Here's something a tad different. It's been a while since I did one of my "future" Gravity Falls stories (the others being Always There, The Proposition, Interruption, and Additions - you can find them all pretty easily with the rest of my stories). So, here's a little something I whipped up. Enjoy! - SGA

Someone was approaching the lair.

One of his heads stirred with a growl. Soon his several noses could detect the surprising but unmistakable stench of human, of all things. The harsh odor immediately aroused the rest of him from his slumber. Slowly he reared himself up to his full imposing height, then put every set of razor-sharp fangs and every dagger-like claw on full display.

"Who goes there?" He demanded in a booming snarl. "Show yourself, trespasser!"

He heard a deep breath. After a few moments' hesitation, a skinny, twenty-something young man stepped into view.

"Multi-Bear?" Despite his best efforts, the anxiety in his voice was comically palpable. Dipper cursed under his breath, hastily straightened up and repeated himself much at much more dramatic volume. "Uh, I mean, Multi-Bear!"

"Who are you, human?" He growled, storming close. "What business do you have here?"

Dipper tensed his muscles just in case he needed to run for it. Luckily for him, it didn't take long for recognition to hit the creature with the force of a thunderbolt, stopping him dead in his tracks. Every set of the Multi-Bear's golden-yellow eyes widened with disbelief. Despite the many years that had passed, there was simply no mistaking him.

"...The warrior with the shrill voice." He murmured incredulously.

"Uh….yeah, that's me." Dipper winced. He wasn't any fan of the nickname, but when facing a creature that was literally several bears crammed into one, he really couldn't afford to be picky.

"It's been a long time." Now that he was in the presence of a familiar face, the enormous beast immediately got down on six of his legs. "What brings you back here to my home?"

"Many years ago...wait, hold on." The young man took a moment to clear his throat. "Many years ago we did combat in this very cave."

"Ah, how could I ever forget?" The memory was so vivid in his mind that it only felt like yesterday. All his eyes shut tight as he recalled the fight with a sort of reverence. "You are the only who has ever bested me. You fought well, shrill one, with much fire in your spirit, but also great mercy in your heart. For that I have carried a heavy debt to you ever since."

"That is why I have come." Dipper nodded. "I call upon you to pay back your life-debt, Multi-Bear."

"And it shall be my greatest honor to do so!" He agreed without so much as an instant's hesitation. Several paws beat several chests as he rose up again on two legs the width of small tree trunks. "For ages I have hoped for the day I could pay back the mighty boon you so mercifully bestowed upon me. And now, I am prepared to do anything! As long as my four hearts beat, I will fight for you. I shall tear through the ranks of your enemies as if they were nothing more than-"

Dipper immediately grew embarrassed. An anxious itch prickled his skin as he interrupted the theatrical speech. "Yeah, so….that's good to know and all, but I actually don't need you for any uh….you know, battling or anything."

"What is it then?" The majestic creature asked. "Ah! Do you need a guardian to accompany you for an epic journey?"

"I-"

"Very well! I shall follow you to the furthest ends of the earth…."

"Actually-"

"...From the highest peaks to the fiercest deserts, I will never-"

"Yeah, it's not so much that either. Actually, it's nothing like that at all." Dipper interrupted again, then hastily added, "Not that I don't appreciate the sentiments or anything."

"What do you need, then?"

The young man scratched the back of his neck as he awkwardly tried to explain. "I have a sister, and...she's got kids, see. Twins, about two-and-a-half, energetic, but really sweet-"

"Ah, now I see!" The Multi-Bear bristled with righteous fury. "Those black-hearted kidnappers shall rue the day that they were foolish enough to….."

"Ohhh boy. Well, actually-" he was quickly cut off.

"...I shall make them beg for their miserable lives….."

"Nobody needs to beg for their lives." An increasingly horrified Dipper struggled to interrupt.

"...Tear them limb from limb…."

"Nope, we don't have to do that either-"

"...Drench the ground with their tainted blood while they scream for….."

"No! No, no, no! Oh God, no! There's no kidnappers, there was no child-snatching, no one has to…." Dipper quaked under the force of a full-body shudder. "Look, I'm here because….because…."

"Yes?" Came the expectant answer. Dipper shuffled his feet nervously. "I'm here because….um...would it be alright if my niece and nephew played with you? Just for a little while?"

There was a pause as the beast gawked in wordless surprise. This was somewhat anticlimactic. The young man added softly with a weak grin, "Uh...please?"

"Oh...yes. Uh, of course. Any kin of yours is welcome." The Multi-Bear murmured in consent. "I just...um, my apologies, Shrill One. I'm a little-"

"Not what you were expecting, huh?" Dipper cut to the chase.

"To be honest, no."

"If you don't want to, I get it."

"No, I-"

"Look, I can just go an-"

"No, no, it's fine."

"Really?

Yes."

"You positive? I mean, I don't want to-"

"It's all right." The creature handled it with a surprising amount of grace . "Uh, so….do I need to schedule a specific day with you, or…"

"No, we're actually all set to go if you are." Dipper explained.

"I guess I am." He shrugged all his shoulders at once. .

"Hold on." The young man turned around and called outside. "Okay, it's cool! C'mon in!"

Running as fast as they possibly could, a set of boy-girl twins hurtled inside. Both skipped around the bones littering the cave floor, paying them no heed as they beelined full-tile for the giant furry monster without the slightest hesitation. The creature lay down just in time for the giggly tots to latch onto his furry bulk like magnets to a fridge.

"FUZZY!" The little girl enthusiastically snuggled close. Her brother meanwhile clambered all the way on top, perching himself between two furry arms.

"Mommy! Mommy, lookit!"

"Mommy sees you!" Mabel bounced in wearing her iconic smile. Without further ado she grabbed one of the creatures' large paws and shook it furiously, all the well piling on friendly chatter. "Hi, I'm Mabel! Pleased to finally meet you! And these little cuddle-bugs are mine, but you know that already. The little gentleman is Finn, and that little lady there is Gladys. Say hi, babies!"

"Hiiiii!" The little twins chorused sweetly.

"Uh, Multi-Bear." He awkwardly introduced himself.

"Yeah, I know! My bro's told me allllll about you! Thanks one thousand for being so accommodating about this! Normally all the guys around here just want to eat us, or steal our souls, or marry me or some biz like that. You know how it is, crazy forest stuff!" She reached into her backpack and in a flash produced a small tupperware container of cookies, topped with a bow and card. "Here's a little something for you! Chocolate-Chip-Peanut-Butter-Rainbow-Sprinkle-Explosions, my own special recipe! You'll love 'em!"

"Thank you?" He murmured as she set the treats atop a pile of deer skulls.

"Oh, it's the least I can do for this drop-in! It was the cutest thing. Uncle Dippingsauce here was telling the kids all about the crazy fight thingy you guys had, and as soon as my sweeties learned all about you….well, you can figure it out, right?" she bubbled with laughter.

On cue, Gladys sighed loudly in utter contentment as she cuddled tighter up against the still utterly bemused creature. "Teddy…."

"Itsa SUPER-teddy!" Finn whooped.

"Yeah." Dippers shrugged apologetically. "This was pretty much inevitable…."