Chapter Text
Percy was sitting on a bus, seeing as no matter how many quests he did, Zeus refused to let him just ride a fucking plane. Hence why he was hopping busses and trains across the entire country. Why, you might ask? Because his Mom had discovered a relative, living in the small town of Gravity Falls. Percy looked around the bus again. Due to the combination of a demigod's dyslexia, ADHD, and the danger of using a phone, Percy was well and truly bored. Bored enough to talk to the two pre-teens sitting across the aisle from him.
“Hi.” He said, not knowing how else to start. The kids turned to look at him. The one with long hair smiled, while the one with short hair gave him a suspicious look. “I’m Percy Jackson, he/him.”
“I’m Mabel, she/her, and this is my brother Dipper!”
“Mabel! You can’t just tell a stranger our names!”
“Pish-posh, brother dearest!”
“What are you two doing in Gravity Falls? You don’t seem to have an adult with you. I’m going to because my Mom found a relative of ours named Stan, and he lives there.”
“Hey Dipper! You’re the smart guy, what do’ya think the odds are that we’re both going to meet the same person?” Mabel said, and Dipper sighed.
“Probably pretty high.” He turned to Percy. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s usually better to be safe than sorry.” Percy replied. That was good advice, right?
– - –
Thankfully, the rest of the bus ride passed much quicker than the rest of Percy’s trip had, and soon the trio was approaching a building.
“Mystery shack!” Mabel cheered. “That’s where Grunkle Stan lives!”
“Grunkle?” Percy asked, confused.
“Great-uncle.” Dipper explained.
– - –
“I know who you two are, Dipper, Mabel. But who’s this?” Stan asked.
“Percy Jackson. I don’t know our exact relation, but my Mom, Sally, said you’re a relative of ours.”
“Ah yeah, Sally. I think I remember hearing about someone with that name. Whatever, as long as you help out in the shack you can stay.”
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. WENDY! Show them around.”
“Sure Mr. Pines.”
– - –
Tourist Trapped
“Percy! Mabels gonna get eaten by a zombie!” Dipper yelled as he ran up to the teen.
“What do you need me to do?” Percy asked, startling Dipper with how serious he was.
“Just come with me!”
– - –
“Dipper. Hand me the baseball bat.” Dipper hesitated for a second but quickly decided that these jerks had kidnapped his sister, and he didn’t particularly care what Percy planned to do.
– - –
“Something weird happened.” Percy asked, Iris-Message in front of him. He’d gotten good at this particular trick, using his powers to make the rainbow instead of having to use a spray bottle.
“Yes Percy?”
“I just arrived in Gravity Falls to meet a distant relative, and his great-niece got kidnapped by a bunch of gnomes.”
“Gravity Falls…there’s a place I haven’t heard of in a while.”
“Chiron?”
“Oh, yes. Gravity Falls is a strange place. The barrier between dimensions is weaker there, so strange creatures will appear there, although they can’t leave the town. Don’t worry, you will be able to leave, although it might feel a little weird when you do. Also, be careful, the Mist isn’t as strong there.”
“Ok, thank you.”
— - –
The Legend of the Gobblewonker
Percy was in his element. A boat on a lake looking for a strange creature? Totally his jam. And, even better, it was likely that this ‘gobblewonker’ wasn’t a monster of the type he normally dealt with unless McGucket was clearsighted. Which was a possibility, but Percy was trying to have fun.
– - –
The gobblewonker was actually a robot. Strange. Percy wished Leo was here, he’d be thrilled.
– - –
Headhunters
Mabel had somehow created a near-perfect replica of Stan. Percy didn’t know where she got this good at wax sculpting, but he was impressed.
“I like the glitter.” He praised.
“Really? Thank you! I do too!” At that point, Stan walked into the room and stumbled back in shock. Percy gave a mental shrug. He’d presumably lived in Gravity Falls for a long time. Maybe he encountered a shapeshifter or something.
– - –
Someone had cut off wax-Stans head. While it was entirely possible it was just a prank, Percy did not get this far in order to brush off strangeness. It was possible that someone had been trying to kill Stan, but had been fooled by Mabel's incredible art skills.
– - –
Sometimes Percy hated being right, as he fended off wax statues with a fire poker. Riptide was in his pocket but Percy couldn’t exactly pull that out, especially after Chiron's warning about the Mist. So Percy was stuck swinging a fire poker at wax statues.
– - –
Stan had lied. Percy was sure of that. There was no way he’d lived in Gravity falls for so long and didn’t have even a clue about the creatures in it.
– - –
The Hand That Rocks the Mabel
Percy walked into the living room to see Mabel staring sadly at the fish tank.
“What’s up?” Percy asked, and Mabel sighed.
“Gideon.” And as she explained, Percy’s blood boiled.
“I can tell him to knock it off. Believe it or not, I can be serious.”
“Really?” Mabel asked, voice small but hopeful.
“Really.”
Thank you!” Mabel wrapped her arms around Percy, hugging him tightly.
– - –
Percy walked up to Gideon's table.
“Hello, Gideon . I think it's time we had a little talk.”
“You’re not Mabel.”
“No, and if I had my way you’d never see her again unless it was to apologize.”
“Apologize for what?” Percy slid into the seat across from Gideon, an unkind smile on his face.
“Say, Gideon , what do you know about consent.”
“Mabel agreed to everything!”
“Have you ever heard of coercion? You begged and begged until you felt like she couldn’t say no, and then you asked her in public where everyone pressured her into it. And you just. Kept. Going.”
“Well, Mabel and I are meant to be!”
“I am not afraid to punt you if you come near Mabel again unless it’s to apologize.” He really wasn’t. His fatal flaw was personal loyalty, and he’d burn the world down for those he cared about, as much as he didn’t like admitting it.
– - –
Dipper ran up to Percy, excited.
“What is it?” Percy asked curiously.
“I got invited to share my research on the strange creatures of Gravity Falls with a local news station!”
“That’s great! Can I come with?” Percy asked, a bad feeling in his stomach.
“Sure.”
– - –
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Dipper Pines…” Gideon said, turning his spinny chair around like a movie villain. “Wait, and who are you?”
“I thought you were psychic?” Percy taunted, unable to help himself.
“I am! Watch!” Gideon grabbed the little charm on his tie, and all the objects in the room started floating.
“Hm.” Percy hummed, unimpressed., taking a step forwards. “Your tie thingy is glowing. Are you sure you’re psychic?”
“I am ! Why aren’t you scared like him?”
“I’m not scared!” Dipper said, but his voice shook slightly.
“Look, kid, Gideon. I’ve seen much, much , scarier than a kid with a magic tie thingy.” Percy kept walking forwards. “You don’t scare me in the slightest.” Well, Percy was nervous about the damage this idiot of a kid could do with the weird telekinesis charm, but he wasn’t scared.
“Fear me!”
“Nah.” Percy said, grabbing the charm and quickly backing up while holding it above his head to keep it out of reach.
“You’ll pay for this! This isn’t the last you’ll see of little…ol’...me…” Percy shrugged at Gideons declaration, and walked back to Dipper.
“Yeah, yeah. Come on Dipper, let’s get out of here.”