Time Shift (GRAVITY FALLS FANFIC)

Chapter 1: Welcome Home

It was a normal day in Gravity Falls; the trees snoring and the birds screaming. Dipper and Mabel come back to the Mystery Shack to visit their Grunkles. The rickety door slowly creaks open as they're greeted with odd items and even odder statues.

Ford: "Dipper! How good it is to see you again. How are your studies?"
Dipper: "They've been...okay. They don't really believe much I say but it's been okay with Mabel."
Stan: "Mabel!"
Mabel: "Grunkle Stan!"
Soos: "Soos!"
Mabel: "How's the Mystery Shack?"
Stan: "Barely holdin' on...like us!"
Dipper: "Any new discoveries, Grunkle?"
Ford: "Not so far...BUT! Blendin Blandin found a small rift in time. We don't know what it is but he's concluded that it is not dangerous."
Dipper: "...nothing is 'not dangerous' in Gravity Falls."
Ford: "That's why you're my nephew."
Stan: "He's my nephew too!
Ford: "And Mabel's my niece..but you don't see me being salty about it."
Stan: "You're on thin ice, Ford!"
Soos: "Uhm...aren't we gonna open up?"
Dipper: "This place still gets customers?"
Ford: "Well...after WEIRDMAGGEDON, a lot of people come here to see some remnants on what happened..."
Stan: "I've been charging $50 to see a rock blasted by Bill!"
Ford: "Works surprisingly well."
Dipper: "Well...is our room still available?"
Soos: "Of course, little dude! Cleaned it right before your arrival."
Mabel: "Let's go!"

Dipper and Mabel head up to their old room. It's as if nothing had ever changed — their beds were still messy, Waddle's food bowl is still there, even Dipper's binoculars!

Dipper: "Wow...it feels as if we'd never left. They preserved this place really well."
Mabel: "WHERE'S WADDLES."
Dipper: "Ask Grunkle Stan or Soos or something. He should still be here..."
Mabel: "Eek! I can't believe we're back!"
Dipper: "Yeah! Heh. It's exciting to be back here...uhm..."

Mabel looks at Dipper as he looks down at his hands shyly.

Mabel: "What's wrong, bro-bro?"
Dipper: "W-well...it just...what if Bill is back?"
Mabel: "What? Impossible! We destroyed him back during last summer!"
Dipper: "I know! But...there's just this weird feeling, you know?"
Mabel: "Yeah yeah, whatever. Maybe it's because you were Bipper for a while." (She teases)
Dipper: "Maybe...I'm just a little paranoid after last summer."
Mabel: "We could...go see Wendy?"
Dipper: "NO. I mean..."
Mabel: "Don't tell me you still like her..."
Dipper: "Shut up!"
Mabel: "Sureee, bro."
Dipper: "Gosh, you're so annoying..."
Mabel: "I love you too!"
Dipper: "We should get to fixing up the Mystery Shack."
Mabel: "Already?! But we just got here!"
Dipper: "We're 14. It's time to be responsible."
Mabel: "Buzzkill..."

After a few hours in the Mystery Shack, Grunkle Ford and Mabel decide to go out for a small adventure. With Grunkle Ford's thirst for knowledge and Mabel's recklessness, they're practically unstoppable! Uncharacteristically, Dipper decides to stay home. He seems to still be a little worried from WEIRDMAGGEDON even though it was last year. Things like that stick with you, you know? Grunkle Stan watches his TV, the static filling the room until it lands on a show. Dipper rummages around, helping to clean up the Shack. He finds a deck of cards...they're black with yellow symbols and numbers. It reminded him vaguely of Bill...but that's impossible. As Mabel said, he's gone! He brings it along with him as he heads to the living room with Grunkle Stan.

As Grunkle Stan watches on, he notices how quiet and reserved Dipper is. It isn't as if he isn't like this, it just feels...different. Odd. He passes a blind eye but decides to make a small conversation with him.

Stan: "Y'know, Ford found those when he was on his adventures after you guys left."
Dipper: "Really? What do they do?"
Stan: "Why're you asking me? I ain't Ford!"
Dipper: "Grunkle..."
Stan: "Even if I was Ford, I wouldn't know!"
Dipper: "What do you mean? Grunkle Ford is the reason why the journals exist in the first place! And why we know about these weird things...so why not the cards?"
Stan: "They weren't odd enough for him to document. For all he knows, they're a normal deck o' cards! Just a different color."
Dipper: "Oh..."

Stan turns to him and exhales out a small sigh.

Stan: "They remind you of Bill, huh?"
Dipper: "Yeah..."
Stan: "Don't worry, kid. I bet it's just something one of the kids did to prank people after WEIRDMAGGEDON."
Dipper: "Mhm...sure..."
Stan: "Still worried?"
Dipper: "How could I not? These things just...it feels like everything is connected to Bill at this point."
Stan: "I know, buddy. It's been real worrying for the Falls after WEIRDMAGGEDON. Even if we tell them that Bill is gone, the place won't be the same. And neither will we...and plus, craziness runs in the family!"

Dipper chuckles.

Dipper: "I know, I know. I'm just...still a little shaken..."
Stan: "With the stuff we've seen? I'd expect it."