Chapter Text
“...So Creggy G and Greggy C are two different people?”
“Yep!”
“And the band is called ‘Sev’ral Timez’? How do you even pronounce that?”
“Well, it’s spelled Sev’ral Timez but you pronounce it like ‘Several Times’.
“So why didn’t they just name their band Several Times?”
“Because it's fun! It's cool! It's a fun name and I like it.”
Stan scoffed, keeping his eye on the road. They’d been travelling through the night. Stan was exhausted but he was still able to concentrate. Unfortunately being the country’s greatest con man required him to work countless hours with little to no sleep. Mabel had slept for a few hours giving Stan some, much needed, quiet. Then she woke up, they played ‘I Spy’ for thirty minutes, and now they were talking. They covered everything from slang, to the refined art of macaroni crafts, and now boy bands. Granted, Stan wasn’t very adventurous with his music taste, but if the band was really as popular as Mabel was saying it was a little odd that he’d never even heard them mentioned before.
“Hey kid. Pass me that map in the back seat.”
Mabel did as she was told. The back seat of the car was incredibly dirty, all manner of assorted junk rolling around on the floor. It wasn’t exactly sanitary.
“Okay…” Stan unrolled the map, bringing the car to a stop at the side of the road.
“Lets see…we’re about fifteen minutes away from a picnic area. They should have a rest stop nearby or something…we can grab something to eat and relax for a little bit.”
“What? We need to get to Gravity Falls right now!”
“Look, Mabel. I dunno how driving works from wherever you’re from-”
“-California.”
“-BUT here we listen to our bodies. And right now my body is telling me that I need a burrito and some rest before my goddamn head explodes. Okay?!”
Mabel slumped back, flinching at his tone. Stan sighed. He’d been too harsh. He wasn’t good with kids, he knew that, but it didn’t mean that he wasn’t trying.
“I…I’m sorry.”
Mabel perked up. Maybe she had misheard him. “...What?”
“I said I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I’m just…tired.”
Now, her Grunkle never apologized for anything, even when he was clearly in the wrong, which was often. The closest he’d ever come to apologizing was when he accidentally broke one of Soos’s Evangelion DVDs and gave him enough money to buy a new one. He even gave Soos the rest of the day off.
“It's okay. I get it.” She smiled, warmly. Stan didn’t exactly know how to reply to that. The fifteen minute drive was spent in silence before the pair arrived at the picnic spot. Stan parked in the designated space before they both exited the car. There was a little clearing, some benches, and a gas station in the distance.
“I’m gonna go get food.” Stan gestured to the gas station. “Wanna come with?”
Mabel shook her head. “Nah, I’ll just stay here.”
“Any requests?”
“Some chips would be nice. I’m not really hungry.” Stan wondered if she was still dealing with his outburst from earlier and was overcome with guilt. He remembered his father, the things he had said to him, the things he had done to him. In all his years on the run he had tried his best not to think about his parents…
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When he had been kicked out of his home he had been confused, upset, and heartbroken. When he drove away he found that he couldn’t bring himself to leave just yet, he’d pulled over a few blocks away and just sat there, in silence. Stan noticed a box of cigarettes and a lighter in the passenger seat, probably his father’s. He knew that he’d probably get a mouthful from him about taking them but, at this point, who was going to tell on him? He left the car, took out a cigarette and lit it. He pressed it to his lips and, instantly, began to gag and cough. Who would subject themselves to this? Why?
“...Stanley?” A voice. His mother. “Stanley? Are you out there?” The woman was carrying a large, duffel bag. She approached the car cautiously.
“...Yeah, mom. It's me.”
“Oh Stanley!” She wrapped him in a hug. They stayed like that for a minute before she stepped back. “I’m so, so sorry!”
“Why are you sorry? I’m the one who messed up.”
“It was an accident, right?”
“...”
“Your father…he can overreact.”
Stan scoffed. “No shit.”
“Stanley! Watch your language.”
“...Sorry, mom.”
She eyed the carton of cigarettes. At first Stan thought that she’d be pissed at him but she only motioned for them, and he handed them over. “Didn’t know you were a smoker.”
“Those are mine. I left them in the car.”
“...”
“I have a life outside of my family. I love you all more than anything but I’m not just a mother. I’m an entrepreneur, a psychic, a woman, a lover-”
“Ew! Mom, gross!”
She laughed, lighting her cigarette. “My point is that your life isn’t defined by your family, or your connections to them. We don’t get to choose our family, we can’t change the past. We can’t just press a button and undo everything…but we can decide how to best approach our future.”
“...Ford was the one with the future. And I ruined it for him.”
“Your brother is highly accomplished. He’s smart and solves issues competently and without error. But being good at something doesn’t always mean you are happy. Stanford needs you, and you need him.”
“Then why didn’t he say anything?”
“He was angry…and scared.”
Stan let out a little, dry laugh. Ford, scared?
“...I brought this for you.” She lifted up the duffle bag.
“Oh, its okay, I’ve got some stuff-”
“-Do you have food, money?”
“I’ll figure it out.”
She sighed. “Just take it.” Stan picked it up, it was heavier than expected, and lifted it into the back seat of his car. His car. Wow, that was weird to think about.
“You know that I love you, right?”
“...Yeah. I do.”
She smiled, warmly, before wrapping him in another tight hug. “Ah, mom…can’t breathe.”
She released him, stepping back.
“Wherever you go, whatever you do, I’ll always be here for you. So when you find somewhere to stay…” She handed him a small piece of paper. “Give me a call, okay?”
“...Why are you helping me? I don’t need ‘ya pitying me or anything…I’ve messed up enough all ready.”
She laughed, genuinely. “It should be obvious…”
“Because I’m your mother.”
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“That’ll be fifteen dollars and forty nine cents.”
“What? For a bag of chips, some beer, and a burrito? What kinda scam is this?”
The clerk sighed, not meeting his gaze. “I don’t make the rules here.” He was a short, odd looking man. He looked to be Stan’s age, maybe a little older. He wasn’t ugly or threatening but something about him was…off. Cold and distant, even inhuman.
“You’re a sick bastard, you know that? I’ve been driving through the night!”
“Sir, if you have an issue-”
“-Damn right I have an issue!”
“-Then you can take it up with our complaints department.” The man gestured to something near one of the shelves, a small metal box. He could see a flicker of light beneath it, probably a small fire. He had to admit that it was a pretty clever bit. Stan knew how to appreciate a good con, but not at his expense.
“...Huh.”
“Again, that is sixteen dollars and fifty four cents.”
“What?!”
“Price just went up.”
“You’re a real wise guy, ‘ya know that? Fuckin’ freak.”
The clerk turned away from him and towards the shelves.
“You should really be more careful about who you antagonize. One day you’ll mess with the wrong person.”
“...Is that a threat?”
“No.” The man paused. His voice was monotone, no inflections. It was incredibly unsettling. “That is a warning.”
“Ugh, fine. I’ll pay for it.” Stan groaned, pulling his wallet out from the front pocket of his coat. He produced a handful of dollar bills, counting them out, before laying a few down on the counter. He waited a minute, for the perfect time to strike before grabbing the items, the money, and darting towards the exit.
“Hey!”
“Haha! Sucker!!”
Mabel groaned. She was so bored! Stan had gone to the rest stop to get them some food and she wished she had gone with him, there was literally NOTHING to do here. She’d tried looking for shapes in clouds, drawing in the mud with a stick, and even spinning around in a circle until she felt like she was going to throw up.
There was no one else here, just her, Stan, and the car.
Now, she knew that she shouldn’t wander off, but there was no harm in a little exploration, right?
The site was at the edge of a forest, with huge trees and assorted foliage, the kind of thing that Dipper would search day and night to find some new mythical creature. Maybe she’d see something cool, she didn’t know.
The girl started off towards the forest and away from the car. She continued walking, looking up at the sky. The leaves formed a sort of canopy, allowing only minimal light to pass through and creating an incredibly aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. Mabel saw something rustling in the bushes and turned towards it. A white furry creature jumped out in front of her, observing her from a safe distance. It clearly was a little intimidated by her.
“Awe! A bunny!” The girl exclaimed, crouching down. The rabbit was fairly large, like a big dog, with little, feathered wings on its back. Mabel gasped. “Whoa! A flying bunny!”
The creature looked her up and down, Mabel took a tentative step forward and it froze before bounding back into the bushes. “No no no wait!”
It seemed like mythical creatures existed beyond Gravity Falls. This is exactly the kind of thing Dipper would be freaking out about. She continued walking forwards, not sure where she was going. Eventually she came to a clearing. There was a large, rock structure in the center, so she approached it. “...Huh.” The whole thing was covered in symbols, maybe writing? Nothing she recognized. There was a drawing of a monstrous spider near the top. Mabel approached the back side to find even more drawings. There was a large white rabbit with wings(probably the thing she had bumped into earlier), a bird covered in what she assumed to be fire, and a…werewolf? Something wolf-like. But the thing that stood out to her most was the etching of the triangle. It had one, large eye but no other features. Was this a symbol too? Or was it another monster? Mabel was trying to come to some sort of conclusion when she heard a branch snap behind her. She slowly turned around. When her and Wendy were hanging out one day she taught Mabel what to do and what not to do during a confrontation with a bear, and apparently running and showing fear was the worst possible thing to do.
But it wasn’t a bear. She recognized it instantly.
The rabbit stood at around nine feet tall. Its wings unfurled behind it as it approached her, snarling.
“Um…hi?”
“...Mabel?” Stan called out, making his way back to the car. “I dunno what kind of chips you like so I just got you-” He paused, looking around. The car was exactly where he left it but the girl was gone. Maybe she had wandered off? “Mabel, are you here? Hello?”
No response. He was starting to get worried now. Just then a piercing scream echoed through the forest.
“Mabel!” He took off, running as fast as his legs could carry him. Stan wasn’t exactly an athlete but, in high school, he’d been reasonably competent when it came to sports or any physical activity. It was one of the few things he could hold over Ford’s head.
Stan found himself in a clearing. Mabel was cornered by a large rock structure. There was…what looked to be a white bear in front of her. God, that thing had to be like ten feet tall.
Upon seeing him Mabel called out. “Grunkle Stan!”
There was that word again: ‘Grunkle’. He made a mental note to ask her about it if they both managed to get out of this alive. The creature turned around, locking onto him. Oh no, this wasn’t a bear. It had large teeth, long fuzzy ears, and were those…wings?
“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!”
“Look out!” The monster charged at him, he narrowly darted to the side and it smashed into one of the trees. He could hear the wood snap and buckle but it did little to deter the rabbit-beast.
It snarled, running at him again. “Shit shit shit…..” Stan panicked. Maybe he could lose it in the forest.
He ran as fast as he could, trying to lead the beast away from Mabel. If he couldn’t escape he could at least buy her some time. As Stan made his way through the woods he could hear the cracking and splintering of the trees behind him. He just needed to make it back to the road, maybe it would just give up. Then he could go back to Mabel, but he couldn’t risk it now that the monster was following him, he’d just end up leading it back to her.
He could see the edge of the treeline. Yes! Home free! Just then he heard a loud bang. One of the trees behind him fell forwards. “No no no no no!” He screamed as it smashed down, taking a few of the others down with it. The force knocked Stan to the side as a branch pierced its way through his side. “FUCK!’ He exclaimed in pain. The wound wasn’t deep but it was enough to keep him from getting up. He lay there, uselessly, as the monster gained on him. It screeched, preparing to run him down once again. Okay, so this is the end. Climactic, sure. He’d fought off gangs, been thrown into the trunks of cars, and even been arrested for pug trafficking. But this was the thing that would kill him. Some stupid, mutant rabbit with an attitude problem.
“WAIT!”
He looked up to see Mabel, standing a few feet away. “What are you doing?!”
“I know why she’s upset!”
“I’m sorry, SHE? You can’t reason with this thing!”
The rabbit’s ears perked up as it looked back at Mabel, narrowing its eyes.
“Look, look!” The girl held up a fluffy bundle, making sure the rabbit could see it.
“He’s okay! Your baby, he’s okay!”
The creature’s demeanor seemed to change. It approached Mabel, cautiously, its nose twitching. The bundle of fur let out a little ‘peep’ as Mabel lowered it down, allowing it to walk towards its mother. The mother rabbit let out a loud purr as the smaller one ran over to her. She nuzzled its face and cooed, whatever anger she had initially felt seemingly dissipating.
Stan watched as the two reconciled, wide-eyed as Mabel trotted over to him.
“How…how did you…”
“Don’t talk, don’t move. I…I’m not great with first aid so…”
“It's okay.” Before she could react Stan grasped the end of the branch and, in one motion, managed to pull the whole thing out. He screamed, the wound bleeding profusely. It sucked but he’d dealt with worse. Stan managed to get one of his arms out of his hoodie, he pressed the cloth to the wound(luckily it was already red) and held it firmly in place.
The mother rabbit began to walk back into the forest. The baby looked back at Mabel, let out a little peep, and then followed suit.
“Bye!” Mabel waved as they left. Then she turned back to Stan. “Are you…are you gonna be okay?”
“Yeah. This is just a scratch.” It was more than a scratch, obviously, but nothing that whisky and gauze couldn’t fix. Besides it's not like he could go to a hospital even if he needed to.
“I don’t get it. It- I mean she was so angry…”
“Of course she was. She thought we were trying to take her baby away, or threaten him. She saw us as a threat.”
“But if she thought we were dangerous why would she put herself in the line of fire?”
Mabel took a moment to think before replying. “Because…”
“Because she’s a mother.”
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The man watched the car speed off from his post at the counter. Once he was sure that they were gone he walked out from behind it and towards the back wall of the gas station. He flicked off the lights, made his way to the center of the store, before sitting down, crossing his legs, and closing his eyes. No point in locking the door; no one came here anyway. It wasn’t like it was a real store, he wasn’t in this for the money, but he had to keep up appearances.
To the outside eye his actions looked like some odd meditation practice, but in reality he was engaging in something much, much more impressive.
He recited some words under his breath, having memorized them countless times, before finding himself in the familiar, grey void of the Mindscape.
“I found her.” He grinned, almost maliciously. “And she’s not alone.”