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Chapter Text

Ford's breath is heavy, his arms still aiming at the witch's soul. He stays in the same position for long minutes, not believing his eyes. He can't slow down the thumping of his heart.

It's over. The witch is dead.

They won.

Intense relief washes over him when he feels Stan's incredulous chuckle in his hands. "We did it!" He cries, both out loud and in his brother's mind.

Despite his relief, Ford still isn't able to move when Stanley came back to his human form.

He is immediately tackled into a bear hug, that he returned gladly when his brain agrees to function again.

"Oh boy!" Stan explains, clearly not quite believing what happened himself. "Oh boy, we did it Ford! Can you believe it? We won! Oh boy!"

And suddenly he lifts Ford in the air and makes him spin, unable to calm himself. Ford feels dizzy by the sudden movements but laughs in delight with his brother. "Lee! That's- Moses, you sure we aren't dreaming? We- we really won? We really have our second witch's soul? It's all true?"

Stan barks a laugh so overjoyed that Ford wants to bask in it. "Of course! We're going to be Death Scythes! Everything's real!" And he squeezes Ford even more to make a point.

When he finally puts his brother down, they can't stop their chuckles, all fear from the previous fight forgotten.

Ford still can't quite believe their luck.

They both have eaten ninety-nine evil human souls, they had managed to kill not one, but two witches in less than six months without getting any heavy injuries, and they both are still alive!

Oh boy indeed.

He really wouldn't have thought they would be able to do it. Stanley always says to him that the two of them are unstoppable, and even if it surely feels like it, Stanford always had doubt they could do it.

Or at least, that they could do it together.

You see, Ford isn't dump. He perfectly sees how many Meisters look at Stanley. He knows what this look in their eyes means. And it's fine, really. If Stanley wasn't already his partner, Stanford would for sure want him to be. After all, Stanley is all Stanford isn't. Funny, social, attractive (sometimes it stings a little to see how someone could be more handsome that you when you have the same face, but Ford guess it's legit.), frankly Lee could be everyone partner without any problems.

And there was times where Ford really feared that he would have chosen someone else. It would have been logical, you see, to ditch your weird twin who is a six-fingered freak and who can't align two words in public when it isn't about science. Anyone would have understood if he did. (At least that's what Crampelter always says. Ford doesn't really know why he never told Lee he told him that, but he sure doesn't want to.)

One time, Ford knows that it crossed his twin's mind. Or at least, it probably has. With Stefanie. You see, his brother has the biggest crush on her and would speak of her non stop at the time. And Ford knows she had asked Lee to be her weapon. To be her partner. He heard her, in fact. From the corner where he was hiding for a reason still unknown from him, he heard everything. This day is still one of the scariest days in his entire life, right after their fight with the first witch. (Sometimes these days switched and it is the scariest day he ever lived.)

Ford still doesn't know why Stanley said no.

So maybe it's normal for him to be surprised that they did it. He feels tears welding up in his eyes when he finally registers that it's over. They won.

They will be Death Scythes together. Forever.

Stan notices it, of course. Though Ford is sure he isn't imagining how shiny his own eyes are.

"You ready, bro?" Stanley asks, holding theirs first witch's soul in his hands as he grabs the one they've just defeated and hands it to Ford. "Take this one, you did most of the job today."

"You know that's not true" Ford frowns, but the smile he gives Stanley could overshadow the sun. "But yeah. More than I'll ever be."

"Okay!" Stan beams, already salivating for his next meal. "At three? One... Two... Three!"

Together, at the same time, they swallow their final soul. The last step to become Death's weapon. The last step to be powerful enough to never get separated. It tastes like energy, and power, and weirdly wet-cat.

Stanford wait for it to take effect.

And wait.

And wait.

And wait.

Chapter Text

It's a long ride from Piemond to Oregon. Somehow Dipper wishes for it to never end.

He doesn't want to meet their weird great uncle in his weird house in a weird town out of nowhere.

He does want, in fact, to go back home to his bed and stay buried there until the end of summer. Probably even longer than that. Is it so much to ask for?

Well, it seems so since he's stuck in that endless bus-drive without nothing to do but think, and for once he wishes he could stop. But when were ever his wishes taken account of?

Oh, right. Never.

Luckily Mabel's right here to lighten his mood, which is getting worse and worse by every passing minutes.

"Look Dipper, look! A squirrel!" She squeals, doing a really convincing imitation of a real squirrel. Dipper snorts, but can't help turning to the glass to have a better look. It's a squirrel, after all, it would be stupid to miss it!

"Where?" he asks, excitement leaking through his voice.

Mabel takes immediate advantage of his inattention to steal his sandwich. "Hey!" he snaps, lurching forward to take it back "you already ate yours, give it back!"

"Always remains vigilant, my padawan! You never knows what is lurking in the shadow!" she retorts with a wide grin, Dipper's poor sandwich already dangerously close to her mouth despite his wiggling.

A look passes through her brother's eyes. "You knows what the padawan says to you?" He suddenly  tickles her in her sensitive spot under the arm, just where he knows she can't resist. "Maybe apply your own advice, Master!"

Mabel giggles and squirms under his merciless tickling, but it's no use. She has to surrender eventually. "Okay! Okay! Stop! Have your stupid sandwich already!" she cries, tears prickling at the corner of her eyes.

"Haha!" Sweet victory!

But just as Dipper goes to take his prize...

Mabel throws it on the seat behind them.

Dipper looks at the sandwich sitting lonely out of his reach. Then he looks at Mabel, who is all smile and looks proud of herself. Then he looks back at his sad, sad sandwich. Then back at the beaming Mabel.

Slowly, really slowly, he squints at her and says "You'll pay for this."

She has the guts to stare right in his eyes and starts whistling a mocking tunes.

Dipper grunts. This travel will be the end of him, he swears.

-oOo-

Not thirty minutes later, Mabel is sound asleep beside him. They had fought and laughed for a while until the sleepiness settled, both because of digestion and exhaustion.

Dipper's so glad she's here with him.

He's well aware she could not have gone at all. He should know, he heard their parents speak about it. He hates it, that they could ever think of separating them, even for one second. He hates even more that he understands why they envisaged it.

Mabel hasn't any problem, her. No one doubts that she will go to the Axolotl Weapon Meister Academy. No one doubts that she will be accepted, and that everything will go smoothly for her. Mabel doesn't need to see their weird great uncle to find what's wrong with her.

Dipper does.

Dipper does, but even if he knows that, even if he knows that Mabel doesn't need this trip, even if he knows that their parents would rather have her training the whole summer to not get behind in class, even if he's painfully aware that she would be fine without him, he really really really doesn't want to be separated from her. And he knows for certain that she doesn't want to either.

When he heard their mom told their dad that maybe he has his problem because he stays will Mabel all the time, something had broken in him.

Their parents don't understand a thing about his problem. They know nothing, and yet they think that they are doing their best to help him! Sometimes thinking about it is enough to make him want to scream.

He stays silent though.

Because Mabel is with him. And whatever the adults might say about it, it isn't the reason of his problem. He should knows, every time he tried transforming without her helping him it was a complete disaster. Nothing came out of it. At least, when she's here, it's a partial success.

(It's always hard to see this as a success when she can do it without thinking, but he believes her when she congrats him. He always does.)

However their parents may be right for one thing.

He needs help. Help they can't provide him since they are strongly unequipped for it, and Mabel is already doing her best, but sometimes you just have to admit that you need a regular teacher and that your genius of a sister, though she is a genius, might not be the best one out there.

So yes, Dipper really doesn't want to meet their weird great-uncle, but if he's honest, it's mostly because he wishes he didn't need to. But he does, and worse, it might be his one final chance to stay with Mabel.

...

Also, maybe he'll be better if he can't hear their parents scream anymore. He still don't know what is so important they need to yell to speak about it, but ... he can only hope it's not him.

Though if it needs fixing him for them to get along, then he'll be.

-oOo- 

Stan isn't ready.

He's only settled since one week, the bath isn't clean enough for two kids, he hasn't enough cushions (of course, he can sleep without one, but he isn't exactly a young man anymore so he'd rather avoid to) and most of all, the fridge is empty.

The kids are here in twenty minutes. And the fridge is empty.

Stan is so not ready for this.

What do kids eat nowadays anyway? Do they still like pizza? It would be really disappointing if they doesn't, but maybe they like vegetable now, or worse! Though Wendy and Soos do like pizza. But they aren't city kids, so maybe their taste are widely different from his niblings?

God, why Stan thought it was a good idea exactly? He, taking care of kids! Not one, two! Maybe he should have thought about it a little more before agreeing to keep them for the summer.

He regrets not having asked Soos to stay. Or Wendy. Maybe she would agree to come now if he tells her she'll be paid? But if he tells her that, maybe she would ask for an augmentation, and he can't afford it. He needs that money!

Maybe he shouldn't have come so early to wait on his niblings. With all the time he'd have save, he could have find a way to refill the fridge! Or find new cushions!

Stop it Stan, it's no use dwelling on what could or couldn't have been.

Mabel and Mason -wait, Dipper, they said he likes more being called Dipper-, his two niblings! He can't wait to meet them.

He wonders what the two little gremlins look like now. There were really cute when they were babies. Do they look more like Soos or more like Wendy? He doesn't even now how big they are.

He hopes they'll like it there. It's not as active as in Piedmont, but it has it's charm. The people are really good pigeons kind and surprisingly tolerant. Or they just don't care. Stan can't be sure, but that doesn't really matter. Lot of trees to. And of course, there's the local mysteries! (Thinking of it, maybe Stan should not tell them about those... yep, it would certainly be safer for them.)

Oh, maybe they like fishing? Although Stan could also roll with it if they just enjoy watching TV. (Also, maybe putting them in front of the TV could help him buy time for his... project.)

Of course, he knows he's not just supposed to have fun with them. There's the whole  "apprenticeship" thing where he's supposed to teach the kids how to transform and how to use their power, but he doesn't really look forward to it. As if he could teach anyone anything.

Honestly, his nephew could have found a better excuse to get rid of the kids for summer. From what he told Stan, it's not all flower and butterfly in his couple right now, but that's not a reason to stress his children. Especially not with a reason as shitty as this one.

Also, with a little hindsight, maybe he should have told his nephew that he hadn't been in his weapon form for some time. Well, too late to worry about that! Anyway, Stan's pretty sure it won't be a problem. Surely. Probably.

Wait, is it the bus he's seeing? Already?

Chapter Text

Summer sure promises to be fun!

That's what Mabel thought when she saw their grunkle waiting for them in his suit. Well, maybe not because of the suit part, but definitely because of the eye-patch part! Can you believe it? Their grunkle is a pirate! Okay, he isn't really one, and the eye-patch is all fake, but that's what make it even better!

And the first thing he did was taking them to a restaurant! Greasy's Diner, what a name! But have you even see in what it is made? A giant LOG! And the pancakes are downright marvelous: she was able to take one with edible glitters on it! And it had rainbow flavor!

In addition she approves the shack their grunkle lives with her whole heart. Firstly it's a tourist trap full of junk about witches, souls, Weapons and Kishins, and the merchandises are really fun to look at. There's snowballs that look like souls, other that look like corrupted souls, some with the shack in it, there's obviously fake ugly witches masks, and so much jewelry. It's a wonder how anyone buy them thinking that they do what their Grunkle says that they do. Honestly, how would anyone believe that twin rings that have the Axolotl's face on it are able to strengthen the bond between two souls? The most surprising is that most of the tourists really do believe it. Their Grunkle is a genius.

But what Mabel really likes is the form of the shack itself. It looks like a giant Doritos! She wants to eat it. Everything is absolutely perfect here !

... Okay, maybe she isn't exactly honest here.

She really does love everything she just said. But not the first evening. Not the first night. And there's still a big part of her that misses her cat.

She wasn't exactly immediately fan of their grunkle. When they jump of the bus, he was all stressed in his suit. He stood awkwardly before them and said nothing, so neither did Dipper or Mabel, and they had just stared at each other in an horribly awkward silence. However that is fine! Mabel can see through it. First time meeting people, and all that.

But in the car, when Dipper tried to speak about the Academy, or asked their great-uncle what kind of weapon he was, Stan had just duck the question. Said, "Hey kids, do you want to eat somewhere cool and most of all cheap? I know the perfect place!" and tuned out everything Dipper said after that until they were at the dinner. He also ignored what Mabel tried to say, but that's not relevant.

The thing is, things haven't started on the right track. Mabel knows it's just because Dipper was expecting something else, and clearly their grunkle Stan hadn't spoken to kids who aren't client in a long time. That's probably why Dipper immediately hated the shack, calling it a 'stupid tourist trap meant for stupid people', even if it's just about everything that has always fascinated him. Mabel too wasn't exactly happy in the basement. It's too hot, too tiny, too dark. And their Grunkle Stan speaks too loud, and he mocked Dipper's noodle arms, calling them, er... noodle arms, and he said a joke she hadn't like at all. So yeah, not a great start.

And Mabel understands perfectly why Dipper considered leaving. Clearly, Stan didn't want to speak about Weapon's stuff, and, there's... other things. If Dipper leaved, Mabel was okay with it. But they were both agreeing on letting him a chance. That's why they use the magic ball.

It said that they should stay, so they stay.

Luckily for everyone, the morning after that was way better. After letting them sleeping in, Stan had properly introduced himself -with gifts! He had made pancakes -which did have a strange taste, but you don't look at a gifted horse in the mouth- and offered them cushion, some big, some small, every one of them soft and squishy just right the right way! And also a lot of stickers, glitters, pen, colored sheets, everything they need to make the basement more homely and cozy.

He even helped them put everything in place, without making any remarks about their choices, but still making the occasional jokes, and all in all, it was a wonderful day.

Mabel is so glad to be here with Dipper to share this summer. She wouldn't have bear being away from him to do the revision schedule their parents had planned for her.

Whatever they may think, she won't go in the academy if Dipper isn't with her. Maybe later, but right now he needs her, and she won't deceive him.

If only he would tell her what is bothering him! She would have think that after their bonding session with Grunkle Stan their relationship would have improved, but it's almost as if he can't think of anything beside the AWMA, and it's slowly eating him alive!

Hum. Maybe he really can't, actually.

Mabel should ask him if he wants to write tonight. It always lighten his mood, and it's easier to communicate this way.

But later. Right now he's too busy sadly munching his beacon to answer positively.

She sights, toying with her own slices. She really doesn't know what to do about it. It's a sensitive topic, -even on her brother's frighteningly wide scale of sensitive topics- and she has already tried all she can think of about it.

There's only one person who's supposed to be able to do something for Dipper. And this person doesn't seem to want anything to do with it.

Speaking of the wolf, Grunkle Stan suddenly stops her morose thinking by stomping in the room, making Dipper simultaneously light up in expectations and curl in apprehension.

Mabel sights again. How only three days here made her brother so on edge? He sure is too anxious for his own good.

"Hey, kid! I have a job for you." Dipper almost stand to attention at that, the image of attentiveness and focus.

But his hopes are immediately crushed under their grunkle's heels. "Go put these placards around the shack, would you? It'll attract more pigeons, and there isn't enough near the big oak."

Dipper visually deflates, but agrees anyway. There's no use discussing it.

Mabel watches him shuffling out the door, pretty sure that she should do something, but not knowing what.

It would be so much easier if these too would just speak about weapon transformation instead of expecting the other to bring the subject up.

-oOo- 

Why Grunkle Stan always send Dipper to do the worst chores? "Go put placards in this dark part of the woods which is really far from the shack", "Go chop some wood" "hey kid, scratch my back, it's too far for my poor old arms". Ugh! At this point Dipper was pretty sure he was trying to avoid him. Not when he asked him to scratch him of course, but the rest of the time. What did Dipper even do to him?

Argh, and he doesn't even have time to train now! Dipper thinks as he places one placards on a tree. Because somehow Stan always needs him! He straightens it. But never to do what Dipper comes for in the first place! Places the nail. It was so frustrating! Drives the nail in full force.

Then he slams the hammer again for good measure. Yippee, only twenty-three placards left.

He sighs. He would never be done before noon. In fact, he's pretty sure he won't be done before midnight.

But, that also means there will be no grunkle to watch his back until at least four hours. Mabel will probably help him pretty soon if Stan doesn't find her something to do (which odds are pretty low), but not before two hours.

So he has time for himself for once. Which he hasn't had since... er... A pretty long time now.

Yep! It seems the right time to practice! He doesn't need his Grunkle or Mabel to do it anyway. In fact, he doesn't need anyone! He can totally do this.

He put down his tool bag and the remaining placards nearby a tree, and closes his eyes.

He inhales and exhales softly the most regularly he can. In, out. In, out. In, out.

Then, he tried to grab the thing in him that is a weapon. The part of himself that is more steel than flesh, more pointy than soft.

After long minutes, he thinks he's feeling something, and abruptly pulls full force to make it break surface tension.

Suddenly his right hand is burning.

The ache forces him to open his eyes, and he's disappointed to see that he's still pretty much a human and pretty not a weapon.

Except his right hand, which isn't a hand anymore. It looks more like a hook.

Dipper should be happy, usually whiteout Mabel he doesn't transfrom at all. But looking at this joke of a transformation, he can't help but be fuming.

Of course it isn't even something cool, like a pirate hook, no! He can't even have that! It's just something wrong. That's too bend to be an arrow, even if the pointy part sure looks like it, and too thick or big to be a fishing hook!

Maybe Dipper should be glad that he's probably not a fishing rod, but at least he would be something.

Not a part of something.

He grunts and tries to hide his head in his hands, only to be violently reminded that he only has one right now by almost scratching his right eye out with the almost-a-hook thing.

He glares at it and tries to will it to become a hand again.

The almost-a-hook does not comply.

Okay Dipper, he thinks. Times to ignore the pain and go back to work. The hand will return eventually. It always does.

He sighs again.

Up to the next tree it is.

But just as he slams his hook upon an other nails into the tree, he slips and hits the tree instead. And it makes a sound that is very much not tree-like. It sounds however pretty much like metal. When he touch the wood with his remaining hand, it even feels like metal. Wait a minute... is this a trapdoor? Yes it is!

It's a bit hard to open it with a hook, but after a few pull, it creaks open, revealing an odd device. He tries to activate the levers, and... nothing. Ugh. Of course, with how old it looks, it couldn't be working anymore...

He closes the door and sighs, feeling a bit down. He wonders who would hide something like that in these boring woods, but guess he will never know now. Or, maybe he could ask Soos to help him fix it? The guy seems pretty good with machines...

Then he hears a scared maa! which scares him of, turns in panic, only to see the goat whose always around go away from a hole in the ground, that Dipper could swear wasn't here two minutes ago. Guess the device still works then!

He urges and kneels beside the hole. Oddly, there's a red book in it that look pretty old. He takes it out carefully, afraid it would crumble in his hands, but it seems quite strong for a book that looks like it spent decades in the forest.

Dipper opens it, without a clue it's about to change his life forever.

Chapter Text

"Dipper, you sure what this book says is true?"

"Of course Mabel! It's a Journal, by the way, and see, the descriptions and illustrations of souls are exactly the same as in the book the teacher told us to read to prepare us for the AWMA!" Dipper assures a pretty skeptical Mabel.

She crosses her arms and gives him an unimpressed look. "Those are the same in Grunkle Stan shop and you said not two days ago that you were sure they were all fake."

This time it's Dipper turn to cross his arms as he eyes his sister defensively. "You don't understand, what is in this Journal, it's science! About Weapon and Meister alike! There's thing in it that no teacher would ever teach us!"

Mabel stares at him a whole minute without saying anything. It makes Dipper's skin crawls. Why would she get so upset about this book anyway? That's not like she knew anything about it, Dipper knows she didn't even opened it before judging it!

Dipper's about to shut her down for criticizing what she doesn't want to know, when she asks with a little voice "Could I read it?".

It's like a cold shower falls on Dipper.

What? Mabel- Oh no. Jeez, he realizes how dense he is right now. He can speak of Mabel not wanting to read the journal, but he's the one who hasn't let it go since he found it. He's the one who have spent the whole night devouring what could still be read in it.

He's the one who had dodge her when she attempted to take it from him to take a look.

Oh boy, why did he get so mad about it?

With a regretful look on his face, he finally put the Journal over the table and slides it to Mabel's side. "Here." he says. "I'm sorry for upsetting you."

"Nah, bro-bro" she pats him apologetically on the back. "I should have ask sooner instead of just doubting your new obsession."

"Hey!"

"Now, I know what's in this book can probably help you to understand how to transform, but you sure you don't want to ask Grunkle Stan for advice? Dad said he had a pretty good rank in the AWMA in the day."

Dipper snorts. "That's a bit hard to believe when you see him get up from in his chair." He jokes. "Anyway, I don't think he would help me. He never transformed once since we're here and it's almost as if he doesn't even know what a Meister is."

Mabel nudges him with a chuckle. "Don't say that, Dipper!"

That's exactly the moment Grunkle Stan chooses to appear in the entry way. "Hey kids, I'll be out for a few minutes and the shop needs restocking, you think you could lend Wendy a hand?"

He cuts off their protests when they try to argue that they have better things to do. "Nope, let me say it again. You go with Wendy, and the three of you work, okay?"

They stand up and starts to walk out the room while grumbling. This seems to makes Stan hesitate, as he raises his hands to stop them. "Er, maybe we could, I don't know... watch some dumb show together tonight? I'll let you choose which one."

The smile Mabel gives him is blinding, and Dipper's, although way shyer,  is also too much for Stan's poor old heart. Seeing them cheering and high-fiving feels him with a warm he isn't aware anymore he needs.

Mabel makes finger-gun when they finally go out "I won't forget your promise Grunkle Stan! Tonight, it's Ducktective night!"

Stan makes a face, but more to play with them than because he regrets what his promise. He should probably try to spend more time with them anyway, since he goes nowhere with what's in the basement.

-oOo-

"Wait, you are in the Axolotl Weapon and Meister Academy?!" Dipper shrieks in surprise while Mabel squeals in delight.

Wendy just blinks owlishly at them. "Yes?" Her brows furrow when she eyes them. "Are you okay?"

"Yep! Totally!" Dipper answers, because he is totally not shaking of excitement right now. Boy, he wishes he had a pen and paper on him, he has so much questions! "How is it? Are the teachers okay? Do you fight monsters often? What do you learn? Can you-"

"Whoa, easy there!" Wendy stops him with a laugh. "Jeez, I'm on vacation, can't you just let me take a break?"

"But-"

"Don't give me the puppy eyes, Mabel, I see you. Wow, Dipper, breath. Why are you both so thrilled to learn that I go into a school for Meister?"

Dipper almost chokes on his words. How could he not be thrilled? This school is the best of the best, the only place on heart dedicated for Weapons, where Weapons can have normal scholarship without being stared at or mocked, where he will be able to-

"We're Weapons." Mable answers simply.

Wendy whistles loudly at that, impressed. "Both of you? I didn't know Stan has Weapons in his family. That's sick, guys."

Dipper and Mable blinks, then shares a look. "How's that you don't know Grunkle Stan is from a family of Weapons?"

Wendy shrugs. "Hey, I know he's a heck of a Meister, not more."

That makes the twins frown. "Grunkle Stan isn't a Meister, he's a Weapon, like us!" Mabel argues.

It's turn for Wendy to frown. "Stan, a Weapon? I've never seen him transform. Strange." She doesn't dwell on it however as her face lights up. "Anyway, you guys want to see something really sick? Check this out!"

She pulls her phone out and show them a video with a figures surrounded by shadows in a dark room, and horrifying screams starts to be heard. Then the figure starts to wiggle incoherently. 

She doesn't notice their horrified expressions as the nightmarish display and explains proudly "My partner did that, can you believe it?" She points the figure. "That's him dancing here."

Luckily, Mabel's scream covers Dipper's scowl at the word 'partner'. "You have a PARTNER? Tell me everything!"

The teenager shushed her with a laugh. "Not like that, you moron! Robin is my Weapon partner, nothing more. Not more than a good friend, at least."

Mabel visibly deflates, while Dipper lights up. He coughs to gather his courage and starts to ask more questions. "What type of Weapon is he? How do you fight? Man, I really wish I had something to write on right now."

Wendy answers this time, which gives him a really good reason to avoid Mabel's sudden insistent stare. "He's a scythe, actually. But we're in the NOT class, so no fight. Believe me when I say I wish I would fight some monster too, but my Dad wouldn't let me enter the EAT Class so I could help him still at home. So, it's the sidelines for us." She says the last line with her face turned, irritation clear in her voice.

"Oh, that's... too bad. I'm sorry for you" Mabel comments hesitantly.

"Don't be." Wendy snorts, as if it wasn't bothering her at all when clearly, it does. "Anyway," she asks them, "what kind of Weapon are you? I assume you are the same since you're twins and all."

Surprisingly, both of them darken. Wendy immediately backs up "Oh, sorry, sensitive subject? you don't have to-"

"It's not." Mabel stops her and gives her a pleading look. "I swear." She furtively takes Dipper's hand - who suddenly seems to find the floor like the most interesting thing in the world - and squeezes. He rises his head and gives her a grateful look.

She then turn again to Wendy - who was feeling like she was in middle of some secret twins thing - and says way too quietly for normal Mabel: "I'm a book."

"Not any book, Mabel!" Dipper chimes in, sounding like they already had this conversation before, "A journal. And you know it's a amazing!"

"A journal?" Wendy exclaims. "But that's not a weapon?"

Dipper glares at her immediately before remembering whom he's looking to. He apologizes under his breath before coming again at his sister rescue with the pleading voice of someone who hasn't this argument for the first time. "What she can do is insane! And she had no one to teach her! She's a real Weapon, and she will be one of the best the world ever seen!"

"Shh, Dip-Dop, there's no use to overdo it." Mabel chuckles weakly. She squeezes his hand again, in thank you this time. Then she smiles wickedly and gestures to Wendy. "I said it, now it's you're turn Bro-bro!"

She gives him an encouraging smile. He groans, but complies anyway.

"... I don't know yet." He mutters, avoiding to look at Wendy.

"Cool!" She says simply. "You have all the time in the world to discover it, and it can be literally anything!" She gives him a supportive slap in the back. "You're lucky."

Dipper looks at her with bewildered eyes. "Woah. No one ever put it like that." A huge smile grows on his face. "But you're right!"

"I told you so!" Mabel chimes in, before giving him an excited bear hug that he returns with astonishment.

Wendy looks at them fondly. They really were ones of a kind, these two. She then waves to have their attention and tilts her head toward the door. "Hey, you want to show me out what you can do?"

This time, none of them hesitates, and they follow her immediately, fighting playfully along the way. Have they done any of the work Stan gave them? Absolutely not!

But somehow, Dipper feels better than he had in weeks, and Mabel senses it, so she feels better herself.

When she looks at him, talking excitedly with Wendy about school, it's like her brother has been brought back to life. It's the first time in months that he seems excited about their future, about his future.

Suddenly Dipper looks like he has faith in himself.

Really, Mabel couldn't have been more happy that they went to Gravity Falls. It's the best idea their parents ever had, she decides.

-oOo-

Surely Stan shouldn't be spying on his niblings.

He's an adult, goddammit, he can speak with two kids in short pants! Okay, one is rather in short skirt, but- that's not the subject!

Look. The fact is, Stan can and will play many roles - he's pretty sure he's a theater child that has missed his vocation at the heart- but the role of a teacher is not one of these. It was Ford's he can't do it.

And okay, he knows that Dipper only waits for him to open his stupid mouth and says something. But he can't.

And just look at him! Just look how he's laughing, just look how he knows everything there is to know about Mabel's weapon form! Who cares if he can transform, he will be a perfect Meister if the right people push him in the right direction.

Dipper doesn't need him. Mabel doesn't either, honestly she looks like she has already perfected her weapon skills without any help.

They could be a team, Stan thinks as Dipper explain what Mabel can do in her book form. Of course, she isn't a regular weapon, and some may think she doesn't even need a partner, but Stan can only imagine what she would be able to do while resonating with a Meister.

Suddenly, Dipper makes a funny face, and there's a flash of light.

But when it fades of, only Dipper's right foot is transformed and he almost falls because of the imbalance. Stan's really proud when he hears his nephew cursing, even if he's pretty sure he shouldn't be. Bah, Stan doesn't taught him this one, no one can blame him.

Although, when Stan takes a better looks at his legs, it reminds him uncomfortably of the tip of a crossbow.

He closes his eyes, prying the pictures currently forcing their way through his mind away. This. Isn't. The. Moment.

Ford's been waiting for thirty years. If he's alive he can't wait a couple days more, just the time for him to spend time with his niblings.

Looking at Dipper and his foot, that also looks like a hook, he thinks he has just the right idea of family-bonding activity.

Chapter Text

The lake is really beautiful, Mabel thinks as she admires the light softly playing on the calm water. Sure, they have already seen the ocean at home, but you couldn't say this lake was less impressive. It is, just in a different way.

The ocean is never still, always roaring with big waves ready to swallow you whole were you not careful enough. Mabel loves when it they take her away, and when she ends with water in her noses and her throat aching because of the salt.

Somehow, it's something Dipper and her never agreed on. For some reason he hates the feeling of having his head put down tons of water. Well, he misses all the fun, too bad for him.

Gravity Fall's lake is amazing, but in another way. For one, the water is so clear that Mabel can see the fishes in it, big or small. For two, even if it is fishing day, the little beach is far from crowd, and you can walk without crushing people's legs!

Dipper doesn't look impressed, but Mabel knows it's just because he's too stressed to enjoy the view. And maybe also because they had almost had an accident in the car not ten minutes ago.

Or maybe it's just because Grunkle Stan's old boat looks barely seaworthy.

"Come on kid, let's have a fishing trip! I swear, this old boat can make us win the prize!" He says with an hopeful grin.

Unfortunately for him, that's when something way more interesting comes in Mabel line of view.

A boy by the ice cream shop.

"Dipper!"  She yells in his ears as she shakes him in her excitement, "do you see what I see?"

"Oh, I definitely see it!" he says, looking at a weird tree behind the shop, eyes shining with curiosity.

"Sorry Grunkle Stan, maybe later!" They say in unison, running away and leaving their poor Grunkle on his own.

They don't hear him sighing sadly, all alone on his boat.

-oOo-

After a failure with the boy of her dreams, Mabel is back by Dipper's side.

"What are we looking at, bro-bro?"

"I don't know." He mumbles, chewing absent-mindlessly at his pen. "It seems like there's a map carved in this wood, but it makes no sense."

Mabel turns her head to side, unable to see anything that's look like a map. "Sure!" She says with willingness.

Dipper doesn't buy it one second. "Don't you see Mabel? Wait, just- take my place... there! Do you see it now?"

Indeed, from this point of you, something is clearly carved in the tree. "It doesn't look like a map, Dipper. More like a... unicorn?"

He sighs, a bit annoyed by her obsession with unicorns, but can only agree. "Maybe it's a map of a unicorn?"

"That's weird." She notes. "Your nerdy book says something about it?"

"No!" He grunts. "It's says thing about witches, hidden messages and weird creatures with weird wavelengths, but nothing like-"

"The goblewonker!"

"Nothing about that either, yes, but... wait, what are you talking about, Mabel?"

"I didn't say anything, Did-Dop."

"That was me!"

Both twins pause and look at each other.

"Wait, what?"

They turns, ready to see who had spoken, but, as big eyes come into view (big, glazed, almost glassy void eyes that are looking at nothing at all but still piercing Mabel's very soul, tearing it into place until there's nothing else that them)...

They find they are unable to move.

Dipper is suddenly drenched in cold sweat and Mabel feels so hot she feels like she's about to melt. The hairs stand on their arms, their clothes are sticking to their body. Dipper's breath makes white cloud in the air, despite the summer heat. Mabel is literally fuming.

Mabel tries to open her mouth, to say something. She can't. Dipper screams. He can't.

They try to stand up, to call, to close their eyes. They can't move an inch.

All they can do is stare at the eyes, (devilish, merciless eyes) pure terror dripping over them.

They can't move. They can't move.

And there's someone, no, something before them.

Freezing them in place.

They don't see it, the eyes are masking everything else and that's even more frightening than their current state. The thing behind the eyes can do anything it want to them. It can be anything. Now that their unable to budge, they sense waves of something coming from it  and slamming them. Drowning them.

That's nowhere near ocean's waves, Mabel finds. That's nowhere near the pleasantness of controlled drowning. That's more dangerous than anything she'd ever done, and adults are always telling them what she's doing is dangerous. They're lying. The ocean is so much secure and gentle than whatever this is.

This thing is horrifying. That's the first time in her whole life that Mabel feels she's in danger. That's the first time she feels fear. Real fear.

She can't breath. The eyes are sending waves, and the waves, the waves are surrounding her, crushing her under their weight, entering in her mouth, her nose, her ears. They're everywhere.

She can't see. Peach black darkness is blocking her view, plunged as she is in those eyes' ocean. Her eyes are wide open, and she can't see.

Where's Dipper?

She's burning. The waves are consuming her in their fear, and she's burning from inside too. Her throat is dry. Her mouth feels like paper. Everything's too hot. Everything burns. She can't see.

Where is her brother? He was just here, but there's no here anymore, no top, no bottom, no here. What is here? There's nothing, everything is burning.

Where's Dipper?

Where is he? Where? Where? wherewherewhere w h e r e-

"Hey? Yer okay fellers?"

Everything stops. Colors are back. Mabel can breath. A gentle breath cools her down. She's not burning anymore. She turns her head with a sickening crak, but she couldn't care less right now.

Her brother is back.

Seeing his disoriented look makes relief wash over her. She feels tears picking at her eyes, and she takes his hands to squeeze them. She can move. She can feel him. He's here.

He squeezes her back. She snickers.

Something coughs in the corner of their eyes, and the moment disappears. They blinks, and turns.

There's an old man before them. He's scrawny, and there's a look in his pupils- as if he isn't really there. It seems to be him who had just coughed.

Dipper frowns.

"Why is there a band-aid on your beard?"

The old men ignores him and makes a noise that could pass for a laugh. He points toward the tree.

Ah, yes, they were trying to understand what the carving means. With his brain all foggy, Dipper almost didn't remember ...Why is his brain foggy?

"The Goblewonker!" The man says. "It's hidin' in th' lake, and these shim-sham witches are lookin' fer it!"

"Witches?" Dipper asks, all previous fogginess gone. "What witches, why are they looking for it?"

"Do they need it?" Mabel adds, interests shining in her eyes. For some reason, she finds witches far more interesting than all these soul stuff, and she's not going to miss an occasion to learn more about it.

Dipper itches to takes his pen, (when did it fall on the ground?) but something is restraining his left-hand. He looks down and frowns, seeing his fingers intertwined with Mabel's. Why are they holding hand already? He shrugs. He can do with one hand anyway, and he doesn't want to stop. Mabel squeezes it, not wanting to let him go either. His palm is all sweaty and strangely cold, but that's fine.

"Dunno! Some say it's on the Scuttlebutt Island. Come quick before it scrap-doodles away!"

"Yeah! He's right Dipper! To the adventure!" Mabel says, eyes shining with excitement.

"To the adventure!" He echoes as he lifts both their arms with renewed energy. "Thank you mister... mister what?"

But when he turns again, the old man is nowhere to be seen.

"Uh. That's strange." Dipper says, scratching his head.

"Sure." Mabel agrees. "This old man's weird. Bah," she shrugs, "that's his problem! Let's catch a monster!"

"Yeah!"

They runs to the lake, singing their mantra to gather their courage. "Pines! Pines! Pines!"

If they feel like they're forgetting something, they don't mention it.

-oOo-

In the end, they didn't catch any monster. The goblewonker turned out to be one of the old man machine, crafted out of loneliness and completely unrelated to witches, but at least he told them his name: Old Man McGuket, which is sure a strange name to have. (Maybe it's because the man himself is strange. There's also a weird feeling about him, like something's itching when you look too long into his eyes. It's a bit like forgetting something.)

They had a lot of fun!

Soos fainted at some point, and they may have panicked a little. He wouldn't wake up no matter what they tried, and they were all alone in a scary island with a scary monster living in it, and they had no way to call everyone because Grunkle Stan had say "it's family bonding day, no phone allowed!". It... wasn't really a good experience. 

That's when McGucket -or rather the Gobblewonker- found them and tried to eat them. Not the best of time either.

Luckily thanks to Mabel who threw her disposable camera at the monsters, they discovered that it was all fake with the way it resonated like metal. Gathering all their courage, they jumped on it and found a way to open the machine, revealing the old strange man from earlier in it.

The old man apologized for scaring them (and also for not succeeding to kill them?), and for strange reason, some light came back to his eyes when he saw Soos still passed out on the cavern floor. He went strangely white and muttered something about 'robomajigs' and 'blackburnian warbler' (Mabel's sure it was rather 'Eb fp dlfkd ql hfii jb', but it doesn't make any sense, and by the way, how do you say that??)

Anyway, the old man helped them bring Soos back on the boat, and then proceeded to give them surprisingly good advice to wake him up. He waved at them when they leaved the island, and they waved back. It's only when they weren't able to see him anymore that Soos awakened.

Grunkle Stan had grumbled because they let him down, but it was soon forgotten when they said they wanted to spent the rest of the day with him and his scrappy boat. A neglected old man can be dangerous after all, like they had learnt this day.

Mabel and Dipper hadn't laughed like that in a while. They didn't win the fishing contest, but stole the price anyway, and it's now sitting proudly over the TV.

They went to bed early this day, tired, but happy.

And as a nice bonus, for the first time since the start of summer, Dipper and Stan even talked about the AWMA, and Stan promised him that they'll start training the next Wednesday. In two days! So yes, Dipper falls asleep as happy as can be.

Family bonding days are the best.

-oOo-

There's noises downstairs when the twins wake up the next morning. They go toward it, careful not to make any stair creeks to not reveal their presence. They stop at the living room's entrance, Mabel putting her head over Dipper's to better hear.

It's Grunkle Stan, speaking with someone on the phone.

"Yes, I know." He says. "I'm just concerned. Nobody's seen him since I came back and- yes- uh uh- yeah- thank you Dan."

When he hangs up, his face his dark with worry, and he's fidgeting. Dipper looks at Mabel, who wears a questioning look and shrugs. There's no reason to keep being sneaky, so they just walk in the room.

"Who were you talking about, Grunkle?" Mabel yawns while she scratches her eyes.

"Me? N- no one pumpkin." Their grunkle stutters, clearly uneasy.

"You said you are concerned about him though." Dipper retorts, squinting his eyes suspiciously.

"That's, er- an associate." Stan answers, clearly lying. "He said he would come yesterday, and he didn't." He frowns. "He was supposed to bring new merchandises with him! How am I supposed to sell them if they aren't here! So yes I'm concerned! For the shack!" He says, rising his arms to make a point.

"Anyway," he goes on without letting them say a word, "Who's up for Stancakes?"

The twins share a look, because it's pretty obvious that Stan is hiding something from them. After a silent conversation, they choose to let it slide for the moment. Pancakes sounds good, so they nod sleepily at him.

It's probably some disgusting old men thing, anyway. What harm can it do?

Chapter Text

"Hey Grunkle Stan! Look what we found!"

His gniece doesn't give him time to realize she's speaking to him before she shoves something in his face way to close to his eyes for him to see it properly.

"Look!" She repeats, as if he hadn't heard her the first time she yelled, "That's a weird toy gun thingy! How comes you have it? Is it broken?"

"We also found an old pair of glasses." Dipper adds, emerging from seemingly nowhere behind his sister. You would think that the boy had a better sens of personal space, but nooo, of course he bats Mabel's hand away only to shove his own thing in his grunkle's face.

This is awkward.

You know what is more awkward ? It's that Stan thinks he knows what are the things the twins are trying to show him. But he won't be sure he does if he continues not to see them with how close they are to his eyes. And honestly, if they are what he thinks they are, he'd rather not see them at all.

He steps back a bit, stands up and crouches down to be at eyes level with the objects the twins are holding. He sees them once, then readjusts his glasses to be sure he saw them correctly.

Yep, those are sure Ford's.

Stan should have bunk them a long time ago. Ford's lost glasses certainly don't fit his eyesight anymore (unless what happened here modified his sight and prevented it from changing for three decades) and even if Stan isn't sure how this gun works, with all its useless holes and complicated barrels (what use could Ford have for a gun with three barrels?), it sure is dangerous. Stan really should have gotten rid of them, but... he just can't. These are the only things that are screaming Ford's name in the whole house. Especially the glasses. And there's something carved and scratched in the gun's grip that always brings a lump into Stan's throat when he traces it with his finger.

He just can't abandoned them.

But even with that, it's painful just to look at them. That's why he had hidden them years ago in the...

Wait. There's something eluding Stan right now. His nibblings are fixing him with big curious eyes. His nibblings, who are currently holding a pair of glasses and a clearly dangerous gun in their hands. Both things they shouldn't be holding.

The realization is enough for his sorrow to turn into irritation.

"Where did you even finds these?" He barks as he snatches them from their hands. "Don't you have better things to do than sneaking into the pantry?"

"But, Grunkle Stan-" Mabel tries to argue, her and Dipper's face clearly upset.

"No buts." Stan snaps his hand up to cut her. "They're things there that aren't stable. You could get hurt getting your little nose in there, something can and will fall on you, and then no one will see you again." He gives them to most pointed glare he can muster. "I don't want you to go back there unsupervised. At least ask me or Soos, this way we will now you are up to something."

Dipper ruffles indignantly at his accusation.

"We aren't up to anything!"

"Yes! That's just boring if we can't explore!"

"And by the way we didn't found them in the pantry, we found them in an old dusty room!"

The twins both puff out their cheeks and cross their arms, the very image of outrage.

Stan lasts about five seconds before he bursts out of laughing at their face.

"I'm kidding you kids, you should see your face!" He mocks them with tears in his eyes. "But you're right, never let yourself be walked on. I'm proud of you."

When he ruffles both their hairs, there's a joyful spark to their eyes. Boy, if it's that simple to please a kid, why did his Dad sucked so much at it?

"Can I have the gun back then?" Mabel asks, hope clear in her voice.

"Ha! No. But nice try." He grins. "Okay!" He adds as he tucks both objects in his back pocket and shoos them upstairs, "get ready kids, it's time for your first lesson! We'll see what you're worth at the weapon thing!"

Dipper is immediately beaming and races to the stairs. "The first in the room wins!"

Mabel wines, because she's already a bit late. "Hey, you're cheating! Wait for me!"

And with that, they're gone.

Stan's smile immediately drop.

The children won't be back at least before fifteen minute, it'll give him some times to sort things out.

He walks quietly to the hidden trap in the kitchen, the one that the kids still haven't found, and hides the gun in it. He really should have been more careful with it, he thinks as he goes to his various hidden places in the shop and in the living room, making sure none of the ten guns he owns are missing. Not that these are the real deal, after all regular weapons aren't exactly efficient against kishin eggs, not to mention witches. They're efficient enough for Stan to make it work.

Ford's gun is something else entirely.  How it manages to fire is still a mystery for Stan, but the one time he had to use it, it proved well enough that it's powerful. More powerful than you could ever be, some vicious part of his brain hisses, but Stan is quick to push the thought away. He will bring Ford back, and then he'll think about it. There's no time for that now.

Okay, all weapons are secured and well hidden. It lets Stan about ten minutes before the kids rushes back downstairs. Stan pats his pockets absent mindly and feels something angular and fragile in it.

Ah yes. The glasses.

He pulls them out, instinctively heading toward his chair in the living room.

God, these are old, he points as he runs a finger over their edge. They are all dusty, Ford would have hated it. Always have trouble touching dust. Stan should have taken best care of these.

But for what use? They sure aren't fit to his brother vision anymore. Has Ford even access to glasses right now? Is he forced to make his way in life while only being able to see blurred shapes? Or did he find a miracle cure to nearsightedness and farsightedness and is doing just fine? No, Stan dismisses the thought, frowning at the glasses that doesn't give way any longer to someone else's look. Some horrible vision of his brother's terrible state flash before his eyes, and he sucks into a hard breath, gripping the glasses a bit too tightly.

No, he's brother is anything but fine. Stan feels it in his gut, in his brain, in every breath he takes. Something terrible has happened to him. Is still happening. Will happen.

Loud footsteps raging the stairs thankfully pull him out of the dangerous train of thought he was following.

Stan shakes his head to clear it from any remaining pictures of blood and wrong-shaped body. All he have to do is making sure no one will end like Ford and him. Easy-peasy.

The twins' heads suddenly emerge in the doorway with excited squeals. Stan puts on his best salesman smile.

It's show-time.

-oOo-

"Okay Dipper. What do you think when you try to transform?" Stan asks once they are outside.

The boy scowls. So Mabel scowls, and Stan is in front of two scowling kids, and that's not what he wanted to have right now. He refrains himself from rubbing the bridge of his nose and instead crouches down to his nibblings level.

"I know it's hard, and I know you'd rather do something else right now, but we won't make any progress if we don't address what needs to be improved, do you see what I mean?"

"It's not hard for Mable." Dipper mumbles under his breath. Mabel puts an arm around his shoulder in silent support.

"Dipper, listen to me." Stan ruffles his hair softly. "You're not Mable, and your sister isn't you, and that's normal. Some things she understand more easily than you, and some things you understand faster. That's how it is for everyone, and that's okay." He resumes his ruffling and flicks his nephew's nose, which earns him a small yelp. "Now, like I was saying, it's when the customer complains that you change how your attraction works. And you fix the one the customers is complaining about, not the other one which only gets praise and makes you a lot of money." He gets up and points a finger at him. "You're the customer, and as far as I'm aware, the attraction you have problem with is your ability to transform, not your ability to resonate with a meister or anything else you'd rather train for right now. And I am the one who will help you fix this attraction so it can work how you want it to work. Capich?"

Dipper reluctantly nods. Stan grins at him and pats his head just to be annoying.

"Great! What do you think of when you transform?"

Dipper takes a moment to thinks, tapping his chin absentmindedly. "Usually, I try to concentrate about how to transform, and I think about how I want to transform, and how I hope it'll work." He shakes his head in defeat. "I think about transforming, that's all."

"And that's where you're wrong!" Stan says triumphantly, pointing at him. "It's seems to me like you're thinking about your fear of not succeeding. Aren't you?"

Dipper frowns but nods anyway. "Yes, but, I mean, that's normal, how do you expect me to-"

"Transforming shouldn't be something to be afraid of, Dipper." Stan cuts him, making his voice as soft as he can. "It's about reconciliating with yourself, making only one with your inner thoughts and demons. It's acknowledging every parts of you, even your fears, for what they are, in other words parts of yourself. It's saying to yourself, 'okay, I'm that, I'm every one of these things, now I want these things I am to take another appearance'. And that other appearance is your weapon form. See, your weapon form is more deeply connected to your thoughts and emotions than your human form, because it has been created to make connections with other beings. And in order to make connections with other, you have to make connection with yourself."

Mabel seems lost by his explanation, but by shear luck Dipper's eyes light up like a button has been switched in his head.

"Oooh" his gnephew says, "and how do I do it?"

Well, that is a good question. Moses, maybe quoting Ford's diary wasn't so good an idea after all. Now Dipper must believe him as some sort of genius, which Stan certainly isn't.

Stan scratches his head to give himself some time to think.

"That's theory, and maybe practice isn't as clear as that. But I think clearing your head of all though might be a way to do it." He says very helpfully, and ignores the way Dipper's scowl betrays how helpful he thinks his grunkle really is right now. He turns to Mabel to have another eyes on the matter. "What do you think of when you transform pumpkin?"

"I have absolutely no idea!" she retorts with a stunning grin. Though she turns to Dipper and adds with a sad glint in her eyes. "I'm sorry I can't help more, Dip-Dop."

He gives her a reassuring smile "That's okay Mabel, I know you tried your best. You always do."

Stan claps his hands loudly to dispel the tense atmosphere and bring back their attention. "Okay, time to show me how both of you transform, we only have all summer for this before you get in the wild of high school! Chop-chop!"

A moment later, he's in front of a neat flashy pink book and a desperate looking Dipper who hasn't any hands left but two hooks instead.

"I see..." Stan says, in loss of words. He contemplate his nephew for a small moment, calculating quickly what could be done in his head. "We'll manage something Dipper, don't worry." He assures, then turns toward Mabel. "Mabel, what do you want to train for? We can't have fun with Dipper and let you all by yourself. That would be sad, wouldn't it?"

Mabel turns back human and shrugs. "I don't know, I'm fine with how I transform." She transform back to make a point. However, this time her cover is deep blue.

Stan arches an eyebrow at the display. He glances at Dipper, who doesn't seem unphased by her sudden change of color. That's interesting.

"Can you decide what color you takes in your book form?" He asks, curious.

"Nope!" Book Mabel replies, vibrating slightly.

"Do you want to try?"

Somehow the book starts to gleam. "I can?"

"Yes you can!" Stan laughs, and Dipper's face is shining at the possibilities opening for his sister, and what it means about weapon's ability. Ah, nerd. "Maybe you can even change while you're transformed, who knows? It can be something worth trying."

"Yes! I want to do it! Don't distract me!" She says, and in an instant she's back in her human form to walk a bit further from them.

"Well, looks like it's settled now. We're next!" Stan says, focusing back on Dipper.

Dipper who is suddenly avoiding his eyes and he fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, clearly upset.

Stan sighs. He crouches down again to be at eye level with his nephew, even if he won't meet his.

"Do you want to talk about something, big guy?"

"...No."

Stan sighs again, before he grins mischievously and takes his cap. "Then, I'm taking that!"

"Hey! It's mine!" Dipper wines. "You gave it to me!"

"Oh, crap. Then I guess I'm just an old liar, because I'm taking it back!" He laughs maniacally.

"NO!" Dipper cries, jumping to grab his precious hat, but Stan is holding it too high for him to pick it.

"Say goodbye to your precious hat! Unless you have a growth spurt, it'll stay right here!" He cackles, sparing the slightest of glance to his nephew's face.

Dipper growls, crouches down to gain momentum, eyes fixed on the price. His features start to shine, and his outlines blur slightly.

There. Stan thinks, squinting his eyes.

"Catch it if you can!" He yells as he trows the cap toward the roof.

With a final jump, Dipper disappears.

Instead of him, a grappling hook knocks Stan's chin with a loud clang, and a deep pain radiates through his head.

"Ouch! Careful!" he yells.

The grappling hook has the audacity not to answer him, and worst, he doesn't even look phased by the glare Stan is sending him.

The next moment, a huge grin is plastered on Stan face, and he's crouching proudly near the Weapon.

"Et voilà! See? I told you you just had to stop thinking. You did it! How do it fee-"

A deafening scream doesn't let him speak more.

"DIPPER! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!"

It's of course, Mabel, who immediately runs toward them with her signature ear-to-ear smile. Soon, she's jumping around her brother with excited squeels.

"BRO-BRO! DIP-DOP! THAT'S AMAZING!" She yells.

She takes the grappling hook without thinking, which Stan was hesitating to do until now, since it is rather unpleasant to feel pins and needles all over your body when you're trying to grab it. Of course, he doesn't know if their wavelength are compatible. They could be, and then it would be safe to try holding Dipper.

At least, Stan notes as he sees Mabel toying with Dipper, it seems like they are compatible.

After a few minutes, Mabel seems to note that Dipper isn't exactly reacting to anything.

"Dipper? You okay?" She asks, notably less loud than before.

He doesn't answer.

"...Dipper?" She asks again, her voice falling to a whisper, fear dripping out her mouth.

Stan frowns. He has no clue what is happening, but he can clearly see Mabel starting to spiral. He goes to pat her on the arm, when-

"DIPPER!" She bellows, clinging on the weapon for dear life. And then she starts to shake him.

"Whoa whoa whoa, calm down pumpkin!" Stan stops her by blocking her arms. She's sniffling now. Big tears are threatening to fall, and she's breathing faster and faster. "Hey, look at me, and breath." He instructs her. "Yes, like that." He praises when she complies. "In, out. In out. You doing great."

She breaths, her breath slowing down until her chest rises and falls in time with her grunkle. They keeps going a bit after, and Stan finally smiles at her.

"That's great pumpkin." He says once he's sure she won't spiral again. "Now, close your eyes, and concentrate on Dipper."

"Just do it." He adds at her questioning look. "You see, it's quite hard for a Weapon to make people hear them, especially when they're not used to this form. It takes practice. A lot of practice, even if you probably don't remember it. So close you eyes, and listen to Dipper."

He closes his own eyes to show her, and breaths deeply. She complies and do the same.

Then, only seconds later...

Mabel! Grunkle Stan! Can you hear me?

Hearing her brother voice is almost enough to make Mabel cry again, but she keeps her tears to herself this time.

"Dipper!" She says, deep relief in her voice. "You scared me you big dump-dump! For a second I though you had shut down and I couldn't help you!"

It makes Stan pauses. Luckily, they are to much absorbed by each other to notice. Shut-down? What in tarnation is she talking about? Has Dipper any problems? Is he in danger?

No Stan, think, he scolds himself, if he was their parents would have told me. They just said to concentrate on the training because he's stressing himself about it. He's fine. Probably.

For now he will have to keep his doubt for himself. If it's important, the kids will told him when they're ready. For now, he just has to stay with them and make sure they are as safe as they can.

I can't believe it! Dipper screams, and ouch. People screaming just next to you isn't more pleasant when it's in your head than when it's not. You see that Mabel? I did it! Not even in several tries! Not even by trying!

He lets out a delighted laugh, and Mabel laughs with him.

Gosh, they're cute. Stan thinks. He puts his arm on Mabel head and addresses his nephew.

"I wouldn't want to sound like an old killjoy, but it would be nice if you transformed back now. I think you two deserved a nice snack after all these efforts, and it would be easier to eat with arms and a mouth. Don't you think?"

Dipper stays awkwardly silent after this.

"...Dipper? Any problem?"

Well, you see... Moses, even his voice sounds awkward. I don't know how to.

"...What?"

Transform back. I don't know how to do that.

Oh boy. What will Stan do with these kids?