From now on, any questions in the reviews I'll try to answer in the story, but if I can't incorporate it in I'll just answer at the end. Enjoy this chapter!

'Ha, full house! Ain't nobody gonna top that!' said Joel, throwing his cards down onto the table. They had since given up on Texas Hold 'em because Pacifica didn't know the rules and Joel had forgotten how to play, and were now playing a simple five-card draw game. Joel had amassed a fairly large pile of the Chipackerz™ (the Chip-flavoured crackers!) that they were using for currency, and so had Mabel. Pacifica and Dipper were both struggling, and Waddles had none, although he was undeniably in the lead, he just ate all of his when he got them.

Dipper groaned down and threw down two pairs, while Mabel and Pacifica had three-of-a-kind. They all looked at Waddles, who was holding his deal in his mouth. He pushed his head closer to the table and let go of his hand – or mouth – of cards, and Mabel turned them over and started laughing.

'Straight flush?!' asked Joel, standing up.

'Waddles brings home the bacon once again!' cheered Mabel, picking up the pig and dancing with him.

'He has to be cheating!' replied Joel, and he started to pace around behind his chair. 'Maybe he ate some sort of brain-enhancing drug that boosted his intelligence or something like that, it can't be luck, and he's a pig for Christ's sake!'

'We've been through that one before,' said Dipper, joining in with Mabel's laughter. Within a little while they were all laughing and trading stories.

'So anyway Joel, where are you from?' asked Pacifica.

'Me? I came from Tacoma up in Washington about six months ago,' he replied, gnawing on a Chipacker.

'Is it nice there?' asked Mabel.

'Yeah, it's pretty good I guess. It's bigger and colder than here, but it's nice.'

'Probably not as weird,' added Dipper.

'Yeah, that too.'

'But seriously, this town is weird as hell. There's stuff in the woods that you wouldn't dream of in –'

'Dipper!' said Mabel, 'I thought you said you wouldn't tell new people that stuff right off the bat.'

'It's not right off the bat, Mabel, we played cards for 3 hours straight and now were telling stories.'

'Wait, three hours?' replied Joel. 'Stan said he would get me in half an hour! I completely forgot!'

'Oh, don't worry about Stan,' said Mabel, waving her hand dismissively. Joel looked confused.

'He won't pay me though, I haven't been working!'

'Who said you haven't been working?' said a voice from behind him. Joel wheeled around. It was Stan.

'Uh, Mr Pines, I thought you said you'd set me to work after half an hour.'

'I did,' was the response.

'No, you didn't!' Joel retaliated.

'Look kid, being adamant in this joint isn't going to get you anywhere. "Work" isn't necessarily mopping and sorting through the merchandise, I've got other jobs as well.'

'Like what?'

'Like I could get you to wash my car or fix the antennae on the roof. We've already got someone on the register, plus these three here, so "working" could be anything.'

'But you still didn't give me a job to do…' Joel persisted.

'You've been entertaining these three while I manage the gift shop, that's a job in of itself and a pretty difficult one at that.'

'Wait, you're paying me to play cards with people my age?' asked Joel. Stan simply cocked his head to the side.

'Yeah, I suppose I am. Now, are you going to accept it or not?'

Joel was still confused, but he was happy too. He was being paid to hang out with people. What a job! Although he'd still have to mop and clean and all that jazz, he'd at least be able to have fun.

'I guess?' he replied. Stan reached into his pocket and pulled out the hundred dollar bill that he had been given earlier. Pacifica started laughing and Stan shrugged at her.

'What, it's not my money,' he said to her. Pacifica stuck her tongue out at him.

Joel gingerly took the money from the man's hands and looked at it.

'What's wrong kid, you never seen a green-back before?'

'I've never owned one before,' he sputtered, 'Are you sure about this, Mr Pines.'

'Just hurry up and take it kid, before I change my mind. I like you, Joel, you're different from the employees we've had before, and that's just a little incentive for you to stay. Plus, you aced the initiation test, so I gotta pay you back somehow.'

Joel smiled sadly up at the old man, 'Thank you Mr Pines, I'll be back tomorrow.'

'Aww, you're leaving?' asked Mabel. Joel nodded.

'Yeah, I'll have to go in a minute. Mom will not be happy if I'm not home in time for dinner.'

'But I haven't told you about the time that Dipper met some ghosts at the old convenience store and had to –'

'Shut up, Mabel!' hissed Dipper, clamping her mouth shut with his hand.

'Do you want me to drive you home?' asked Pacifica, standing up.

'Yeah, thanks,' he replied, 'I'll go out and put my shoes on.'

Pacifica nodded and went out into the gift shop. Joel said goodbye to the twins and went out onto the porch. Dipper took his hand off Mabel's mouth and straight away she started to speak.

'I think he's cute,' she said, drumming her figures on the table. Dipper rolled his eyes.

'Mabel, you think every guy is cute.'

She blew a raspberry at him. 'I didn't think Gideon was cute,' she said.

'He wasn't a guy, he was a monster. Plus, we're fifteen now Mabel, you can't just go around dating every guy you meet.'

'Aww, come on Dipper! Just this once! I really like Joel, he's awkward and clueless and funny! And probably clever enough that he won't disappear into the forest.'

'Ugh, fine, but it's not my fault if you end up in some mess.'

'Thanks Dip!' she said, racing out of the room and up the stairs.

o00o

Pacifica's phone buzzed as she left through the gift shop door. She took it out and looked at the new text.

'When you get back come up to my room, I've got something I want to talk to you about!'

Pacifica rolled her eyes. She'd seen this text before. Mabel was taking a liking to Joel.

'Yeah, I'll ask him the usual questions in the car.'

She stowed her phone back in her pocket and went around to get the car.

o00o

Joel turned around from putting his shoes on as a car pulled up behind him. It was a small and simple pink hatchback. Pacifica rolled down the window.

'You ready to go?' she called. Joel thought for a minute to see if he could remember anything he'd forgotten, but nodded his head. Stepping down onto the now dry dirt, he started to make his way to the car but Pacifica stopped him.

'You might want to jump up and down a little,' she said. Joel looked quizzically at her.

'Just do it.'

Joel obliged and as he jumped he got shorter. He had had a massive crust of dried mud on his shoes, and it was now crumbling to pieces as he stamped his feet on the ground. He looked apologetically up at the girl in the car.

'Just be glad I noticed. I would've killed you if you left a layer of dust and grime in my ride.'

Joel laughed and got into the car. His first day at the Mystery Shack had been the best since he arrived in Gravity Falls.

You bet he'd be coming back.

Now, question time.

LimitlessHorizon asked what age the characters are – Joel is 16, Dipper, Mabel and Pacifica are 15 (I guess Pacifica can drive cos Blubbs and Durland are too scared of the NW's to do anything about it). Wendy will be 18 when she comes in, and everyone else will be about 3 years older as well.

Please leave a review with feedback, I know the story is still developing, but anything helps. Thanks!