For those of you who would enjoy knowing I call this arc "Back To The Falls". Start the fic.
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"Okay uh... us, just hang tight there for a minute. Pacifica er... the older Pacifica and I need a quick private conference. Don't go anywhere!"
Dipper and Pacifica quickly got into a two man huddle and started to whisper to each other.
"Do you remember any of this?!" Dipper asked.
"Not a thing! My mind is a complete blank!"
"How is that even possible?! Wouldn't we remember it?!"
"Well we were little kids back the... er now! I didn't want anything to do with you so I suppose it may be possible I forced myself to forget and you...?"
Dipper shook his head no. "No! I would have remembered meeting an older version of myself. I mean look at mini-me over there!"
Young Dipper was raving about Adult Dipper to the Young Pacifica who was futilely trying to tune him out.
"There is no WAY how I would have forgotten about this night on my own... Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"I don't like to think this way because it's kind of anti-detective but in this case the picture may actually be too big for us to see. There are parts of this adventure that we just simply can't see. We might not be meant to understand everything we're involved in."
"I don't like that."
"Me neither but that might be the situation we're in. Especially since... wait... exactly WHEN in our time line are we? Nobody in that courtroom bothered to give us exact details!"
"Don't know, let's find out."
They broke the huddle and found their younger selves talking to each other. From the looks on their faces it was obvious they didn't care much for what the other had to say.
"Hey uh.. us." Adult Pacifica winced. "Oof, this is awkward."
"Long story kids but the short of it is we're on a time travel mission and we aren't exactly sure WHEN we are. I mean we know it's during my first summer at Gravity Falls but exactly when..."
"I... I got friend-zoned by Wendy just last night." admitted Young Dipper.
"Ha! Loser!" taunted Young Pacifica.
"Hey! Don't call him that!" snapped Adult Pacifica.
"I'll call the nerd whatever I like because I still don't think you're me!"
"Grrr! Private. Conference. Huddle up with me Dipper! Er... I mean Adult Dipper."
The adult duo grabbed each other's shoulders in a two person conference
"It sounds like I just recently had my adventure with Wendy where Mabel and Soos froze the shapeshifter the first time."
"Well that's good news for you but from the sounds of it I don't think I've even had my mini-golf adventure with Mabel yet! We're still in the part of the summer where I'm a conceited little monster!"
"Hey!" Young Pacifica snapped. "I heard that!"
Adult Dipper and Pacifica broke their conference and confronted their child selves.
"Okay... Us, here's the lowdown: We've been sent back in time to find a shapeshifter who has also traveled back in time to reek havoc and disrupt the time stream!" explained Adult Dipper.
"The situation is very complicated so you can't tell anyone, not even your family, what's going on!" continued Adult Pacifica.
"But you're talking to your past selves about..." Young Pacifica started.
"I know!" Adult Dipper cut her off. "But the time stream technically already got corrupted just by us meeting you! Wait... what are you two even doing out here?"
"Well I was out hunting for the mysterious Lizagon!"
"The what?" almost everyone asked.
Young Dipper turned to one of the pages in his book. "The Lizagon! Part Lizard, part dragon!"
A nostalgic sigh escaped from Adult Dipper. "Ah Journal 3, that takes me back!"
"Wouldn't that just be a dragon?!" snapped Young Pacifica.
"Not quite! The Lizagon has all seven limbs like you would expect from a western style dragon but the whole creature is the size of a dog! I thought it sounded neat so I figured I'd go out and try and find one, allegedly they can be only found on a full moon night!"
"Wait!" Adult Dipper exclaimed. "I remember that!"
"You do?! Think back Dipper, what happened this night?!" encouraged Adult Pacifica.
"I... went out into the woods. I thought maybe if I found that thing I'd have proof to the whole world about the weirdness of Gravity Falls... and maybe I could keep it as a pet or something. I came to a clearing and... Nothing!"
"Shoot!" Pacifica looked to her younger self. "What about you? You're a long way from the mansion?"
"I'm out glamping with my private staff, our quaint little tent is just over that hill."
Adult Dipper leaned over to his partner and whispered "Do you remember any of that?"
"Sort of," Adult Pacifica whispered back. "I don't remember a whole lot about it, but what I used to consider 'a tent' is what you would call a cabin."
While the adults were whispering among themselves, Young Dipper looked to find the 'quaint little tent'.
"That's not glamping, that's moving out!"
Young Dipper's sudden outburst caught everyone's attention.
"Well of course YOU would think that! My tent is greater than anything you could ever hope to even spend a night in, because no matter what you'll never to be able to know the luxuries of a Northwest lifestyle!"
"Okay! That does it!"
Adult Pacifica grabbed her younger self and started to drag her off a ways into the woods.
"Excuse me for a second. I need to have a little chat with my 'inner child' as it were."
Adult Dipper was about to raise an objection but the clicking of a pen alerted him to his younger self.
"While we're alone I have a few questions. First and most importantly WHY ARE YOU TRAVELING WITH PACIFICA OF ALL PEOPLE?!"
Adult Dipper facepalmed hard. "Oh boy, here we go!"
**Meanwhile with the two Pacificas...**
"I remember being mean but I never thought I was this quick to the insults."
"He insulted my family name, not that I'm surprised you don't know that. Because I'm still not convinced you're me!"
"Our family name deserves the insult it got and more! As long as this adventure goes though, I want you to lay off the insults against Dipper AND Mabel. You may not know it yet, but those two eventually teach me what it's like to have real friends!"
Young Pacifica refused to let this one slide.
"I already have friends! If you were actually me then you'd know that! There's two of them!"
Adult Pacifica scrunched her face in confusion. "Two of them? Who're you tal-OH!" Pacifica's confusion was soon replaced with realization followed by anger. "Those aren't friends, those are flunkies! There's a difference!"
"Puh-lease! They're the best friends a girl could ask for!"
"Oh yeah? Tell me their names. Both of them!"
"Well there's Tiffany and... uh... uh... the other one! Well one out of two is close enough!"
"Sure it is." Adult Pacifica rolled her eyes. "Let's move away from names. Think for a moment though, name me one time when they've hung out with you without offering them something like money. Or when you didn't need them to keep control over an event."
Young Pacifica remained silent in thought.
"How about when you needed help keeping power over your peers, can you name me a time when you didn't use them for that?"
More silence.
"Okay how about this, can you name me ONE time when they've hung out with you for no greater reason than to spend time with you?"
"Well there was... This one time... I think..."
Adult Pacifica crossed her arms. "I'm waiting."
"... There has to be at least one!"
"But there isn't; you know how I know that? Because I actually AM you! Straight out of the future!"
"NO!" Young Pacifica stomped her foot on the ground. "I refuse to believe that! Especially if that man meat you're traveling with IS that nerd Dipper! Like I would ever do ANYTHING with him!"
"One day, you'll want to do everything with him."
"Liar! He's not even rich! Which further proves that YOU aren't actually me! Like, do your homework; the Northwest family is one of the richest families out there! With the way you dress it's like your not rich at..."
Young Pacifica trailed off as a sudden realization kicked in. "You're not rich at all?"
"Nope."
A loud, obnoxious, obviously intentional to hurt people's feelings, fake laughter erupted out of Young Pacifica.
"Then that PROVES you aren't me! I could never be NOT rich, I'm a Northwest."
"Oh I'm you, Sweetheart!"
"Sweetheart?"
"And to prove it 0402 1986 9998 7220."
"No!" Young Pacifica started to back away in fear. "That's impossible! Those numbers! Those are the exact same numbers as..."
"Your credit card number! YES! Because I am you I have memorized all our credit card numbers because you memorize each and every one just in case!"
"Then that means in the future I'm not going to be rich! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
As Young Pacifica fell to her knees screaming to the heavens, her adult self merely rolled her eyes. "It seemed so much more important back then."
"Of COURSE it's important! What could be more important than money?!"
"Ah the naivety of childhood. Well, for one thing..." Adult Pacifica gave a small smile. "Maybe love."
"Love with who?"
Adult Pacifica said nothing but allowed for time to fill in the gaps for her. It took maybe a moment or two but soon enough Young Pacifica was giving her adult self a quizzical look.
"Yeah, pretty much."
"No."
"Mmhmm."
"No way."
"Afaid so."
"NO!"
"Yeah."
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
"It is absolutely him. No others."
"What is wrong with you?! Why HIM?!"
"I know. I know! On paper it doesn't seem like it adds up but... when you get older you realize your relationship with Dipper is like some kind of Bizzaro Reverse Backwards Beauty and the Beast."
"Hey! No! If I have to be affiliated with any Disney Princess it is Jasmine!"
"An agruement could be made for Meg."
"Maybe Meg."
**Back with the Dippers**
"You know what," Young Dipper started. "I take it back. Pacifica is obviously funding our Ghost Hunting Show."
His elder self scratched the back of his head. "Oh yeah, I forgot I wanted one of those... but no Dipper, that isn't why she's with me."
"Huh." Now it was the younger of the two's turn to scratch the back of his head. "Oh! I get it! She's a tag-along, of course, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. She must have gotten zapped with you when you time traveled right?"
"No, Pacifica coming with me was my idea."
"...Oh! I get it now! She's a DIFFERENT Pacifica! They just... have the same name?"
"Oh no, I assure you it's the same Pacifica you can't tolerate right now. You see, she's my partner. We investigate weird mysteries together."
"...No! If that's really the woman that the Pacifica I know grows up to be than you CAN'T be me!"
"Oh, you think so?" Adult Dipper took off his hat and lifted up his bangs to show his birthmark. "Think again."
"Okay," Young Dipper admitted. "that's pretty hard to argue with."
"And while we're on the subject, host of tv shows don't usually time travel."
"Usually, but they don't have our lives."
"Fair enough, but that little dream just didn't pan out."
"So what DO you do then?"
"I'm detective. I've turned mystery hunting into a career."
"That is SO cool! I still don't understand why Pacifica is your... secretary?"
"Not my secretary. She's my partner."
Young Dipper winced.
"I was hoping I heard you wrong. Why HER of all people though? In case you've forgotten, Pacifica Northwest is the worst!"
"Ha ha ha!"
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing. Just... Nostalgia."
"Well everything you're telling me just... doesn't add up. Pacifica Northwest is the meanest, most self absorbed, BULLY I've ever met."
"That's true, and the fact that I'm spending everyday with her can only mean one thing. You know what that is right?"
"...No."
"It means she must have grown up."
"Oh come on, man!"
"Everyone usually matures as they grow up (there are exceptions). Even people like Pacifica."
"And you expect me to believe that just TIME of all things is supposed to make her better?"
"Of course not. She also needs to learn certain lessons, not just from us but from Mabel too."
"Mabel? What's she got to do with anything?"
"She's Pacifica's rival. Remember?"
"Oh. Right."
"I know right now she can seem down right evil but trust me on this, she isn't so bad."
"All she's ever done is try to find new ways to humiliate me and Mabel! Explain to me, in what way, she isn't 'so bad'!"
Adult Dipper stared at his younger self hard for a second but then smiled nonchalantly.
"You can't help feeling this way, you just haven't had the right adventure with her yet."
"What's THAT supposed to mean?"
"You'll find out one day."
Young Dipper took out his journal to write this stuff down but his adult self snatched it out of his hands before he had the chance.
"Hey! Give that back!"
"Not so fast, Short Pants! Weren't you listening?! We were never 'here'! I don't remember anything about this adventure and I certainly know I didn't write any of it down in Journal #3!"
"Wait... That's right! If you're really from the future than you must know who the author is!"
"Yes! But I can't TELL you because it might screw with the future! Pay attention!"
**Back with the Pacificas**
"I don't understand though, you're not rich..." Young Pacifica shuddered for a moment. "But you don't seem miserable at all."
"Pacifica, I'm going to say this as bluntly as I possibly can so you can't escape with an excuse or some form of denial. I. Like. Dipper. More. Than. Money!"
"That's impossi-wait. Did you have... you know... 'adult thingy' with him?"
"You mean sex. And no, we haven't had sex."
"Phew!"
"We were naked together though."
"EEEEEEK!"
"Pacifica please! We did it for survival! If you really want to freak out though, then you might want to consider this: When I reached adult hood, I lived in a penthouse with only the finest luxuries and I was miserable. Oh I wore a good mask to hide it, but at the end of the day I only had my parent's money... no TRUE friends... well not inside Gravity Falls anyways. And if I'm being honest, it was pretty boring; just numbers and fancy foods was what my days were made up of which is why I kind of why I appreciate Mabel and Dipper. It hasn't happened for you yet but Mabel taught me forgiveness and compassion and the value of shar-ring, and Dipper..." Adult Pacifica smiled lovingly. "Dipper taught me I can be more than a Northwest, just because I was my parents' daughter didn't mean I had to be like them."
Young Pacifica looked at her with a small sense of wonder. "Seriously?"
"He saved me from becoming like my parents. And between you and me he's actually a LOT of fun."
"Shut up!"
"No, really! Even when we aren't playing a game or something his wit is usually very entertaining. Sometimes it makes me forget we live in an RV."
"Oh good GOD, NO! I live in a trailer in the future?!"
"RV." corrected Adult Pacifica. "You know, the kind you drive as one vehicle. Very cozy."
"Is it at least a double decker RV?"
"No, but it is very cozy."
"Like, I grow up to be trailer park trash! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"You learn to love it. Okay enough with the freak out session, we need to get back to our Dippers."
"YOU have a Dipper! Not me!"
"Like, whatever."
"Hey! You don't get to 'like, whatever' me! Who do you think you are?!"
"You."
"Oh... right."
"Come on, we need to go strategize. And you're going to lay off the insults sister! Believe it or not, we're better than that! Now come on, it's getting late... even in the future, beauty sleep is still important."
"Well at least some things haven't changed."
The two walked back to the Dippers who were already in the middle of a discussion.
"Sweetheart?! Why would you like to call Pacifica 'Sweetheart' of all things?!"
"Because she's a Sweetheart."
"No she's not! She's Pacifica!"
"She's also right here!" announced Adult Pacifica.
"Don't worry," Adult Dipper assured her. "Dipper will apologize right now. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I was just a kid."
"Well considering this was like thirteen years ago I think I can forgive you. I was a little brat back then anyways."
"No I wasn't... er... not... uh... GRRRR!"
A look between the adult versions of Dipper and Pacifica told them each exactly what they needed to know from each other.
"Okay Funsizes, listen up." Adult Dipper started. "Like it or not, you're both a part of this now. And while it is imperative you both stay safe I don't think we're meant to keep you out of this."
"It's getting late though. So here's what we're going to do: You..." Adult Pacifica pointed at Young Dipper. "Are going to call it a night and go back to the Mystery Shack, while you..." she pointed at Young Pacifica. "Are going to tell your butlers that you've suddenly come down with a bad case of homesickness and leave the cabin to myself and Dipper."
"We'll meet back at the Mystery Shack tomorrow morning at around 10." Adult Dipper further explained.
"Now hold up!" objected Young Pacifica. "It's one thing for him to be at a hovel like the Mystery Shack, the dweeb lives there, but like, I'm a Northwest. I'm, like, above tourist traps."
"Do I really say 'like' that much?" asked Adult Pacifica.
"This would be considered a heavy day." assured Adult Dipper. "Anyways Shortstack, I'm sure you could come up with some kind of excuse to pop on by. You could even disguise yourself incognito if you like."
"Now get a move on you two. We'll meet up tomorrow and remember, don't tell ANYONE!"
The younger versions left quietly enough only letting out a few grumbles. As soon as they were out of earshot, Adult Dipper and Pacifica let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Wow! I had no idea we were so tiring back in the day!" exclaimed Dipper.
"You? I was still in the habit of stepping on people!"
"How long do you think it'll take for your younger self to clear out the cabin?"
"About five to fifteen minutes."
"Want to just... sit down on the grass and silently reflect on our childhoods?"
"Yes!"
Adult Dipper and Pacifica didn't have to wait long for the butlers and maids to pack everything up on the young mistress's orders. As soon as they were all gone the duo entered the cabin with much haste.
Taking it all in Dipper whistled impressed.
"This could be a great base of operations!"
"I wouldn't be married to that idea. When a Northwest glamps it's usually for one night and that's usually how long our cabin's last. It'll give us a place to sleep for tonight but that's about it, come tomorrow afternoon this place'll fall apart."
"One night it is then. We got another problem to consider though. Our younger selves recognized us almost immediately, there's a decent chance the rest of the town could too."
"I think I have the perfect solution for that! Stay right there!"
Pacifica left the room for a minute and came back with a makeup kit.
"When I was a kid I never went anywhere overnight without this baby! With my old deluxe make up kit I can use it as a disguise kit!"
"You're that confident?"
"No one knows make up better than me! I could even give us fake scars if you want!"
"I'm impressed! For now though, we should call it night."
"Lucky for us the servants have their own beds so we don't have to worry about sleeping arrangements."
"Good." Dipper sighed. "Today... Today was a lot."
Pacifica put her hand on his shoulder. "Dipper," she inhaled sharply. "I think you're really special."
Dipper grasped her hand. "Thanks." he swallowed a large lump in his throat. "I really like you too!"
Without even realizing it, they had closed the gap between them had closed quite a bit. Their lips were almost touching, they could feel the other's breath. Before they could meet however, it dawned on them exactly how close they had gotten to one another and backed away. Immediately both their faces became bright red.
"I-I-I think it's time for bed!"
"Me too! Me too! Maids have their beds behind left door and butlers on the right! GOOD NIGHT!"
"GOOD NIGHT!"
Omake
Dipper couldn't seem to have made it to the room for the butlers' bed fast enough. The situation back there emotional, tense, and yet beautiful... he started to question if shouldn't have just gone with the flow. They both knew how they felt about each other, but just taking advantage of the moment didn't seem right somehow.
*THWACK!*
"OW! I can't believe I stubbed my stupid toe on the stupid bed... Darn that hurt! Wait... I'm an adult now. I can swear for reals! SON OF A..."
END
That's it for now. I'd just like to say that I would read a Beauty & the Beast fic where Pacifica was the Beast and Dipper was Belle, just saying... Anyways, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I think it was all the bickering that made this the easiest chapter ever. Stay safe everyone and Merry Christmas.