Institute of Oddology Pilot Chapter

Chapter 1: June 1st

Hey there!

My name is Dipper Pines, and this is my new journal. Mom told me to keep a journal this summer and write in it whenever I get lonely. Well, we haven't even reached our destination yet and since Mabel's busy making origami swans, I don't have anyone to talk to. So I'm writing here.

So, where do I start? I guess I'll start with myself.

Name: Dipper Pines (You already know that, since I just told you)

Age: 12 (But I'll be thirteen by the end of the summer!)

Hometown: Piedmont, California (Nice place! Very boring.)

Interests: Video games, the paranormal, photography

Siblings: My twin sister, Mabel. Imagine me with girl hair and about 1,000 pounds of sugar injected into my bloodstream. Can be a real friend when she's not doing one of her "bits." She's smarter than people give her credit for, and often acts the way she does just to drive me insane. (Was a lot more fun before her boy obsession.)

Distinguishing Features: A weird birthmark that looks like the Big Dipper (hence my nickname). Mom once said it meant I was "destined for greatness."

You might be asking yourself, "You mentioned a destination earlier. Where are you going?" (Of course you're not asking yourself that; you're just a book.)

The answer is, I'm going to this little town in Oregon called Gravity Falls. Mom and Dad decided that this summer, Mabel and I should spend a couple months with our great uncle, Stanford. I don't know why; I've never met him before now. So now we're on a bus headed north.

Here's what I know about Great Uncle Stanford:

1. He's Grandpa Pines's older brother

2. He has a twin brother named Stanley (Stanford and Stanley? Not very creative.)

3. He's apparently a well-known scientist

4. He's been estranged from the rest of the family for like, forty years

And that's about all I know so far. As you probably guessed, I'm not exactly thrilled to be there for the summer. I hope it won't be TOO boring.

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The bus slowed to a stop in front of a covered bench. Dipper sighed and picked up his suitcase. Mabel started to rapidly clean up her origami. Dipper wasn't sure how she had managed to fit so much origami paper in her suitcase to begin with, since she'd stuffed it so full with practically half her bedroom.

"Gravity Falls," the driver called out. Mabel flashed him a grin as they disembarked.

"Didn't they say that someone'd meet us at the bus stop?" Dipper asked, looking around. There was no one in sight.

"Maybe Uncle Stanford's just running late!" Mabel replied brightly. "Maybe he ran into a...a giant mustache with legs, and had to fight it before he could come!"

Dipper rolled his eyes. "A giant mustache? Really?"

A car pulled up right as the bus started to leave. It was red with a white roof. That matched the description of Uncle Stanford's car that Mom and Dad had given them. But the person who got out was not Uncle Stanford. The person who got out was a girl, for one thing. A pretty, blonde girl, who was wearing a t-shirt for Mabel's favorite boy band, Sev'ral Timez. Mabel gasped.

"Are you two Dipper and Mabel Pines?" the young woman asked. She had a faint accent that Dipper thought was German.

"Yeah, that's us!" Mabel answered excitedly.