Babes And The Beast

Chapter 10: Fighting

It was almost midnight when the kids found the overturned wagon. There, they saw a lanky man trying to calm the horses while dear uncle Fiddle scrambled to build a shelter.

"Uncle! Uncle!" they called out. He looked up from his work and gasped. "Oh kids!" He ran toward them, throwing his good arm around them before they were even off the goat.

"Oh, I was so worried about'cha! I tried everything to get back and save ya'll! How'd you escape?"

"Let's get this shelter built. Then we'll explain."

As they spoke, Uncle Fiddle was quiet. Then, when they finished, he smacked his knee and laughed. "Oh! I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!!!! I KNEW those boys were still alive! Everyone else gave up the search. 'It's been a year.' they said, 'We'd have found them by now.' they said, 'You've started eating your hat. I think you need help.' Well who needs help now people?!" He shook his fist at the sky.

"Were you friends with the heirs?" Mabel asked in rapt fascination.

"Oh yeah, the three of us went way back. Ford was the first person to really encourage me. And to think he was in a book all this time." He shook his head. "Darn shame."

"Darn shame indeed." said the man from where he was sitting. "I'm Robbie by the way." Dipper looked him up and down. He looked exactly as he did in the memory.

"So, the curse makes you... immortal?" he asked. Robbie scoffed. "Something like that."

He unbuttoned his jacket and lifted up his shirt. Instead of pale flesh, his torso consisted of an ebony guitar body, complete with strings that went up past his rib cage. He plucked one of the strings. Instead of a musical note, he sang out in a high pitch. Everyone stared at him as he put his jacket back on. "Yeah, it's not the most ideal way of living. But I have given some pretty cool performances here and there."

As they talked, the blizzard died down, and the snow stopped falling.

The twins happily went on about the castle and the people within it. "They do wonderful," Mabel gushed, "Not like the shlemels back in town."
"Oh, they're not so bad." Uncle Fiddle waved his good arm. "They just..."
"Talk behind our backs and accuse you of being a bad guardian." Dipper interjected.
"Your parents were well-loved in this town. I reckon all their behavior towards me is jest their way of grieving." Fiddleford gazed into space.

"Hate to interrupt; but the grieving townsfolk have gathered outside in an angry mob."

"What?" The three of them peeked out. There stood Gideon in his winter best, surrounded by his convict friends and half the grown-ups from Gravity Falls. All of them armed and holding up torches.

"Ghost-Eyes' big brother works at the old coots' home. He doesn't know anyone that looks like you and he hasn't received any new residents in six months. So tell me, PINES," he looked sharply at Dipper and Mabel, "Just where have you fellers been?"

"...Would... you believe we were at the long-lost Summer palace of the Falls family?"

"And that the legendary Beast is really Prince Stan?"

"No." The crowd moved towards them as one.

Just then, Soos -who'd fallen asleep in the bag and woke up to the sound of shouting- poked his entire body outside the shelter. Deputy Durland was the first to spot him.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! TALKING HAMMER!!!!" As he screamed, he and the entire group backed quickly away.

"Yes! Exactly!" shouted Mabel, "A real live magical talking hammer!"

"If that doesn't convince you, maybe this will!" Dipper rummaged through his bag, pulled out the memory gun, typed in B E A S T, and pressed it to the side of his head. Before anyone could say anything, he pulled the trigger. From his eyes shone the image of Stan in all his beastly glory.