I do not own Gravity Falls.

Prompt: Icicle

The Christmas Icicle

It happened again. For the second Christmas in a row, Dipper went out with Ford on a research excursion. This time, instead of searching for magical flowers, Ford was in search of an odd phenomenon. An icicle that lasted year-round and never showed any signs of melting. Dipper eagerly agreed to accompany him, and nearly two hours after they set off into the forest, he had accidentally gotten separated from his great-uncle.

He was alone, in the snowy woods, his visibility hampered by the steady snowfall. Again.

"Grunkle Ford!" he called, trudging his way through the trees. "Grunkle Ford!"

The only answer was the howling of the wind. Letting out a groan, Dipper looked around at the white landscape helplessly. "I don't understand how this keeps happening."

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his blue winter coat, he was about to continue his trek in search of his great-uncle when something flashing in the distance caught his eye. Turning his head slightly, he spotted a white-blue glow, bright against the grey sky. After a moment, the glowing stopped, but Dipper kept his eyes locked on where it had been.

"When in doubt, follow the light," he decided, and did not look away from his new destination as he changed his path.

The closer he got to the source of the glow, the more the snowfall began to lessen. He stumbled upon a portion of the forest that was coated in ice, and he hastily took a moment to find his balance on the slippery surface.

"Whoa," he breathed, staring at his reflection in the ice. The sheet spread over the grass and towards a lone stone cave, embedded into the side of a mountain. He then realized that the snow had stopped falling completely, and he snapped his head around, eyes wide and stunned. It was as if he was in a bubble as the snow whipped and whistled around him.

"Okay…this is weird. I don't remember seeing this place in the journals, let alone any map."

He supposed Ford had yet to discover every abnormality of Gravity Falls, and perhaps he never would. Who knew how far the magic stretched, how deeply it entangled itself into Gravity Falls?

He took a step towards the cave and was nearly blinded by the white-blue glow that pulsed from its depths. He blinked away the spots that resulted in his vision and pressed forwards. He slid into the cave and halted upon what he discovered.

A massive icicle towered in the middle of the frost-covered cave, stretching all the way to the ceiling. Dozens of smaller icicles circled around it, glowing a combination of silver, blue and white. The colours created an illumination that sparkled off of the ice.

"I had a feeling this is what would be in here, but I can't believe it," he said aloud, staring at the magical ice with wide eyes.

Moving cautiously, pulled off his mitten and placed his hand against the surface of the clear icicle. A sudden frigid sensation washed over him, one that was different from the typical coldness he felt from general winter weather. It was as if the core of his very being was turning to ice.

Ripping away from the ice structure, Dipper shivered, hastily yanking his mitten back on. "Note to self; do not do that again."

Glancing at one of the smaller icicles, Dipper crouched down and experimentally pulled to see if it could be removed. It cracked under the pressure of his fingers and the icicle suddenly lit up. Dipper froze, knowing it would probably be a smart idea to quit while he was ahead.

But there was an oddly warm thrumming from the icicle he was clutching, seeping through the material of his mitten. Feeling encouraged, he gave a jerk of his wrist and the icicle snapped cleanly free.

And then Dipper couldn't see anything, for the icicle surged with pure white light that seared through the cave. When the fourteen-year-old regained his bearings, he found himself flat on the ice, staring upwards. Dazed, he sat up, and the spot in which the majestic icicle stood was now empty. He looked down at his hand, where the icicle was still clutched in his fingers.

"Oh, my head," he groaned, gingerly getting to his feet. He took a long look at where the mysterious icicle once was before making his way outside. He had to lift his hood to protect himself against the flurry of snowflakes that now rampaged through the area.

"Dipper!"

A smile stretching across his face, Dipper spotted Ford's figure rushing through the snow towards him. He hurried to meet him and happily returned his relieved embrace. "Hey, Grunkle Ford."

Holding his nephew for a moment, Ford took a step back to stare at him sternly. "If you're going to keep running off in the middle of snowstorms, I'm not taking you on any more excursions. My heart can't take it."

"I don't mean to do it," protested Dipper. "I just keep getting separated from you somehow."

"Let's try not to make this a tradition, shall we?" Ford rubbed the top of Dipper's ushanka affectionately. He then noticed the item the teen held in his hand. Eyebrows raising, he asked, "What's that?"

"Okay, crazy story. When I was trying to find you, I saw this weird blue glow. I followed it to this cave and found the magical icicle we were looking for inside. When I pulled this off, the thing erupted with light and it completely disappeared."

Stunned, Ford accepted the small icicle Dipper offered. He studied it, noting how the crystal-clear surface did not melt or distort from his touch. It stayed pristine, flecks of blue and silver glimmering inside, shining brightly when the light hit it just right.

"Last year, you got lost and found the Christmas flower," he began slowly, "and this year, you got lost and found the icicle. Perhaps it is not a coincidence this scenario has occurred in two consecutive years."

"What do you mean?" asked Dipper curiously.

With a smile, Ford handed back the magical icicle. "With all my years of research, I still don't know everything about the magic that engulfs this community. But I have seen enough to theorize that the magic that occurs during this time of year is special, different. Christmas is the most magical time of year, after all. Perhaps I am not meant to be the witness to these holiday magical occurrences. But you, with so much Christmas spirit and belief, are another story."

"I think I just have a knack for finding the weird, strange, supernatural and magical," said Dipper in amusement. "Don't you want the icicle so you can study its magical energy?"

Ford shook his head. "You found it. It's yours. Do what you wish with it."

"Thanks! I think Mabel would love it. It would make a great ornament."

"That sounds like a great idea. Come. Let's go home."

Ford rested one hand against Dipper's shoulder and the two began the walk home, the icicle glittering brightly between them all the way.