Friend Of Shadows

CHRISTMAS

The bus slid and glided on the slick, icy pavement. Occasionally I would look out the window to see delicate snowflakes littering to ground and window. The air inside was almost as chilly as it was outside, making my breath in a cloud of precipitation.
I turned my head from the window back to my sketch book. I had recently found out a had a certain skill for the arts like my sister, Mabel, who loved making sweaters and crafts. Although I prefer to spend my time drawing instead.
Adjusting myself in the stiff and uncomfortable bus seat, I brought my knees up and continued my sketch of a unicorn.
The soft music of Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach came out of my headphones, blocking out all other noises created by the people on the bus.
Before I knew it, we had arrived at our destination. I was to involved in my sketches though to realize, so Mable had to shake my arm aggressively to get my attention. Annoyed, I took out my headphones.
"What is it Mabel?" I asked her, not taking my eyes off of my paper.
"We're here Dipper! Get your stuff ready!" She yelled a little to loudly, attracting the attention of other people.
"Ok, OK, just don't talk so loud" I said, and put everything that I took out back into my backpack that had a blue pinetree stitched onto the front.
Looking outside I saw the big billboard welcoming us back to Gravity Falls. Mabel and I were now fourteen, and we managed to persuade our overprotective parents to let us come back for Christmas. Gravity Falls was our second home, and to be honest, it was better than our home in California.
Beside me, Mabel was jumping up and down in her seat. The bright golden stars on her baggy sweater jumped with her, making them look like shooting stars. She had her braces taken out recently, and her teeth were as white as the freshly fallen snow outside. As she got older, her hair started getting curly like our mothers. Now there were small curls starting at the bottom of her milk chocolate brown hair.
On the other hand, I haven't changed at all. I still wore my pinetree hat, my hair was the same, and I still wore my usual cloths, only replacing my best with a navy blue jacket. The only thing that might have changed is my strength, as I think I'm getting stronger. But that's debatable, as Mabel always says.
It had been a year since we were here. We would have come this summer, but Mabel's grades dropped and she had to attend summer school. My parents said that I could go without her, but there was no way I would go to the mystery town without my mystery twin. Only it's time we are only staying until Christmas break is over, then we have to go back to Peidimont for school.
Since we have been gone, the Mystery Shack has been shut down. Now it was just an old log cabin in the woods. Luckily Ford and Stan forgave each other, and now they lived together as they lived out their retirement. They might still fight here and there, but that's totally normal for twins to do. Even Mabel and I have our fights.
Sadly when the mystery shack was shut down, Wendy and Soos lost their jobs. Nobody really knows where Wendy is, but people always say she fulfilled her dream and moved to Portland. Soos also moved to Portland to be with Melody, and soon he is going to be a father to, who would have guessed it, two baby twin girls.
Although Mabel and I haven't been to Gravity Falls in a long time, we still keep in touch with our gruncles over video chat. It took a while for Stan to get used to the technology, but he eventually got used to it. Occasionally, when it's just me and Ford talking, he brings up me being his apprentice. It's really hard to turn down, but I still do to keep Mabel happy.
"Mystery Shack! Who's getting off!" the cranky bus driver said in her gruff voice. Mabel instantly bolted to the door, almost tripping over her own bag. I just went down the isle at a leisurely pace with my sketch pad under my left arm and my back in my right.
I stepped out onto the snowy ground and took in a deep breath of Oregon air. Mabel was on the ground making a snow angel. I don't know how she could do it with only a sweater on, but when she stood up there was a perfect snow angel in her place.
    Looking from her to the porch, I saw Stan and Ford leaning in the doorway. It warmed my heart to finally see that they were getting along. They actually looked like brothers.
    As soon as Mabel saw them, she instantly ran to them.
    "Stan! Ford! It's been so long!" she yelled as she tackled them both, causing them to tumble onto the floor.
    I ran to them with a warm smile, and saw them all on the ground laughing.
    "Hehe, we missed you too kiddo!" Stan said while ruffling Mabel's hair and standing up, brushing himself off. Ford did the same, while Mabel remained on the floor, giggling like crazy.
    "But we can't forget Dipper!" Ford said as he walked up to me and put me in a headlock.
    "Hey!" I yelled, laughing as I tried to break free, causing my things to drop on the floor with a thud.
    Mabel and I were dragged deeper inside to the warmth of the shack. Ford still had his arm around me, but at least it wasn't a head lock.
    "It's just as I remember it!" Mabel exclaimed jumping up and down.
    We were given a tour to see all of the things that had changed since the shack was shut down. There wasnt really any changes that mattered though. There was only two things; instead of a vending machine, there was a thick oak door that led down into Fords lab, and the bookcase covering Fords room upstairs was finally gone.
    We arrived on Christmas Eve, and the rest of the day was a blast. We made Christmas cookies, we went outside and had a snowball fight (which Ford and I dominated at), and to top it all off we vandalised the Northwest mansion with various lawn ornaments and lights.
    When the day was finally over, all of us were exhausted. Stan and Ford sent us up to our room in the attic, and I was pleased to see it hadn't changed at all.
    Mabel and I got ready for bed, and had a toothbrush race, which Mabel won. Both of us got comfortable in our beds and said our goodnights.
    "night sir dipping sauce" Mabel said from across the room. Just by her voice I could tell she was trying hard not to fall asleep.
    "night Mabes" Almost as soon as I said it, she was out like a light.
    I wish I could say the same thing. I was exhausted, but I couldn't seem to fall asleep. Something pulled at the strings from the back of my mind, trying desperately to climb into my thoughts.
    This kept me up for a very long time. Before I knew it, the commotion from downstairs ceased, indicating Ford and Stan had both went to their rooms. I clutched my head angrily, trying desperately to remember whatever it was my mind wanted me to remember.
    Then, almost as if someone flicked a light switch in my brain, remembered. While walking around the shack, I never saw a Christmas tree. I found this as strange, and earlier that day I told myself to remember this detail and ask about it later. But, unfortunately I never remembered so I never asked. Now it's too late to ask.
    I looked over at the clock on the desk beside me, and saw that it was twelve thirty-two at night. That means I had been trying to remember this for about two hours. I face palmed myself, and slowly rose into a sitting position.
    Looking over at Mabel, I saw her fast asleep, breathing smooth even breaths.
    Even though I remembered, I still couldn't fall asleep. So, I quickly and quietly stalked over to the bedroom door. Opening and closing it quietly, I flew downstairs as if I was wind.
    Just as I was passing the living room and was about to enter the kitchen to get a glass of milk, a golden glow caught my attention. I stopped in my tracks, and peaked my head through the door frame.
    What I saw made me speechless. Bill was floating by our stockings, and looked to be putting something in them. When he floated away, I saw a blue pinetree pillow in my stocking, a shooting star pillow in Mabel's, a yellow six fingered hand pillow in Fords, and a Pacman looking one in Stans.
    Bill didn't notice me yet, and I leaned on the door way. Then I noticed bill was wearing a Santa hat, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. He quickly spun around in suprise, but then looked at me sternly.
    I eventually stopped laughing, and Bill had turned a faint shade of orange.
    "Are you done?" He asked irritably.
    "Y-yeah. I just can't believe your wearing a Santa hat!" I said smiling at him.
    "Well, at least I don't draw you in my sketch book" He said holding up my sketch of him.
    I instantly stopped smiling, and I could feel blood rushing into my cheeks. It quickly went away though.
    "OK cipher, you got me." I said while holding my hands up "What are you even doing here? I thought you hated us." I asked in a questionable tone.
    He turned away before answering. "well...I heard that you and shooting star where coming here for this so called 'Christmas', so I...just thought I would give something..." He gestured toward the stocking with the pillows inside of them.
    "Aw, you do have a good side!" I said in a taunting tone.
    "Don't test me pinetree. I could kill you right now if I pleased."
    "Then why haven't you?"
    Bill looked like he was going to answer, but he couldn't come up with anything. I smiled to myself for finally outsmarting him.
    Then I stared at the stockings with the pillows forcibly stuffed inside.
    "You know, you could have just wrapped those in a box, right?" I said pointing my thumb at the fat stockings.
    "No! No I couldn't have! Your human tradition states that presents should go under a pinetree, and do you see one of those, pinetree" He stopped himself, and if a triangle could smile, I knew he would be.
    "hm...pinetree..." He said while he floated towards me, rubbing his tiny black hands together mischievously.
    "bill...what are you-" Before I could finish asking, I was wrapped up in bright Christmas tree lights. I struggled to break free, mumbling swear words at bill. He then lifted me up at set me back down in the corner of the room. Bill put a plastic box around my feet for 'support'he said, because you don't want your pinetree to fall over.
    Then, while humming 'Last Christmas', he snapped his fingers and made presents appear around my feet. Just to add one more touch, he put a tree topper on top of my head that was in the shape of him.
    "well, this has been fun, but now it's time for me to get outa here! Have a fun night pinetree!"
    After that, everything was still, except for the sound of my own struggling. Eventually I became weak, and fell asleep wrapped in lights with Bill on top of my head.

Morning

    "Hey, have you guys seen dipper?"
    I woke to the faint sound of Mabel's voice and the smell of Stan cakes.
    "No, I haven't seen him at all" Stan said a little to happily.
    "He wasn't in the attic?" Ford asked, and by the grunt he made, Mabel must have shook her head no.
    Hearing voices, I started to make noise again, but I got drowned out by the sizzling of the Stan cakes.
    "Cmon, I'll help you look for him" he said, and I could hear footsteps coming closer. Soon they sounded as if they were right next to me.
    "Dipper?! Is that you bro bro!?" Mabel yelled. I didn't know if she was in the living room or not, but I squirmed anyway.
    "what in the-" Ford said as I felt strong hands grab me. I could feel the lights being torn off of me, and soon I was free.
    "Dipper, how in the world did you end up like that?" Mabel said trying to hold in her laughter.
    "OK, so i couldn't sleep last night so I came downstairs to get some milk. Then as I passed the living room I saw a faint golden glow. I looked and I turned out to be bill putting those pillows in our stockings. We 'talked' for a little while, then he got the great idea of wrapping me in lights and putting presents by me since my nickname is pinetree. Then I ended up falling asleep and now...here I am."
    They both looked like they were about to burst into laughter at any second. Before they could though, Stan called us in for breakfast.
    After we ate, we opened our presents that Bill gave us. He gave Mabel a huge kit to make sweaters, but the only colors in the kit were black, gold and blue. Stan thought he got a bar of gold, but it turned out to just be chocolate. Ford got a huge futuristic looking gun, but it shoots confette (which Mabel loved).
    When it was time to open mine, I hesitated. All eyes were on me as I opened the box and pulled out the tissue paper. I saw what was inside, and I just rolled my eyes.
    "Screw you, bill" I said as I stared at what I got.
    "What is it?" Everyone asked at once.
    I pulled it out of the box so everyone could see it. It was a puppet that looked like Bill, even down to the little bow tie. I'll say this, I like the pinetree pillow much better.

Third person (in narrator voice)

    As the Pines family opened their presents and laughed, Cipher was watching all of this pleased with himself. He didn't stay for long though, and soon departed, going back to his demonly ways. The rest of the day was filled with joy and sentiment as the uncles, niece and nephew had a great Christmas. With that, we end our story here. The Pines family, Bill, and BluePinetree all wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ✨。        🌟。    ✨
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     ✨    🎄🎄。 。   ✨
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。   🎄🎀🎄🐻🎄。。
   ✨  🎄🎄🎀🎄。
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🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁