The beach was isolated. Warm rays spread against the sand. It heated the sand, making it almost too hot to walk on. The sand looked like shards of glass. Like they could prick someone's skin. Still, even given the circumstances, I walked on, my bare feet burning up with every touch of the ground made.

Where am I? I thought to myself.

I looked around the beach, trying to find a distinguishing element and I saw one.

Tied up with a rope to a metal bar were a couple of swings.

Tired of walking, I sat down on one and swung, watching the calm waves brush up to the hills. I looked to my left and saw a boat sailing right next to hills of sand, close to disembarking but it didn't.

Glancing closer, I caught sight of writing on the boat's side. Not being able to read the word, I got up from the oasis of swings and went to the edge of the water until I finally made out the words, not just one word.

"Stand o' War?" I murmured to myself.

What is this? Am I dreaming? I glanced at my hand and started to try and count them out. Mom had always told me if I thought I was in a nightmare or dream that I shouldn't be able to count my fingers properly.

Six. Seven...

Wha–!

I jumped up from my bed, not scared but not too comfortable, either. My siblings were nowhere in sight and the room was evacuated. What was that dream about? Maybe it's a sign.

An echo of children's laughter bounded through the room, for a couple of seconds, their laughs echoed through my head until they slowly faded away. But not the ringing banging through my ears.

I shook my head, making the ringing stop.

Stop worrying! That's Dipper's job, not yours. He, probably, should stop being a worrier, it might not be healthy and I think that the Journal will make him more paranoid.

It does say "Trust no one".

Today was supposed to be a summer day! Where within three months someone could get three months of being relaxed and calm, a few months of joy for children and some teachers. Summer can't get any worse.

Wait, isn't there a thing called jinxing?

I took a deep, steadying breath in and started getting dressed, after doing that I brushed out my greasy short dark hair. No one would notice, I'm not going outside today, probably. Plus, my family can't get mad at how I look, given Dipper doesn't shower most days.

I trotted downstairs, walking past Great-Uncle Stan and his signature look. No, not the suit but in a white shirt and his striped underpants. A little weird to parade around in, but it's his house. Plus, another excuse for not washing my greasy hair for today.

Score!

We gave each other smiles before I slipped past him and into the kitchen.

"--Just memories," Mabel was talking to Dipper while she held something white. "And this beard hair," she brought it closer to Dipper.

My body winced as I recalled what happened with the gnomes. Do gnomes shed or did she yank it out? I flinched, not in fear but in thought as I imagined Mabel ripping hair out of a gnome's head. Mabel's grip was really strong; I am hesitant to be sad for a gnome but he will be hurting for a long while if Mabel pulled the hair out.

She's really strong. Does that mean she will get stronger? Do people get stronger while they grow? Of course, they do. What about the ones that don't work out though?

My head popped off with a muscular Mabel, I tried not to giggle to myself. Thankfully, my siblings didn't notice that my hand went to my mouth as I tried to shake off my laughter. She would never do that.

"Why did you save that?" Dipper asked, moving away from the gnome's hair. Mabel shrugged, making an "I dunno" sound. You really shouldn't have to ask that Dipper, it's Mabel, our sister. Someone can't explain why she does anything.

Grunkle Stan stumbled through the door next to me, accidentally brushing my shoulder while he stood for our attention.

"Good morning, knuckleheads," he pointed a finger at us, smiling. I beamed at him tiredly, pointing a small finger back while, of course, questions played in my head. What is a knucklehead? Is it supposed to be an insult?

"You three know what day it is?" I thought for a moment about Stan's question, my face scrunching in thought. Is Summerween today? Stan was telling me about it during our tours.

"Um..." Dipper looked down, thinking he must've missed an important date, then backed up. "Happy anniversary?" Dipper smiled awkwardly. I looked at Grunkle Stan's face but his face didn't change. Nothing shifted in his face, it was blank.

Is Stan married? Wait, that would mean another woman would be living with us. Stupid, of course, he isn't married.

"Mazel tov!" Mabel yelled. As she yelled that Stan swatted Dipper with a rolled-up newspaper, making Dipper's blue cap cover his eyes.

Helpfully, I lifted the hat back up for him, trying not to grin at my older brother's face. His arms went up, swatting my hands away with a tiny laugh.

Oops, my amusement must've shown for a second.

"It's Family Fun Day, genius!" Stan threw down the newspaper he hit Dipper with, turning his back to us before he looked through the fridge.

I could attest didn't have anything very good in it after looking through the fridge innocently last night. Luckily I didn't have to scrounge for anything, Grunkle Stan made pancakes for all of us, I noticed my plate was on the table and shoved the delicious food into my mouth without any syrup.

Ignoring the snobbish looks I got from my siblings for my life choices. Well, if they wanted to get stomach aches from syrup that is their own right.

When they groaned in misery for eating so much sugar, I'm the one laughing.

"We're cuttin' off work and having one of those," he lifted a carton of milk out of the fridge, checking if it was stale or not by sniffing it, "you know, bonding-type deals."

Smiling, I remembered the last family day; it was a couple of days ago and we started painting multiple pieces of paper to resemble dollar bills.

Then we went to jail, for some reason. Why was painting paper to resemble money illegal? I love to paint. After we were barred up, Stan and my siblings started telling stories in a barred room.

I managed to smuggle in a harmonica to play some music. Not to be cliche or anything but perhaps I might be watching too many Western movies with Grandpa Shermie.

"Grunkle Stan," Dipper started shifting his hat back into place when he was talking, not thinking my work was good enough apparently. "Is this gonna be anything like our last family bonding day?"

"The county jail was so cold," Mabel shuddered as she remembered herself. I frowned; it was fun being there.

"We had songs to sing though!" I whispered loudly to her; she rolled her eyes but smiled at the memory. Dipper shuddered jokingly that time, making it my turn to swat him.

One guy let me have some birthday cake with extra frosting and ice cream from the party they were having. Also, the stories told that day were inventive and creative. And the police officers joined in the song I was playing on the harmonica.

Dipper had clapped along with a resigned smile. Mabel joined in with the police officers, making a glorious symphony. Stan, he fiddled with his ear for a second before grinning at the police officers, almost hopefully. But once they started singing, his expression dropped.

"All right, maybe I haven't been the best summer caretaker," maybe? I, jokingly, thought in my head, picking up another pancake to eat or shove into my mouth.

Our uncle walked toward us, his hands up for any remarks. "But I swear, today we're gonna have real family fun," he put his arms around all three of us, putting me in the middle of the bunch while I'm midway through eating my last pancake.

What, don't judge me! His pancakes are good!

"Now, who wants to put on some blindfolds and get into my car?" Dipper and Mabel cheered as I just shrugged, if I get ice cream on the way home I will be fine. Thinking about the police officers made me think about ice cream.

Wait, did he say blindfolds?

"Wait, what?" Dipper and I stared at each other. I grimaced at the thought but shrugged uneasily; he smiled and nodded to try to cheer me up.

Blindfolds suck.

Great-Uncle Stan didn't force me to wear a blindfold, thankfully, noticing my fearful expression at the last second. He didn't ask, just put his finger up and shushed me to secrecy of being a great man. Thank you, Grunkle Stan.

Good thing Dipper and Mabel had their blindfolds on, so Mabel didn't ask. I don't like anything obscuring my vision. Not because I'm scared of the dark or anything, okay?

I sat to the left of Dipper as the crazed driving was going on.

I thought old people drive slowly. Maybe, it's just Grunkle Stan who is a hellion at the wheel. I thought as I saw a deer run past the car when we sped down the road.

Dipper sighed and muttered, "Blindfolds never lead to anything good," Noting Dipper's pain, I pressed my hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. I agree full-heartedly with you, Dipper. One hundred percent, I reflected as we went over another bump.

"Wow!" Mabel lifted her fingers, looking down as if she could still see. She could not, Grunkle Stan had tested that theory out before shoving us all in his car.

"I feel like all my other senses are heightened," she put her hands to Dipper's face. Hopefully, she'll get him to calm down.

"I can see with my fingers!" Dipper started laughing when Mabel's fingers explored his face. His face brightened up like Mabel's expression was. The car, suddenly, went over a jump making Dipper stop laughing. It bounced us into the air; my head nearly hit the top of the car.

As we landed with a thump, Dipper asked worriedly, "Grunkle Stan, are you wearing a blindfold?" Grunkle Stan looked back, chuckling and he grinned at me, I relaxed and did it back at him.

He knew what he was doing.

Probably....

Maybe....

Hopefully?

"Nah, but with these cataracts, I might as well be," he put his hand to his face, and my lips pursed together. What's a cataract?

"What is that, a woodpecker?" Stan asked, putting a hand up to his eyes. We crashed into a fence and sign, starting to go into the forest. The sudden crash made my siblings scream, and following their example, I started to scream, too.

"I don't think that was a woodpecker!" I yelled but no one could hear me over the groaning of the car as it went through the trees.

I blame the blindfolds.

Stan pushed the twins and me gently out of the car, a car that had sticks and branches in the grill. Understandable since we went through the woods for a couple of minutes, and almost all of us were screaming. Somehow though we got through it.

Has Stan done that before? Because he wasn't screaming like we were doing.

I glanced up, away from the car, when Stan, who had time to get a fishing pole and fishing gear on, handed me a piece of cloth. A clever trick to make me seem to have just had a blindfold on, which I was thankful for.

I looked around while Grunkle Stan got himself situated; we were at a beautiful lake, surrounding us and the people crowding on the beach. There was a sign that said "Fishing Season Opening Day". A lot of people came for this day it seemed.

Everyone I knew from this town could be seen.

I loved to watch people fish. Not good at fishing at all when Mom took us fishing but....maybe Grunkle Stan could teach me! I smiled, widely and excitedly, at the thought.

"Okay, okay. Open 'em up!" Stan posed in front of the sign, with a fishing pole in one hand. Dipper and Mabel took off their blindfolds. They started blinking to get adjusted to the brightness of the sun. "It's fishin' season!"

"Fishing?" Mabel questioned.

"What are you playin' at,'' Dipper raised his finger up, making his suspicion clear, "old man?" How old is Grunkle Stan anyway? Mom and Dad never said.

"You're gonna love it!" Grunkle Stan turned to the lake. "The whole town's out here!"

A woman who worked at the diner we went to once was sitting in a boat with a frying pan. What is she planning to do with that? Is she waiting for the fish to jump in the pan? I don't think that is going to work.

A guy was falling into the water after getting his picture taken. I flinched at the high-pitched screech that echoed. Is the water really cold this time of year? Is the guy going to be okay?

Then there was a man punching something on the bottom of the boat and three kids cheering for him. All of them had red hair and wore some kind of flannel clothing, looking a lot like the teenager who worked at the Mystery Shack. Could they be related to Wendy?

I went back to listening after Grunkle Stan started talking. "That's some quality family bonding!" He said, smiling out towards the water.

"Grunkle Stan, why do you wanna bond with us all of a sudden?" Dipper said, crossing his arms.

"Come on, this is gonna be great!" Grunkle Stan cheered, walking toward us, "I've never had fishing buddies before."

Why wouldn't anyone want to hang out with him? He's a really fun person to hang out with. "The guys from the lodge won't go with me: they don't 'like' or 'trust' me," Grunkle Stan added, making me consider my thoughts.

Do they have a reason to?

Just this week I saw him go into a secret passageway, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Does he have a big secret to hide? Is he building a death ray or summoning a demon? Or maybe, it's like a castle. It's just for fun's sake or something for tourists.

He'll probably mention it during the summer, it can't be too bad, right? Plus, he didn't have to tell us anyway. We aren't in danger or anything, so it wasn't any of our business, right? I remembered the look he had when looking around the shop, before going down.

He was keeping it a secret for a reason.

Hopefully, the secret keeping would keep my siblings protected.

"Hey, I know what'll cheer you sad sacks up," Grunkle Stan said, as he slapped two hats on Dipper and Mabel. Then he pulled out another hat and gave it to me. I took it out of his hands carefully. "Powl Pines family fishing hats!" I observed the hat, my lips slowly reacting at what I was seeing. What's a powl?

"That-that's hand stitching, you know," Grunkle Stan hesitantly stated, his tone hopeful while each of us inspected our own hat. And my eyes widened as I carefully put my fingers on the stitching. My hat said "Sunny" with "u" backward, still well made.

Did he make this for me? I love it!

Warmth spread through my body and I quickly slapped the hat over my head, seeing my great-uncle smile proudly down at me. I beamed back at him while I glanced at my siblings' hats. Dipper had "Dippy" stitched onto his and Mabel had her regular name on it.

"It's just gonna be you, me, and those goofy hats on a boat for ten hours!" Stan hooted and I cheered in my head, Family Bonding Time!

"Ten hours?"

Why doesn't Dipper sound so excited? Chancing a look away from the expression on Grunkle Stan's face, I saw my siblings grimacing.

"I brought the joke book!" Grunkle Stan held up a fairly large blue book, 1001 Yuk 'Em Ups. Scrunching up my face, I wondered what kind of jokes were in the book as the twins started whispering about something. What is yuk, could it be short for yuck or--?

"I SEEN IT!" A man yelled out by the lakes and I whirled to the noise, arms held in a defensive pose. Could it be the gnomes again? Were they here for revenge?

"I SEEN IT AGAIN!" The old man screeched again. He was crouched, his shoulders hunched, even while he was running. His hands were covered with bandages that made my brows furrow as he overturned objects which in his way.

What hurt his hands and arms? They were heavily wrapped like he was bandaging them with all the bandages in the first-aid kit. It sort of made him look like Mabel when she decided to try to prank Dipper. The prank didn't quite work the way she wanted and backfired heavily back at her.

"The Gravity Falls Gobblewonker!" He held on to one man and threw him off to the side, I winced at the splash the man created.

"Come quick before it scrapdoodles away!" Then he started...dancing? Slapping himself in the face as he finished his dance. Why did he slap himself?

Mable cooed over at him. "He's doing a happy jig!" I don't think it's a happy jig, a panicked one I think.

"NOOOO!" He grabbed Mabel suddenly, making her flinch back as spit tore out of his mouth onto her face. I leaned forward, going to help her if things got nasty. He did throw someone in the lake. I wished I had my bat that I possibly stole from Soos. But since he didn't really ask for it back, I've been holding onto it.

It's really fun to whack people (Or Gnomes) with it.

Not that I tried with people.

"It's a jig of grave danger!" How can a jig be a warning of grave danger?

A younger man stomped out of a cabin, "Hey, hey!" and ripped a water bottle out of his pocket, spraying the older man with it like the man was a dog. "Now what did I tell you about scaring my customers? This is the last warning, Dad!"

Dad?! I thought as I watched the old man wince away from the sprayed water. How did he treat his dad like this? Dad wouldn't like that if I tried it with him. Well, after the second time, he would try to chase me around after that. Mom would be the one to snap at us.

"But I got proof this time, by gummity!" The old man insisted, raising his leg whenever he got sprayed. I frowned and was going to ask Dipper something but before I could say anything I saw the looks my siblings gave each other.

I don't like that look. That's their plotting look.

That look always manages to get them in trouble.

The old man led us down the dock, his name was Old Man McGucket from what I heard from the people muttering behind us.

Who would name their child "Old"? I understand why he went by McGucket if his first name is Old.

"BEHOLD!" McGucket pointed down to a tiny torn-up boat, pieces of wood lying floating on the water. "It's the Gobble-dy-wonker who did it!" He screeched and I glanced back, trying not to hold my hands over my ears.

He is really loud.

McGucket put his arms up into the air, his arms stretched into that position kind of looked like he was splashing in the water we stood next to. "It had a long neck like a gee-raffe! And wrinkly skin like...," McGucket paused, his head turning to someone as I thought. A giraffe?

Translating him is hard.

He pointed to Grunkle Stan, "Like this gentleman right here," Grunkle Stan peered over, confused at the pointing finger wrapped in bandages. Too busy cleaning his ears, our uncle didn't notice what McGucket said about him.

And that's not true! Grunkle Stan might be wrinkly, but you're in the same boat, McGucket.

Well, I guess "boat" isn't the right expression. Right "house" maybe?

"It clawed my boat up to smitheroons," I observed the boat, scratching my forearm. How big would the claws and body be to do that? What was a Gobble-dy-wonker? Or was it Gobblewonker? "And shim-shammed over to Scuttlebutt Island," McGucket continued, pointing to an island in the mist.

"YOU GOTTA BELIEVE ME!" He tried to pull some sense into his son by pulling him by his arm.

"Attention all units! We got a crazy old man!" A man dressed up in a uniform pushed up his hat as he was done talking, his hand on his radio. Everyone started laughing at McGucket, except for my family.

I glared at the town's people. I hate bullies, my family gets enough of that at home.

As I glared, my attention was pulled to watch as McGucket's son frowned and shook his head in shame at his father's words. McGucket walked off, muttering to himself. Everyone, other than my family, started walking with him, still laughing. I stared after McGucket, a little sad.

"Well, that happened," Stan stated, turning to us, brushing off the whole encounter. "Now let's untie this boat and get out on that lake," Grunkle Stan crouched down and got into the boat, his back making strange noises as he did so. I started to follow but heard my brother and sister whispering to themselves.

My chin went over my shoulder to see what was happening and saw Dipper start snapping his fingers in front of Mabel's face, getting Mabel out of a fantasy, I presumed.

"Grunkle Stan!" Dipper leaned on our great-uncle like he was doing Grunkle Stan a great service. "Change of plans: we're taking that boat to Scuttlebutt Island, and we're gonna find that Gobblewonker!"

My siblings started chanting "Monster Hunt" multiple times.

My eyes bore into them, I had a little bit too much adventure during the gnomes. Not that I wasn't interested in the Gobblewonker but this is Family Bonding Time. McGucket started to do the chant with my siblings but when the twins stopped chanting, he stopped.

"Monster...! Eh," he trailed off, peering at my siblings' blank faces at us. "I'll go," he walked away, again. Seeming really sad. Poor guy, it seems like no one wants him around. Maybe, I could-?

A boat honked at us, making me jumpstart a tiny bit, and Soos pulled up in the mean-honking boat.

"You dudes say somethin' about a monster hunt," the handyman came towards the front, glancing down at the four of us.

"Soos!" Mabel and I cheered, Soos greeted us and Mabel started doing their handshake with him, doing their explosion at the end. And even if I was frustrated with Mabel, I smiled at them.

"Dude, you could totally use my boat for your hunt," I observed the twins and I saw them considering Soos' idea, I glared at them, lightning shooting down my back. It is family time, not monster hunt time.

"It's got a steering wheel, chairs; normal boat stuff," Soos stated, patting his boat proudly, and I glanced at Grunkle Stan's boat. A bit rickety, with no steering wheel. Not really normal boat stuff like Soos' boat.

"All right, all right, let's think this through," Grunkle Stan started talking to us, his face a confusing set of emotions I couldn't start and hash out. "Ya kids could go waste your time on some epic monster-finding adventure," he gestured to the island, trying to make it sound like a bad idea.

"Or you could spend the day learning how to tie knots and skewer worms with your Great Uncle Stan!" I didn't glance back at the twins and away from Grunkle Stan, knowing what they were going to pick.

A bit used to it, admittedly.

"So, whaddya say?" He asked after a beat, looking very smug and all-knowing, with his eyes closed. Oh no, he thinks that–.

I heard my siblings drive off with Soos, clearly not wanting to spend time with us. Mabel, in the distance, yelled. "We made the right choice!"

That must hurt.

Stan glared at the lake, in the direction where they just drove off. "Ingrates!" He shook his closed fist at them. "Aw, who needs 'em? I got a whole box of creepy fishing lures to keep me company," my nose scrunched up at the flies flying over the box Grunkle Stan indicated.

Stan cringed, dualling my expression, and shut the box.

Probably a good idea, the box seems like it can kill someone who went by. Wonder if that's why no one hangs out with him.

"And me," I whispered, loud enough for him to hear it. There was a pause before Grunkle Stan's head flung back to glance at me, still standing next to the boat to help him with untying a rope.

"You stayed?" I nodded unhurriedly, his eyes widened in sickening surprise. Grandpa Shermie told the three of us to be nice and spend time with Grunkle Stan at the family meeting before we left.

Guess Mabel and Dipper don't remember that promise.

"Why not go on the monster hunt?"

I snorted, dismissing his question, "I've had enough adventure this week, with the gnomes," wait, am I supposed to tell him? He cast a worried look at me, I shrugged the worry off.

"Mabel got kidnapped by gnomes to be their queen and I'd rather not run today," I hid what I didn't want to say, which was, I want to hang with my family.

Then he shocked me by laughing boisterously before he began muttering under his breath about "kid's imagination" and that "my brother's delusions spread apparently".

Brown eyes narrowed suspiciously, studying him closely. Liar, I know you know something is off in this town. You can not be that stupid. You have lived here a long time, too, right? Plus, there was another giveaway.

I could still see a worried shine in his eyes, and the stiffness in his shoulder about the comment of the gnomes, as if he's ready to jump after the colony of Gnomes.

"So, can I come on–" I looked down to see if there was a name on the boat as if there had been in my dreams–Stan o' War? Thought that my dream had it as "Stand o' War" but this makes more sense. Deciding to ignore the freaky prediction, chalking it up to his nickname being Stan, and plastered on an excited smile. "–the Stan o' War?"

Grunkle Stan grinned, his face brightened up the whole boat, shifting to make room for me on the boat. I sat down on the edge of the deck and stretched my feet to the boat, trying to be safe and hopefully not fall into the water. Stan helped me get down the rest of the way by picking me up.

"I don't know how to do any of this," I broke out the information he needed right away, an excited smile turning into a sheepish one. "Can you please teach me?"

Mister Mystery smiled, handing me some bait. The bait wasn't as gross as I thought it was going to be, pleasantly.

"Don't cha' worry, I'm the best fisherman in this whole town!" Relieved at his declaration, I smiled. I can do something other than reading this summer. I hate to say it but reading can get boring after a little while. I have already read the books I came with.

Luckily, I brought my camera to pass the time while we were waiting for the line to be yanked down. I loved taking photos, capturing the beauty of the moment. Also, it's good at looking back on memories with the family. Mabel taught me that when she made her first scrapbook.

And I got my handy dandy notebook to write my questions on. My technique, also, helped with remembering some good times.

Grunkle Stan and I talked as we waited for some tug from under the water. He talked and laughed about some instances that happened in the Shack, on how weird the people of Gravity Falls were. How weird could it be in this town? Is anyone in this town not strange?

Reluctantly, at his insistence, I took a short picture of us, both of us making weird angry faces at each other. He told me a lot of jokes from the book he brought. We almost fell over laughing after one hilarious joke but Grunkle Stan stopped immediately, his eyes stopping on something out in the water.

Peering over my shoulder, my smile dropped instantly off my face when I saw my siblings laughing at Soos, who was choking on something, before I glanced back at Grunkle Stan, who was still staring, his smile gone and instead his teeth were biting his lips. I sighed, admitting slowly, "They do that to me too."

My uncle showed me a confused look, eyes finally snapping back to us and not my siblings.

"They go out to hang out with me but something usually happens and they leave," I clarified and he frowned, turning to squint deeper at my siblings.

At my admittance, my head went down and my arms crossed over my knees. Curling up slightly. Is it me that is the problem? Is that why they didn't bring Grunkle Stan with them on the adventure?

"You just need to get some better friends to hang out with," Grunkle Stan tried to comfort me with an awkward little laugh that somehow managed to do what he wanted.

I looked at him and, hesitantly, smiled.

"You think so?" I asked, discreet in my anxiety and wanting him to be right. The old man confidently nodded, glancing around, appearing to look for something. Clicking his fingers, triumphant, and drew me to view a couple far off to the side by pointing.

Isn't pointing really rude? Or is pointing that out super rude?

Ha! A pun!

"And there they are," the boat started with one whirl of his arm and we chugged along toward the woman and man. "Our new pals!" Happy, I grinned with excitement. As we came closer, I saw the man was holding a small box and my beam drooped slightly, getting a poking feeling in my stomach that the meeting wouldn't end well.

Uh oh.

"Hey!" Grunkle Stan yelled abruptly at the couple, pulling up to the two people.

Jumping, the couple of them frowned at us, and Grunkle Stan, being undeterred, continued his scheme, "Wanna hear a joke?" The man blinked, opening his mouth to something but Grunkle Stan didn't let him start.

"Here goes. My ex-wife still misses me, but her aim is gettin' better,'' Stan got louder, waving his arms around at the punchline. I started giggling but the couple just started hugging each other.

I guessed they didn't get the joke because Grunkle Stan repeated the punchline.

They still didn't seem to get it, so Grunkle Stan started to explain the joke to them. "Ya see, it's--it's funny because marriage is terrible," Oof, they are not going to like that opinion of Grunkle Stan's.

My conclusion seemed to turn out right when they scowled at us and rowed their boat away from us as fast as they seemed to be able to go.

Mark down for the calendars: another group of possible friends ran away. A two in one.

Eh, I beat that record years ago for a Christmas.

"What!?" Grunkle Stan yelled after them, offended by their quick getaway. I poked him on his stomach, and he turned to me with a large sigh of disappointment. A little frustrated but still full of questions.

Another feeling I know quite well.

"Do people hate it when the person explains the joke?" He blinked at my attempt to comfort him this time and the man slowly nodded for me. "If it counts as anything, I liked your joke," he smiled at me, seemingly feeling better, thanking me for the answer.

Giving him a large smile to keep his cheer up, I brought out my notebook and began writing out some more questions I had gotten in the past thirty minutes.

How can someone have no sense of humor? Were their parents the influence or something else? I thought about my siblings for a second but I didn't want to go into any thoughts with them right now.

They didn't want to hang out with us, for Family Bonding Time.

I started thinking about Grunkle Stan and some of the questions I did have for him. Was he ever married? How did he get into fishing? Is it something that old men, just, start liking? What does that symbol on his hat mean? Why did he move here, if Gravity Falls' people are stupid?

My hands compliantly wrote down those questions in the Grunkle Stan section–already about a page and a half long–while still thinking, resigned to try and figure out any of those questions by listening to conversations. The grumpy old man probably didn't want all the questions bombarding him like everyone else didn't. Should I just ask Soos? He seems like he knows Grunkle Stan well.

"What do you got there?" Startled by the question, I snapped my head out of my writings and up to Grunkle Stan, who was peering at the notebook.

"I write down questions to look up later, it helps me not forget anything either," he looked at me and then back at the notebook.

"What are you writing down now?" I frowned a little, glancing down at the questions on the page. People usually teased me for asking a lot of questions or writing them into "the diary of mine". There's no winning with bullies. Some called me a "nerd" or other things like that.

Like I care.

Pfft, who cares about that?

"Hey," I blinked back up at him, still wondering if I should tell him. "I won't make fun of ya, if that's what you're worried about," another blink, startled at how he knew what I was thinking about. Though startled, I started, admittedly slowly, reading off my question for him, curling my shoulders defensively. Not noticing how glazed his eyes were when I moved into that position, his hands flexing to closed fists.

"Were you ever married? Why make a joke about marriage if you weren't married? Why did you move to the shack? Does the house have any secret passages? Like a castle? Did you build it yourself? What made you think of making it the Mystery Shack? Why do you keep Gompers around–?" Grunkle Stan interrupted me before I could get to the next page.

"Whoa, Whoa. Slow down, who's Gompers?" Oh, I flushed, I may have asked too many questions.

"The goat, that's usually around the Shack," I sheepishly said, rubbing my arms. He tipped his head, thinking. "Sorry, a little quick, wasn't it?"

"What? Nah, it wasn't quick at all, Gompers is a good name. Never really got around ta naming him," my eyes brightened, cool, I was the one who thought of it!

"I don't keep him around, he just won't go away," oh, should I not get too attached? My smile detached to the ground but Grunkle Stan shook his head before I could look down at the floor sadly and he said again, reiterating himself, "It's a good name, Gompers. I like it."

"You don't have to answer all the questions, I just like to have ways to remember things and to learn more about this place," it seems like it has a big history, how could it not with the multiple different characters we see around here?

"I don't mind some questions. I have been married, it didn't last–" my head tilted, about to ask why but he cut me off. He must not want to talk about it. "–I didn't build the house and lastly people had rumors that I was a mysterious person in the woods, and would pay anything to see what's inside," Why would someone pay to see what was inside? "Which created the Mur–Mystery Shack!"

"That's so cool!" I exclaimed, noticing he didn't answer a few but didn't ask them again, instead I checked them off to not ask but figure out later if possible, beaming at him. He beamed back, and the smile on his face wasn't even his showman smile. A smile that curled around his whole face. Being no better, my face had a wide, teeth-filled, grin.

The two of us talked more about my questions, periodically watching the fishing line. He was telling me about his favorite display when we came by a kid in a boat. How many displays has Grunkle Stan has had? What was his least favorite display? What is the weirdest story he has ever told? What was the best story he has told?

Stan wanted to give the kid some tips on fishing that he already had given me and I sat back, sympathetically. Knowing he missed my siblings from the way he told the kid to call him "Grunkle Stan". Which, I don't blame him for. I keep trying to look over to talk to my siblings but they aren't there.

The kid's mother started yelling at us, threatening to call the police. We both looked at each other frantically and I waved at him to grab the shift to get away. Just for talking to a kid?

Grunkle Stan chuckled before speaking again, "Ya see, the thing about that is...." he trailed off and started zooming the boat away. My hat almost flew off, but I grabbed it at the last second. My fingers rubbed the backward "u", the soft texture making me grin again.

The mother of the kid yelled, making me snap out of my fond grin, "Go bother your own kids!" I went to look down at the wooden floor of the Stan o' War.

Oof, people seem to remind me a lot about where Dipper and Mabel are right now. I wonder what they are doing? Could they be hurt–? I shook my head, No, they didn't want to bring me along, it's okay.

It will be fine.

This is fine.

My lens zoomed closer to the lake, hoping to get a shot of something strange or at least pretty. The colors rounded off the shore of the lake, but that wasn't what I was looking at, there was a man in a gray suit that didn't look like it was quite suited for this weather.

Why would he come here in that kind of suit? Isn't it warm for him? Is he okay? I thought when I noticed that he had a worried edge carved into his face, twisting the dial of my camera, making him come more in focus. Did he lose something or someone? Hopefully, he finds it or finds them.

Stan was muttering something under his breath, before we were both interrupted by a sweet voice saying, "Can you please tell me more funny stories, Pop-Pop?" This made me put my camera down, accidentally forgetting about the man for a little while.

We both looked up to see an older man with two kids, who looked weirdly like Dipper and Mabel in a boat, right ahead of us. Although, they did have different colored eyes.

"Anything for my fishin' buddies!" All of them started laughing in their boat. Stan grunted with jealousy, glaring at the boat.

"Pop-Pop, I just weawized that.... I wuv you," practically, I ducked for cover when I felt Grunkle Stan snap like a cord. Snap snap snap he did, getting up and booing loudly the kids and their "Pop-Pop". I tried to calm him down but the other older man stood up and glared at us.

"Hey, there!" The old man yelled at us. "What's the big idea?" The little kid looked up at his "Pop-Pop" and chirped back in.

"Maybe he has no one who wuvs him, Pop-Pop," I blinked at the other boat and looked at Grunkle Stan, who was staring at me. Ouch, am I chopped liver?

"I–," I was about to say something but then something stormed right past us. Making waves roll over us and accidentally throwing me in the water.

Honestly, I didn't know what to say so that was kind of good, well, other than the falling in the water part. I guess that I am that kind of awkward person. The one that will jump out of a window to avoid awkward situations like this.

"Dawn!"

I crashed into the water, trying to take a breath, too surprised by the impact of the harsh cold liquid to disagree with my reaction. Water filled my mouth and I looked around at the water surrounding me, dark shades past before my eyes. Looking like creatures of the water.

My chest tightened as I panicked a bit, hoping that they weren't coming for me. I didn't know what was the "they" that might be coming but a strange tingle went down my spine. Would they be dangerous? I swam back up, quickly, or at least where I hoped was up.

Bursting out of the water, feeling glad that I could swim a little bit. I spit out the water I, almost, drank and filled my diaphragm with air by taking a deep breath. The air in my throat calmed me. Maybe I should learn to swim if we are going to come back up here.

I felt hands pulling me out of the water, as I coughed out some more water. Stan looked at me, worriedly. "Kid?" I smiled, just a little bit, at him before turning my head to cough out some more water, trying not to cough too much on him.

Could someone get someone else sick by falling into the water? Grunkle Stan chuckled and put me down on the boat.

I looked up and made sure my hat was back on my head but couldn't find it. I started looking over at the fishing pole, frantically, when something wet went on my head. I looked up and caught the rim of my hat, staring back at me. "Thank you!" I rasped while breathing out a laugh, smiling widely.

"No problem, Sunny!" Grunkle Stan said.

Sunny, I like the sound of that.

The two of us went back to fishing–well, watching the pole. Grunkle Stan read through his joke book while I went through my pictures of today, kind of wishing that I had taken more pictures of Grunkle Stan and me, even if it was giving me a sinking feeling–albeit, a bit quieter in our activities.

It wasn't the same without Mabel and Dipper. Dipper would be trying to make Mabel stop trying to feed something or doing something random. Mabel would be trying to get Dipper as mad as possible. I had amusement burst forth when I thought that Grunkle Stan would try to aggravate Dipper, too.

Eventually, I sighed, shoving my camera back down, and observed the old beaten boat that was called the Stan o' War then gave Grunkle Stan a small smile he didn't notice. Although I did learn more about fishing!

We, also, had a little run-in with the police but my parents probably wouldn't need to know about it though. Right?

The sun was coming down slowly, and it started to have more shadows on the lake. The orange of the sky bounced off the lake's water, giving it a calming factor that didn't work for me.

Both of us in the boat sighed and looked at each other, our body language deflating defeatedly. "Wanna head back, kid?" I nodded my head and he silently steered the boat to the shore.

Grunkle Stan was looking down at his knees, I patted his hand on his knees, hoping to comfort him but it made him just smile weakly and then sigh again.

"Hey, over here!" The shout made my head snap up and I had to glance around Grunkle Stan's body. Seeing Dipper, Mabel, and Soos in a wrecked-up boat made me worry a little bit but I kept my glower on, still kind of mad at my siblings for treating Grunkle Stan like he was a bug underneath their shoe.

Dipper snapped a picture of us, making me wonder where he got the camera. I was pretty sure I was the only one who brought a camera with them today.

"What the.... Kids?" Stan glared at them, continuing, "I thought you two were off playin' spin the bottle with Soos."

"Well, we spent all day trying to find a legendary dinosaur–," yes, we know Dipper. You told us before running off. Before I could say anything like that though, Mabel finished the sentence.

"--But we realized the only dinosaur we want to hang out with is right here," she gestured at Grunkle Stan. My laughter didn't hold in my belly and I let out a giggle at the joke, making the twins glance at me.

"And of course, we want to hang out with our baby sister!" Dipper grinned at me.

"Save your sympathy!" Grunkle Stan waved them off, retribution in his moves by patting me on the back for giggling at him. Apparently giggling on his behalf was a no-go.

Too bad, that is how I show my love.

"I've been having a great time without ya with your sister....," I smiled, happy to be included. "Makin friends, talkin' to my reflection....,"

"That happened only once with him today!" I cheerfully mentioned, making the three chuckle and Grunkle Stan glared at me, nudging me.

"I had a run-in with the lake police! Guess I gotta wear this ankle bracelet now, so that'll be fun," he gestured down to his foot and I got reminded of what happened with the fun police, we weren't even doing anything bad. Good thing that I was a kid and apparently, I didn't have to wear an ankle bracelet.

They did give me some really good cake, which was very kind. For some reason, they always seem to have a cake around me.

Ooo, maybe they will have wafers next!

"So, I guess there isn't room in the boat for three more?" Dipper asked. Grunkle Stan raised his eyebrow while I frowned at them, crossing my arms. The twins pulled out the hats Grunkle Stan gave them, with apologetic smiles.

Our great-uncle and I peered at each other and softened looks went back to the three of them at the same time.

"You knuckleheads ever seen me thread a hook with eyes closed?" The old man said slowly, I raised my hand but before the twins saw it, Grunkle Stan winked at me. Grinning, I shoved my hand down so no one else would see, time to use some of what Grunkle Stan taught me today.

"I bet he can for five bucks," I jumped in, Grunkle raised his hand a little bit though and I winced. Should've gone for higher.

Dipper pointed at us, smiling competitively. "Five bucks says you can't do it," Grunkle Stan and I smirked at each other. We've got him.

"You're on!" We both said at the same time, grinning. Dipper jumped onto the boat, challenge accepted.

Mabel jumped onto the betting chain, "Five more bucks says you can't do it with your eyes closed, plus me singing at the top of my lungs!" I shivered at her requirements but I fully believed that Grunkle Stan could do it. I saw him do it earlier today with ease. Well, with his eyes closed at least.

"I like those odds!" Grunkle Stan, gleefully, voiced as all of us smiled as Mabel came down onto the boat. Soos took that as encouragement and slid into the boat as well but I was a little confused and concerned because it looked like his life jacket was torn up.

Grunkle Stan piped in with, "Whoa! What happened to your shirt?" I should've noticed that, scratching my arm with that thought.

Soos, slightly putting my worries at ease with a "long story, dude."

Huh, he says "dude" quite a lot. Is it a catchphrase or something? What does the word "dude" come from anyway?

Quickly, I jotted down the questions and slowly kept my eyes on the notebook after I finished writing, roaming the pages of my non-wet notebook. Not questioning the miracle for once. Huh, probably should get a new notebook soon, this one is fraying.

The notebook I was writing in was a present from both my siblings when they noticed how much I fidgeted or wrote something down on my hand when I couldn't find a piece of paper.

A dark cover with an orange paw and stickers that Mabel included from her secret sticker stash. Dipper was nice enough to convince Mabel to get some fox and wolf stickers on the cover, too. No glitter at all, which is good.

They thought it would be giving me a break from the yelling received from our parents about writing all over me and accidentally rubbing it on the walls.

I didn't want to replace this one quite yet. So many good memories that it has gone through but I didn't know where to put it if I wasn't going to use it. And how will I answer the questions that can't be answered?

"All right," I glanced up from my notebook. I didn't notice when Dipper moved but he was suddenly in the front of the ship, with the camera he pointed at us earlier. "Everybody get together, say "fishing"."

I popped up behind Mabel and Grunkle Stan put his arm around my shoulder, getting about the same height as me.

We flashed a grin at each other before quickly looking at the camera. I felt like we had gotten a little closer during the nice day. Another person to talk to, and he made me feel heard.

Soos, who was on the other side of Mabel, asked, "Dude, am I in the frame?" But Dipper didn't answer and clicked off the picture. After that, all of us started taking pictures of everyone else. I got one of everyone listening to Grunkle Stan and his joke book.

Dipper and I managed to somehow get one of Mabel and Grunkle Stan stealing someone's fish. It is fun to see "Pop-Pop" be sad with his kids.

The picture was one that I smirked at and put in my sweatshirt. Feeling a little justified after how they treated Grunkle Stan. Soos got one of us driving away from the lake police, the ones that gave me the cake too, pity, I like them too, even if they are the fun police.

When we were riding the boat back to the shore, I managed to keep the camera that we were using from dropping into the lake and destroying everything. Dipper and Mabel looked back at me and waved for me to come closer to them but before I started walking towards them; I paused, something was off.

I turned back, just in time to see something pop up from the lake.

Slowly, I brought the camera back out and quietly took a picture of a scaly oddity. I looked into the picture and noticed that I got just a picture of its head but it had a lot of details in it.

Huh, didn't Dipper mention something about a contest?

Shaking my head of my thoughts, I went to my siblings, managing to not get noticed acting a little bit shifty, or at least I didn't think so. Grunkle Stan had a little tiny frown pass his face, so quickly I thought I imagined it.

"What's up?" I asked, sitting down between them. They both shot conspiring looks–or that's what I called their twin telepathy they definitely had–then peered at me.

"We're sorry," they said at the same time. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what they had to apologize for. "We're sorry, that we didn't include you with us and that we didn't ask you to come with us."

Blankly, I stared at them. Mabel had a downcast look on her face, brushing her hair back, and Dipper stared at me, into my eyes to show that he was serious in his apology.

My lip twitched up and I, abruptly, laughed. They peered at me, probably thinking I'm nuts.

"Don't worry, I had fun today with Grunkle Stan, we talked a lot and it was really fun!" I cheered, throwing my arms out of my pockets, beaming out my excitement. Throwing off my knowledge that this might happen again, even if they felt bad about leaving me behind today, didn't mean they wouldn't later.

They beamed back and suddenly I was hugged by both sides. This is nice but they don't usually hug me. They thought they were too cool for hugs, at least that's what I thought their reasons were.

They were almost teenagers, it's easy to assume.

My twins smiled down at me with a weird glint in their eyes, that I don't see often in Dipper's eyes.

Is this an awkward sibling hug or was I–? They started trying to tickle me, arms going under my arms. It is a trap! Executed by my evil siblings, why did I want to hang out with them again?

However, I wasn't one to go down with a fight today. I reached down to both their armpits and started wiggling my fingers. They jumped from me, not used to me fighting back but Grunkle Stan–.

Oh, I got it! Using their distraction as an advantage, I quickly got up and went to hide behind Grunkle Stan. Using him as a barrier, so my siblings couldn't get me easily. We used that technique during the whole fiasco with the police but the tactics switched around slightly.

Grunkle Stan smiled at me, laughing all the while, and went back to steering the boat to shore. There was a proud glint in his eyes as he saw that I was taking some of the lessons he taught me today seriously.

I didn't see the glint though.

"Hey, no fair!" Mabel shouted, grinning at me.

"All is fair in love and war!" I shouted back, joyfully, holding my position behind our Grunkle. Unfortunately, I realized too late that I couldn't see where my older brother was. Why is it when I'm focusing on one thing I can't remember one important detail like my big brother?

I paled, which was quite noticeable because I was in the sun all day, and looked behind me. There he stood, smirking, knowing I couldn't go anywhere. Again, why do I hang out with them?

I was trapped.

Nervous chuckles burst from my chest. I put my hands up and backed away from him and his twin until the back of my ankles hit the boat. "Now guys, I'm your favorite littlest sister, guys. Let's talk about this. You know, using our mouths, instead of action and all that jazz?"

They started going at me, smirking all the while, and I tried to think of a way out, however, there was no use. I was caught. I went to look to see if I could jump before things got to haywire but they used that to their advantage to jump.

"All of you guys are traitors," I muttered in the back seat, lips trying to pout but couldn't contain a tiny smile. Today was really fun, I love these kinds of days.

All of them knew I was joking. The fact didn't stop them from making a response to my quiet mutter. "Us, traitors? No way!" I couldn't hold my laughter at Dipper's reply. Neither could anyone else in the car.

I thought back to the picture I took of what I think was the Gooblewonker that Mr. McGucket was going on about. I overheard someone saying that it was his last name, not his first.

Which reminded me, should I go talk to him? Or, is everyone right that he is a kook? No, I would have to see it for myself. My siblings weren't the only stubborn people in our family, actually, I'm pretty sure all our family was like that.

Maybe, I should give the picture to Dipper and Mabel, they went on the whole monster hunting trip to find the creature. Or, I could keep it a surprise that I got the picture and get the money from the contest, saving it for a special occasion. Needing to come with some great presents for them this year.

No, I got it! I beamed, I can do it during the whole break, too! I would need to ask for a friend's help, hopefully, they won't mind helping me get it.

I nodded, it will work.