It's Been Thirty Years - Chapter 4: The other Pine

Synopsis: After being gone for 30 years, Dipper Pines returns. But something is not right. 30 years can change a person, not him. And while he hasn't, everything around him has. He returns to a world of uncertainty, where his very presence affects everyone around him. Especially his twin sister.

In this, one of the most complicated chapters, we're introduced to Mabel and her family.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 5

Chapter 4: The other Pine

Piedmont, California

July 12th, 2043

At the end of a quiet road in a beautiful suburban neighbourhood lay a house. It was like all the other houses. The front yard was well mowed and the lawn had a few flowers blooming on it. The mailbox though gave away the residents.

PINES

“For the last time, its my turn!”

“You’re such a push over Daron! I’ve been wanting to read that book for ages”

“Yeah, well I want to finish reading it Mike!”

Daron and Mike were both arguing over a book. A good book at that.

“You know what, I’m done. MOM, DARON WON’T SHARE!” yelled Mike.

“Mama’s boy,” said Daron.

At that moment their mom walked into the living.

“What’s going on in here?” she said.

“Daron is not sharing the book with me,” Mike replied

“I am mom,” said Daron, “Mike just won’t let me finish it. I’m on the last chapter I swear!”

Their mom started to laugh, “You kids just don’t get along, do you?” she said, “Well, it’s my fault for making you come down here. You were better off upstairs playing video games.”

“I guess. But do we really never get along?” Mike asked.

“Well, you two are not like me and my brother were at your age, let’s put it that way” she replied.

“Oh, Mom, do have anymore stories about your summer with him? I love that one about the giant robot monster” Daron said.

Their mother, Mabel, smiled, “Well sit down and I’ll see if I have anything.”

The twins both sat down in an instant as they patiently waited for their mom’s story.

“Oh, here’s a good one. This one time at the start of the summer, I started dating this cute looking boy.”

“Was he dad?” Daron said.

“Oh no,” said Mabel, “His name was Norman. I thought he might be a vampire but your uncle Dipper thought he was a zombie. He ended up being a bunch of gnomes stackedon top of each other. They kidnapped me to become their gnome queen.”

The two kids looked on in awe.

Mabel laughed. “Yeah, it was one heck of an ordeal. Dipper showed up in the golf cart and we both escaped. The gnomes almost got us again but we discovered their weakness…

LEAFBLOWERS!”

“What? Leaf blowers? Really?” Mike said.

“Yeah,” said Mabel, “We blew them away with it back into the forest. Dipper saved me and then I saved both of us. But really if it was not for him coming to save me, I think I would still be gnome queen of Gravity Falls.”

“And we’d be part gnomes?” said Daron.

The kids both started to laugh.

“Wow, that was some story,” said Daron, “Did Dipper really do all of that?”

Mabel nodded. “Yeah, my brother sure was something. He did so much for me and for everyone around him. And he never asked anyone to repay the favor. He did it all out of the goodness of his heart. He was a blessing.”

“You miss him still, don’t you mom?” asked Mike.

“Mike! Don’t say that!” Daron yelled.

“No, don’t worry sweetie, it’s alright. Yes, I do miss him a lot. He was my brother after all. You both would have loved him. I’m sure he would love both of you very much too” Mabel said.

The three sat in silence for a while.

“Okay then, about this book issue,” said Mabel, “Looks like unless I buy a new copy it’s not going to be resolved. Okay fine, you two win. But I want you both downstairs in an hour for lunch. Okay?”

“Thanks mom,” both kids said at the same time as they ran upstairs.

Mabel looked on as they ran up. Once they were gone she grabbed the tablet off the coffee table and used it to turn on the plasma TV in front of her.

“Call Tim,” she said.

“Dialing Tim Pines. One moment Mrs. Pines,” the computer said.

Soon the call went through and Mabel was starring at the screen with Tim on it.

“Oh, hey honey, how’s it going?” Tim said.

“I’m good. How about you? Has your flight departed yet?” she asked.

“No not yet. There’s a storm over the Pacific so my flight to Hong Kong’s been delayed,” he replied, “Hopefully we’ll get going before nightfall. How are the kids?”

“Well, Daron and Mike just had another one of their world-famous arguments,” said Mabel, “Other then that, all is well. I got 3 weeks off from the studio so I’m just getting some pieces done for an exhibition. Oh, and the kids made me tell them another one of my Gravity Falls tales.”

Tim laughed. “Yeah, they sure do love those. I don’t know why you’ve not taken them there yet. You took me before they were born. I’m sure Daron and Mike would love checking the place out and meeting old Soos. You got some off time. How about drive down there and surprise the guy?”

Mabel smiled but with hesitance. “You know I want to Tim. But…I’m afraid. You know I lost Dipper there and I don’t want to lose one of them the same way. And I mean, Daron is so much like Dipper was when he was her age. And Mike is like a boy version of me. Look what happened to Dipper and Mabel generation one. I don’t want generation two to suffer as well!”

“You do know that no matter how similar they are to you and Dipper; they are two different children altogether” Tim said.

Mabel looked on slightly depressed, “I know.”

“Look Mabel, I know why you don’t wanna take them to Gravity Falls. But you have to face that fear one day. The kids are twelve already. Their childhoods are ending soon. Taking them there will give them a memory they will never forget.”

Before Mabel could reply, her phone rang. “Hold up, let me see who this is first.”

Tim nodded as he waited for her to return.

Mabel walked into the hallway as she looked down to see who was calling. The display read: “Incoming call: Mystery Shack - Soos”. Mabel looked surprised. Why was Soos calling her? She picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Hey Mabel, its me, Soos.”

“Oh, hi Soos. What a surprise. It’s so good to hear from you again,” Mabel said.

“You too hambone. How are you, Tim and the kids doing?” he said.

“Oh, I’m fine,” said Mabel, “I have a few weeks off, Tim’s on a business trip to Hong Kong for a month and Daron and Mike…well, let’s just say if it was not for me they would have torn each other apart limb from limb by now.”

Soos laughed. “Yep, they’re opposite of you and Dipper, I guess. Hey, Mabel, there’s something you need to know,” he said in a more serious tone.

“Is everything okay? Is Melody alright?” Mabel asked.

“Yes, everything is fine but, Mabel, look, you have to come down here…fast!”

Mabel sighed. “Look Soos I told you. As much as I want to visit Gravity Falls, I can’t. You know I have a job, a family, two kids!”

“I know Mabel but can’t you bring them along too?”

“Soos, you know why I can’t. I told you that before. But what’s so important that you need me to come over for?” Mabel asked.

“Well…how do I say it? It’s about Dipper.”

Mabel gasped, “What…what do you mean? What about him?” she said.

“Mabel…Dipper’s alive. He just came back. I didn’t believe it myself but it’s really him. He’s not dead Mabel. I swear,” Soos said in one breath.

Mabel stood motionless. The color drained from her face. Chill after chill raced down her spine. The shock of what she had just heard was too much. She nearly collapsed on the floor, saved only by a bench.

“You there Mabel?” Soos said.

“I’m coming!” she said.

“What?”

“Thirty years, and he shows up now?!” she yelled, “I don’t know how but I’m on my way that’s what” Mabel yelled into the phone.

She had already hung up the line when Soos tried to reply.

“So, what did she say” Dipper asked as he walked back into the kitchen.

“Well, I think you might just find out yourself. She’s coming here,” Soos said.

Dipper did not know how to respond to this news. On the one hand he was more then ready to see Mabel after 30 years. But was he really? Was she even ready?

Back in Piedmont, Mabel walked back into the living room.

“Wow, you were gone for a while,” said Tim, “Who was that?”

“It…it was Soos” Mabel said.

“Oh, what a nice coincidence. Did you tell him I said hi?”

Mabel nodded.

“Hey, is everything alright? You look a bit distressed.”

“I have to go to Gravity Falls” she said.

“What?” said Tim in surprise, “I thought you said you weren’t planning to. What made you change your mind?”

“It’s Dipper,” she said, “He’s not dead. He’s alive Tim. And he is in Gravity Falls as we speak!”

The next thing Mabel knew, she, Daron and Mike were in a car on their way up to the little town in the pacific northwest.

To Be Continued

#IBTY