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If you were to ask someone what Mabel and Dipper were like before that fateful summer they would tell you that Mabel was overly optimistic and trusted easily. Dipper tried too hard to fit in, and was an open believer in the supernatural. The semester after that fateful summer Dipper and Mabel changed. Mabel, although still friendly, was more skeptical of people’s intentions. Dipper still seemed to believe in the supernatural, but he didn’t broadcast it to people. The most notable change was their paranoia. They both watched over their shoulders, and would jump at shadows.
Unlike before, Mabel and Dipper were inseparable after that fateful summer. Before you would see Mabel going up to others trying to make friends while Dipper would be off to the side. Now? They were always together. Somehow they even shared every class without fail. If you saw one twin the other wasn’t far.
Another strange thing about the twins was their back packs. Dipper always seemed to be writing in a thick notebook but if you were to peek into his bag, it would be nowhere to be found. People claimed to have seen glimpses of a crossbow or grappling hook in Mabel’s bag. Her bag was searched many times but no one could find a thing out of place. No crossbow. No grappling hook. Just normal school supplies.
People tried to figure out what happened to the twins over the summer but were met with vague answers for their questions. Where were they over the summer? With their Gruncles in Oregon. What did they do? Stay with their Gruncles and explore town. What did their Gruncles do? One was a researcher and the other ran a tourist trap. What did he research? The ecosystem found in the forest. All who asked questions were met with vague answers and any who tried to push too far were ignored and then avoided by the twins.
When the next summer started to come around people began to ask the twins if they were going to stay with their Gruncles again. The twins responded no, they were doing research while traveling.
The next school year people seemed to forget about the twins' odd change. The odd became their mundane. The twins faded into the background.
That was until the sky turned red with swirling colors and a wave of chaos streaked over the world. The only place not affected by this strange phenomenon was the school and the twins' apartment building. They were surrounded by a light blue shield that kept the people safe and the strange out.
Then the twins that faded into the background came barreling out.