Gravity Falls AU? Gravity Falls AU. Except Max is agressive dipper, Nikki is crazy Wendy, and Neil is Mabel but not fucking insane.
The woods were dark and mysterious like usual, Max pushing through the trees with Neil right behind him as he studied the map that he found under his bed.
"Max are you sure this isn't just a lost cause?" Neil asks nervously, looking around and jumping at every crunched twig he heard. "It seems like we aren't getting anywhere..."
"You said you wanted to come with me even though I specifically said you didn't," Max grumbles, taking a sharp turn that made Neil almost run into a tree. "Plus I want to see what is here. It might take awhile."
"We've been walking for hours damnit."
"Its been one fucking hour. Get with the time schedule."
Neil huffs but doesn't turn back around toward the shack. Mostly because he had no idea where he was going.
He clings to his yellow sweater sleeves as a stray wind blew through the trees, making him more paranoid.
Max didn't notice the wind, only glaring at the map. When a stronger wind blew past and knocked off his hat, he caught it as if it didn't happen and placed it right back on his head.
To be honest, Max was surprised that nothing had attacked them yet. It wasn't unusual where he'd have to punch something in the face by now, so it left an unsettling feeling in his stom—
"Hi guys!" says a bubbly and happy voice, sending Max and Neil into a screaming fit while hopping away from a bush.
Except what stepped out the bush was a Nikki, a friend of theirs that worked back at the shack. She wore her usual clothes, a red shirt and blue jean pants with a fuzzy hat on her head that hugged her bangs that still managed to be as wild as her.
"Goddamn it Nikki don't scare us like that!" Neil tried to keep his squeaky voice to a minimum but that wasn't working out. "You almost gave me a heartattack."
"Hehe sorry!" Nikki holds her ponytail and laughs softly. "I saw you guys walk off and I wanted to know where you were going." She turns to Max who had his eyes glued on her intensely ever since she hopped out the bush. "Hi Max!"
Max just turns his head away, that unsettling feeling in his stomach turning into a fluttering one. "Let's go." He turns around fully and walks on, tuning out the sound of Nikki and Neil chattering.
His name was called a few times but he ignored it, just leading them on with a glance back every ten minutes.
"Max! Max hey dude!" Max turns his head and finds Neil talking to him. "Are you okay with her tagging along? You've been quieter ever since she came. Is it because you're...you know...?"
Before Max could say anything, Nikki chipped in and says, "hey if you don't want me here I can go back." Max and Neil turn around to look at her. She was smiling fakely and Max noticed it quick. "Its fine i—"
"Don't go back!" Max blurts out before slapping his hand over his mouth. Neil and Nikki look at him in complete surprise, their eyes wide at his outburst. "...uh..." He felt his face burn in embarrassment, moving his hand. "...uhm...you don't have to go. You can come with us as long as you don't do anything over the top crazy."
Nikki gasps happily. "Really?! Eee! Thank you!" She out of no where hugs him tightly before letting go instantly, holding in a laugh when she saw Max's stunned face. "So...where are we even going?"
Max doesn't answer, just trying to talk and failing as his face grew hotter.
"We have no clue," Neil answers for him, nudging Max until he snaps out of it. "He found a map under his bed and decided to follow it."
"Doesn't that seem like a lost cause?"
"Shut up, both of you," Max snaps, scrunching up his nose in disgust. "It may be a lost cause but I wanted to know what the cause was. Now shut the fuck up and follow me." He turns and walks onward.
Nikki and Neil look to each other and shrug while following.
After about another hour, the three of them reach a circle of trees, way less flashy than what any of them were expecting.
"Is this the right place?" Nikki walks up and puts her head over Max's shoulder, making him gulp.
"Uh..yeah. It says it on the paper." He looks around. "There has to be more to this..."
"What about that crystal in the middle?" Neil points to a shiny, glassy looking crystal in the middle of the trees.
"Ooooh! Shiny!" Nikki runs past Max and to the crystal thing.
"Wait it could be a trap!" Max runs forward, Neil following.
Nikki kicked at the crystal as soon as she got to it, frowning when it didn't budge. "Move you little—" she kicks it one final time and it tilts like a lever, opening a trap door under her. "Fuck." She plummets down and down while her voice was a shrill scream.
Max got to it first and the trap door closed instantly. "NIKKI!" He grabs his hair and looks around. "oh my god she's gone she just disappeared—"
"Max snap out of it!" Neil slaps him, making him gasp. "Just pull the lever."
Max nods, still panicking and pulled the crystal, sending both of them falling downwards.