The Beast of Gravity Falls

A long time ago, in a faraway land, there lived two brothers. Both sought love, but did not know how to find it. The first pursued knowledge in hopes of gaining the love of people who shunned him for his abnormality. The second pursued riches in hopes of gaining the love of people who thought him useless. But in their pursuit they drifted apart, and thus lost sight of what little love they did have, for each other. As time wore on they both made more and more mistakes, and felt less and less love. They both began to feel worthless.

One day the eldest came upon an enchanted castle, home to a strange fairy that promised him the knowledge he sought. He soon moved into the castle and wrote three volumes with what he learned. But he was deceived.

The fairy revealed himself to be an evil trickster, and used the eldest in an effort to spread it's chaotic magic across the world. In desperation, the eldest called for his brother to help him. But when the second brother arrived, he did not understand the circumstances. Instead they were both blinded by rage and bitterness over old mistakes. They were unable to stop the evil trickster, and its magic spread throughout the town, turning the first into the book he had loved more than his brother, and the second into a beast as ferocious as his temper. The people of the nearby town were also ensnared by the trickster's curse.

In a desperate effort to stop the evil magic from spreading, the second brother made a bet. If he could find true love, and in turn learn to love himself, the curse on the castle and the surrounding town would be broken. But for every year the curse remained, his brother's book would lose another page, and if the curse wasn't broken before the last page fell, the chaos would engulf the whole world.

As the years wore on, they began to lose hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?

30 years later…

Mornings in the market were a minefield. People of all walks of life hustling and bustling from the baker to the butcher to the blacksmith buying and selling wares. Perhaps it wasn't the best place for a couple of short kids to be, but that didn't stop them.

Young twins Dipper and Mabel Pines weaved and dodged through the traffic. They were trying to reach the library. Not only because it was a place of calm in the storm of busy people, but also because Dipper had finished his book last night.

"I just want to get the next Siblings Brothers book without getting trampled by a horse, is that too much to ask?" Dipper grumbled as he stopped to catch his breath in the doorway of the dairy.

"You gotta move like you're dancing, bro!" Mabel advised him as she circled and swayed around the bustling crowd.

"No." The boy said flatly.

"It might even help if you sing~" She lilted.

"Definitely not singing." He insisted.

"Good morning kids." The dairy farmer greeted them duely. "How've you been?"

"Great!" Dipper answered enthusiastically, "I just finished the Case of the Missing Capers Case, it was so-"

"That's nice, coming through!" The farmer pushed through.

"Why do grownups ask questions when they don't really care about the answers?" Mabel wondered aloud.

Dipper shrugged as he watched for a gap big enough for two kids in the crowd headed towards the library. While he waited he noticed people cast sideways glances at the two of them. He knew what the townsfolk thought of him and his sister. "Cute but weird" they all said. It didn't bother Mabel so much, she said it was part of her charm. But Dipper was bothered.

Ever since they'd come to this town asking about Gravity Falls Castle, the townsfolk had belittled him and his sister. "That's just a story meant to scare small children." they'd insisted. Dipper knew it couldn't just be a story. The letter to his grandfather wasn't some story. It was the only lead the twins had to their only remaining family.

Only two people in town had believed them. The first was the local kook, Old Man McGucket, who, while a brilliant inventor, was a bit on the crazy side. Partially because he had some serious memory issues, and partially because what little he did remember seemed impossible. He claimed he'd lived in Gravity Falls Castle thirty years ago, when everyone else believed the place had always been either deserted or haunted. Still, despite his eccentricities, McGucket was a kind man, and had taken the orphans in as soon as he learned they had no place to stay. Dipper and Mabel had lived with him ever since.

After a bit of careful maneuvering, the kids made it to the library.

"Wow, finished already?" The librarian asked Dipper.

"Yeah! Do you have the next one?" He replied excitedly.

"Let's see, Sibling Brothers, right? Hmm…" The librarian glanced over the catalog cards. "Sorry kid, I think you've read every one we have."

"Well, when do you think you'll be getting any new ones?"

"What, do you think books are mass-produced at a rate of millions a day? These things don't come cheap, especially to a little library in a provincial town like this." The librarian scoffed. "Oh, and Mabel, about that werewolf book you wanted?"

"Yeah?" She asked excitedly.

"Well, it was returned, but after skimming through it I really don't think it's age appropriate."

"Aw maaaaan." the girl groaned.

The two of them left feeling a bit dejected. Their spirits weren't lifted when they found someone waiting for them outside the door.

"Why Mabel, I had a feelin' I'd run into you here!" Gideon Gleeful smiled broadly at her. "Hello Dipper." He added weakly.

The second person to believe they had a long-lost relative at Gravity Falls Castle was Gideon, although Dipper sometimes doubted his sincerity. It would be just like Gideon to just say he believed them in a vain attempt to woo Mabel. Luckily Mabel wasn't charmed by the little creep either way.

"What do you want Gideon." Dipper asked dully.

"Can't a gentleman just make friendly conversation?" The albino boy asked innocently.

"You're no gentleman, Gideon." Mabel huffed.

"Hey, you take that back!" Gideon's hulking lackey, Snake-Eyes, snapped. "Gideon is the greatest guy in town!"

"A gentleman wouldn't follow a girl around after she already told him she wasn't interested!" Mabel stated angrily. "A gentleman wouldn't make fun of the only person who took care of us when we came here!"

"Mabel my dear, we're the two cutest people in town." Gideon explained. "It's expected that we end up together."

"I defy expectations!" She declared and sauntered off.

"Gideon, quit creeping on my sister!" Dipper hissed.

"I'm sorry, all complaints must be screened by my assistant." the little creep said smugly, pointing over to Snake-Eyes. The thug glowered down at the brown-haired boy.

"Ehhhhh, I gotta go!" Dipper zipped off after his sister.

Even in the hustle and bustle of the crowded morning market, Dipper and Mabel could always find Old Man McGucket, mainly because he was always making a racket. Or, more accurately, his inventions were always making a racket. There was a loud bang and a shout of "Doggone it!" towards the north end of town. They found him tinkering with a large stove-like machine just outside of the shack they called home.

"Hey McGucket." Dipper greeted their current caretaker casually. "You need help?"

"Howdy kids!" The old inventor greeted them more cheerfully. "Couldja find my allen wrench set?"

The three of them set about looking for the tools and talking about their day.

"So how was the library?" McGucket asked.

"They didn't have either of our books." Mabel pouted. "Well, they had mine, but they said it wasn't age-appropriate, whatever that means."

"Hey McGucket, do you think we're… weird?" Dipper asked.

"Well what'd make you go an' ask a question like that?"

"Just… things people say around town." Dipper said glumly, burying his hands in his vest.

"Ah hush, people in this town say lotsa things." The old man reassured him with a pat on the head.

As they continued to look, Mabel peeked under a pile of firewood. "I think I found it!" She called out, when suddenly a dark shape shot out from under the woodpile and into the woods north of town, carrying the toolkit with it.

"Some critter shim-shammed off with my allen wrenches!" McGucket cried out.

"C'mon, let's go after it!" Dipper suggested, leaping up to make chase. Mabel was not far behind him.

"Stop right there!" the old inventor halted them before they'd gotten more than a few feet. "What've I told y'all about goin' into them woods?"

"Don't go stickin' yer nose where it can git bit off!" Mabel imitated.

Dipper clenched his fists in frustration. "But you need those to finish this thing in time for the fair!"

"Don't you worry none, I can jimmy up some thingamajig t'do the same job." McGucket assured him. "Asides, that thing was headed straight t'wards that castle."

"Exactly!" Dipper threw his hands up in the air. "Ever since I came here I've known there's something weird about those woods around the castle! What was that thing? Why would a critter even need tools!?"

"Maybe it's a squirrel, trained by gnomes to fetch things!" Mabel guessed.

"Yeah!" Dipper agreed. "See, she gets it!"

"Now Dipper, I'm not sayin' yer wrong about that there castle." McGucket assured him. "But whatever skulduggery's afoot up there ain't nothin' you wanna mess with. Jus'... jus' come help me take the panel of this here doohickey…"

Dipper sighed in defeat and trudged back to help the old inventor. One of these days he told himself, I'm gonna get a chance to go to that castle and see what secrets it holds.

The day of the fair came bright and clear. McGucket had loaded his invention onto a cart and hitched it to the stray goat that hung around their shack.

"C'mon Gompers, git!" The old inventor shouted. The goat stood there and chewed at the cart's wheel.

"Are you sure we can't come?" Dipper pleaded.

"You two gotta stay here an' keep an eye on the inventions I ain't takin' with me." McGucket insisted as he adjusted the straps tethering the goat to the cart.

"We're gonna miss you!" Mabel hugged him. "Come back soon, OK? With lots and lots of first-place ribbons!"

"OK, you two look after each other while I'm gone!" The old man advised as he lead the goat along by dangling his hat in front of it.

McGucket's journey started out uneventful. Gompers trudged along at a slow pace, but the weather was nice and the trail led through quaint countryside. Even the section of trail that skirted the woods was beautiful. The trees were lush and just open enough to see the clear blue sky above him. He almost didn't notice the small bearded man that jumped out in front of them. But Gompers sure did.

"Shmebulock!" The gnome grunted, spooking the goat. The animal reared up and tipped over the cart.

"Sweet sarsaparilla!" McGucket exclaimed, loosing the bucking goat from the cart and pulling on it's lead and trying to calm it down. His efforts only served to upset it more, and he was dragged screaming deeper into the woods.

"Great job, Smebulock!" Jeff, the leader of the gnomes, complimented his lackey as he stepped out of the underbrush. "Now, let's see what kinda parts we can get off this baby!"

"Dern goat! Stop it! Lemme go!" McGucket protested as the frantic animal crashed through the ever-thickening woods. Eventually he had the sense to let go of its lead and he tumbled into a small clearing. He looked around warily.

The woods here were not beautiful. They were not lush or open. They were dark and closed off and foreboding. The foliage was so thick he couldn't even see the sun to navigate by. The old inventor had no choice but to follow the trail of broken plants left by Gompers. Luckily the goat had stopped not far off, and it had found something.

"A path!" the old man cheered. It was partially overgrown and obviously in disuse, but even old paths had to lead somewhere. "Now I jus' gotta follow this back to town!" He picked the direction that looked more familiar and set off, Gompers following nervously behind him.

They soon came to a fork in the road. An old, weathered sign marked the two branches, but one was so worn it was illegible in the dim light. The second was dangerously crooked, but its words were clear. Gravity Falls Castle.

"Welp. I know which way I'm not goin'!" McGucket turned down the dark trail the sign pointed away from. Gompers bleated pitifully and chewed at the crooked sign. It swayed wildly, obviously not firmly attached to the post.

"Cut that out ya dern critter!" he admonished the goat as he yanked it away. "Y'don't wanna go there, believe me!"

The further down the path they went, the more Gompers protested. The further down the path they went, the more familiar the surrounding woods looked to McGucket. He was sure the path would end any minute now, putting them just outside of town. But the goat continued to pull back on the rope leading him and bleat like a scared baby. And in these woods there were plenty of animals that liked to eat baby goats.

The first wolf howl was distant, but it sent a cold shiver down McGucket's spine. Not two minutes later he heard another, much closer. Then two in chorus.

Jus' hurry, he told himself, I know this area. I gotta be close!

As he'd predicted, the path ended just ahead. But it didn't end at the town, or the fair. It ended at Gravity Falls Castle.

"Oh, you really tarred it up this time, Fiddleford." He muttered to himself. Gompers broke free of his grasp and fled into the woods. McGucket let the goat go. His only chance of getting away from those wolves was barricading himself in the castle. The cursed castle that was supposedly guarded by a savage beast.

Supposedly.

The wolves were definitely real though.

McGucket dashed inside and pulled the heavy oak doors shut behind him. He should be safe now, but his heart was beating frantically against his chest. This place seemed simultaneously foreign and familiar and it was giving him a headache.

"Who the heck is this loser?" someone whispered.

The old man whirled around frantically. The place was only dimly lit by grimy windows, but he should have been able to see anyone in there with him. The entryway was grand and open, not leaving many places to hide.

"Robbie, shut up!" a second voice hissed.

"Wh-who's there?" McGucket called out shakily, slowly turning in circles, trying to find the source of the voices.

"It's me, Soos!" A third voice replied jovially. The inventor whipped around to face the direction the voice had come from, only to find a toolbox lying on the floor. He picked up a hefty hammer cautiously.

"Sh-show yerselves!" He demanded. "I warn ya, I'm armed!"

"I'm right here dude." The third voice said, this time right next to him. McGucket turned his head slowly to look at the hammer he'd picked up. It had a face!

"'Sup dawg?" The hammer said nonchalantly.

"Aaugh!" The old man screamed and dropped the hammer

"Uhg, seriously Soos!?" the second voice scolded. Suddenly the room was full of movement. Random objects began to stretch and hop as though they were alive! Which, McGucket began to realize as he saw faces on them, they were. A rusty axe hopped towards him. "It's ok dude, don't freak out."

"What in tarnation's goin' on here?" McGucket cried. His heart was racing and he began to hyperventilate. Was he having a panic attack?

"Aaaand he's freaking out." the first voice said. McGucket could now see it was coming from a black guitar sitting at the foot of the stairs.

"Somebody get the guy a blanket!" The rusty axe called out. "Ok man, take it easy. We're gonna find you a nice chair you can sit in while you let this sink in." She (at least McGucket assumed it was a she. It sounded like a teenage girl) led him to a comfy looking yellow recliner. "I'm gonna start you a fire to help you calm down, ok?"

The old man nodded mutely as he curled up in the chair. It was quite comfortable, although with the way the cushions engulfed him, he guessed whoever or whatever usually occupied it was much bigger than him.

"Here's your blanket, dude." The hammer from earlier hopped up, somehow tossing a blanket over his shoulders. McGucket took it wordlessly.

"Oooh man we are so dead." The guitar griped. "We are all so dead."

"Cut it out, Robbie, this guy's freaked out enough as it is." The axe berated him. "No one's gonna be dead."

"Yeah, sure, you keep telling yourself that Wendy!" Robbie snapped. "I'm sure he'll be perfectly fine with some complete stranger sitting in his chair."

"Even if he did find out, no one would be dead." Wendy insisted. "Sure, he'd throw a fit, but it's not like we don't already deal with the roaring and the shouting and the gnashing of the teeth all the time. But he's not gonna find out, because this guy's just gonna be here until the wolves move along. Then he'll be on his way. Right?"

McGucket nodded mutely.

"Uuuh, you sure about that Wendy?" The hammer asked nervously, looking up the stairs.

"Soos, relax, he's not gonna find out."

"I'm not gonna find out what?" A rough voice growled dangerously from the darkened staircase above them.

"Oooooh…" The axe girl gulped.

McGucket looked up to see a hulking beast leap out of the shadows, clearing the steps in one bound and landing before him in another. It was covered in shaggy grey fur and the face of a hairy gargoyle. Its lumbering motions were half-way between a bear and a wolf.

"Who the heck's this loser?" The Beast growled.

"That's what I said." Robbie chimed in.

"Can it twerp!" The Beast roared at the guitar before rounding on the old man. "What are ya, deaf or somethin'? Who are you and whaddoya want?"

"I-I-" McGucket struggled to find his words. He was terrified and confused. But now that he got a good look at the Beast's face there was something… familiar about it… about him. Despite his monstrous features his eyes were shockingly human, a deep earthy brown, filled with not just ferocity, but fear.

"What're you lookin' at?" The Beast asked angrily.

"I didn't- This is crazy but-" I think I used to know you.

"Oh I get it!" He bellowed "Come to stare at the freaks, right!? You people've always made me sick! You think you're better than us 'cuz we're different!"

"No, it's not like that at all!" The old man finally managed to blurt out. "I got lost, there was wolves, I needed a place to stay!"

"You want a place to stay? Well what're ya gonna pay me for it?" The Beast roared.

"I-I haven't got any valuables."

"Dungeon it is then." The Beast sneered, grabbing McGucket roughly and dragging him away.

The enchanted people-turned-objects watched in silence until they heard the door leading to the dungeons slam shut.

"Just the usual roaring and shouting and gnashing of teeth, huh?" Robbie snarked.

"Shut up Robbie." Wendy muttered.