3rd pov:
In the middle of a forest, a bus is making its way along a narrow road. Inside, there's only the driver and a single passenger, a young man in a blue hoodie and black jeans, engrossed in his phone, watching cat videos to pass the time.
This young man is named Nero. On the surface, he looks like an ordinary guy from the United States, spending his summer vacation in the middle of nowhere. But Nero is far from ordinary. He's actually from our world, but he died in a tragic car accident, slowly and painfully, because of a drunk driver.
In an unexpected twist of fate, Nero encountered a god who, in His mercy, granted him a second chance at life in another universe. This time, he was reborn with the body of Nightwing. A few days after awakening in this new reality, Nero has slowly pieced together some of the memories of his new life: his parents are incredibly wealthy billionaires, yet they neglected him in favor of pursuing their fortune, leaving him to do as he pleased as long as he didn't interfere with their lives.
Swish
The sound of the bus door opening pulls Nero out of his thoughts and away from his phone. Looking up, he realizes he's arrived at his destination.
Gravity Falls.
Standing up, he steps off the bus. As his feet hit the ground, the bus door closes behind him and drives away, disappearing down the road. Nero watches it until it's out of sight.
"Guess it's time to start exploring," he says to himself, setting off down the path toward the town.
Nero Pov:
It's been a few days since I was reborn in this world as the heir to a multi-billion-dollar business owned by my new parents.
Most people would probably be satisfied living the life of a billionaire's child, lounging around in one of the family's many mansions. But that kind of life doesn't appeal to me at all.
In just a few days, I've already managed to hire an entire mercenary agency to work for me. Their qualifications are top-notch—ex-Rangers, Marines, and former Secret Service agents, all of whom need money to support their families. They're more than capable of handling any task I throw their way.
Beyond that, I've also acquired some incredible gadgets on the black market that practically make me an overpowered character. A laser handgun, for example, and a futuristic glove that can stick to any surface and double the power of any punch I throw.
As I walk, I find myself standing in front of the famous Mystery Shack. I can see tourists wandering around inside through the windows, taking in the strange curiosities on display.
Without a second thought, I step inside, looking around at the bizarre items filling the room. Behind the counter, there's a red-haired girl I recognize as Wendy from the TV series, casually flipping through a soda magazine. Near her, I spot another familiar face—Soos—sweeping the floor, humming to himself as he clears away dust.
"Damn, this is weird," I mutter to myself, taking in the strange sensation of seeing characters who once existed only on a screen now living, breathing, and walking around like me.
"Of course it's weird, kid—this is Gravity Falls!"
I turn to see an old man with a cane and a funny hat grinning at me. It's Grunkle Stan, his expression as wide and mischievous as ever as he holds up a couple of odd items to show off.
"The palace of the weird and wonderful, the Mystery Shack is filled with all kinds of strange stuff that roams these parts!" he continues, trying to sound mysterious.
"Looks fake," I reply bluntly, raising an eyebrow at the "artifacts" he's holding.
Grunkle Stan's smile falters for a moment, but he quickly recovers, flashing an even wider grin. "Hahaha, you must be mistaken! Everything here at the Mystery Shack is one hundred percent authentic," he insists, launching into an animated explanation of each item's origins, weaving outrageous tales about how he acquired them.
I pretend to be intrigued, nodding along as he tries to sell me on each strange object he pulls out, spinning tales of adventure and mystery.
Minutes later, I find myself standing outside the Mystery Shack, holding a handful of cheap toys and a plastic bone that I'm pretty sure were bought from Walmart months ago. I stare down at the items in disbelief, my wallet now 320 dollars lighter, as I hear Grunkle Stan chuckling to himself inside.
"Sucker."
The word makes my eye twitch with a mix of irritation and confusion. I was just listening to his spiel about the "authenticity" of his wares, and the next thing I know, I'm outside, holding a bag of overpriced junk I know is fake.
How does he do it? I wonder, genuinely baffled. It's as if he hypnotized me into buying stuff any rational person could tell was phony. I suppose that's how so many tourists end up leaving the Mystery Shack with bags full of "souvenirs"—either that or they're just really gullible.
I toss the items into a nearby trash can, shaking my head as I head toward town. As I walk, I take in the sights of the town of Gravity Falls, appreciating its strange beauty. The people I pass seem friendly and cheerful, fitting the small-town vibe perfectly. I notice two police officers nearby—a large Black man and a skinnier white man. It takes me a moment to recognize them as Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland, sitting in their police car, munching on donuts, with the sweet aroma drifting through the open window.
The donuts do look tempting, but I have other plans. Continuing my walk, I reach the town square, where I spot the statue of Nathaniel Northwest.
"The scammer," I mutter under my breath, remembering the episode where Dipper and Mabel discover that Gravity Falls wasn't founded by Nathaniel Northwest, but by Quentin Trembley, the "eighth-and-a-half" president of the United States.
After wandering around the town, I finally head into the forest. My goal? To find a gnome. Exploring the forests of Gravity Falls could reveal secrets even I don't know about—after all, I only watched the show casually. There's bound to be more out there than the episodes ever showed, and I'm determined to discover it firsthand.
As I make my way into the forest to search for gnomes, I pull out my phone and text Captain Martinez Hernandez, the leader of the mercenary group I managed to hire.
Captain Martinez Hernandez is a veteran Marine who served in the Afghan and Gulf Wars, completing his service just two years ago.
Me: [Gather the men, my location in 5 minutes]
Martinez: [Understood]
Me: [And bring a dog whistle]
Martinez: [Okay]
After sending my location, I put my phone away, knowing that within five minutes, about ten of the mercenaries I hired will converge on my position. Every one of them has seen active duty, from conflicts in Africa to American-led invasions. Their experience is invaluable for my safety in this strange new world.
Of course, loyalty remains a potential issue. If someone offers them a better deal, they might consider switching sides, despite the contract I offer—$120,000 per month and guaranteed safety for their families if something happens to them during an operation.
After six minutes, I hear the sounds of several people moving toward my location.
"Kid," Martinez greets me, tossing the dog whistle I requested, which I catch in one hand.
"What's the mission?" he asks, standing before me in full tactical gear. The men behind him are similarly equipped, each carrying an AR-15 with full attachments.