A half hour later, Dipper tromped down the stairs, hair still damp and hanging in his face. He was pulling on a shirt, an old teal shirt with a large question mark proudly displayed on the front. It clung to parts of his torso where it was still wet from showering. He examined himself from shoulders down, making sure he looked presentable enough before he went downstairs in front of Pacifica.
When he reached the living room, Pacifica had gone, leaving Mabel and Waddles alone to finish the hot chocolate. Mabel was draining the last glass when Dipper asked "Where did Pacifica go?"
"Oh, looking for Pacifica, you little Casanova?" Mabel teased. Dipper blushed and rubbed his arm, a habit he thought he had broken years ago. "I don't know what you're talking about," Dipper said quietly, refusing to look Mabel in the eyes. "She went out to deliver the money she made to the Children of Gravity Falls." Hearing this, Dipper looked down forlorn. Mabel chuckled and stood up, waltzing over to him. She threw an arm around his shoulder and yanked him down to her level, giving him a good noogie.
"Hey, what say we get out of this stuffy old shack and go say hi to some of our old friends?" Mabel suggested, already leading Dipper towards the door. He nodded and grabbed himself a hoodie and thick jacket, slipping them on as he slipped out the door. He walked up to the golf cart, brushing some snow off the seat, and took his place on the driver side.
"Hey, you big dummy," Mabel joked, "I get to drive. You aren't a Mystery Shack employee anymore." She shoved him, and he shoved back, playfully fighting like they did when they were kids. He reluctantly moved over and Mabel slid in, turning the key in the ignition. They began their slow drive into Gravity Falls.
As they drove along the path, Mabel cleared her throat. "So, how's it been going for you, bro-bro? College life suit you well?"
Dipper had graduated from high school two years early and went through advanced courses at Piedmont College, majoring in English. "Everything went well. I began my book based on everything that happened here during the summer. It has us, Soos, Bill, Wendy, and…Stan." At the mention of their Great Uncle, they both sat in silence. Mabel decided to break the uncomfortable mood by reaching over and tickling Dipper under the arm. He laughed and shoved her, and she pushed him back. In the process, she nearly knocked him out of the cart and let go of the wheel. The cart careened across the road and ran over a small creature.
As Dipper leaned over and straightened the wheel, Mabel regained control of the cart. They sat in silence for the rest of the ride into town.
Behind them, the creature picked up its pointed red hat adjusted it on his small body. He uttered a small and pain-filled groan. "Shmebulock."
The Mystery Cart pulled in on the main road leading straight into town. Posters and billboards mingled in with the Christmas lights and decorations. Signs that stated in bold letters "Re-elect Mayor Hirsch" sat next to nativity scenes, a Santa statue with posters stapled to his head, announcing the newest music by Robbie V, and Woodpeckers nestling themselves in the large plastic Christmas tree in the center of town. Dipper looked at all the shops and parlors that he had hung out in years ago.
The arcade had a fir mixture of flashing lights from both Christmas ornaments and arcade games. Mabel parked the cart out in front and ushered Dipper inside. He was led deep into the back corner of the arcade where a small group of adults stood, playing with an old Fight Fighters game.
"Hey guys, look who came back!" Mabel shouted. The group collectively turned around. Among the small crowd, Dipper recognized every face. A heavier set adult with a Greasy's Diner server shirt smiled and threw a hand in the air as a half wave, revealing dark pit stains, even in the cold of December. Classic Thompson. Next to him was Nate and Lee, moving closer to him shouting "Is that Dr. Fun Times?" Each took turns slugging him in the arm, and he returned them with full force. And from the rear, a tall girl with fiery red hair in a flannel shirt and aviator jacket beamed. "Whoa, is that Dipper?" She walked up and offered her fist for a bump. "How's it been, man?"
Dipper blushed as she looked at him. He looked up and sighed, happy to be back. Nate slapped him on the back, stating "I guess we need to call you 'Big Dipper' from now on." Everyone was laughing as they crowded around Dipper, hugging him and cracking jokes. They dog-piled on Dipper, everyone falling to the floor, while from the other side of the arcade, Tyler began to chant "Get 'em, get 'em!"
"So," Dipper asked, "What are you all doing here?"
"Mabel asked us to come," Wendy explained. "She said she had a surprise to show us, but we didn't think it would be this epic." At this, Dipper laughed and rubbed at his arm. "Come on, guys. Stop it."
"You should totally come to Tambry's Christmas party tonight, it's gonna be awesome!" Lee told the twins. "Thompsons gonna eat 100 gingerbread men in under 10 minutes!" Thompson moaned, unsure of himself.
Dipper nodded, ready to hang out with his old friends. Now he was 19. An adult. It didn't matter the age difference anymore. He was their equal now. It gave him a boost of moral, which spurred him to say "Sounds great! When is it?"
Mabel patted him on the shoulder and said she would give him the details later. "We have other places to go, so we will see you guys tonight. Dipper has to unpack and settle in for the long haul, he is going to be here for a while."
Dipper's heart felt light, lighter than it had been in years. He was finally going to hang out with decent people, friends he knew and trusted. But uncertainty filled his heart as well. He was now going to live in the same house as a girl who wasn't his sister. And she was nice and attractive…
But that wasn't all. There was an unsettling feeling in the air, like the calm before a storm. This feeling that something big was going to happen. A feeling that he only got around unnatural, even paranormal, creatures.
But he was probably just being ridiculous. He shook off the feeling and let his mind wander to happier thoughts, like the party, Pacifica, and the new life he was starting in Gravity Falls.
Meanwhile, in the forest, the creatures sat impatiently and anxious. "Can we move now? It should be time by now," the larger one said. The smaller shook his head. The larger growled in frustration and began to move. "I am tired of waiting, I'm going for it!"
Immediately, a dark tendril shot out of the darkness where the smaller creature sat in complete silence. It wrapped itself around the larger creature's thick neck. The shadowy tentacle pulled the creature back to its hiding place. "We will stay," the smaller said in a gravelly voice. "And we will sit patiently until the time is right to strike, understand?"
The larger creature nodded, and the tendril loosened. It took deep, gasping breaths as air filled its lungs, and the smaller sat undisturbed. "Soon," it whispered. "Soon."