22 Short Stories from Gravity Falls

Story 7: One Con and a Mabel

Summary: In the mists of his family falling apart, Stan finds a chance to salvage it when one of his family members asks him to teach her the art of being a con.

Stan stormed into the kitchen. He was barely containing his anger in.

"After everything I told him, he still does it!" he yelled.

He knew Dipper was going to head downstairs to try and talk to Ford eventually, but he didn't think it would happen so soon. He had told him not to multiple times, that Ford's work was too high risk and that he should not get into that.

But he was dealing with a literal younger version of his brother in Dipper. It was only a matter of time. Now Stan wished he had spent more time bonding with the boy. Not letting him in or even being there for him that much had left him open to other influences. The author of the journals, the man he had labored to find for the whole summer was now living in the basement of the shack he had called home all summer. Of course, he was going to hang out with him.

Stan feared it. He honestly did. What if Dipper ended up like Stanford? What if him and Mabel ended up like him and his brother? As Stan sat there, he couldn't help but feel sorry. Why could he not have waited until after the kids had left to light the portal? In his rush and longing to be reunited with Ford, he let himself put the kids in a danger far greater than anything the portal ever could have done...the danger of becoming like him and his brother. He could feel his once whole family crumbling at the seams.

Stan's fear of his family's impending breakup however, was halted as he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. At first, he assumed Dipper was coming or Ford, but it was Mabel. She raced in with her up beat smile and a brand-new green sweater, which curiously, had dollar sign on it.

Mabel jumped up and sat down next to him, "Morning Grunkle Stan," she said.

"Morning Mabel," said Stan. Not assuming much more.

He thought Mabel would soon be heading on her way. Probably to go knit a new sweater, hang out with her friends, or anything else that she would normally do, and nothing he forbid. So for that reason, he was not ready for what she actually did.

"Grunkle Stam, can you please teach me how to con people," she ordered.

Stan got taken aback by that request. Of all people, Mabel? Why would she want to know how to be a con? She was the nicest, most honest and least self-centred person he had come to meet in his whole life. Now she wanted to learn how to be the opposite of that?

"Why...why would you want to learn a stupid skill like that?" he asked.

"Because, I want to be just like you," she replied simply.

Stan didn't know what to say. He could not believe it, "I, uh..."

"So, are you gonna teach me Grunkle Stan, or what?" Mabel asked. The look in her eyes showed him that she was not playing around.

"Well...well, I can't teach you looking like an unemployed truck driver. Step one missy, always look your sharpest," he said as he got up to get changed. Mabel looked on with excitement in her eyes.

While in his room changing, Stan was still struck with disbelief. Dipper would never ask something like this and would keep Mabel away from such things too. Now all of a sudden, she was interested in him?

Stan looked at himself in the mirror, "All right, don't mess this up, me. Mabel is counting on you," he said as he put on his iconic red fez. Mr. Mystery was in and the Mystery Shack was now open for business.

"All right, I'm gonna start simple with you given you're a beginner," he said, "This one is part of the sleight of hand tricks. I learned from a magician I worked for during my time in Vegas."