Chapter One

Dipper

Ah, summer break. A time for leisure, recreation, and taken her easy.

Unless you're me.

"Close your eyes," my sister barked at me, waving her dusty brush in front of my face. "Honestly, what have you been eating, your chin is having a major break out."

"Kind of like your forehead."

My name is Dipper. The girl hitting my face with makeup brush is my sister Mabel. And you may be wondering what we're doing in a dark room filled with makeup boxes and glittery costumes.

"You're on in five," a plump man in a dark shirt and beanie called as he pocked his head through the door.

"Come on." Mabel pulled me out of the room and down to the large red curtains hanging in the middle of a wooden platform. "Don't forget to smile."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I said as I rubbed my bolo tie. It glowed in response.

Rest assured. There's a perfectly logical explanation.

Let's rewind.

It all began when our parents decided we could use some fresh air. They shipped us up north to a sleeping town called Gravity Falls Oregon to stay with our Great Uncle in his mansion.

That was five years ago. We haven't heard from our parents since.

My sister tended to look on the bright side of things. She'd found a group of friends shortly after moving here and became quite popular around town.

But I was having a hard time getting used to our new surroundings.

And then there was our great uncle Stan. He'd bought a plot of land in the woods and set up a huge tourist trap which he called 'The Tent Telepathy.' It was losing money when we arrived. But not for long.

Our uncle decided we were the perfect new attraction. He put us on stage performing bad feats of magic and slight of hand. Soon 'The Mystery Twins' were performing every night to sold out shows, signing autographs and posing with I don't know how many smelly towns folk.

It looked like it was going to be the same boring routine up until graduation. Until one fateful day…

It was the last day of fifth grade. Mabel was by the monkey bars telling a crowd of kids what middle school would be like. I was wandering around the edge of the fence, wishing I could just leave. But as our uncle reminded us, we had a reputation to protect. That's why our parents were 'overseas saving elephants.'

But when I sat at the base of a newly planted tree I felt something hard. No one was looking so I moved the dirt and there, buried and now dug up thanks to renovations of the playground, was a faded journal with an outline of a six fingered hand, mysteriously labeled two.

It was full of entries about magic, demons, werewolves, and all the mysteries this town had.

And I recognized it

"Grunkle Stan!" I yelled when Mable and I returned to Pines Manor.

"What have I told you about shouting in the house?" Stan barked as came out of his study. We weren't allowed to go in there.

"I have something you're interested in."

Mabel had stopped on the grand staircase to watch our exchange, lounging like a cat that had found a mouse.

"I'm listening."

I reached into my bag and pulled out the journal. Stan took a step back.

"Where…?"

"Buried in the school's playground. Ford was clever, I'll give him that."

"Clever bastard," Stan muttered and reached for the journal.

"Eh, eh. I found it, remember?"

"What do you want?"

"I want to keep it. Found some very interesting things in here, things that would give me something to do in the sleepy dumb town. Might even use a few in our act."

"Then what do I get?"

"To borrow it. But I have to watch. I want to know what you're doing."

"You can't have both, kid." Stan tapped his 8-ball cane on the ground as he thought. "Alright, here's what I'll do. You can keep the book, use whatever find in your acts. Share it with your sister, of course. And if you two impress me, you can see what I'm working on. Deal?"

I hated playing the long game. I'd been doing it for nearly a year already.

"Deal."

Stan and I shook on it to make it official. Then Stan snatched the book out of my hand.

"Hey!"

"You'll get it back at dinner. Now go somewhere else where-ever I'm not."

As Stan retreated back into his study, Mabel slinked down the stairs and smirked at me.

"So, what'd you find?"

I pulled crumpled torn page out of the book. A pair of amulets was drawn on it in faded ink. "Something I think you'll like."

Pacifica

"What time is it?"

Laughter erupted from the room downstairs. "Five minutes since you last asked, Pacifica, honey."

I bounded downstairs, my feet sinking into the plush rugs that covered our living room. Wind chimes rang in the breeze and my parents sat on pillows as they tuned their guitars.

"I'm just so excited. It's been five whole years since I've seen little Gideon!" I exclaimed, sinking down onto a pillow next to them.

"Well he's probably not so little now," Dad chuckled and strummed a cord. "Darn, still a little off."

"Why did his parents decided to send him here this summer anyway?"

Mom and Dad exchanged a glance and something like a stone sank in my stomach.

"Well… you see, dear…"

"Uncle Bud's relapsed, again hasn't he?"

"It's just that temper of his. He'll get it straightened out and Gideon will be back home in time for high school," Mom assured me.

But all I could think of was Uncle Bud smacking Gideon across the face at the last family picnic.

A car honked outside the house suddenly. "He's here!"

I raced through our small living room and flung open the screen door. There, climbing out the cab, was my cousin!

"Gideon!"

He didn't respond because by the time he'd seen me I'd already crushed him a hug.

"Paz….Paz, I need to get my bags," he sputtered.

"Oh, right!" I jumped back quickly and got my first good look at my cousin.

He was still small, nearly two heads shorter than me. His floppy white hair dangled into his dark eyes. His clothes also seemed to small and worn nearly through. Guess I was going to have to fix that.

"Come on!" I dragged him into the house as soon as he'd gotten his rather small duffel bag out of the cab's trunk.

My parents had converted the front part of our home into a place of magic called the Wonder Shack. People came all the time for crystal healing, song circles, or to buy Mom's abstract paintings (she was pretty famous). But my favorite part was working the gift shop. So many interesting people came through; I get a list in my notebook.

"You'll be sharing my room!" I told Gideon as we climbed the stairs. Up at the very top was the attic with its triangular roof. I'd moved all my stuff to the right so Gideon had room on the left for his things.

"That's…a lot of posters," he remarked, taking in my décor.

I flopped on my bed and smiled. "I never really redecorate, just add on. Mom says we should embrace who we were because it made us who we are today."

"Guess that explains all the clutter." Gideon traced a bowl I had made in a ceramics class with Dad when I was four sitting atop my very full dresser.

"It's just life. What did you bring?"

"Clothes. My toothbrush." I noticed his fingernails were bitten off as he pulled out his clothes.

I needed to do something to cheer him up. "You know what? I have a surprise for you! We're going to the mall to get you some more clothes and then we'll head over to the best show in Gravity Falls. Does that sound fun?"

"Sure."

"Great!" I really hoped this worked.

Gideon

Pacifica was…nice. And brightly colored. Her pants, crop top, shrug, and flower crown were all different colors. She wore big beaded bracelets up to her elbows and an anklet of bells that never stopped jingling. And she never wore shoes. Ever.

Maybe I'm being too harsh. After all, she is nice. Her parents are too. I didn't know who else to call that night and I still had Aunt Priscilla's number. Her and Uncle Preston had gotten everything straightened out in under a week. I couldn't even begin to thank them.

But Pacifica was just so…so…

"Orange! Definitely orange!" she exclaimed when I exited the dressing room. Again. Going to the mall sounded fun until she'd made me try on next to everything in my size.

"So are we good?" I asked, pulling on my navy vest. Pacifica had trashed my old clothes the minute I'd took them off.

"Definitely. I'll go pay. Here." She handed me a dollar. "Got get us some hot dogs then we'll head over to the show."

I walked with my head down and headed to the food court. But Pacifica wasn't there when I'd gotten our food.

"You seem lost," a voice to my left said

I turned and saw a brunette girl with striking blue eyes, her smile shiny and full of braces.

"I…uh…um."

"Doesn't make you any less cute though," she giggled. My face heated up.

"Mabel, what are you…?"

A boy came to stand beside her, nearly identical to her except for a birthmark on his forehead that looked like a constellation.

"I've never seen you before," he remarked.

"I'm…I'm Gideon. I'm new here. Visiting my cousin for the summer."

The boy tilted his head. "Interesting."

"Who's your cousin? I'm sure we know them." Something about the girl's smile suddenly seemed off.

"Um…"

"Gideon!"

Pacifica ran up, a shopping bag dangling off her arm.

"Oh. Her."

"Sorry it took me so long, I saw this in another shop and knew it'd be perfect!" Pacifica reached into the bag and pulled out a blue and white ball cap with a pine tree on it. I didn't have time to say anything before she rammed it onto my head.

"Uh…thanks."

"You're welcome." She seemed to suddenly realize who I was talking to. "Oh. Hi Dipper. Mable."

"Pacifica." Mable's smile was gone.

"Gideon and I were just about to get going to your show. He's never seen it before." Pacifica seemed to only have eyes for Dipper. Oh no.

Mable grinned back at me. "I'm sure you'll love it. And if you'd like to come backstage and hang with some cooler people, you're definitely welcome."

"Mabel," Dipper hissed.

"Bye!" Mabel dragged her brother off and I swallowed my nerves.

Mostly.

Mable

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please welcome the Mystery Twins!" Stan's voice echoes through the speakers as the curtain parted. Lights flashed as Dipper and I smiled perfectly for the clapping audience.

"Welcome to the Tent of Telepathy, it such a gift to have you all here tonight!" Dipper called to them. I watched a few girls clutch their chest as he winked at them. Gag.

"Hit it Soos!" I spun around as the music started playing. "Oh, we can do what others can't do."

"It ain't some side show trick, it's an innate ability," Dipper sang, covering his bolo tie as he lifted himself into the air.

"Where others fail, we do so very well." I joined Dipper above the stage.

"And you too could do if you were one of us two!"

Flip, flip, fly over the audience, land, split, sexy smile and…epic pose. Dipper's smile was slightly sinister as the song finished. It was his least favorite part of the show, a relic kept from our first performances. But now…now we got to have some fun.

"My sister and I need a volunteer!" Dipper strode through the audience, looking everyone over. We had to be careful. Didn't want anyone too well liked or anyone too known. A traveler was best. And a solo one just happened to be seated in the third row. "How about you sir?

"Oh, golly gee, you mean it?" He was fat and had oily hair. The girls in the front started crying.

"Of course. Come right on up!" I called from the stage.

He sat in the chair Dipper pulled out for him. "Now, good sir, tell me, are you a good dancer?"

"Not really."

Big shocker there. "Well it's your lucky day cause we're going to help you out!"

Dipper stood behind the man, chanting softly. One moment…the man stood, eyes blank. I took his hand and began to spin around with him as Soos played the next track. Dipper followed my movements with the man's body, all over the stage, until the song ended. People cheered loudly while the man exited towards backstage to wait until we were done.

"Now, for our next trick we'll make birds appear out of nowhere!"

Gideon

"Isn't he amazing?" Pacifica sighed as the curtain closed.

"I don't know, they give me the hibbiegibbies," I admitted, rubbing my arms.

"You just don't know them like I do," Pacifica scoffed. "You should go backstage. Mabel invited you after all."

"What about you?"

"I'll wait up, don't worry." She nudged me toward the back of the tent. "Go have some fun."

"Fine," I grumbled and trudged out of the tent. A small building was attached to the back of it, no doubt backstage. I started towards it when Mable popped out, still in her show costume, all fishnets and tight leotard and crazy eyes.

"Gideon! You came!" she giggled and hugged me. A metallic smell clung to her hair and I nearly chocked on it.

"Yeah, I did," I gasped once she let go of me. "You were…great."

"Thanks! Do you want to hang out? My uncle has got some great stuff at his manor."

"Manor?"

"Pines Manor. You know, the big house on the hill? Looks down on everyone else?"

"I just got here today, haven't seen much." I had to look up to meet her eyes. If I looked dead ahead, I'd been staring at…well, I'm pretty sure her brother would punch me if I did.

"I could show you around tomorrow if you'd like," she offered. "Please?"

"Umm…"

"Mable." Dipper came out of the building, wiping his hands with a white kerchief. What boy our age had a kerchief?

"Yes, brother of mine?" Mabel smiled.

"We're not done cleaning up."

My hairs stood on end.

Mable pouted and turned to me. "Tomorrow. It's a date."

I couldn't say anything before she left.

Once they were gone, I headed to the front of the tent were Pacifica was still waiting.

"So, how was it?" she asked as soon as I was close enough.

"There's something off about those twins."

"What do you mean? They're perfect!"

I looked back at the tent and the star atop it seemed to wink evilly in the moonlight. "There's something wrong. And I'm going to find out what it is."


After binge watching the show I stumbled down this AU and decided to throw my hat in the ring. Few notes about my version:

-The Pines family lives at what used to be the Northwest Manor, renamed. Ford and Stan were raised there before Ford mysteriously disappeared. Yes, Dipper and Mabel know about him and the journals but not the machine.

-Dipper and Mabel moved to Gravity Falls at age 7, five years before this takes place. Dipper found his journal when he was 10 and that's when he and Mable started using the amulets

-Pacifica's family owns the Mystery Shack, renamed the the Wonder Shack, and are basically a bunch of hippies

-Gideon and Pacifica are cousins, clearly

Thanks for reading, hope you like it!