesn't look like she was hurt." He frowned.
"You're right about that." Stan said. "Now leave this to me. You be ready to back me up." Stan started walking out into the cave towards Mabel.
"Stanley!" Ford hissed but his twin ignored him.
"Hang on kid I'm coming." Stan said as he started walking. "Don't worry."
"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel whispered. Stan inched closer and held out his hand to her. "Come on!" Mabel nodded and took his hand. Stan pulled and she went flying into his arms. Stan spun and set her down behind him. Z-26
"That idiot." Ford chuckled. "He's going to get himself killed one of these days."
Dipper smiled and watched as Mabel started running towards them. But before he could really celebrate the large bat roared up and shriked. It waved its wing, hitting Stan and sending him flying.
"Stan!" Ford held up the gun and aimed but the bat's shriek had caused the other bats to wake up. "MABEL GET DOWN!" Ford yelled.
Dipper pulled out his own gun and aimed at a bat. A lightning bolt nailed the bat straight in the chest. It shrieked out in pain but Dipper moved onto the next. Again and again Dipper and Ford attacked the bats. One by one. Until all that was left was the largest bat, the leader bat. It had Stan pinned under one tallon and Mabel under another.
Dipper and Ford hid behind a set of rocks. "What do we do now?" Dipper whispered.
"Dipper tell me something… Have you noticed anything odd about that bat?"
"What?" Dipper frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I've noticed a few things…. For one that's the bat that attacked us last night. It has a scar on it's wing. For another it seems to be wearing some kind of collar."
"Really?" Dipper poked his head out. Indeed there seemed to be a collar around the bat's neck… one made of bones and rope. "What is it?"
"No idea…" Ford whispered. "But whatever it is… That seems abnormal."
"Right." Dipper frowned. "I have an idea… I need to get behind the bat. Can you distract that bat?"
"Leave it to me." Ford nodded and started running out in front of the bat.
Dipper took the other direction. He circled around behind the bat. He glanced around. Please Mabel.. Please tell me you… There! He spotted the one odd item that Mabel had carried with her everywhere. It had been upgraded a few times but it was a sure thing that she had it with her always. One grappling gun. Dipper rushed towards it and snatched it up. He aimed it at the roof above the bat and shot.
Once it was fully in tact he started to pull himself up. He let himself hang for a moment and then swung. Pulling the grappling hook out with him he shot down and wrapped his arms around the bat, well as much as he could. He hung onto the bone collar. The bat shrieked and tried to shake him off. Dipper just hung on tighter.
After shaking for a few Dipper went flying, breaking the bone collar. Dipper hit a wall and felt dizzy. He rubbed his head and groaned. He looked up and was shocked to see the bat had stopped shaking about. It flapped it's wings and flew up to a bolder and whimpered. It just left Mabel and Stan laying there.
"Stan!" Ford rushed towards him brother.
"Mabel!" Dipper got up and ran over to her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "Grappling gun."
Dipper just sighed. "Oh Mabel." He handed the gun over to her and then looked over at Ford and then the bat. "Why isn't it coming after us?"
"Because of that." Ford pointed to the bone collar still in Dipper's hand. "I'm not sure what that is but I'm sure that is a factor." Ford looked over at the bat. "Something tells me we aren't going to have any more problems."
Dipper frowned and looked at Mabel. "But…"
"Let's go kids." Ford frowned and patted Dipper's shoulder. "Enough…" He started to walk out of the cave. "I think we've done enough here."
Dipper looked back at the cave. The bat was whimpering and licking its injuries. Dipper sighed but hurried after Ford. "What do we do with this?" Dipper held up the collar.
"I'll study it." Ford held out his hand to Dipper. The younger man nodded and handed over the collar.
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Ford set the collar on his desk and pulled out his microscope. He set the collar under the microscope and started to look. Strange unfamiliar symbols were carved into the bones. Ford pulled out a notebook and began to sketch the symbols. He would have to go look up what those symbols meant. He set aside the notebook and looked over at the picture on his desk. It was from his first full summer in Gravity Falls after he escaped from the other dimensions. It was him, Stan, Dipper and Mabel. His happy place. He picked up the picture.
"Let's hope this isn't a bad sign." He whispered to the picture.
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