I'm Bored. People Should Totally Send Me Writing Prompts.

I'm bored. People should totally send me writing prompts.

Just remember the only pairings I'm comfortable writing are canon (and noooo nsfw please), but I like having all the different characters interact, so I guess if you're wanting some fluff this is the place. :D

I'll open questions on this post in case people can't find the ask box?? So what do you want to read?

Mystery Kids: Beginnings- Finale

Yep, it's the end, but only of this particular tale. Hope you've enjoyed everything so far, and thank you for reading!

“Whew, gotta take a breather,” Gideon panted to himself, leaning against a tree with his free hand. The other was getting tired after being curled around the amulet for so long, so he quickly switched, careful not to release his aces in doing so. He was pleased both had kept quiet the whole way; while Norman was tolerable if an idealist, the psychic had a voice that grated on his ears no matter what, and noisy hostages were annoying anyway.

“Now to find those Pines brats,” he muttered once he’d sufficiently recovered; that fool Dipper had left a trail plain as day even as the sun sank low, the sky orange and soon to fade darker. And only a fool got lost in the woods at night. Rustling ahead made him quicken his pace; surely he was close now, and then that boy wouldn‘t know what hit him.

Mabel lay in wait while Dipper acted as bait and made the brush move, drawing their foe right where they wanted him. Her grip tightened around the molded handle of the grappling hook, waiting to pull the line taut when he passed by, and there were only a few yards left. Hopefully their captured friends wouldn‘t mind a bit of a drop once Gideon let them go. Good thing there was plenty of fluffy-looking bushes and other woodland plants to cushion them. Squinting, she tried to make them out from her hiding place and couldn’t help but think they reminded her of balloons being toted just below the branches. Hopefully Raz wasn’t reading her mind right now. He did look pretty calm for a hostage, floating with eyes closed and legs crossed as though this was a regular thing for him. Norman looked more resolute than anything, his brows lowered and fists balled, but at least he seemed okay.

So when the first flickers of lightning streaked through him, Mabel felt heartsick. How could he be going through all of that—the nightmares, the terrible emotions—again? Dipper broke cover entirely and seemed dumbstruck, but Gideon was too concerned with his key bargaining chip suddenly igniting to notice. Taking several steps back as the lightning intensified, he brandished the amulet, waving it pathetically at the medium as he hollered commands.

“I didn't tell ya t’ do that! You obey me! Stop it this instant or you’ll get what’s comin’ to ya, you freak a’ nature!

There was no answer. The twins traded worried glances, but then it dawned on them that it wasn’t rage but intense focus that twisted Norman’s face as he struggled to channel the electricity. Gideon would have to try harder to break him, and it seemed that was what he went for. After dodging a few near-misses, he whirled around to face his would-be minion and drew as much power as he could from the psitanium to perform what he had planned.

The stone faded to a dull violet instead of lending its strength.

He had a moment to stare at it before Norman hit his mark and the amulet was shot from his hand. The two captives dropped, vanishing into a bank of ferns while Gideon scurried for his tie, which had bounced into the leaf litter somewhere. It also took him conveniently close to the grappling hook line. Darting to his sister’s side, Dipper grabbed the rope, and they hauled on it together as their rival crossed. Gideon stumbled and landed face-first in the dirt—their plan couldn’t have worked better if they’d asked. Jumping up from the hiding spot, Mabel sat on Gideon to restrain him while Dipper searched for the amulet and uttered a triumphant laugh when he found it tucked under a rotten log. There was no easy place to smash it here, so he tucked the sinister object into an inner pocket where Gideon would be hard pressed to reach it.

Raz helped pull Norman out of the ferns and assessed the situation while the medium caught his breath, bent with hands on his knees. Even with the psychic’s help, controlling that much power had drained him; all he wanted to do now was go home and sleep, and he even decided the ‘go home’ part was optional, but they weren’t quite done yet. Raz approached where despite feeble kicks and whining pleas Gideon’d had no success in shaking Mabel off, and gave her a thumbs-up before lifting their foe by his collar once she’d hopped up.

“If it was up to me you’d never see the light of day again, but I think my superiors are gonna want to talk to you first,” Raz huffed, and Gideon laughed in his face.

“You’re the government agent? What kind of fool do you take me for? You must be stupid if y’ think I’ll listen to you.”

“You know, you really shouldn't argue with the guy who can set your hair on fire just by thinking about it,” Raz retorted, and Dipper cleared his throat to interrupt.

“That’s great, but can we get home now? Norman looks like a zombie.”

“Kinda feel like one too,” he added, managing a grin.

“Ahh! And we’re out of ammo! Quick, throw Gideon to him so we can escape!” Mabel teased, and despite everything they’d been through the group managed to share a laugh while the one responsible for their troubles could do nothing but seethe. Once the grappling hook and the inactive psitanium had been collected, they headed back through the twilit woods, using a combination of the paths they’d already left and Raz’s excellent memory to navigate. Besides the occasional grumble from Gideon, the walk was almost pleasant. The lights they spotted finally poking through the trees spilled out from the Mystery Shack and beckoned them in. But something else got their attention first.

“Aw yeah!” Raz cheered; a sleek private jet with the Psychonauts insignia was a welcome sight, parked as it was in the clearing adjacent to the tourist trap. “This is awesome! We took care of the bad guy, and you get to meet my mentors! Well, one of them anyway—looks like it’s just Sasha.”

“His name is Sasha?” Dipper said skeptically, indicating the imposing figure who stood waiting for them just in front of the plane.

“Yeah, what else would it be?”

Dipper frowned but didn't reply. They were about to meet someone obviously Raz looked up to, and that meant he was probably a great psychic too. Hopefully he hadn’t been thinking too loud just then; talk about embarrassing. They hurried up the dark-clad man, Raz eager to report while the others were curious to meet another psychic.

 “It’s good to see you all up and about,” Sasha said as the kids gathered around him, a rare smile on his face. “From what Razputin told me you were all facing some very serious mental trauma. And Mabel, negative eight.”

“Whoa…” she gasped, then grinned; while Dipper had been hoping he wouldn't read his mind, Mabel had wanted him to from the start. No one but a real psychic could guess the number she was thinking of and her name.

“So this child is the cause of the problem?” Sasha approached Gideon, who was still suspended a couple feet off the ground. “Ach, I can already feel his anger. Young man, explain yourself.”

“Well y’ see, I was simply tryin’ t’—”

“I can sense you lying, you know.”

Unable to worm his way out with words and unwilling to admit any wrongdoing, Gideon clammed up and glared at the ground.

“I’m afraid the museum this was from is going to have to find another piece of psitanium, or just be happy with one tiny piece. The only way I could get the rest of it back was if Gideon didn’t have a use for it anymore,” Raz sighed before he handed the darkened stone and smaller chunk over, and Sasha took hold of Gideon as well.

“You did what was most beneficial to you and your friends. The museum had it for a nearby university to study. If they truly need data, the Psychonauts are more than capable of providing it. You managed to save a portion, and perhaps even inert psitanium can still be of use to them. The important thing is that you once again performed beyond the task assigned.”

“Thanks Sasha,” Raz said, reassured. “So what are we gonna do with Gideon? Lock him up? Or can we fix his brain, because I think he seriously needs it.” The others agreed wholeheartedly.

“Well, it’s against guidelines to imprison him, and while it may be beneficial to ‘fix’ his brain, as you so eloquently put it, he does not appear to have extenuating circumstances as your friends did. Is he always such an active threat?”

“Well… not really,” Dipper replied, looking to his sister who also shrugged. “Unless he’s got that amulet he’s never been much of a problem—not one we couldn‘t handle anyway.”

“I see. An amulet? Do you still have it?”

“Yeah.” He handed the tie over, and the scientist examined it curiously.

“Fascinating. I’m not familiar with the stone, but it clearly has some kind of psychic presence. Do you know its provenance? No? Well, I’ll run some tests and ensure it is contained. As for Gideon…” he trailed, tucking the amulet into his pocket while he thought.

“Agent Nein, if I may make a suggestion?”

“Yes, Razputin?”

“If I stick around or visit once and a while, I could keep an eye on Gideon. But there’s also a lot more going on in Gravity Falls than this, and I want to investigate. Dipper’s already been looking into it for a while, but something tells me he could use backup. Lili’s going to want to come too, if that’s okay.”

“I can’t mention the specifics but Gravity Falls has been on our list. You’re not needed at camp immediately, so I think you could stay for a few days; I’ll run it by Cruller when I return to base.”

“Isn't Grunkle Stan gonna be mad if another random kid shows up at the Shack? He didn’t like Norman so much at first…” Mabel said, poking her fingers together.

“He’d probably make him do his own psychic show, or hold séances with Norman just to draw more people in,” Dipper said with a half-hearted laugh, and Mabel nodded.

“I’m sure we can work something out,” Sasha said, something like a sly grin at the corners of his mouth. “Come, let’s go inside. You all need rest, and it seems I have much to discuss with your guardian.”

“What about me?” Gideon piped up, putting on his best innocent look. “I’ll—I’ll make a deal.”

“We’ll talk once I've finished here. You will wait in the jet for now, and I will know if you touch anything, much less break it. And if you are able to purchase a rare meteorite on the black market, I’ll assume you can also pay for any damages. Understood?” Sasha said, voice taking on an intimidating tone as he addressed the troublemaker, stern face and unreadable glasses only adding to the effect. Gideon nodded, eyes wide. Satisfied he’d made an impression, Sasha lifted him into the jet and sealed the door, then turned to the kids and clasped his hands together. “Now that he’s out of the way—care to show me in?”

“Right this way, Mr. Nein! We’ve got ya covered. So why are you called ‘nein’? Are you like, the ninth Psycho-guy ever? Whoa, does that mean Raz has a number for a last name too?” Mabel asked, and Dipper covered his face.

“Uh… no. It’s German,” Sasha replied patiently.

“And mine’s Aquato, to clarify,” Raz added as they headed up the Shack’s stairs to the gift shop. They found the door was locked, but once Dipper knocked it was nearly ripped from its hinges as Soos rushed to open it and scooped them up in a bear hug—even Raz got caught in it, though Sasha managed to sidestep the handyman’s reach. Holding back tears he tried to apologize for falling asleep on watch, but Mabel shushed his blubbering and they agreed to talk about it later.

“Who’s at the door?” Stan shouted from the living room.

“It’s the kids, Mr. Pines, and a mysterious stranger,” Soos promptly replied, and they heard what seemed to be muffled swearing.

“How important is he?”

“Very,” Sasha answered for himself. “I have a proposal for you, Mr. Pines. I’d like to discuss it now if you’re willing.”

“A proposal? If it doesn’t involve money I’m not interested.”

“It could. Or I could just leave and you wouldn’t get anything either way,” he reasoned, and passed the kids a knowing smile. He’d dealt with enough shady underground types to know just how to push Stan’s buttons, no psychic powers needed—though they certainly helped. A frustrated growl and the sound of footsteps stomping through elsewhere in the house seemed to indicate Stan was getting himself decent before making an appearance. Soos waved them in out of the bugs, and Mabel promptly flopped on the floor.

“Mystery Shack, how I've missed your splintery floors and musty smell.”

Stan finally entered, paused to acknowledge the Mabel on the floor, then greeted Sasha in his most businessman-like manner, suggesting they take things to the office. This left the kids to relate their stories to Soos to pass the time, as no doubt the two men would be at it for a while. They were enthralled as Raz related his adventures through the others’ mindscapes, then all took turns describing what happened once everyone was back and actively involved in the tale.

“Makes me wonder what Gideon’s mind looks like,” Soos wondered when they’d finished. “Lil’ dude’s probably got some majorly twisted stuff in there.”

“I wanna know too, but unless they okay psychic testing on him we’ll probably never know,” Raz answered with a shrug. “Like I said, it’s usually illegal.”

“Fair enough.”

It was decided that they should all go to bed whether Sasha and Stan finished their discussion or not; if they weren't talking the twins were nodding off and Norman couldn't keep his eyes open. But the door to the office clattered open and Sasha stepped out, soon followed by their caretaker. They waited expectantly for the announcement—what deal had the agent made with the con man?

“Mr. Pines has agreed to host you, Razputin. He will receive a stipend to cover housing you, what would normally be considered travel fees for an extended mission. I expect you to return to camp when asked, but you are free to come and go as you like. Understand?”

“Yes, Agent Nein. Do I have to do any paperwork, or reports or something? That stuff’s boring.”

“We've been over how it is necessary to document your activities,” Sasha wearily sighed, “but for this situation, only if you find something interesting.”

“There should be plenty,” Dipper said, and Raz shot him a look. Paperwork was not something he enjoyed.

“Now, I must go deal with Gideon. Pines family, Norman, Jesús—it was a pleasure meeting you; we’ll be in contact. Good evening.”

“See ya!” The kids waved farewell, then noticed the awestruck Soos.

“He… he guessed my name!” he gasped, watching the tall fellow walk back to the plane. “Raz, you know some cool dudes.”

“’Cause I am one,” he replied with a smirk, and they all chuckled.

“So if you guys are gonna go investigate stuff around town, guess I gotta call you the Mystery Kids, since y’know, you’re not all twins huh?”

“If you squint, Raz and Norman could be related,” Mabel said, doing just that. The two in question looked at each other skeptically.

“No.”

“Yeah, the hair’s a dead giveaway.”

“Did you really—”

“Yes.”

“So Mystery Kids?” Soos smiled, holding out a fist.

Dipper glanced around at his friends, then met Soos’—and everyone else’s—outstretched knuckles in a collective fist bump. “Yeah. I like the sound of that.”

Mystery Kids: Beginnings- Opening

This is the first Mystery Kids fanfic I not only wrote, but completed. It went untitled for a very long time, and I'm afraid the name's still not very creative, but it's better than nothing. 

I wish the formatting was a little more like an actual book, but with the text on this theme pretty small it may be easier to leave it at the default for now. Anyway, you probably want a summary. :3

Everything seems great in Gravity Falls. There's always something going on to keep young mystery hunters busy, especially when their nemesis procures a mind-altering mineral and uses it against them. Lucky for them, a young Psychonaut-- the youngest ever, in fact-- is on the case.

--------

The package was small, about the size of a tissue box and unassuming. It arrived with a plop on the doorstep midmorning, then was promptly squirreled away from prying eyes and hurried to a secluded back room. Stubby fingers pulled the packaging eagerly apart, and a gently shimmering violet glow lit the boy’s pale features. He poured over the substance greedily, its power safely contained in an insulating glass case, picturing what he might do with it now that it was his. There was so much…

Patience, that’s what I need. Play my cards right and everything will be mine without a fuss at all.

 -------- 

“Uh-huh. Uh-huh…. No, I wouldn’t worry about it. No really! You’re dead, you don’t have to worry about it. Oh, alright,” Norman gave a resigned sigh. “I promise we’ll make sure the well hasn’t been poisoned. Can you rest easy now?”

The pioneer ghost he was talking to nodded, looking content as it slowly dissolved into wisps of light and disappeared. That was the third ghost he’d helped this week, some kind of record he supposed. He turned to his two cohorts and grinned, indicating his success.

 “Yeah! Another point for Norman!” Mabel cheered, and her brother laughed.

“What, we’re keeping score? He’s the only one who can play.”

“Yeah yeah,” she said, giggling. “So who was this guy? Some kind of old-timey plumber or something?”

“More like a cowboy. He wanted me to warn everyone the well might be poisoned,” Norman explained as they turned to walk back through town.

“That was really his last wish?” Dipper asked, looking skeptical, and his friend nodded.

“Those kind of things were a lot more important back then,” he replied with a shrug. “If no one knew their water was bad the whole town might die. How was he supposed to know that wouldn’t happen?”

“Hey, if we meet that time-travel guy again we could go back and tell him,” Mabel suggested, and the two boys chuckled.

Norman only knew of most of the twins’ bizarre adventures secondhand of course, the rest having happened in the few days he’d spent in Gravity Falls. Some had been instigated by the ghosts he’d met around town, others from the pages of the weird book Dipper always carried around, and others still simply appeared out of nowhere. They’d taken advantage of one mystery in particular-- he was only out here with the twins now because a paper clone had gone home with his family. The pains of parting with new friends made on a vacation were craftily avoided, and as far as he knew the rest of the Babcocks suspected nothing. If he was brutally honest, his family weren’t the most attentive… and for now that was fine with him. Though he missed Neil, he was with his kind of people for once.

“You think Stan would let us rent another zombie movie tonight?” Mabel wondered aloud, twirling on her heel. She’d been on a horror movie kick ever since Norman had arrived and introduced her to some of his favorites, and the cheesier the better.

“Haven’t we exhausted the video store’s selection already?” Dipper replied, frowning. He refused to admit all but the worst of even the cheesy movies scared him, and Mabel knew all about it. Since the Journal listed zombies, half those films were automatically that much more plausible no matter how terrible the rubber-masked villains and corn syrup blood got. Of course he was tired of them, and wasn’t quite sure how his sister and Norman continued to put up with them. There were only so many ways a zombie’s head could get chopped off before it got old, right? He could already feel his sister’s sly little smirk, and knew some snide comment was incoming.

“What, worried the mondo-mutant from ‘Space Zombies 4’ is gonna come after you again?”

“I realize that was a dream, okay!? A dream!” he spluttered, glaring at his sister, who only chuckled at him. “Look, can’t we just rent like, an action movie? ‘Nebraska Bones’ or something.”

“Aw Dipper, you watch that all the time at home. I wanna see some crazy zombie-mashing action!”

Norman laughed to himself while the twins argued. They’d inevitably get it sorted out, and even though zombie movies were his favorite he didn’t mind the odd action movie either. Back home, Neil liked to watch cute animal movies, and some of those got to be pretty awful too, but as long as he was with friends it wasn‘t so bad. Ultimately it’d be up to the man paying for the movie anyway; as much as Grunkle Stan liked the fact movies kept the kids quiet he loved his money more. It was likely they’d just be playing out their own undead invasion that night.

Home base for the trio soon poked through the dense forest, garish signs every few feet ensuring no tourist could pass the Mystery Shack by. Stan was occupied with giving a tour, so the kids took the back entrance and headed for the living room. They’d ask him about the movie later; for now, whatever was on TV would have to do, and after that a round of videogames. For all its mysteries, if something strange wasn’t happening, Gravity Falls lived up to its ‘sleepy little town’ reputation.

The upshot to this ‘sleepy little town’ was that no one seemed to care that Norman often spoke to nothing. Everyone knew the town had its share of odd characters who also had their charms, and he was simply the latest in such a trend. Blithe Hollow still wasn’t sure what to make of him even after he’d saved it, and plenty of people didn’t want to talk about what had happened that night. Here in Gravity Falls, no one knew anything about it, and that afforded him a certain amount of freedom. Most people didn’t even know his name.

So when an envelope with ‘Norman’ neatly penned on it arrived with the rest of the mail that afternoon, it was definitely strange, and the letter inside it even more perplexing. Cordially written, it requested a private interview with him about his ‘gift’. There was no return address or initials, only a time and place to meet.

He’d think about it more later, but for the moment he stuffed it in his pocket and went back to where the twins were trying to decode one of the Book’s many ciphers. He couldn’t say he was much good at it, but Dipper was certain between the three of them they could figure it out. They didn’t have the key though, and without that vital part it was unlikely they’d crack it no matter how many minds were on the case. It wasn’t one of Trembley’s ‘silliness puzzles’ either, so that pretty much ruled out anything Mabel had to say too. Eventually even Dipper had to admit defeat.

It was times like these when the three tended to separate. Not because they were mad at one another or anything, but even twins needed time apart, and though he wasn’t quite so introverted anymore Norman still liked being able to hear himself think. With the Mystery Shack closed for the evening, things were especially peaceful, and wandering outside where the air was still and light slanted through the trees was refreshing. He knew to keep close to the Shack; besides the numerous mystical threats of the forest there were also more natural things like bears and cougars to worry about. No, he was content to sit on the steps or listen to the parking lot gravel crunch under his shoes. Sitting on one of the logs that served as a curb, a crinkling from his pocket reminded him of the letter, and he pulled it out to read it again.

“Whatcha got there?” Mabel said next to Norman’s ear, and he nearly fell from his seat. For all her loud tendencies, she had the strange ability to sneak up on people. “A secret admirer maybe?” She fluttered her eyelids, then giggled.

“No,” Norman replied with a laugh, “well, maybe. Someone wants to interview me.” He handed the paper over, and she sniffed.

“Smells like… hairspray? Maybe it is a secret admirer. Jealous!”

“…Weird.” He’d never had a secret admirer before, and wasn’t sure how to feel about it. According to all his movies, having a stalker meant eminent death.

“That date says tonight right? You should totally go! I’ll follow along, but all secrety-like. Come on!”

“Wait, Mabel…”

But there was no discouraging her, and he found himself being pushed down the road towards town. About a block before the destination-- in front of Greasy’s Diner-- Mabel made him walk by himself, trailing him and actually doing a good job of keeping out of sight. From what he could see though, there was no one waiting out front, and he felt relieved. But then a car-- large, dark and intimidating-- pulled up beside him, and the back window rolled down. These things never ended well.

“Norman?” A high-pitched, Southern drawl-inflected voice inquired, and a small boy’s face topped with an enormous platinum-blonde pompadour appeared over the window frame.

“Uh… yeah?” he replied, hands fidgeting.

“Why, pleased to make your acquaintance at last. Hop in, and we’ll head somewhere away from pryin’ eyes. My trailer should fit the bill.”

“Uh… I’m not so sure. I’ve gotta be home soon,” Norman said, edging back in Mabel’s direction. Everyone knew you didn’t get into a stranger’s car, even if the person inviting you seemed innocent enough.

“No no, come now, I insist!”

The door snapped shut, and Norman found himself inside, not really sure what had just happened. He twisted to look behind as the car pulled away and saw a worried-looking Mabel waving frantically at him before the well-dressed boy sitting next to him cleared his throat and began to speak.

“Now I know this ain’t the typical way to meet someone, but I’ve heard so much about you, well, I couldn’t resist a bit of mystery, if you know what I mean. I’m somethin’ of a showman y’see, and was wonderin’ if you’d be so kind as to make an appearance in my program. I think you’ll find we’ve got a bit in common, and it’d be such a delight to have you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about our psychic gifts of course! Why, with my premonitions and your clairvoyance, it’d be quite a treat for my fans. Think you could do it tonight?”

“Uh…” He was at a loss for words. The car pulled up to a trailer-- not the mobile home he’d expected, but an actual trailer like the ones for movie stars. “Are you… famous?”

“Only locally, but yes.”

They exited the car, which drove off for the time being, and headed into the trailer. The interior was cheerfully lit, lined with all manner of outfits and smelled strongly of hair products. The boy took his seat in front of the mirrors, and indicated a folding chair for Norman.

“Who are you, anyway?” he asked as he sat, and his host gasped.

“My my, did I really not introduce myself? Child psychic and town darlin’ Gideon Gleeful at your service! Now, can I get you anything, a water maybe?”

Norman shook his head. The Pines had named a Gideon in the list of things they’d had to fight, and the town was too small for two people to be called such an unusual name. Something wasn’t right, but he wasn’t allowed to dwell on it, as the chubby kid was determined to talk.

“Down to business then. We’ll get you suited up, then y’just have to talk for ten minutes maybe. Nothin’ fancy, just a few questions about your gift and such. Then questions from the audience, then it’s a wrap and we head home. Now I can see that you’re nervous, but it’s really nothing at all, and I’ll be doin’ most of the talkin’. You just sit an’ look pretty for the camera.”

“I… I’d love to, but uh… I’ve got to get home ‘cause my friends are gonna be really worried…” Norman stuttered, rising from his chair and making for the door. He didn’t mind being on a stage so much, even if the last time he had had ended more or less disastrously, but he got the sense this was something more sinister than a school play.

“Not to worry friend, they know about the whole thing! Now, come on back. You’ve got a show to get ready for.”

Norman found himself walking back to the chair. He didn’t want to, but at the same time it seemed like such a good idea. Gideon snapped his fingers, and a pretty little stylist entered.

“My special guest here needs a suit and somethin’ done about his hair. See what you can do, hon.”

She nodded, sized Norman up, then left the trailer. Gideon tended to his own hair, leaving his guest to look nervously about the room. Maybe he should plan an escape? Surely he’d have a chance to get out between now and the show. Maybe. The plots of most horror movies suggested otherwise.

The stylist came back with a small black suit draped over her arm, and Gideon tutted.

 “Don’cha have anything in color?” The stylist shook her head timidly, but the self-proclaimed psychic shrugged. “Shame. Anyway, try that on for size Norman.” He indicated the bathroom and waved him in. Reluctantly he obliged, and while the suit fit fine, taming his hair was another story altogether. Eventually the stylist reached her breaking point and simply fled the trailer.

--------

“Dipper! Dipper!”

The door to their room practically exploded under Mabel’s charge, and the Journal fell from his hands in shock.

“What!? What’s happening?”

“Norman got kidnapped!”

“What!?”

               “I dunno! I was watching him and he tried to get away, but then it was like he changed his mind and got in the car anyway! What are we gonna do?!”

“Wait, why were you following him? Where did this happen?”

“He got a letter, and I thought maybe it was a secret admirer or something romantic, so I-- oh man, this is all my fault!” she cried, falling to her knees, and Dipper put a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry Mabel, we can figure this out. Did you see who was in the car?”

“Hey kids! Get down here, yer buddy‘s on TV!” Stan shouted from below, and the pair rushed down, almost skidding into the room.

“I was just flippin’ through channels and stumbled on him. What’s he doin’ on Gideon’s show anyway? You guys warned him about the little creep, right?”

"Not well enough, apparently…” Dipper sighed, sitting dejectedly on the carpet. “Better see what he’s up to.”

“Tell us more about this curse you helped take care of,” Gideon was saying, leaning forward in a cushy-looking chair. “What’s all this about a witch now?”

“Well…” Norman looked uncomfortable on the stage, even though he had an equally cushy-looking chair. It was probably blazing under those lights, not to mention he’d been put on the spot. Nevertheless, in his own halting way he explained the whole story as quickly as he could.

“Fascinatin’, absolutely fascinatin’! Sounds terrifying too, but you triumphed in the end an’ that’s the main thing, am I right?” Gideon pronounced, and Norman smiled nervously while the crowd applauded. After that, they took questions from the audience, and then the show was over, Gideon waving to the camera charmingly with an awkwardly bemused Norman at his side as the credits rolled. The Pines sat in what approached a grim silence. Stan stormed from the room, and the twins glanced at one another. Their great-uncle returned fully dressed and scowling, grabbed his cane and opened the door.

“Come on kids, I’m not letting that little freak steal your friend for his sideshow. Hurry up!”

The two were out the door and in Stan’s car in a flash. Stan hadn’t exactly been thrilled when he learned there was suddenly another kid in his care, but at least this one’d turned out to be pretty low-maintenance. And if there was one thing Dipper knew their great-uncle definitely wouldn’t stand for, it was his business rival getting an advantage by using a family friend against him. The ancient vehhicle’s engine roared to life, and they were off.

People were still filing out of the Tent of Telepathy when the Pines family pulled in haphazardly and all three stormed in, Stan leading the way. Things were being wrapped up, and the Gleefuls’ employees stared as they marched down the center aisle. Bud Gleeful was packing up the electric organ, and despite their rivalry was always welcoming whenever Stan came to confront him over some wrong.

“Well, if it isn’t th’ whole Pines gang. What can I help y’all with this fine evening?” he drawled cheerfully, greeting them with palms spread warmly.

“Look, we only came here to pick up Norman. Hand ‘im over and we’ll leave without a fuss,” Stan growled, crossing his arms, and Bud held up his hands defensively.

“I’d love to help, but he and Gideon headed home for some dinner. You’ll just have t’ head there if y’ need ‘im back so soon.”

“Fine. But I’ll have you know we’re onto you!” Stan retorted, glaring at the large Southerner as he turned to leave the tent, twins in tow looking equally skeptical. They clambered back into the car and headed across town, and the siblings exchanged worried glances. Their new best friend was in the clutches of an insane ten-year-old who seemed to have access to the same supernatural forces they did. This was a recipe for disaster if there ever was one.

The Gleefuls’ sprawling ranch house loomed into view, the giant billboard advertising Gideon illuminated in their headlights. It seemed to leer mockingly down at them, and Stan growled in disgust. It was time to put an end to this farce. Once more they marched up to their rival’s establishment, and Stan pounded on the door rather than ring the doorbell. He tapped his foot impatiently before knocking again, and this time the door swung open. It was Gideon.

“Give us our friend back!” Mabel demanded, stepping forward and poking him hard in the chest before he could say a word.

“Why Mabel, always a pleasure to see you,” he countered, rubbing where she had more or less stabbed him with her finger. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“You can‘t fool us! We saw you on TV with Norman tonight!” It was Dipper’s turn to yell angrily at their rival, who merely chuckled innocently.

“Oh yes, he did stop by didn't he? Charming fellow, bit quiet though. I already sent him home, he should be there by now. You’re wastin’ your time talking to lil’ ole me.” His smug expression wasn’t exactly reassuring.

Dipper passed a worried look to his sister. The Pines were left with no choice but to leave their enemy and head home. They knew he couldn’t be trusted; would Norman really be waiting for them at the Shack? Had they just been bamboozled? Stan would never stand for that, he was the resident con man. They sat in the car, uncomfortably silent.

“Gideon seemed awfully convincing again…” Mabel finally groaned, fiddling with her hair, and her brother sighed.

“Yeah. Something’s up… wait, Mabel!”

She looked up to see her brother was agape.

“I knew there was something different about him when we saw him on TV, but seeing him just now-- he’s got another amulet!”

“Ugh, and I could have grabbed it when I poked him! Today’s just not our day.”

“Yeah… if he had it though, why didn't he do anything to us when we showed up at his doorstep? I would've, if I were evil. All my enemies in one place? Too easy,” he reasoned, scratching his head. “He’s up to something.”

“And it has to do with Norman.”

 “Well, looks like you’ll get to find out for yourselves; believe it or not Gideon was telling the truth. He’s right there on the steps,” Stan interjected. Sure enough their friend was waving to them as they pulled in, looking almost as relieved as they felt. Mabel barely let the car stop before she tackled him in a bear hug and left him gasping for air under her grip. Stan unlocked the door, and the three kids trudged gratefully inside, glad the day was over.

“He wanted me to keep the suit,” Norman said, tossing the thing over the back of a chair in the kitchen.

“It is pretty nice…” Mabel chuckled.

“Yeah, but… Gideon,” Dipper replied, grimacing, and she shrugged.

There was a lot more to talk about, but it was much too late for that now. Norman especially seemed tired from his live TV appearance, so the three picked up anything they’d left out and headed up to bed. After a good night’s rest they could begin unraveling their nemesis’ plan. At least that would be more rewarding than trying to crack the Journal’s codes, and probably more fun too.

But no one slept well at all.

Reblogging from my main account as it is relevant and to show that yes, I'm still alive and making things. :3

Instead of something actually productive I did this.

Oh man, there are 50 of you now!! Thank you so much!

So, for old and new followers alike, I have a question, or more accurately a couple ideas I've been kicking around.

First off, I do have fics in the works as I've mentioned before, but most are moving a bit more slowly than I'd hoped-- the longer ones certainly are. However, I do have one shorter fic that though unresolved, I still feel like I could post and you guys would enjoy it! So the question is, would you guys like to read it even if it isn't done? I promise it doesn't cut off anywhere heart-wrenching. ;3

Secondly, I've slowly been working on my headcanons for the kids, and my page on the blog for that is currently empty; I should probably fix that right?

Mystery Kids: Horror

This was a silly idea I had a while ago, and just couldn't let go. So. Enjoy the silly.

Summary: Knowing her friends' interests, Mabel hosts Summerween: Part Two, and Raz discovers a talent he's not sure he's happy to have-- nor is the rest of the group.

“Okay, since you guys missed Summerween, I was thinking we could have our own sorta Halloween-themed party to make up for it,” Mabel said, plopping down amidst the group gathered around the TV, and they gave her a collective look of confusion.

               “Summerween? Sounds kinda… weird,” Lili said, frowning, but Mabel handed her a scrapbook.

               “No way! It’s all the awesomeness of Halloween with the added benefits of summery goodness. Plus Halloween is only the best holiday ever so we should totally celebrate it more than once. We’ve already got the makings of the best Summerween party ever right here,” she explained, and gestured around the room. “Scary movies brought to you by Norman, costume contest judged by yours truly, scary stories and monsters with Raz and my bro—it’d be perfect!”

               “I’m down for that,” Norman said, breaking into a smile, and Dipper nodded.

               “Yeah, and hopefully no candy monster this time. We might have to forget costumes though since the store closed. And also we’re permanently banned from it anyway.”

               “Hmm… okay then, how about… your best evil laugh? I dunno, it’s gotta be something fun but also Halloween-y.”

               “Stan might question our sanity, but he’s been doing that anyway,” Lili said with a smirk. “Sounds good to me.”

               “Alright. Let the preparations begin!” Mabel declared, punching the air, and the room burst with a flurry of activity.

               Dipper helped locate the old decorations, then helped the two psychics deck the living room out while Norman began selecting their movie lineup, a mix between his favorites and ones he knew they’d all enjoyed. With the décor set, Raz went with Mabel to pick out candy from the nearby convenience store; they managed to come back with three bags of the stuff thanks to a buy-two-get-one-free sale and a moldy-looking ten dollar bill they’d found in the cushions of the recliner. Everything was set, and with an air of great ceremony, they closed the blinds, shut off the lights, and started the first movie.

               Three films later they were ready for a break; the first bowl of candy was practically gone and Norman had started things off with some real chillers. Mabel came downstairs with Waddles in his businessman outfit, and Raz blinked at him before scratching behind the pig’s ears; so that’s where those had come from. Dipper passed around sodas for everyone, and they agreed it was time for scary stories. Lili was in the middle of one about a hideous creature that went around at night stealing the brains of unsuspecting children when Soos poked his head in.

               “’Sup dudes! What’s goin’ on? It looks all spooky in here,” he said, admiring the room’s new furnishings before stepping in.

               “Soos! We’re having an unofficial Summerween part two!” Mabel answered brightly, and the handyman’s face lit up.

               “Sweet! Mind if I join in?” They made room for him on the floor, and he helped himself to some of the candy. “So what’re we doing?”

               “Scary stories, not all of which are true,” Norman explained, “but we won’t tell you which ones.”

               “Excellent. Let the storytelling continue.”

               And so it did until they were ready for more silver screen horrors, which Norman was happy to supply. Eventually it got late though, and they were almost out of sweets. It was the perfect time for a contest.

               “Okay, so since the only one here with a costume is Waddles, I’m thinking we go with the evil laugh contest. We heard some good ones today, so we should all be inspired,” Dipper said, turning to the group, and his sister nodded.

               “Definitely. So! We can all go in a circle or something, and whoever has the best one as judged by all of us wins. Who wants to go first?”

               “Dude! Dude! Me! Pick me!” Soos waved his arm like a kindergartener who knew the answer before anyone else did.

               “Let’s hear it!” Mabel cheered, and he obliged, though it was only a slightly harsher version of his usual guffaws. They all clapped and looked to the next person in line—Norman. He got points for trying, but his voice was ultimately too light to really hold up. Dipper was next, and managed to be the most successful yet, turning an unfortunate break in his voice into an escalation of madness instead. He high-fived his sister before it was her turn, but her attempt sounded forced—there wasn’t an evil bone in her body, they decided. Last came the psychics’ turns. Lili produced the greatest banshee cackle they’d ever heard, truly an outstanding performance, but Raz of all people was hesitant. He made various false starts before giving an apologetic shrug.

               “Sorry guys,” he finally said, and Lili patted him on the back.

               “Ya gotta give it a shot,” Mabel pleaded. “Even I tried and we agreed I should never try to laugh like a mad scientist again.”

               “I don’t even know where to start though,” he reasoned, and this time Dipper looked disappointed.

               “We just watched some of the greatest examples of overdramatic villainous laughter you could ask for, and I’m pretty sure you’ve fought at least one bad guy who laughs at anything. You’ve got all kinds of examples man.”

               “I know… just give me a moment. Maybe it’s just performance anxiety making me blank.”

               “It’s not a test…” Lili trailed, looking skeptical.

               “I know, but I wanna do a good one. If I do, I’m going all out.”

               They fell quiet as he concentrated and took a few breaths to relax, then a smirk crossed his face as he pulled the goggles over his eyes. He really was taking this seriously.

               It started as a quiet chuckle, then in one breath roared into the most deranged laughter anyone in the room had ever heard. Even Lili backed away as it rose to a frightening crescendo, then finally died away with a final long, hoarse note. Then Raz cleared his throat—and hid his face, even though most of it was already covered by the goggles. They sat in stunned silence until Soos finally broke it.

               “Dude. That was intense.”

               “Raz wins,” Mabel squeaked from where she hid behind her brother’s shoulder, and they all fervently nodded.

               “I’m dating a madman…” Lili trailed; that got Raz’s attention. He broke from hiding, removing his goggles and taking her hand in his, genuinely worried until she punched him lightly.

               “Sorry. Guess I really did go all out,” he said, rubbing his shoulder. “In all fairness, I had no idea I could even sound like that, so it sorta scared me too.”

               “I, for one, am glad Raz is a good guy,” Dipper said, and they all nodded again. “Though I guess if he was a bad guy he’d have the laugh down pat.”

               “Dude, maybe he was evil, in like a past life or something,” Soos proposed, looking thoughtful.

               “Who knows. All the stuff we’ve seen, anything’s possible,” Dipper replied. “Anyway, on that note I think we can declare this party a success. Better clean up before Stan comes in and yells at us.”

               The man in question was standing just outside the door, his back plastered against the wall and horror spread across his face. He’d been intending to join the kids in their little Summerween sequel; after all he loved the holiday himself, and he hadn’t gotten time to bond with his niece and nephew lately what with running the Shack, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity. But now….

People had always talked about the voice of reason, but Stan Pines was wondering if he’d just heard the voice of insanity instead, and it belonged, ironically enough, to a kid frequently tasked with curing it. His eyes widened as he considered the implications, then trudged off, doing his best to forget everything he’d heard in the last ten minutes.