"Okay, it's much worse than I thought," Kim said, after arriving outside the building.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Ron questioned "the sign on the roof says 'Mystery Shack.'"
"This is the address that was on the flier," Kim replied "come on, we'll go in and talk to someone, maybe they can explain it."
The four, counting Rufus, left the Sloth and made their way inside the Shack. Seeing all the strange and odd items only added to Kim's doubts about this being a hotel.
"Something is def up here," she commented "this looks like a gift shop slash museum of weirdness."
"I dunno, some of these things are pretty neat looking," Tara said.
"Check it out, 'Sascrotch'," Ron said, looking at a familiar exhibit "oh man, it works on so many levels!"
Kim groaned and made her way over to the counter, where Mabel was sitting happily.
"Good afternoon visitor, I'm Mabel, can I help you?"
"Hi, we're new in town and we're looking for a place to stay for the night," Kim began, showing Mabel the flier "we found this flier and well…we'd like to stay here, provided this is a hotel."
"It is," Mabel replied cheerfully.
"Uh huh," Kim replied skeptically "so what's with all the knickknacks and the sign that says 'Mystery Shack?'"
"Well, we just became a hotel recently," Mabel explained "in addition to that, we're also the Mystery Shack, a museum of strange things and creatures from throughout the town, ooooh" she added, making a spooky sound effect.
"Are you sure there aren't any other hotels in the area?" Kim asked.
"I know this may not look like much, but here at the Mystery Hotel, we pride ourselves on guest satisfaction," Mabel told her.
"Well, I guess I can't be picky," Kim said "okay, I'd like to rent a room for the night."
"And how many in your party?"
"Three; well, technically four, but one of them won't require their own bed," Kim told her.
"Let me just check what we have available," Mabel said, pulling out a book from under the counter. She flipped it open and scanned it, finding only two names signed in "what luck, we have several vacancies," she said.
"Great, so how much?"
"Well, normally we charge twenty dollars a room," Mabel began "but you seem nice, so I'll let you have it for ten. Just don't tell my Grunkle Stan."
"Spankin', thanks a lot," Kim said, reaching into her mission pants and producing ten dollars "good thing I always carry a little money on me when I go out, just in case. And don't worry, I won't say a thing to your uncle."
"Grunkle," Mabel corrected her.
"Sure, whatever."
"Okay, here's the key to your room," Mabel said, giving Kim one of several keys to the doors Stan had made "and as a guest here, you'll have access to all the extras we offer, such as our pool and spa. I highly recommend you try that one."
"Uh, yeah, sure…" Kim said, unsure "well thanks Mabel."
"My pleasure," Mabel said "our bellboy will be here soon to take your bags. Thank you for choosing Mystery Hotel, the most mysterious of hotels. Grunkle Stan really needs to work on that slogan."
"Well, I guess they can't be that bad a place if they have their own bellboy," Kim commented, then headed over towards where Tara & Ron were waiting "okay guys come on, I got us a room."
"Hang on a second Kim, we're looking at this," Ron told her.
"And what strange mystical wonder has captured your attention?" Kim asked sarcastically.
"Check it out," Ron said, moving aside so Kim could see it "it's a rock that looks like a face!"
"I can tell this is going to be a long night," Kim groaned.
A few moments later, Soos arrived and took their bags up to the room.
"Okay dudes, here's your room, hope you like it," he said, as he unlocked the door.
"This is a hotel room?" Kim asked, shocked "it looks like you emptied out a storeroom and put a cot in here."
"Whoa, are you psychic dude?"
"No, but something tells me we got played," Kim replied.
"It'll be okay Kim," Tara said "sure it's a tight fit for all three of us, but I'm sure we can manage."
Ron turned to Soos "so dude, I'm not seeing a TV in the room."
"Sorry dude, there's only one TV and it's in the den," Soos told him.
"Later girls," Ron said, as he headed off towards the den.
"So anyway, my name is Soos; enjoy your stay, and if you dudes need anything, you just let me know," he told them.
"Well, this is not exactly what I had in mind when I pictured an old fashioned hotel," Kim said, as she and Tara began unpacking.
"Look on the bright side, they have that cool display of weird stuff downstairs," Tara said "that's pretty interesting, right?"
"You're just relentlessly optimistic, aren't you?" Kim asked.
"I try to be."
"For tonight, I guess we'll just have to deal," Kim said "tomorrow, I'm sure we'll get a lead on Monkey Fist. Then we'll nail him and be back in Middleton before you know it."
At another house in Gravity Falls, one of its' residents was welcoming some guests as well, although he had not converted his house into a hotel.
"Why Lord Montgomery Fiske, so nice of you to come," Bud Gleeful said to the man outside his door.
"The pleasure was all mine Mr. Gleeful, I assure you," Monkey Fist said, shaking the man's hand.
"That's quite a grip you've got there," Bud replied, before noticing two more figures "And who are your friends here?"
"Ah yes, these are…business associates of mine," Monkey Fist replied "this is Drew Lipsky and… I'm sorry, I don't actually know your real name."
"Yeah, and let's keep it that way, monkey boy!" Shego replied angrily.
"Well, any friends of Mr. Fiske are welcome here," Bud said, extending his hand for Drakken to shake "gracious boy, what happened to your skin? You look like you've been out in the snow for a spell."
"No, his skin's always been like that," Monkey Fist assured him.
"Really?" Bud replied surprised, before looking at Drakken again "are ya sure you wouldn't like to take a quick shower? Should warm you up real good."
"No thank you, really," Drakken replied.
"Suit yourself then," Bud commented "anyway Mr. Fiske, I'd like to thank ya again for coming over, it's not often a world famous archaeologist graces my house with his presence."
"Ordinarily, I wouldn't have, but your son and I have had some very, interesting communications," Monkey Fist told him.
"And might I just add, your online correspondences with Gideon have been the one bright spot during his incarceration."
"Oh yes, they've been very important to me as well," Monkey Fist added.
"I'm sorry, where are my manners, can I get y'all something to drink?" Bud asked "I assume tea for you Mr. Fiske?"
"That would be fine."
"And for you sir, perhaps some coffee to warm that blue skin of yours? I'm only joking of course."
"Just get the coffee, and try to cut down on the sass," Drakken grumbled.
After Bud left the room, Shego addressed the others "geez, how'd you end up associated with this nutbar?"
"What's important is that his son has clued me in to the location of a very powerful artifact hidden here in Gravity Falls," Monkey Fist told them "if we can locate it, it will give us the power we need to take over the world."
"And you need us, why?" Shego asked.
"Admittedly, I wouldn't normally cut you in on a deal like this, but I have need of your extensive criminal resources to help me locate this artifact."
"Ah hah, you hear that Shego? He respects my resources," Drakken said proudly.
"Whatever," Shego scoffed "all I know is, this better not count as a trip for us, okay? You said on our next trip you'd take me to an island, not some small town in the middle of nowhere."
"And when we conquer the world, I will," Drakken said "we can go to any island you want, since we'll rule all of them."
"Now you're talking my language," Shego said.
"If you two are done with, whatever that was, we need to get focused," Monkey Fist told them "according to Gideon, to find what we are searching for, we must locate a mystic amulet. That is the key to finding what we seek."
"So, where do we look?" Drakken asked.
"I have learned of one place around here that seems to attract all manner of strange and mystic items," Monkey Fist told them "and, by coincidence, it happens to belong to someone Gideon despises with a passion. A place called, the Mystery Shack."
At that moment, in the Shack's large parlor, Mabel was proudly looking over her spa.
"Oh yeah, that's perfect," she commented "the banner really sells it," she added, looking at the large banner that read "Mabel's Spa" on it.
"Okay, we got a massage table, nail station, mud baths…" she said listing off items. Suddenly, Waddles popped his head out of the mud bath, essentially a kiddie pool filled with mud. "Waddles, you naughty boy, that's for the customers," Mabel said, her tone indicating that she wasn't really mad.
"Now I just need some customers" Mabel said, "ooh, and I know just the person!"
So saying the girl ran upstairs to the room she shared with her brother. "Hey Dipper, my spa's all ready; you wanna be the first customer?" she asked.
"Sorry Mabel, but I'm not participating in any of this hotel craziness," Dipper told her "I have more important things to do. Ever since Bill destroyed that laptop, finding the secrets of this town is going to be harder than ever."
"I understand," Mabel told him "ooh, maybe that girl that came here earlier might want to try it."
"What girl?"
"Some redhead with green eyes," Mabel told him "she and some friends of hers from out of town just signed in. I never did ask her name."
"Wow, I can't believe someone from outside Gravity Falls actually fell for this scam," Dipper said.
"I'm gonna go track her down and see if she'd like to try it," Mabel said "she seemed nice."
"Good luck with that," Dipper told her "I'll be up here if you need me."
"I probably won't but that's good to know anyway," Mabel said, as she headed back downstairs.
Next time, Kim & Tara take advantage of Mabel's spa, and the latter finds herself a new necklace that has a mysterious usage.
