Here’s something I started thinking of. A Gravity Falls x Dawtde where 18 year old Dipper and Mabel attend the same college Avery is at. Here’s what I think would happen lol:
The au truly starts when “Searching for a world that doesn’t exist” releases. Dipper who was already subscribed to Wifies (and other arg YouTubers) watches it along with Derek’s raw footage. Mabel later watches it as it gets more popular and she decides to check it out after watching some cool animations.
Both of them love it, and Dipper is trying to figure out what was behind those gates and the King in Yellow. He does ask Ford if he knows anything and Ford does. He tried to get a copy of the original play, but failed. All he knows is that Hastur (because of course Ford knows the King’s name) can gift people infinite knowledge and wishes he could get that. Stan interrupts that it might be too much, which causes Stan and Ford to argue playfully if Ford could survive and not be insufferable if he gained infinite knowledge.
Meanwhile, Avery suddenly approaches Mabel asking if she knows anything about the supernatural as she and her brother have a reputation in solving weird mysteries. She asks about the Minecraft world and Avery is surprised about because everyone thought it was fiction. She then replies she once punched a unicorn in the face. This leads to Dipper and Avery meeting and later forming a plan.
Since Dipper and Mabel are experienced with the supernatural, they decided to come back to college early to stay with Avery so all of them can go onto the Minecraft server together and find out what is beyond those. (I imagine Dipper’s Minecraft skin is some sort of redneck that looks like he searches for bigfoot and Mabel’s skin is a pig with flowers and a sweater).
Then when everything is set up, Avery and his new friends go into the server.
Before they go in the gates, Avery and Mabel definitely mess around while Dipper is like “Come on, guys. Don’t you wanna know what happened to d3rlord3?” Avery starts picking up pace after that while Mabel keeps distracting him by making jokes. Dipper doesn’t help ironically.
Then they go behind the gates and lock in. First area, they’re panicking about disappearing mountains until Dipper realizes there’s a pattern to it, and deuces a solution. They then leave.
In the weird city area, all three of them get punished for going right. Next area, might have the exchange where Avery goes “bro is speaking enchanting table”, Dipper: “Yeah, I think it is.” Avery: “Wait, really???” Then Mabel gets impatient and they don’t find the hidden door. (Dipper wrote it down so he can solve it later). Next area, Avery overthinks the puzzle and Dipper has to point out to him that the solution is the carpets, which causes Avery to lament about how stupid he is and how Dipper is doing a better job figuring things out. Mabel cheers him up and Dipper tells him they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Avery.
They then skip to the Church. Avery goes to read the book. Grow a Garden. Dipper and Mabel are confused so Dipper reads the book. Grow a Garden. Mabel doesn’t read the book because the two aren’t responding and she’s worried. She probably calls her Grunkles as they’re close by (I imagine Avery lives in a place close to the sea) and they tell her they’re on their way when they hear Dipper and her friend Abury(?) is in danger. Then she finds the signs and repeats their message at Dipper and Avery snapping out of it. (No 12 hour footage this time. Just an hour or two of Mabel panic). Avery realizes the message was from Derek and he makes the same vow as in canon.
Later, Avery still punches the Netherite block with his bare fists, because really only a man who’s obsessed with Minecraft and/or Infinite knowledge can figure that puzzle out. Dipper and Mabel cheer.
And finally they meet Derek. Avery is excited, Dipper has questions, and Mabel starts shipping to both Avery’s and Derek’s embarrassment. She keeps doing it while Avery and Dipper read the book. Then the king comes, and well- Derek only had time to save one. (Avery. Who else would it be?)
So, they all snap back to reality after 10 minutes, and discover that Avery’s laptop is the only one left standing as the Mystery Twins’ laptops are dead and leaking a yellow liquid. Then the Pines Twins show up. They broke in.
Avery continues playing while the Pines family get each other up to speed. After Dipper talked to Ford about the King in Yellow and the arg, Ford decided to do more research and basically online stalk Derek. (It was difficult because Derek is the lurker type. Yes, Ford knows how the internet works. He’s curious and had 8 years to learn). They all discussing and come to the conclusion that Derek is very much in danger and Avery’s the only person who can possibly save them cause his laptop is the only one that isn’t broken- “Why can’t we just find where he lives and help them there.” Stanley says.
So, Ford and Stanley leave, while Dipper and Mabel sit on the sidelines to help Avery and not let him be alone. Canon happens. Lots of screaming and crying because Derek sacrificed themselves.
Dipper rapidly texts the Pines Twins if they found Derek, while Mabel and Avery are crying with each other, and gets a “Yeah. We found them.”
The Pines twins arrived just in time, to see Derek collapse. The two work together to quickly run while carrying Derek back to their boat, and try to revive him.
I think they succeeded because it’s Ford with Stan’s help. So Derek lives!!! Hurray!!! Avery feels bad because he failed to save Derek and had to rely on deu-sex-Pines Twins, but someone points out that neither older twin wouldn’t actually cared if Derek lives or dies, and only got involved because the niblings who only got involved because of Avery. So in a very roundabout way, Avery is the reason Derek lives. He just needed to ask for help.
Of course this all backstory for the real purpose of the au, which is Ford overwhelming Derek with questions because he has infinite knowledge- (the others probably had to set a limit after their first interaction lol)
