Not Exactly What They Seem

Welcome to Gravity Falls!

~*~*~*{ Five hours ago }*~*~*~

"Ravan, come on. You can't hide in there forever," My mother pounds on my bedroom door. "You are going on this trip, and that's final! Get ready." She growls, then I hear her footsteps recede down the hallway towards the kitchen. Probably going to make a cake, for some strange reason. My household has never had a shortage of pastries since I was five. I'm only twelve though, so that's not saying much.

I sigh and pull myself off of my bed. Running a hand through my tangled hair, I straighten and sigh at my reflection. Normal, wavy dark brown hair, stormy grey-green eyes, pale complexion. I never think of myself as beautiful. Not even pretty. But almost every boy in my 7th grade class seemed to disagree and ended up harboring crushes the entire year, or so I've heard. Not that it mattered. Everyone in my class is way to young to even be thinking about dating.

Shaking myself out of the sleepy daze, I go into my private bathroom and start to get ready for the long day ahead of me. Putting on the smallest amount of blush, just enough to make it seem natural. Putting my hair up in it's usual ponytail and adding my black headband. Then I go out and change into a pair of soft cotton skinny jeans, a shirt advertising Fall Out Boy and faded brown leather boots.

Satisfied with my appearance, I start to pack up my belongings. Shirts, pants, socks, etc., until I get to the back of my closet. Covered in a thick layer of dust sits a violin case. With a sigh, I pull it out and wipe away the layer of grime to reveal a rich, deep cherry red mahogany case, trimmed with gold designs of cherry blossoms and leaves. It was the last gift from my dad before he got into the accident...

I put it on top of my other stuff and roll it out into the main hallway, setting it next to the door. "Hey, mom?"

"Yes, sweety? Are you ready to have breakfast?" She calls from the kitchen, sounding happier then before. "I made pancakes, and we have strawberries."

I grin and enter the kitchen. "You know just what I like."

She grins back and sets a plate down with perfectly cooked pancakes, smothered in strawberry slices and whipped cream, in front of me. "Here ya go!" She sets a fork next to my plate, then goes back to finishing off the batter. "So, Ravan. I know you don't really like your great-uncle Stan, but please try to get along with him."

I let out an exasperated sigh, then cut out some pancakes and shove them into my mouth. "Why do I have to go to some lame town in the middle of nowhere, to live with some obscure great uncle that I don't even like? Why can't I go with you, to New York City?"

"Ravan, you know why. We don't have the money, and Stan was kind enough to offer to watch after you while I'm away," She pinches the bridge of her nose. "I don't see why you keep resisting this. It's just for the summer, and you'll be around people your actual age. It'll be a good change." She assures me, and I just sigh again. No point arguing with her, especially when she has that look.

I just nod and finish off my pancakes. When I finish, I place my plate in the sink, then go into the hallway and pick up my stuff.

"Ready?" I nod and open the door. "As ready as I'll ever be."

I roll my stuff out and down the drive way, clutching the precious violin case to my chest when I board the empty, smelly bus that would take me to Gracity Falls. I wave to my mom as the bus starts rolling away, then face forward and close my eyes. This was going to be a long trip.

*~*~*~ { Present Time } ~*~*~*

I stare in awe at The Mustery Shack. Shack?! That thing is a freakin mansion. I walk up to the front door and knock. I hear light footsteps come from upstairs, then heavier feet approaching the door.the knob turns and I step back.

"Hello?" Great- Uncle Stan asks me, and I smile back shyly.

"Hi. My name is Ravan Pines. My mom sent me here for the summer."

"Right, right," He ushers me into the house. "Well, I'll go get Dipper. Stay here, and don't touch anything." He says gruffly, then leaves the room without a second look at me. I look around the foyer and fiddle with my violin case, unsure on what I should do. Eventually I just sit down and wait for someone to come and get me.