Gravity Falls... a place shrouded in mystery. It's not on most maps, and some even say it's a myth. It was the place where Stanley and Stanford Pines supposedly grew up in, discovered all kinds of oddities in it's woods, and attempted to share those secrets of the world. Big Foot, fairies, witches- they were all real. You just needed to keep your eyes open and know where to look. Or so they claimed. Most people that had even heard the town's name passed the stories aside as an attempt to draw up tourism. Others took one uneventful hike in the creepy old woods, declared it a myth busted, and turned around- barely missing the hide-behind following them. But the locals never spoke of the oddities in the woods or went on random hikes. They knew better than that. Either one good scare would keep them out of those woods forever, or they could never remember having seen anything suspicious going around town. Even if the town had started to become well known when the Pines Bros. were in their prime, decades later the town had faded back into anonymity.
Gideon Gleeful though refused to believe that myths were all false. He knew the supernatural was out there, and he wanted to see it all. Looking into the car's side mirror, he adjusted his ball cap, trying to tuck in his locks of white hair that kept poking out. Still, while the hat didn't always cover up his hair, the Pines Bros. ball cap with their old Pine Tree logo was his most valued possession. It wasn't particularly rare or valuable, but to Gideon, it was a symbol that magic was alive and well in the world. And the woods of Gravity Falls were supposed to be chock full of the supernatural! And he was going to be moving there today!
Gideon couldn't stop grinning as he sat in his seat. The trip had lasted a few hours, but they had gone by quickly with visions of ghosts and gremlins dancing in his head. Oh he knew it might take a while to hunt one down. Probably would be dangerous... but could you imagine being face to face with a flock of fairies in flight?! Who cared what kind of danger there was when adventure and wonder were waiting!
Bud couldn't help sharing in his son's enthusiasm. After all, this whole business venture into Gravity Falls was his idea! While his son tried to recapture the magic the Pines Bros. shared with the world, Bud reveled in their theatrics. The feeling of seeing his first show when he was a kid was something he'd never forgotten- and something he'd probably never experience again due to the vast change in the Pines Bros. style. Sometime around the mid 80's, their shows went from mystical acts that were eye opening and shocking to something more... family friendly. Not that there was anything wrong with that... but lion tamers and tight rope walkers weren't the act that Bud had fallen in love with. They weren't the kind of performance that made you question the limits of reality or what was lingering in the corner of your eye. Sure, maybe it gave some people nightmares and wasn't meant for the faint of heart, but not all of the supernatural was child-like wonder! But that didn't mean the young- and the young of heart- couldn't handle it. Just look at his son! He was eating all that mystery stuff right up!
But even if the golden days of the Pines Bros circus were behind them, that didn't mean they couldn't recapture some of the glory days. Bud prided himself on being a memorabilia collector. From old posters to props said to have once been used to control swarms of fire-locust, he had some of everything. And now, what was once a overly eccentric hobby (that his wife was constantly urging him to stop splurging on) was now going to be a successful business venture. And in one of the most famous locations in Pines Bros. history at that! The Mystery Shack!
However, when Bud's car pulled in to the clearing with the old shack and the totem pole with barely any paint left on it's carved surface, the biggest mystery Gideon was wondering was how the place was still standing. You could practically hear the creaking of the decrepit structure just from the sight of it. Gideon reluctantly stepped out of the car and tried to re-evaluate his expectations. Alright, so maybe he set the bar a bit too high. His father may have talked about the place like it was some kind of national landmark, but realistically the place hadn't been touched in decades. It was bound to be falling apart. And they had gotten an extremely good deal on the place... what were they expecting? Some fancy celebrity mansion? Where was the mystery in that anyways? Even if the old shack was hardly up to building code, the Gleefuls were determined to whip it into shape!
Bud hadn't seemed as discouraged as Gideon was by the sight of the state of the old Shack. If anything, it just meant that this place was that much more preserved! This was a piece of history he was looking at! "Come on, son! Let's check it out!"
Gideon skeptically looked at the Shack, not sure if that was a good idea. He'd been just about ready to hunt down some monsters but the idea of getting crushed under the weight of a heap of rotted wood was not exactly how he wanted to leave this world. But he'd need to screw his courage to the sticking plate if he was going to make it in this town! There'd be much more to fear than an old (possibly haunted) house! And he was going to have to live in there, so best to get all those thoughts of getting buried alive in the rubble out of his head now.
The planks of wood on the porch creaked out of place as Gideon and Bud made their approach. But it still held their weight. So far so good! While the door looked like it was half falling off, the lock and hinge seemed to open no problem. A loud ringing went through the air as Bud shuffled through his pockets to pull out the code to disable the security system. It seemed to be the only thing well managed in this place. There was a thick caking of dust from the ceiling to floor. Gideon didn't even want to imagine the number of spiders that must be calling this place home with all the cobwebs he spotted. The young boy tried to put the thought of his mind as he stepped over the threshold of the house. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt as if the very air seemed to be probing every hair on his body. But as soon as it had touched him, the pressure released. What was that about? His father hadn't seemed to have noticed anything as he finally managed to get the ringing to stop. Was it just the musty old air of this place?
The electricity seemed to still be running too. As Gideon flipped the light switch, he expected it to be flickering eerily to fit the tone of the room. And while the lightbulb looked just as old as everything in this place, it shown as brightly as if it were brand new. Apparently it didn't get the whole 'spooky old house' memo. As Gideon looked around the living area, he had to wonder why there was even a security system in place. Nothing in here could possibly be worth stealing. There were oodles of old books and scattered papers, rusted pieces of junk and all kinds of dead vermin. No valuables though. Gideon brushed aside some dust of a map that had been pinned to the wall. Although it was hard to tell it was a map with all the red symbols drawn over all the landscape. It didn't look to be any sort of language, yet Gideon knew he'd seen those symbols somewhere before. Yet they seemed off somehow. Gideon squinted, trying to figure out what it could be. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud pounding that jolted ever nerve in the young boy's body and caused him to jump a few feet in the air. Every hair was standing on it's end. He should have known this place would have a violent ghost or two!
But Bud only chuckled at his son's immediate fearful reaction. "Relax, boy! It's just the door. Looks like someone just wants to welcome us to the neighborhood!" Bud reassured him.
"Get off my property! This whole thing is a set up and you know it!" Shouted a loud and cranky voice.
Bud scratched his head and gave his son a nervous look. "Well... maybe not as happy of a welcome party. I'll get this all settled out." Bud reasoned as he made his way to the door.
Glancing through the dusty old window, the white-haired boy had trouble making out who was responsible for all the noise and commotion. Only a blue rapidly moving blur that seemed like it was ready to break the door down could be made out. Some kind of elderly man? Well… at least he seemed rather active for his age. Gideon was prepared to call up the cops to see if any family had their grandpa wander off in some kind of delirious state. Gideon glanced around the room, and managed to spot an old dial phone. Well, if the lights were working, hopefully the phone line was too. But before he could get the dust off and see if it still worked, Bud Gleeful seemed to take a much more cheery tone to their visitor.
Quickly, interrupting the newcomer mid-knock, Bud pulled the door wide open. "Why Stanford Pines! I do say, it is an honor to meet you." The elder Gleeful greeted. The old man was caught by surprise as the fist he was about to use to pound on the door once more was brought into an eager handshake.
Gideon dropped the receiver at the mention of the name. Stanford Pines? Was that really him? He rushed out to peek his head out into the entrance way. The fancy like-new blue suit and fez were a stark contrast against the wrinkled old man wearing them. The get up screamed Stanford Pines. Yet the angry old man within it screamed louder. Part of his hair seemed to have been combed back, but the summer heat seemed to have frazzled most of the grey out of place. Gideon hadn't seen any current photos of the man, but while he seemed to be losing the battle against time, he certainly kept his pride while doing it. Gideon was split between the excitement of seeing this living legend, and the confusion as to what he was doing behaving like a complete brute and riling up a storm.
Stan eyed the man confused. He was way too happy… he wasn't sure what he was expecting. Some corporate scum? A sleaze-ball in it for a quick buck? Or some collector that bought the place with plans on leaving it to rot. Heck, he'd brought his lock picking kit expecting to have to break his way in. Yet this guy was greeting him like he was some old friend
"Uh, do I know you, Bub?" Stan asked as he attempted to hide how off guard this guy caught him.
Bud gave out a chuckle and finally released Stan from his two-handed handshake "Oh, actually it's Bud! Bud Gleeful! But no, I can't say you've met me! But I've heard all about you! The famous Stanford Pines! I'm surprised you're not more used to this! I'm sure you've got people coming up to you all the time, asking for your autograph and wanting to take a picture with you! Which reminds me. Would you mind a quick one for me and my boy, Gideon here?"
Bud turned back to see Gideon peeking around the corner. He knew that curious look in his son's eye. Probably eager to figure out what was going on. Despite Stan's initial entrance, Bud was convinced he knew what was going on. He was just greeting his new neighbor and possibly even business partner! His initial outburst was probably all just some misunderstanding. Gideon was probably just shell shocked from seeing the man in person. Bud gave the young boy a wave to motion him to join them.
"This here is my pride and joy! My Lil' Gideon! The both of us are big fans of yours Stanford!" He gave his son a friendly pat on the head, indicating the worn out old Pine Tree ball cap that the younger Gleeful wore.
A little flash of red flushed in the boy's cheek. His father knew how embarrassing that nickname was! He already had enough people calling attention to his diminutive stature. Although it was hard to miss when he just barely stood past his father's waistline. Still, Gideon adjusted the brim of his hat with pride. It wasn't some souvenir that the kiddies brought back from some cliche day at the circus- this was the real deal. A sign that Gideon was an eager seeker of the supernatural. Sure, perhaps a bit nerdy and teased for it, but a true mystery hunter nonetheless!
Stan however didn't seem impressed. The wheels in his head began to turn as he sized the father and son up. Some kind of fanboys? Perhaps he was putting up a fuss for nothing. This could be an easier deal to swing than he thought.
"Didn't think there were any fans left out there. Especially of mine." Stan admitted as a smirk began to appear on his face. He certainly hadn't had any attention in a while- at least the good kind.
Stan kept his statements brief as he tried to test the waters. How much did they know? How much would they be willing to do? Stan briefly looked over the contract before he came. This old place hardly went for much. But despite its worn out appearance, he knew it could have been sold for much more. It was a hasty deal made to slide quickly under his nose. Barely legal. It probably wouldn't have gone through in anywhere but Gravity Falls. This guy in front of him could be part of the scheme. Or he could just be some dolt that his no good relatives picked out to infuriate him even more.
Bud grinned and nodded. "Oh yes! Believe me, the whole reason I came out here was because of your great work! Hold on- let me just get my camera out of my car! I'll be back in a jiffy!" He exclaimed as he fumbled to get his keys out of his pocket and rush to his car as quickly as his legs would take him.
Gideon stood there, staring up at Stanford Pines trying to take it all in. This was one of the men that brought the golden era of the Pines Bros. Circus. Oh sure, there were a few unsavory rumors and he was hardly the one that stood in the center stage, but he was still a legend nonetheless. The Pines Brothers had brought magic into the world, revealed fantastical creatures and performed the impossible nightly. Stanford was said to be a magician without peer… both figuratively and literally. He rarely appeared on stage, making it hard to rank him among the likes of Houdini or Copperfield. Stanford had remained mostly in Gravity Falls while the rest of the troupe went on tour. Supposedly perfecting his magic. Although those that had claimed to have seen him perform… well the resulting audience ranged from child-like wonder to borderline insanity. He was the enigma behind the Pines Bros. circus. Making Gideon once again ask: Why was he here?
The entire deal had seemed kind of suspicious to Gideon from the beginning. A quick google search could reveal his father as the top collector and fanatic of Pines memorabilia- although there wasn't exactly much competition. Even when the circus had fallen far from what it was in its glory days, he still hung on. What was once an experience of a lifetime was now some cheap brand name used to sell some quick tickets. Most of their customers were now parents eager to give their children the usual classic circus treatment. Buy them oodles of popcorn and cotton candy, see an elephant balance on a ball and maybe a man getting shot out of a canon. And that's exactly what they got… only much lower budget and probably the most generic show on earth. Enough to keep the name alive as the first thing people thought of when they heard the word 'Circus', but hardly the kind of magical place that his father remembered seeing when he was a boy. Gideon grew up hearing stories of Minotaur's wrestling atop a bed of coals! Of how swarms of fairies would let the audience take flight! How they didn't just have some normal old fire breathing routine- they'd pick a kid from the audience and teach them how to bend the elements to their will! That was the Pines name that his father wanted to remember.
Which is why it seemed so odd for this place to have been offered up on a silver platter. The original home of the Pines Brothers. Fallen into disrepair, and hardly of historical importance, but that hardly made it just some old shack. The Gleefuls could only dream of how the brothers must have built all kinds of hidden passageways and secrets within the tiny little cottage. And while few would agree with him on how valuable the Mystery Shack really was, for the price he paid… well, it was quite the bargain. It still took most of his pop's life savings, but Gideon had been 99% sure that this was some sort of scam up until the day his father went to sign the papers. Despite all his skepticism there was Robert Pines, the multimillionaire who joined the ranks of those celebrities famous for being famous and current owner of the Pines Bros. Circus name. And while he was sure the man was busy and probably just had better things to do, the whole thing seemed extremely rushed. They hadn't even seen the property until today. And most of the previous owner's belongings hadn't even been removed. If it weren't for the electricity and alarm still running, Gideon would have assumed no one even poked their nose in here since the Pines Brothers moved out in the 80's. It was a miracle the place was still standing. Gideon had actually been a twinge relieved that it was in such disarray- maybe that was the catch. The Pines just wanted to quickly get it off their hands before anyone realized what a dump it looked like. If that was all, Gideon would still consider it a lucky break. Yet here in front of him seemed to be the real snag… Stanford Pines.
Gideon tried to think of something to say as he stood there alone with the man. He knew his father would be back in less than 30 seconds, but maybe he should say something? Complement him for inspiring him with his work? Ask him all kinds of questions about his success? The big question of what he was doing here and why he seemed ready to huff and puff the door down a few moments ago?
Yet all Gideon managed to say was. "Nice place ya' got here." Gideon said to try and break the silence
Stan gave out a chuckle. The kid looked like he was bamboozled, but in a much different way than his father. He could see it in his eyes- all the questions that must be bubbling up in his little head. He hadn't seen that look since his niblets were half his age. Come to think of it, he looked just a little younger than them. He doubted they would get along or anything, but it was funny imagine what they'd do to a pipsqueak like him.
"Don't get too comfortable. Wouldn't even bother unpacking if I was you." The old man remarked as he leaned on his cane with a smug grin on his face.
Gideon frowned. Not exactly the friendliest response. I mean, it's not like Gideon had said much in the first place. Like asking "How's the weather"… only for the response to be "Bad enough to leave town". Gideon wasn't sure what Stanford Pines was supposed to be like. But couldn't he at least try and be civil? He made it clear already that he didn't want them there when he pounded on their door. But this whole deal meant a lot to his father. He was getting a chance to live his dream. And now this cranky old man was telling them to hit the road before they even started. That wasn't any way to treat any body.
"My daddy's been really looking forward to coming here… hate to turn around now. Why don't ya' give us a chance?" Gideon asked with a smile wide enough to show off his dimples. He may not like the fact that he looked like some adorable doll with cheeks no grandma could resist pinching, but he sure knew how to use it to his advantage. Adults usually ate that cutesy stuff up.
A scoff escaped Stan's lips. "Going to have to try harder than that. I got over the whole baby face and puppy dog routine years ago. You can have your little photo opp. I'll even throw in an autograph. But you wasted your time coming here. I'm doing you a favor. This town- it will eat up a couple of nice chumps like you and your old man. Literally."
Stan looked just as smug and confident when Bud returned, holding the Polaroid camera. Did Stanford not understand who he was dealing with? They weren't some misplaced package to be marked 'return to sender'. They were real people! And his fans at that! They greatly respected him! He didn't expect him to return the favor. But was it too much to ask to be treated with some dignity?
The goofy grin on Bud's face was almost enough to make Stan feel guilty for shoving these two off. Almost. Still, this was just some sap that got duped by his least favorite rotten apple of the Pines family tree. He didn't even realize what he'd gotten in the middle of. Just smile for the camera, let him sniffle a bit, maybe write him a check for his troubles, and then everything would go back to normal. Or as normal as it could around this place.
"Gideon, you can go first, and then you can take one of me and Stanford!" Bud exclaimed as he held up the camera. "Smile and say cheese!"
With one arm, Stan pulled Gideon in close- a little too close for Gideon's liking. He could smell the terrible cologne off of the man. Gideon's tried to manage a smile. For his father's sake. But as awkward as he felt, he knew that he wasn't going to let this man get the better of him. They were here to stay- no matter who or what had anything to say about it.
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