A/N:

Credit to CraveFanArt for the cover art.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls. Gravity Falls was created by Alex Hirsch and Disney owns it.

Quote:

Nivellen kept touching his face with his free hand. Where a few minutes ago there had been fur, pointy ears and dagger teeth, now there was only a young man's face. The curse had been broken and he was no longer a beast. "Incredible, Geralt. After so many years, how's it possible?"

"There's a grain of truth in every fairy tale," said the witcher quietly. "Love and blood. They both possess a mighty power. Wizards and learned men have been racking their brains over this for years, but they haven't arrived at anything except that—"

"That what, Geralt?"

"It has to be true love." — Andrej Sapkowski, The Last Wish.

Episode 1: A grain of truth.

Important: I'm doing a complete rewrite/revision before uploading the last chapter.

This chapter is: [Rewrite finished for all chapters 08/03]

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[Chapter 1 - Prologue: A most unexpected duo]

Dipper woke up from a dream he could not remember. He stretched in bed and rubbed his eyes. By the light coming through the triangular attic window, he guessed it should be close to noon, which meant that he had overslept. A quick glance at Mabel's bed told him that his twin had, as usual, woken up earlier than him. Dipper sighed and stared at the ceiling, letting his mind drift to the past few days.

It had been a couple of stressful weeks for him. The town was slowly returning to normality after the chaos the portal had occasioned. Most the buildings that had suffered damages were already almost repaired, just like the Shack. However, that wasn't what worried Dipper. What worried him was the Author of the Journals. Dipper had mixed thoughts about having been finally able to meet him. Where he had been hoping to have his couple million questions about Gravity Falls answered in a one-two hours session, all he got was a fight between both his Grunkles, which lead to one of them locking himself in the basement. Dipper had tried a couple of times to sneak into the basement, but Ford would not allow it. All the Author did was coming out once a day to grab some food and then get back behind the vending machine. Dipper couldn't help but feel very disappointed at that.

Moreover, he also had to deal with what had happened between Mabel and him. Dipper had been at first surprised that Mabel had trusted Stan over him. He had been angry due to the possible catastrophic outcome that the portal could have caused, and therefore he felt completely disappointed. All the evidence they had gathered through that afternoon said Stan was lying to them and despite that, Mabel trusted him over her own brother. Now that it had passed a few days and he saw everything in perspective, Dipper knew he would have done exactly the same if Mabel had been the one trapped behind the portal, but he couldn't help thinking that maybe that small mistrust was the beginning of the inevitable rift that would separate them once they were older. Dipper knew that his sister and he, even though they had a great sibling relationship, they were also very different and would probably have different futures. He had hoped that this rift wouldn't appear so soon.

With all those depressing thoughts coming to his mind, it wasn't hard for anyone looking at the twelve year old boy to notice how bad he felt, and Stan saw it clearly. The old man felt partially responsible for the situation his lack of trust had caused, so two days ago he went into the basement to take Journal #2 and give it to Dipper. He guessed that his brother wouldn't need it anyway, since at the moment he was wrecking the portal with a sledgehammer, and he knew that some mystery solving would at least distract the boy. When Dipper held the new Journal in his hands, his face lit up so much that Stan knew he had done the right thing.

His curiosity and desire for adventure kept his mind busy. For the last two days Dipper did nothing but read, take notes and decipher Journal #2. Finally, the previous night Dipper had found something that caught his attention over the rest. He decided to organize a monster hunt, and he would have called Mabel that very moment, but she was peacefully asleep. It was two in the morning after all. Dipper concluded in telling her the next morning, and now that he had woken up and Mabel wasn't in her bed, it didn't take him long to stand up and get dressed for the day.

"This is weird." Dipper thought aloud while putting on his shoes.

When it was Mabel the one that woke up before him, and that usually was the case due to her energetic personality, she didn't doubt on waking him up by jumping on his bed repeatedly while yelling him good morning at the top of her lungs. Dipper shrugged, assuming she would be having breakfast. He went downstairs nose deep into Journal #2. He couldn't remember which page was the one he was checking yesterday night, but he was sure it should be in the bestiary section of the book. Dipper was so immersed in his read that he failed to notice that Mabel was coming out of the kitchen the same moment he was walking in.

"Ow!" Both twins grunted as they bumped their foreheads together.

"Watch where you are going bro-bro, my head is not as thick as yours." Mabel joked and rubbed her forehead.

"Sorry, I didn't see you coming out." Dipper apologized and rubbed his forehead too.

"Of course you didn't. You were too focused on this." Mabel smiled slyly and tilted the Journal to see what he was reading. "How's your read?"

"Great! I actually found something I want to show you!" Dipper exclaimed with the usual excitement he displayed whenever something paranormal was involved. "They steal dreams from people!"

"Sounds weird." Mabel grinned at seeing her brother finally smiling for the first time in two weeks. "Tell me about it while we have breakfast."

The cheerful brunette eagerly pulled her brother into the kitchen and they sat in the table. Dipper realized they had pancakes for breakfast, so he began the usual procedure in this case. If Mabel raised the fork to her mouth and ate them, that meant she had cooked them herself. If Mabel instead went to a cupboard and took some cookies, that meant these were Stancakes rather than pancakes and it was better to avoid eating them.

Mabel grabbed the syrup, poured some on her pancakes and began to eat one of them, so Dipper guessed those weren't Stancakes and he began eating his too. Dipper took the other syrup bottle and poured just a little on his breakfast. He stared with an amused smile at how Mabel poured more and more syrup on hers to the point it should rather be called syrup with pancakes instead.

"Hey, Mabel, why didn't you wake me up this morning?" Dipper asked and his sister tilted her head in confusion. "Not that I'm complaining at the few hours more of sleep, but I kind of missed the 'Hey Dipper! Wake up! Wake-up-wake-up-wake-up!'" He did his best imitation of his twin's chirpy voice.

Mabel giggled and then began tapping her chin.

"Why didn't I wake you up…? Oh, I forgot to tell you! I had a phone call!" She rolled up what was left of her pancakes and ate them up.

"You'll choke one of these days if you keep eating like that." Dipper giggled as he finished eating his own. He was flipping pages on the Journal with his free hand, trying to find the correct page in the bestiary section.

"I'm having lunch at Grenda's today!" She chirped happily and Dipper's smile fell from his face.

"So… are you going to stay the whole day at Grenda's?" He asked warily.

"Probably, I don't know. You know how Grenda is." She shrugged. "I'm leaving in an hour." Mabel stood up and both of them walked to the gift shop.

Dipper sighed and followed her.

"I would've liked to go for a monster hunt together… Look!" He showed her the page of the Journal. "See? They make nests in the mountains and store valuables from villages nearby!"

"Like crows?" Mabel raised her eyebrow and stared at the drawing.

"Sort of… but bigger. And definitely more territorial."

"I'm sorry Dipper, I already promised to Grenda." Mabel gave him a lopsided smile. "But we could go tomorrow!" She tried to cheer him.

"I thought you were going to see that Pony Heist movie tomorrow."

"Oh, I forgot..." Mabel facepalmed inwardly and saw how Dipper lowered his gaze.

"It's okay. I can go alone." He sighed and closed the Journal.

That was the last thing Mabel wanted. The cheerful brunette had seen the drawing of the creature and she didn't want her brother going alone into that kind of adventure. She began pacing around the gift shop, trying to find a proper excuse to dissuade him, until she saw something, or rather someone, through the window.

"Don't worry, bro-bro! You're not gonna go alone into that monster hunting thingy! I just found you a replacement!" She said with a grin, pointing outside with her finger.

"Huh?"

Dipper raised an eyebrow in puzzlement and had a look through the glass. He was expecting someone like Soos, or maybe Wendy. However, at the front yard of the Shack there was a blonde girl walking towards the door. She wore a purple short dress with a dark purple jacket and a decorative belt, black leggings, ugg boots and silver hoop earrings.

"Pacifica? What's she doing here?"

"Maybe she wants to go monster hunting with you!" Mabel guessed cheerfully.

"Don't be silly, Mabel." Dipper snickered. "She's not the 'monster hunting' type of girl."

"Oh, I didn't know you needed a diploma for that." Mabel countered with a playful smile. "Besides, you told me she handled the ghost very well at the party and..." she nudged him playfully with her elbow. "…I thought you liked her."

"Well, I uh…" Dipper felt his cheeks burning and knew that he was probably blushing. "Yeah, she's okay. But breaking a curse isn't the same than going monster hunting. I'm telling you, Mabel. Waddles will fly before Pacifica wants to come into an adventure with me."

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" Mabel giggled and opened the door to rush outside right before Pacifica managed to knock on the door. "Hi, Pacifica! Whatcha doing here?"

The heiress was taken slightly aback by the sudden appearance but gathered herself quickly.

"Hey, Mabel." She noticed Dipper peeking at her over his sister's shoulder. "Hi Dipper. So… I was in the neighborhood and I thought we could hangout or whatever you poor people do." She shrugged with indifference and stared at her fingernails.

"Sure thing! In fact, you just came in the nick of time!" Mabel bounced happily and Pacifica couldn't help but smile at her silliness. "Come inside!" She grabbed the sleeve of her jacket and puller her inside the house.

Pacifica yelped in surprise and was practically dragged all the way to the living room. She quickly took a survey of the room, eyeing with a frown the breadcrumbs on the rug in front of the recliner, and then realizing that there was only one spot to sit before the TV.

"You watch TV here?"

"Yup. Grunkle Stan sits on the armchair and Dipper and I lie on the floor." Mabel beamed, enjoying the chance of showing the house to a stranger and, in her eyes, potential friend. On the other hand, Pacifica grimaced at the mention of lying on that floor.

"So… Pacifica," Dipper got her attention. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. Whatever you guys do. I was just hoping to spend some time here." She shrugged.

"Dipper is going on a monster hunt to the woods! Wanna go with him?" Mabel asked with a broad smile.

"Yes!" Pacifica chirped and then gathered herself, clearing her throat. "I mean… Sure, it could be fun."

Mabel giggled and gave a knowing look to her brother, who sighed and wondered how Mabel knew beforehand what was going to happen.

"Keep in mind that we are going monster hunting." Dipper added in a serious tone. "This won't be as easy as pulling down a lever."

Pacifica raised an eyebrow and rested her fists on her waist.

"I can take care of myself, you know? Besides, last time I checked you were the one turned into wood while I was saving the day." She gave him a smug smile.

"Haha! Zing!" Mabel laughed and supported the heiress.

Dipper crossed his arms over his chest and gave them a mild glare.

"I know. I just want to make sure that, if something goes wrong, we won't begin bickering because a carpet silver pattern." It was his turn to display the smug smile. "I'm the expert in the paranormal, so if you're coming with me, you'll do as I say. You'll step where I step, you won't touch anything, you'll…"

As Dipper kept listing, Pacifica leaned closer to Mabel and whispered.

"Does he think I'm dumb or something?"

"Nah." Mabel snorted. "My brother is always like that at first. He'll be all bossy like 'Mabel, don't pick up that mushroom, Mabel, don't eat that sparkling mold…'" She rolled her eyes. "But then he relaxes and he's pretty fun. By the way, don't eat the sparkling mold. My teeth glowed in the dark for a week."

Pacifica giggled and then realized Dipper was about to finish.

"…and if I say run, you leave absolutely everything behind and run as fast as you can back to the Shack, got it?"

"Um… Yeah, yeah. Sure, you're the expert." Pacifica shrugged. "So… when are we heading out?"

"Let me get a few things upstairs and we can leave." Dipper left the two girls alone and went upstairs.

Once the boy left, Pacifica sighed in relief and began displaying a few ticks of nervousness, such as rubbing her nails on her dress to clean them slightly.

Mabel nudged her playfully and tried to cheer her.

"Are you nervous?" She asked and Pacifica nodded hesitantly. "Don't worry, I've gone with Dipper into plenty of monster hunts and we did fine! Honestly, that book looks like it's made for kids." Mabel giggled and Pacifica perked up a little. "Besides, I'm glad you're going with him. Last time I let Dipper go alone into one of his adventures he said he had been trained by a group of 'Manotaurs', whatever that is."

"Wait, you're not coming with us?" The heiress' eyes widened in surprise.

"Nope. I can't today." The two preteens heard Dipper coming downstairs. "Take care of my brother for me, okay?" She held her by the shoulders and Pacifica nodded. "Oh, and by the way," Mabel leaned closer and whispered. "I think he likes you. Well, bye!" Mabel chirped and ran out of the house, leaving a blushing Pacifica behind.

Dipper came back into the room and saw her flushing.

"Are you… alright? Pacifica?" Dipper asked and then tensed. "Please, tell me Mabel hasn't shown you pictures of me dressed in a lamb costume."

Pacifica looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and bewilderment.

"Um… No, it was just some girl talk. Are we leaving or not?"

"Just a sec…" He patted his pockets to make sure he was carrying the Journal. "Yeah, we have everything. Let's go."

As both kids were walking out of the porch, a gruff voice called for them from inside the Shack.

"Kids! Have you seen a taxidermist around here? Kids?" Grunkle Stan poked his head around the door. "Hey Dipper, have you seen—" He noticed Pacifica and his features hardened. "What's she doing here?"

"I came to see Dipper and Mabel, obviously." Pacifica stepped in before Dipper had a chance to answer.

Stan crossed his arms over his chest and put on his sarcastic tone.

"Well, excuse me! I thought that you 'obviously' had come to mess with my niece and nephew!"

Pacifica opened her mouth to give a sarcastic reply but Dipper was faster, placing himself between them.

"That's water under the bridge. We invited her in, Grunkle Stan. We're friends now." He reassured and raised his hands to calm everyone's nerves.

"Whatever you say kid." Stan shrugged but kept glaring at the heiress. "Have you seen Soos? Did your sister already left?"

"Nope, and yeah. She just left." Dipper answered.

"I'll have to find him myself then. You kids gonna play around here?"

"We are going to the woods."

Stan raised an eyebrow and looked at Pacifica.

"You are gonna set your feet into the woods? I thought you Northwests only went from the manor to the rich parties and back, and you always needed a limo to do that!" Stan laughed and Dipper facepalmed.

Pacifica shoved Dipper aside and put on her smug smile.

"I'm sure I'll do better in the woods than some ninety years old man with a fez and shoulder hair." She replied bitterly.

"Whoa, that hurts." Stan chuckled and went back into the house. "Well, good luck out there kids!"

Once he left, Dipper looked at Pacifica with an amused smile.

"I think my Grunkle likes you."

"Of course he does. I'm rich." The heiress replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, sometimes he sees wallets instead of people." Dipper chuckled and beckoned to her. "C'mon, the monster's lair isn't close."

:: ::

:: ::

The two preteens had been walking for a few minutes without much conversation. There was a layer of thick ice that prevented them from talking. Dipper didn't know much of Pacifica and was too shy to ask, so he focused on avoid getting lost in the woods. On the other hand, Pacifica would've liked to ask him about himself, but she saw Dipper nose deep into that Journal and she stayed silent. Pacifica let her mind wander to the previous days that had led her to come to the Mystery Shack that morning.

Two weeks ago, after the party in the Northwest manor, even though the manor had been saved from being burned to ashes and the ghost had been vanished, Pacifica's parents had been mad anyway. The townsfolk had severely damaged the manor and they had to deal now with the repairs. Once the party was over, Pacifica was grounded in her room without being able to leave the manor for a whole month. The poor heiress couldn't help but sigh and wonder if she had done the right thing.

The fourth day of her grounding, the party appeared on the newspapers as 'A legendary party for the whole town to remember'. Her parents reconsidered the grounding and talked to her. Good fame gave renown to the family name, and that was always a great thing, so Pacifica was immediately ungrounded. However, Pacifica was mad at them, because they had just proved her that she was right from the start, but she avoided another argument. There was something more important occupying her mind.

Over the four days that she had spent grounded in her room, unwilling to talk to anybody and angry at the world, she reconsidered everything that had happened at the party. Pacifica had experienced something in her chest, something that she couldn't get out of her mind, and it had begun the moment Dipper had raised her spirits in the secret room behind the painting. That feeling had later only increased when they thrashed the silver pattern carpet together, and had kept thumping inside her along the night.

Pacifica wasn't sure what that feeling was, she had never experienced something that strong, but what she knew is that it always led to Dipper and also brought a smile to her face. When anybody else would have left her for a lost cause, Dipper had come back and trusted her. Pacifica didn't care one bit being grounded in her room, because she had slept like a log and with a broad smile. She was certain she had done the right thing, but she needed to find out what that feeling was.

The next week she had gone to town in order to clear her thoughts. Everything was a mess. She had heard in the news something about an earthquake. Buildings like the Greasy Diner were upside down and there were lots of construction machinery trying to place everything back to its original place. While walking through town, Pacifica came across that Korean girl and the lizard one, and they, much to her surprise, waved at her with a smile. Pacifica felt like waving back instead of mocking them, and she did so. A few seconds later she stopped on her tracks and wondered for a second what had just happened.

Pacifica hurried her way back to the manor and began pacing in circles in her room. She thought she was going insane or something of the sorts, so she decided to ask someone about it. At first, she considered asking her parents but the idea was quickly discarded, therefore she did the closest thing available, and that was asking one of her butlers of confidence.

"Lars, can I make you a personal question?"

"Well of course, Miss Pacifica."

"What makes a person… who usually behaves in a way, suddenly behave in a completely different way?" She asked, unsure if her choice of words was clear enough.

"There might be many reasons. Are we talking about a temporal behavior or a permanent one?"

"It seems permanent" She sighed.

"Then, I guess this… person" The butler smiled slyly because he knew who Pacifica was referring to. "might have reached a crossroads in her life. This is usually caused by a strong experience, like a trauma, or falling in love."

"And… can that person change back?"

"I think she can. But she can also pursue this new way of seeing life. Besides, she might look better without a perpetual frown on her forehead when she thinks no one is looking." He gave her a knowing smile.

"Yeah… Thanks, Lars. I'll give it a thought." Pacifica reciprocated the smile and went back to her room. She hadn't truly hoped to deceive the butler, considering he had known her since birth.

Pacifica had a look at all she had learned and reached a conclusion. She had changed, and the axis to those changes had been Dipper. And maybe she had a crush on him. Pacifica wasn't sure, but she definitely liked him. However, she also knew that her parents mustn't know about it. They would never allow their only child hanging out with the Pines twins, let alone her crush on Dipper, so Pacifica waited for the best day to visit the Mystery Shack and set her feelings in order.

The heiress had a look at her calendar. Next Monday her parents had to go to a rich party and she had tennis training at the same time. She decided to skip the tennis class and go to the Mystery Shack. Although she wasn't sure what to do once she got there. Pacifica knew almost nothing of the twins, but she was determined in going nonetheless. Whatever had to happen would happen.

"Pacifica?" Dipper waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Pacifica! Are you there?" He broke her train of thought.

"Huh? Sorry, I was… thinking."

"About what?" Dipper tried to start a conversation to break the thick layer of ice.

"It was nothing." She shook her head. "You were saying something? I think I zoned out for a sec here."

"I asked you if you wanted to know where we are going." Dipper pointed at his Journal.

"Sure. Wait, that's not the same book you brought to the manor." She eyed the golden six-fingered hand with a two painted on it.

"Yup, I got this one two days ago." He smiled and showed her his new Journal.

"Where did you get it? Did you finally find the Author?" She asked in surprise. When Dipper had told her after the Northwest party the story behind his Journal and how the Author had disappeared thirty years ago, she thought he would never find him. After all, it's not easy to find someone who had been missing for thirty years.

"Yeah, we finally found him. Turns out he was my Grunkle Stan's twin brother, Ford, who was trapped in another dimension for thirty years. Grunkle Stan brought him back thanks to the Journals." He explained nonchalantly.

"You are kidding, right?" Pacifica eyed him warily to make sure he wasn't laughing at her. "Your great uncle has a twin brother? And they are named the same?"

"He does!" He smiled at her surprise. "But no, Grunkle Stan is Stanley, and Great Uncle Ford is Stanford. They are polar opposites though. Just like me and Mabel I guess."

"Your family sounds like a lot of fun." Pacifica smiled faintly. "I wish mine was more like it."

They walked for some more time without saying anything. Dipper seemed again lost in thought and Pacifica bit her lower lip. She had enjoyed the small conversation and was eager for more, so it was apparently her time to snap him out of his thoughts.

"Mabel and you are doing okay?" She asked and Dipper looked at her quizzically. "I mean, I thought you guys always did this stuff together but she didn't come today."

Dipper sighed deeply and stopped walking.

"I don't know…"

"Wow, is something wrong with Mabel?" She quickly regretted asking anything.

"Apart from the fact that one of this days she will choke on pancakes, there's nothing wrong with Mabel." He joked and Pacifica relaxed a little. "It's my Grunkles. One is the author, who was my idol since I found the Journal and who I haven't had the chance of talking more than ten words ever since he's been back, and the other is a conman who has been lying to us the whole summer. They hate each other but… they used to be the best of siblings. I was wondering if the same will happen to Mabel and me…" Dipper's voice ended in a mumble.

Pacifica snorted at how improbable that sounded but then covered her mouth instantly. It was disrespectful after all.

"Did you just snort?" Dipper looked at her with a teasing smile.

"Of course not. That's not ladylike." She lied and blushed. "And you're a dork if you think Mabel and you are gonna grow apart. I don't have any siblings for comparison, but you guys seem very close." Pacifica reassured.

"Thanks." Dipper said sincerely, feeling a weight being lifted off his chest. "Talking about it really helps a lot."

"You're welcome, Dork." She gave him a playful smile.

"Is that going to become a nickname?" He asked with a worried look.

"Maybe, I don't know." She shrugged and continued walking.

"So… you said you didn't have any siblings?" Dipper quickly changed topics in hopes that she would forget about the nickname.

"Yup. No siblings, no cousins, no close relatives… It's just my parents, close to two dozen butlers depending on the day and me in that huge manor." She pointed to the hill where the Northwest Manor was. As it was a big hill and they hadn't reached yet the dense part of the forest, it was still noticeable where she lived.

"Speaking of the manor, how did everything go after the party?" He asked with a smile at the memories.

"Not very well…" It was Pacifica's time to stop and sigh. "I got kinda grounded for a few days."

"Oh… Did they sound that bell or… nevermind." Dipper cursed inwardly his curious mind.

"It's not what you're thinking." Pacifica leaned on a tree and averted his gaze. "They don't hit me or anything with that bell, they're my parents after all. But they are very controlling and want me to be the modal heiress." She sighed. "I've to be the smartest of my classmates, and if I ever come home with something less than an A+ I have to stay the whole weekend with a tutor studying. I can't eat any sugary product like chocolate because they're hazardous to my figure and Northwests aren't fat, so I also have to go play stupid tennis every Monday. I can't bring any friends to the manor because they 'drag mud to the carpets'… not like I would have any real friends anyway. Everyone is either too afraid of me or just wants a piece of my money and fame." She paused for a moment. Dipper didn't comment. "Whenever I failed at any of those things, they sounded that bell to let me know that I was doing it wrong but… at the party I had to save those people because it was the right thing… and I got grounded nonetheless." She raised her head and looked at him with a sad face. "Dipper… talking about it didn't make me feel any better."

Dipper frowned and looked into her eyes. Where in her deep blue eyes there was earlier a spark of excitement about this adventure, there was now a level of sadness Dipper hadn't seen since the party.

"I'm so sorry, Pacifica. You have it far worse than me. I at least have Mabel to talk to." He held her by the shoulders and brought her into a hug.

Pacifica's eyes widened at the sudden display of affection. Her hands hesitated for a second and then she hugged him back, rejoicing in the fluttering in her chest.

"Better now?" Dipper asked and parted the embrace.

"Yeah." She said a little disappointed at how short the hug had been.

"It feels a little awkward when they do it to you, huh?" Dipper teased, noticing the faint blush on her cheeks.

"What?" Pacifica had no clue what was he talking about.

"Last time we did this, you jumped at me without warning. Now we are even in the surprise hugs department." Dipper rubbed his neck nervously. "I can't offer you any money though."

Pacifica laughed remembering the time she hugged him at the party.

"You don't have to give me anything, Dork."

"Good to know because my options were between that cool rock over there" He replied playfully, gesturing to a weird-looking rock near a tree. "and that flower over there." He gestured to a white-dotted red flower. "Actually, we better forget about the flower. That's a unique species that weeps when you cut it from the ground."

"C'mon, you're messing with me!" Pacifica giggled and walked up to the flower to pick it up. Dipper however grabbed her forearm to stop her.

"No, I'm not. Paranormal forest, remember?" He said and showed her the Journal.

"Right." Pacifica's eyes widened and she couldn't help but wonder how a flower could shed tears.

They walked for a little more in silence, getting deeper into the forest. Dipper then spoke.

"There is something you said that I know it's not true." Pacifica gave him a quizzical look. "Mabel and I are your friends, Pacifica, and we don't care about your money." He reassured seriously. "Also, you look great and there's no harm in eating chocolate now and then." He mumbled the last part and blushed.

"Thanks." Pacifica muttered and blushed too.

"So… how is monster hunting compared to tennis practice?" Dipper quickly changed topics.

"Not bad. I hope it gets better though." She said with a smile. "How did you know I skipped tennis class?" The heiress asked.

"I guessed it. Today is Monday and I don't think you're going to play tennis in that dress."

Pacifica wondered for a second how long she would be grounded if her parents ever found out that she had skipped tennis to go into the woods with the Pines boy.

"I just hope I don't get into much trouble if my parents find out."

"Don't think about that right now. We're at the moment in our own adventure and I can assure you it'll be worth it." He said with excitement and Pacifica raised an eyebrow at him, considering the most exciting they had done so far was walking. "Take for example the typical fantasy novel: The protagonist always leaves something behind in order to embark on an epic adventure." He explained.

"Don't be ridiculous Dipper. All those stories are made up."

"Yes, they are all made up, but there is also a grain of truth in every one of them." Dipper replied with a know-it-all smile.

"You are such a dork." Pacifica laughed.

With the initial tension between them gone, both preteens began quickly conversing with ease. Dipper pushed aside his thoughts about the Author and his worries about his future with Mabel for a while, and Pacifica genuinely enjoyed talking to him, rejoicing in the warm feeling that was filling her chest whenever she heard his voice.

As they walked deep into the woods, Pacifica couldn't help but wonder the same thing.

'Maybe I'll find my grain of truth.'

:: ::

:: ::

Mabel had finished having lunch at Grenda's and they were in her room playing 'Calling All Boys: Preteen Edition'. After a few rounds, Mabel suddenly jumped up from her seat.

"Um… Something wrong?" Grenda wondered.

"Oh my gosh, Grenda! I just remembered I had some gossip to tell you!" She chirped.

"I love gossiping! Tell me! Tell me!" Grenda added, thumping her fists on the floor each time.

"Dipper…" Mabel paused to add suspense. "…is hanging out in the woods with…" She raised her hands to her mouth to contain the laugher and Grenda did the same. "…PACIFICA!"

"No way!" Grenda exclaimed in astonishment.

"I know, right?! Now that I think about it, they make such a good couple!"

"Wait, Dipper took Pacifica on a date to the woods?" Grenda asked with a raised eyebrow, since the woods didn't seem like the proper place for dates.

"No, no. They went into one of Dipper's weird adventures." Mabel waved her hand dismissively. "But you could sense the love in the air!" She added enthusiastically.

"If they are going to be a couple we need a name for it! I propose Padippica! Pacifica seems meaner than your brother, so I placed her name first." Grenda explained.

"That sounds like a fantastic name!" Mabel's eyes bulged out in awe. "But hear mine first: Dipifica. We use the beginning of Dipper's name and the end of Pacifica's." She explained. "My brother goes first because he scored negative in my dating test and he is more likely to screw it up, so we'll give him that at least." She shrugged.

"That is some flawless logic!" Grenda nodded as serious as if they were discussion a mathematical problem. "Dipifica it is then." They shared a giggle. "Now it is time to name their child. I'll go with Bronswick IV."

"That is such a beautiful name, Grenda!" Mabel praised. "How do you come up with those names?"

"I just say the first thing that comes into my head! It sounds easy, but in truth it is really hard."

"I know, right?" Mabel looked through the window and noticed it was already late in the day. "Well, I better get going. I told Dipper I would be home by evening, which means I am already late!" She gave her goodbyes to Grenda and her family and then walked her way to the Shack.

She got there just in time to see Dipper running for the first aid kit.

:: ::

A/N:

The story will consist on three episodes, each episode divided into several chapters. 'A Grain of Truth' which is this episode, will have a total of five chapters.

Each episode will focus on a different stage of their relationship. In this episode they'll become close friends.

FYI:

Pacifica has a crush on Dipper, but Dipper only sees Pacifica as a friend. For now.

One of the issues with this ship is that it has approximately four different names. However, moringmark (or markmark) who is a famous Gravity Falls artist calls it 'Dipifica' and so I'll address it like that.

'A Grain of Truth' is a reference, and it will play a small part in the story.

Sorry for the flashbacks. They were a little confusing, but also necessary to set the character's emotions.

copy&paste:

Feel free to leave me some feedback.