...In my original world, my mother used to tell me about a ghost. A Korean ghost, named Jangsan Beom. She explained it to me very vividly, and her words still echo in my mind to this day. Those creatures, they live in the woods, lurking in the shadows, hidden from the eyes of the unsuspecting. They possess a terrifying ability – the power to imitate the voices of other creatures.
I can still hear her voice, recounting the tales with a mixture of fascination and trepidation. She spoke of how these creatures would mimic the calls of animals, luring them into their grasp. Dogs were their favored victims, enticed by the false howls of a mate in distress. It was a sinister dance of mimicry, a deadly trap set in the heart of the forest.
But the stories didn't end there. No, these ghosts had a darker appetite, a hunger for something even more sinister. When they encountered children – innocent and unsuspecting – their intentions took a sinister turn. They would devour these children, consuming their essence and stealing their voices. The very thought of it sent shivers down my spine.
As a child, those stories were terrifying, lingering in the recesses of my imagination. The woods, once a place of wonder and exploration, became a realm of uncertainty and fear. The whispering winds seemed to carry their eerie calls, and the shadows held secrets that my young mind couldn't comprehend.
And now, as I push through this misty forest, those stories resurface with renewed intensity. Each step I take is punctuated by the echoes of my mother's warnings. I can almost hear her voice, recounting the dangers of these creatures that prey on innocence. It's as if her words are etched into the very fabric of this place, a reminder of the lurking danger that I now find myself facing.
I grip my flashlight tighter, its beam slicing through the mist. The footsteps I follow lead me deeper into the heart of this ominous forest. The air is thick with unease, every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs a reminder of the stories that haunt my memories. But I can't falter now. I have a duty, a promise to keep those kids safe from whatever dangers this forest may hold.
With each step, I feel as though I'm walking a path that generations before me have tread. The weight of those stories is heavy, a burden that propels me forward even as fear threatens to take hold. I push through, guided by the faint traces of the past, hoping against hope that I can reach Dipper and Mabel before any harm befalls them.
The woods hold their secrets close, the mist obscuring my vision and heightening my senses. But I press on, driven by the echoes of my mother's words and the determination to confront the unknown. The footsteps lead me onward, a trail of mystery that I must unravel. And as I navigate through this misty forest, I can't shake the feeling that something sinister is watching, waiting, imitating.
...I push forward, my mind racing as I convince myself that those stories my mother used to tell me are just that – stories. Imaginary tales spun to keep me on my toes. There's no way that the horrifying creatures she described could exist here, right? It's just my imagination running wild, fueled by the eeriness of the forest and the weight of my responsibility.
As I follow the footprints deeper into the misty forest, my internal monologue is disrupted by a dialogue of blame that replays in my head. "You should have been watching them more closely, Ray. This is your job, your duty. And you failed." The words echo with each step, each one a reminder of my perceived shortcomings.
... My steps feel heavy, the weight of the situation pressing down on me, not just because I've lost the kids but because my own survival is now tangled in their fate. I try to shake off the worry that's gnawing at my insides, reminding myself that I can't solve this mess without them. They hold the key to unraveling the mysteries of Gravity Falls, and my connection to them is born out of necessity, not altruism.
"Dipper! Mabel!" My calls sound empty, swallowed by the forest as if they never existed. It's infuriating – feeling so powerless, especially when I know this isn't just about their safety. It's about my own future, my own survival.
The broken trail of footprints comes into view, and I catch a glimpse of their path through the tangled undergrowth. The mist twists around the trees, casting an unsettling air over everything, as if it's playing a game to keep me disoriented. The sense of unease settles in deeper, knowing that both their lives and mine are hanging in the balance.
With each step, the echo of my own movements seems to remind me of the isolation I'm experiencing. My usual self-concern continues to drive my actions, perhaps more so now. These kids are a means to an end, a way for me to achieve my dreams and escape the town's sinister grasp.
"Dipper! Mabel!" The words leave my lips again, this time infused with impatience and fear. I'm not just summoning them to ensure their safety; I'm calling upon them to secure my own future. But the forest offers no response, just a haunting silence that mocks my vulnerability.
I stumble upon the wrecked golf cart, a visual confirmation of their chaotic journey. Irritation bubbles up within me, directed not only at their mishap but at my lack of control over the situation. The mist cloaks everything in an eerie ambiance, as though it's a partner in crime with the forest, conspiring to keep me lost.
"...Shibal.."
A muttered curse escapes me, a release of pent-up frustration and anger. The ghost stories my mother used to tell me blend with my own fears, creating a cocktail of dread that's hard to swallow. No matter the cost, I'm determined to avoid the fate that seems to loom over this town – and if that means relying on kids who are in way over their heads, so be it.
As I keep tracing those footsteps into the heart of the mist, I can't shake the feeling that something's manipulating my path, my desires. Doubt gnaws at me, eroding the confidence I've built over the years. I'm forced to confront my vulnerabilities, and it's an uncomfortable reality to face.
"Dipper! Mabel!" The urgency in my voice is palpable now, as if each call carries a piece of my own desperation. The forest, though, answers with an ominous silence, leaving me to navigate this unsettling terrain alone.
In the midst of this misty forest, I find myself at the crossroads of fear and determination. Every step is a gamble, a bet on finding those kids and ensuring my own future. The uncertainty hangs heavy in the air, but I trudge forward, compelled by a mix of dread, longing, and a need to confront the shadows that lurk in the unknown.
My footsteps echo, a solitary sound that somehow feels like a defiant shout in this hushed realm. The mist weaves its own dance around me, a dance that both obscures and reveals, as if the forest itself is playing a game of hide-and-seek.
"Dipper! Mabel!" My voice carries through the mist once more, the words a plea, a demand, a manifestation of my hopes and fears. The forest responds with silence, leaving me alone with my thoughts, my footsteps, and the relentless pull of this mist-shrouded mystery.
"...R...ay..!"
Then, I heard the voice. Its Dipper...Thank goodness. They're alive! I quickly walked toward the place where I heard the sound.
Carefully treading through the misty forest, I'm gripped by a mix of relief and worry as I spot a familiar sight – Dipper and Mabel, hiding behind a gnarled tree trunk. Their faces are flushed with a blend of fear and excitement, their eyes wide as they quickly launch into a frenzied explanation, their words a mishmash of gibberish.
"...So, like, Norman was this whole pack of gnomes! Can you believe it? They wanted to make Mabel their queen, but she was like, 'No way!' And then they started chasing us and stuff, and we had to run, and, oh boy, it was insane!"
As I listen, it's clear that something bizarre went down involving those gnomes – the same gnomes that Mabel had a run-in with before. They'd transformed into some kind of monstrous stack, a giant gnome tower thing, and were after Mabel for who knows what twisted reason. Their escape led them to that overturned golf cart, and from there, the woods became their refuge.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down," I interject, trying to make sense of their rapid-fire tale. "So, these gnomes were, like, really after you?"
Dipper nods frantically, his eyes darting to the shadows behind him as if half-expecting those gnomes to appear out of thin air. Mabel chimes in, her voice a mix of awe and terror, "Yeah, they were, like, piling up on each other and turning into this mega gnome thing, and it was just bananas!"
I can't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Mega gnome thing? Definitely a new one. But what matters is that they narrowly escaped being gnomed or whatever. "Alright, you two. Lesson number one: never wander off without supervision. Got it? I mean, gnomes, really?"
Dipper and Mabel exchange sheepish glances, their excitement now mixed with a touch of guilt. They nod in unison, their expressions almost comical in their agreement.
Guiding them through the forest seems like the logical next step, and I lead the way, determined to get them out of this eerie place. But as we keep walking, something starts to feel off. Like we're going in circles. I shake my head, attributing it to the mist and the dense trees. Deja vu, right?
After a few more attempts, though, reality hits – we're not just going in circles. We're ending up at the same tree over and over again.
"What's going on?" Mabel asks, her voice tinged with frustration and confusion.
"I don't know, but we need to keep moving," I reply, my own unease growing by the second. How is this even possible?
Dipper shoots a glance at me, concern etched across his face. "Ray, this isn't normal. We're not getting anywhere."
Frustration bubbles up within me, mingling with a growing sense of dread. How can we be stuck in the same spot, despite all our efforts?
"Dipper, Mabel, just stay close," I instruct, my mind racing to find a solution. This can't be some supernatural trap, can it?
But as we keep moving, the forest landscape starts to blur together. Trees that should have been new become strangely familiar, and the unease in my gut deepens.
"We've been here before," Mabel says, her voice shaky.
"No way, we're following my footsteps!" I retort, my own confusion and disbelief clear in my tone.
Yet, no matter what path I take, the result remains the same – the same tree. Again and again.
"Dipper, Mabel," I begin, my voice heavy with concern, "I think... I think we're trapped in something called the ringwanderung effect."
Their puzzled expressions mirror my own feelings. Ringwanderung effect? What in the world does that mean?
"It's like... a loop," I explain, trying to grasp the situation myself. "We keep ending up in the same place no matter what we do."
The realization settles over us like a dark cloud. Trapped in a loop, in a forest that seems to defy the very laws of nature. This can't be happening, but the evidence is right in front of us.
Dipper and Mabel exchange a worried glance, the weight of our predicament sinking in. "So, what do we do?" Dipper finally asks, his voice a mix of frustration and desperation.
"We keep trying," I reply, my determination unwavering. "We'll find a way out of this loop, one way or another. And when we do, we'll make sure we're nowhere near this forest without supervision again."
As the mist continues to swirl around us and the trees blur into a seemingly endless cycle, I can't shake the feeling that this bizarre situation is far from over. But one thing's for sure – we're in this together, and we'll find a way to break free from whatever strange hold this forest has over us.
"Mabel!"
Then all of sudden, some kind of voice called out for mabel somewhere in the woods. Mabel frowned at the voice, as if she remembered something.
"Ugh...I think I remember this voice...Norman? I mean...Jeff? He's here?"
With a small brushing noise, two small figures appeared out from a bush infront of us. Gnomes...I mean, literal, garden gnomes. They existed in this world? They really looked like standard garden gnomes, but...alive. One had brown hair, and looked younger. considering his anger in his face, he looked like..'Jeff'.
The other one had white hair and a...pretty innoccent face. He was just muttering the word 'shmebulock' over and over again, so I just guessed his name was Shmebulock.
Anyways, I realized that these are the gnomes they've been talking about to me...they didn't seem so much though. A giant gnome monster? Can't picture it.
Jeff's eyes bore into Mabel, his expression a mix of resentment and determination. It was clear that his anger hadn't subsided since their last encounter.
"Mabel!" Jeff's voice crackled with a mixture of urgency and anger, his gaze unwavering.
Mabel's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and wariness in her gaze. "Jeff? Are you seriously still chasing me?!"
Jeff's face twisted into a sneer, his words dripping with bitterness. "You thought you could just walk away from us, huh? Not so fast."
Dipper and I exchanged glances, the tension in the air growing heavier by the second. This wasn't going to be a friendly reunion.
Mabel's voice wavered, her gaze defiant as she shot back, "I already told you, Jeff. I'm not your queen. And I'm not marrying you or any gnome."
Jeff's eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity, his tone low and threatening. "You think you can just escape us? You're wrong."
Dipper stepped forward, his voice steady as he tried to defuse the situation. "Look, Jeff, we're not here to fight. We just got caught up in some weird stuff, and we need to find our way out of this forest."
Jeff's sneer only deepened, his tone venomous. "Caught up? You have no idea."
Mabel's determination remained unyielding as she fired back, her voice laced with fiery defiance. "We're not scared of you, Jeff. We're not kids anymore. And we're definitely not your playthings."
The mist seemed to swirl around us, mirroring the whirlwind of emotions that pulsed through the forest. This was about power, control, and a battle of wills that had been building for years.
But then, as the tension reached its zenith, something unexpected happened. Jeff's facade of anger seemed to waver for a split second, his eyes darting nervously to the shadows behind him. His posture shifted, almost imperceptibly, into something that resembled fear.
"Shmebulock, we need to go," Jeff muttered, his voice tinged with an urgency that hadn't been there before.
Shmebulock's gaze flickered between Jeff and us, uncertainty etched across his face. "Shmebulock?"
And then, just as quickly as they'd appeared, Jeff and Shmebulock melted back into the shadows, their presence fading into the mist. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and their anger had been replaced by a rush of fear.
I exchanged a puzzled glance with Dipper and Mabel. What had just happened? Why had Jeff's demeanor changed so suddenly?
Without thinking, my feet carried me forward, driven by a sudden need to know. I pushed through the mist, chasing after where Jeff and Shmebulock had disappeared. And then, in a clearing ahead, I found him – Jeff, huddled against a tree, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.
"Jeff?" My voice came out softer than I'd intended, tinged with a mixture of concern and confusion.
Jeff's head snapped toward me, his eyes wide and wild, his hands trembling. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. Or something worse.
"What's out there?" I pressed, my curiosity overcoming any caution.
Jeff's voice was shaky as he muttered, "You have no idea... There's something in these forests. Something dangerous."
Despite my own uncertainty, a flicker of empathy tugged at my heart. Jeff's bravado had crumbled in an instant, revealing a vulnerability that I hadn't expected.
But before I could say anything else, a surge of anger pulsed through me. Jeff's words had confirmed the danger that lurked in these woods, a danger that could harm Dipper, Mabel, and myself. Without thinking, without giving myself a moment to process, I lunged forward, grabbing Jeff's collar and forcing him to meet my gaze.
"Ugh! Wh..What are you..!"
"You know something, Jeff," I hissed, my voice dripping with anger and frustration. "You know what's out here, and you're not telling us? You're willing to put all of us in danger?"
Jeff's eyes widened in surprise, and his attempt at a defiant sneer faltered. But then, as if his survival instinct had kicked in, he lashed out, his little fist colliding with my jaw. I staggered back, my grip on him loosening for just a moment.
But the anger inside me burned hotter than ever...but suddenly, it became cold. It was now definite that he knows something, and I'm in...a physically higher ground. If I torture him...I might get more information about something in this forest. He's not even human, so there are no laws about him. Without hesitation, I launched myself at him again, my fists connecting with his face again and again.
"AHHH! OOF! AHH! STOP!"
"Ray, stop!" Dipper's voice cut through the haze of rage, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me away from Jeff's crumpled form.
Mabel's voice was a mix of shock and concern. "Ray, what are you doing?"
Kids. Always looking at the nice sides of things...Okay. Maybe punching a small man over and over again in front of these children isn't the best Idea. I stopped punching him. Jeff's nose was broken, and his face had a lot of bruises on it...but he's still alive, and I didn't punch his mouth so he'd probably talk.
Dipper's grip on me was firm, his voice stern as he tried to reason with me. "Ray, we can't solve anything by fighting. We need to find out more about what's going on, together."
Mabel's gaze was fixed on Jeff, her expression a mix of worry and wariness. "Yeah, and hurting each other isn't going to help us figure out the truth."
They were serious...How innocent. Thinking that they can solve this by talking...I just nodded at them, and grabbed Jeff's clothes and held him up. He tried to struggle...but it was futile.
"So, gnome. Do you think of telling me what's inside these forests?"
"I..I'll...tell! I'll tell everything! Just stop..punching...Me.."
Jeff pleaded with me as if his life depended on it...hmm, come to think of it, his life really does depend on my decision, huh?
"Good. Tell me."
"O..okay...There..There is this thing in these woods...We gnomes call it the 'Echo.' And..."
As Jeff tried to explain about it...something moved. I could hear the sound of a bush rustling behind me. Me, Dipper, Mabel, and even Shmebulock looked over to that place, but...there was nothing there. But when I looked back at Jeff, he was...Terrified.
"It...It's here..! The Echo!"
"What do you mean, It's here? Tell me!"
"I..I..have to go! Shmebulock! Shmebulock, Help! I.."
...All of a sudden, a voice...a voice that's too familiar, came from the part of the woods. The mist became thicker, as the voice spread across us. Too much, even that I can't recognize Jeff's face who was literally grabbed by me by the collar.
"...D..IPp..ER! MA..BeL!"
And that voice...It was...
"That's...me...?"
Though it sounded like it came from an old radio, that voice...was...My voice.