Chapter 21
Disclaimer: Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, not me.
"Do you really think it's really in the journals?" Mabel questioned, taking one of the journals from her brother.
The trio were gathered in the dining room, pouring over the journals the day after Bill Cipher had appeared. While Mabel and Dipper had opened their own journals, Gideon awkwardly sat in-between the pair of them. He had the feeling if he asked to be involved with the research, he would be denied, though he couldn't complain, since he didn't want anything more to do with demons. "It has to be, Mabel, where else could the code be?"
"I don't know, but Bill always says weird stuff like that and it could be him messing with us." She replied, leaning her chin into the palm of her hand, elbow on the table.
"I don't think it is though; I think it has something to do with the wheel or whatever he calls it."
"If you say so, Dip-Dop." The brunette began to leaf through the journal, frowning in concentration.
"...not in the book..." Gideon whispered, mostly to himself.
It seems as though Mabel had heard his comment though, for she glanced up after he mumbled. "What? What did you say, Gideon?"
He blushed at the attention they were both giving him now. "Urm... um...n-not i-in t-the b-book..."
"Wait, how do you know that?" Dipper asked, appearing skeptical.
He shrugged, unable to fully understand the feeling boiling underneath his skin. "I-I s-sense i-it."
"Well, sounds good enough to me!" Mabel slammed her journal shut, grinning.
"Wait, wait, hold on, t-that...t-that...doesn't mean anything! He hasn't even look at all of the journals!"
"Dipper! We already know Gideon can feel things, just like how I can see things and you can hear. I thought we agreed on this yesterday after talking to Bill!"
"Ok, I-I don't really k-know if we're s-s-special or anyth-"
"This is just like with Grandpa Stanley! You don't believe in our powers and you don't believe it's him!" She cried, throwing her hands into the air.
"W-Well, w-we don't h-have any concrete p-proof it is him!"
"He looks just like Grunkle Stan!"
"I c-can't even see h-him!"
"You said he sounded like Grunkle Stan!"
"I-I never said it!"
"Yes you did!"
"Well, even if I did, it doesn't mean it's our g-grandpa!"
"It is him! How else would he know about Carla?!"
"He could of just heard of her! Besides, his version of the story was different than Grunkle Stan's!"
"Let's go ask him for the truth then!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
The twins threw the journals onto the table and sprinted off to the store front, calling for their great-uncle all the way. The 10-year-old was left behind in the dining room with the journals. Barely a moment passed, before his hand lashed out and grasped onto Stan's one. He practically tore the cover off as he opened it and glanced over the first page, finding new material he had never laid his eyes upon. A familiar feeling churned within him and he smiled. The constant fear, drilling itself in the back of his mind eased away, and he felt soothed by the familiar handwriting. Then, it came to him, the feeling of hunger. "Oh...Oh."
The vending machine. The vending machine had to do with the code they had been told. What could it be though? The feelings of hunger eased away, replaced with frustration, as though with working with a difficult task and a gnawing boredom deep underneath. What? What did that mean? School. Numbers and letters. The code? Yes, it was the code. The keypad. The keypad on the vending machine was the answer. The code was on the keypad! Gideon felt a surge of pride, which was unusual in itself since had been out of Jill's contract, and realized he needed to let his friends know that the vending machine was the solution to the code. Of course they would have to wait until after dark to investigate, as not to cause Stan or customers to have their attention attracted to them. He knew from the twins that Stan was hiding a number of things and that he wasn't to be told about how deeply involved they were with the demon, though he was on the same wheel as them. The only things he knew at the moment, was that they were in contracts with Bill and that they had powers.
He headed to the store front, journal clenched to his chest. As he entered, he suspected he would feel less confident with the amount of people in his room, yet he found himself feeling the same. It seemed as though that the twins and Stan were missing from the group of tourists already present. The office must of been where they were then and he entered the doorway leading to there. The freckled boy entered, finding the twins arguing over the voice of Stan, who was beginning to appear quite angry at their actions. "Enough! I can't get in two darn words between the both of you screaming at each other!"
Usually, Gideon would of been frightened by the tone he was using, but it might of been the journal reminding him of the power he once held, for he held no fear at said tone being used. Mabel and Dipper had jolted at him bellowing though, snapping their mouths shut. "Now, what in the name of all that is holy are you two fighting about?"
"How did you really meet Carla McCorkle?!" The twins shouted in unison.
"I already told you." He simply replied, returning to his paperwork.
"Well, you told us different stories!" Mabel cried.
"If I remember right, I only told Dipper, so I don't who else you heard a story from."
"Uhhhhhhh...Old Man McGucket!" She blurted out, finding it convenient that their ages were close enough that McGucket may of heard of her.
He ceased writing and gazed up at her. "...did you just say McGucket?"
Dipper and Mabel glanced to one another, Mabel clearly regretting her answer, considering his reaction. Gideon decided now was good a time as any to interrupt. "Dipper? Mabel?"
The Pines all startled, not realizing he had been there, turning themselves to him. He clenched the journal tightly to his body, hoping that his courage wouldn't fade. He needed to break this fight up, before he heard something he wasn't meant to. "Can we have dinner?"
"We're talking later," Stan told his grand-niece, pointing a finger at her from across the desk. "And, I'll come back to make dinner when I'm done here."
Though the elder man didn't directly tell him this, opting to focus on his paper work once more, Gideon felt his hesitant tone. It was as if he was unsure on how to talk to him, even though Gideon sounded perfectly normal at the moment. Though, he knew it wouldn't last, after he lost his courage. "Ok."
"Now, everybody get out; if you all haven't noticed, I'm working!"
The moment they were in the hall, Gideon whirled around to them. "I know what the code is!"
"What? Really?!" Dipper exclaimed.
"What is it, what is it?!" Mabel cried, jumping up and down.
"The vending machine!"
"Wait, what?" Dipper asked.
"The numbers and letters on the vending machine."
"Oh my god!" The brunette cried, hugging the 10-year-old. "You are amazingggg!"
He felt a heat creep up his neck at Mabel's close contact, though the rest of his body felt icy, contradicting his emotions. A hand was firmly grasped the back of his heated neck and he immediately pushed her away in a state of panic. She gave him a startled look as he dropped the journal. "Gideon?"
"S-Sorry...j-just..."
"Oh, sorry, I forgot..." She muttered. Dipper didn't even seem to notice this interaction though, mumbling about the meaning of the vending machine. The freckled boy reached down for the journal, wanting his courage back, but Mabel beat him to it. "Dipping Dot, let's go!"
"W-Wait!"
They paused and turned to him, Mabel placing her hand on her hip. "And why not? We need to solve the code to save my grandpa."
He gulped, feeling somewhat threatened by her stance. "Ummm...S-Stanford c-could c-catch u-us..."
Mabel slapped her forehead. "Duh! Dipper, we have to wait until Grunkle Stan is asleep, so he doesn't wonder what we're doing!"
"Why do we have to wait? Let's just go right now and do it."
"You know how he'll react though; he doesn't believe that we can see Grandpa Stanley and hear him. He's more skeptic about it than you are!"
"That's right! I almost forgot!"
Mabel frowned. "...Dipper, you don't forget anything."
"...are you still hungry, Gideon?" Her brother questioned, completely ignoring her statement.
"Oh, urm, s-sure..."
"What do you want?"
"M-Me? Um, I d-don't k-know..."
"Do you like spaghetti?"
"S-Sure."
"I'll go tell my uncle." Dipper re-entered the office, avoiding the concerned faces thrown at him by Mabel.
"M-Mabel? A-Are y-you o-ok?" The freckled boy hesitantly asked.
"I'm fine...just...Dipper, he...just gets like that sometimes and...I can't really tell you, because it's up to him if he wants you to hear it or not. I'm sorry." She finished, tugging at the hem of her Waddles sweater.
He nodded once, then frowned. That was her pet pig. Waddles. That was Waddles. That pig followed her nearly everywhere, so why hadn't he seen it since arriving at the Mystery Shack? "M-Ma-"
Dipper and Stan exited the office. "I gonna get in my night clothes and then I'll make dinner," Gideon nearly cursed himself, feeling as though he would be unable to speak if he did ask her. The Pines family migrated to the kitchen, Gideon in tow. Stan pointed at Dipper, whom frowned, upon realizing he was going to be commanded to do an activity he wouldn't enjoy. "Boil a pot of water while I change."
Dipper couldn't even get a word out, before the elder man left the kitchen. He grumbled to himself, unaware that he was mirroring his great-uncle's own behavior. The freckled boy beside him looked to Mabel, intending on asking her where Waddles was, but stopped short when he witnessed her studying her hands intently. "M-Mabel?"
She startled, looking up. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"N-Nothing..." He replied, feeling as though he shouldn't ask in the end.
~!6-9-4-4-12-5-6-15-18-4/18-5-13-5-13-2-5-18-19!~
Later that night, the trio where gathered in the hallway leading to the store front, plunged in darkness. Though it was quite late into the night, they were intent on discovering the meaning behind the vending machine's code. "Where's your flashlight, Dip-Dop?"
"Mabel, I already told you, I have it with me, but I'm not going to turn it on yet, because if Grunkle Stan comes to the living room, he's going to see me shining it around." He grouchily replied, blindly reaching out for the door.
A pudgy hand covered his own, guiding him to the door knob. "Thanks, Gideon."
"Y-Your w-welcome..."
He twisted the handle, flooding the hallway with moonlight, and they all stepped in. The full moon was large and glowed with the eerie quality it typically didn't on a regular night. It was as though the moon was quite bright for this night as a greeting for them. The light didn't quite make contact with the vending machine though, so Dipper flashed his own light at it. "The keypad does match up with the code!"
"Press the buttons!" Mabel exclaimed.
"Shhh! And, one of the numbers that wasn't on the code, is here. If I press them all, it's not going to work." Dipper reached out, pressing all the buttons, expect with the one labelled "2".
There was a whirling within the machine, then it slid to the side, revealing a glowing secret staircase. The trio gaped in shock. "Dipper...what is this?"
"O-Oh my god, there's a secret p-p-passage in the Mystery Shack..."
Gideon appeared in awe. "Wow..."
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Mabel exclaimed, grasping Gideon's shirt sleeve and Dipper's wrist. There was no hesitation from either and they were willingly guided down the stairs by the energetic brunette. The trio observed the the area surrounding them, not noticing the six-fingered hand print to their staircase creaked in protest as they made their way down them and rats in the distance released squeaks. The cobwebs were in touching distance, though weren't in their path. The distinct smell of dust surrounded them, as though it had been waiting an awful long while for their presence.
Gideon whispered, unaware he was speaking aloud. "...it's like something outta of my imagination..."
"...or a dream..." Mabel whispered back.
"...or a nightmare..." Dipper muttered to them.
Though the room was dimmed, they entered what could only be described as a control room, finding computers whirling and clicking, as if they were alive, buttons blinking out of the darkness to them. "Guys, are we dreaming? Somebody wake me up..."
"This can't be real..." Dipper appeared to be in awe.
"W-What is...?" Gideon asked, unable to finish his sentence.
"It's just like that bunker in the woods..." Dipper whispered to himself. "What is all this though?"
"Dipper," Mabel breathed out, shaking his arm, and pointing behind him. "Look."
The portal, though they were observing it through filthy glass, seemed as impressive as ever. The bright light illuminated there figures, creating endless shadows behind them. It hummed, as though calling them to come before it. And, they complied, entering the room where the portal was held, the light nearly blinding them. "Dipper...he did say portal..."
"I know...I know..." He whispered.
"T-This...is...t-the c-color..." The freckled boy whispered, trembling as he realized he recognized that bluish hue.
"What the heck are you doing down in here?" They all startled from their trances, whirling around to discover a furious Stanford Pines lingering in the entryway to the room. He approached them, pointing a shaking finger at them. "What the hell are you three doing down here?"
"G-Grunkle S-" Mabel began, only to be cut off.
"Get out." He ground out, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.
"S-Stanley is in t-there, isn't he?" Dipper asked, feeling somewhat dazed.
"GET OUT!" He bellowed, voice echoing throughout the room.
Gideon cringed violently and fell over, covering his head, as though waiting for Stan to physically hit him. He caught of glimpse of the stricken face the elder man made at his reaction and focused his eyes onto the floor, attempting to keep the memories at bay. Stricken as his mother's when Gideon was first beaten by his father, instead of her. Voice as violent and angry as his father's though. The twins were immediately crouching down next to their friend. Their hands stroked his trembling arms, attempting to pull him back, before his flashback could even begin. He was already being pulled into the darkness of his memories, not noticing his friends attempting to pull him up to a standing position. Mabel's voice sounded distant to his ears. "Gideon? Please, you're ok! Don-"
"I'm going to bash your damn head in boy! Don't you dare ever back talk to me!" His father echoed angrily within his head, the sound of flesh smacking onto flesh visibly loud.
"Please, Barne-Bud! He's only four! You can't hu-" His mother was cut off as she was violently shoved into the wall.
"Don't tell me what to do, woman. I own you, do you understand?" He shook her, causing the back of her head to forcibly make contact with the wall behind her and for her to cry out in pain. "I OWN YOU!"
"G-Gideon?" Dipper whispered, voice disrupting the darkness swirling around him, reminding him of the past.
He blinked, heaving for breath as he returned from his horrific flashback. The Pines were surrounding him, twins hugging him, while Stan was squatted in front of him, fingers barely brushing against his knee, as though not quite sure he could touch him or not. He felt Mabel gently squeeze his shoulder and Dipper's hand skimming over his back, both in comforting ways. He leaned into all of these figures touching him, craving comfort from the darkness of his memories. It was ever so steadily grounding him back to the present."I-I-"
"Hey, kid, just breath, ok? Look, I...I didn't mean to scare like that. I just sorta...lose my temper sometimes. I'm not gonna hurt you though, so can you just... breath?" Stan comforted him in his own way, though not in a way many could identify as comfort. For the first time since entering the Shack though, he felt he could actually trust Stanford Pines, if only just a little, though he still held an edge of fear in a certain way.
"O-Ok." He replied shakily, breathing deeply, the darkness withdrawing from his head.
The group was silent for a few moments, only the hum of the portal and breathing interrupting them. Gideon's royal blue eyes skimmed over the Pines, finding a type of peace deep within himself at their emotions probing at his soul, a combination of concern, fear, relief, slight anger, and peacefulness. He was interrupted from this study of them, when Stan spoke, hesitating in his wording. "Kids, I have to tell you about what happened 37 years ago."
~!-?-!~
In a rusting and paint peeling 1967 Ford Thunderbird, falling apart in the city dump, slept a homeless citizen that everyone knew of, yet knew not what he had done. Each breath he took inside the the vehicle, had the seats creaking beneath his weight and the windows rattling quietly. Though he had forgotten himself, he had been remembering, bits and pieces at a time. For example, the Thunderbird was the first item he and his wife had bought upon becoming married, which may explain why he deemed it as his home to occupy. Those for memories lost though, his youth a distant relic of the past.
As Old Man McGucket, he had been unnecessary to the town of Gravity Falls, seen as a nuisance by all, including his son. But, as Fiddleford McGucket, he had been a popular and successful museum curator. And, it seemed as though Fiddleford McGucket was about to return. He was jolted from his sleep, images of the older twin Pines, Bill Cipher, Jill Rephic, and Society of the Blind Eye flashing throughout his mind. "NO!"
His aged body heaved as he laid up against the vehicle's door, trembling as his memories began their return. He gazed out into the darkness of the dump, laying his head back onto the door, glimpsing a blurry star decorating sky above him. He reached into the pocket of his overalls, revealing a pair of ancient glasses, the lenses cracked. "I remember!"
He placed the frame onto his face, the star littered sky coming into focus, and he wrapped the tattered remains of his blanket around his uncontrollably shaking frame. Tears streamed unwillingly down his aged cheeks. "I-I remember..."
Chapter 21 End
I hope this isn't becoming too fast-paced? Or that the plot seems all over the place? I feel like I have too many ideas for this story and having a difficult time incorporating them and I really hope this story doesn't feel forced to any of you readers. Anyways, just because Gideon feels as though he can trust Stan a bit, even though he finds it difficult to trust adults at the moment, doesn't mean they'll be on the best of terms. At this point, he doesn't feel as though Stan would hurt him like his father did, but isn't completely comfortable around him. Well, as always reviews, favorites, and followers are appreciated!