Disclaimer: I don't own the Gravity Falls series!
Title: March On, Or the Fear Wins
Summary: Time goes on, even when friends are apart. The Mystery Shack ends up becoming Wendy's pet project as she helps her friends through the seasons.
Chapter Title: Autumn
(A time of worry)
...
Guest- Really? That's good!
Darius Blake- Magic has more or less become the norm for the citizens of Gravity Falls. Dan plans on making gnome traps to sell on the side. They don't wanna hurt the little critters; just send 'em scrambling back to the woods where they belong. =)
The Keeper of Worlds- Thanks. =)
gamelover41592- Not a oneshot, but I'm thankful for the compliment!
Storminormin (Sorry if I spelled your name wrong)- Me too!
EmPro8- I think we all are; hence the stories. =)
SuperGroverAway- So am I, but I'm the writer, so that doesn't count.
werepirechick- Same here. =)
grandus- I can and shall.
Taylor- Thanks!
Ems-Shadow- I'm glad! This is only my second Wendy 'fic.
...
Wendy felt sweat slip down her back as she pulled the last of the leaves into the pile. The breeze chilled them, making her shiver, tightly squeezing the rake handle.
Resolving to burn them later, Wendy adjusts her hat and trudges towards the storage room. Technically speaking, this isn't in her job description, but neither is feeding the wax head or sharpening Manotaur horns in her free time. In its own right, the Mystery Shack has always been more than just a job to her.
"Whoops."
Wendy whips around at the soft voice, hand on her axe, but it's merely Candy, staring at her feet in horror. Leaves lay crunched at her shoes.
"Nice one." Grenda laughs. "Jumping in leaf piles is fun."
"Hey, now." Wendy gestures to them with her rake, ignoring the fact that she had been more than prepared to attack two children just because they made her jump. They would've done the same to her, and she's not just saying that to make herself feel better. These girls are fierce. "I just gathered those."
"Sorry." The poor girl looks so downcast at the thought that she got in the way.
"Don't worry about it. They are pretty fun to roll in." Wendy shifts the hat on her head, used to the difference in its bulkiness compared to her old one by now, but also not. "What brings you to these parts?"
"We're bored." Grenda sighs, slumping. After fighting a war, she supposes it's fair they feel that way.
Candy nods. "There's so many things that just aren't fun anymore without Mabel."
Wendy shifts in place. Only a few people have brought the two up by name before this.
"Is there anything we can do here?" They look to her hopefully. They've certainly learned to appreciate a hard day's work. "Any chores, or magic things, or something?"
She shrugs. "I'm sure we can find you two something to do."
They both perk up and head to the shack, Wendy in the lead. She holds the door open for them like her father taught her to, although that was more for any significant others she may have. ("I don't care if you end up dating an alien; you treat 'em properly, you hear me! We're Corduroy's, not monsters!")
Soos, currently frowning at a hole in the wall, does't notice. Wendy prods him.
"Hey, man. Can they work here?"
"Huh?" He blinks. "Oh. Sure, dudes. That'd be great."
Candy and Grenda both squeal, racing across the shack to find a place their services were needed. Wendy stares at Soos, already back to frowning at the wall.
"You alright, dude?"
"Are you free tomorrow?" He replies.
No. "Sure. What's up?" She's always had a soft spot for this place, however.
"I wanna work on repairs."
Wendy tips her- or is it Dipper's?- hat. "I'm just the gal to help."
Wendy very pointedly ignores a crack in the wall as she hands Soos the tools to repair the toilet.
"What's on your mind?"
Soos stares at the toilet a long moment before sighing, bending down to have at something with a wrench. "Winter's coming, is all. I just wanna be ready."
Wendy raises an eyebrow. "For what?"
"The dry season. Nobody ever likes travelin' in the cold, except to visit, like, family and stuff." He frowns. "I don't want the shack goin' under my first year."
Wendy surrenders nonchalance to start fixing the crack. It'd get on her nerves if she didn't. "Stan managed for thirty years. It'll work out."
"Mr. Pines is a cheapskate, so he always had extra. That's not a bad thing, but it's just not me, dude."
She shuffles her feet. "You want my paycheck?"
Soos stares at her. "You'd do that?"
"Eh, why not?" It's not like she's living on her own. She can make some extra cash helping her father out cutting trees, if it comes to that. Maybe get a job helping magic folk for gold coins.
He slowly shakes his head. "That doesn't seem fair, though."
That's not a refusal. Best to play this calmly. "I'm just offering." Wendy shrugs. "Don't sweat it, okay? I can work for free. Heck, I can get you some boards and fix things up on the side, if it helps."
"Yeah?"
"Why not? I don't want this dingy place fallin' apart any more than you do."
"Heh. Yeah. Thanks." Soos holds out a fist.
"No prob, dude." She bumps it with her own. "Now, let's finish this thing up."
Author's Note: First attempt at Candy and Grenda, so it might be a little off. You can't tell me Dan wouldn't teach his kids gentlemanly things. All the kids. Male or female, they need to learn, as far as he's concerned. ('Gentlemanly things' may or may not also include knowing how to punch out a bear to impress your date, but hey. It's Manly Dan.) =)
Next stop; winter. The longest season, and the longest chapter. More magic stuff later.
-Mandaree1