5….5 Dollar…...5 Dollar Footlong!!

And as such, time has moved forward.

I roll over and look at the calendar. 5 years. Exactly 5 years. I get out of bed and look in the mirror.

I've gotten taller. I'd say 6'1. I look scholarly…. if you'd ignore the chiseled and lean body. But over clothes you really can't see the muscle and power hidden within. My smile still looks slightly boyish but was offset by the air of confidence I have around me. And as an added bonus, my skin has become extraordinarily soft thanks to Great Uncle Ford replacing every light in the house with the one that he'd invented. It caused your skin to grow softer the long you are affected by it's radiance.

I pulled on my red shirt and black hoodie. The hoodie has pine trees on it. Though not colored in. Only white outlines. I keep the sleeves pulled up to just below my elbows. I put on my khaki pants. I really like these. And that's not only because they were just the right blend of brown and beige, but because Old Ma….. Professor McGucket (he took over teaching at the local school. I have no clue how he got them to agree to this day) made them for me . It's created with elastic material that can stretch to accommodate any body movements. So I can move however I like without being restricted. He also said that they can withstand high temperatures (which I learned was true when I got hit on the butt by a fireball snorted by a raging inferno hog.). It's also supposedly waterproof but I've never had the opportunity to test that out.

I pulled on my necklace that was in the shape of a pine tree. It was metallic and it felt slightly cool. That's because McGucket added a device that'd sense the amount of heat in the air and produce a cooling effect to counteract it. Although it'd only get as cold as a refrigerator, it helps on these Summer days. I told him if he sold it he'd get filthy rich, but the concept of money just flies right over that man.

I slid on my loafers and took one last look in the mirror. I don't wear the hat anymore. Lost it. We were sliding down a maze of underground tunnels and one of the giant spider ants chasing us managed to snap it off. Luckily enough it didn't take my head with it. My hair has grown a bit longer as well. Just long enough to cover my birthmark but short enough to not be considered long.

After checking that everything was in place, I started towards the door. Making sure to pick up my sword. It was 1 and 1/3 meters long. Slightly above the average length for a sword. It was in a cloth sheath and attached to my body by a khaki strap. I pulled the strap over my shoulder and headed down for breakfast.

Downstairs I found Great Uncle Ford making breakfast. He hadn't changed much over the years excuse a few extra wrinkles here and there. But overall he was still the same old guy.

"Morning, Great Uncle Ford."

"Morning, Dipper, just in time for breakfast."

He gestured towards a set table that was filled with a very delicious looking breakfast. Great Uncle Ford made it a habit to start making breakfast everyday since the second day I stayed. He said that without a proper diet and healthy nutrition, the body couldn't grow to its full potential. And I guess he was right as I used to be very short.

We ate breakfast in casual chatter. We talked about nothing in particular. A little quantum physics, tensor calculus, and quaternions. Nothing too troublesome. Then he said, "Dipper, I'll need you to run into town and get the monthly supplies. We're starting to run low. By the time you get back, I'll have everything ready for the next opening. We'll only have a 10 second window."

I nodded. I always went into town to get the monthly supplies. I don't go into town for much other than that. I originally thought I'd be able to hang out with all the friends I made over the summer -- Robbie, Thompson, Tambry, Lee and Nate, and Wendy. But they had school most of the time and I also had my training, but even if I could work out some type of plan, they still wouldn't hang out with me. After they heard about what I did to Mabel, they all turned away from me. Metaphorically and literally. They said, "Not cool, man." and just….turned away. I didn't hear much about them later. I heard they all graduated and moved on. Leaving Gravity Falls behind.

Wendy's reaction was exceptionally harsh. She looked at me with so much contempt that I almost cried. Then her words cut even deeper into me.

"I can't believe you, Dipper."

Although it was only a simple sentence, it was charged with a force that I had no chance to stand up against.

From then on I spent most of my time at the shack. Studying indoors and training outdoors. With the 5-times-a-week adventures either alone or with Great Uncle Ford. The only other times I left the premises of the shack was when I went to go resupply on necessities.

And this time was no different. I left the shack through the security gate. Surprisingly, people still tried to sneak in here even though they've more than likely heard the rumours about people being shocked until they peed their pants. I guess people never learn from history until they're the ones who suffer from it.

I made my way to the town to gather all the supplies we needed -- which was basically food. Everything else we could get or make ourselves. So I headed to Tons Grocery Store. When I entered, I went to the first isle to start my shopping. From a gape in the shelves I could see over to the next isle. I could make out a sweater. It was pink. And it had a sunrise design on the front.

"Nice sweater."

"Thank you," a female voice replied.

Then I turned my attention back to shopping. I picked out all the healthiest of foods I could spot. From my herbology studies, I could tell which fruits were ripe and which were not with a single glance. Vegetables were no problem either as I picked out the freshest ones. I could also determine the quality, rarity, and tenderness of meats from a smell. After I gathered all that I needed, I headed to the counter. On my way there, I spotted the girl in the pink sweater heading out the door. She had long brown hair. In her bags was a surprising amount of candy including Smile Dip. I didn't know they made those anymore.

At the counter, all the foods were weighed individually. I put the exact amount of money on the counter and waited until the clerk finished weighing. Then he typed the values into the register, "That'll be…" He dragged off as he saw the money on the counter already. He picked it up and counted. Then he looked back at the register. He gave me a weird look(one that'd I'd seen every time I've come here) then put the money in the register.

"Have a nice day."

"You too, dear customer."

After I exited the shop, I headed in the direction of home. But before I could take too many steps, I heard a scream coming from the alley next to the store. My curiosity got the best of me, as it usually does, and I dashed into the alley.

Inside the alley, my eyes were first drawn to the towering dog. It was about the same height as a normal human but slightly smaller. It had 6 legs and a foaming mouth. You'd think it was whip cream if you didn't see it bubbling out of the creature's mouth. It had red patches of fur that poorly covered its large body. Not to mention the bad breath. Even from 10 meters away I could still smell it. Inside its mouth were slightly oversized teeth.From this I could gather that it was a terror dog.

Then my eyes were focused on the girl on the ground. Her back was towards me so I couldn't see her face, but she was obviously the girl from the market judging by the pink sweater. She was crawling backwards as the mutt advanced towards her menacingly.

Without a moment's hesitation, I charged towards the creature. I crossed the distance of 10 meters in an instant. The next moment I pulled out my sword. It's futuristic appearance reflecting in the loose sun rays that scattered into the alley. It was black with coursing, blue glowing veins that faintly pulsed, making the sword look alive. The handle was perfectly rectangular without a guard. The beast noticed my presence and turned its attention away from the girl.

It swung with its paw and I dodged to the side. Avoiding the blow with ease.

"Bad Doggy!"

Then I delivered one quick slice to the head. The blade slid through like a hot knife through butter. The head slowly separated from the neck like they do in those horror movies.

The body fell and blood started to pull underneath. I casually swung my sword to rid it of any residue.

"Are you okay, Miss?"

I turned around to check on the fallen girl. And I froze. A face that I hadn't seen in 5 years reflected in my eyes. All sorts of feelings welled up inside me.

It was Mabel!