Dipper and Tambry vs. the Future

Dipper came running into the attic bedroom, a big grin on his face. For a moment he didn't notice how sad Mabel was, on her bed with her back to him.

"Mabel! I just had the best day of my life! UFOs are real and there's one under the town and I saved Great Uncle Ford's life and- and... Hey, are you okay?"

Mabel held up the walkie-talkie. "Tell me it's not true, Dipper. Tell me you were joking. Ford's apprentice? Seriously?"

"Look, I was thinking and... this is a huge opportunity for me," said Dipper.

"A huge opportunity for you to stay and be with your girlfriend, you mean," said Mabel.

"Well, there's that, too.." said Dipper.

"Well it's a horrible opportunity for me! I had the worst day of my life! When we turn thirteen, the summer ends, and I have to leave everything behind. You have Tambry, but I never even got one date with my One True Pair, Pacifica."

"You could still invite her to our birthday party," said Dipper.

"I tried. She's grounded for a month because of that Lumberjack Ghost thing. It wasn't even really her. I want Tambry to admit that to Pacifica's parents."

"We can't blow the secret of Tambry being a shape-shifter. It would ruin her life."

"You're ruining my life. You were only person I could count on, and you're leaving me, too!"

"Look, I've been thinking about it. I won't be gone forever, okay? I'll still visit you at home, and we'll chat online; we'll make it work."

"I don't want it to work. I just wish summer could last forever."

Dipper put his arm around her. "But it can't, Mabel. Look, things aren't gonna stay frozen this way. It's part of growing up. Things change. Summer ends."

Mabel cried out. She pulled out of his hold, letting him fall over, and ran from the room.

"Mabel, wait!" Dipper called. "I didn't mean it like that! Mabel, come back!"

He ran downstairs and out the back door. Someone was there on the porch.

"Tambry!" Dipper gave her a hug.

"Dipper, you texted me that you have big news?" asked Tambry.

"I do, but there's a bit of a crisis just now. Did Mabel just run by?" asked Dipper.

"Yeah, she ran into the woods. It looked like she was crying. What's going on?" asked Tambry.

"I have a chance to stay here after the summer ends," said Dipper. "Great-Uncle Ford offered me a job as his apprentice."

"That's fantastic!" said Tambry. "I was worried about this turning into a long-distance relationship."

"Yeah, but Mabel took it really hard."

"That's too bad. Maybe we should go after her."

"First I have to get this backpack to Ford, so he can deal with the Rift."

"What's a Rift?"

"I'll show you, but Mabel and Grunkle Stan still don't know about this. Please don't tell them."

"Why not?"

"Great-Uncle Ford told me specifically not to, but I could never keep a secret from you."

Dipper reached into the pack, and pulled out a birthday flier.

"Oh no! Mabel took the wrong backpack," said Dipper. "If the Rift cracks open it could mean the end of the world!"

"Now we have to find her," said Tambry. "Come on!"

They found Mabel just as she was handing the Rift to Blendin Blandin.

"Mabel, no!" Dipper shouted. "Don't give it to him!"

"I just want a little more summer," said Mabel. "Blar Blar can help me if I let him use this."

Blendin snatched it from Mabel. He chuckled gleefully, and dropped it. "Oops!"

Tambry used her shape-shifting power to stretch out her purple lock of hair like a tentacle. She caught the Rift before it hit the ground and pulled it back into her hands.

"No! Mine!" shouted Blendin.

"Mabel, get away from him," said Dipper. "He's acting like he's possessed by Bill."

Billendin grabbed Mabel. "That's right, and if you don't hand over the Rift this instant I'll take Shooting Star to some distant time where you'll never see her again."

"No you won't!" said Mabel. She grabbed the tape-measure time machine from his belt and flung it far away.

Dipper, Tambry, and Mabel piled on the possessed man. Bill didn't have the strength to overcome them all, especially after Tambry shifted into a large gremoblin and pinned him to the ground.

"I'll get it next time," Bill said. "I have many more I can possess."

Dipper pulled off Blendin's goggles and they watched as the yellow faded from his eyes.

"Thank you for s-saving me," said Blendin. "I didn't think I was ever getting my body back."

"You shouldn't have made a deal with him," said Dipper. "Why did you do it?"

"The Time Baby made f-fun of me for losing Globnar to a couple of kids. Bill said if I shook his hand that he would make sure that the Time Baby never bothered me any more."

"Yeah, by opening the Rift and taking over the world," said Dipper.

After Blendin retrieved his time machine and popped away, the rest walked back to the Mystery Shack.

"I'm sorry, everybody," said Mabel. "I didn't know it was dangerous. Why didn't you tell me about that thing, Dipper?"

"Great-Uncle Ford wanted to get it stabilized first, I guess," said Dipper. "He didn't want me to tell you."

"You should have told her," said Tambry. "It's not good to keep secrets from your sister."

"You're right. I was overcome by my hero-worship of Great-Uncle Ford," said Dipper. "I'm going to ask him to find a way to let you stay here too, Mabel."

"Whether I can or not, I won't stand in your way of staying. I realize now I was selfish to try to hold back time," said Mabel. "I got tempted and nearly ended the world."

"We'll be all right now. Ford has an alien glue that will seal the Rift up for good," said Dipper.

"We'd better run back there, before Bill finds someone to possess who is strong enough to take it from us," said Tambry.

From the distance came the roar of a manotaur. They ran.

THE END