Little Dipper

Gravity Falls-bound

"Mabel, come on! Hurry up, we're gonna miss the bus!"

Mabel looked over at her younger brother hopping up and down outside the bus depot, pointing frantically at the bus that was patiently waiting for them. She gave an amused grin and then looked back at her parents. "We'll see you after the summer." She took her mother's hands. "Don't worry, I'll keep him safe."

"Say hello to your great uncle Stanford for us." Her father smiled, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulder. "Come on, dear. We've kept the driver waiting long enough."

"Alright.." Her mother hugged Mabel tightly. "Give him a hug for me? He was so excited he didn't give me a chance to."

Mabel nodded. "See you in the fall!" She picked up her bags and headed over to put them in the Speedy Beaver's baggage compartment, next to her brother's. Then she ushered him onto the bus, waving to their parents once they got to their seats.

"Bye, mom! Bye, dad!" Her brother waved excitedly.

"Dipper, sit down, we're starting to move!" Mabel laughed, pulling him into a seat as the Speedy Beaver started to drive away from the bus depot.

He sat down as he was told to and adjusted his hat. "Tell me about Grunkle Stan again, Mabel!"

"I already told you five times!" She laughed.

"Well, do it a sixth time!" Dipper insisted.

Mabel smiled and started to tell him about their cheerful, jokester great uncle once again. She had only met him a few times, and Dipper was too little to remember meeting him at all, with the two being born five years apart. A part of her wondered if she could take care of him as promised, if maybe it was too soon to take him so far from home, but there was no talking Dipper out of it once the idea came up for them to go.

Gravity Falls, Oregon was a few hours away from Piedmont, California, but it was time easily spent by talking and pointing out different things they saw out the window. Before they knew it, they were seeing evergreens everywhere and Dipper was bouncing in his seat as they saw the sign saying "Welcome to Gravity Falls".

"There it is, there it is!" He said excitedly as they passed the sign and continued down the road to the wooden bus depot.

"Not much longer now!" Mabel agreed, grinning with excitement.

They finally stopped at the bus depot and Mabel had to grab Dipper's shirt to keep him from running out ahead of her. Once everyone else had gotten off that was going to, she took his hand and led him off the bus.

"Ah, here they are!" A man grinned, walking up to them. "My little family!"

"Hi, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel smiled.

Dipper peeked out from behind her, looking at him up and down. "...Mabel, is he a pirate? Where's his parrot?"

Mabel and Stan laughed and then Stan motioned to his car. "Grab your bags and let's get you home!"

"We're going home already?!" Dipper looked alarmed.

"No, he means his home." Mabel grinned. "We're here all summer, remember?"

"Ohh." Dipper nodded, heading over to grab his bag. "Okay, then! Let's go home!"

They got Mabel's bags and loaded them into the car before getting in, buckling up and taking off. "Oh, you kids are gonna love it here! Gravity Falls is just full of weird stuff!"

"So many trees!" Dipper looked around in awe as they drove through the woods.

"Yep, place is full of 'em." Stan chuckled and turned to drive up to a building that had the words "MYSTERY SHACK" on the outside. "Here we are, home sweet home!"

They parked and then Dipper was the first one out, wanting to explore right away. Mabel caught up and grabbed his shirt. "Whoa there, little bro. We gotta take our things upstairs, remember?"

He pouted and walked back to the car, grabbing his bags and carrying them inside. Stan followed him to show him the way, Mabel grabbing her bags and following right behind.

"It's not much, but I cleaned it up for you." Stan said as he opened the door to the attic bedroom. "You each get a bed, and there's plenty of room for you to play up here."

"Alright!" Dipper ran over and hopped on a bed. "I call this one!"

Mabel grinned and hopped on the other one. "And I claim this one in the name of Mabel!"

"Unpack and then I want to introduce you kids to the shop employees." Stan said, stepping out and shutting the door behind him.

Mabel hopped off her bed. "Need help unpacking?" She asked as she opened her own packs.

"No, I got it." Dipper opened his packs and started to put things away, going to the closet and opening it. "Hey, what am I gonna be doing while you're helping out in the shop?"

Mabel shrugged. "Just don't get into trouble, I guess. I'd ask if you can help out too, but you're too short for anything but sweeping."

Dipper pouted. "I'll get taller, just wait and see! I'll be as tall as you by the time we get home!"

Mabel looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Only if you magically grow two feet, little bro."

"I bet I can!" Dipper insisted as Mabel finished unpacking and headed for the door.

"Come on, sillyhead." Mabel grinned and opened the door.

"I'm not done yet." He looked at his bag.

"Well, you can finish after we meet the staff. Let's go!" She walked out of the room.

Dipper looked between the door and the bag and then fixed his hat before passing by the open closet. He paused, thinking he was feeling someone watching him, but shrugged it off and left the room.