"Alright, campers. We got another day 'a breakin' laws and breakin' hearts. Everything up until now has been a walk in the park compared to our next attraction." Stan told us as I was looking outside the window and up at the mountain landscape.
"Is it a walk in the world's biggest park?" Mabel questioned, also looking at the scenery from the back.
"Eh, sort of. There she is, kids. Mystery Mountain. Five times the size of the Mystery Shack, and what's worse: she has real attractions." Ston told us as all.
"Oh! I have read about this place. It has sky tram. And a mummy museum. And sightings of half human, half spider creatures." Candy said as I jogged my memory a bit. My dad has talked about this place definitely.
"Even their made-up legends are better than ours. Today, the mountain falls." Stan told us determined to cause havoc. Great.
"Question. The back seat makes me car sick. Can I sit up front today?" Mabel asked as I snapped my head towards her.
"But I sit next to Stan." I whined as I did enjoy sitting in the front a whole lot, especially knowing Dipper was in the back. And hell, like I was gonna get up now that my seat was warm.
"Also question. I'm the size of two people. Can I have a whole seat to myself?" Grenda asked as I raised an eyebrow.
Stan didn't seem to mind, but I knew what was going on here.
"Another question. Im tiny. Can I sit with Mabel at the front?" Candy asked as I rolled my eyes.
This was definitely some plan of Mabel's, which wouldn't work. Dipper probably saw through it, too.
"Eh, I don't know, sure." Stan accepted these proposals as I still tried to think of a way to counter Mabel's plan.
"Whooo! Change up!" Before I could react, Mabel, Candy, and Grenda picked me up and shoved me to the back next to Dipper.
"But wait! That means it'll just be me and-" Dipper tried to intervene as well, but it was too late.
"So..." i tried to speak up at least out of common decency.
"So." He replied, looking at me up and down. His eyes were shifting side to side, and he was fidgeting with his hands. What was he even so nervous about.
Whilst looking at his hands, I noticed the email on his hand wasn't there anymore.
"What happened with uh... the email?" I asked quietly. If it was just a hit more quiet, he probably wouldn't have even heard me.
"I washed it off," Dipper mumbled. "What about that napkin?" He asked as I shrugged.
"Gave it to Stan to wipe his nose since I didn't have other napkins at hand," i explained as he laughed a bit.
"Hey, sorry about last night..." Dipper apologized, FIRST, which was incredibly odd.
"I' sorry too... i guess, " I mumbled back as his eyes widened.
"Emma apologizing?! Unbelievable!" He stated as I playfully hit him on the arm.
"Shut up." I layghed it off, and so did he.
We fell into some rather awkward silence after that quick semi fight.
"So..." Dipper spoke up, trying to ease the tension.
"So?" I waited for him to continue.
"I was wondering, would you maybe want to walk around the Mystery Mountain with me today?" He asked as I smiled a tad bit.
"Wasn't that already the plan?" I asked, scooting a little closer to him. I noticed faint redness on his cheeks.
"I mean, uhhh, just, just us. You and me." He asked, not daring to look me in the eyes.
I wanted to reply with a cheesy line, but I was cut off by Stan's intense hit of the breaks. My whole body lunged forward, and since i hadn't fastened my seatbelt, I hit my nose at the impact.
"Ow ow ow..." I whined, holding my head back as I could feel blood running from my nose.
"Oh God, are you okay?!" Dipper asked, looking around for napkins to give me.
"Alright, road dogs! I got five bucks for whoever can tip the big blue ox! Go, go, go!" I heard Stan insteuct the kids as I slowly made my way outside with Dipper helping me.
"Oh, what happened to you, kid?" Stan asked with disgust looking at me.
"That's why I always sit in the front," i mumbled, still holding my head back.
"I'm gonna go look for napkins." Dipper stated, leaving me and Stan alone.
"You and Dipper are on talking terms again?" Stan asked me as I sighed.
"It's complicated. I think he just asked me out on a date." I told him frankly as Stan stood shocked.
"Dipper? Our Dipper. He had the courage to do that?" I was bombarded with questions.
"Yea... thing is he has been acting all weird this trip. First Wendy, then the other girls. I thought he liked me, but all of these events are making me overthink everything..." i mumbled, feeling my nose ease up a little. The stinging was gone at last.
"You just gotta go with it, kid." Stan told me as he spotted this fairly old woman at the ticket booth. "Watch and learn."
The bleading finally stopped, and I could tilt my head normally. So my gaze was pinned on Stan and the woman.
"Oh, I seem to have lost my number! Can I borrow yours?" I couldn't see his face, but I could swear Stan winked.
"You are a riot! What brings you here? We don't normally get men this handsome around these parts." The woman seemed faltered. Well, that's a first. And it's awfully disgusting.
"Heheh. Well... Darlene, between you and me, what I'm doing here is a little secret."
"Oh, you seem like a man with secrets." The woman whose name I learned to be Darlene laughed at her own joke.
"Ugh," I groaned in annoyance. Old people flieting. Ew.
I better go find Dipper.
As soon as I turned around, I noticed him with some tissues in his hands. They were bright pink, and I could smell the scent a foot away.
"I hope the scent doesn't irritate you. These are Mabel's. I couldn't find anything else." Dipper explained, handing them to me as I smiled.
"Thanks, Pines"
A small smile tugged at his lips at the old nickname.
"Did I get everything?" I asked, trying to clean my face.
"Uh... you have a bit on your upper lip." Dipper pointed to his own lip as I tried to wipe away the blood from my face.
"Did i get it?" I asked as his hand reached my face slowly.
"No hold on." His hand reached up to my face, his hand cupping my cheek.
I swear i could feel my face flash red from this, and i wasn't one who easily got flustered.
"Here," Dipper said as his finger brushed against my upper lip. "You're clean now,"
His hand retrieved as I instinctively leaned forward, trying to get back to his touch.
My whole mind was blank. I dont think I've ever lost my train of thought like I had done just now.
"Shall we go?" He asked as it took me a moment to process what he had even said.
"Uhh yea!" I finally uttered after a moment of silence.
--------------
Me and Dipper were sitting on a bench somewhere inside the so-called Mummy Town.
"This place is so cool." Dipper mumbled, looking around the extraordinary decor.
"Sort of confused by the phrase 'New Mummies Daily,' though. I mean, how does that even work?" I stated, my mind occupied with this dumb sign.
"Yea, it's odd. This mountain is full of mysteries." Dipper said. It felt as if he wanted to say something else, but his eyes caught someone.
"Oh, Dipper! Hey!" A girl voice spoke behind me, and I turned in an instant.
"Corn Maze Girl!" Dipper gasped as she threw me a weird look.
As there was some free space between me and Dipper on the bench, she decided to sit between us.
This made my blood boil. Who did she think she was?!
"I was wondering when you'd call." She smiled sweetly at him, completely ignoring my presence.
"Dipper, who is this?" I asked finally, my tone laced with malice. And Dipper could very easily pick up on it.
"Nobody! I mean, uh, somebody, but -" He got confused in his own words.
Just before I could throw a fit, I heard a familiar voice.
"Emma, is that you?" I turned to see none other that Ethan looking at me.
"I uh- What are you doing here?!"
"My grandma sent me here to gather info on Stan Pines. Seeing as you are here, I guess he is, too." He smiled sweetly at me as he noticed Dipper behind me. "Sorry for not writing, I got caught up with work as you can tell,"
"Haha yea, but -" I was cur off by yet another female voice.
"Dipper! I didn't recognize you right-side up. You'll never guess where my mom gave birth. Hey, who are these girls?" Emma-sue asked as she locked eyes with me. "Oh, you are that girl my brother keeps talking about!"
"Emma! Did you get my message?" Speak of the devil. The said brother or so-called Liam came in the picture.
"Hey..." I mumbled
"Who's that?" Liam asked as his gaze was fixed in Ethan behind me.
"Dipper? Why haven't you called? Did our romantic log ride mean nothing to you?" Yet another girl showed up.
Too many people, too few space. Too much rage bubbling up in everyone. Especially me and Dipper.
"Dipper, what is happening?" Emma-Sue asked.
"Yea, Emma, care to explain?" Liam asked me too.
Before I or Dipper could respond, everyone began fighting. It took me whistling with my fingers to gain everyone's attention.
"EVERYONE!" I shouted. At this point, i was standing on top of the bench. "Listen! Me and Dipper are on a date here."
"Well, answer us. Which one of us do you like?" One of the gurls asked Dipper.
"That goest for you too, Emma." Ethan mumbled angrily, hands in pockets.
"I... I like all of you! I mean, I don't like any of you! I mean -" Dipper pulled his hat over his face. "I was trying to learn how to talk to girls! To a girl... to you." His eyes met mine as he uttered those words, and my face grew red.
"Unbelievable." "So gross." "A jerk," all of the girls took their leave.
"Emma?" Liam grabbed my attention. "Me, or them?" He asked as I looked back at Ethan then at Dipper.
"Guys... you are lovely. But I'm not looking for anyone." I told them as Ethan and Liam sighed. "As I've already found him,"
I picked up Dipper's hat and put it on my head.
"You wanna go get soda?" I heard Liam ask before Ethan let out a sigh.
"Make that two."
Me and Dipper stood in silence while everyone left.
"So..." Dipper mumbled, looking at me shyly.
"I think this circus is over Pines." I told him, taking off his hat and giving it to him. "I know you like me."
His whole face grew red as he looked away.
"But it's fine. Because I like you too."
I flashed him a smile as I could see he couldn't contain his happiness.
"Emma Gleeful, may I kiss you?" Dipper asked me as I chuckled at the formality.
"Dipper Pines, you may," I smiled as his hand uncertainly went to my waist as he slowly pulled me close.
In an instant, I cupped his cheeks and placed a quick yet soft kiss on his lips.
The kiss was broken almost in an instant due to my laughing.
"What?" Dipper looked at me, confused.
"Sorry, it's just that, I've thought about this for so long that I can't keep a straight face. I'm just... happy, " I told uim truthfully as he smiled too.
"I'm happy too." He smiled back. Before we could exchange any more words, our wakie talkies thatStan had given us earlier buzzed.
I picked up my wakie talkie. "Stan?!"
"Heeey, kid. So remember how we were talking about my technique? Well, sometimes it leads to unexpected consequences. "
Me and Dipper exchanged a glance.
"Where are you?" I asked, quite scared for his well-being.
"The good news is, I've solved the mystery of where Oregon's mummies come from. The bad news is I'm about to become one. Turns out Darlene is one of those spider people. But beyond that, the date's been okay." He stated as Dipper and I rushed outside, trying to find where Stan had been captured.
"Wait, wait, wait. Darlene's a spider person?! How is that possible?" Dipper had grabbed the walkie-talkie at this point.
"I don't know. One minute, we're having the perfect date, and the next minute, she's growing extra legs and encasing me in webbing. Women, right? Wait, is Emma still with you, kid?" Stan asked, realising what he had said a bit later than needed.
"You couldn't tell she was a spider?!" I asked, completely ignoring his comment.
"Yikes, she was here... Listen Kids I was blinded by flattery! Also, this acid she spit in my face. I'm up the mountain at Widow's Peak." He told us over the walkie-talkie.
"Alright, we're gonna find you. Stay put!" Dipper shouted at the walkie-talkie before some noises came through. Seems like Stan was in deep trouble.
"We better hurry," I told him as we started running up the mountain. Of course, I was falling behind, I may have gotten a good night of sleep, but that doesn't mean that I'm suddenly athletic.
"We're gonna need..." i panted. "Backup!" I shouted at Dipper, who wasn't that much ahead of me. We definitely needed someone who could run a marathon right now.
"The girls!" Dipper said, spotting his sister and her friends in the crowd.
"Perfect!" I shouted back as we made our way to them.
"There you are." I stated, out of breath.
"Ohhh, here you two are. Did you make up." Mabel made a weird face as she stared at me and Dipper.
"What? Yes, we did. Never mind that. We need your help!" Dipper told her as she looked confused.
"Stan's in trouble! We can gossip later, but right now, he needs us. I'll explain on the way." I told her as Mabel gave a look to both Candy and Grenda, who also nodded.
The five of us ran off again. With a little help of Grenda, we managed to reach up the mountain in what we hoped was in time.
"Mr. Pines!" Grenda called out as we were entering the cave.
As we walked in all the way, we noticed Stan inside. "Quick! Before the rest of the venom sets in!" He told us as Grenda ran up to him to break free the silk holding him in place.
"Quick, let's go!" I told the geoup as we walked back putside. Unfortunately for us at the entrance sat none other than Darlene.
"No! Where are you?" She shouted as she ran after us.
"The sky tram! Everybody on! I have a plan!" I shouted as all of us made our way to the sky tram. Let's just hope this works!
"Haha, yes!" Mabel cheered along with Grenda and Candy as we started moving, rather slowly, but we were moving.
"Ride like the wind, sky tram!" Stan shouted as we were going no more than half a mile an hour.
"Welcome to Trambience, the world's slowest treetop tram ride. Enjoy the sights at 0.1 miles per hour." A voice record started plaing as I goraned. Great, it was less than half a mile!
"Move, move, move!" Grenda started kicking the damn thing out of desperation.
"Ugh, can't this thing go any faster?" Dipper asked, looking for a way to speed it up.
"No, it can't. This is Trambience." The recording spoke out, almost as if it were sentient.
Just then, Darlene climbed up one of the poles holding up the tramline. Oh shoot.
"Enjoying the view?" Suddenly, a loud bang was heard on top of our tram cart. "Take a picture!" The recorder spoke as Darlene's head popped up outside the window. Crap!
"We're doomed!" Stan shouted as i could tell Darlene was coating the tram in her web.
"We're all gonna die!" Dipper called out as I tried to dalm myself and to find a solution. I am good at that. I should figure something out!
In everyone's panic, I noticed a small pamphlet tucked away under one of the seats. I quickly skimmed through the pages.
Bingo!
"Listen carefully!" I shouted to gain everyone's attention."This sky tram has an emergency drop switch. Below us is Oregon's largest Paul Bunyan statue! And Old Reliable goes off in 5... 4..." My hand reached for the switch.
"Emma, wait! Don't pull that lever!" Dipper told me, grabbing my hand.
"Dipper, do you trust me?!" I shouted at him as he had a moment of doubt.
"I do." He let go as I applied pressure on the switch.
"Now!" I shouted as I finally pulled it.
In an instant, the tram disconnected from the rail, sending us and Darlene down to the ground. An Old Reliable suddenly went off, pushing our tram into the air. It bounced and rolled across the mountain, barreling through the ticket booth below the Paul Bunyan statue.
"Ugh," i wined as I had hit my head somewhere along the fall. At least everyone was alive.
"My only weakness! A giant boot! A giant newspaper or a giant cup would've also been pretty bad." I could hear Dalene's shouting from outside.
Stan being in the best condition out of all of us, and also being closest to the door opened it as we all srumbled out.
"Thank you for riding Trambience sky tram! Tell your friends it was a boring, boring ride." The recorder spoke.
"Kid, that was ingenious! How'd you know that would work?" Stan asked as I sighed.
"Useless travel pamphlets my dad used to make me read... and a little bit of luck, maybe, " I mumbled the last part, knowing it was mostly that as the knowledge of those pamphlets was quite vague and faded.
"Staaaannnyyy..." Darlene whined, quite weakend from the fall - again in her human form. "I'm sorry. I dunno know what came over me. You'll let me out, right?" She asked, putting up her fake persona again.
"What?! After all that? Seriously, do I look like an amnesiac?" Stan shouted as she laughed.
"You're so funny. Have you ever considered becoming a comedian?"
Oh, seriously, if she thinks that would work-
"You know, I actually have. Comedy is too subtle these days. My style involves more oversized props. Here, let me get you out from there-" Stan started walking up to her, but all of us rushed to hold him back. Which was just in time as Darlene had transformed bwck to her spider self and tried to bite Stan.
"Oh, yeah. Right." He mumbled, remembering that she was, in fact, trying to mummify him.
"You win this round, Stan! But mark my words as long as there's men like you out there, with their dumb one-liners and pickup moves, I'll never run out of prey!" Darlene spat out acid right in front of Stan's shoes. Ew.
"Aah! Get the car, get the car!" Stan shouted as all of us ran to the RV before things got even uglier.
Me and Dipper gave each other a knowing look.
"So-"
Both of us spoke at the same time.
"No, you first-"
And again.
Neither of us daring to speak again.
Luckily Stan came up behind us and gave us both a pat on the shoulder.
"Alright, kids listen. I gotta admit something. I'm no expert on relationships. Truth is, I've been divorced once and slapped more times than I can remember. Confidence can buy you a lot, but at the end of the day, pickup artists tend to get our heads bitten off. When it comes to relationships, I'm a failure..." Stan mumbled as me and Dipper looked confused. Where was this going?
"Point I' trying to make is that you two have chemistry. And I don't want my dumb advice to the both of you to ruin that. There, I said it. Now excuse me, but I left Mabel in control of the RV, and I feel like we are about to experience a horrible crash if i dont return in the next 5 seconds. "
"What does this button do!" Mabel shouted from the drivers seat as Stan ran off, leaving both me and Dipper chuckling.
"Quick thinking today..." Dipper told me as I smiled. "Like always,"
"Thank you. I'm glad you trusted me with that." I told him as we both stared at each other before quickly escaping the trap of eye contact.
"So... are we... you know..." Dipper asked. "Since we you know... did that earlier. " The way he shyly referred to the kiss left me smiling.
"Well, it depends. Do you want to be my boyfriend?" I asked him as his whole face flushed up.
"I'll take that as a yes." I smiled, placing a kiss on his cheek, watching it grow even redder.
The two of us grabbed a hold of the other's hand, and we made our way to the back of the RV to finally get some sleep after the busy day.
Snuggled up on the seats, we spent the whole ride asleep.
------------
"SWEET LORD!" Stan's shouting woke me up, and it seemed my shuffling also woke up Dipper.
"What's going on- Oh..."
The whole shack was being ruined by varisous workers of the other tourist traps.
"Oh, man. Are we gonna have to help clean this up?" I asked, still sleepy.
"Nah, I'm sure Soos will take care of it. Where is Soos, anyway?" Stan asked, looking around, not seeing Soos anywhere.
"I last saw him at the corn maze?" Dipper said in a way that was more of a question than a statement.
"Ah, I'm sure he's fine!" I laughed it off.
When has he ever been not fine except that time the video game girl tried to kill him.
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A/N
It's been a solid 3 years and 8 months since I started this, but these two finally ended up together.
Jst saying that gives me chills. Wow. This story has been through a lot.
I don't know when the rest of the chapters will come out, but I'm glad I finally brought this story to some sort of conclusion.
I can't promise I will update more, but I also can't say for certain I'm discontinueing it again. More like... when a chapter comes out. It comes out! Which coild be another few months.
I hope you enjoyed it so far, and we'll see each other in the next chapter, probably