It always warmed her heart to see creatures she had healed moving freely again, no longer trapped in pain. Every time she helped one, it reminded her why she chose to do this.

During one of her expeditions, she finally encountered the elusive Hide Behind—one that she and Dipper had been tracking for days. But instead of running or hiding, it approached her on its own, holding out one of its stretchy limbs as if it were injured. Suspicious, she knelt down to examine it, but with just a touch, the so-called injury was gone. The Hide Behind let out a delighted rattle before vanishing into the shadows again.

She even had a rather dramatic patient burst through her clinic doors one day—Celestabellabethabelle, wailing about a broken horn. The unicorn had apparently heard rumors of a healer in Gravity Falls who tended to magical creatures, and she simply had to see if it was true.

Fixing the horn was as easy as patching up a scraped knee. Though Y/n never really asked for payment, this was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. Folding her hands together, she tilted her head with a sweet smile.

"Would you mind giving me some of your unicorn hair?"

Celestabellabethabelle recoiled, recalling her last unpleasant experience with a human asking for her hair. But since this healer had done such a fine job, the unicorn sighed dramatically and agreed. With a pleased hum, Y/n carefully snipped off a strand, tucking it away safely.

Now her clinic would be protected.

Protected from what exactly? She wasn't sure, but in Gravity Falls, it was always best to be prepared.

***

https://youtu.be/yN7OV9_dwYU

***

It was time for her daily expedition. Her backpack was already packed with all the essentials—her journal, Abuelita's homemade cookies, a disposable camera from Soos, and a canteen filled with grape juice from Melody. That family was way too good to her.

With everything set, she headed out, ready to see whatever the woods had in store for her today.

A few hours in, she found herself at the manotaurs' cave. The moment they saw her, they erupted into cheers, chanting her name like she was part of the pack.

She quickly noticed, though, that most of them were covered in bruises and scrapes. When she offered to patch them up, they waved her off, proudly insisting that their wounds were proof of their strength—despite one of them literally limping and gasping for air.

"You sure?" she asked, watching as the injured manotaur wheezed on the floor.

"Battle scars, little warrior!" another manotaur boomed, slapping his own bruised chest with pride.

"...Right. Well, suit yourselves," she sighed, leaving them to their questionable idea of self-care.

She wandered deeper into the forest, the sunlight peeking through the thick canopy above. As she walked along the riverbank, something glimmered in the distance, catching her eye. At first, she assumed it was just the sun reflecting off a puddle.

But then, it moved.

Stepping forward cautiously, she observed the movement in silence, her senses sharp. A faint, distressed chirp caught her attention, making her kneel down and brush away the tangled debris. Beneath it, a tiny creature struggled to move, one of its limbs bent at an odd angle. It must have injured itself trying to crawl out of the nearby stream.

With a gentle touch, she focused, channeling her energy into its fragile body. Within moments, the wound disappeared, and the axolotl stretched its tiny limbs, blinking up at her with big, beady eyes.

"There you go," she murmured, lifting it into her hands. "Good as new."

Carrying it back to the stream, she carefully lowered it into the water, expecting it to swim away. Instead, the axolotl tilted its head, then wriggled its way back onto her palm.

"Huh?" She tried again, placing it onto a rock near the water's edge. "Go on, little guy. This is where you belong."

The axolotl chirped. Then, with surprising determination, it scurried down the rock, plopped onto the ground, and started following her.

"Oh no. Nope. You are not coming with me," she said, stepping back.

It followed.

She walked faster.

It sped up.

She spun around.

It did the same.

Y/n groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?"

The axolotl let out a happy chirp, staring up at her like it had already made up its mind.

She exhaled, shoulders slumping.

"Now, where do we put you?" she muttered, tapping her chin. "You need water to survive, right? Kinda surprising how you managed to last this long out here... Hmmmm, where's a container when you need one?"

She rummaged through her bag, eyes scanning her supplies before they landed on a familiar plastic container. "Oh! I know!"

Without hesitation, she popped open Abuelita's Tupperware full of homemade cookies, dumped the rest into her bag, and quickly filled the empty container with water from the stream. The moment she placed the axolotl inside, it happily swam around in playful circles, tiny gills fluttering.

Y/n sighed in relief. "Well, at least you're comfy now. But you'll have to explain this to the others."

***

She rested her arms on the sleek table, pressing her cheek against its cool surface as she watched the axolotl swim lazily in its little glass container. It moved with ease, completely content in its tiny world—maybe even relieved to have been given a second chance. She swore it was smiling at her.

"Aren't you a cutie," she murmured, tapping the glass lightly with her finger.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as her thoughts drifted. Axolotls weren't exactly common around here. In fact, she couldn't even remember the last time she had seen one—if ever. "It's like a salamander... but in water, and with frills."

She wasn't sure if she was ready to take care of a pet—let alone an axolotl. It wasn't like she had planned for this. But then again, who in Gravity Falls would be responsible enough to care for such an exotic creature?

With a sigh, she sat up, determination settling in. "Alright, little guy. If I'm not the one, then we're gonna find someone who is."

It was now her mission to find the perfect owner for this persistent little axolotl.

So, she went door to door, hoping to find someone willing to take in the little axolotl. Unfortunately, her search didn't go as planned. Some townsfolk were already busy with their own pets—like Lazy Susan, whose house was practically ruled by her cats. Others... well, they just weren't the best candidates. (Toby Determined was, unfortunately, Toby Determined.)

When it became clear that no one in town was a good fit, Y/n decided to broaden her search. That's how she found herself hiking up to the Northwest Mansion—not to visit her blonde friend, but to see its new resident.

She knocked once, then stepped back, securing her grip on the glass bowl holding the axolotl. (She had finally found a proper home for it, courtesy of Lazy Susan, who mentioned it once belonged to her pet rock, Rocco.)

She waited, knowing it could take a while. After all, it was a massive mansion.

This wasn't her first time standing at the Northwest doorstep. In fact, it was the third.

After a moment, a commotion erupted from behind the door, followed by hurried footsteps. When it finally swung open, Y/n was met with a disheveled McGucket.

"Oh! Girlie, thank goodness you're here!" he exclaimed, relief washing over his face.

Before she could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her inside, causing her to yelp in surprise. She instinctively tightened her grip on the glass bowl, careful not to spill a drop of water.

"Woah, F, slow down! What's going on?" she asked, eyeing him warily as he paced frantically across the foyer, ruffling his already messy hair.

McGucket let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, ya see, I bought this big ol' mansion so I could have more space for my inventions. Everything was fine—until Tate visited and confirmed what I was tryin' to ignore—this place is haunted!"

Y/n hummed, glancing around. "Makes sense. With the whole Great Flood history and all, plus the lingering presence of Northwest ancestors, I'd be surprised if it wasn't haunted."

"You gotta help me!" McGucket begged, clutching her arm like it was a lifeline. His wide, desperate eyes made it clear he was only half-joking—if that.

She steadied the glass bowl in her other hand, giving him a look. "F, I'm kinda in the middle of something." She nodded down at the axolotl swimming lazily in its little water world. "But... what kind of help are we talking about?"

"Exorcisms! Cleansings! Maybe some of that fancy energy work you do!" McGucket waved his arms around, nearly knocking over a dusty vase in the process. "I can't get anything done with ghosts knocking over my gadgets! And don't get me started on the whisperin' at night!"

Y/n sighed through her nose but smiled faintly. "Alright, alright. But you owe me. Big time."

McGucket's grin stretched ear to ear. "You got it, Girlie!"

"Also... who's Tate?" she couldn't help but ask, raising an eyebrow as she shifted the axolotl bowl to her other hand.

"Oh! He's my boy!" McGucket beamed proudly, puffing out his chest a little. "After he saw I'd gotten some of my marbles back, he decided to stop by and visit me here at the mansion! Real good kid."

Y/n's expression softened. "That's sweet. Glad you two are reconnecting."

"I'm 38, Dad," came a voice from the hallway as a man stepped into the foyer. Y/n finally got to put a face to the name—Tate, the one who ran the fishing docks in Gravity Falls. "I'm not a little boy anymore."

McGucket let out a wheezy chuckle and gave his knee a slap. "Could've fooled me! I swear I heard a little boy scream when those plates started floatin' around the kitchen!" he teased.

Tate's face turned red as he crossed his arms. "It was a very manly scream."

Y/n sighed but gave him a nod. "Alright, alright. I'll help," she said. She carefully placed the glass bowl with the axolotl in a safe corner of the room, away from any potential chaos. "You stay here, okay?" she told the little creature. It blinked at her, paddling in lazy circles.

Rolling out a sheet of paper she found on the foyer floor, Y/n sat cross-legged and started sketching out a plan. McGucket knelt beside her, watching with a mix of curiosity and impatience as she scribbled.

"I remember Ford's third journal," Y/n muttered, tapping her pencil against her lip in thought. "If there's one thing we know about hauntings, it is that they always have a reason of some kind. We categorized ghosts into ten types, depending on their activity and energy levels."

McGucket nodded. "These ones? Plates floatin', lights flickerin', cold spots... doesn't sound too mean-spirited."

"Yeah," Y/n agreed, circling a number on her paper. "This feels like Category 1. Harmless... mostly."

"But we still need proof!" McGucket said, peering over her shoulder.

Y/n nodded. "Right. If we want to get a better look at whatever's haunting this place, we'll need a silver mirror. One that's polished enough to catch their reflection."

McGucket scratched his beard. "I think I've got one o' those upstairs... or maybe it's a hubcap..."

"Let's hope it's the mirror," Y/n said, rolling her eyes with a grin.

After a moment, the older man came back with an old silver mirror in one of the dusty rooms. Y/n smiled. "Perfect."

Together, they conducted a ritual to make contact with the ghost. Placing the mirror in the middle of the room, the three performed the seance, lighting up random candles they found from around the house. Holding hands, Y/n recited an opening incantation. "Scarum formidolosus ghostus, videte oculis scire fabula!"

A chill filled the air, harsh winds entered the mansion despite the windows and doors being closed. Slowly, an apparition appeared in the mirror's reflection—a wailing butler ghost, floating in midair. With the seance, the human eye can finally see him, and he wasn't looking impressed. His voice was shrill and loud enough to rattle the windows.

"THIS PLACE IS FILTHY!!" it screeched. The ghost wrung its hands, throwing a spectral tantrum as it lamented the disarray. "Dust on the shelves! Dishes in the sink! Utter chaos!"

Tate and McGucket exchanged glances, wincing from the volume. Y/n, however, stood calmly, arms crossed. She watched the ghost with quiet focus. She's been through worse.

McGucket wiggled his arms. "H-hey, fella! This is my house now! I don't need some nosy phantom criticizing my cleaning habits!"

The butler's shriek grew louder. Items flew off shelves. Plates crashed to the floor. The mansion quaked as the ghost let loose a supernatural fit.

Before they knew it, Y/n was sprinting down the hallway after the specter, silver mirror in hand, with McGucket and Tate hot on her heels. She couldn't help but feel a jolt of déjà vu—months ago, she was the one being chased by a ghost. Now she's the one giving chase. It made her chest buzz with excitement. Dipper would've loved this.

The ghost kept complaining as he flew through walls. "DUST EVERYWHERE! FILTHY, FILTHY!" His cries were endless. Tate and McGucket groaned, holding their ears. It was like listening to a vacuum cleaner scream, but only a thousand more loud.

Y/n stopped in her tracks and planted her hands on her hips. "Okay," she said, raising her voice to be heard over the ghost's wailing. "We need a compromise, or this mansion's getting leveled."

They regrouped in the living room as the ghost continued to rampage upstairs. McGucket threw his hands in the air. "But it's a mansion! There's only three of us! We can't keep it clean all the time!"

Y/n grinned. "Not when we've got an inventor who can make extra hands." She rested a hand on McGucket's shoulder. "You know what you have to do."

His eyes lit up. "By gum, you're right!" He bolted toward his piles of spare parts, his energy completely renewed.

While he scoured his corner for pieces, Y/n and Tate had a quiet conversation. He talked about how he returned to reconnect with his dad after seeing him get his sanity back. Y/n shared bits of her own journey—saving Gravity Falls, working in the clinic, and missing her two sets of twins. There's a natural ease in their conversation, like old friends even though they've just met.

Within an hour, McGucket presented his invention: a clunky but functional robot maid. "TA-DA!" he declared, beaming. The robot started small, dusting the shelf— before it buzzed, then fizzled out, slumping forward.

A quiet settled in the room, as the three looked at the robot with pity.

Before Y/n could even point out what went wrong, Tate stepped forward. "You crossed the polarity here," he said, tapping a wire with surprising precision. Both Y/n and McGucket stared at him.

"You know about this stuff?" McGucket asked, genuinely impressed.

"I am your son," Tate replied with a smirk.

The two get to work, Y/n chiming in when needed. She watched them, a warmth spreading through her chest. She thought about F. and how the old version of him might've bolted at the first sign of trouble, but this version? This one stayed. This one was building something. Y/n felt a pang of pride watching McGucket and Tate work together.

She wondered if, thirty years ago, she might've met little Tate. Maybe they would've been friends—if F had allowed it. She shook the thought away with a smile.

Finally, the robot maid whirred to life. It zipped around, scrubbing and dusting, bringing the mansion to a polished shine in record time. The butler ghost drifted back down, watching with wide, teary eyes.

"My goodness," the ghost whispered. "It's... clean."

He sniffled softly, dabbing his ghostly tears with an equally ghostly handkerchief. Without realizing it, a few ectoplasmic droplets splattered onto the floor. Almost instantly, the robot maid zipped over and cleaned the spot with mechanical precision.

"Thank you," the butler ghost said with a warm, watery smile, turning to face the three of them.

"Now," Y/n stepped forward, hopeful, "will you let us dispel you? Please?"

The ghost gave a grateful bow and floated calmly toward the silver mirror. Without resistance, he allowed himself to be drawn in. The faint wail faded as his form disappeared.

They quickly made their way back to the candle circle, where Y/n wasted no time reciting the chant. "Exodus demonus spookus scarus ainafraidus no ghostus bumpus goosus shamalaaaaan!!" she said with gusto.

The room instantly darkened, the only glow coming from the mirror's surface. Thunder cracked outside the mansion, lightning flashing dramatically as the ghost was finally banished from the manor.

As the light dimmed and the room settled into quiet, Y/n stared into the mirror, her reflection staring back. She let out a small sigh. "You know... the summoning chant sounded way cooler."

Without warning, she felt an arm wrap around her. McGucket pulled her into a sudden, heartfelt hug, holding on tightly.

"Oh, thank you, girlie! Thank you!" McGucket repeated over and over, squeezing.

Y/n chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Hey, don't thank me just yet. This place is still crawling with spirits," she warned, raising an eyebrow. "Might want to stay on guard."

But McGucket just waved her off with a grin. "Pfft! You don't have to worry about me! I've got the best partner around for chasing off pesky ghosts!" He strode over to Tate, grabbing his son and pulling him down into a tight side-hug. Tate flinched at first, caught off guard, but the next second he was grinning, laughing under his breath.

Watching them, Y/n's heart softened. It was a moment she knew she'd hold onto for a long time. She crossed her arms, smirking playfully. "Don't worry, I've got a stash of tools that'll make your ghost-hunting a whole lot easier," she said with a wink.

After a while of catching up, Y/n realized it was time for her to head out. She made her way back to the shelf where the axolotl had been patiently waiting the entire time. The little creature had been surprisingly well-behaved, quietly swimming in circles in its glass bowl. When she reached out her finger, the axolotl perked up, darting over to gently bump its head against her skin. It lingered for a second, then did a happy twirl through the water, almost like it was proud of her.

Y/n leaned in closer and whispered with a soft smile, "Maybe the reason no one else was meant to take care of you... is because you were meant to stay with me." She tilted her head. "Maybe I am your owner."

McGucket stepped up beside her, ready to walk her to the door. His gaze landed on the axolotl, and something flickered in his expression, a faint sense of recognition.

"That's an axolotl, ain't it?" McGucket asked, squinting at the creature with interest.

Y/n turned to him, curiosity dancing in her eyes. "An axolotl? That's its name? I thought it was some kind of water salamander."

"It is a salamander of sorts," McGucket replied, scratching his chin. "An axolotl's a rare amphibian. In Aztec mythology, it's said to symbolize rebirth." He said it so naturally, like the knowledge had been tucked away in his brain for years, waiting to be spoken.

Y/n blinked at him in surprise. "Huh. Rebirth," she murmured. "That sounds... fitting." Then she gave a small nod. "Yeah. I'm keeping it."

McGucket beamed. "Well, I think you'll make a mighty fine owner! Have you thought of a name for it yet?"

She shook her head with a quiet laugh. "Not yet," she admitted. "I figure it'll come to me when it's ready. For now, we'll just see."

"Fair enough," McGucket said with a wink. "You'll know when you know."

She smiled, appreciating his words. She looked back to the axolotl's beady eyes and beaming smile.

She'll know when she knows.

***

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***

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 34!

[author's note: welp, guess y/n has a pet axolotl now. what should be a nice name for the little guy? looking for suggestions! hope you guys enjoyed! love you all!]