Lexi walks out of her room, offering a jaw cracking yawn, dressed in her normal tank and spanx, but with an oversized sweater, one of the shoulders hanging off. Reaching up, she ruffles her hair, and walks into the kitchen, and seeing the empty coffee pot, she growls under her breath.
Looking around, she spots Stan, at the table, a steaming mug of coffee in front of him, as he reads the morning paper. Padding over, she picks up the mug, and takes a drink, earning a grumble.
"Oh, sure, just take my coffee."
"We wouldn't have this problem, if you made more than enough for only you," she points out, this not the first conversation like this.
"Why don't you brew your own pot?"
"You keep the stuff to high," she whines. Then grumbles, "I can't reach it."
Stan can't help but laugh at this, but whines a bit, when she drinks more than half of the mug, before giving it back to him. "You're a monster, Lexi Amero."
"And you wouldn't have it any other way," she smirks. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"
"The Mystery Shack is going to be open. Go get dressed up," he orders.
"Fine fine," she huffs, practically dancing from the room.
Lexi sits on the seat in her tank, enjoying the sun on her skin. It has been three days since the town menace, Gideon Gleeful, had been put behind bars. She'd been surprised, that when the truth came out, the townspeople had turned on him so fast. Kind of scary, if she's being honest with herself.
The town had been over the top, trying to make amends with the Pines, and by extension, her as well. Stan has been over the moon, raking in the coinage, while the kids had been running around, doing their normal paranormal fighting stuff.
Sliding back into the water, she swims around, doing some light spirals, but the water starts vibrating, and she goes to the side, watching as several government vehicles pull up.
Two agents get out of one of the cars, and she recognizes the older man. Eyes widening, she rises to the surface, near the seat, and hefts herself up onto it.
"Detective Powers!"
The man stops, and turns. His eyes widen a bit at seeing her, but he walks to her. "It's been a long time. I heard you were…"
"She is," Lexi nods. "I go by Lexi Amero. Or, when I'm like this," she moves her feet, making her tail splash in the water, "I'm Calypso."
"Not Angel?" he offers a practiced smile.
"Nope," she pops the 'p.' "What are you doing here?"
"We're investigating reports of unusual activity in the area. We'll be in town for some time. Why don't we catch up?"
"I'd like that," Lexi nods, as the two men walk away, and into the gift shop. Seeing as how the customers have all left, Lexi decides that she'd done for the day. Not wanting to fall onto the ground, or wiggle free of her tail in the water, she spots one of the government men close to her. She whistles, and when he looks at her, she calls, "Can you help me a moment?"
He jogs over, "What can I do for you, ma'am?"
"Could you help me out of the pool?"
He cocks his head to the side, considering, before nodding, "Alright." Lifting his arms, he grips her by the waist, and lifts her from the seat, before settling her on the grass. "Need any more help?"
She smiles, "No, that was all." Laying back, she slides her fingers into the waist of her tail, and lifts her hips. After several minutes of struggling, she relents, and looks to the amused man, "On second thought… Can you help me out of this?"
He snorts a chuckle, and goes to her feet, gripping around where her ankles are, and tugging lightly, while she wiggles, and pushes down. "That's hard to get out of," he muses, offers his hand, and pulling her up when she takes it.
"It's also hard to get into. I've considered having a slit in the back, and just lacing it up."
"Wouldn't that ruin the image of a 'mermaid'?" he asks.
"I'll have you know, I'm legally recognized as one," she snarks.
"What does that require?" he asks, giving her his undivided attention.
Lexi can't help but feel like he's flirting with her, and she blushes, but answers, "Being able to hold your breath for a full lap around an olympic pool. When I was first recognized, I could do two full laps."
He lifts a hand, stroking a strand of wet hair to the side, and smiles flirtatiously, "And, how about now?"
Lexi swallows, "I'm currently at four laps… or twenty minutes."
"Impressive. Perhaps I'll catch a tour of this place tomorrow… see you in action," he winks.
"Lexi!" Soos calls, running over to the pair, breaking the spell as she turns her head to him, "Lexi, Stan says it's time for us to get ready for the party tonight. Can you help me put up the lights?"
"Yeah, sure. I'm just gonna go change," she says, and practically sprints away.
When she leaves her room, she's in a loose sweater, and a pair of capris, her hair, still wet, is in a messy bun. And Stan is leaning up against the wall opposite the door.
"Saw you talking to those agents. What did they want?"
"Thanks for sending Soos. That guy was flirting with me. Too much," she shivers.
"He was good looking. Not your type?" he teases, noting she hadn't answered the question.
"Definitely not. I mean, he was nice, and yeah, he was certainly good looking… But… not my type. Too flirty, I guess?" she asks, shrugging her shoulder.
"Your asking me what your type is?"
"No!" she yelps, blushing darkly, and turning, padding away in her bare feet.
"Where are you going?" he asks, walking after her.
"Don't we have a party to get ready for? Gonna help Soos. Bye!"
Wearing a white tube top and pleated mini-skirt combo, along with her heels, and her hair in a half ponytail, Lexi runs into the Shack behind the twins. The party had been going good, really it had been, right up until it hadn't.
The ground had shook, making the party-goers flee in terror of an earthquake. It had, in reality, been a horde of zombies. Soos had tried protecting them, but he'd been bitten.
So now, Lexi and the twins are in the living room, the duo panicking and talking amongst themselves. Looking to the door, Lexi spies a baseball bat, and she grabs it, before backing to the kids.
"Stay behind me!"
With a wide stance, Lexi swings the bat as the zombies close in on them, and manages to keep them at bay. At least, until they come from another direction.
"Dipper!" Mabel's scream rips from her, and Lexi spins, slamming the bat into the zombies head. At the same time as another one.
"Stan!" the twins chorus in happiness.
The man is disheveled, covered in zombie goop, and bearing a few wounds. "You three, upstairs, now!"
"Gruncle Stan, we can help!"
"Upstairs! NOW!"
Lexi swings her bat, connecting with another head, ignoring the man's order, while he swings as well, and the twins race upstairs. One of the zombies bites down on Stans bat, when he'd swung it, connecting with the beast as it had come up behind Lexi.
The wood shatters between the teeth, but Stan comes back with a fist. Wearing brass knuckles, demanding, "You wanna piece of me?!"
But with them down to one bat, they make their way upstairs, and into the attic, where the kids are. The twins hug Stan tightly, and they talk, while Lexi topples a bookcase, and pushes it in front of the door.
"Wait, look!"
Turning, Lexi looks along with the Pines, blinking in confusion. The book Dipper is holding, has glowing white words. "Invisible ink?" Stan gapes.
"What is that?" Lexi asks.
"It's a journal, documenting all of the weirdness of Gravity Falls," Dipper explains. "I thought I'd discovered all of the secrets. This opens a whole new chapter!"
"Any idea how to get rid of that horde?" Lexi snaps, the zombie blood on her skin making it burn.
"A perfect four-part harmony can make their skulls collapse," Mabel reads.
"Four-part harmony?" the boys echo.
"Sounds like that," Lexi states. "So, we just sing together, and defeat them?"
"It would appear so," Dipper nods.
So, the four climb onto the rooftop patio, Mabel pulling the karaoke machine with her. A song is selected, and they start singing together.
Lexi looks over the yard, as the zombies' heads cave in, and they all fall to the ground. "We beat them!"
"Woohoo!"
Lexi walks into Greasy's, her hair in a messy bun, an off shoulder purple sweater over a pink tank top, dark blue capris, and her normal heels on her feet. Looking around, she blinks in mild surprise, seeing all of the government agents eating on one side, and the townspeople on the other side.
"Lexi! You look so cute!" Tyler exclaims, hopping over, and draping himself on her.
"Thanks Tyler," she smiles. "Excuse me, I have a lunch date."
He pops off her, a massive grin on his face, and he hip checks her lightly, "Get it! Get it!"
Shaking her head, she spots Powers, eating with two other men, one of them being the flirt from two days ago. Sitting down, she slides into the booth next to the flirt, and gives the older man her attention.
"Glad to see you survived the zombies," Powers compliments.
Lexi shrugs, leaning forward as the flirt tries hugging her into his side, "So, you knew about it?"
"That kid, Dipper, he summoned them from a weird journal," Powers informs.
Lexi blinks, "No way… He's not that stupid."
"Wanted to prove that it was real," the younger opposite her nods. He extends a hand, "Trigger."
"Lexi," she smiles, taking his hand. Turning her attention to the flirt, she arches a brow, "Never caught your name."
"Sanford," he inclines his head.
"No relation," Powers quickly informs, well aware of her past. "Speaking of… Did you hear they've been released?"
Taking Trigger's glass of water, she sips it, ignoring his scowl, hiding the tremble of her fingers. Setting it down, she nods, "I heard. Only other person aware of… that. He called me up, and told me."
"Morning, Lexi!"
"Good morning Susan," she greets.
"That was some party! Too bad about that earthquake cutting it short, though. Can I get you anything?"
"That earthquake was pretty bad," Lexi nods. "Lots fell at the shop. Bunch of damage. Anything happen in town? Just a coffee, please."
"No damage in town. Guess we got lucky," the older woman smiles, before walking off. She's back quickly with the mug of coffee. "Enjoy, dear!"
"Earthquake?" Trigger asks, stealing the first sip, just to make things even. "Do the people not know it was a horde of zombies?"
"Blind ignorance," Lexi supplies. "It kinda felt like an earthquake, though, at the Shack."
"How's clean up going?" Powers asks. "Stop flirting," he orders Sanford. He'd seen her flinch at the unwanted contact.
"Slow going. Took us most of the night to clean up inside. Pretty sure there was a hand in my bed," she scowls, and takes a large drink of her coffee. "So, are you guys still investigating the strangeness of this place?"
"We are," Powers nods. "You two, go join the others, and start looking." When the pair have left, Lexi having to stand up, before the flirt had gone, he looks her over. "You're all grown up. How do you feel, knowing they're out?"
Looking down at her drink, Lexi admits, her voice quiet, "Scared. I'd rather fight off zombies again. What if…?"
"What if?" he echoes.
"What if they go looking for me? What if they ask the right question, and find me? I'm scared," she admits, fingers gripping the mug tightly.
Powers' hand falls on her wrist, "You've grown a lot, from that starved beast, scared to even be in the same room as a man. A lot, Angel," he catches the small wince. "Don't like anything to do with that part of your life, do you?"
"... You saw what they did. I only trusted you, because you didn't make me get out of my blanket."
"Your cocoon," he nods, remembering. "You've come a long way from those days." He reaches into his pocket, and slides a card with his number on it, "If they do come looking for you…"
"I'll call," Lexi nods, unable to stop herself from feeling like that little girl, as tears burn her eyes.