Universe Falls

by MiniJen

What if, instead of Beach City, the Crystal Gems had settled down in a little backwoods town just west of weird? What if, upon coming to Gravity Falls for the summer, Dipper and Mabel were to befriend Steven and Connie? How would they fare against the combined threats of merciless Homeworld Gems and a certain triangular demon? (REWRITTEN!)

21. Gideon Rises

Man, hard to believe we're already here huh? This was already on of my favorites in early old UF, so you likely won't notice too many changes here, but I still think it's a lot of fun and very action-packed to finish off this part of the story. With all that, let's watch the epic fight against the Gideonbot unfold and get started!

---

Chapter 20: Gideon Rises

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Though the rain had passed and the skies had cleared, a storm still hung heavy over the Pines family. A storm that seemed set on turning their lives totally upside down.

Gideon's hostile takeover of the shack had come so swiftly and suddenly; there'd barely been enough time for Stan, Dipper, and Mabel to gather what few possessions they could before they were forced out. Fortunately, they weren't out on the street quiet yet. Steven had kindly offered to let them gather their bearings up at the temple, where they quickly filled the Gems in on everything that had happened.

Needless to say they were every bit as lost in the shuffle of it all as the Pines themselves were.

"Ok, so let me see if I understand this," Pearl began to summarize. "Gideon stole the deed to the Mystery Shack and managed to kick the three of you out?"

"Yeah, that's… pretty much what happened," Dipper said, sighing. Of course, there was plenty more to tell after their run-in with Bill, but there'd be time for that later. Right now, Gideon was the much more immediate problem by far.

"The stupid little punk would have never blown that hole through the wall if I had been paying more attention," Stan scowled from his spot on the couch. "What I wouldn't give to knock his lights out and take my deed right back from his grubby little hands!"

"Yeah… sounds great," Amethyst eagerly cracked her knuckles. "Let's do it!"

"No," Garnet cut in. From her spot near the door, she watched as Gideon proudly rode his bulldozer around his newly-claimed property just down the hill. "Gideon may have taken the shack by force, but trying to take it back by force won't work anywhere near as well. Trust me."

"Oh, so what?" Stan scoffed. "We're just supposed to sit around and let Gideon turn it into the Tent of Telepathy Part 2?"

"For now, it's all you can do," Garnet replied, crossing her arms.

"What are we gonna do in the meantime?" Mabel asked, frowning. "Without the Mystery Shack, we have no place to stay! Where are we supposed to sleep? Or eat? Where am I gonna make Mabel juice?! Or knit sweaters?! Or-"

"Wait a minute, Mabel," Steven cut in. "I think I have an idea. While we get this whole thing with the shack sorted out, you guys could always… stay here at the temple with us?" he suggested, offering the Gems the most charming, convincing smile he could muster.

"Oh my gosh, Steven, that's the best idea I've ever heard!" Mabel brightly exclaimed, grabbing his hands. "If we stayed up here at the temple with you, then it would be like a never-ending magical slumber party! Doesn't that just sound awesome?"

Stan wasn't quite taken with the idea as he offered up a flat, dry, "No."

"Yeah, I don't know about that…" Dipper frowned as he glanced around Steven's admittedly tiny home. "I mean, it's not like this place really has enough space for three more. Then again, I guess it's either here or… nothing."

"That's the spirit!" Steven happily proclaimed. "Oh, this is gonna be so much fun! We can-"

"Now, hold it just a minute, Steven," Pearl interrupted. "I'm not so sure this 'never-ending slumber party' is the best idea either. Not because of the lack of space, but because of… well…"

A beat of awkward silence filled the room as Pearl's gaze slowly drifted over in Stan's direction. He was hardly surprised as he simply let out a disgruntled huff. "You know, Pearl, if you don't want me here, you can just say so."

Pearl started, flustered. "T-that's not what I–I mean, I wouldn't have put it that bluntly, but-"

"Aw, don't listen to Pearl," Amethyst plopped down onto the couch beside Stan. "You guys can totally crash here! Heck, it might even be kinda fun having some new roomies. Means I'll have more people to pull late-night pranks on, right Steven?"

"Uh, yeah, speaking of which," Steven began, rubbing his arm. "Amethyst, can we talk about that frog you put in my bed last night later on? 'Cause I think we kinda need to talk about that."

"Oh, please, please, please let us stay!" Mabel resorted to begging to Garnet and Pearl. "Just look at us!" She pulled Dipper up beside her while whispering, "Be as cute as you can!" He did as she said, throwing on a pout to match his sister's as she continued her appeal. "We're cold, lonely, and lost in the world with nowhere else to go! Can't you find it in your hearts to take in two poor, adorable kids and their cheap, but lovable uncle for a while? Pretty please? After all, we are your favorite twins!"

"Uh, yeah, what she said," Dipper nodded. Still, he made the effort to throw on a downright doleful, pleading look. If, between the two of them, they couldn't manage to convince the Gems, then no one could.

Steven did his part to help, silently mouthing "please" over and over again when the Gems looked his way. They said nothing for what felt like an eternity, until Pearl's lip began to quiver and Garnet let out a small, relenting sigh.

"That's not fair," she said. "You know you're all much too cute to say no to."

"Oh, how could I even think of turning you two away?!" Pearl cried, wiping her tears away. "You both can stay here for as long as you need to! No questions asked!"

"Yay!" Steven and Mabel happily cheered.

Dipper, on the other hand, wasn't ready to relax quite yet. "That means Grunkle Stan can stay too, right?" he asked, watching as Pearl's face fell the moment he did.

"Well…"

"Stan can stay too," Garnet cut her off. Her stern tone alone made it clear there would be no arguing about it, not that Stan was all too grateful.

"Oh gee, thanks," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "Not only do I get booted out by a blue-suited gremlin, but I also get to sleep on a couch and put up with you two nagging about it, all in the same day! How lucky can a guy get?"

"Aw, c'mon, Stan, it won't be so bad," Amethyst elbowed him, grinning. "Now that we're roomies, it'll be a non-stop party around here! Or at least it will once you stop bein' all crabby about losing the shack or whatever."

"My house was just stolen out from under me," Stan sneered. "I think I have a right to be as crabby as I want."

"Don't worry, Mr. Pines!" Steven encouraged. "We'll think of some way to get the shack back, I'm sure! And in the meantime, all of us are gonna have a great time living together! We'll be like one big happy family!"

"Yeah, we will!" Mabel heartily agreed. "We could even redecorate the mailbox so that it has both of our last names on it!"

"You mean like… Unipines?" Steven suggested, smiling.

"Or Pinesuverse!" Mabel added.

For his part, Stan had already started making himself at home as he moved to comb through the fridge for a snack. Though not without plenty of opposition from Pearl in the process. .

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, eyeing him critically.

"What? I'm famished here," Stan shrugged as he pulled a sandwich out of the fridge.

"You can't eat that! It's not your food!"

"Hey, it's not like you're gonna eat it."

"Ohhh! Got 'er!" Amethyst exclaimed, laughing. She kept that laughter up as she stood on the sidelines of the argument that quickly broke out between Pearl and Stan, a largely pointless one at that. Their bickering only added to the noisy excitement Steven and Mabel were filling the room with, which only grew when they brought Lion into the mix. On the fringes of all of this chaos, Garnet and Dipper stood, unable to do much else other than watch it all unfold.

"There's no way this is going to work out, is it?" Dipper couldn't help but ask.

"It could…" Garnet noted, shifting her shades.

"But will it?"

She paused, just long enough to consult her future vision, before supplying the most obvious answer there was. "…No."

---

Steven's house was, simply put, small. Greg and the Gems had built it to have plenty of space to accommodate him… and not really anyone else. Especially not three displaced, unexpected house guests.

Still, Steven did what he could to find space for the Pines. He pulled the cushions off the couch to create a wide, makeshift bed on the den floor for them, only for Lion to quickly claim it as his own instead. When he refused to budge from his nap, everyone simply agreed to let him be for a bit in favor of watching a little evening television. The Gems eventually joined them on the crowded loft, with Stan, Dipper, Steven, and Pearl focusing on the TV while Garnet, Mabel, and Amethyst formed a "braid train" to pass the idle time.

"Whoa, Amethyst, your hair is so soft and smooth!" Mabel noted as she ran a hand through the lavender locks. "I always thought it would be super tangly and sticky since you drink so much chocolate syrup and hot glue. What's your secret?"

"Heh, I'll never tell," Amethyst smirked as she flipped her bangs.

"It's because she shakes it all out of her hair," Garnet explained in her stead.

"Like a dog?" Mabel asked.

"Exactly like a dog."

"And it's never failed me yet," Amethyst crossed her arms. "Hey, Stan, you sure you don't want in on this braid train? I mean, you don't really got a lot of hair anymore, but I'm sure I could make something out of it."

"Amethyst, cut it out!" Stan smacked her hand away when she reached for his hair. "You too, Mabel." He was just as quick to shove his niece's hand back as he nodded toward the TV. "The news is finally on."

Everyone turned their attention to the top story of the night as Shandra Jimenez began to report. "In a movement that has all of Gravity Falls buzzing, child psychic Gideon Gleeful has taken surprise ownership of the Mystery Shack, previously belonging to area shyster, Stanford Pines." At this, an incriminating photo popped up of Stan, clad in a devil costume and surrounded by flames.

"That picture's taken out of context," Stan quickly pointed out.

The report moved on to an interview segment filmed in front of the tall wire fence that had been built around the shack. "Now that you have the shack, what exactly are you planning on doing with it?" Shandra asked Gideon.

"I have a big announcement to make tomorrow," Gideon flashed a charming grin at the camera. "And I'd cordially like to invite all the good people of Gravity Falls to join me. Free admission to anyone who wears their Lil' Gideon pin!" He winked to the camera as he held up one of his self-promoting pins. "It's my face!"

"How tacky," Garnet dryly commented.

"I just can't believe Gideon beat us," Dipper sighed, discouraged. "Normally I'm able to save the day, but this time? I have no idea what to do! This is all my fault."

"What? No it's not," Steven said, frowning sympathetically. "There really wasn't much that any of us could have done to stop Gideon from breaking into the shack. And there's not really a whole lot we can do to stop him now either."

"Steven's right," Mabel agreed, jumping to her feet. "But don't worry, Dipper! I guess this just means that Mabel's gonna have to be the new hero of the family now! I'll defeat Gideon with my… grappling hook!" With a daring grin, she pulled the tool out and held it aloft for everyone to see.

"Mabel, no offense, but that grappling hook has only ever helped us out once," Dipper bluntly noted.

"Soon to be twice," Mabel corrected. "Those crazy thorn plants at Rose's fountain were no match for this bad boy, and neither will Gideon. Just watch this!"

She took aim at the temple gate, hoping to snag one of the smaller rocks surrounding it, only to catch a much larger one instead. As the grappling hook sent the stone hurdling back at the group on the loft, Garnet took action, deflecting it with a single punch that sent its shattered pieces spilling all over the house.

"See what I mean?" Dipper rolled his eyes. "That thing usually causes more harm than help."

"That's just because I wasn't aiming right," Mabel protested. "Let me just try again and-"

"O-ok!" Pearl cut in with a forced grin. "Why don't we put that away and everyone heads onto bed now, hm?"

"Aw, already?" Steven pouted. "But we're having so much fun!"

"I don't know if 'fun' is the word I would use to describe any of this," Stan said, scowling.

"Can't you guys just hang out with us a little longer?" Steven implored the Gems as they began to head out. "I'm sure we would all feel better after some jokes or a story or something. Please?"

"Alright," Garnet surprised everyone as she returned to the loft and took a seat on the bed. Steven climbed up onto her lap, as the twins moved to sit alongside Amethyst and Pearl. "I have a story for you kids. It's about Alexandrite."

While Amethyst let out an excited squeal, Pearl blushed as she gaped at Garnet in surprise. "A-Alexandrite? Garnet, are we really going to tell them about… her?"

"Sure," Garnet shrugged. "It'll help them feel better."

"Who's Alexandrite?" Mabel asked, confused.

"She's only a complete and total boss!" Amethyst exclaimed, beaming brightly.

"You all remember Opal and Sugilite, right?" Pearl asked. "Well, Alexandrite is… sort of like them. Only… bigger."

"A lot bigger," Amethyst added.

"Alexandrite is the fusion of myself, Pearl, and Amethyst," Garnet explained properly. "She is very massive and very powerful."

"Plus, she has six arms and can summon, like, all of our weapons!" Amethyst's smile grew even bigger as she took in the awe filling all three of the kids' faces.

"However," Pearl cut in. "As fearsome and formidable as Alexandrite is, she's a bit… unstable. Her true potential can only be realized when the three of us fuse with a singular goal in mind. Anything else and… well…"

"We fall apart," Garnet concluded.

"Wait, so all three of you can fuse at the same time?" Dipper asked, immensely curious. "But how? I thought only two Gems could fuse at a time."

"Nah, man," Amethyst countered. "There's no limit to how many of us can mash it up at once!"

"Please," Stan scoffed, far more skeptical than any of the kids. "This 'Alexandrite' broad sounds like she's nothing but a big fairy tale to me. Then again, you three are like something out of a nutso fairy tale by yourselves, so maybe she isn't too far out there."

"Well, I think Alexandrite sounds amazing!" Steven exclaimed, stars in his eyes. "Can we meet her? Right now?"

"Yeah!" Mabel zealously agreed. "If Alexandrite is really as big and strong as you guys are saying, then I bet she'd be able to go down to the shack, beat the snot out of Gideon, and get the deed back, no problem!"

"Whoa, that's… actually a pretty good idea," Dipper said, surprised.

And yet, for as short and sensible of a plan as it may have seemed, the Gems weren't quite on board with it. "Oh, well, we would love to help, kids, but… we really only fuse during deadly situations," Pearl said, frowning. "And losing the Mystery Shack to Gideon… really isn't one."

"Hey, it is to me!" Stan protested. "Without that dusty old shack, I'm making zero profits! That's the deadliest situation imaginable!"

"Eh, you'll live," Garnet said, shrugging.

"Don't be so down, you guys!" Amethyst encouraged as she hopped off the loft. Garnet and Pearl followed along not far behind, ready to turn into the temple for the night. "At least you get to chill here for a while. 'Sides, what's Gideon really gonna do with the shack anyway? Paint it blue like he did the temple? Come on."

"We'll have more time to discuss a more realistic plan tomorrow," Pearl assured. "In the meantime, good night, kids. And uh… you too, Stan, I suppose."

Stan could only roll his eyes as the Gems disappeared inside the temple on such an unsatisfying note. "Whelp, I should've guessed those three wouldn't be any help," he said, crossing his arms.

"Aw, well… I bet the Gems will help you guys out however they can," Steven offered the Pines a small, hopeful smile. "And I'll help too! Don't get me wrong, I love that you guys are staying here, but I already miss going down to the Mystery Shack and seeing all the great stuff there!"

"Yeah… Same here…" Mabel let out a homesick sigh. "I mean, the temple is great and everything, but it's a lot different than the musty, weird, creakiness of the shack."

"Not to mention it's a lot cleaner here," Dipper deadpanned. Even so, his worried frown betrayed his sarcasm. "But still, you guys are right. For as old and rundown as it is, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it too."

"And that's why we gotta get it back," Stan said, resolved. His verve was suddenly broken, however, when Lion suddenly swiped his fez clean off his head, claiming it as his newest toy. How fitting that something else be stolen from him without any sort of warning at all today. "The sooner we get it back and get out of this nuthouse, the better."

---

The next morning saw a huge crowd coming out to Mystery Shack on Gideon's invitation alone. An air of excitement hung over that crowd, with everyone eagerly awaiting whatever their favorite town icon had to say.

"Gideon is the psychic-est!" Lazy Susan exclaimed, delighted. "He guessed the secret ingredient to my coffee omelet!"

"The kid was able to predict how many games there are at Funland Arcade without even counting 'em!" Mr. Smiley added, also quite impressed. "I don't even know how many games I got in there!"

"Somehow he knew about my secret birthmark!" Toby Determined awkwardly wailed.

"His hair is very poofy and soft," Nanefua noted, smiling. "I wonder what conditioner he uses."

"Is that why we are here instead of at work, where we should be?" Kofi fixed his mother with an impatient scowl. "Because if so, this is a waste of valuable pizza making time-"

He was abruptly cut off as Manly Dan let out a loud, boisterous shout right beside him. "I love that child psychic so much!" he cried, pulling Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland into a sudden hug.

"Y-you're chokin' me!" Blubs gasped for air against Dan's tight hold.

"G-grandma, is that you?" Durland asked, his face turning purple.

The townsfolk only continued to praise Gideon as they waited for the promised show to begin. As distracted as they were, none of them noticed another group blending into the back of the crowd. Knowing they wouldn't be welcomed otherwise, the Pines, Soos, and Steven made sure to don disguises, even if they weren't exactly the most discreet.

"Just gonna say it," Mabel smiled as she fiddled with her faux mustache.. "I don't know what we're doing here, but I'm loving these fake mustaches!"

"It's like a tiny little caterpillar on top of my lip!" Steven happily patted his own stache.

"Dudes, if anyone asks, I'm not Soos," Soos pointed to his hat, which sure enough read 'Not Soos'.

"Guys, can we at least try to take this seriously?" Dipper asked, unamused.

"All of you, shut your yaps," Stan scolded, nodding up to the makeshift stage. "It's starting."

A hush fell over the crowd as Gideon took the stage, sending his audience a broad, triumphant grin. "Ladies and gentlemen! Today I am delighted to announce my plans for the former Mystery Shack! I give you…. Gideonland!"

With a dramatic flourish, he unveiled a scale model of, of all things, an amusement park, complete with rides, signs, and even a towering statue of Gideon to top it all off. While the crowd roared with excited cheers, the group gathered at the back could only share silent shock over what Gideon had planned.

"That's right, folks!" he proudly proclaimed. "We're gonna turn this dirty ol' shack into three square miles of Gideon-tertainment! And, if all goes well, then we're even lookin' to expand up the hill a bit…" His smile took a more spiteful turn as he stole a greed glance up toward the temple. "Now, allow me to introduce our new mascot: Lil' Gideon Jr!"

"Lil' Gideon Jr." turned out to be Waddles, clad head to toe in a Gideon costume, complete with a suit and white wig. While he looked completely miserable, Gideon hardly seemed to care as he exclaimed, "Boom! He's a Pig!"

"Waddles!" Mabel cried, distraught at the sight of what her beloved pet had been reduced to. "You monster!"

"Alright, that's it!" Stan shouted, hotly throwing off his disguise. The others did the same, following Stan as he charged through the crowd and onto the stage. "Listen up, people!" he shouted, furious. "Gideon's a fraud! This kid broke into the shack and stole my property!"

"Arrest him, officers!" Mabel fiercely commanded.

"Yeah!" Dipper added, knocking the nearby podium over to further their point.

"Such accusations!" Gideon gasped, feigning innocence. "Stanford, I recall that you gave the property to me. Look, I have the deed right here!" He pulled the document out of his suit, showing it off to the crowd as evidence–all without so much as mentioning that he'd stolen it in the first place.

"Well, that's all the proof I need to see," Blubs concluded, shrugging.

"We love you, Lil' Gideon! Sing them funny songs!" Durland exclaimed with an oblivious grin.

"Wait!" Steven cried as he joined the Pines on stage. "Gideon's lying! He really did steal the deed to the Mystery Shack! I was there when it happened; we all were!"

"Y-yeah!" Stan exclaimed, nodding. "What the kid said!"

To Gideon's surprise, a mummer of doubt began to ripple through the crowd at this. And he didn't like any of what he was hearing from it:

"Huh… that Universe kid seems pretty certain about this."

"I've never heard a lie from Steven before…"

"Yeah, he's so honest. Maybe he's the right one here…"

Gideon hadn't anticipated Steven's reputation to precede him like this. Which was why he was quick to jump in and save his own skin before this got too far. "Oh ho ho! Certainly you must be misrememberin', Steven, my dear friend," Gideon forced a sharp smile onto his face as he threw an arm around Steven's shoulder. "Then again, it must be hard for you to keep track of what's what when you're always runnin' off on adventures with those Gem compatriots of yours. Spending time with rocks probably knocks the ol' noggin around a bit. You know what I'm sayin', folks?"

The crowd eased up at this joke, sharing a laugh–one that was almost entirely at the expense of Steven and the Gems. "B-but I-" Steven's protests were cut off when Gideon suddenly snapped his fingers. On his command, two burly thugs marched onto the stage to round up the "rabble". Despite their struggle, the guards easily grabbed the Pines, Soos, and Steven before leading them away. Though not before Gideon flaunted his victory over Stan one more time.

"Now, get off my property, old man!" he shouted as he slapped one of his pins onto Stan's lapel.

"I'll show you who's the old man!" Stan challenged. Only for his hearing aid to undermine him with a harsh screech at the worst possible time. "Ow! My hearing aid!"

"Thanks for visiting Gideonland!" Gideon cheerfully called out after the group as his thugs dragged them away. "Don't come back, I don't care for ya'll."

In no time at all, the guards tossed the group onto the other side of the chain-link fence surrounding the property. For good measure, they made sure to stand by just to make sure that the "intruders" wouldn't try to sneak in again. Not that they even considered the thought after just how badly their first attempt had gone.

"Well, that was a disaster," Stan said with a defeated scowl.

"My poor, precious Waddles," Mabel lamented. "Subjected to that kind of humiliation! What did that adorable little angel ever do to deserve this?"

"It's ok, you guys," Dipper encouraged, resting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "We'll get the shack back somehow."

"Yeah!" Steven supportively agreed. "And until then, you're always welcome up at the temple! There's no way Gideon could steal that too… right?"

"Uh, don't look now, dudes, but…" Soos nodded up towards the temple hill. At its base, billboards were already being put in place advertising "Future Gideonland Expansion Site." A troubling sign on top of everything else that had already happened.

A sign that this storm was about to somehow get even worse if they couldn't find a way to stop it.

---

"And then he had these really beefy guys drag us away, all before anyone could hear what really happened," Steven filled the Gems in on the morning's events. "And he's even started putting up signs that he's gonna try to take the temple too!"

"What?" Pearl and Amethyst exchanged a baffled look. Garnet, on the other hand, let out a soft sneer as she leaned back in her seat.

"Don't worry," she assured her teammates. "Even if Gideon stood a chance at taking the house, he can't get into the temple without one of our gemstones. The bubbled Gems inside are all safe."

"Well, that's a relief," Pearl sighed. "Still, the fact that he's even considering making a claim for the temple at all is… concerning."

"Concerning enough for you guys to do something to help us stop him?" Dipper asked leadingly, hopefully. "Like, oh, I dunno, fuse?"

"No," Garnet rejected the idea outright.

"Garnet's right," Pearl nodded. "We need to come up with a simpler, easier, and less… gigantic way of handling this situation."

"We could always just beat the little loser up without fusing," Amethyst suggested, shrugging. "That kid's just asking for a good punch in the face after everything he's pulled lately."

"We're not going down there to beat a child up, Amethyst," Garnet shook her head. "Even if that child is as annoying as, well, Gideon."

"So what can we do?" Mabel asked, frowning. "Don't get me wrong; staying up here with you guys is great, really, but I'm running out of room to store all my sweaters!" She nodded to Steven's cramped closet, filled to the brim with her vast collection of sweaters.

"What's Stan gonna tell Mom and Dad?" Dipper asked. "Chances are they're probably not gonna like hearing that we got booted out of the shack and we're all technically kind of homeless now." The deep worry written all over his face was equally matched by Mabel as soon as she heard him pose this question. One that reminded them both of exactly what they both agreed upon only a few days prior, of how there was even more they could stand to lose.

"You guys aren't homeless! Your home is here with us!" Steven chimed in with an understanding smile. "Well, for now at least. Right, guys?"

He turned to the Gems, only to be met with an exchange of uncertain glances. While none of them wanted to admit it, this arrangement was only a short-term solution to a much bigger problem. A problem that nobody, not even the Gems, had the faintest idea how to truly solve.

"And besides," Steven continued nonetheless. "I'm sure Mr. Pines will think of something to tell your parents. He's good at-"

"Lying?" Pearl offered.

"Well, I was gonna say coming up with stuff…"

"Yeah," Amethyst chuckled. "That's pretty much what lying is in a nutshell."

This proved to be just enough to lighten the mood as the other Gems and the kids shared a short laugh. And yet, none of them would have laughed if they could hear the very serious, very severe phone call happening on the porch right outside.

"Uncle Stan, are you sure everything's ok? I heard about what happened with you losing the shack and everything, and I'm just worried about-"

"Don't worry," Stan staunchly, sternly told his nephew. "The kids are fine. I, uh…" He paused, briefly frowning up at the temple behind him before he continued with a smooth, simple lie. "I put 'em up in this amazing four-star hotel! Real ritzy place. Plenty of space for them to run around, and uh… there's even a fancy statue right outside for them to play on!"

"Oh. Well… that sounds nice. But are they-"

Stan winced when he heard a much harsher, angrier voice chiming in the background on the other end of the line. "You tell that no-account crook of an uncle of yours that we did not send our only children all the way up there only for them to be living out on the street! It's bad enough they had to stay in that filthy, probably termite-infested shack in the first place… Of all the ridiculous, asinine things you've managed to come up with, shipping them up there to spend the summer with him takes the cake."

"Uh… o-ok, honey. I'll tell him-"

"Yeesh," Stan dryly cut in. "Your wife's still as much of a 'ray of sunshine' as I remember her being."

"Uncle Stan…"

"What? I'm not wrong."

"She's just trying to look out for Dipper and Mabel and so am I. They have enough to eat, right?"

"Uh, s-sure," Stan lied once more. "We've got… plenty to eat."

It wasn't entirely untrue; Greg kept the temple's fridge well-stocked for Steven. But for three more on top of him, not so much. Stan knew he couldn't very well ask his former employee to pay for his groceries; his pride wouldn't allow it. But with most of his savings still hidden in various nooks and crannies in the shack, there weren't too many options left. Not that he'd ever let anyone, especially not the twins, know that.

"Uncle Stan, I'm still not so sure the kids should stay-"

"Relax," Stan quickly cut his nephew off before he could finish that thought. "If I thought I couldn't take care of these kids, I'd send them back right away."

His nephew didn't say anything for a moment or two, leaving Stan in suspense. In the end, he narrowly suppressed a sigh of relief when he heard him say, "Alright, if you say so. But if anything changes, if things take a turn for the worse, then you can always send them back home."

"Yeah…" Stan agreed, softly and sadly. "I… I know."

"Keep us posted, please. Talk to you soon."

"Right," Stan barely managed to bid his nephew a farewell. He hung the phone up, heaving another sigh as he set his sights on the Mystery Shack. It was just a short walk down the hill, but it still somehow felt miles out of his reach.

As much as he might have wanted to blame Gideon for this mess, Stan knew he could only really blame himself. He should have been more careful, should have taken Gideon's threats and schemes far more seriously than he had. Maybe if he had, they'd all still be safe and secure at the shack. Maybe if he had, the future would look as uncertain as it did.

Maybe if he had, he wouldn't have to do the impossible. To do what was best for the twins, even if it wasn't what was best for him.

---

The fireplace in the shack's parlor burned bright as it consumed the Pines' family photo Gideon tossed into it. He chuckled wickedly as he watched his foes "burn" before turning his attention back to the second journal. He was quickly distracted, however, by Waddles' latest attempt to escape out the window.

That attempt was put to a swift end as Gideon harshly blew his whistle. "You! Back to your corner!" he ordered, and the terrified pig complied. Satisfied that he'd stay put, Gideon began leafing through the journal, paying his father no mind as he entered the room with his reclaimed sad clown painting.

"I've been meanin' to ask you, boy," Bud began. "Shouldn't you be celebratin' instead of sticking your head in that there book all day?"

"Father," Gideon coldly turned to him, holding the journal tight. "Have I ever told you the true nature of this book? It was written many years ago by a brilliant, unknown author who learned secrets too powerful for one man. He hid his journals where he thought no one would ever find 'em, because he knew that if the journals were ever brought together, they would unleash a gateway to unimaginable power!"

A greedy, ambitious grin filled Gideon's face as he set his sights back on the journal and all of the secrets it still held. Secrets that he was closer to uncovering now more than ever before. "Codes and maps have led me to believe that the other book is buried somewhere on this very property, and I intend to find it!"

"So that's why you wanted the Mystery Shack," Bud inferred.

"Exactly," Gideon nodded, grabbing a nearby shovel. "It's time to begin the search for the other journal! And once I find it, not only will this town finally belong to me, but I'll also be able to get rid of the only ones who could possibly get in my way: the Crystal Gems!"

Gideon's sinister laughter filled the shack as he held the second journal aloft. Once he secured the first volume, he'd have the key to all the power he could ever hope for. All the power he'd ever need to crush the Crystal Gems, or anyone else for that matter, who dared to stand in his way, once and for all.

---

"Ok, Amethyst, it's your turn," Steven said. With little else to do, the kids had taken to passing the time with a board game. While Steven hoped it would do at least a little to cheer Dipper and Mabel up, things quickly took a turn in a much more peculiar direction once the Gems joined in.

"Aw, sweet!" Amethyst grinned at her card. "I got another dare one. Quick! Someone throw out a dare! Whatever it is, I'll totally do it!"

"I dare you to body slam the table right now!" Mabel challenged.

"You're on!"

"Now hold on just a minute! You're not-" Pearl tried to stop her, to no avail. With a mischievous laugh, Amethyst leapt high into the air before coming down onto the coffee table, sending its broken pieces scattering across the house.

"Yeah! I win again!" Amethyst cheered, laying in the mess she'd made.

"I'll say you did," Garnet said, brushing splinters off her shoulder.

"Uh, maybe we should play something a little less… destructive?" Dipper suggested, frowning.

Before they could move onto a different game, however, the front door swung open as Connie rushed inside. "Alright, everyone!" She stepped up to the loft with a notebook in hand. "I've been spending the past few days researching property law to see if Gideon could steal the Mystery Shack just by taking the deed."

"Oh my gosh, Connie, that's great!" Dipper exclaimed, perking up. "I didn't even think about that! There's gotta be some kind of law that makes what Gideon's doing totally illegal, right?"

"Um… actually," Connie frowned as she glanced away. "The laws in Gravity Falls are sort of weird. Turns out a deed is all you need to take ownership of a property. Well, that and proof that you don't have a taste for human blood, which… yeah, I don't know how they go about proving that."

"Aw, man!" Mabel groaned. "What are laws even good for in the first place?!"

"Come on, you sad sacks," Amethyst made an attempt at encouraging the kids. "This mess isn't over yet. I'm sure if we all knock our heads together, we'll come up with something!"

"Uh, actually… about that…" Stan cleared his throat as he stepped into the kitchen. "Kids, we gotta talk." The forlorn look on his face alone was enough to tell them he came bearing bad news. But nothing could have ever prepared any of them for what he had to say next.

"Look, I've been thinking and… I can't take care of you anymore. I don't have a house or a job or too much of anything else really. The plan is… you're goin' home. Your bus leaves tomorrow. Here are your tickets."

With a remorseful sigh, he lay a pair of bus tickets on what was left of the table. At first, no one said anything, as shocked as they all were by such a sudden, terrible turn of events. Still, that didn't mean Dipper and Mabel weren't the first to try and change their uncle's mind. Especially when the thought of going home, going back to their parents, so soon was all but unthinkable to either of them.

"Grunkle Stan, you can't give up!" Dipper protested. It took almost everything he had in him to not come across as too distraught in front of so many others. Even if he absolutely was. "There's still time for us to figure this out."

"Seriously, Stan!" Amethyst adamantly agreed. "I've known you for a long time and I've never seen you just throw in the towel like this!"

"That's true," Pearl nodded. "I hate to admit this, Stan, but if there's one thing you're not, it's a quitter."

"Please don't send us home, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel pleaded, nearly in tears as she tugged on his sleeve. "There's still so much summer fun left for us to have here in Gravity Falls! It can't end just like that!"

"Look, I lost, ok?" Stan forced himself to look away from the twins. If only because he knew he wouldn't be able to bear the grief weighing heavy on both of their faces. "The best thing for you both is for you to be with your parents. Sorry, kids. Gideon won. Summer's over."

On that note, he headed out, trying his best not to fall to pieces, not now, not yet, not in front of the twins. A dense silence filled the house, one that was only broken when Mabel let out a soft sniffle. As a few eyes fell on her, she quickly wiped her face dry, but the sorrow on her face still hung as heavy as the anger brewing over Dipper's.

"'The best thing is for you to be with your parents'," he quoted Stan with a bitter scoff. "Yeah, right. Being with them is just about the last thing we need…" He dropped his voice down to a near whisper as he struggled to hold back his frustrated tears. That struggle only became even harder when he felt a hand resting on his shoulder. As it turned out, Steven was standing between the twins, silently offering what little comfort he could to them both.

Likewise, the Gems were just as quick to swoop in and offer up their sympathies. "Oh, we're so sorry, kids," Pearl began with a sincerely sad frown. "I don't understand why Stan thinks he needs to do this. We already made it very clear that you both are allowed to stay here for as long as you need to."

"It's because Stan's being a stupid quitter, that's why," Amethyst growled as she kicked the crumbled table before her.

"You guys can't just go!" Steven shook his head. "It feels like we just met a few weeks ago!"

"It was just a few weeks ago, Steven," Dipper glumly pointed out.

"Yeah, but still, you can't leave so soon!" Steven turned to the Gems, practically pleading. "Isn't there something, anything we can do to keep this from happening?!"

The Gems exchanged a brief glance, but it was clear they were at just as much of a loss as the kids were. Garnet could only let out a small sigh as she rested her hands on the twins' shoulders. "Dipper, Mabel," she began gently, earnestly. "The last thing any of us want to see is for either of you to go… But in the end, this isn't our choice, or even yours. It's Stan's. And if his choice is to send you home then… you'll have to accept that. All of us will have to accept that." She finished off by looking to her teammates first, then to Steven and Connie.

And unfortunately, as much as they might want to argue or protest, they all knew she was right.

Amethyst and Pearl could only hang their heads in defeat as they followed Garnet over to the temple gate. While they had nothing more to say, Garnet did have one final thing to tell them. One final way to impart hope in them where there wasn't much left. "Again, we're sorry," she stopped just shy of the door, glancing back at the kids with a small, knowing smile. "But remember: even if Stan has given up, that doesn't mean you have to."

With that, the Gems left them alone to soak in what she had just said. Once again, her wisdom proved sound. Even if Stan didn't see a light at the tunnel, that didn't mean they couldn't find it instead. After all, together they'd managed to do the impossible before; they'd just have to do it again.

"Ok, Mabel, that's enough!" Dipper exclaimed with newfound resolve. "Garnet's right. If Stan won't get our home back from Gideon, then we'll have to do it ourselves!"

"Yeah!" Mabel readily cheered.

"Count us in too!" Connie exclaimed, smiling. "Between the four of us, there's bound to be a way to get the shack back!"

"We'll do whatever we can to help!" Steven proclaimed brightly. "Nobody can break the four of us up! Know why? Cause we're…" He trailed off, hoping that the others would follow his lead, but they didn't. "Uh, this is the part where we're all supposed to cheer 'Mystery Kids'."

"Oh…" The others quickly got with the program, letting out a hearty, unified, "Mystery Kids!"

"With the four of us working together, this'll be a piece of cake!" Mabel said, confident. "And besides, Gideon may have the upper hand, but we have something that he doesn't."

"The journal!" Dipper proclaimed as he held the book up.

"A grappling hook!" Mabel declared at the same time as she presented her own tool. She awkwardly changed her tune when she caught the odd look the others were sending her way. "Oh, right. The… the journal. Journal!"

---

Early the next morning, the kids set out on what might've been their most important mission yet. With the rest of the summer on the line, they knew they had to act, and fast. To that end, they began with a stakeout, hiding in the shrubs surrounding the shack in the hopes of finding some way in. The sight of the ongoing construction on "Gideonland" was intimidating enough on its own; hopefully, it'd come to a swift end if they had anything to do about it.

"Alright," Dipper began. "The bus that'll take us out of Gravity Falls comes at sundown. If we wanna stay in town, we've got to get past those guards, make it through the fence, and get Gideon to hand over that deed."

"Sounds easier said than done…" Connie frowned up at the towering fence.

"Don't worry, guys!" Mabel whipped her grappling hook out again. "Just leave that to Mabel! Wa-chaw!" Without paying any attention to her aim, she fired, letting the hook strike a tree before it ricochet back and struck Dipper squarely in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Ow!" He glared at his sister as he picked himself up, rubbing the sore spot on his head. "Now will you admit that grappling hook is useless?!"

"Nope!"

"So how are we gonna get over that fence?" Steven got the group back on track. "Are we gonna build a catapult and fling ourselves over it? Because I've always wanted to use a catapult!"

"What? No," Dipper shook his head. "We're gonna use this, remember?" He pulled the journal out, leafing through it as the others gathered around to get a better look. "Now, what can we use to defeat Gideon? Let's see… abominable bro-man?"

"Yeah!" Mabel and Steven excitedly agreed.

"Nope," Dipper quickly turned the idea down. "Butternut squash with a human face and emotions?"

"What?" Connie asked, bewildered.

"Yeah!"

"No," Dipper rolled his eyes. He flipped to yet another page, one that caught everyone's attention.

"Whoa, what's all that?" Connie asked, eyeing the complex, intricate design filling the parchment.

"I honestly have no idea," Dipper admitted with a frown. "I've stared at this page for hours. It seems like a blueprint to build some kind of strange futuristic super-weapon-"

"Boring!" Mabel interrupted. "To get rid of those guards, we need some kind of army."

"Wait a minute!" Dipper gasped as an idea suddenly struck him. "An army! Mabel, that's it! The gnomes!" He flipped to the entry on the tiny men, holding it up for the others to see.

"Uh…" Mabel tugged at the collar of her sweater, exchanging an uncomfortable glance with Connie.

"I don't know about that…" she said, wincing at the harrowing memory of their capture.

Steven, on the other hand, was much more supportive of the idea. "Hey, that could actually work!" he said, smiling. "There are so many gnomes out in the woods that Gideon wouldn't know what to do with them all! Plus, they're really, really stubborn to boot."

"Well, you're not wrong about that," Connie flatly agreed. "But after what happened a few weeks ago, what makes you think they'll even want to help us?"

Dipper smirked as he closed the journal. If there was any time for all of the lessons Stan had taught him and Mabel about persuasion, it was now. "I'm sure we'll think of something…"

---

Fortunately, the mystical forest that the gnomes called home wasn't too far of a hike from the shack. Still, the kids kept their guard up as they ventured into the cove. They had every reason to after just how violent their first confrontation with the gnomes had turned.

"I gotta admit, I never thought we'd ever come back here on purpose," Connie said, keeping a close look out for any tiny, prying eyes.

"I wonder what gnomes do out here all alone in the forest?" Mabel mused. She quickly got an answer to that question, though it was far from a pleasant one. Because there, sitting in a bathtub filled to the brim with scurrying squirrels, was Jeff. He happily relaxed in his "squirrel bath", until he noticed the group of kids watching on in shocked disgust.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, alarmed. "This… this is normal. This is normal for gnomes." To prove his point, he scrubbed his armpit with one of the many squirrels running around in the tub. The kids could only exchange a repulsed glance, unsure of what to say or do. Fortunately, Jeff filled in the awkward silence for them.

"Well, well, well," he cracked a broad smirk, reclining in his tub. "Look who came crawling back. Take five, Chris," he said to one of the countless squirrels, which hopped out of the tub. "The rest of you guys keep doin' what you're doin'. So, you ladies changed your mind about marrying us, eh?"

"Ew, hardly!" Mabel nearly gagged. "We just need your help. And seriously, ew!"

"You want our help?!" Jeff asked hotly. "After you both left us at the altar? No dice!"

"Oh, come on," Connie huffed, annoyed. "How could you have expected either one of us to marry any of you after you captured us and tied us up?"

"What?" Jeff shrugged, defensive. "That's a customary gnome courtship ritual! We'd have broken years of tradition if we hadn't done that!"

"Even if it was tradition, it was still super mean of you guys," Steven spoke up. "And so was forming a giant super gnome to chase us all through the woods, by the way."

"Oh look, it's that Gem kid again," Jeff dryly noted. "Are those three knockouts you live with still playing hard to get?"

"Uh, yeah… Pearl's still mad about the last time you guys tried to sneak into her room and sing that love song to her."

"Hey, not all our plans can be winners," Jeff admitted before he turned back to Mabel and Connie. "We're still short one queen here, no matter how you cut it. So, are either of you dolls gonna marry us, or what?"

"Uh, no, that's not happening," Connie firmly shook her head. "Ever."

"Aw, but why not?!"

"Because… because we can get you a new queen!" Mabel cut in, rolling with her sudden idea. "One that's even more beautiful than me or Connie!"

"Oh yeah!" Dipper added, catching Mabel's drift. "Her name is Gideon, and she has lovely white hair."

"Huh?" Steven asked, confused. "But Gideon's not a-"

"Shh!" Connie slapped a hand over his mouth just in time.

"Whoa, mature woman, huh?" Jeff asked, intrigued. "Hey, Shmebulock! Get my cologne!"

"Shmebulock!" The gnome in question proclaimed, carrying in a bottle of cologne that was almost as big as he was.

"Is Shmebulock all you can say?"

"…Shmebulock…" Shmebulock nodded sadly.

Jeff simply shrugged as he turned back to the kids with a broad grin. One that they shared as they realized their plan was coming together perfectly. "It's a deal!"

---

By now, construction on Gideonland was in full swing. Not that Gideon was devoting much of his attention to it. He was far more focused on his first and foremost goal instead: finding the other journal.

"Where are you, journal?" Gideon muttered to himself. He started digging another hole next to the countless empty ones he had made on the fringes of the property. A testament to just how fruitless his search had been thus far. "Where are you!?"

"Boy, I hate to interrupt you," Bud cut in as he approached his son. "But you have some guests."

"What?" Gideon scowled over at the fence. To his surprise, Dipper, Mabel, Steven, and Connie were all gathered just outside of it.

"Give us the deed to the shack, Gideon!" Dipper demanded. "Or else!"

Gideon rolled his eyes, refusing to take them seriously. "Oh, I'm just shakin'. Am I supposed to say 'or else what'?"

"Yes, you are supposed to say that!" Mabel exclaimed before she called out to what was hiding in the nearby woods. "Now!"

At this, the kids cleared out of the way to allow the gnomes to take over. They stormed out of the forest, riding atop various woodland creatures as they easily tore through the fence. Gideon cried out in alarm as even more gnomes appeared on top of the shack, aiming their pointy hats straight at him. Unable to escape, there was little Gideon could do as the kids pressed in to confront him.

"Nice work, you guys!" Steven rewarded a handful of gnomes with a bag of chips. "You all did great! It just goes to show that teamwork always works!"

"Where'd you hear that one from?" Connie asked, chuckling.

"I made it up!"

"It's over, Gideon," Dipper sternly said. "You're surrounded by an unstoppable gnome army. Now give us back our deed and get off our property!"

"And let the marriage ceremony begin!" Jeff declared from atop his deer steed.

To everyone's surprise, Gideon seemed to cave under the pressure almost immediately. "Very well," he sighed, reaching into his suit. "I suppose this deed belongs to-" He stopped short as he pulled a whistle out instead of the deed. When he blew it, its high-pitched tone sent shockwaves through the gnomes as they fell from their formations, frantically covering their ears against the harsh noise. "Ha! What do you know? It works on gnomes too!" Gideon chuckled as he blew the whistle again.

"Stop!" Jeff pleaded as he bowed in submission before Gideon. "We'll do anything! How can we serve you, your majesty, the most beautiful girl we've ever seen?!"

"I am not a girl!"

"Really? But your skin is so soft. Do you moisturize or-"

"Subdue them!" Gideon fiercely ordered. The gnomes were quick to comply, charging for the kids as they easily outnumbered and captured all four of them. Gideon smugly laughed as he watched his foes struggle in vain, relishing how the odds had been turned back in his favor. "I have to admit, ya'll, I am impressed by your creativity! How did you ever manage this little scheme?"

"We just bribed them," Connie bluntly explained.

Before anyone could say another word, Steven suddenly caught everyone off guard with a startled gasp. "Oh no! Connie, you're hurt!" he exclaimed, eyeing the small cut on her cheek their scuffle with the gnomes had left her with. "Here, I can fix it! Just let me…" He trailed off, licking his hand as he tried to reach past the gnomes to get to Connie. Only to stop short when he heard Gideon let out a sharp, appalled scoff.

"Oh, I understand what's goin' on here…" he said with a dark, jealous scowl.

"Huh?" Steven frowned, confused.

"Don't act like you don't know, Universe!" Gideon angrily snapped. "It's clear to see that you're nothing but a two-timing, womanizing scoundrel!"

"…What?"

"Just look at yourself! Cheatin' on poor Mabel right in front of her with–I'm so sorry, darlin', remind me of your name again?"

"Connie?" she raised an eyebrow when he glanced her way.

"Connie, right," Gideon nodded, his scowl returning as he looked back at Steven. "You oughta be ashamed of yourself. Just goes to show that Mabel should've chosen me instead of you."

"Cheating?" Steven shook his head, bewildered. Likewise, Mabel and Connie exchanged a truly baffled glance, wondering how in the world Gideon could have jumped such a drastic conclusion. "What are you talking about? I'm not with-"

"Oh, and don't think I haven't forgotten about that little stunt you tried to pull at my openin' ceremony the other day!" Gideon smirked smugly as he got in Steven's face. "You almost had me worried there for a moment, tryin' to convince the townsfolk of the 'truth', but in the end, you should have known it was destined to fail. Face it, Universe; this town may like you, but they love widdle ol' me."

"Ok, that's enough!" Dipper cut in, thoroughly agitated by this point. "Lay off Steven already, Gideon! He didn't do anything wrong, unlike you-" He cut himself off while trying to pull himself away from the gnomes' surprisingly tight grip. "Come on, let go!" He continued to struggle, not even noticing what suddenly slipped out of his vest until it hit the ground with a thud.

"No, could it be?!" Gideon gasped at the sight of the alarmingly familiar book. A book bound in the same weathered burgundy and gold as the one in his possession. "It is!" He readily claimed it, flipping through its pages to confirm it was true. "Of course! It all makes sense!"

Gideon laughed as he held the journal far out of Dipper's reach, not that he could have taken it anyway with the gnomes still holding him back. "The one place I'd never think to look!" Gideon triumphantly taunted. "You had it the whole time! And to think I actually considered you a threat!"

"No!" Dipper protested, desperate to get the journal back. Because to lose anything, especially something as important as that, to Gideon now was all but unthinkable. Even as it was becoming a reality right before his eyes. "Give it back!"

"Every victory you had was because of your precious book!"

"Give it back, or I'll-"

"Or you'll what, boy?" Gideon challenged. He held the journal painfully close to Dipper, and yet, it was still so far out of his reach. "You'll what? Huh? Huh?! No muscles, no brains. Face it! You're nothin' without this!"

With that, he starkly pulled the journal away as he pointed the gnomes to the hole in the fence they'd made. Another blow of his whistle was all it took to get them to haul the kids off, leaving him with yet another stolen prize. "Bye, bye forever, ya'll!"

"No!" Dipper shouted one last time. But even then, he knew it was pointless. As the gnomes dragged them off, the journal stayed put in Gideon's hands. The last thing that could have stopped this, one of the final shreds of hope they had left–taken away. Just like everything else, it seemed.

The gnomes finally dropped them off just beyond the fence, not bothering to stick around much longer than that. "Next time, do your own dirty work," Jeff sullenly told the kids. "Come on, boys!" At this call, three squirrels ran to him and jumped into his pants right before he scampered off. The other gnomes followed after him, leaving a group of dejected, defeated kids behind.

"Well, that's it," Dipper sighed as he took a seat on a nearby tree stump. "Guess the bus should be here soon."

"What?" Mabel asked. Steven and Connie mirrored her surprise. "Dipper, don't give up! You always have a plan!"

"Yeah!" Steven agreed, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Like the time you figured out how to stop that Gem monster when we were exploring the temple!"

"Or just the other day when you found a way to follow Bill into Mr. Pines' mind," Connie added just as supportively.

"Don't you guys get it?" Dipper asked, making no effort to hide his growing grief. "The journal was what bailed us out both of those times, not me! That's always what has a plan! Gideon was right. The only cool or courageous things I've ever done have been because of that journal. Without it… I can't help us, or Stan, or anyone…"

"B-but… there's gotta be something we can do…" Mabel softly insisted, fighting back tears.

"What can we do?" Dipper could only meet his sister's mournful gaze by sadly shaking his head. They both knew–without even needing to say it aloud–what going home would mean for them. They knew it meant the end, not just of their summer, but of so many other things. The mysteries, the magic, the friendships they'd come to cherish so much in such a short amount of time. They were about to lose it all in one fell swoop, and once they left, there'd be no doubt–

That much like the shack and the journal, they'd never get any of that back.

---

Sunset came far too quickly. And with, came the bus that would take Dipper and Mabel back to California.

A large group gathered at the bus stop to see them off, made up of the friends they'd made so far this summer. There was scarcely a dry eye among them, with plenty of solemn hugs and sad farewells shared. Amethyst could only let out a small, defeated sigh as Pearl struggled to hold her pressing sobs back. A stray tear even slipped out from under Garnet's visor as she promised the twins they'd all meet again someday.

A promise that Dipper and Mabel only wished they could believe.

Saying goodbye to Steven and Connie was the most painful by far. In such a short amount of time, they'd formed such a close and special bond. After everything they'd been through together, it felt like such a waste for them to be split apart so soon. But they knew all too well there was nothing they could do now. Nothing other than tearfully embrace each other, say one final, heartbroken goodbye–

And watch as the Mystery Kids fell apart before their very eyes.

Stan was the last to bid them farewell, bringing a remorseful apology along with it. He didn't have much else to say to the twins after that as he urged them onto the bus. All the while, he tried his hardest not to let his anger, his guilt, his shame get the better of him. There'd be plenty of time to fall apart after they were gone.

It felt like the twins were stepping into another world entirely when they boarded the bus. Its lonely leather seats and grimy exterior would usher them out of this strange, exceptional little town, back to the dull, unextraordinary lives they used to know. Back to the real world, where there were no such things as gnomes or monsters or magical aliens. Back to a home filled with all of the strife they had longed to leave behind.

Maybe that's why they took the back seat of the bus, in the hopes that it'd let them stay in Gravity Falls for just a second longer. From that vantage point, there were able to watch everyone send them one final, tearful wave as the bus pulled away–

And Dipper and Mabel's summer came to an end.

---

"I've got it! I finally got it!" Gideon proclaimed as he burst into the shack with his new journal in tow. He was beside himself with excitement over what he was set to claim now that both of the coveted books were his. "Get out!" He fiercely ordered his parents, who both rushed out of the den without a word.

"It's finally mine!" Gideon rushed over to where he'd left the second journal. "At last, I have journal number-" He sharply cut himself off when he set the new book down, only to find a different number on its cover instead of the 1 he'd been expecting. "Three?! There are three of them?! But where is journal number one!? I must have all three of 'em for the power to be unlocked! Where could it-"

Gideon stopped himself as another realization struck him. "Dipper! He must know where it is! He gave me the third one and kept the first for himself! I can't let him leave Gravity Falls!"

Refusing to let any promise of ultimate power slip through his fingers, Gideon knew what needed to be done. He raced out of the shack with both journals in hand, stopping just shy of the recently-completed statue of himself. "You there!" He shouted up at Old Man McGucket, who had built the impressive machine from the ground up. "Is it ready?!"

"Heh, only one way to find out!" McGucket laughed. He pulled a lever on the statue's head, bringing the complicated machinery inside to life. The statue's–robot's–eyes lit up as it jolted with energy, as sure a sign as ever that it was primed and ready to go.

Gideon had intended for the Crystal Gems to be the first targets of his robot's power. But this would be more than enough of a test run to see what it was capable of. Knowing there wasn't a moment to lose, Gideon entered the bot, putting his motion-sensor suit on in order to take control of the automaton. As designed, it followed his movements as he slammed the Gideonland statue it was holding into the ground. Gideon grinned twistedly as he guided his robot to action, pushing it ahead on its vengeful onslaught to the path heading out of town.

Meanwhile, McGucket stood by, watching with a satisfied smile, unaware of the devastation his creation was about to bring. "I've got a good feeling 'bout that kid!"

---

"Well, Stan, this is it," Stan lamented to himself, his head in his hands. After the bus had left, he'd retreated back to the temple, hoping to distract himself with a bit of TV. Not that anything could really take his mind off of that last, miserable look the twins had sent his way. "Rock bottom. No friends, no family, stuck watching infomercials for whatever that is…"

"Are you sick of piles of owls constantly blocking your driveway? Well then you gotta get Owl Trowel!"

Stan heaved a tired sigh as he set his sights on the Gideon pin sitting on the bed next to him. "How'd you do it, kid?" he asked, picking it up. "Why are you always one step ahead? Maybe he really is a psychic after-"

He stopped short at the sound of another high-pitched, painful whine. "Ah! My hearing aid! What keeps causing that?!" Stan groaned, annoyed. He paused, however, upon staring down to the pin in his hands. Curious, he pulled it closer to his ear, awestruck when his hearing aid screeched yet again. Just like last time. "Wait a minute! That's it! I know Gideon's weakness!"

"Stan," Pearl began as she climbed up onto the loft. "If you're going to be staying here for a while, there's a few ground rules we need to-"

She cut herself off when Stan ran up to her, scarcely able to contain his excitement as he hugged her tight. By the time he let her go and ran out of the house, Pearl could only stand there, equally baffled and repulsed by whatever that was about.

Stan didn't pay Steven or Connie any mind as he rushed past them on the porch before hopping into his car and speeding off. "I wonder where he's going in such a hurry," Connie said, confused.

"Maybe he's going to chase after that bus and bring Dipper and Mabel back…" Steven muttered, slumping against the porch table.

"Aw, Steven," Connie rested a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I miss them too… But look on the bright side; at least we got to say goodbye to them before they left."

"We shouldn't have had to," Steven let out a frustrated huff. "They should have been able to stay here for the rest of the summer, Connie. It's not fair!"

Connie couldn't really argue against that, nor did she want to after losing two of the only friends she really had. "No, I guess you're right," she glanced down, dejected. "It's really not."

"We were supposed to have so much fun together!" Steven continued, distraught. "There were still so many Gem missions and mystery hunts for us to go on! And now they'll never happen… It's over… They're gone…"

"If only we could have done more to help them," Connie said. "Hanging out with you and Dipper and Mabel this summer has made me believe that pretty much anything is possible. That no challenge was too big or too dangerous to get through. But… I guess that isn't always true; even the four of us working together wasn't enough to get us through this time…"

Steven glumly nodded as he rusted his head against the table again. And yet, that table didn't stay still for long as the entire temple began to suddenly shake from its very foundations.

"W-what was that?!" Connie exclaimed, struggling to stay in her chair. That was a battle Steven lost as he was sent tumbling out of his as the ground only continued rumbling violently. It was enough to bring all three of the Gems out of the house, each of them every bit as alarmed as Steven and Connie were.

"Kids, what's going on?!" Pearl asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, what's with all the sha-aking?!" Amethyst tried to ask as another earthquake knocked her off her feet.

Before either Steven or Connie could try to answer, Garnet suddenly let out a strong, warning shout. "Look!" She pointed down at the shack. The group on the porch watched, stunned, as the massive statue built in Gideon's image somehow ran towards the woods. It briefly stopped and spared a glance up at the temple, before it ripped a tree from the ground and brutally threw it their way.

Fortunately, Garnet lept into action just in time, punching the tree in half before it could hurt anyone. Even so, the "Gideonbot" continued on its way, surprisingly not even bothering to launch another attack on them. At least not yet anyway.

"The statue Gideon built down at the shack… I-it's a giant robot?!" Steven asked, aghast.

"We can't let Gideon take that thing into town!" Pearl exclaimed. "Who knows what kind of damage he might cause with something like that!"

"That's not where he's heading," Garnet said. She adjusted her shades as she watched the robot as it disappeared into the woods in the opposite direction of town. "It seems like he's going for the cliffs."

"But why?" Connie asked.

"Hey, maybe he's gonna do us a favor and toss that huge eyesore right off the cliff," Amethyst said, scoffing.

"No," Garnet let out a gap as her future vision provided her with the truth. A very frightening truth at that. "He's going after Dipper and Mabel."

"What?!" Pearl and Amethyst exclaimed, equally shocked.

"Oh no!" Steven cried. "Garnet, are you sure?"

"Positive," Garnet nodded as her hands curled into tight, angry fists.

"W-well we have to stop him!" Connie exclaimed. "He could really hurt them with that thing!"

"You two go on ahead," Garnet told Steven and Connie. "We'll catch up with you soon."

The pair shared a resolved nod, more than ready to do whatever they had to to help their friends. To this end, Steven called upon Lion, knowing they'd need his speed on their side if they ever hoped to catch up to the Gideonbot. "Ok, Lion," he said as he helped Connie onto his pink steed's back. "Let's go save Dipper and Mabel!"

Lion let out a fierce roar as he ran off, leaving the Gems behind. "So, what are we gonna do?" Amethyst asked the question she and Pearl were both thinking.

Fortunately, like always, Garnet had a plan. She held her hands out to her teammates, the gemstones on both of her palms already glowing. "Gems," she said as they took her hands. As they prepared to come together to save what they all cared so much about. "Let's synchronize."

---

The further the bus got out of town, the lower the sun seemed to sink in the sky. As if Dipper or Mabel really needed yet another reminder that their all-to-short time in Gravity Falls was, much like the day itself, coming to a close.

Much of the ride so far had been steeped in sorrowful silence. But as they finally passed the town's iconic water tower, Dipper broke that silence with a thought neither one of them wanted to face. "Everything's going to be so much worse when we get home," he muttered, not even glancing over at his sister. "There's no way it won't be."

Mabel winced, but she still forced on a small, hopeful smile, more for herself than her brother. "You don't know that. Mom and Dad have had a few weeks by themselves. Who knows? They might've worked things out by now-"

"Knowing them?" Dipper quietly, bitterly scoffed. "Not a chance."

For a moment, Mabel said nothing as she loosely hugged herself. She nearly extended that hug to her brother, but ultimately didn't. Instead, she resorted to a different tactic–trying her best to distract them both from what they were only hours away from facing. "W-well, we don't have to think about all that heavy junk right now. Wanna play bus seat treasure hunt instead?"

"I'm not in the mood," Dipper said, sighing.

"Aw, come on!" Mabel encouraged. She pulled the seat next to her up, listing out what she found under it. "We got Canadian coins… gum that's shaped like Ronald Reagan's head… and ooh! Miscellaneous fluid stain?"

"Giant robot!"

"Yeah, a giant robot" Mabel stopped short, puzzled, when she realized what her brother had just said. "Wait, what?"

"Look!" Dipper pointed out the back window. And there, sure enough, was a giant Gideon-shaped robot, chasing after the bus in a heated pursuit.

"Halt!" Gideon's voice rang out fiercely from the rampaging machine. "I command you to halt!"

Unsure of what else to do, the twins ran to the front of the bus, terrified by such a shocking turn of events. "Mr. Bus driver!" Mabel cried, panicked. "There's a giant Gideonbot coming for us!"

"Oh hey, dudes!" Soos greeted as he turned to face the kids from his spot in the driver's seat.

"Soos?!" the twins exclaimed, surprised, yet relieved to see a familiar face.

"What are you doing here?" Dipper asked, confused.

"Well, since the Mystery Shack shut down, I've had to take on a bunch of part time jobs," Soos explained. "Don't worry, I've been a bus driver for at least 40 minutes now. One of these is probably a clutch…"

Fortunately, he found the clutch just in time, warning the twins to hang on as the bus picked up speed. From their spot a few seats back, they were able to see the Gideonbot reaching for the vehicle. It only narrowly missed thanks to Soos swerving the bus at the last second, though Gideon was never one to give up that easily.

"Soos, look out!" Mabel warned. Without warning, the Gideonbot easily leapt over the bus, landing just up the road to block the path ahead.

Acting quickly, Soos spun the wheel, veering off the road and onto a dirt path that led toward the floating cliffs. With Gideon still relentlessly on their tail, they couldn't even think of stopping, not even as the bus smashed through a "road closed" sign.

"I don't understand. He already won!" Dipper said, exchanging a fearful glance with Mabel. "What does he want from us?!"

As alarming as the robot behind them was, the twins soon found they had something else to worry about when they looked ahead. "Soos, cliff!" Dipper warned as they came up to the edge at intense speeds. Soos floored the breaks, but even that wasn't enough to keep the bus from spinning wildly out of control. By some miracle, it finally grinded to a halt right before it could plummet over the cliff altogether, leaving it precariously teetering just on the edge.

There was no time for any of them to even breathe a sigh of relief, however. Because with a mere tug on the bus' roof, the Gideonbot ripped it clean off as if it were nothing. For his part, Soos quickly began leafing through the bus' emergency manual, hoping to find some sort of solution there. "Okay, what's closest to our present situation? Raccoon in the engine or angry grandparent won't leave the bus? P-probably the second one."

It didn't take long for Gideon to notice neither of the twins were still inside of the bus. Instead, they'd taken the opportunity to slip away onto the train bridge connecting the floating cliffs below. They didn't get far before the Gideonbot slammed onto the bridge just ahead of them, blocking any hope of escape.

"Tell me!" Gideon demanded as his robot towered over them both. "Where is journal #1?!"

Dipper and Mabel could only exchange a glance at this, completely confused. "Journal #1?"

"Don't play games with me, boy!" The Gideonbot's fist struck the cliff right above the twins. As a rain of stone and shrapnel rained down, Dipper made sure to block Mabel from the brunt of it. Still, there wasn't much else he could do to shield either of them from Gideon's inexplicable wrath.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Dipper shouted. "You took the only journal I ever had! What do you even want with these journals anyway?!"

"That is none of your concern!" Gideon harshly returned. "If you won't tell me where that first journal is, then I'll find it myself!"

Suddenly, the Gideonbot brought both of its massive hands down, snatching up Dipper and Mabel before they could even think of escaping. While they tried to stay together, Gideon easily separated them, holding one twin tight in each of his robot's metallic hands. Something in Dipper snapped when he heard Mabel let out a particularly shrill shriek–possibly from the robot squeezing her too hard, though it could have just been out of fear. Whatever the reason, Dipper wasn't about to let it go on as he began beating against the hand keeping him away from his sister. "Let go of her!"

"Ha!" Gideon only laughed at this demand. "You still think you're some kind of hero?! You ain't NOTHING!"

With that, the robot suddenly tossed Dipper aside. While still in its grip, Mabel could only watch, horrified, as her brother landed on the other cliff, hitting the ground hard before his head brutally struck a stray rock. Pain exploded across his vision, all but briefly blacking him out. When he came to a moment later, his nose was bleeding, his back was aching, his body felt heavy, and his sister–

His sister was being carried off against her will.

"Once I find that final journal, I'll rule this town with you as my queen!" Gideon victoriously proclaimed to Mabel. "And I think I'll begin my reign with shatterin' three pesky Gems and their annoyin' little prodigy!"

Mabel gasped, eyes wide, when she realized she wasn't the only one in danger here. Steven, the Gems, perhaps the entire town could be at stake if Gideon wasn't somehow stopped. "Dipper!" she cried, desperately trying to pull herself out of the robot's grip. "Help me!"

Her panicked cry alone was more than enough for Dipper to shove himself to his feet, swaying a bit as he tried to steady himself. He approached the edge of the cliff, all while realizing his time and options were quickly running out. Once again, Gideon's vicious words filled his thoughts, cutting him deeper than ever: "No muscles, no brains. Face it! You're nothin' without this journal."

It all only continued to echo as Dipper took a small step back, his breath hitching and his chest tightening. Gideon was only getting further and further away with Mabel in tow and yet–he couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he couldn't do anything. Not without the journal, which he'd been lucky to stumble across in the first place. But on his own? He didn't have Mabel's creativity, Steven's compassion, or Connie's cleverness. So what did he have instead?

Nothing. He had nothing, just like Gideon had said.

And yet…

Even if he had nothing, that didn't mean he couldn't do something.

And so, acting on impulse and desperation alone, Dipper took in a deep breath, ran to the edge of the cliff–and leaped.

He propelled himself through the air with a loud, determined shout, hoping that gravity would take care of the rest. For one breathless, terrifying moment, he felt like he was flying–until he crashed straight into one of the Gideonbot's glass eyes. Dipper broke through it, feeling the sting of shattering glass lacerating his skin, but he hardly cared about that. He hardly cared about anything right now, other than saving his sister and stopping the one who had stolen so much from his family.

Dipper's feet barely even hit the ground before he barreled straight into Gideon, tackling him to the ground. Mabel yelped as the Gideonbot reeled backward on the narrow bridge. It only continued to stumble as a brutal brawl broke out inside the robot's head as both sides struggled for control.

"Let go of my sister!" Dipper demanded. He held Gideon down, landing a direct punch to his jaw, one that sent the robot's head spinning.

"Never!" Gideon shouted back, as she shoved Dipper down and returned the favor. "I finally won this time!"

The fight only continued from there, made even more apparent from the way the Gideonbot clumsily reeled around the bridge. This was the chaotic scene Steven and Connie arrived to find as Lion came to a stop on top of the cliff alongside the stalled bus.

"Whoa!" they both exclaimed, bewildered as they watched the Gideonbot inexplicably flail about.

"What's going on?" Connie asked Soos.

"Dude, I'm gonna level with you and say I have, like, no idea," he admitted with a shrug.

"Steven! Connie!" Mabel shouted the second she caught sight of them.

"Mabel!" Steven cried down to her. "Don't worry! We'll save you!"

"Wait, where's Dipper?!" Connie asked, not spotting him in the robot's other hand.

"He's-" Mabel was cut off when the Gideonbot veered back once again. Inside of its head, Dipper had just thrown another jab Gideon's way, one that he sent back just as fiercely. Despite his size, Gideon hit surprisingly hard, but Dipper ignored the bruise forming on his jaw in favor of catching his next swing with his open palm. He was more than ready to turn it right back on his opponent–only for a sudden, booming rumbling outside to catch them both off guard.

"Huh? What's-" Steven's confusion was cut off as he and Connie turned to see the source of this commotion. They watched, jaws dropped, as a massive figure ran their way. She was a titan of a woman, with magenta skin, teal hair, and six powerful arms. She arrived on the cliffside, her anger thinly concealed under her dark shades as she let out a furious roar through not just one mouth, but two.

"GIDEON!" she snarled, her voice deep and mighty. The battle inside of the Gideonbot came to a total standstill at the arrival of such an intimidating being as Dipper and Gideon both stopped and stared at her, dumbfounded.

"W-who is that?!" Dipper asked, alarmed.

"No…" Gideon began, completely floored. Because by all accounts, it was as though the ferocious fusion had stepped out of the pages of the second journal itself. "It can't be…. It's-"

"Alexandrite!" Steven gasped in realization. It had taken a moment to spot everyone's gemstones, but sure enough, they were all there, all shining in harmony to protect the ones they all held dear.

With another bold shout, Alexandrite jumped down onto the bridge to square off against the Gideonbot face-to-face. "Let them go!" she sharply shouted. "NOW!"

In an instant, Gideon broke out of his shock. Instead, he shifted into a dark smirk as he shoved Dipper aside in favor of focusing on the fusion before him. "Well, well… If it isn't all three of the Crystal Gems, fused into one. Looks like I'll get to kill two—or rather, several—birds with one stone!" His sinister smile only deepened as he geared up for the decisive battle ahead. "Are you ladies itchin' for a fight? Well, I'll be more than happy to oblige!"

The Gideonbot threw the first blow, catching Alexandrite off guard as she stumbled back across the bridge. Still, she was nothing if not resilient as she charged at the robot, using her several sets of arms to push it back into the side of the cliff. Gideon's attempt at swinging back at her was cut off when Alexandrite caught the robot's first, all while another one of her ample arms landed a solid uppercut.

"Yeah! Go, Alexandrite!" Steven cheered from his spot on the sidelines.

"This is seriously the coolest thing I've ever seen," Connie said, eyes wide.

"Tell me about it, dude," Soos agreed, just as awestruck.

By now, Alexandrite made an attempt at freeing Mabel from the robot's hold, only for the Gideonbot to yank her out of her reach. Frustrated, Gideon shoved the fusion away, hoping to go in from a different angle. Before he remembered Alexandrite wasn't the only one he had to worry about.

Before Gideon could even throw another punch, Dipper tackled him once more, slamming him to the floor. Outside, Alexandrite watched, confused, as the robot tilted dangerously to the side, its head spinning all the while. Despite this, Dipper did his best to hold his own, blocking swings and staying as steady as he could manage. It was only as Gideon kicked him squarely in the chest and into the metal wall behind him that his injuries began to get the better of him. His vision tunneled and his limbs shook, to the point that he struggled to keep himself up. A struggle that came to a swift end when Gideon kicked him once more.

"Ha! Stay down, boy!" Gideon smirked as he watched Dipper fall, barely conscious, to the floor. "Maybe that'll teach ya. Now, back to the main event-"

Gideon stiffened, alarm overtaking his expression when he glanced back up to Alexandrite. Using her many arms, she summoned Pearl's spear and Amethyst's whip, before bringing them together to form Opal's mighty longbow. She summoned an arrow of pure light, pulling her bowstring taunt as she took aim straight at the Gideonbot's face. She was completely set to fire, until-

"Wait! Stop!" Mabel cried, looking to Alexandrite in a pleading panic. "Dipper's in there!"

The arrow missed its target; Alexandrite made sure of that as she shifted her aim just in time. Even so, that was all the ammunition Gideon needed as yet another twisted idea came to mind. "Looks like you might actually be useful after all, boy." He grinned as he Dipper by the wrist and hoisted him up off the ground. With his head pounding and his chest heaving for air, there wasn't much he could do to resist him, as much as he may have wanted to.

"Listen here, Crystal Gems!" Gideon shouted. "Either you three stand down, unfuse, and leave town forever, or… I'll throw Dipper Pines out of this robot and off this bridge into the chasm below! Now, which'll it be?"

"What?!" Mabel started, shocked at such a deadly threat. "No! Dipper!" Fearful tears filled her eyes as she tried harder than ever to pull herself free from the robot's grasp, desperate to help him before it was too late. After all, the thought of losing him, especially after he'd so selflessly tried to rescue her, was more than she could bear.

Likewise, Alexandrite froze, at a sudden loss over what to do. Her longbow vanished as her components desperately searched for a solution that would somehow save Dipper, finding none they could soundly agree on. As a result, it wasn't long before indecisiveness gave way to instability.

Alexandrite jolted, her form flickering with sudden light as the Gems who made her began to fall out of sync with each other. "No!" she ordered herself. It wasn't lost on anyone how her once-singular voice was starting to split into three, just like the rest of her. "Cooperate!"

Even from a distance, Steven could tell things weren't going well. Fortunately, he was quick to come up with a backup plan. He leaned in low, whispering in Lion's ear. This time, he actually listened, letting out a gruff growl as he took off running away from the edge of the cliff with Steven and Connie in tow. All without Gideon even noticing.

Instead, Gideon was much more focused on watching Alexandrite fall to pieces. Dipper was watching too, overwhelmed with fear when he realized the Gems wouldn't be able to save him.

Which meant he had no choice but to save himself this time.

It took a tremendous amount of effort, but he forced himself to move, despite his body's painful protesting. Still, he managed to wrench his arm out of Gideon's grasp before, just as quickly, pulling both of his opponents' hands behind his back. "Hey!" Gideon shouted, trying and failing to break free. "How dare you-"

"You guys!" Dipper shouted to Alexandrite through Gideon's mic. "Hit him! Now!"

That was all Alexandrite needed to hear. In an instant, they pulled themselves together, remembering exactly what they were fighting for. With this newfound momentum, Alexandrite struck the Gideonbot squarely in the gut. As it stumbled backward from the blow, Dipper pulled Gideon hard to the side, shifting the robot's center of gravity until one of its feet slipped over the side of the bridge. Unable to right itself, the entire machine began to dangerously tilt, and while Alexandrite reached out to catch it, she was ultimately too late–

Too late to stop the Gideonbot from slipping right off the side of the bridge.

Now in a freefall, the robot descended toward the valley below at a frightening speed. Its grip on Mabel finally loosened, not that she saw much relief as she was left careening to the ground just the same. At the same time, Dipper fell out of the robot's head through the same eye he'd shattered through earlier. The twins could only share a terrified cry as they caught each other in the air, knowing that wouldn't be enough to save them. Still, Mabel hoped that something else would.

Acting fast, she reached into her sweater and grabbed her grappling hook. Before Dipper could even ask, Mabel fired it straight up at the bridge above them–only to end up missing it by just a few short inches. The twins watched, dismayed, as the hook began to fall back down toward them–until a flash of light sparked through the air and a familiar pink beast emerged from it.

"Lion! Catch!" Steven pointed at the falling hook. Lion did just that, gliding through the air to catch the rope just before the hook in his maw. With a heavy tug, he pulled his head up, flinging both of the twins upward. They landed squarely behind Connie on Lion's back, and as soon as they did, Lion roared another portal into existence and leapt through it.

As the Gideonbot finally crashed to the ground, the resounding explosion was loud and bright enough to catch the attention of nearly everyone in Gravity Falls. As the smoke cleared, a chaotic crash site was left behind as the robot's mangled remains lay smoldering far beneath the bridge. Amidst these ruins, Lion emerged from another portal with the kids in tow, all finally safe and sound.

"Grappling hook!" Mabel triumphantly held her tool high. "Told you it would come in handy!"

"You did great too, Lion," Steven patted Lion on the head as he collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted. "Take all the time you need to rest."

"Speaking of great, how about this guy!" Mabel proudly pointed at Dipper. "Taking on a giant robot like a total boss!"

"Aw, come on, Mabel," Dipper let out a bashful laugh. It soon turned into a pained hiss as he rested a hand against the back of his still heavily-aching head.

"Uh, are you ok, Dipper?" Connie asked, concerned.

"Well, to be honest, pretty much everything hurts," Dipper admitted, gently rubbing his lightly bleeding arm. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I probably have a concussion and might need stitches in a few places. But I'm sure it's nothing Steven and his, uh, healing spit can't fix, right?"

Stars were in Steven's eyes as he gasped, giving Dipper an excited hug. "Of course, Dipper! I'd be more than happy to heal you up!"

"Ok, ow!" Dipper cried. "Like I said, everything still hurts, Steven! You haven't healed me yet!"

"Oh, sorry!" Steven pulled back, blushing. That blush only deepened when he heard Mabel and Connie laughing behind him.

"Oh, there they are!"

The kids turned to find Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl rushing in. They'd unfused at some point; understandable now that the threat the Gideonbot posed was no more. "Oh, kids!" Pearl threw her arms over them in a relieved embrace. "We're so glad you're all alright!"

"Well, mostly alright," Connie said, exchanging a glance with Dipper.

"Man, that thing went down hard, huh?" Amethyst looked over the remains of the Gideonbot. "We totally owned that slimy punk and his dumb robot!"

"We weren't completely responsible for that…" Garnet said. She picked up the third journal as it lay amidst the wreckage before handing it back to Dipper with a small smile. "Excellent work, Dipper. I believe this belongs to you."

"Thanks," Dipper gratefully accepted the book. Simply having its familiar, brittle leather surface in his hands again filled him with unspeakable relief. Especially after he'd come so close to losing it forever.

"You guys were so cool!" Mabel told the Gems, amazed. "Or I guess I should say, Alexandrite was so cool! She was like 'bam'! And 'woosh'! And 'punch'! And all sorts of other awesome actiony words!"

The Gems shared a warm laugh, one that was short-lived as others began to congregate to the crash site. The townsfolk, curious to see the cause of the explosion, approached the robot's wreckage, murmuring in confusion amongst themselves.

"Is this the thing that exploded?"

"Look! It's over here!"

"Hey, those magical women are here!"

"Did they have something to do with this?"

As this group began to gather, Gideon slowly, sullenly climbed out of the remains of his robot, tearing off what was left of his motion-sensor suit. The moment the townsfolk spotted him, the Gems and the kids were left forgotten as everyone crowded around the beloved child psychic instead.

"Gideon!" Durland cried as he and Blubs rushed to retrieve Gideon from the robot's ruins. "Oh, good heavens! What on earth happened here?!"

"I-it was the Pines twins!" Gideon hotly exclaimed. "They tried to attack me and blow up my statue with dynamite! And then those Crystal Gems pushed it off the bridge and nearly killed me! Arrest 'em! Arrest 'em all!"

"What?!" The kids and the Gems exchanged a baffled glance at such bold, dishonest claims.

"Officers, he's lying!" Dipper argued.

"He certainly is!" Pearl firmly agreed. "You can't possibly believe such a preposterous claim. We were trying to save the kids–and the entire town–from him, for crying out loud!"

"Pearl's right!" Steven turned to the crowd, earnestly imploring them. "I mean, just think about how many times the Gems have saved Gravity Falls before! Like the time we brought the waterfall back when it was stolen! Remember that?"

A wave of soft agreement rippled through the crowd as they considered what Steven had to say. Gideon, however, wasn't about to let it last long. "W-well, even if that is true, that doesn't change the fact that they destroyed my property! I demand you arrest them! Every last one of them, at once!"

Unfortunately for the kids and the Gems, Gideon's argument proved to be far more convincing. As devoted as they were to him, there was little they could do to change their minds now. To the point that the cops simply shrugged and turned back to the group with handcuffs in hand, ready to do exactly as Gideon told them.

"Aw, what? You can't be serious!" Amethyst angrily exclaimed. "We didn't do anything wrong!"

"Sorry, folks, but we trust Gideon," Blubs said. "And nothing short of a miracle would ever change our-"

The sound of screeching tires cut the sheriff off as a familiar car veered onto the scene, ramming into the side of the cop car. Stan hardly cared as he jumped out, clad in his boxers and bedroom slippers as he loudly caught everyone's attention. "Wait! Wait! Stop everything! I've got somethin' to say!"

"Ugh, not this guy again…" Blubs shared an annoyed groan with the rest of the crowd.

"Just wait!" Stan ran to stand in front of the ruined robot. "So, you all think Gideon is so perfect and honest, right? 'Oh, I could never tell a lie! I'm Gideon!'"

"He's more honest than you!" Blubs countered, sending Stan a suspicious glance.

"Yeah! And he's psychic too!" Durland added.

"Oh really? How's this for psychic?!" Stan kicked a panel of the robot away. "Take a good look!"

The crowd drew in a shared gasp as they realized what they were looking at. Inside of the robot were countless small screens, all showing what appeared to be surveillance feeds of the people of Gravity Falls.

"Wait a minute, is that me?!" Lazy Susan exclaimed, spotting a screen showing her pouring coffee into an omelet to make her famous coffee omelet.

"Hey, look! That's me!" Mr. Smiley shouted, aghast, as he saw a video of him signing a notice to add several new games to Funland Arcade.

"And me!" Toby pointed to the screen where he was showing his disgusting birthmark to a doctor.

The other townsfolk were quick to spot themselves on other screens, alarmed and horrified by what they were seeing. "That's right! These pins were hidden cameras!" Stan held a Lil' Gideon pin up for them all to see. "And my hearing aid was picking up the feedback! Who's the fraud now?"

With a satisfied grin, Stan crushed the pin, revealing the tiny camera hidden inside. The very same camera that all of Gideon's pins had been hiding, all meant to constantly watch his adoring public, without any of them even knowing.

"Gideon… we gave you our trust…" Durland said, deeply hurt.

"You LIED to us!" Manly Dan shouted, enraged.

"P-please!" Gideon pleaded. "I… I—It's not what it looks like! I-"

"Oh, it's not?" Pearl coyly cut in. "Because what it does look like is that not only were you blatantly spying on the people of Gravity Falls, but it also looks like you used a giant robot to chase down two defenseless, innocent children, nearly killing them both in the process. And then you proceeded to try and pin the blame on us for it. So, I believe this is exactly what it looks like. Wouldn't you officers agree?"

Blubs and Durland could only nod in sad agreement over what they knew they had to do. "Lil' Gideon, you're under arrest for conspiracy, fraud, use of a giant, deadly robot, and breaking our hearts," Blubs said, wiping a tear away. "Durland, the tiny handcuffs."

"Wha–no!" Gideon cried as the handcuffs were latched around his wrists. Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, he still struggled as the cops led him over to the squad car. "Let go of me!"

Stan smirked as held the door to the cop car open for Gideon. Still, he stopped him short, picking his rival up to shake him dry first. Among everything else that fell out of Gideon's pockets was the deed to the Mystery Shack, which Stan was more than happy to rightfully reclaim. "I believe this belongs to me."

"No! No!" Gideon protested as he was shoved into the back of the cop car. "You can't do this to me! Y'all are sheep! You need me!" He only continued to throw out hateful threats, even as the cops began to drive him away to prison. "You'll hear from my lawyers! I'll be back! I'll destroy the Pines family and the Crystal Gems alike, I swear it!"

"Sooo… what are the chances we'll actually hear from him again anytime soon?" Amethyst asked Garnet.

"Not likely," Garnet adjusted her shades with a confident grin.

"There you have it," Shandra Jimenez reported as she stood before the Pines and the Gems. "Local hero Stanford Pines has just exposed Lil' Gideon as a fraud after the Crystal Gems took down his giant robot of doom. Is there anything any of you would like to say?"

"Well," Pearl began. "Firstly, I think it's important to note that we-"

"The Mystery Shack is back, baby!" Stan boldly interrupted. Despite this, the kids and the Gems shared a joyful laugh, all of them more than ready to pick things up right where they had left off.

Because now, at long last, the storm was finally over.

---

With the reclaimed deed in hand, the Pines easily moved back into the Mystery Shack, tossing out anything Gideon had left behind in the process. The Gems, Steven, and Connie were all happy to help them restore the shack back to working order. And, as soon as its doors opened for business again, it was more popular than ever before.

With Stan now hailed as a town hero for exposing Gideon, locals and tourists alike were eager to get his autograph and tour the museum. Soos and Wendy gladly returned to their usual posts, even if the sudden rush made their jobs quite busy. And above all, Dipper and Mabel were able to breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the rest of their summer in Gravity Falls was safe and secured.

With so much to celebrate, the twins had barely found time to properly move back into their room in the attic. Steven and Connie had come down to help, joining Dipper and Mabel in reorganizing books and rehanging posters. It wasn't long before a knock on the door sounded, with Stan and the Gems entering soon after it.

"Uh, you kiddos settling back in okay?" Stan sent the twins a small, content grin.

"Yep!" Mabel brightly nodded. "All of my favorite moldy spots on the ceiling are still there!"

"We just came by to tell you kids how proud we are of all of you," Pearl said, smiling. "You all were very brave in a situation that, to be perfectly honest, even had the three of us a little frightened at times."

"Yeah, you dudes totally kicked butt!" Amethyst smirked. "Guess they call you four the Mystery Kids for a reason, huh?"

"Yeah, they do!" Steven proudly exclaimed.

"Um, speaking of mysteries…" Dipper hesitantly spoke up as Stan took a seat on the bed next to him. "Well… me and Mabel have been talking and… I think there's something we should finally tell you."

He took a deep breath as he reached into his vest and pulled out the journal. To his surprise, Stan didn't seem to react to it much, at least not compared to how the Gems had before. "This is a journal I found in the woods," he handed it over to his uncle so he could peruse it for himself. "It talks about all of the crazy stuff that lives in Gravity Falls, including the Gems. Gideon nearly destroyed the whole town trying to find it. I don't know what it means, or who wrote it, but after all we've been through, maybe it's time you knew about it."

For a long while, Stan didn't say anything as he looked through the journal. When he finally did speak, it came in the form of a question posed to the Gems. "So you three knew about this thing already, huh?"

"Well, we didn't at first…" Pearl admitted, frowning. "But when we did discover it, it came as quite a shock, seeing as there's quite a bit in there about the three of us."

"Yeah… We might have overreacted over it and tried to burn it," Amethyst shrugged. "You know, like you do."

For his part, Stan fell into silence once more, this time only for a beat or two as he closed the book and took in a deep breath. "I'm glad you showed me this, Dipper," he said, his tone surprisingly solemn. Until he suddenly burst out laughing. "Now I know where you've been getting it all from! Spookums and monsters—this kooky book has been filling your head with crazy conspiracies!"

"Wha—but it's all real!" Dipper protested.

"Dipper's right, Mr. Pines," Connie vouched.

Steven readily joined in. "Yeah! We've seen a lot of the stuff in there this summer! Plus, everything in it about the Gems is true too! Right guys?"

While the Gems nodded, Stan simply chuckled as he flashed a sarcastic smirk. "Oh, yeah sure it is. You kids gotta quit reading this fantasy nonsense for your own good. Although some of these would make great attractions!" He nodded to the page about the butternut squash with a human face and emotions. "Can't come up with this stuff! Mind if I borrow this for a while?"

"Wait, no!" Dipper panicked as Stan got up, taking the journal with him. "Grunkle Stan!"

"'Magic' book," Stan scoffed as he left the attic. "Ridiculous!"

"Stan, I need it!" Dipper cried, ready to chase him down and get it back. At least until Mabel stopped him.

"Dipper, you don't need that book! Don't you see? On your own, you defeated a giant robot with nothing but your bare hands! You're a hero whether you've got that journal or not!"

"Mabel's right," Garnet soundly agreed. "The courage and determination you showed in facing off against Gideon the other day was something that you couldn't have found in the pages of that journal. That was entirely your own, Dipper. And that is something to be proud of."

"Yeah!" Steven and Connie cheered.

"Definitely," Pearl nodded with a warm smile.

"Totally, dude!" Amethyst grinned, softly punching him on the arm.

"Whoa…" Dipper whispered, realizing they were all right. That when push came to shove, he'd risen to the occasion to help the ones he cared about. He always would–journal or no journal. "Thanks, guys… But, I still want the journal back though."

"I'm sure you'll get it back," Mabel assured. "What would a boring old man like Stan want with that book anyway?"

"Knowing Stan, he'll probably end up using it as a door stopper," Pearl chuckled.

"Or a paperweight," Garnet said, crossing her arms.

"Or he'll try using it as a weapon during our next Revenge Trip," Amethyst smirked. "Yo, speaking of trips, we were gonna go check out this cool old Gem tower later. You guys wanna come with?"

"Do we!?" Steven exclaimed, beaming.

"Yeah, we do!" Mabel happily agreed.

"Well then, come along," Pearl laughed as she led the way out. "That tower's not going to explore itself!"

The kids happily followed them out, excited for whatever magical adventure awaited. Especially now that they knew, more than ever before–

They had plenty of summer left to spend together.

---

The shack was quiet that night, something Stan was grateful for. Under the cover of quiet darkness, he slipped into the gift shop, making sure no prying eyes were watching as he dialed the code into the vending machine. And, just as he had almost every night for the past 30 years, he descended the staircase into the hidden basement below.

It had been nothing short of a miracle Gideon didn't discover this, not that Stan had expected him to be smart enough to anyway. As it stood, he was still the only one who knew about the complex laboratory awaiting in the depths beneath the shack. He was the only one who knew about the momentous machine standing just beyond it.

Stan took a seat at the desk, setting the third journal down alongside the second book he'd snatched from Gideon when no one was looking. As for the first, he'd had it for years now, only one piece of a puzzle he'd been struggling for so long to put together. But now…

"After all these years…" he muttered to himself, utterly awestruck. "Finally, I have them all."

Finally, after spending so much time searching, scheming, hoping, waiting. Finally, the one journal Rose Quartz herself had vowed he'd never claimed… had somehow been found by his own nephew. Somehow it was sitting right in front of him alongside the others. Somehow, at long last, he'd completed the set he'd always needed.

Without waiting any longer, Stan turned each book to the proper page, arranging them in the right order. The schematics they revealed were complicated, but he hadn't spent the past several decades teaching himself all he needed to know for nothing. He followed the journals' instructions, punching in the right codes and pushing the right buttons until–

For the first time in 30 years, the machine sparked with life.

"It's working!" He jumped to his feet, running into the larger room. With as much force as he could muster, he pulled the lever standing before it, allowing even more energy to pass through. It wasn't ready quite yet–chances were, it wouldn't be for quite some time. But for now, Stan could only smile as he basked in its bright, momentous glow, knowing everything he'd ever worked for was finally about to pay off.

"Here we go."

---

Next time... anybody up for a little kareoke? Don't forget to REVIEW! Until next time!