"Go Sir Syrup!"
"Go Mounty Man!"
"Go Lady Maple!"
Three kids sat around the kitchen table in the Mystery Shack holding bottles of syrup over their faces. It slowly descended from the bottles as they cheered for their own syrup as if that would make it go faster. It was looking close when the younger girl tapped the bottom of her bottle and got a mouth full of sugary goodness.
"Yes!" She cheered as she started coughing and choking. "I won!" She said with another cough.
"You cheater." I scowled from across the table. The younger girl with braces grinned at me victoriously.
"Ho ho, no way." The only boy in the room exclaimed. "Mabel Megan check this out!" He leaned the magazine he was holding forward for his sisters to see.
"Whatcha got there Dipper?" I asked, looking over. Mabel leaned over, looking at the wrong page.
"Human sized hamster balls? I'm human sized!" She said with an excited look on her face. I rolled my eyes and smiled at her silliness.
"No no, Mabel this." Dipper corrected, pointing to the other page. "We see weirder stuff than that everyday." I nodded.
"Yeah, that doesn't even look real. Looks like some cheap movie prop or something." I scoffed. The twins laughed in agreement.
"Hey we didn't get any photos of those gnomes did we?" Dipper asked. I groaned.
"Ugh, don't remind me about those creeps. I was too busy getting crushed to take any pictures." I said, rubbing my now only lightly bruised side. It had been nearly a week, but it still felt a bit sore.
"Yeah, no pictures. Only memories!" Mabel stated. Then she lifted her hand. "And this beard hair."
"Why did you save that?" Dipper asked, sounding just as perplexed as I felt. Mabel shrugged. I turned around as I felt someone coming through the kitchen doorway. It was Stan holding a rolled up newspaper.
"Good morning knuckle heads. You three know what day it is?" He asked us. We all gave each other confused looks.
"Um, happy anniversary?"
"Mozel tov!"
"Taco Tuesday!"
It was Dipper who got a newspaper to the head. "It's family fun day genius." Grunkle Stan said, throwing the paper down onto the table and turning around to the fridge. "We're cuttin' off work and having one of those, ya know, bonding type deals." He explained as he sniffed the milk that had gone bad a few days ago.
Dipper straitened his hat as he spoke. "Grunkle Stan, is this gonna be like our last family bonding day?"
"Dipper," I started. "I don't know what that was but it was definitely not what I'd call a 'family bonding day.'" I said with certainty, my hand stretched out in front of me for emphases.
"Oh, the county jail was so cold." Mabel groaned with a shiver as if she was reliving the feeling. Grunkle Stan lifted up his hands in surrender.
"Alright, maybe I haven't been the best summer caretaker." He walked over to the uncertain looking twins and set his hands on their shoulders. "But I swear, today we're gonna have some real family fun. Now who wants to put on some blindfolds and get into my car!" I looked at him funny while my siblings cheered.
"Wait what?"
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We were in the back seat of the Stanley Mobile and I was starting to get the feeling that we'd be better off if I drove us. Blind fold on or not. I was almost certain we had hit several mailboxes and small critters in only the last ten minutes. I had a white knuckle grip on the door handle to my left.
We made a sharp left which pushed us all to the right as the tires screeched. I heard my brother sigh beside me. "Blind folds never lead to anything good." He said. I made a grunt of agreement.
"Wow, I feel like all my other senses are heightened. I can see with my fingers." I heard Dipper laughing beside me and wished I could see what was happening. My thoughts were quickly interrupted when we were all sent into the air by what I could only guess was the death of another poor animal. We all cried out in literal blind fear.
"Grunkle Stan are you wearing a blindfold?" Dipper asked. I heard a laugh from the front.
"Nah but with these cataracts I might as well be. What is that a woodpecker?" We veered to the right and crashed through something, causing us all to scream.
"Not a wood pecker!" I cried out in terror.
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Soon, though not nearly soon enough, we came to a stop. I nearly threw myself out of the car, kissing the ground in relief, still wearing my blindfold. "Oh, wonderful ground!" I cried out dramatically.
"Hardy har har. Drama queen." I heard Grunkle Stan grumble. "Okay okay, open em up!" He declared.
I lowered my blindfold and winced at the brightness as my eyes adjusted to the sunlight. There my great uncle stood, holding a couple fishing poles, with his foot propped up on a tackle box and arms out stretched. When did he change his clothes? "Tada! It's fishing season!"
That's when I froze up, one eye twitching. We were at the lake. We were standing by a big body of water. We were standing by a big body of cold, dark, water. I wasn't even paying attention to the conversation going on around me. No, I was too busy freaking out.
Cold. Darkness. Fear. Can'tbreathcan'tbreathcan'tbreathcan'tbreathCAN'TBREA-
"POW!" Suddenly I jolted as I felt something appear on my head, which brought me out of my mini panic attack. I blinked as I saw Stan smiling at me and the twins. "Pines family fishing hats! Tha-that's hand stitching ya know." I grabbed the thing on my head in a daze, lowering it to find that it was just as he had said, a fishing hat. There were several fish hooks stuck through the bottom. Stitched onto the front was the name Megan, though the 'N' was upside down and the 'G' looked ready to fall off.
I looked over to my siblings to see they also held corny hats of their own. Dipper caught my attention and gave me a concerned look. I sent him a small smile hoping to convince him I was fine. It seemed to reassure him enough.
"It's just gonna be you me and those goofy hats on a boat for ten hours!" He shouted. Somehow I stiffened further. No way in hell.
"Ten hours?" Dipper whined.
"I brought the joke book." Grunkle Stan singsonged, wiggling his copy of '1001 Yuk' Em Ups' as if he thought that would make this situation any better.
Dipper flinched back in horror."No, no!" He shouted.
"There has to be a way out of this." Mabel said softly so only us two would hear. Suddenly there was a commotion at the end of the dock.
"I seen it! I seen it again!" And in came Old Man Mcgucket. My heart sank a bit as I watched the poor old guy run through fishing poles, knock over a table, and even hit an innocent sandwich out of some dude's hands. I could almost hear the banjo playing in the background as he grabbed a random man by the shoulders. "The Gravity Falls Gobblewonker! Come quick before it scrabdoodles away!" Then he started doing some weird dance and slapped his knee. I just wanted to hug him, smelly or not.
"Aww, he's doing a happy jig." Mabel said. Mcgucket was suddenly right in her face.
"No! It's a jig of great danger!" He exclaimed, freaking out my poor siblings. I put my hands on their shoulders and pulled them back a bit so they wouldn't get spit on.
"Hey hey!" A shout was heard from the tackle shop as another man came out with a spray bottle. "Now what did I tell you about scaring my costumers. This is your last warning dad!" Tate Mcgucket said, spraying water on his father like a dog.
"But I got proof this time bygumity!" The old man declared, shielding himself from the offending water. Dipper and Mabel gave each other a curios glance before we all went to follow after the man. I stayed as close to the center of the dock as I could as we all made our way to the end. Mcgucket leaned over the end and pointed to a totaled boat.
"Behold! It's the Gobbledywonker what done did it!" He stood up and lifted his arms high above his head. "It had a long neck like a gee-raff and wrinkly skin like, like this gentleman right here." He pointed over to Grunkle Stan who stood beside me picking his ear. My face wrinkled up in disgust as he pulled out a wad of ear wax and wiped it on his fishing vest.
"It chawed ma boat up ta smitheroons, and shim shamed over to Scuttlebutt Island!" He pointed over to a large island, barely seen through a strange fog that seemed a bit out of place on such a nice day. "Ya gotta believe me!"
"Attention all units! We've got ourselves a crazy old man." Sheriff Blubs said from his police boat, causing all but the Mcguckets and Pines to break out laughing.
"Aww donkey shpittle. Er banjo polish" Old Man Mcgucket said sadly as he walked away. My heart went out to him. I knew he was the one who built the 'Gobblewonker', but still.
"Well that happened." Grunkle Stan said as he climbed down into a boat named 'Stan O' War'. "Now let's untie this boat and get out on that lake." Quickly my sympathetic thoughts vanished as my fear creeped back in.
"Guys, did you hear what that old dude said?" Dipper asked us excitedly.
"Aww Donkey Shpittle!" Mabel said in a hillbilly accent. I chuckled a little at her impersonation. I would have joined her, but all I wanted to do at that moment was run for the trees.
"No the other thing. About the monster. If we could snag a photo of it we could split the prize three ways!" He said. Mabel's face lit up.
"That's a lot of ways!" She said.
"Imagine what you could do with three hundred thirty three dollars!" Dipper exclaimed. Mabel's eyes seemed to grow twice their normal size as she zoned out. Dipper had to snap his fingers in front of her face to pull her back into the real world.
"Dipper, I am one million percent on board with this." Mabel said in all seriousness. They then both turned to me, asking me my opinion with their eyes. I shrugged. That seemed answer enough. The twins turned around to approach our grunkle.
"Grunkle Stan! Change of plans, we're taking that boat to Scuttlebutt Island and we're gonna find that Gobblewonker." Him and Mabel Then started to chant "Monster hunt!" In unison. Mcgucket tried to join in, but only got weird looks and decided to go. That was when we all heard a ship horn and turned to see Soos pull up with a boat much better looking than Stan's dubbed the S.S. Cool Dude.
"You dudes say somethin' 'bout a monster hunt?"
If I remembered anything from this episode, I remembered what comes next. The choice. Go on the monster hunt, or stay with Grunkle Stan. Honestly, I didn't want to do either. Anything that involved actually going out onto the water didn't sound appealing to me in any way.
If you haven't figured it out by now, I have something called Aqua-phobia, fear of water/drowning. Can ya blame me? That was how I died after all. Every time I'm near a body of water, (like a lake, or a river, or a swimming pool, etc. etc.) I start to freak out. I've always tried to hide it from my siblings, so they don't know quite how bad it is. Trust me, it's bad.
As Mabel and Soos talked, I weighed my options. I could go with Dipper, Mabel, and Soos to chase after the Gobblewonker, but what help will I be? I'd be useless out on the water, and my presence wouldn't change much on the island would it?
I could go with Grunkle Stan, but again, I would be nothing but the human version of a scared cat on his boat. Well, at least a scared cat would be better than nothing right?
Then there's option number three. Chicken out, go back to the car, and wait there all day till they return. Number three was starting to sound good.
"Alright alright, let's think this through." Grunkle Stan started, catching my attention. "You kids could go waste your time on some 'epic monster finding adventure', or, you could spend the day learning how to tie knots and skewer worms with your Great Uncle Stan!"
I knew what the twins answer would be. They both climbed up onto Soos' boat. They both looked over to me, still standing on the dock.
"You coming Meg?" Mabel asked me. I looked over to my siblings, then back toward the shore. Lastly, I looked over at Stan. He had a hopeful look in his eyes I could tell he was trying to hide. My decision was made. I looked over to Mabel and shook my head no.
"You guys go on without me." I said with a small smile. They both shrugged and then they were off.
"We made the right choice!" I heard Mabel shout as they sped away, hooting and hollering.
"Ingrates!" Stan shouted after them. I turned to look at him. "Aww, who needs 'em. I got a whole box of creepy fishing lures to keep me company." He said. He cringed in disgust and shut the tackle box, then he looked over at me. "And I got you, right?" He asked. I smiled, trying to hide my fear. Remembering the fishing hat I was still holding, I stuck it on my head.
"Of course! Someone's gotta make sure you don't cause trouble." I said as I carefully lowered myself onto his little boat. I quickly sat down and gripped my seat hard to hide the way my hands were shaking. He stuck his arm around my shoulders, rocking the boat and causing me to squeak in panic.
"You kiddin'? Causin' trouble is what makes life fun kid! You remember that." He said with an ear to ear smile. With that, he went back over to his side and started the motor. It sputtered to life and then we were moving.
My grip on the seat tightened to the point I was surprised it didn't snap it, and I made another squeak. Grunkle Stan seemed to notice that time, and he looked over at me with a considering gaze.
"You alright there kid? You seem kinda freaked out." He stated more than asked.
"Oh I'm fine." It wasn't very convincing, as we had hit a bump while I was speaking and my voice had hitched in alarm. I gave a tight smile, hoping it might help sell my story. Usually, I was a better actress, but not at this moment. His expression turned to suspicion and I knew he had seen right through me, but then he just waved it off.
"Well alright then. If you say so." He said with a shrug.
OoOoOoOoOoO
Grunkle Stan had led us further out onto the lake till he found a spot he claimed was the best. I wondered if it was only the best because Soos and the twins were parked nearby, but I didn't bother to ask. Laughter was heard coming from their boat.
"Traitors. Aww, whatever. I've got a fishing buddy." He said, looking over at me and finally noticing that I was still just sitting there not doing anything. He looked at me expectantly.
"Ya know, we came out here to fish, not sit in a boat." He said. Then I figured it out. He expects me to use that other fishing pole. He expects me to know how.
I had to hold in my laughter. Me? Know how to fish? Right. Even in my last life I could not remember really caring much for the water. I especially didn't in this one, so of course I had no idea what I was doing. I grabbed the pole and looked at it. I heard Stan sigh.
"You don't know how to fish do you?" He asked. I shook my head. "How could you not know how to fish?" He grumbled. "Look kid, I've already got it set up. Just cast the line. It's easy." He said, as if that was a good explanation. I looked back down to the pole, unsure of myself, then I just winged it.
I leaned my fishing pole back and then shot it forwards, sending the bobber thingy flying. At first, I thought I had done good, until it hit a guy in another boat right in the head and snatched his hat.
Grunkle Stan busted out laughing as the disgruntled man turned over toward us. Apologies seemed to be getting caught in my throat.
"Now what's the big idea?! You trying to kill me or somethin'?" He hollered. My tongue decided to work again.
"Sorry!" I shouted. "It's my first time fishing!" I added. Stan was still laughing rather unhelpfully.
"Well it'll be your last time fishing if you do that again!" The angry man shouted back as he steered his boat over to less hazardous waters.
"Ha ha, oh man kid. That was great!" Grunkle Stan weezed as he started to get his laughter under control.
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"Look when you're threadin' the line, a lot of people don't know this, but you wanna use a barrel knot. That's a secret from one fishin' buddy, to another."
I was sitting in the boat with my head in my hands, wishing I could disappear. It seemed Grunkle Stan was still sore about Dipper and Mabel ditching us. He had spotted the poor kid he was currently creeping out and decided to try to snag us another fishing buddy. I tried to tell him not to, but he ignored me.
"Sir sir sir! Why are you talking to our son? If you don't leave right now, I'm calling the police!" The frantic mother threatened.
"Ha ha, the thing about that is-" Grunkle Stan quickly revved up the motor and off we went, me biting back my scream.
"Go bother your own kid!" She shouted after us.
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"Okay, let's try this again. Just lean this pole back, and send it forward." Stan instructed as I once again held the fishing pole in my still slightly shacking hands. I nodded and did as he said. Again, I threw it a bit hard and it soared through the air. The coast was clear though, so it was all good. Until it suddenly wasn't. A boat drove up out of nowhere, right in the way of my line, and hit the guy right in the head. Oh, and of course it was the same guy as before, now missing his hat. What is this, a cartoon? Oh, right...
He turned around, and his angry look only got worse when he saw us. "Oops?" I winced. With a battle cry, the guy charged us.
"Step on it Stan!" I shouted, and the chase was on.
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"Sorry about all that Grunkle Stan." I said, rubbing the back of my neck guiltily. That guy had chased us all around the lake, trying to ram us and causing all kinds of fuss. Eventually, the cops got involved. Unfortunately for us, the other dude got away and we didn't. Being only fourteen and a passenger, I was just let off with a warning, but Stan now had to where an ankle tracker.
"Aww don't worry about it. That guy way overreacted." He said with a chuckle. I cracked a small grin.
"Well I did hit him in the head with a fishing pole. Twice." I said, unable to hold in a laugh. Looking back, it was kinda funny.
"Yeah, you're either a really bad fisher, or have really good aim!" Grunkle Stan joked. We laughed together.
"Hey, how bout I show ya how to tie a proper fishin' knot!" Stan proposed with a grin. I smiled back.
"Sure." I answered. After all that had happened, I was starting to calm down. This was actually kinda fun. Maybe the water isn't so bad after all...
"Ger gah, molly coddling-"
"Can you pweese tell me mowe funny stowies pop-pop?" A young sounding voice piped up near us. We both lifted our heads and looked over to see another boat holding an old man and two little kids who had to be twins.
"Anything for my fishin' buddies." The old man said with a laugh, placing a hand on the young boy's head.
"Oh boy." I said under my breath as Stan growled. Way to ruin the mood random strangers.
"Pop-pop, I just wealised that, I wuv you."
"Aww come on! Boo! Boo!" Shouted Stan, now standing up in the boat. The old man in the other boat didn't like this very much.
"H-hey now, what's the big idea?" He said, also standing. Then that annoying little kid opened his annoying mouth again.
"Maybe he has no-one who wuvs him pop-pop."
"Yeah, well I-I-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as the S.S. Cool Dude shot by us quick as a bullet, rocking the boat bad. I held onto the sides screaming for dear life, but it wasn't over yet. The robot Gobblewonker came past us, sending up a huge wave of water and tilting the boat nearly all the way over. It was enough though.
I lost my grip, and before I knew it I was in the water.
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Water, everywhere, soaking me, weighing me down. I can't swim! I can't breath! No no no no no! Not again! Not again! I can't die like this again!
I kicked my legs frantically, trying to find the surface, but it wasn't doing much good. Even if I once knew how to swim, I didn't now. I guess that's just the problem with being aqua-phobic. Since you're afraid of the water, you don't learn how to swim. Or at least I didn't. Pretty counterproductive isn't it?
I was beginning to see black at the edges of my vision as I sank. Then, like the hand of god, I saw someone reaching out. With the last of my quickly fading strength, I reached toward the hand. It grabbed my arm and I was being pulled up.
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I was dragged up onto something that wasn't water as I gagged and choked on the liquid in my lungs. I could feel someone patting my back. That helped. What didn't help was my state of mind. Even after I was able to breath again, it was erratic. I needed to calm down. I wasn't getting enough oxygen. I knew that, but at the same time it didn't really click with my head.
I curled up into a ball and started rocking back and forth as I hyperventilated. "I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna drown. I don't wanna die." The words were tumbling from my mouth without my even hardly noticing. I was trapped in my own little world of panic and fear.
I knew I should have gone back to the car! I knew I shouldn't have gotten in that darn boat! I knew this was a bad idea! Why did I do this? WHY?!
"-id! Kid! Megan!" The voice broke through my mind. It sounded a bit panicked. I could feel something solid gripping my shoulders.
Solid. Stable. Safe.
I reached out and clung to my solid object like a drowning man to drift wood. I could feel the tears running down my face, salt mingling with lake water. I didn't normally cry nowadays, but at the moment I didn't care. My body shook as I tried to bring my mind back to some semblance of order.
I felt something patting my back again, but this time it was a lighter pat. More comforting. I stayed that way for a while until I was calmed down enough to bring myself back to reality.
It turned out the solid object I had been hugging like a teddy bear was my Grunkle Stan. Now that I was more aware, I could tell that he was feeling kinda awkward. Understandable. I pulled away, still slightly shaking and began to wipe the tears from my face.
Suddenly, I was feeling very embarrassed. I can't believe I let anyone see me like that, much less Grunkle Stan! I hung my head, not daring to look him in the face.
"T-thanks." I managed to stutter out as I hugged myself. A few awkward moments passed as we just sat there. I heard Stan clear his throat, obviously trying to get my attention, and I nervously looked up at him.
"So." He started. "I'm guessing you don't know how to swim either."
"Nope." I answered.
"Okay. Why don't you know how to swim?" He asked. With that, I started rambling.
"Well, I don't really like swimming. Or the water. At all. I'm kinda like, well more than kinda, well more like waaaaaay more than kinda, scared of the water. Not like any water. I'm not afraid to drink or take a bath or go out in the rain or anything like that. It's just bigger things ya know? Like pools, rivers, ponds... lakes. I have aqua-phobia and it's just, yeah. Not good. Sooooo... yeah." I looked back up at him after I finished with my word vomit. He was looking a bit uncomfortable. I couldn't quite place what it was exactly though, with my mind still working on calming myself.
"So, why did you come out here then? If you're so afraid of the water?" He asked.
"Well, I didn't wanna leave you alone out here ya know." I answered truthfully. That's when it clicked and I realized I had said the wrong thing. It was guilt I saw in his eyes, that I felt coming off of him stronger now. Oh no. Now he feels responsible for this! Stupid stupid!
"Look kid, we can just head back to the shore and forget this happened. I shouldn't a dragged you out here in the first place. Let's just-"
"Wait!" I shouted, getting his attention. "Grunkle Stan, I'm sorry. I should have just been honest with you from the start. I should have told you. If this is anyone's fault, it's my own." I apologized. "Besides, I did have fun out here today, aside from the whole 'nearly drowning' thing, heh heh." I laughed nervously. Then I looked up at him with a smile.
"Ya know, maybe this is something I needed. I can't run from the water forever right?" He smiled back. It seemed that had helped.
"Yeah, you're right kid. You gotta face your fears head on! Show 'em who's boss round here!" He shouted.
"Yeah!"
"Who's boss?"
"Megan's boss!"
"I said who's boss?"
"MEGAN'S BOSS!"
And then we both broke down laughing. Thanks Grunkle Stan.
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It was late in the day when we started heading back to the shore. We had had a good time, I even managed to catch a fish, but I could tell Grunkle Stan was still upset that the twins had never joined us. I perked up when I felt them nearby. I could see them coming up behind us.
"Hey, hey, over here!" Dipper called out. They pulled up beside us with what used to be a boat. Now I had to wonder how it even managed to float.
"Hi Megan!" Mabel said as Dipper took a picture of me and Stan. I smiled and waved.
"What the?" Stan said, confused. "Kids? I thought you two were off playing 'spin the bottle' with Soos." He said in accusation. Dipper rubbed him arm with a sheepish smile.
"Well we spent all day trying to find a legendary dinosaur." He started. Mabel finished for him.
"But we realized the only dinosaur we wanna hang out with, is right here."
"Save your sympathy. We've been havin' a great time without ya. Makin' friends, hitting a guy in the head with a fishing pole. We had a run in with the lake police! Guess I gotta wear this ankle bracelet now so that'll be fun." I giggle at his recap of the day, glad he left out my near death experience.
"So I guess there isn't room in that boat for three more?" Dipper asked hopefully. Stan looked at them as they put on their fishing hats. That seemed to soften him up.
"You knuckleheads ever seen me thread a hook with my eyes closed?" He asked, obviously knowing they hadn't.
"Five bucks says you can't do it." Dipper wagered.
"You're on!" Dipper jumped onto the boat.
"Five more bucks says you can't do it with your eyes closed, plus me singing at the top of my lungs!" Mabel added.
"I like those odds." Stan said as Mabel joined us. Then Soos came in behind me missing his shirt.
"Whoa, What happened to your shirt?"
"Long story dude."
"Alright, everybody get together. Say fishing." Dipper said as he pulled out his camera. Me and Stan gathered around Mabel, who I put an arm around, and did as Dipper said. Soos stepped up beside me, squishing me up against my sister.
"Dude am I in the frame?" He asked. The first of many pictures that day snapped as we all smiled.
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(A/N) Okay, not giving any excuses. I did say no promises though didn't I? Yeah, sorry I was a couple days late. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you guys! C'ya next time!