Summary:
After Gideon steals the Mystery Shack, Dipper, Mabel, Steven, and Connie pull out all of the stops in order to save their summer together.
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!"