Little Dipper

Follow the Clues!

"Hm...I can't figure it out." Gideon said, looking over the map. "Maybe The Author was off his rocker."

"Maybe." Mabel tilted her head this way and that, trying to make sense of it.

"Heh, while he did have his moments, he didn't make this." Bill said, sitting on top of the table to look over the paper.

"Back in the olden days, pioneers drew sustenance from tellin' stories around the fire." Dipper looked over curiously to watch McGucket talking to some kids while holding a kid. "So, let's eat some books, children! Go ahead, eat the books!" McGucket slapped his knee excitedly and then started to actually gnaw on the book he was holding.

"That man has so many problems." Pacifica said with a cringe.

"We just need to crack the code." Gideon got out a projector and slides and started comparing the symbols. "Hm...it's not Egyptian..."

"I could've told you that." Bill rolled his eyes.

"It's not numerology..." Gideon frowned. "But I know I've seen something similar before..."

The slide changed and Gideon stopped messing with it. "Wait, look! Alchemic symbols! Of course! How did I not see it before?" He set down the paper. "The triangle is the alchemist's symbol for flame! Putting the parchment over a flame should uncover the secret!"

"Now we just need fire!" Pacifica reached for the candle they were reading by. When she looked back at the paper, though, it had moved. "What? Where's the—Mabel?"

Mabel grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I got the urge to make it into a hat." She pointed to the map folded into a hat on her head.

"Actually..." Gideon moved Pacifica's hand closer to the "hat". "You've folded it into a map."

"Wow! Mabel's being amazabel again!" Dipper said excitedly.

"Amazab—what?" Pacifica shook her head. "Nevermind. Okay, so it's a map. Where does it lead?"

"We're on the lookout for four kids that might be reading." They heard Sheriff Blubs say.

"We're hunting them down for secret reasons! Whoo!" Deputy Blubs rang a bell he was carrying.

Bill looked at the hat-map. "...That might be you guys."

"Oh, shoot." Gideon hissed, pulling them all down under the table.

"What?" Pacifica asked quietly.

"I think they mean us. They must've found out that we have the map." Gideon replied quietly.

"So, it could be true after all?" Dipper asked.

"Nerp!" Durland knocked over some books and rang his bell and they went into another part of the library.

"Maybe we should take this elsewhere." Gideon said quietly.

"Where's the map lead?" Mabel took it off and looked at it.

"Hm..." Gideon looked at it. "...I've got it."

–

"The Gravity Falls Museum of History!" Mabel said dramatically as they stood in front of it.

"Are we gonna have to break in?!" Dipper asked excitedly. "I can fit through the sewage pipes!"

"Sewage pipes? You could fit through a window." Pacifica commented.

"What? No, it's free entry today." Gideon shook his head.

"Oh." Dipper pouted.

"Another time, kid." Bill patted his head comfortingly.