Chapter One: 15 Years Later
Dipper sighed. Approximately 15 years had passed since he and Mabel had come back to Gravity Falls, and to say they'd aged gracefully since then… No. They hadn't aged a day. Mabel, Wendy, Pacifica and he were still barely any older than they'd been 15 years ago when they were 18, looking now like they were about 21-22 perhaps. Wendy was currently physically about 25 and Pacifica about 22. While they had aged, they definitely didn't look 15 years older, which would have put them in their early to mid-30s.
Ford, on the other hand, had continued to age. While he now aged slower because of his bionics and nanomachines, he still was getting older and a bit slower. Still, Ford was still as sharp as ever and Dipper hoped that he would continue to teach him. Dipper's education with Ford was less of a standard college education and more of a passing on of all knowledge that Ford could pass on. He still said that Dipper was easily the best student he could have asked for.
Dipper, Wendy and Pacifica had to put his education on hold sometimes to take care of the kids. But that was happening less often now, since the kids were 15 years old and 13 years old respectively. Dipper's and Wendy's twins, Stanley II and Deirdre were 15 and in high school now. Dipper's and Pacifica's child, Stanford II was 13. Ford was still trying to figure out how it was possible for both Deirdre and Stanford II to have Full Polydactyly when it was such a rare mutation.
Dipper didn't really question it. In Gravity Falls, he learned that anything was possible. Maybe the fact that they had gone in the hot spring had caused some unforeseen genetic anomalies to awaken. Maybe the fact that they both had six fingers was a sign that they too had immortality dormant inside them. Or maybe they had an even more unique ability. Mabel's girlfriend, Deirdre claimed to have awoken strange abilities from the hot spring that weren't, strictly speaking, connected to the regeneration and immortality.
She said it took her around 150 years to really understand her abilities, but she was willing to help Dipper, Wendy, Pacifica and Mabel to discover them so that maybe they could understand them more quickly. Already, Dipper was finding that he had some control over his bodily functions. Instead of needing to go to the bathroom, he could just choose to sweat more. Unlike Deirdre, who could fake her death by making her heart effectively stop, Dipper's heart was not organic and thus was not subject to the Body Manipulation that he was developing.
Wendy noticed that her strength and endurance were growing beyond human levels. Even Ford couldn't fully account for her growth. He said that the regeneration was likely to give them some superhuman potential, as would the nanomachines. But likely not to the level she was currently showing. Even Deirdre, who was currently still in Gravity Falls, dating Mabel, was impressed with Wendy's physical strength.
She and Mabel had moved in together across town from the Mystery Shack. They were considering moving to California, where they could live near Mabel's and Dipper's mother. Mabel hesitated though because that would take her away from Dipper, who she still had trouble conceiving of being apart from him. Deirdre teased her about it, asking if she was sure she wasn't in love with Dipper. Mabel would always get annoyed at Deirdre for making those jokes and they sometimes wouldn't speak for a day or two. Dipper on the other hand had a different theory.
He suspected that, like him Mabel was on the Autistic spectrum. While she had better social skills than him, she had certain behaviors, like her occasional lack of boundaries when she was being friendly, her retreat into 'sweater town' when she was upset and indeed, her inability to accept that things changed and people changed with those things. It was easier for her to just live near Dipper forever. And Dipper admitted that could be a comfortable life. They were going to live forever most likely, so being near each other would make things easier, especially when the world changed around them and they remained static.
People would be born, grow old and die and they would remain the same. Dipper worried about his, Wendy's and Pacifica's children. He worried about Mabel's and Deirdre's children if they ever had children. Mabel and Deirdre didn't show any signs of actually wanting to have children or get married.
Suddenly, Mabel burst into the Shack, snarling in anger again.
"Deirdre was making fun of you again?"
"No… Not this time… We just had another fight. She still doesn't understand why I don't want to be away from you. I'm not sure I understand either. But Deirdre wants to move to Ireland now. She says it's where she and her family originally came from and she wants to reconnect with her Irish heritage. But I can't imagine being that far away from you." Mabel said.
"Maybe you're not right for each other anymore. You know, relationships end sometimes. Just because Wendy, Pacifica and I stayed together all this time doesn't mean that you and Deirdre won't break up. It's not a reflection on you. People just grow apart sometimes." Dipper said.
"But if not Deirdre, then who? I'm too old to date an 18-year-old and I look too young to date a 33-year-old!" Mabel protested.
"Well… Deirdre dated you when you were 18 and she was what? 250?" Dipper asked.
"Yeah, about that. She doesn't remember exactly how old she is, but she says that's about right." Mabel said.
"Right. I'm sure you'll find a good relationship with someone." Dipper said.
"Plus, you can work on making yourself appear older. Deirdre has that ability. Maybe you do too, but you haven't fully discovered it yet." Dipper said.
"Hey! Yeah… Maybe… I mean, you're starting to work on your abilities. I mean, Deirdre is helping you, but you work on them whenever you're not working with the kids or on your studies with Ford." Mabel said.
"Maybe I have Biological and Body Manipulation too." Mabel said.
"I've been noticing some changes in myself." Dipper said. His ability to change his appearance based on what he wanted. He was getting older faster.
He'd aged to about 22 over the course of less than six years and he still seemed to be aging. It wasn't fast enough to turn heads, especially since he was supposed to be 33, almost 34. He'd noticed Mabel, Wendy and Pacifica aging slightly as well over about the same period of time, but their aging wasn't quite as steady as his own. They aged quickly sometimes and stopped aging for an extended period of time sometimes.
"Dad!" Stan exclaimed. Dipper tapped the screen of his tablet to mark it.
"What's up, Stan?" Dipper asked.
"You said you wanted to talk to us." Deirdre said.
"Oh, yeah… Let me finish up this one bit of work and I'll be right with you." Dipper said, going back to his tablet. He was working on tightening up some of the data in his journals, which were all digital now.
It took him about fifteen minutes to finish, during which time all four kids were getting antsy. Dipper didn't know quite how he had managed to have two sets of twins. But like the Polydactyly issue, he didn't question it really.
"Okay… I'm glad you came. I've got good news for you. You know that school you were talking about, Ford?" Dipper asked.
"Crystal Lake Academy?" Ford asked, getting a bit excited.
"Yes. I've gotten all four of you places there. It's a great school and they're excited to have you go there in the fall." Dipper said.
"What! But I don't want to go to some stuffy private school where you have to wear uniforms…" Stan demanded.
"And talk like this…" Miles said, imitating the exaggerated wealthy person's accent.
"I don't think anyone talks like that. Anywhere." Dipper said.
"And it's a great opportunity for all of you. Deirdre, they have great MMA, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey teams there. Stan, they have good boxing and wrestling teams and for those who are interested, they have campouts once a month. They also have a good forest explorer's group." Dipper said to Deirdre and Stan respectively.
"Miles, they have a great zoology club and Chess club, and they tell me they have a good gamer's guild there. Stanford, you've already expressed your interest in their research club, future scientists club and Chess club, botany club and supernatural and paranormal research club. And not for nothing, but they're in the top 10% of private schools nationally in regards to academics. I'm sure you'll all be happy there." Dipper said.
"But I don't want to leave Gravity Falls!" Deirdre protested.
"I have a boyfriend here!" Deirdre said.
"And what about Claudia?" Stan asked.
"Your school year isn't quite over yet. You have the whole rest of the year and all of summer to get things settled with them. And I kept in contact with Wendy and Paz long distance over the years when I was in high school. And now look at us. I'm married to them." Dipper said.
"Yeah, but which one is your actual wife? Legally, you can't be married to more than one person at once." Stanford said bluntly.
"Oh… Well… That was something that the three of us talked about. When Pacifica got pregnant, her mother was adamant that she get married before she started showing. She, Wendy and I had already been dating for two, almost three years. So Pacifica and I got married. Wendy's family wasn't as insistent that I marry her. They're more… Liberal socially shall we say." Dipper said.
"So technically, Pacifica is my wife by law. But I consider myself to be married to both of them, as you can see by my two rings." Dipper said, showing off both his wedding rings. All three of them wore two wedding rings, one for their two partners.
"How did you end up getting two wives?" Miles asked. He was a little bit shy, but he was a good speaker and he was extremely talented at drawing and baking.
"That's an interesting story, actually. I was already dating Wendy. I started dating her the night I came back to Gravity Falls when I was 18, almost 19. Mabel went to hang out with Pacifica and it turned out that she was being pressured to get married to 'some rich jerk' as Mabel so amusingly put it. So Pacifica and I started dating to cut that off, and well… We just fell in love."
"Wait… You only started dating Mom because she needed a fake boyfriend?" Stanford asked.
"Well… In a way, yes. But also no. I already really liked Dipper. He was the biggest dork I'd ever met and I loved that about him. He was cute when he went off on nerdy tangents about ghosts and aliens and demons and whatever the heck he has in his journals." Pacifica chuckled, kissing Dipper.
"Hey, Paz. I just told them about their enrollment in Crystal Lake."
"Good. We really will miss you. But you'll be home for holidays and for summer vacations." Pacifica said.
"Wait! We have to stay at school?" Deirdre demanded.
"That's not fair!" Stanley exclaimed.
"Yeah… It's in Michigan. And it's customary for the students to stay in dorms. But we'll give you teleporter watches. Only to be used in emergency situations or for holidays." Dipper said.
"Michigan! You know there are tornados there, right?"
"Yes, but Tornados are most common in Michigan in the Detroit and Flint areas. You won't be in either of those areas." Dipper said. You'll be near Turtle, Michigan, where there's a beautiful lake, but very few tornados." Dipper said.
"Go on, kids. Have fun. Enjoy your weekend. Don't stay cooped up inside." Pacifica said. Miles had wanted to go to the community center and work on playing Chess. But Stanley had roped him into joining him in the woods.
Stan claimed he had seen a cat person running around and he wanted to track them. Miles didn't believe him, but he admired Stan and wanted to play with him too, even if their interests weren't very similar.
"Are you sure these so-called 'cat people' really live in the woods? Maybe you're just seeing mountain lions. They do exist in this part of the country and they tend to be only a little bit bigger than an adult human. Furthermore, they're able to stand on their hind legs for short periods of time, primarily to reach prey in trees. It's not as common in lions of any kind as it is in tigers, but…"
"I'm already bored, Miles. Let's get going. I'm sure these guys aren't just mountain lions. Cool?" Stan asked. Miles nodded.