Gravity Falls Short Story: Escape From Reality

Escape From Reality

"For Mabel."

Dipper held Soos and Wendy's hands and stepped into the portal, Gideon close behind.

~~~

Dipper's feet instantly met soft, shimmering grass. This was... Gravity Falls, but it wasn't really. It was Gravity Falls at its best. Silver dew reflected off the grass in the shimmering sunlight. Beautiful, creatively shaped clouds drifted across the sky. Young deer frolicked about. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and woodpeckers peacefully enjoyed the summer breeze. The four heroes gasped in awe.

"This is amazing," Soos remarked joyfully.

"Okay, this is pretty cool," Wendy added.

"Just like my little Mabel to think of this," Gideon giggled.

Ahead was the unforgettable sandy driveway to the Mystery Shack. "Mabel, we're coming!" Dipper called, running along the path.

Mabel stood on the porch, surrounded by unrecognisable boys. She giggled as she was fed, fanned, hugged, and admired. She looked around and noticed Dipper, and her eyes lit up. "Dipper, you made it!" She quietly shooed away the boys and ran to him, hugging him.

Dipper giggled, hugging his sister back. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"And you found me at just the right time," Mabel grinned. "The party's all set up!"

"The party...?"

"Yeah! After I ran to the woods, I decided the best thing to do was set up the party myself! But when I came back to tell you and the others, you were gone. But now you're back, so come over and see!" Mabel grabbed her brother's hand and raced into the shack.

Dipper's eyes widened. The entire house was completely decorated. Party streamers hung from the ceiling. Confetti was sprinkled across the floor. Party hats were placed on a table, waiting to be worn. Radios were in every room, all playing the same party song. And, perhaps the most heartbreaking, there was a banner in each doorway, displaying carefully drawn pictures of the two of them.

He tried not to tear up. All Mabel wanted was to have a party with him. But he just had to be stupid and get into trouble with an alien security system. He had to get Great-Uncle Ford in danger. He had to be forced to save him single-handedly.

He had to accept his offer to be his apprentice.

Why didn't he understand why Mabel was so heartbroken? They'd been together all their lives, and somehow he didn't see the harm in changing that. He didn't care when Mabel rejected the idea, didn't want to lose her brother. Then she ran out into the forest, crying.

She never actually came back to prepare a party. Dipper didn't know what had happened. He just knew that Mabel took the wrong backpack with her, and she must have accidentally tripped and broke the rift. And now she was here, trapped in this fantasy, unaware of what had really happened to her. To the world. To her brother.

"See, Dipper?" He looked around to see Mabel standing at the door. "Isn't this great?"

Dipper lowered the bill of his hat to cover his teary eyes. "Well, Mabel... There's something I have to tell you. Not here. Come on." He walked out, motioning for Mabel to follow.

~~~

Dipper and Mabel sat down on the log next to the metallic tree that lead to the bunker. "Well..." he started. "You might not like what you hear. I just know that I have to tell you."

Mabel squeezed him. "Whatever you have to say, I know you mean best for me. I know it!"

Dipper scratched behind his neck nervously. "Well... This isn't real. None of this is real."

"What do you mean?" Mabel asked.

"I don't really know what happened," Dipper mumbled. "I just know that this really important thing was broken, and it released a rift in time and space. And Bill must have... He must have put you in like, a coma-like state, and you've just been dreaming this up."

Soos sat down next to Mabel, tilting the log under his weight. "And then Bill threw this like, apocalypse rave thing with a bunch of other demons or something? And all the dudes back at the real Gravity Falls are dead, working for Bill, or hiding in fear."

Wendy joined them, sitting next to Dipper. "And look who we have with us." She motioned for Gideon to join them. He nervously walked over to the log.

"Li'l Gideon?" Mabel asked, her voice cracking, but trying to sound tough. She clenched her fist. "If you've been messing with Dipper, if you've been hurting my friends, I swear I'll--"

"Dude, just-- just hear him out, okay?" Soos comforted her.

Gideon cleared his throat. "Um, y'see... Yeah, yer right fer assumin' the worst of me... I have done lots of horrible things in the past. But Dipper... he showed me I haven't been doin' things right. I put myself over you, and I scared you away from me. I thought you n' Dipper were the ones doin' wrong, you not wantin' to be my queen and all, him tryin' to protect ya... But now, I'll try t' be better, someone worth loving. Just come back with us, Mabel." He held his hand out. "We'll escape from here, and we'll stop Bill. Together."

Mabel held back tears. "Really? That's all that's happened? Well... I have a better idea." She took Gideon's hand. "Gideon, I'll accept your offer. On one condition..." After a pause, she gulped and said, "I don't want to leave."

"What?!" Dipper, Soos, Gideon, and Wendy shouted, almost in unison.

"Our dimension--no, the whole universe is in danger!" Dipper pointed out.

"I watched my friends get turned to stone before my eyes!" Wendy shouted.

"Bill's taken over the whole town, di'in't you hear?!" Gideon shrieked. "You gotta get out there and save everyone!"

"See, that's the point!" Mabel sobbed. "I can't save them even if I wanted to!"

"You don't want to save Stan, or Ford, or even your best friends?!" Dipper demanded.

Mabel wiped tears. "No. It's not that I don't want them to be okay... 'cause I do! And here, they can be okay. You can be okay!" She grabbed Dipper's arm, unknowingly digging her nails into it. "This place is paradise! Here, there's no apocalypse! Here, I don't have to leave Gravity Falls! Here, everything's okay. I don't want you or even Gideon, or anyone in danger. Just stay here, and everything will be made okay."

"You don't get it, dude!" Soos objected. "If we don't do something, we could die!"

"Well... if we die..." Mabel's voice cracked. "Then we don't have to die in fear. We could die in peace, in joy... We can die in the middle of the party for all I care! I just want to be here." She started crying, hiding her eyes with her hands.

"But Mabel..." Dipper whispered. He didn't know of anything else to say to convince her. He didn't even know if he wanted to leave anymore. He had to... did he?

Mabel glanced up at her brother with those big eyes that had always won him over before. "Stay with me, Dipper..."