September 11, 2000

Chapter 1: Car Troubles

It was the beginning of summer, and the Watterson family was all set for their annual vacation. They were excited to explore Canada and enjoy their time together. However, their excitement was short-lived as their car suddenly started making strange noises on the highway.

"Mom, what's wrong with the car?" Gumball asked.

"I don't know, honey," Nicole replied, sounding worried. "We need to find a mechanic as soon as possible."

They scanned the highway for any signs of a mechanic or a gas station but found nothing. Suddenly, the car started to shake, and they knew they had to pull over.

"Looks like we're not going anywhere," Richard said with a sigh.

"Maybe we can ask for help," Darwin suggested.

They looked around, hoping to find someone who could assist them, when they saw a sign for a town called Gravity Falls.

"Gravity Falls?" Nicole read the sign. "I've never heard of it before. Do you think they have a mechanic there?"

"It's worth a try," Richard said as he got out of the car to check the engine.

The Wattersons drove off the highway and entered Gravity Falls, a quaint little town nestled in the woods. They spotted a few shops and restaurants, but no mechanics.

"We'll have to ask around," Nicole said.

They pulled up to a gas station, hoping to find someone who could help them. As they got out of the car, they saw two kids about their age, a boy and a girl, walking out of a nearby shop.

"Excuse me," Nicole called out to them. "Do you know where we can find a mechanic?"

The kids turned around, and the boy, who wore a blue pine tree hat, approached them.

"Hey, I'm Dipper, and this is my sister, Mabel," he said. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Our car broke down, and we're looking for a mechanic," Nicole explained.

"Unfortunately, there's no mechanic in town," Dipper replied. "But I know someone who might be able to help us."

"Really? Who?" Gumball asked.

"My great-uncle, Stan," Dipper replied. "He's a bit of a con artist, but he knows his way around cars."

"Thank you so much," Nicole said gratefully. "Can you show us where he is?"

"Sure thing," Mabel chimed in. "Follow us."

The Wattersons followed Dipper and Mabel to a shack on the outskirts of town. As they approached the shack, they saw an old man sitting on a rocking chair on the porch.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan," Dipper called out. "We need your help."

Stan looked up and saw the Wattersons.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Stan said with a smirk. "You

"You folks look like you're in need of some roadside assistance."

"We were hoping you could take a look at our car," Nicole said. "It broke down on the highway."

"Of course I can," Stan said, standing up from his chair. "But first, let's talk payment."

"Payment?" Richard asked.

"You know, the usual," Stan replied. "Cash, checks, or valuable trinkets."

The Wattersons exchanged nervous glances but knew they had no choice. They needed to get their car fixed and get back on the road. They followed Stan into the shack, hoping for the best.

As they entered the shack, they couldn't help but notice the strange objects and oddities littered throughout the place. They saw a taxidermy jackalope, a six-fingered hand in a jar, and a mysterious book on a shelf that caught Dipper's eye.

"What's that book?" Dipper asked, pointing to the shelf.

Stan followed Dipper's gaze and chuckled. "Ah, that's just an old journal I found in these parts. Nothing special," he said dismissively.

Dipper's curiosity was piqued, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he watched as Stan went to work on the car. After a few minutes, he emerged from under the hood with a grin on his face.

"There you go, good as new," Stan said. "But don't thank me yet. The real test is if it'll last the whole trip."

The Wattersons thanked Stan and paid him for his services before getting back on the road. As they drove away from Gravity Falls, they couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about their encounter with Stan.

"Did you see all those weird things in that shack?" Gumball asked.

"Yeah, and that book," Darwin added. "I wonder what it's about."

Nicole glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Dipper and Mabel waving goodbye to them.

"Those kids were nice," she said. "I hope we run into them again."

Little did they know, their paths were about to cross again in ways they couldn't imagine.