In the dead of night, the air was filled with the hooting of owls and the rustling of leaves. The weather vane, a whimsical arrangement of the letters W, H, A, and T, occasionally let out a squeak.

The skies were draped in shades of black, blue, and white, casting a shroud of darkness over the surroundings. It was the perfect time to have a good night's sleep because it was quiet– except for the casual rumbling of the ground every now and then. The town had been experiencing earthquakes more often than usual, and while the rest of the residents slumbered peacefully, oblivious to the ongoing seismic activity, these two culprits were well aware of the disturbances they were causing.

As Y/n and Stan stood there, the air before them danced and shimmered with a vibrant, swirling light. It was a sight to behold, a testament to their hard work and determination. This was the breakthrough they had been waiting for, the first step to get him home.

"Thirty long years and it's all led up to this," Stan spoke into the portal room. It seemed that he was at the beginning of a speech. "Our greatest achievement!" A wide grin spread across his face as he uttered those words.

His attention shifted to the girl standing behind him, and he gently ruffled her hair.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Stan's gratitude was a rare occurrence, but his sincerity was evident.

Y/n nodded in agreement, her own smile mirroring his. "This is just the start," she replied. Stepping back into the control room, she followed the instructions from the journal, flipping down a few switches. As she did, the display at the top started to light up with various boxes and lines of text.

AUTO SCAN.

The boxes were now filled with interdimensional information, symbols that Stan had never seen before. Y/n knew that they were on the right track as bodies of green logarithmic scripts scrolled upwards endlessly. The older man tried to understand the meaning of the figures on the monitor, while the younger girl kept her gaze on the results box that kept displaying the X sign. It only meant there were no signs of him in the dimension.

Laser lights flashed sporadically as the various symbols on the portal lit up accordingly. The tabulating machine dispensed out long papers of results, binary statements that served as records. The screen on top of it read, "0.0000000000% COMPLETE." and within a few seconds, it shifted into "0.00000000001% COMPLETE."

That change gave them hope.

If they finally pull this off, it will all have been worth it.

To get him home, to be reunited.

Y/n was busy flipping through the second and third journal for more information that they might use, but her eyes kept on glancing back at the framed picture of Dipper and Mabel smiling at her. The flickering of the portal behind them sent doubts in her head.

"What if they found out about this?"

"Those two?" Stan scoffed. "Yeah, right. We've come this far. Who could possibly catch us now?"

I can give you a list. She stares at him with a raised eyebrow. He shouldn't be underestimating the twins, especially having been with them for almost a month now.

Stan continued with a cheerful stride, slipping on a glove meant for a hand slightly larger than his own. The extra finger on the glove dangled loosely as he extended his hand towards the handle. With a firm grip, he pulled it down, choosing the maximum power setting for the device.

A blinding light engulfed their surroundings, its intensity beyond measure. But it was, as Y/n was directly looking at it while Stan was shielding his eyes with both of his arms. It's like waking up at 3am and checking their notifications, but none of them have phones.

Meanwhile, in another dark room far, far away from the Mystery Shack...

"See, there! There it is again," a man in a suit exclaimed as he and his partner observed the patterns on the dimly lit screen.

The other man glowered. "We haven't seen readings like this for thirty years."

"Is it coming from deep space?" the first one stressed, using their computer to track down the source of immense power. "An enemy weapons site? The sun?!"

The screen displayed a globe, rotating to a specific part of the world, the red dot glaring at them. He zoomed in on the country, the state, the town.

"Just as I suspected,"

A small lumber town in roadkill county, Oregon: Gravity Falls.

https://youtu.be/X2DUpDxFJyg

GOOD MORNING, GRAVITY FALLS!

Shandra Jimenez appeared on the local news as she happily reported, "A week ago, hardly anyone knew who they were. But we all know them now." A close-up photo of Stan, Mabel, Dipper, and Y/n smiling was broadcasted as Shandra continued. "The brave family that exposed and took down a fake child psychic who used his celebrity to spy on the entire town!"

The reporter looked distressed. Footage from the Gideon fight was shown next. "And caused massive damage to our pride and property."

Photos of Stan dramatically pointing out the destruction of the Mystery Shack. Y/n was laughing at his facial expression throughout the photoshoot just to rub it in Gideon's face. A text on the bottom says, "Big damage for small mediums."

Another one was of Stan angrily pointing at something, accompanied by another text of, "Crack in the ground named 'Gideon's Fault.'"

Then came a video of Gideon being escorted to jail, wearing the most perfect orange attire, fit for a fraud. He sat there in his cell, already having a chalk and writing a single stroke, symbolizing the toddler's first day.

Shandra smiled professionally. "That's our top story today. I'm Shandra Jimenez!"

"And I'm Toby Determined!"

Silence as Shandra stared at the weird guy sitting beside her. "You don't work here," she said, unimpressed. "Security!"

A lone staff member literally carried him out of the studio with its meaty arms.

Stan Pines, Local Hero.

The older man stood smugly in front of the camera. "Look, saving the town? That's what I do. I'm a great man!" He leaned closer and dropped his voice into a whisper. "Some might say the greatest man!" He paused, his eyes sliding to the side. He smiled before walking over to a long table and began snatching pieces of shrimp into a plate.

The camera followed him and he stopped. "These are complimentary, right?"

Mabel Pines, Little Girl

The sweater-wearing girl was seated on a chair as the microphone was pointed at her in an interview. "Oh yeah, the Pines family totally kicked Gideon's butt! Haha!" Mabel smiled widely. "Sometimes, when the going gets tough, you gotta whip out—" she reached down and pulled out her trusty grappling hook, "one of these bad boys!"

She aimed it around like a cool agent, but before anything else went, a random security guard suddenly shouted, "SHE GOT A WEAPON!"

Two guards tackled her down and it all cut to static.

Y/n, Wendy, and "Zeus?", Employees

Soos was wearing a formal outfit, different from his usual question mark uniform. His hair was slicked back as he wore a light blue vest over a clean, hot pink shirt. He sat politely, smiling at the camera. Wendy leaned back with her arms crossed. Y/n was casually drinking her hot coffee offered to her by one of the staff members. She was careful not to drink it in one go, acting as if the coffee would actually "burn" her tongue off. She laughed at the idea.

Y/n let Wendy talk her thoughts. "Gideon? That little jerkwad is history, man!" She exclaimed.

A man appeared from the side and whispered something to the redhead.

"What do you mean I can't say 'jerkwad' on TV?" Wendy said. She then began to do the opposite of the warning. "Jerkwad! Jerkwad! Jerkwad! Come on, Y/n!" She stood up on the couch so that her head was out of frame. "This is America! Freedom of SPEECH!"

Y/n stared into the camera like she was in a famous TV show that featured people working in an establishment. Soos cheerily reached for the sign behind him and brought it out for the camera to see. "HELLO, GRANDMA!" the sign said.

It cut to Stan, the segment still continuing. Stan Pines, Local Hero was still on the screen by his stomach. He was happily eating the shrimp he took from the catering. "Good news is—'' he chewed, "we're celebrating the Grand Re-opening of the Mystery Shack. Tonight, baby!" He waved the shrimp around. "Party... punch... inflated prizes..."

Waddles entered the frame, jumping up to reach for the seafood. Stan raised his arm and began berating the pig. "Hey, hey. Not for pigs."

It cut to Mabel again, leaning forward proudly with an excited smile. "We're calling the party, 'Scary-oke' and then I'm gonna be the party-planner! It's the start of my new party-planning business!" She looked to the side. "Soos?"

On cue, the large man ran up to the camera and lifted his vest, revealing the pink shirt he's been wearing. In neon green letters it read, "CRAZY MABEL'S PARTY PLANNING AND CAT SITTING!"

In one of his back pockets, he pulled out a handful of glitter and confetti and blew it out. Mabel followed and stood beside him. "8 o'clock tonight, suckers! Don't miss it! Fun! Fun! Fun!"

Soos continued throwing out glitters while Stan, Wendy, and Y/n appeared behind her. "Fun! Fun! Fun!" The three chanted alongside her.

The screen then cut to Dipper Pines, Kid.

Said boy sat on a chair, both of his arms propped on the table with a single light shining down on him. The room around him was dark like it was watching a serious documentary. "Honestly," Dipper began, "I think partying is a bit premature if you ask me."

He intertwined his fingers together. "Sure, we defeated Gideon, but Gravity Falls is a hotspot for paranormal anomalies." He stood up, both of his hands on top of the table. His face was stern. "And I urge everyone in this town to be vigilant. The next threat could come from anywhere," he finished with a determined look.

But then he stopped being serious and looked to the side, "Can we get the graphics department to do like the words– 'PARANORMAL WATCH', or maybe– I mean, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job but maybe—"

His footage stopped midway, ending the segment with the word 'CRACKPOT' in bold red in front of his face.

"Well there you have it!" Shandra said, "A shack full of fun loving heroes, and one very paranoid kid."

It stopped on Dipper's face yet again, and the twins watching the news in real time had different reactions. The boy was focused so grimly at the screen, while Mabel was casually bouncing on the yoga ball. "Man, the camera doesn't love you! Haha!" She teased. Dipper didn't say anything to that. Mabel continued, "Hey, look! If I rewind, you're totally making a pirate face and rapper hands!"

And on remote control, Mabel rewinded the video while it was still paused, the Dipper in the TV doing what she described. He was doing exactly that.

Her twin brother sitting beside her planted his face on the counter. "Ugh. It's not fair." He turned to Mabel. "This whole summer I've been trying to get people to believe me about the weirdness in this town, and after everything that happened, they still just make fun of me! You see this?"

Dipper motioned to the customers of the gift shop. There was an old lady eyeing a U.F.O keychain, kids running around wearing monster masks made out of rubber, and a guy raving about a bigfoot bobblehead.

"This is what people think of the magic in this town."

Mabel smiled at him, assurance in her words as she swayed herself on the yoga ball "Hey, bro. I know it's all real. And Y/n does, too! We believe in you!"

Dipper was unconvinced as he brooded. "I just wish the rest of the world did."

The rest of the morning consisted of people bustling around the Shack. Some were aiming to get Stan's autograph, while others were considering buying every merchandise. In other words, the town loves them. Everything is finally going their way.

Wendy and Soos had a conversation by the counter. "So, it's midnight, right?" The redhead began, "I'm texting with Tambry when the whole house started shaking. I almost swallowed my cell phone!"

"Oh, it was an earthquake, man!" Soos replied, "I almost stabbed myself with a nacho!" He then turned to Y/n who was standing in front of the vending machine, a Pitt Cola in hand. "Did you feel that, dude?" He asked her.

The girl paused, turning with an innocent look. "Earthquake?" She pondered, "Uh, can't say that I did..." she trailed off, pursing her lips.

Soos reverted his gaze to the cashier teen. "Dude, I've lived here my whole life and I've never felt anything like it," the guy emphasized, his face turning serious. "It's suspicious if you ask me."

Y/n nervously sipped the soda, her hands slightly shaking. A million thoughts spiraled in her mind. She shouldn't have been too agreeable with Stan when he said that these two won't care about their surroundings. Once again, Stan had underestimated them.

Speaking of the older man, he slid into their conversation with an affronting expression. "Hey, would you three quit yapping?" He crossed his arms. "I want you goons preparing for the party tonight!"

"I'm prepared!"

The four turned around towards Mabel, who was wheeling on a karaoke machine behind her.

"I rented a karaoke machine with my allowance money." She placed her hands on her hips with a smile. "I got a plan! The party is gonna culminate with the greatest karaoke performance the world has ever seen! Starring the world's greatest singers—" she pulled out a paper of her drawing of her, Dipper, and Stan with flashy outfits and singing into the microphone. "Love Patrol Alpha! Dipper already agreed—"

"---No, I didn't!---"

"---Now, I just need you!" Mabel said to Stan. She turned to the girl behind him, "Y/n, you're welcome to join too if you'd like~!"

Stan placed his hands on his hips as he grumbled, "I'll have to get back on you on that one."

Soos interrupted the discussion as he pointed something outside the window. "Hey, Mr. Pines? Is that a limo service for the party or what?"

The older man whipped his head around and saw the black vehicle parking in front. His eyes widened when he saw the words, "U.S GOVERNMENT" plastered on the side of the car, its plate number being "USEXEMPT"

Stan immediately closed the window and bolted towards the P.A system. He pressed the button and began shouting, "The Mystery Shack is now closed! Everybody, out! I will not hesitate to use the hose on the elderly!"

The people began filing outside, Y/n assisting said elderly people whose faces were slower. Stan shutting down the gift shop could only mean one thing, because he never shut down the gift shop.

Mabel faced her great uncle with a concerned look. "Grunkle Stan, what's happening?"

Stan began pacing back and forth, running his hands across his arms to stop the nerves that he was feeling. Meanwhile, Y/n was also perturbed, tapping her feet as a nervous habit. Pitt Cola remained in her hand, she might as well use it as some sort of stress can with it almost being crushed from the pressure.

They were being unusually quiet, not answering the girl's questions. The two were not prepared that this day would come. Everything was going smoothly, they thought. Well, the government vehicle in front of the Shack proved them wrong.

Three loud knocks on the door shook them out of their reveries. Stan shook the jitters off his body, muttering, "Just be casual, Stan. Be casual."

Mabel continued her aimless motion with the yoga ball. "STOP BOUNCING!" Stan yelled. Mabel did, staring at the man strangely.

Y/n wished she could do something at the moment. She desperately could've helped Stan ease his tension, but her feet were helplessly frozen at the spot. She could only avoid their faces the moment Stan opened the door.

"Welcome to the Mystery Shack, gentlemen!" Stan greeted, going into his "Mr. Mystery" persona– all giddy and charming. "What can I get you?" He began rubbing his hands before pulling things out of his coat. "Keychains? Snow globes? These rare photos of American presidents?" He urged, extracting an old dollar out of one of his sleeves.

"My name is Agent Powers, this is Agent Trigger," the man's monotonous voice meant that they came here with a different purpose. They presented their respective ID's with the same logo on their car. Both of their expressions looked strict. "We're here to investigate reports of unusual activity in this town."

And if it wasn't enough emphasis, the other guy narrowed his eyes and pointed, "Activity!"

"Mysterious activity? In the Mystery Shack? You've got to be joking!" Stan attempted to divert the subject.

"I assure you, I am not. I was born with a rare disorder that makes me incapable of experiencing humor."

"Oh!" Mabel exclaimed, having overheard the conversation. "Our friend has a disorder too! She-" Her mouth was clasped shut by the girl's hand.

The three men turned to stare at the two girls. Stan's eyes instantly found Y/n's nervous ones as she made a shaky smile. But before anyone could utter another word, Dipper came bounding in from out of nowhere. "Did you just say, 'unusual'? 'In this town'?!" He looked excited, walking closer towards the agents in black suits.

Stan leaned down to Dipper's height and brought his voice to a whisper, "N-not now, kid. The adults are talking."

"But Grunkle Stan, these guys clearly work for the government! We've gotta cooperate with them, right?"

The man with the mustache kneeled on one knee as his face morphed into intrigue. "You seem bright," he remarked. "What's your name, son?" He began rummaging for something inside of his blazer.

"Uh, D-Dipper..." He stuttered, "Dipper Pines."

"Have a pen." Powers handed him what looked like a regular writing pen, but when the brown-haired boy clicked on the tip, it produced a streak of black light coming from the pen. "They're the same kind we use to find fingerprints back at the lab."

Dipper's smile turned wider– if that was even possible.

"What is it you wanted to tell us, Dipper?"

"I..." he began, "I don't know where to begin!" He said, but he wanted to say so much. "This town is like a hotspot for paranormal and alto-average phenomenon and creatures ever dreamed about!"

The two exchanged worried glances.

"Ghost, gnomes, time anomalies–" Dipper rambled on, "and it's all written down in this ancient journal we've found which proves everything!" He was being crazy as his sister– and he knows it– but he just couldn't let this all go to waste if it meant getting to work with the government in blowing the lid off the mystery of this town.

The agents shared a silent look. Should we trust this kid?

Powers turned back to Dipper, his voice remaining rigid. "Tell me, Dipper, do you still have this... ancient journal? Could you show it to me?"

"Of course!" Dipper chirped in an instant. "Grunkle Stan's been borrowing it," he looked up to his uncle. "Grunkle Stan, show him that journal!"

With a forced smile directed at the two men, Stan gently pushed Dipper back as he got in front of him. He let out a strained laugh, holding his stomach. "Hah, I'm sorry about this, gentlemen. Kid's got an overactive imagination, and like– a... a sweating problem!"

A cackle sounded from the back. "That's true!"

Stan continued, "All the rumors you've heard are just part of gift shop lore!" He easily explained. It sells more tickets, you know?" He winked before snapping his fingers and on cue, Soos entered the scene and slapped Mystery Shack bumper stickers on either of the agents' chests and placed alien headbands on their heads.

"Swag!"

The cops looked unimpressed now, and Dipper couldn't help but sweat, feeling their indifference from a mile away. They're losing interest. "B-but... it's true, officers!"

"It's true, officers!" Mabel bounced in with a huge smile, wearing the same alien headband. "This town is a magical wonderland! Gremloblin!" She spouted, and Dipper frowned gravely.

Why did Mabel just say that? How are they supposed to take them seriously now? He turned to the other person he knew he could trust.

Stan tried to intercept again, "Alright, kids, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm sure these agents have better things to do-" he offered with a polite smile.

"But, Stan, they need to know the truth! Y/n, tell them about the things we found! You believe me, right?" He said, raising his voice slightly. He didn't mean to demand an answer from her, but the agents had to treat them like they're smart. He had to reel them in.

The girl felt everyone's eyes on her, waiting for her reply. Their looks were of various emotions; the agents looked impatient, Stan's was uneasy, Mabel's was reassuring, while Dipper's was anticipating.

She found herself stuck in a tight spot. Both Dipper and Stan were counting on her answer, so what is she going to say? She couldn't come up with a quick excuse to just leave the conversation (plus, she could possibly be seen as suspicious for running away). They have always been so cautious about the government finding out about this. With one more glance at Stan, he shook his head subtly, his brows furrowing. He knew he could trust her to side with him.

And in that moment, Y/n regretted one thing.

She never should've joined Dipper and his adventures.

"Well, I... uh..."

Stan jumped in, trying to redirect their attention to something else. Poor Y/n was trying to go through it. "Folks, I assure you, there's nothing to see here. It's all harmless fun!"

Powers was unimpressed as he faced Stan. "Sorry, for wasting your time." He turned around and began walking towards the exit. Trigger compiled a bunch of bobbleheads in his arms.

"I'm confiscating this for evidence."

"Smart move."

"Wait, wait!" Dipper chased after the two, dashing for the door. "Please, y-you have to believe me!" Powers stopped in his tracks, glancing at the boy. "I- I can prove it!"

The agent got down on one knee again as he and Dipper had the conversation between just the two of them. "We'll be in town until tomorrow. Our agency is always looking for help from bright, young minds."

Dipper watched as Powers reached for the pockets in his jacket again, drawing out a card and giving it to him. He stared at the blank paper. There's nothing on it– until he tilted it to the side, and a telephone number appeared with their logo.

555-326-1567

He tilted it back and it disappeared. He tilted it again and it was there– before tilting it again and it was gone. "Woah. Secret card..." he muttered under his breath.

"Bring us some proof that there's more here than bumper stickers and we'll talk."

Dipper waited until the agents drove off in their fancy government vehicle before he was left alone again– and anger filled him to his core. The door was kicked open as he exclaimed, "Grunkle Stan!"

The older man stood there with his hand on his temple, massaging away the stress. Y/n was nowhere to be found. He'll deal with her later, but he wanted to start with him.

"Why would you throw me under the bus like that? You lied right to their faces!"

Stan brought his brows together as he pointed at the boy. "Listen, kid. You should be thankful. I was keeping you from embarrassing yourself! Like you always do."

"Nothing could be more embarrassing than what you just did to me," Dipper replied without missing a beat. "After everything that's happened, how can you just stand there and say that there's nothing magic or weird about this town?"

"Because there isn't!" Stan burst out. "Whatever you think you've seen in Gravity Falls is a mix of cabin fever, altitude sickness, and reading that sci-fi trash!"

"It's not trash!" Dipper retaliated, standing his ground. "That journal was written by a genius! Someone smarter than you'll ever be! And I'm going to get it back!"

Stan looked furious. He didn't have to hear from his nephew that he's the dumb one. He knew that already. But him holding the real author of the book in such a high regard just irked him when they haven't even met yet.

His voice was dangerously low, "Look, kid. I know you think you have this all figured out, but you gotta trust me when I say this is for your own good." He snatched away the card in Dipper's hand, making him gasp. "I'm confiscating that card." Dipper glared so hard at the back of his head. "Now, leave it be."

Stan walked away as Dipper tried to stop him. "But, Grunkle Stan! You don't understand!"

"And don't go talking to those agents!" He yelled before completely disappearing into the living room.

Dipper grumbled. "Ugh! Grunkle Stan always ruins things! That could've been my big break!"

"Bro," Mabel slid in, placing her arm across his shoulders. "Maybe Grunkle Stan is right. We're throwing a party tonight! Can't you go one night without searching for aliens or raising the dead or whatever?"

"I'm not gonna raise the dead," Dipper insisted as if it was a foreign concept. He untangled himself from her hold. "And speaking of those things, I still need to get the journal back from him. I need a chance to show those agents the book."

"Trust me, Dipper. The only book you'll need tonight is right here! Boop!" Mabel brought out a thick binder that said KARAOKE on the cover.

Dipper stared at it unimpressed. "Where did Y/n go?"

He needed to talk to her. He was hurt that she hadn't spoken up to the agents, but he gave her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she was just as nervous and excited as he was, in disbelief that professional people had come to the Mystery Shack with the same motives as them. He couldn't believe it either. He imagines himself working with intelligent groups of people solving mysteries, and when looking to his side, he sees his partner smiling at him. She was smiling at him.

"Bro?"

***

The elevator descended to the very bottom. This was the only other place she'd go to after not hearing a response from the other side of her bedroom door. Stan waited until the mechanism opened before stepping out. He didn't hear any typing, but he saw her with her head kept down in her crossed arms.

She heard him walking towards her, but she didn't budge. Leave her alone for a bit to mope.

"You okay, kiddo?" Stan mumbled, placing a doting hand on her shoulder.

She vehemently shook her head, refusing to look up from her folded arms.

He sighed. "We knew this day would come, but we're still unprepared," he said, checking on the machines. "Those agents could ruin everything,"

Just the thought of having the government involved had Y/n's mind completely shut down. She sniffled as she leaned back and hunched over the desk. "Can you leave me with my thoughts for a bit?" Her voice was meek and raspy, exhaustion oozing.

But Stan didn't falter, moving closer to her. "Oh, no. If you think I'm gonna leave you alone– you're dead wrong," he said. "We're in it for the long haul, remember? And if that means facing a bunch of dumb agents trying to stop us from doing something great here, so be it."

A small smile made its way to her face. She exhaled a soft breath, a bit more calmed down than before. His words helped a lot. Stan could be stubborn sometimes– it reminded her of someone else.

Her eyes followed Stan's hand as he aimlessly flickered the pages. "He's gonna want it back." She weakly muttered, arms stretching across her torso.

"I know," Stan sighed forlornly. "As much as it would be a dumb decision to give this back, it wouldn't be good to keep it." He nodded once.

But there has to be some way to keep a copy of it. Her eyes slightly lit up as an idea popped in her mind. "You go up. I'm sure they're already looking for you."

"Wha-" Stan's brows furrowed. "What are you gonna do?"

"I'll take care of it," she said dismissively, motioning him to leave. Stan was dismayed. Her lips were twisted into a faint smile. "I'll copy these pages and make sure to return this to Dipper," she said as she clutched the book to her heart. "Now, go! It won't be a party without you."

"Actually, I have to go out."

"Out?" She echoed. "Where are you going?"

"I have to take down the boarded up signs that lead to the Shack. The government is already onto us. We don't need more curious people up our butts," Stan grumbled, seriously frustrated at the situation.

She stood there, her gaze fixed on him as he made his way towards the elevator. Her mind raced, struggling to grasp onto a single coherent thought, but exhaustion had taken its toll. Glancing down at the journal clutched in her arms, she willed herself to focus on the immediate task at hand.

Desperate to shift her focus away from the underlying issue, she felt the need to do something – anything – to distract herself.

Perhaps she'd simply punch the nearest wall.

Unbeknownst to Stan, mere minutes after he reentered the Shack's yard where the party was in full swing, Y/n had also taken the elevator upstairs. Quietly and unnoticed, she navigated her way to the elder man's office, fully aware of the copier's location. Skillfully, she slipped through the door and ensured it was securely locked behind her. With deft movements, she swiftly crossed the room and focused her attention on the worn and creaky machine.

The image of the numerous copies of Dipper strewn across the Shack was etched vividly in her memory. A fleeting thought crossed her mind – would this unusual phenomenon also occur with ordinary, aged paper? Could Ford's sketches spring to life following a scan?

There's only one way to figure it out.

Y/n cautiously lifted the cover of the journal and flipped to its opening page. Carefully positioning it, she twisted the book over and firmly placed it onto the scanner bed. Under her breath, she murmured, "I hope this actually works," and with a determined press of the button, set the process in motion. The aged contraption protested with its characteristic groans and squeaks, wriggling and shifting before coming to an abrupt halt.

The copier sprung to life, methodically reproducing the page Y/n had placed on it. While lacking color, the duplication was strikingly accurate. She wasted no time, moving swiftly to the next page and repeating the process. The task was undeniably tedious, yet she pressed on with unwavering determination, fully aware that the sooner she completed it, the better.

A sigh of relief escaped her as her shoulders slumped slightly when she finally reached the last page. Just one more page to go.

The redhead and the brunette stood before Stan's bedroom, their gaze fixed on the door adorned with signs bearing messages like "No Minors Allowed" and "Do Not Disturb."

Dipper wasn't to be stopped despite the warnings and proceeded to walk closer.

"I'll keep an eye out for Stan," Wendy called out to him. "You go rustle through his weird old 'man biz'." She grimaced.

As Dipper pushed open the door, he was greeted by the chaotic scene that was Stan's bedroom. The space was strewn with relics of old pranks and knick-knacks one might expect to find in the room of an aging man. However, Dipper's focus was fixed on a particular item – the card that Stan had confiscated from him. He scanned the cluttered room, his eyes searching for any sign of its whereabouts. Where could it possibly be?

He meticulously sifted through Stan's drawers, meticulously examined his closet, and even delved into the crate containing the questionable magazines – an endeavor that Dipper made sure to cleanse his hands of afterward.

Feeling on the brink of surrender, Dipper's mind raced, attempting to think from Stan's perspective. Where would he hide the card if he were in Stan's shoes? His gaze locked onto a counterfeit painting portraying Stan in the guise of a prosperous man adorned in a crimson robe. "Wait a minute," Dipper whispered to himself. He cautiously extended his fingers towards the edge of the framed portrait and sensed a slight resistance as it began to shift.

As Dipper scrutinized the faux artwork, he discovered a concealed vault concealed behind it. Within the hidden chamber rested a cardboard box prominently labeled 'contraband' in bold, white letters. Its contents held items Dipper, at his age, wouldn't be permitted to possess. Hastily grasping the box and prying it open, he swiftly extracted the sought-after calling card.

He looked around the room and saw a telephone. He stalked towards it and dialed the number. It rang once before the line was answered by the familiar voice from earlier. "Agent Powers."

"Hi! This is Dipper," he said, confidence slightly wavering now that he's speaking with the agent. "Th-the kid from the Mystery Shack?" And if he still didn't recognize him, Dipper wanted himself to be clearer. "The- uhm, sweating problem?" He briefly glared, but he continued, "I found the- uh, journal! Yep! You have to see it." It was a complete lie. He hadn't seen it anywhere ever since Stan borrowed it from him. He still has to look for it. Maybe it was in this room as well. But if he still can't find it, then he'll just have to get help from the agents.

"And you're certain this... journal will help our case?" Powers questioned, uncertainty oozing through the call.

Dipper was surely sweating by now. "Yeah! I am 100% sure."

"Very well. We're on our way."

"Great! I'll see you."

"Dipper?"

He pivoted around to her voice, seeing her standing in the doorway with Wendy gone. She must've been invited by her friends to go and party.

"Y/n!" Dipper breathed. He saw her petrified expression, but he didn't dwell on it too long before his eyes went to the journal in her hands. "The journal! You got it!" He bounded towards her with the widest smile. "Where did you find it? And I didn't see you this entire afternoon. Where did you go?"

She couldn't answer, her nerves getting the best of her. But she let him take the journal from her. Now with nothing to grasp, she closed her knuckles tightly.

Dipper skimmed through the journal, inspecting its condition. "Alright. I have the journal and the agents are almost here."

"Agents?!" The word jolted her awake. "You called them?!"

"Woah, calm down," he motioned with his hands, not understanding what she was panicking about. "This could be a good opportunity, Y/n. Those agents might give us the right equipment to finally solve the mysteries about Gravity Falls!"

She was silent.

"The agents will be here, and I'll show them the journal and they'll finally see the truth!" He rambled, before going to a halt. His eyes were bouncing around the place except for her own, his voice becoming rather meek. "And I- I was thinking... I mean, if you're not doing anything else, you can... go with me?"

It was a simple request. He asked her to accompany him. If only she could equal his enthusiasm for telling those agents knowledge they could use to their advantage. If she hadn't considered the potential of them uncovering the interdimensional doorway in the basement—one that she and Stan had been working on for the past 30 years—she would have gone with Dipper completely.

But she didn't want to do anything with those agents.

Dipper observed the downward gaze of her eyes, uncertain of how to respond. "Are you alright?" He was about to reach out, but she intervened by placing her hand on his, gently stopping him. She spoke softly, "You know what, I think I should head to bed. Feeling pretty tired." Though it was a weak excuse, she hoped Dipper would understand and let her leave.

Dipper blinked, his gaze fixed on her. "Sure... Rest well," he replied.

Y/n found herself at a loss for words, offering him a faint smile before exiting Stan's office. Taking a left turn, she headed to her own room. The thought of returning to the portal room crossed her mind, yet she ultimately opted to embrace the comfort of her bed. Despite the intrusive music from outside, its steady beat gradually soothed her thoughts, coaxing her into a peaceful slumber. Perhaps a restful nap was just what she needed.

The familiar government vehicle that had appeared earlier came to a stop just a few meters away from the Mystery Shack. The two agents stepped out of the vehicle, glancing at their watches. Just as they did, Dipper emerged suddenly from the nearby bushes, eagerly addressing them, "Guys! I'm so glad to see you. Working together, we can crack all the secrets of Gravity Falls!"

The agents exchanged curious glances, deciding to trust this kid, just this once.

Dipper continued with his enthusiasm, "Trust me, this book is the lead you've been looking for." With a confident gesture, he revealed the journal he had been holding, presenting it to the agents for their examination. They accepted it, closely studying the book's contents and scrutinizing the sketches. As Dipper pressed on, his words brimming with excitement, "I'm thinking full-scale investigation! Forensics, researchers– do you guys have a helicopter?" He paused, a bashful chuckle escaping him. "I'm sorry. Helicop-ters."

Powers maintained a serious expression, looking uninterested, "Kid, I'd love to believe you, but this just looks like more junk from your uncle's gift shop," he said. "I mean, Leprecorn? I can't be the only one that thinks that's not funny." He shifted his gaze towards his partner, seeking agreement.

"I can confirm; not funny," Trigger added, nodding.

Dipper looked distraught. "No! It's real, I swear! You should... send it to the lab! Am I saying that right?"

"Your uncle was right about that overactive imagination," Powers said, handing the book back to him. "We got paperwork to do."

"Boring paperwork."

"Wait! This book is real!" Dipper began chasing after them, showing the journal once more. "Gnomes! Cursed objects! Spells! Listen!" The agents halted abruptly, turning to glance behind them. They observed Dipper swiftly flipping through the pages, searching for a simple incantation to recite out loud.

"Uh... Corpus Levitas, uh– Diablo Dominium, MONDO VICIUM!" Dipper shouted the incantation at the top of his lungs, disregarding the specific spell he might invoke. His only goal was to trigger some kind of occurrence or manifestation that would convince the agents of the existence of the supernatural.

As the agents stood there, a sudden gust of wind enveloped them, and the atmosphere grew charged with energy. Their surroundings began to tremble, and confusion set in as they struggled to comprehend the unfolding events. Then, right beneath Dipper's feet, the ground split apart with a jolt. In a hurried scramble, Dipper managed to escape the rift just in time. All three onlookers were transfixed as a gnarled, shaky hand emerged from the gaping crevice, followed by the emergence of a creature – a zombie.

A zombie!

"Ah! A zombie!" Dipper wondered with an excited smile as he pointed at it, looking at the agents' reaction. "A real, actual zombie! See? Spooky journal, a hundred percent real." He felt accomplished and now he was waiting for their confirmation. "Now can we work together?"

From behind the boy, the creature began to crawl. "Mother of all that is holy!" Powers expressed in a panic.

"What do we do?!" Trigger shouted in the same tone.

But Dipper was unnerved, "It's just one zombie," he said, trying to calm them down. "Trust me, I see stuff like this all the time." As he hastily flipped open the journal in search of a potential reversal spell, the solitary zombie suddenly materialized right in front of him, catching him off guard with a startling jumpscare. "Ah—!"

With a swift, powerful motion, Powers crushed a small boulder directly onto the zombie's head, instantly immobilizing it.

Dipper chuckled in relief. "Good thing it was just that one—"

Contrary to Dipper's skepticism, nature seemed determined to prove him wrong. Just as he spoke, the ground quaked once more, and a series of cracks spread open. From these fissures emerged a horde of zombies, numbering around 15 to 20. These skeletal creatures, their hollow eyes emitting a sickly green glow, staggered forward with an unsettling hunger for brains.

"Oh my gosh," Dipper voiced out, "You guys can help, right?"

Powers and Trigger stepped back slowly. "Kid, we've been chasing the paranormal for years, but we've never seen anything like this before!"

"Get down!" A piercing scream escaped Trigger's lips as the horde of zombies lunged forward, overwhelming the two adults. Dipper's own voice joined the chorus of terror as he watched in horror, the relentless zombies dragging the shrieking agents into the shadowy depths of the forest, leaving him utterly alone.

"Oh my gosh. WHAT HAVE I DONE?!"

Y/n was jolted awake as the ground trembled beneath her. Springing out of bed, she was met with the sound of frantic screams echoing outside. Rushing out of the Shack, her eyes widened as she took in the scene before her – Dipper, Mabel, Waddles, and Soos were encircled by a horde of zombies. "What in the world..."

Her gaze remained fixed on the unfolding chaos. She observed as the handyman bravely stepped forward, shielding the kids from the encroaching danger. However, her heart sank as he was caught off guard, a zombie sinking its teeth into his shoulder. His skin took on an eerie paleness, his once-vibrant eyes transformed into vacant white orbs, and his mouth began to ooze with a disturbing excess of saliva.

"Guys!" her voice rang out in an urgent warning as she dashed out of the gift shop. The twins swiftly turned their heads in her direction and wasted no time in bolting towards her, the pig trotting closely behind. "This way!" she shouted, quickly dispatching any zombies that crossed her path. Soos stumbled along, trailing behind the group as the horde of zombies closed in.

They hurriedly entered the gift shop, and Y/n forcefully slammed the door shut behind them. "Quick, we need to board up all the windows!"

"Where's Grunkle Stan?!" Mabel's scream echoed through the room as she rushed towards the corner, her panic palpable. Waddles joined in with a distressed squeal, clearly unsettled by the dire circumstances.

"I don't know," Y/n admitted, looking around for wooden boards to use. "And I don't think he's coming anytime soon. Come on, we gotta–"

The window beside her suddenly shattered open, and Soos leaned in with an excited smile. In his hand, he held a drill. "Hey, dudes! By the way, I taught the zombies how to get to the fuse box. Among these dudes, I'm like a genius!"

In an instant, the lights within the Shack flickered out, casting the interior into darkness, while a crimson glow seeped in from the outside. As panic set in, zombies started to clamber their way in through the windows. "Get those brains, dawg!"

Y/n reacted swiftly, delivering a punch that forcefully repelled a zombie, creating some distance between them. Simultaneously, Dipper dashed towards the alternate door that led to the living room, narrowly avoiding a zombie hand smashing through. A gasp escaped him as he retreated, his back pressed against the corner with Mabel by his side. In her haste to reach the twins, Y/n performed a powerful kick that severed the zombie's arm from its body. "Y/n, watch out!" Dipper's voice rang out, filled with concern.

"Dipper, isn't there something in the journal about defeating zombies?" Mabel asked.

He frantically looked through the journal. "No! There's nothing in here about weaknesses!"

The twins' heads snapped up as the door splintered under forceful impact. Their gazes locked onto Y/n, who stood before them, having deliberately smashed down the door to create an escape route. Breathing heavily, she urgently directed them, "Quick, to the attic!"

With their options dwindling, Dipper, Mabel, and Waddles raced away, narrowly avoiding a zombie's desperate lunge. The trio hurriedly made their way toward the stairs, Y/n vigilantly keeping watch behind them. While Mabel and Waddles continued ahead, Dipper halted on the third step, casting a wary glance over his shoulder.

"Dipper, what are you doing? You need to go!" Y/n's urgency was evident in her voice.

"No, I'm not leaving you here!" Dipper's determination was unwavering. "Hide with us."

Y/n shook her head, attempting to allay his concern. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll catch up, I promise."

Dipper's eyes held a mixture of worry and frustration. "I get that you might not get hurt, but what if you can turn into a zombie? You don't need to put yourself in danger all the time!"

Growing increasingly frustrated, Y/n could sense Dipper's stubbornness and lack of trust. "Dipper, listen. Please trust me. I want to keep you safe. I'm likely the only one who can't be turned. Go, look after your sister, and I'll do my best to keep the zombies away from the attic."

"Y/n, don't treat your life like it's nothing. I – we care about you, okay?" Dipper pleaded, his voice laced with concern. "Now don't try to fix the problem that I caused. It's all my fault! I should be the one to fix this."

"We don't have time for this, Dipper!" Y/n shouted, her frustration evident. Her words were abruptly cut off as a zombie's grip closed around her arm, hoisting her off the ground. Panic surged through her, and she screamed, struggling against the creature's hold. "Ah! Let me go!"

"Y/n!!!" Dipper's scream echoed.

Out of nowhere, a resounding smash filled the air. The zombie was struck by a baseball bat, causing it to release its grip on Y/n. The creature's head was then brutally crushed beneath the foot of—

"Grunkle Stan?!" Dipper exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.

Stan's command cut through the tension. "Attic! Now!"

Dipper didn't waste his time. He seized Y/n's hand, dragging her from the ground, and together they dashed toward the attic, ignoring her protests. Mabel, already positioned at the door, swung it open, allowing them to enter. Panting from the exertion, they found themselves in the attic, Y/n withdrawing her hand from Dipper's grasp. Her irritation was palpable. "Here I am. Happy now?" She couldn't help but be somewhat annoyed. "Instead of just waiting, wouldn't it be more sensible for you to search the journal for a solution?"

He complied with a muted response, his fingers turning the pages of the journal. Though he remained silent, traces of annoyance were evident on his face. Meanwhile, Mabel remained oblivious to the unfolding tension, unaware of the gravity of the situation.

A sudden commotion outside drew their attention, and the twins instinctively moved into a defensive stance, bracing themselves for a potential threat. However, the door swung open to reveal Stan, who entered with a cough and a hand clutching his side. "Oh! Ow. Everything hurts," he groaned, his discomfort evident. He quickly closed the door behind him and reinforced the barricade with a chair.

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel exclaimed, noticing his disheveled and worn-out appearance. "You're finally here!"

Dipper offered a shrug, a modest smile gracing his lips."I guess you can't deny magic exists anymore, right?"

Stan took a moment to catch his breath, his gaze briefly flickering toward Y/n before returning to Dipper. "Kid, truth is, I've known all along," he finally confessed, his voice heavy with admission as he turned away.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Dipper asked, perplexed.

"I'm not an idiot, Dipper! Of course this town is weird!" Stan's exclamation carried a mixture of frustration and concern. "And the one thing I know about that weirdness is that it's downright dangerous!"A zombie's hand abruptly broke through the door, sending a jolt of panic through the group as they retreated to the room's center. Stan's voice remained resolute as he continued, "I've been lying about it to try to keep you away from it. To try to protect you from it!"

A zombie burst through the window, prompting Stan to react swiftly. He delivered a powerful punch, sending the creature crashing to the ground. As it tumbled, a horde of zombies outside fixated their gaze on the Shack. The situation escalated further as additional zombies began to crawl up the exterior walls, intensifying the impending threat.

"It looks like I didn't lie well enough."

Y/n remained silent throughout the entire ordeal, her thoughts and words unable to provide a useful contribution in the moment. Internally, Y/n offered a silent applause for Stan's long-awaited confession, all the while contemplating when the time would come for her to unveil her own truth.

"What do we do, what do we do?!" Mabel said in a frantic voice.

Dipper tried to find the solution in the book, but with the Shack's lights turned off, he couldn't see a thing. "Ugh, it's too dark, I can't see anything!" He expressed, trying to find a lone light.

"Wait, wait, wait. Didn't those agents give you some sort of pen light?" Mabel asked from beside him.

Dipper's eyes lit up. "Mabel, you're a genius!" He rummaged through his navy vest and brought out the same pen from earlier. He pushed on the button and aimed the black light on the page. "Wait- what?!"

All of a sudden, white writings appeared on the pages overlapped on the old black ink. Dipper laid the journal on the floor for everyone to see, flashing the black light onto it. It revealed Ford's decreasing sanity as the invisible writings of him going crazy appeared.

"Invisible ink?" Y/n heard Stan mumbled in curiosity, briefly sharing a glance at one another.

Y/n's hands trembled, a mix of emotions swirling within her. It could have been anger, triggered by the revelation that Ford had kept this from her. Or maybe it was anxiety, stemming from the uncertainty of having copied pages without knowledge of the hidden writings in invisible ink, which could have been vital for the portal. The thought that crucial information might be concealed beneath a seemingly inconspicuous black light frustrated her. Now, Y/n was left uncertain about whether the copier had replicated the invisible ink writings, and a sense of hopelessness had settled over her.

Dipper backtracked to the zombie's page. There was a large block of text written in invisible ink and he read it aloud. "Zombies have a weakness! Previously thought to be invincible, their skulls can be shattered by perfect three part harmony."

"Of course," the three heard Y/n mutter, accompanied by the sound of her smacking herself in the head – an odd gesture considering it wouldn't hurt her physically. This caught their attention, and they exchanged puzzled glances. "I just thought, you know, zombies thrive on chaos. So, logically, the only way to defeat them is through harmony!" Y/n quickly conjured up an explanation that the family readily accepted, all the while berating herself internally for not recalling her past experience of defeating zombies. She vividly remembered harmonizing with Ford and F, enjoying the moment, and feeling a genuine sense of happiness.

Y/n took a confident stance, hands on her hips. "Alright, let's think about a three-part harmony. How can we pull that off?" she inquired, prompting the group to engage in a brainstorming session.

Dipper offered a suggestion with a shrug, "I mean, I've got a naturally high-pitched scream?"

"I can make noises with my body– sometimes intentionally!" Stan added.

Mabel's eyes lit up as she chimed in with a smile, "Guys, I think you're missing the obvious solution."

"What is it?" Stan asked, looking clueless.

"Duh! It's the karaoke machine!" Mabel declared with a triumphant smile.

On the rooftop, the group skillfully navigated past the zombies—sending a few punches when necessary—and swiftly set up the karaoke machine. "Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?" Mabel's voice projected through the microphone, eliciting a burst of feedback that immediately captured the attention of every zombie in the vicinity. "Y/n, I don't have a spare mic, but you're free to sing along if you'd like!"

Y/n waved her hands around. "Oh, it's fine. I'll just keep on the lookout for any approaching zombies."

"Alright! But you're officially the honorary member of the band!" Mabel declared, her finger hitting the button to play a song that had been queued up since earlier this evening.

Dipper interrupted with a hint of hesitance, his gaze fixed on the title of the song. "Wait, wait, wait. Is this really the song we're singing?" He shot a swift glance at Y/n positioned behind Stan, his grip on the microphone revealing his doubts about the impending musical performance.

Unfazed by Dipper's question, Mabel enthusiastically addressed the gathered zombies, "Zombies and gentlemen! I'm Mabel, there's Dipper, Y/n, and Stan, and together we're Love Patrol Alpha!"

"I never agreed to that name!"

"Hit it!"

The beat resounded, erupting into a fun rhythm. Stan narrowed his eyes at the lyrics, adjusting his glasses. "Uh, Mabel? Our lives may not be worth this," he remarked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.

Dipper made a slight grimace, clearly not entirely thrilled with the situation. However, he took a deep breath and, with microphone in hand, began singing the song. It was a sacrifice for the greater good of humanity, after all. "Friday night, and we're gonna party 'til dawn. Don't worry, Daddy, I've got my favorite dress on?! Mabel, this is stupid!"

With a confident stance, Mabel placed a hand on her hip and started swaying to the infectious beat. "Roll into the party, the boys are lookin' our way. We just keep dancing', we don't care what they say! And all the boys are gettin' up in my face–"

Stan extended the microphone towards Y/n, but she firmly shook her head and pushed it away with a hint of determination. Instead, she took action, forcefully shoving a zombie that attempted to crawl onto the roof they were standing on. "Guys, you have to sing together or it won't work!" she urged.

"Ngh... Boys are a bore, let's show 'em the door..." Stan sang albeit reluctantly.

"We're takin' over the dance floor!" Everybody sang in unison. "Oh-oh! Girls do what we like! Oh-oh! We're taking over tonight!"

Y/n observed in astonishment as the three-part harmony seemed to work like a blast– literally! Zombies' heads began exploding all around them strangely to the rhythm of the music. The trio carried on singing the chorus, maintaining their tune until the majority of the zombie heads had disintegrated in a series of explosive bursts.

"Oh-oh! We're taking over tonight!"

Dipper's grin widened, and he belted out the lyrics at the top of his lungs, "Takin' over toniiiight!"

Amidst the guitar riff playing in the background, a zombie unexpectedly appeared behind Dipper, causing him to let out a startled scream. Reacting swiftly, Y/n grabbed the confetti cannon from the ground and directed it towards the zombie, urgently shouting, "Duck!" With a swift pull of the trigger, a burst of confetti exploded from the cannon, simultaneously propelling the zombie's head away from its body.

The detached head soared through the air before finding an unexpected resting place in the punch bowl. Mabel's smile grew even wider as confetti rained down around them. "Thank you!" she exclaimed over the music, her voice laced with excitement. "We'll be here all night!"

Stan pointed triumphantly at the fallen zombies, his laughter ringing out, "Deal with it, zombie idiots!

"Pines! Pines! Pines! Pines!" The trio chanted as Y/n couldn't help but smile at them. Stan cast a brief glance her way before extending his arm to draw her into a side hug, pulling her closer to him. In a wordless exchange, they shared a smile.

As the sun rose on a new day, the four of them descended from the roof and entered the living room. The room was in disarray, marred by zombie residue and dirt. The round table was tipped over, and a fallen light added to the disorder. It was quite a mess.

Dipper looked guilty, his hands placed inside the pocket of his vest. "I'm sorry, guys. I totally ruined everything."

"Dipper, are you kidding me?" Mabel asked as he approached him. "I got to sing karaoke with three of my favorite people in the world! No party could ever top that," she reassured.

Stan walked up to the trio, drawing them close in a huddle, and knelt down to share a serious conversation. While he made sure he included Y/n, his focus was mainly on the twins. "Kids, listen. This town is crazy, so you need to be careful. I don't know what I'll do with myself if you get hurt on my watch," he glanced at her briefly before heaved a sigh and rubbed his temples. "I'll let you hold on to that spooky journal." he turned his attention back to Dipper, his tone stern. "As long as you promise me you'll only use it for self-defense, and not go looking for trouble." Stan finished.

Dipper took a step back, his expression skeptical as he eyed Stan. "Okay..." he replied cautiously. "As long as you promise me you don't have any other bombshell secrets about this town!"

Y/n couldn't help but notice the way Stan's hand was extended behind his back when he emphasized, "Promise."

"Promise," Dipper repeated, mirroring Stan's gesture by placing his hand behind his back too. She gave a subtle shake of her head, amused by their similarities. They are definitely related.

She gave Mabel a quick glance, hoping to gauge her reaction, but Mabel seemed completely oblivious. Y/n couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the irony of being caught in the middle of their little exchange. This is the price she pays for being in the know on both ends.

"Man, we have got a lot of zombie damage to clean up," Stan said with a stretch. "Where's my handyman, anyway?"

"Brains..." a slurry voice caught their attention and they gasped upon seeing Soos as a zombie, staggering towards the living room. His eyes were still undead-like and saliva was running down his chin. "BRAINS!"

"Holy Moses!" Stan exclaimed, grabbing a chair and lifting it above his head about to inflict it on Soos until Dipper stopped him.

"Wait! There's a page here about curing zombification. It's gonna take a lot of formaldehyde."

One cup of formaldehyde, one teaspoon salt, two teaspoons paint thinner, one quart newt's blood. Y/n silently recited the ingredients.

"Ooh and cinnamon!" Mabel chimed in, delighted when she saw the page.

Y/n smirked. For taste, of course.

"Come on, Soos. Let's fix you up."

Dipper walked out, engrossed in the journal, "I can't believe it! All this time the author's secrets were hiding in plain sight!" he exclaimed. He retrieved the pen the agents had given him, using the black light to reveal hidden content. "A whole new chapter🗝of mysteries to explore..."

[ROLL CREDITS]
These pages were the ones Y/n had duplicated. It turned out the enchanted copier was truly potent, replicating the precise content of the page, invisible ink included. Swiftly getting herself a black light, Y/n reexamined the pages, this time under a different light – quite literally.

***

K HM P IYQBSE LBXYKU A QHSB
🗝 : ????

In letters secret, they intertwine,
A cipher's art, a coded design.
With a keyword's key, the code shall break,
Vigenere's dance, a puzzle to partake.

***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 20!

***

[author's note]: i love you guys so much. thank you for the patience. i hope you get to participate on this season's ciphers! it's a lot of fun. i'm looking forward for more interactions with you guys!

kimmiepines
9990 words