*YAWN*

I turn around to see that the cuckoo clock affixed to the wall has seemingly stopped in place. I squint my eyes to make sure that the big hand hasn't actually moved backwards. The oddity makes me think of one of the mantras often repeated by my employer, Stan Pines; of how time is money. And if I know the old coot as well as I think I do, I wouldn't put it pass him to try anything to get free labor.

*CLICK*

After waiting for what seems like an eternity, the arm moves a single digit. I dejectedly sigh to myself and return to the task at hand. Equipped with my trusty pricing gun, I bend down to the end rack of souvenirs and pick up each item one by one. I gently squeeze the trigger of my adjuster and stick a new tag over the older ones, instantly adding another two dollars to the retail price.

I shake my head as I overlook the costly knick-knacks, asking how tourists are clueless enough to overpay on such shoddy merchandise. Sometimes, I wonder if the demands for constant price changes are due to Stan's overwhelming greed, or a mere case of senility kicking in. Perhaps I should bite my tongue; after all, this is how he's able to pay me…

That is, when he decides to pay me in real money instead of trying to stick me with his "Stan Bucks…"

With the job done, I head back to my post behind the counter of the gift shop. Sure, there's tons of other stuff that needs to be done around this run down place, but at the same time, Stan only asked me to "fix" the pricing. The way I see it, I did everything I was asked to, so there's nothing left to do but run down the clock until I get to leave for the day.

I lean back on my stool and rest my feet up on the countertop. I close my eyes and listen to the soothing sounds of the Oregon wilderness. However, I try my best not to accidentally slip into slumber. The last thing I need is for Stan to catch me in the middle of a summertime nap…again…

A loud resonance shatters the peace; it's not noisy, though. I can hear the sound of contagious laughter nearby. I open an eyelid and peer out the front window to see a brown blur rolling across the grass. When it finally stops, a smile slowly forms across my face. My little co-workers, Mabel and Dipper Pines are wrestling around on the front lawn. I silently watch as they take turns tackling and flipping each other onto the soft ground.

A sense of nostalgia washes over me as I watch the Pines twins play. Part of me wishes that I could go out there and join in on the fun (knowing that I could easily cream the both of them with my hands tied behind my back). Unfortunately, leaving the Mystery Shack unattended was one responsibility that I couldn't shirk on, no matter how much I wanted to. The other half tries to remember the last time I had that kind of fun with my brothers. I mean, after all that stuff with Mom, I kinda went from big sister to fill-in substitute.

I let out another sigh as I turn to face the cracked ceiling. I guess that when you grow up, these things come with the territory. After all, there are tons of things that I can do as an adult that they can't, like learning to drive, dating, or getting a steady paycheck (even if it may not be well-deserved). While I return my attention to my giggling, rambunctious buddies, I make a sort of a silent prayer for them: I hope that they truly enjoy and cherish moments like this, because one day, they might not get the chance to do so.

As I rock myself back and forth, my boot accidentally nudges something heavy on the counter. I slightly sit up to see a dark, moldy object teetering over the edge of the table. I lower my feet to the floor and rise up to find out exactly what I nearly broke.

My emerald eyes focus on a withered brown journal. The cover is well-worn and torn in several different spots. A golden insignia of a six-fingered hand was emblazed in the center. I swipe my hand over the symbol as I try to remember where exactly had I seen that book before. It is when I hear the adorable laughter of "my boy" outside that recognition strikes me.

"Hey, it's that thing Dipper's always carrying around…"

As I bow down to take a closer look, my eyes quickly shoot around the room to make sure the coast is clear. My curiosity is getting the best of me. I slowly open the front cover as the sour smell of mildew and mold enter my nostrils, making me gag a bit. I speed-read through the sloppily-handwritten text as it warns about the not-so-called dangers that supposedly haunt our sleepy, mountain town.

"Let's see," I read aloud as I list the oddities that I see randomly scrolling through the text. "Goblins, gnomes, dream demons…" I shake my head and laugh at the absurdity of it all. If such things really existed – especially in such a small place where everyone knows each other's business, they would be almost impossible to hide!

I look out of the corner of my eye to see Dipper still frolicking with Mabel in the grass. Almost instantly, my thoughts change to him, or more specifically, the effect that this tome had on his psyche. I think about any time when I'll call to him or even when I do something as simple as place my hand on his shoulder, he immediately jumps in fright. I wonder if it's these fairytales that makes him so edgy.

Then again, I remember our experience at the Dusk2Dawn convenience store. Dipper warned us not to mess with the supernatural and we nearly paid the price for not listening to him. But I figure that was a one-in-a-lifetime thing, right? A cold shiver travels down my spine at the thought of all these paranormal dealies being real.

I stop scrolling as a shine draws my eyes to the center of the next page. A piece of jewelry is taped to the worn piece of paper. Very carefully, I peel back the tape; thankfully, the glue has worn away due to old age. I examine the piece in the light. It is a golden ring with a flat green center. In a way, it reminds me of some sort of fancy monocle. The green is really standing out to me since it is the same shade as my eyes.

As I raise the monocle higher to get a better look at the emerald center, sunlight starts flowing from it, quickly illumining me in a gentle green beam. Suddenly, it turns brighter and brighter until I can no longer see. A heavy heat overcomes me, making me cry out loud in distress. My temples start to throb. The room is spinning and I feel dizzy. My legs give out beneath me and the last thing I remember is hitting the floor.

A few moments later, I open my eyes to find myself sprawled out face down on the ground. My strength is slowly building up. The blackness is quickly replaced with natural light calling me to rise. As I get to my feet, I notice something doesn't seem right. It might sound odd, but I feel…lighter…

I turn around and make my way back to the counter. Despite having my energy returned, I feel bogged down. My eyes widen as I pass my station, only to notice something incredibly off:

I am now as tall as the desktop.

I look down at my arms to see that my plaid flannel shirt is now draped over my arms. I glance at my usually tight-fitting jeans were now comfortably baggy around my waist. My feet keep slipping out of my now-oversized boots and socks. I stumble as I make my way to the mirror. I need to see what's wrong with me. My trusty brown trapper hat drops down and blocks my vision until I finally hold it up with one hand. After a few seconds, I grow irritated and let it fall off my head and onto the floor.

I step in front of the mirror and freeze at the image. Very carefully, I use my hands to explore every aspect of my body to ensure that the sight in the mirror was indeed me! I quickly cover my mouth to prevent my shrieks from echoing throughout the Oregon wilderness.

"This can't be happening!" I try to calm myself. "This is just a dream; just a nightmare! Any second, I'm going to wake up, and everything will be back to normal." My voice is shockingly higher pitched! I close my eyes for as long as I can and pray that I'm imagining things. I peek an eye open, only to see that the haunting scene still in the mirror's reflection.

I was standing face to face with a shorten, pre-teen version of myself. My long, messy hair was replaced with thin, straighten strands. My dimples had protracted outwards, giving me more of a baby-like pie-face. My pasty skin was drenched in an uncountable amount of brown freckles. I step closer to the mirror and use my fingers to lift my lips slightly. My teeth remained as they were before I had my braces added; slight crookedness and overbites could be easily found. My new height reminds me of how I was before my growth spurt.

Still startled somewhat, I reach into my pants and pull out my wallet. I yank out the picture I had hidden away from the rest of the world (save for Dipper). I study the depressed and angry redhead in the photo and compare it to the one facing me in the mirror. Despite the different clothes and hairstyles, I recoil in horror as I recognize that they are nearly one and the same!

I look back on my overly huge clothes and ask my copy in the mirror, "What…What did I do to…all I did was…"

The golden monocle instantly flashed in my mind. I turn around and see to the familiar shine on the worn out floor. I race back past the counter only to trip over my own boots. Growing annoyed, I kick off my shoes and slide in my socks over to the glow on the ground. I snatch up the artifact and wonder as I hold it in my palm, "Was this it? Is this the reason why…this happened to me?"

With the monocle in my hand, I figure that Dipper's journal might provide an answer or two for it. After all, it is where this thing came from. I try my best to reach upwards, but I can barely see over the countertop now. Even on my tip-toes, the book is just out of range. I take the stool next to me, push it against the ledge, and proceed to scale upwards. It is at this moment that I realize that I'm about the same size as Dipper and Mabel; all of a sudden, their charming little mannerisms going to and fro don't seem as cute anymore…

I lean forward and re-examine the page, making sure to watch my footing as to not tip the stool over. Using my index finger as a guide, I follow along with the passage written just above where I found the monocle:

"The Epoch Lens:

Having come across this treasure some time ago, the Epoch Lens was forged in a golden outer shell and given an unique green-tempered glass center. What makes the core so distinctive is the reaction it gives off when exposed to different forms of light…"

I scroll down to beneath the indent in the page where the lens originally sat:

"When sunlight is shone through the hub, the green light restores the user's youth. The longer bathed in the light, the more years that are reduced…"

"I knew it!"

I exclaim loudly as I nearly fall off of the stool's top. I force myself to calm down. I know there's gotta be a way to do the opposite! I return my attention to the book again:

"In order to reverse the process, or to purposely age the user, moonlight must be used in the exact same manner as mentioned above…"

"Moonlight?"

The sun's rays stretch across the room, as if they were purposely mocking my predicament.

"I can't wait for night time! I need to fix this now!"

I flip the page to see if there's maybe an alternative. There has to be something else I can do. I scroll down, only to find a totally different topic.

"NO!" I throw my fists against the journal in anger. This sickening feeling of being trapped makes me start to hyperventilate. I struggle to control my rapid breathing, when I hear something that makes me tremble.

"C'mon, Dipper! I'm getting tired! Let's go inside already!"

In a panic, I take the monocle, throw it into a random page in the book, and slam it shut! I leap from the stool and land hard on my socked feet. I play through the pain as I struggle to come up with a plan. I can't let the twins find me like this! Dipper'll never trust me ever again if he found out I was snooping through his book! Worse of all, I wouldn't be able to survive the utter embarrassment if anyone found out I did this to myself!

Thinking on my feet, I take off my flannel shirt and let it fall to the ground. I notice that my skin-tight white undershirt is now a loose fitted kid's tee. I untuck it and let it lapse over my loose jeans. In an odd way, my new-found style kinda matches now. I grab a spare rubber band from beneath the counter and tie my hair back into a ponytail. Remembering my lack of shoes, I notice a pair of sandals that Mabel had left by the gift shop's exit. I tear off my socks and hustle to the door, hoping that I don't get a sliver in the bottoms of my feet. I quickly step into the flip-flops. Luckily for me, they're a perfect fit!

I run back to the mirror to see exactly how bad I look. While this outfit is something that I would never wear in normal life, I still have the lurking feeling that I don't look different enough yet. I can't risk being even the slightest bit recognizable. I look to my right to see racks upon racks of Mystery Shack caps. They're the exact same type that Dipper normally wears. I grab a pink hued version and slide my ponytail through it. As a final touch, I go to the next display and pick up a pair of Stan's cheesy X-Ray glasses. I strip the swirling stickers off of the lens and place them on my face. This has to do the trick; after all, every superhero seems to get away with this, so why can't I?

I go to the mirror a third time to study my reflection. While I no longer match my twelve-year old self illustrated in my picture, I look like the complete opposite of the "Wendy" that the twins know. My reflection and I both sigh in despair. Hopefully, I'll be able to pull this off…

My hands swiftly gather my shirt, hat, socks, and boots with a ninja's velocity. I open my secret cubby-hole beneath the counter and tuck my belongings away. With my little secret hidden, I stand up and wipe the sweat away from my brow. Unexpectedly, I feel something grab my shoulder from behind. With my nerves already shot to heck, I yelp in alarm:

"AAH!"

I spin around to see a recoiling Dipper letting out a shriek of his own. Mabel is at his side, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Um…sorry," he apologizes, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't mean to startle you…"

I offer a small wave and force a fake smile, "That's okay…"

Dipper continues to stare at me, making me wonder if the cat's already out of the bag. Mabel, on the other hand, seems a bit straightforward about her suspicion:

"Not trying to sound rude, but who are you, and why are you in our house?"

"Oh…" I say the first thing that comes to mind, "Well, my name is Wen-"

The twins' eyes widen as I force a cough. I start to coach myself, "Think, Wendy-girl, think! You need to come up with something – fast!" As if I'm struck by lightning, a name comes to mind; however the mere mention makes me cringe. It is a name so vile, that my mother was the only one I'd let say it without facing the repercussions. After making a slight change, I take a deep gulp and try to present my new identity to the world.

*COUGH* *COUGH*

"Sorry about that. Like I was saying, my name is Gwen." My imagination takes over as I whip up a backstory on the spot, "My dad came to Gravity Falls on business, and I got dragged along for the ride." I feel bad for lying to my buds, but at the same time, I chalk it up to telling half-truths instead. My teeth grind as I struggle to keep a straight face, "I asked in town where the best place for some excitement was and I was told you guys give pretty decent tours around these parts." I rub my foot against the ground and glance down as I maintain my innocent composure, "I didn't know that people actually lived here…"

Mabel stands down, letting me know that the plan is working, "Oh, that's ok…" she swipes away any unease, "Sorry to bark at you like that. It's just that we get a lot of weirdos around here." She rolled her eyes as she continued on, "I kinda forgot that there really aren't any other kids here in town." Mabel turned back to acknowledge her brother, "Dipper and I had to learn that the hard way, didn't we?"

"Huh?! Oh! Right, right…" His burning brown eyes are focused solely on me as Dipper tries to remain quiet. "Oh, man…" I think to myself. "He knows. He knows it's me…"

"Anyways," Mabel explained further. "You've missed the Mystery Tour for today…"

"Rats!" I try to feign interest once more.

"…and I'd offer to show you around town; you know, have a girl's night out, except I have a sleep over later tonight."

Dipper finally jumps into the conversation, "Hang on! Mabel, you said that you'd go with me to explore around you-know-who's tonight!"

"Dipper," she chastised back. "Can't we go one day without getting into the whole "mystery" thingie?"

"But, Mabel. I know he's a part of this whole thing! I just need some help in getting some proof!"

She lowered her eyes as she listened to Dipper's complaining, "Look, Dipper. Grenda and Candy are waiting for me, and I can't be late! We'll do your crazy thing later, okay?"

"It's not craz –"

Before Dipper could even finish his sentence, Mabel turns and walks out of the room. Dipper lets out an aggravated grunt as he hurls his fist against the side of my counter. Adorably, I hear him whisper to himself, "Oww…"

Dipper turns around with a sheepish expression on his face, almost like he had forgotten I was there.

I ask, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, that…" He turns slightly to avoid looking me in the face, "Mabel knows how crazy and dangerous Gravity Falls can be, and the sooner that we – " He stops, releasing that he almost opened up to an complete stranger. Or does he already know the truth?

*SIGH*

"On second thought, forget I said anything. You probably won't believe me anyway…"

As if by second nature, I reach out to him, "Try me…" Even when stuck like this, I have this somewhat overwhelming feeling to try to help my little guy feel better.

After a moment's hesitance, Dipper gives in. "This may sound stupid, um...Gwen, but there's a lot of strange stuff that happens in this town."

"Really? Like what?"

Dipper counts on his fingers, "Ghosts, monsters; you name it, chances are I've seen it!"

"Wow!"

"I believe that there's a supernatural presence that ties everything together, but I haven't been able to connect it…"

"Until today?"

"Kinda," he goes on. I notice a more-confident tone in his voice. I guess it goes to show that a little encouragement goes a long way. "There's someone that I always seem to notice to be in the background nearly every time something like this happens. I just have this irking feeling that he plays a bigger role in everything, and I'm not going to find evidence just waiting for Mabel to come around…"

An idea starts to form in my head. I may be able to use this to my advantage, "Well, do you feel like having me tag along?"

His mouth literally drops open, "Beg pardon?"

"Think about it: it sounds like you need a new partner–in–crime and I really don't feel like sitting at home on this trip, so whatdya say?"

"Hmm…"

I flash a tooth-filled grin as Dipper ponders on what to do. "This is perfect," I think to myself. "It'll be dark and I'll have a shot at getting my hands on that book and jewel. I couldn't have planned it better!"

Dipper starts to falter, "I'm not sure that's a good idea…"

My heart stops. I need him to go through with this! Maybe a little force can help in this situation.

"And why's that?!" I raise my voice and place my hands on my hips. "It can't be because I'm a girl, since you were just begging your sister to come with you, so what is it?"

Dipper holds out his hands in defense, "It's nothing like that, Gwen! I swear! It's just that…" He turns away in shame, "It's just that you're new in town and this might be a bit…dangerous…"

I wave away his concern, "PFFT! Danger's my middle name!" I decide to add just a bit more charm to win him over, "Besides, I'd bet that if I'd get in over my head, you'd be able to get me out of any jam, right?" With that, I lean over and give him an encouraging lovetap on the shoulder. Dipper turns a bright shade of red and starts chuckling nervously.

At that moment, I knew I had him.

"Oh, all right," he relented. "If you're up for it, meet me back here later tonight and we'll set out!"

"Great!" I chirp happily. "I just have to stop home first and let my dad know I'll be hanging out here!" In truth, I was planning to see if I had something a bit more comfortable and fitting than oversized clothes and flip-flops before I went off on whatever adventure Dipper had planned. "Do you have to let anyone know that you're going out?"

For some reason, a somewhat sadden expression overcame Dipper, "Um, not really. My Great-Uncle Stan; we call him "Grunkle Stan," gives tours all day and usually falls asleep in his recliner while watching TV. The handyman, Soos is normally packed up and headed for home by now. The only one who would probably care is Wen –"

Dipper stops in his tracks; he realizes something is amiss. He looks pass me and towards the gift shop counter. After a second, he looks somewhat guilty as he asks me, "Stupid question, but when you came in, did you see a redheaded girl sitting behind the register?" Dipper raises his arm way over his head, "About yay tall, freckles, dimples, wears a green flannel?" I simply shrug my shoulders at him. I have to bite my cheeks to stop myself from blushing; he's worried about me. The real me, that is.

He places his fist up to his mouth, slightly nibbling it as he thinks about what to do next. He heads towards the swinging door that leads to the Pines' living room. Dipper excuses himself, "I'll be right back. I have to see if she left a message or a note or something…"

As soon as Dipper leaves the room, I instantly leap into action. "Idiot!" I mock myself. How could I have been so stupid? How could I not think that someone wouldn't notice if I just up and disappeared? I hop up on the stool and pull a piece of paper out from the drawer. Still, Dipper is way more than "someone" (at least to me). He deserves a lot better than to be left wondering. I jolt down a quick note that will hopefully ease his concerns. As a final precaution, I erase the security footage for today. The last thing I need is having my colossal blunder preserved for all time on film.

I knock on the front door room and open it slightly, "Dipper, I think I found something!" Moments later, I hear rapid footsteps coming down the stairs. Dipper comes rushing through the door; that distressed look still obviously apparent. I point up at the desk, and he runs past me. He snatches the note from the counter and mumbles to himself as he reads it. I sigh to myself as I see the anxiety in his eyes finally fade away. Trying to stay in character, I innocently ask my friend, "Well, what does it say?"

Dipper clears his throat and re-reads my hastily written letter aloud:

Dear Dork,

My dad is taking the family away for an impromptu camping trip, so I had to check out a bit early. So, call off the search parties, I'm not MIA! Hope you don't mind covering for me. Anyways, Dad says if Stan has a problem with this, he can take it up with him when we get back. Thanks again, Dipper.

See you in a few days!

Love,
Wendy

PS: Try to stay out of trouble! On second thought, get into a little bit, for my sake! Bye!

I tempt the fates by critiquing by my own note, "Aww! She sounds sweet."

Dipper closes his eyes and lets out a relieved exhale, "Yeah, she is…"

It could be my imagination, but I wonder to myself if he was swooning over my letter. I shake my head and dismiss the thought as Dipper carefully folds the note and sticks it into his back project.

"You see?!" I brag to my unsuspecting cohort, "I can definitely help you crack mysteries! Just like that, the 'Case of the Missing Redhead" was solved in record time!"

The comment makes Dipper chuckle, "Okay, okay! You've proved your point." I return a smile. It always makes me happy when I can get that kid to laugh or grin. When I usually come across Dipper, he seems to be in a grim or super-serious mood. I just think that someone his age shouldn't be like that 24/7, so I do what I can. The only problem is that sometimes, I think I'm the only one that goes out of their way to do so.

The door behind us slams open. Mabel has both arms filled with giant bags. I can see pajamas, books, movies, games, and other sleepover supplies nearly toppling over with each one. She runs right pass us, "Bye, new girl! Bye, Dipper! Don't worry, we'll do your thing later!"

Dipper scoffed at his sister's suggestion, "Oh, I'm still going…"

She stopped in mid-step, "Huh?"

He uses his thumb to point back at me, "Yeah, Gwen and I are going to go check it out later tonight."

A sly smile spreads over her pink, chubby cheeks, "Ohh, that's so cute! You guys are already friends!" Her brown eyes narrow slightly, "But a lady friend, Dipper? What would your girlfriend –"

"MABEL! SHH!"

"– think about you about going on adventures with another girl? Isn't that your guys' thing?"

Dipper jumps past me and towards his blabber-mouthed twin.

"Do you think she'll be jealous?" *HHMPPH*

He clamps his hand over her mouth, "HAHA! You're funny, Mabel! A real riot!" If looks could kill, then the angry stare Dipper gave his sister would instantly put the girl six feet under! He turns back towards me, "Well, Gwen. Mabel and I have to have a quick chat, but how about we meet here at about 9-ish?"

I nod, "Sounds great!" I make my way to the gift shop exit and offer a wave, "I'll see you guys later!"

"Bye"

"MMPH!" A still hand-gagged Mabel returned the wave.

I shut the door, and a millisecond later, I hear Dipper explode:

"WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?! THAT WASN'T COOL, MABEL!"

"Oh, relax, Dipper! Gwen has no idea what we were talking about. Besides, she probably thought we were just being goofballs."

"But what about all that talk about a "girlfriend?"

"And?"

"Come on, Mabel! You said that you weren't going to joke about that anymore!"

With that, I hear their voices disappear into another part of the house. As I head for home, I chuckle to myself, "Hehe, Dipper's got a little girlfriend! And he's embarrassed! That's priceless!"

I look up at the sky to see a bright red-orange sun lowering in the west, meeting the tops of the Gravity Falls Forest.

"Huh. I wonder who the lucky lady is?"