Chapter 7

Spud was tired.

He had just distracted a giant gnome while running around trying to stay alive and had Trixie in his arms. He needed a break.

"Well," Jake said, "that was exciting."

They were in the guest room- the four New Yorkers and Fu Dog. Dipper and Mabel were in the attic.

"Why is it," Fu complained, "everywhere we go there's something magical going on?"

Spud turned to Haley. "You'll have to add 'Gravity Falls' to your lost of magical non-New York places."

"Yup."

Trixie frowned. "Those Pines kids are, like, awesome."

"What do you mean, Trix?" Jake asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Really? Look at 'em! They're twelve, have no magical powers, and have no one but themselves! And they still manage to survive day to day! If that isn't impressive, I don't know what is!"

"Good point," Jake said. "And they saved our butts out there. I mean," he added, seeing the look on Fu's face, "we could have too, but we don't want to be exposed."

"You know, I've been thinking," Fu said thoughtfully.

"That's dangerous," Haley commented, earning her three smiles.

"Ha ha. I was thinking- what if someone figures it out? And by someone, I mean Lady Sweater and Sir Baseball Cap."

"Mabel and Dipper?" Haley asked. "How would they-"

"Well, for starters," Fu explained, "they saw you guys in the forest last week. You asked them what they were, which might have let on more than you meant."

"Ok, another good point," Jake allowed. "But, with all due respect, I don't think Mabel will figure it out. She doesn't suspect a thing."

"When you say it like that you make it sound like we're trying to kill her, kid!"

"Sorry," he tried. "But I think we're safe."

"But what about Dipper?" Spud asked. "Do you think-"

"Maybe," Trixie guessed. "Only time will tell."

"Or one of the twins," Spud said, getting out his daily stupid comment.

Trixie facepalmed herself. "Oh, Spudinky."

"You're saying I'm wrong?" Spud defended. "It could happen- one of them telling us that they know about our secret. They could walk in here right now!"

With that, the door opened and someone stood in the threshold. The four kids yelled in surprise, and Fu barked falsely.

"Hey, guys," greeted Wendy.

The kids exhaled in relief. Wendy was cool.

"Stan wants us in the gift shop," she continued. "Now."

Spud turned to Jake. "Aw, Jake! What'd you do this time?"

"Very funny, Spud." Jake stood up and followed Wendy down the stairs.

When Spud arrived in the gift shop, he realized that they were open for business. He also saw that Stan and the twins were already there.

"There you are," Stan admonished. "I need the seven of you to re-glitter the sign on the roof. Somehow it came off in the last week."

Spud looked at Dipper, who waved his hand in a tell you later gesture.

Stan tossed the four kids paintbrushes. "Now come on. The tourists aren't going to rip themselves off."

"Yeah!" agreed the Cute Biker, who was currently buying a piece of broken glass that Stan sold as a crystal.

They used a secret ladder to the roof that Spud hadn't noticed before, probably because of the curtain. He realized that this must have been how Mabel and Haley had gotten to the roof.

When the four kids got to the roof, Spud looked out at the town. It was actually kind of cute.

"How did you not notice this before?" Spud asked Haley.

"Gee, I don't know," she answered. "Maybe because I was saving your life."

"Touché," he conceded.

Jake looked around the town as well. Suddenly, he saw something in particular and was so surprised that he fell off the roof. To Spud's relief, he managed to stick the landing- right in front of a man Spud knew all too well.

"Rotwood?!" yelled Spud, Jake, Trixie, and Haley. Jake stepped back in horror as the other three maneuvered their way to the ground.

Rotwood sneered. "Oh, Mr. Long. What a surprise."

"Surprise?!" Trixie sputtered. "What are you doing here? You sick, twisted, warped-"

"Uncle Rotwood?"

Spud looked past Rotwood to a short little kid with huge white hair, big blue eyes, and freckles. He wore a cheap blue suit and had an ice cream cone in his hand.

"Thanks for the ice cream, Uncle Rotwood," said the boy.

"Anything for my favorite nephew, Gideon," replied the professor.

"Jake?" called a very familiar twelve-year-old voice. "Spud?"

"Trixie?" yelled another very familiar twelve-year-old voice. "Haley?"

The twins appeared on the roof, saw what was going on, and maneuvered their way down.

"Oh, hi... Gideon," said Dipper through clenched teeth.

"Why, Dipper Pines!" said the boy Spud realized was Gideon. "Nice to see you again!"

Spud didn't understand why this little runt put Dipper on edge, but it worried him. Mr. Magical Foresty Stuff afraid of an eight-year-old? This kid must be dangerous.

"Anyway, Gideon," Mabel said, her voice full of loathing, "we should get going. We have a sign to paint."

"Nice to see you again, hoodlums," sneered the professor. "Come along, nephew." And just like that, they were gone.

"I didn't know an evil brat like Gideon could have an uncle," Dipper commented.

"Evil must run in the family," Spud muttered.

"What?"

"I'll tell you later. For now, let's just focus on the sign, huh?"

And so they did. For three hours they worked in the hot sun to re-glitter the sign. It wasn't a complete waste of time, though. Dipper explained why the sign needed re-glittering, and Spud explained why Rotwood was evil. By the time it was done, the two boys were exhausted physically and mentally.

As Spud trudged up the stairs, he heard Dipper in the attic saying some unflattering things about Stan. He heard bits of "penny-pinching, coupon-clipping cheapo" and "go suck a lemon." Very loyal.

The four kids opened the door and fell flat on the hardwood.

"If it isn't my favorite kids!" Fu looked up from his paper and pulled down his sunglasses. "Did I mention you're my favorite?"

"We don't have any food, Fu."

"Darn it!"

Suddenly Spud noticed that the door was still open, and in the threshold stood the twins.

"Lordy, Dipper!" exclaimed Trixie. "Babies, you just 'bout scared me outta my butterfly shirt! What's with all the sneakin' around?"

"You tell me," Dipper countered. He pulled a handful of crackers out of his pocket, tossed them to Fu, for which Fu seemed grateful, and sat on on the couch. Mabel followed him, but she obviously had no idea why she was here.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jake asked.

Dipper rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "For the short amount of time you've been in Gravity Falls, you sure know a lot about this town's mystery history."

Spud wasn't sure where Dipper was going with this. "We're just curious by nature."

"Remember the leafblower?" Haley asked, trying too hard to change the subject.

"Stop."

Spud certainly hadn't been expecting that.

Dipper continued. "One of my big problems- on a list that's long and distinguished- is that despite my skeptical nature, I trust people. I want to see the best in them." He turned away. "Unfortunately, they usually let me down."

There was an uncomfortable pause in the air, and Spud wasn't exactly sure what to make of it.

"Things have been adding up for me," Dipper concluded. "Why Haley seemed afraid when Mabel mentioned 'aerial view.' Why you seemed so fearless- well, sort of fearless- to distract the gnomes. Stuff that didn't really make sense- at first."

"What are you saying?" Trixie asked nervously.

"I'm saying that the Long siblings aren't what they claim to be." He stood up and approached the two kids of which he spoke. "I think that they're magical creatures in disguise- dragons, if you want to be specific. I think that the two of you know about it. And I think Fu can secretly talk and stand on two legs!"

He faced Jake and no one else. "Tell me I'm wrong... friend."

How was that? And by the way, Gideon does actually have blue eyes. It was on Alex Hirsch's Twitter account. And no, I don't stalk him, nor am I an insane fangirl (or a girl at all, for that matter).

Please review and tell me if I nailed it or failed it!