Return To The Falls: Pentagram
Leaves crunch underneath two sets of feet and one heavy set of hooves as they head into a small, basically unknown town from the distant bus stop. They hadn’t seen the town in years, but they took one look around and saw that besides one or two things, the town remains mostly untouched in the few years they’d been gone.
They walked through town and found a new building towards the center of town, a strange gift shop with tent flap doors that were pulled open. They glanced to each other, and a bell rang, alerting the teenage shopkeep. They instantly recognize the drawl that the young man has as he stands up a bit straighter and starts an obviously practiced speech.
“Oh, why ‘ello visitors, welcome to th’ Weird-a-gift den! Ah’m so very glad to have ya’ll drop into my lil’ ol’ sho-”
The young man turned, speaking happily until his eyes spotted the pair, his eyes widening as he nearly drops the mug he had just finished painting with the logo of the small town. Then, his slightly chubby cheeks are pushed aside by the huge grin that suddenly plasters itself to his face.
“My oh my, if it ain’t the Pine Twins! We thought we lost ya to th’ outside world! What brings ya’ll back ta this tiny ol’ town after all this time?”
The pair laugh a bit, wholehearted and soft at their old ’pal’ and ex-enemy. It’s Mabel who recovers enough to answer, leaving Dipper to continue grinning like a dork.
“Well, Gideon, If you must know, we realized how long we’ve been gone, and that a visit was long overdue. So, we came back for the summer, to see how everyone’s been since... y’know, the incident.”
Gideon nods, motioning around him. There are all sorts of references to the incident, including miniature hand-made figures of various creatures seen throughout the incident. However, most impressive was the 10 tapestries, hand-made, almost exactly like this 6 that the Dorito had made the Non-Pines into, plus the missing 4. Except in these, none of them were screaming. Instead, they all looked peacefully proud of their symbol, calm and smiling at the viewers with their eyes shut.
“Those were hand-made, my pride n’ joy of this lil’ place, a one o’ a kind set of ‘em right there.”
Both of the twins had stopped laughing by now and were in a sort of awe at the collection of items that Gideon had made. Then the previously psychic teen snapped his fingers, standing upright as he suddenly remembered something with a grin.
“Wait right here, ah’ve got somethin’ that ah’ve been meanin’ to give to ya’ll for quite a while now.”
He hurries into the back, leaving Mabel and Dipper a moment to look at the many creations. There was even a snowglobe with the shooting star inside, the colors used obviously referencing Mabel’s Time Bubble. Mabel lets out a weak chuckle, impressed by the talent of his craftsmanship, but wishing she could forget the memories of that bubble. Suddenly, Gideon returns with two keychains, one for both of them.
“I made these after that summer, hopin’ to give ‘em to ya th’ next year, but... well, y’know.”
Both had a stained glass style to them, shaped into a pine tree and a shooting star, and handed them to their respective person. Mabel immediately grinned and hooked it onto her backpack with a bunch of other keychains, while Dipper took a moment to be impressed with the amount of talent Gideon had about making these.
“Well, it looks like you’ve been keeping yourself very busy.”
“I have indeed, it’s a full-time hobby o’ mine now. Ah, but I’ve taken up quite a bit o’ your time now ‘aven’t I? Ya’ll better rush on and tell th’ others you’re back, Ah’m sure they’ll all be real joyous ta see ya.”
With that, he shoved them out the door, in a gentle, friendly way, bidding them ado and heading back into the shop. The pair looked at each other, then took a moment to laugh a bit at the teen as they moved to see what the others are up to.
