After Dipper left, Evelyn made her way down the stairs to join Mabel in the living room.

"Evie! D'you wanna watch an episode of Ducktective with me?" Mabel asked. "Ducktective's sick while a virus-killer is on the loose!"

Knowing that there wasn't much she had to do, Evelyn agreed with a smile and sat cross-legged in front of the loveseat by her sister. She hadn't spent time with just Mabel in a while, and in the teen's opinion, girl time was a much needed thing at the moment.

'It's not just girls here, Little Bird.' Bill reminded, sounding mildly annoyed at being forgotten.

'Sorry, Mr. Sensitive.' Evelyn joked.

It didn't take long for Mabel to begin to take sections of her sister's hair and braid it, enjoying the softness. Her sister allowed it, relaxing as she watched the show, and only tensing when Mabel carelessly pulled on a knot.

"We haven't done this in ages." the older Pines' girl hummed.

"Well, we should be doing this every day! Your hair would look great if I got to design it all the time!" Mabel giggled. "Boys would notice you for sure!"

Evelyn laughed, mentally picturing the monstrosities her sister would attempt. "I think I'll pass, Mabes. Thanks, though."

'I doubt wearing a literal crows nest would attract anyone.' Bill scoffed. After a moment's pause he continued thoughtfully, 'Maybe you should take Shooting Star up on her offer…'

'Oh, hardy har har,' Evelyn rolled her eyes, knowing that Mabel wouldn't see it, 'I'd rather not have every person in Gravity Falls think that I'm following in Old Man McGucket's footsteps.'

The two sisters sat for another half hour idly, occasionally commenting on the show and the oddness of the local ads, or arguing over how many braids Evelyn should have in her hair (Evelyn was fine with a few, but Mabel had a more… voluminous approach of wanting to make twenty or more).

Eventually, the show changed from Ducktective to a talk show where a middle-aged woman was berating a young girl's life choices.

Evelyn stared in confusion as the host cried, "Girl, why you 'ackin so cray-cray?"

"But she's not acting 'cray-cray'," the confused teen mumbled. "She needed to raise money for her school trip; why shouldn't she make a school-run circus to help fundraise? I've heard of worse ideas."

"But she's not willing to hire professional entertainers, or trained lions!" Mabel explained.

"Those things would cost more money than she could afford! That's the whole reason she's fundraising in the first place." Evelyn waved one arm in frustration towards the tv, which was cheerfully telling her that 'Why You Ackin So Cray-Cray' would come back soon.

Mabel looked to her sister, changing the subject to avoid a long argument on why lions would be necessary for a circus. "What did Dipper decide?"

Evelyn shrugged, but she couldn't help but sigh at the situation her brother found himself in. "To hide. He's going to the arcade now."

The younger girl looked down in sympathy. "Poor Dipper. Hiding from Robbie, unable to face his fears."

Waddles, who had been sharing the loveseat with Mabel, oinked in agreement, and the oldest brunette shook her head. She knew he didn't want everyone to know that he'd chosen to hide, but she preferred that to actually trying to fight Robbie.

Stan, who had been sitting at the poker table and working on some new knock-off attraction while his nieces watched tv, spoke up for the first time since he'd sat down. "Fears are for chumps. That's why I don't have any."

He got up and walked to the cupboard (above the fish tank), presumably for the glue Soos had put there not too long ago. Evelyn watched in mild amusement as he reached for the glue, but was unable to reach, grunting.

After a moment of watching the somewhat pitiful display, Mabel asked, "You want me to go get a ladder?"

"We don't have one." he replied quickly.

Now Evelyn was confused. "Wait, why?" she asked.

Her uncle studiously avoided eye contact and fidgeted as he answered. "You know, studies show that keeping a ladder in the house is more dangerous than a loaded gun." His eyes became more incensed. "That's why I own ten guns, in case some maniac tries to sneak in with a ladder."

"Um… Grunkle Stan?" Evelyn began in concern. "Owning ten guns won't keep away ladders. Actually, I think the fact that you own that many guns is a bigger hazard…"

Mabel nodded, her attention taken off of playing with her sister's hair by their uncle's strange behaviour. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, one that was beginning to rise in both of the sisters.

Stan immediately went on the defensive, only furthering the suspicion that was beginning to rise in the sisters. "YOU'RE the one who's 'ackin' cray-cray'!" He began to retreat, mumbling, "I gotta go now."

The sisters sat in silence for a moment, mulling over the strange behaviour of their great uncle.

"Why would Grunkle Stan be so weirded out by ladders?" Mabel asked her sister.

"Well, there could be a few reasons." Evelyn began logically. "He could have trouble getting on them because of sore joints, or he could have had an accident…"

The two sister's eyes lit up with a shared epiphany, and they finished in unison. "...Or he has a secret fear of heights!"

"It would make sense," Evelyn added. "I've never seen him on a ladder, or on things that take him more than a few feet off the ground."

Mabel nodded, a giddy smile lighting up her face. "We'll have to test him to be sure!"

"Nothing crazy though, Mabes," her sister advised, "I know you get carried away when you try to 'help' people, and I'd rather not see our uncle in the hospital because you gave him a heart attack."

"Pssh! I'd never go too far!" Mabel waved off her sister's comment, before seeming to have a moment of doubt, and glancing between Waddles and Evelyn. "We could always just leave well enough alone… Nah!"

Evelyn rolled her eyes at her sister's predictability, as Bill commented, 'Shooting Star's not exactly the most aware human, is she? Did it occur to her that your 'Grunkle' will be angry if you try to mess with his fears? Not that I'm complaining; it'll be hilarious to watch!'

'Mabel just likes doing things she thinks will help others,' the brunette explained, 'she's not malicious; just a bit misguided, but definitely sweet.'

Mabel tucked Waddles under one arm, and used her free hand to tug on her sister's hand. "C'mon, Evie! Let's make a plan to prove that Grunkle Stan has a fear of heights, and help him get over it!"

"...Will there be special sweaters involved?" Evelyn asked hesitatingly. It wasn't that she didn't like her sister's sweaters - they were actually very cozy - but she was already hot in her shirt and shorts. Wearing a sweater would be mildly tortuous, even if Mabel seemed unfazed.

"Of course!" Mabel cheered. "I already have a sweater idea for us, and I've been making you some in my spare time. It's gonna look great!"

Evelyn sighed resignedly. "Alright, lead the way…"

'You're going to help Shooting Star with her half-baked plan?' Bill wondered.

Evelyn mentally shrugged. "Why not? I don't have anything better to do, and if I'm here, I can at least reign Mabel in from her more… dangerous ideas.'

'I hope that you know what you're getting yourself into Little Bird.'

Evelyn smiled. 'I do. At least it's going to be fun, right?'

-DaLD-

After thirty minutes of pitching ideas to her unmoving sister, Mabel flopped onto her bed, her head dangling off it as she gave the teen an accusing glare while upside down.

"Why not?!" she whined.

Evelyn, sitting on her own bed with her legs crossed, gave the younger girl a deadpan look. "Mabel, there is no way I'm letting you smuggle a hot air balloon. Where would you even find one, anyway?"

"We could call somebody!" the young girl cried, her hands flung out in desperation. "What about a giant-"

"No." Evelyn cut her off sternly, though her lip twitched in amusement.

"Or we could tie him up and hang-"

"No."

"Alright, what if we attach glitter to his shoes and-"

"Mabel, I swear if you mention rocket heels one more time I will not put on your sweater." Evelyn sighed.

Mabel shut her mouth with an audible click of her teeth, but let out an audible sigh. "You're no fun."

"You take that back." Evelyn got a gleam in her eyes as she pounced off her bed and grabbed her sister, aiming her hands for the soft spot beneath her sister's ribcage.

Immediately, the young brunette let out an ear-piercing squeal, struggling to escape her sister's hold. Her legs kicked into the air, and she began keening as she tried to escape.

"You win! You win!" Mabel gasped out. "You're fun!"

Evelyn released her sister with a playful grin. "There, now wasn't that easy -"

She was cut off by the force of a pillow hitting her in the face. Only a moment later, as she remained dazed, Mabel yanked the elder Pines' arm out from under her, ruining the teen's balance and taking her down.

Evelyn struggled a bit, managing to free her arm, only to have the pig waddle over and sniff her hand, before gently nibbling on her fingers. "Waddles, I am not a snack!" She yelped, her cry muffled by the pillow and the covers.

'D'you want me to lend a hand, Little Bird?' Bill questioned, his tone amused. 'I can always send out a pulse to temporarily paralyze them.'

'No thanks.' Evelyn replied breezily. She'd found that after temporarily losing him, it was much easier for her to ignore his occasional comment.

'You're enjoying this!' she suddenly accused, feeling his amusement toward her current situation.

'Enjoy it? Never!' Bill paused. 'Alright, maybe this is a little enjoyable. Seeing you attempt to be unpredictable is funny! I knew I liked you for a reason.

With a sly tone, he asked, 'Would you like some pointers? I've been told that I'm an excellent teacher…'

Evelyn paused. She normally only followed his advice when she was in danger, but if they were going to get along, they should be able to listen to each other... She felt as though this was Bill's attempt to extend an offer of friendliness, and it couldn't hurt to accept.

She only hoped that he didn't somehow sense the slight blush on her cheeks from his previous comment.

'Alright.'

She felt his surprise at the ease in her tone, but he recovered quickly. 'Okay Little Bird, you're first lesson in being unpredictable to your enemy is this…'

The brunette listened avidly to his advice, and soon put their plan into motion.

She placed her hand within reach of Waddles again, attracting the pig's attention. Wiggling them, she slowly drew her hand closer to her body, the pet pig follow willingly.

Once he was close enough, Evelyn tickled his chin and rubbed the pig's stomach, causing the happy pig to roll over to grant her more access, snuffling cutely.

Just as Evelyn hoped, Mabel was completely oblivious to her sister's plan and immediately fell for the bait. "Aw, Waddles! You're the cutest pig in the whole universe! This is a perfect scrapbookortunity for our besties page!"

Forgetting her original purpose, the younger girl bounced off her sister's back for the dresser where she was currently keeping her camera.

Before her sister could realize her mistake, Evelyn jumped up and scooped the younger girl into her arms, forcing out a maniacal laugh as the young brunette squealed.

"I win!" she cried.

"Okay, okay, you win!" Mabel huffed. "Put me down!"

The moment her feet touched the ground, Mabel gave her sister a mocking glare. "That's not fair, you cheated! You can't use Waddles against me like that!"

Evelyn could tell Mabel wasn't mad by the way her lip twitched as she tried to stop a smile. Giving her sister a grin, she ruffled her sister's hair and asked, "Should we get back to planning?"

The younger brunette nodded vigorously. "I was thinking that we could use high heels…"

-DaLD-

'This is the dumbest plan I've ever heard of Little Bird,' Bill complained, 'and I've seen a planet where people made the Titanic 147 times and added another 'new' each time.'

'Well, this was also the safest plan Mabel came up with,' Evelyn replied, though she filed the Titanic planet for a topic to be brought up later. 'Besides, I have a back up plan if this one fails.'

The sisters and their pig found their uncle asleep on the couch. "Alright, my sidekicks," Mabel said, standing in the entranceway. "It's time to begin Operation Get Stan Over His Fear of Heights! I came up with that name."

The girls made their way to their uncle's prone form and, sharing a smile, yelled, "HAPPY GREAT UNCLE'S DAY!"

Their uncle woke up with a jerk, and groggily asked, "Huh? Is it Great Uncle's Day?"

Mabel looked uneasily away. "Ha ha, yeah, of course it's not a day I made up." Evelyn lightly elbowed her sister, getting a glare from the small brunette.

"We got you a present," Evelyn smiled genially, and Mabel offered up the wrapped box.

They watched as Stan revealed two red high heels. They were Evelyn's, something her mom had insisted she pack- though she genuinely didn't know when she'd ever be able to wear them in Gravity Falls.

"High heels? You shouldn't have!" their uncle exclaimed with a half smile. He quickly dropped the smile and looked at them in confusion. "Seriously, wha- what? What is this?"

Mabel gave him a sly grin, her eyes narrowing and her tone becoming accusatory. "What's wrong? Are you saying these heels are TOO high? Do they make you uncomfortable? Hmm?"

Stan looked away, getting up and placing the red heels on the side. "Maybe."

"Admit it!" Mabel cried. "Admit you have a fear of heights!"

Stan scoffed and went to fix the antenna on the television, but Evelyn stepped in with a smile. "I'll fix the antenna, Grunkle Stan. You should just sit down and relax… It's Great Uncle's Day after all."

"That's the right attitude, kid." Stan said approvingly, turning to sit back down at the brunette fiddled purposefully with the antennas.

"And that's why you bought me these? You should be ashamed of yourself! And on Great Uncle's Day no less. But no," he added, making himself comfortable in his chair. "I don't have a fear of heights."

Looking at Evelyn, who was still moving the antennae around, he complained, "see, why can't you be like your sister? She knows how to treat someone on Great Uncle's Day, and - AGHH!"

Evelyn had stepped aside from the tv, revealing a program called 'World's Most Terrifying Skydiving!" As she'd expected, her uncle nearly fell out of his chair as he scrambled away from the tv, though the sofa withstood the abuse.

"Ah! Ah! Turn it off!" Stan cried.

Evelyn immediately turned the tv off, feeling both satisfied and a bit guilty.

'That wasn't a bad backup plan, Little Bird.' Bill approved.

Evelyn shrugged mentally. "Well, I wanted a solution that wouldn't hurt him, and I know from experience that this channel plays a nearly twenty-four hour loop of this show, so I took a chance. Besides, if we'd followed Mabel's plans, she'd eventually end up breaking every bone in is body."

Mabel high-fived her on their victory, but the sisters' attention was pulled back to the present as their uncle righted himself and stared at them with sad, tired eyes.

"So I have a fear of heights. Is that really so cray-cray?" All of Evelyn's satisfaction flew out the window and she was filled with crippling guilt and sympathy. Even if it hadn't given him physical scars, the scare definitely didn't improve his mental state - or blood pressure, for that matter.

"No, it isn't." Evelyn mumbled guiltily, before rubbing her arm nervously and said, "I'm sorry, Grunkle Stan. Mabel and I were trying to make a point, but it was rude to meddle in your business like that."

Seeing the genuine remorse in the teen's eyes, Stan's own softened a bit. Evelyn had always been one to want the people around her to be happy, even as a kid. Mabel had followed after that trait, in an admittedly more chaotic way, but he still couldn't help but forgive them.

"...That was a pretty smart move, kid. I've taught you well." Evelyn smiled, though she could feel Bill's indignation.

'I'm the one who's teaching you this stuff, not your old man,' Bill practically whined, 'if anything he should be praising me for your accomplishments, Little Bird. Not himself.'

'Well, I can't exactly tell him that.' Evelyn commented sarcastically. Bill huffed but remained silent.

Evelyn hesitantly thanked her uncle for his praise, seeing that he was clearly still shaken from the sky-diving footage.

"Well, it was my idea to give you the heels!" Mabel exclaimed.

"Y-you didn't think that was going to work, did you?" Stan gave his younger niece a dubious look.

"Believe me, it was her least dangerous plan." Evelyn sighed, and her uncle paled at the thought, before casting a relieved glance to the teen, knowing she was responsible for not having a near death experience.

"Well, now you two know. So give it a rest, will you? I'd like to watch something that doesn't try to stop my heart." Stan waved them off. Before Evelyn could make it to the stairs, however, her uncle uncomfortably coughed to get her attention. "C-could you, um… change the channel? I don't feel like getting up." he added quickly, trying to put on an air of bravado.

Evelyn saw through it, but decided not to comment, and went to fix the channel. It was the least she could do for what she'd done, anyway.

Once she'd fixed the antennae to broadcast a different channel, she gave him a smile, before walking up the stairs.

Hopefully, Mabel would leave it at that.

-DaLD-

'Did you really think Shooting Star wouldn't want to meddle, Little Bird?'

'No,' Evelyn sighed. 'But you can't blame a girl for hoping.'

The moment that the two girls had gone back to their room, Mabel had declared their need for a plan to stop their uncle from being afraid.

Honestly, Evelyn couldn't even pretend to be surprised. She knew her sister well enough to know that she wouldn't let it go, and if she was being honest, she was worried about her uncle and his phobia as well. His reaction had been extreme to a video of someone falling; what if one day he found himself in a real situation involving heights? Stranger things have happened\ in Gravity Falls, and she couldn't help but be concerned, especially since they would be leaving him again at the end of the summer.

She knew he'd probably been managing his fear fine, since he'd lived at the Shack by himself since he'd bought it, but now that Evelyn knew about the weirder side of Gravity Falls… well, it would be better to err on the side of caution.

This was why the 17 year old found herself sitting once more on her bed, brainstorming with her sister and a pig.

Mabel had been relatively quiet as the two had brainstormed, and Evelyn was relieved that she didn't need to curb any possibly dangerous ideas, at least for a moment. She loved being there for her siblings, but it was surprisingly draining at times.

Finally, Mabel couldn't seem to contain herself any longer, and whined, "Ugh, Evie, how are we gonna get Grunkle Stan over his fear of heights?"

Evelyn shrugged, about to say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of her surprisingly confident looking younger brother. He walked into the room with something… bright and large following behind him. The moment it came in, the eldest Pines' found her eyes riveted on the strangest thing she'd seen all day.

The ...person following her brother was a giant, muscled character that looked like it came from a video game, with sharp, pixelated edges covering the strange man.

"Hey guys, have you met Rumble yet?" He waved calmly toward the pixelated giant. "He's my new bodyguard."

It took Evelyn a minute to process the pixelated figure in front of her; staring at him made her eyes hurt, like he was a walking optical illusion.

Rumble yelled, "The child gave me a taco!" as he bounced on the spot, constantly shifting and only furthering the eldest Pine's disbelief.

Finally, Evelyn began to speak up. "Wait, what?"

Dipper turned to his sister excitedly. "It's cool, right, I tried this move that was scratched into the side of the game, and Rumble came out!"

"I will defend the boy's honour from his foe!" the pixelated character cried helpfully, speaking in a disjointed manner.

Before Evelyn could even think of articulating a response, Mabel jumped up, cooing over the strangeness of the character's voice.

"Here, say these words!" the excitable brunette passed a slip of paper she'd hastily scribbled words on to the large man.

For his part, Rumble seemed fairly unfazed, and began to spout the words listed on the paper. "Effer...vescent! Apple… fritter! Ribo...flavin!"

"Mabel, he's not a toy," Dipper grumbled, annoyed as he pushed his twin away, "he's a fighting machine. I'm gonna get him to defend me from Robbie."

Evelyn frowned as Mabel asked, "Isn't that kinda like cheating?"

Dipper shrugged, "Guess so." Unperturbed, he began to head to the door. "Well, I'll see you after the fight."

Evelyn grabbed her brother's arm, stopping him from leaving, and just as quickly felt a sharp, pixelated fist hold her free arm in a painfully tight grip. "New challenger?"

"Ow!" Evelyn couldn't help but yelp, trying to tug her arm away. "Let me go, you pixelated giant!"

She could feel Bill seething in her brain at the aggressive gesture, before Dipper stepped between the two with a cry- "Rumble, let her go! She's not a challenger; she's family!"

The word 'family' seemed to click in Rumble's brain, because he let the brunette go, moving back into his pixelated stance.

Evelyn rubbed her arm as it twinged painfully. It would bruise, there was no doubt about it, and some of his pixels had nicked her skin, causing small red welts to rise. Despite all of it, the only thing the teen could feel was a surge of concern for her brother.

Dipper checked her arm and winced. "I'm sorry, Evie. I didn't know he'd do that."

"Dipper…" Evelyn looked down at him in worry. "I don't want you going with him."

"He's not going to hurt me!" Dipper protested. "He doesn't get normal social interaction, but he'll be perfect for scaring Robbie into giving up."

"You can't let other people fight your battles, Dip." Evelyn explained. "What's happening with Robbie isn't right, but you can't just throw someone else into the mix! You don't know what he'll do to Robbie."

Dipper's eyes hardened slightly. He understood her point, but she didn't get it! "Evie, I need to do this! And I'll make sure it doesn't go too far."

He turned and ran from the room before his sister could get to another point, Rumble quickly following behind him.

Evelyn sighed worriedly, rubbing her forehead before running a hand through her hair to calm her nerves.

'That mass of squares is going to be ash if I ever get my hands on him!' Bill proclaimed menacingly. She could feel his anger rolling through her head. 'He should never have touched you, Little Bird.'

'I'm alright.' Evelyn assured. Her arm was a bit sore, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. 'I'm worried about Dipper though… should I go after him, make sure he doesn't get into any trouble?'

Bill groaned. 'Do you ever think about something other than those kids?'

'I do when one's not being followed by a pixelated behemoth with anger issues.'

The teen could feel bill calm down slowly in her mind. 'Do you really think it's wise to leave Shooting Star on her own, Little Bird? Without someone actually checking in on her, who knows what plans she'll come up with in that twisted mind of hers.'

Though Evelyn couldn't help but feel that he was just coming up with an excuse to not follow the creature that just attacked her, she had to admit Bill had a point. Mabel couldn't be left without supervision, especially when she was planning a way to get her uncle over a fear of heights. Without someone there to curb the more extreme ideas, there was no telling what would happen.

But she couldn't just leave Dipper alone either…

An idea popped into her head, and she pulled out her small phone, scrolling through the short list of contacts as she leaned against the door frame, ignoring Mabel's look of confusion.

Stan had given her Soos' number in case of emergencies - 'a light bulb isn't working, or something' - and though Soos wasn't always the most mature or aware person, he would protect Dipper if need be and not question the situation, which was perfect for what she needed.

She made a quick call, letting the repairman know about the situation and her concerns, before giving him the rough location of the fight. Once that was over, she thanked him and ended the call, feeling somewhat relieved.

Now the twins would be watched by separate eyes. Sensing that her sister was finished dealing with the problem, Mabel said, "We should focus on the plan, Evie! We're running out of daylight! Plus," she added, pointing to a light pink lump on the bed, "Your sweater's ready."

Evelyn knew she'd made the right choice.

-DaLD-

Unsurprisingly, almost all of Mabel's plans had included near death at least once. For some reason, the younger brunette seemed to think that dangling their uncle from something high up would scare him out of it.

Placing him in a terrifying situation to get him over his fear wasn't an impossibility, but she wouldn't let the younger girl know that. The last thing they needed was to accidentally murder their uncle.

"Why can't we hang him from the bell tower?" Mabel whined.

Evelyn sighed as she bandaged her arm, a headache beginning to form. "Because we don't know how sturdy the rope or the banister of the water tower is, Mabes. We can't risk our uncle's safety, and we're definitely not psychologists. For all we know, it'll only make him worse!"

Mabel waved her off. "Oh, pshaw. This plan is foolproof."

"We're not doing it, Mabel."

"Fine!" the girl cried in exasperation. "How about we just bring him to the top of the tower, and make him look down?"

"Mabel," Evelyn paused, trying to figure out what to say to her sister's demands. It wasn't a terrible plan in theory, but their uncle almost had a heart attack watching a show with people at high altitudes… "We don't know if that will actually traumatize him too much; we should take baby steps, and then work our way up from there."

The younger sister crossed her arms petulantly. "What could we start off with?"

"Well…" the teen thought, before something occurred to her. "At the arcade, there's a game that simulates being a pilot. We can trick him into playing it, warm him up to heights gradually, and then actually place him in a real situation with heights."

Mabel was about to protest, rolling her eyes, when she paused and glanced at something Evelyn couldn't see, an indecipherable expression flashed across her face. Her eyes glinting, she agreed easily, "Alright, Evie. We'll do it your way."

"Really?" Evelyn questioned dubiously. It was usually like pulling teeth to convince Mabel to do anything other than what she wanted…

The young girl shrugged. "Sure. It's like a compromise!"

A tentative relief flowed over Evelyn. Maybe, just this once, they could come to a painless conclusion!

'You're so hopeful, Little Bird.' Bill sighed. 'It's kind of sickening.'

'Well, get used to it, buddy.' Evelyn couldn't help but joke. 'You're in my head.'

Bill grumbled, but Evelyn could tell his annoyance was mostly fake. "Put on your sweater, Evie, and then we can start our master plan!" Mabel exclaimed.

Evelyn obliged, quickly sapping her blue shirt for the light pink sweater, making sure it covered the bandages. She didn't want to distract her uncle and have him ask questions; how would she explain that it came from a videogame character without sounding crazy?

Mabel nodded, pleased at the end results of her creation. "There's a halo and wings on the side he'll see," Mabel explained, "that way he'll think we're innocent. But on the back, I knit devil horns and a tail! Smart, right?"

"Clever." Evelyn hummed in agreement, admiring the soft wool. It wasn't a terrible colour, either; though she despised neon pinks, the pale tone she was wearing was closer to her taste. Mabel knew her well.

"And mine has a scout's honour on one side, but the fingers are crossed in the back!" the excitable girl continued, proud of her genius.

Evelyn pulled her long hair though the neck of the sweater, then nodded to the door. "Should we get going now?"

"Yup!" their sister nodded cheerfully, sprinting to the door.

Evelyn followed at a slower pace, internally planning how she would keep her uncle from Mabel's extreme actions for as long as possible. She just hoped that the video game would be a good enough start to make a difference. Maybe they could move up to climbing a ladder willingly once he'd shown improvement?

The brunette reached the bottom of the stairs in time to hear Mabel's loud exclamation of "HEY GRUNKLE STAN!", followed by the sound of her uncle spitting something out. A wave of pity hit her for her uncle; Mabel was a handful at the best of times.

She walked into the living room and leant against the doorframe, observing silently as her sister continued speaking. "How would you like to go to take a walk nowhere in particular while wearing a blindfold?"

Evelyn's confusion rose. Why would they need a blindfold to bring him to the arcade? He would most likely join them willingly; the only coercion they'd need would be to get him to play the game.

Stan seemed fairly relaxed, given the circumstances. "Eh, beats just sittin' around here being old."

He got up easily, before a thought seemed to strike him and he sat back down warily. "Wait a minute… you're not planning on taking me someplace super high up, are you?"

Mabel's eyes were wide and innocent. "Grunkle Stan! I would never!"

She quickly slipped on her sweater, showing off the hand's symbol knit neatly into the fabric. "Scout's honour!"

Stan wasn't convinced and shot a dubious look to his other niece.

"She's not allowed to do that," Evelyn gave him a reassuring smile. 'I'll make sure she doesn't."

Stan nodded, convinced. "Alright, let's go."

As he went off to change, Evelyn approached her grinning sister, questions bubbling on her tongue. "Mabes, why do you want to blindfold him? We won't need to hide the arcade from him; he'll hear the video games the moment we walk in."

Mabel shrugged. "I thought it would make it more exciting." She gave her sister puppy dog eyes. "Pleas, Evie, can I have this one thing? It'll make the plan more exciting and secret-y!"

Evelyn stared at her sister for one long moment before believing the sincerity of her sister's wish. Mabel liked things to be big and showy; if they were playing spies, Mabel would make her sister lower her from the ceiling on a rope to steal a teddy, or would actually give weapons to stuffies when they pretended to be explorers as children. Suffice to say that their mother had a lock on the knife cabinet installed early on.

If Mabel wanted to add to the secrecy of their 'plan', then who was Evelyn to ruin that enjoyment for her sister? Mabel was being very accommodating, and Evelyn could at least giver her this, no matter how strange it was.

"Alright." Mabel perked up, and Evelyn ruffled her sister's hair. "But only because you're being so agreeable, alright?"

Something flashed in Mabel's face, before she set her face into a joyful smile. "Thanks, Evie!"

They waited for their uncle together- Mabel somewhat impatiently, as he took his time getting dressed and ready. Evelyn grinned slightly, amused by her sister as she hopped from one foot to the other.

Their uncle joined them a few minutes later, looking somewhat hesitant as he knelt and allowed the small girl to blindfold him.

"Ow!" He grumbled as Mabel's fingers fumbled and pulled on a few hairs. "Watch it, kid!"

Mabel gave him a sheepish look, though he couldn't see. "Sorry Grunkle Stan!"

"At least she's not using you as a mannequin." Evelyn commented. Her memory of one of Mabel's earlier dabbles in fashion and dressmaking made her cringe. "There were more needles pricking my skin than holding the fabric when she tried that."

Stan chuckled under his breath as Mabel huffed indignantly. "I already apologized for that, Evie!"

"I know," she grinned, mussing up her sister's hair playfully, "but it never hurts to remind you sometimes."

Mabel rolled her eyes. "Let's just go! We are wasting precious sunlight, people!"

She grabbed her uncle's hand tightly and half dragged him to the floor, Evelyn following behind them calmly, though she did snicker at her Stan's disgruntled expression. Just as they all stepped onto the porch, Mabel began to pat her pockets down, letting go of her uncle to check her sleeves for something as she looked more and more distressed. "Where is it?!"

"Where's what, Mabes?" Evelyn asked. She put one hand on her sister's shoulder to calm her frantic movements.

"I forgot something!" Mabel cried, staring up at her sister with wounded eyes.

"What did you forget?" the elder sister asked, ignoring her uncle's annoyed huff in favour of calming the distressed 12-year-old.

The younger brunette gestured for her sister to sit closer, and once she'd crouched down, Mabel whispered into her ear, "I forgot my kit, the one I made for the plan! I had some paper, crayons, pencils, stickers, and my camera!"

"Well, we can just go back in and get it." Evelyn reasoned.

"If either of you two twerps/squirts don't start moving soon," their blindfolded uncle warned, his impatience at being unable to see growing, "I'm gonna go back inside and actually do something productive. The furry fish need to have their patches of fur reglued…"

Mabel's eyes gleamed for a moment, before she shot her sister a desperate look, "Evie, we don't have time to get it!" She paused for a moment, then smiled as she seemed to think of a solution. "How about I stay with Grunkle Stan and walk ahead, and you can go back in and get it?"

Evelyn stared at her dubiously. "Wouldn't you know where it is better than I do?"

Mabel shrugged. "I think I put it on one of the high shelves, the ones I need a chair to reach? It'll take you less time to get it!"

Glancing back at her uncle's annoyed form, Evelyn gave in with a sigh. "Alright, I'll see you in a few minutes."

Mabel cheered, jumping to give her sister a quick hug. "Thanks, Evie! You're the best!"

She quickly steered their uncle down the stairs and across the lawn and parking lot, waving back at her sister, leaving the teen on the deck to watch their retreat.

Evelyn shook her head at her sister's quirks, leaning against the wooden post. She wasn't in too much of a hurry, allowing herself to feel the light breeze as it ruffled her hair. She was already feeling a bit too warm in the light pink sweater, so any breeze was appreciated.

'You can't just wait around forever, Little Bird.' Bill commented. 'Shooting Star could be doing anything without your supervision, and since you seem to want your uncle to remain in one boring piece…'

"Alright, alright, I get it. I'm going." Evelyn mumbled, walking into the house. She hummed a tune that had been stuck in her head, the sound echoing through the empty space and up the stairs.

"You know," she paused, taking in a moment to listen to the silence. "I have to admit that the Shack is relaxing when no one's home."

'Well, you don't have Pine Tree or Shooting Star breathing down your neck. Having freedom feels nice, doesn't it, Little Bird?'

Evelyn thought about it for a minute, absentmindedly admiring the sunlight streaming through the triangle-shaped window. "...I guess that's a part of it. I never really had time to myself at home… the twins always wanted to play with me."

She shrugged to her shoulders as she entered her room, absentmindedly looking around. She assumed Mabel had put everything in a bag, so she began checking the shelves; it would stand out -anything of Mabel's usually did.

"But it's not just that." Evelyn continued, "I enjoy spending time with the twins; it's just that there's a sort of… peace, in an empty house. I could do anything I want without being interrupted."

'Knowing you, Little Bird, you'd probably just read or do something boring when you could be spending your time the right way.'

"And what's the right way to spend it?" Evelyn questioned, amused.

'Blowing something up, destroying priceless sentimental treasures, stick furniture to the ceiling…'

"I feel like Grunkle Stan would be proud of me if I did most of those things." the red-eyed teen mused, barely holding back a chuckle at the mental image. "I'd finally join him in the con of the Mystery Shack and follow his 'ideal' lifestyle."

The conversation between them lulled as she continued her search for her sister's things, but it didn't feel uncomfortable to the teen. There was something comforting in the silence.

She searched for a few more minutes before she began to feel confused. Where could it be? She'd checked the lower shelves, and it wasn't like Mabel could reach the higher ones…

A niggling doubt started in the back of her mind as she continued looking around the room, and grew as she checked the highest shelf, the dresser drawers, and even underneath the beds. What if… there wasn't a bag?

"But why would she lie to me?" Evelyn scoffed out loud, rising up from the floor. Something caught her attention through the window, and she turned to look.

She could see the water tower from her spot near Mabel's bed, and something clicked in her head. Her sister's stare out the window, her easy acceptance of Evelyn's offer…

'You have your answer, Little Bird.' Bill sassed.

"Oh, she is so dead." the teen growled, her eyes flashing in anger.

Evelyn was out of the bedroom in seconds. She had a crazy sister to track down.

-DaLD-

Hey guys! I've been on vacation for my grandfather's wedding, which has made it pretty difficult to upload a chapter. My computer has broken down on top of it, and I had to quit my job at the sushi restaurant due to the horrible treatment from my boss and her daughter. Despite this, I am so sorry for the delay; it has always been present in my mind and I fully intend on continuing the story, to those who were concerned. I now have a fantastic job as a day camp monitor close to home, and it ends early enough for me to have ample time to write. I've written several chapters down already and am almost finished typing up the next one, so you should see it this week!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The ones to come will truly begin dabbling with AU changes, so this will be one of the last that will really remain canon. I would like to address one thing though from the last chapter: Evelyn doesn't necessarily have powers- or at least, no more than she had at her disposal before. Any and all abilities she has really come from Bill, and most aren't permanent. I find that it makes it a bit more spontaneous when she suddenly receives a short burst of power from Bill than simply have constant powers.

Onto reviews:

Moon Ninja Luna: Thank you for the book recommendations! I did well on my exams in the end, and I am very happy with my final marks. I've read Diamond in the Sky! It's a truly amazing fanfic.

DannyPhantom619: I agree. Though Evelyn won't be completely kick-ass, she'll definitely not be just a simple damsel. I want her to really grow into a confident female, and as it goes along, she'll become more and more the powerful teen we want her to be.

Glasses Writer: As I said in the AN, Little Bird does not necessarily have powers, but she is able to borrow what Bill has to offer. Any abilities Bill lends her will probably be just as insane as you could imagine, so that'll be fun! As for the twins listening to her, that will be a bit more hit or miss. There will be more AU as we go along, and the twins listening will play a big part in it.

CharitinaX: I feel the same. I'm so excited to write the plot heavy episodes – we're almost there!

Guest: I HAVE.

redvintage888: I'm really sorry to hear it! You've been one of my oldest supporters, and I'd have loved to get your feedback. Though I don't understand what could have triggered it, as there wasn't anything more risqué in the chapter than usual, I respect the censors put in place by your guardians. I hope you're able to see this one!

Fantasy Fan 223: Thank you so much for considering this a good fanfic! I toyed with the idea of Evie summoning something herself, but I honestly just wanted to get through the early chapters to get to the more fun ones (like Summerween), and I couldn't come up with a viable use of it. Plus, I wanted more Mabel/Evie sister bonding! I hope you enjoy this one!

Stacked Waters: Thanks for the recommendations! They were amazing choices; I love PotO, and friendly Snape! You're absolutely right about the sibling thing; younger siblings (like Dipper and Mabel) want to prove to their older siblings that they're capable of doing things their own way, and this is one of the biggest reasons why the twins have such a hard time listening to Evie when she warns them against something. I hope you liked the sibling bonding in this chapter!

CamiStark13: I can't wait for them to meet too! I can't promise anything about them meeting sooner – though it's not too likely based on some parts of the plot (to be revealed).

Luckygurrl12: I'll check it out! It sounds interesting for sure. I'm excited for Dipper to find out too – it's going to be a ride, that's for sure.

Crosslit. Heavens: Thanks for the favourite! I'll have to check out your stories sometime. The nickname thing will be brought up again soon… perhaps during Summerween? Evie's relationship with the twins will definitely shift as we gear toward Dreamscaperers, and afterwards as well, but that will be revealed in time. Dipper will also have questions about the necklace soon enough, but he's pretty set on doing some of his own research first. Your writing advice sounds pretty solid; tiring, but hopefully worth it! Thank you again! (Love the Mabel tank top!)

lunamoon531: Thank you for your understanding! Cripes, that's a lot of exams; I hope they went well! I enjoy Evelyn becoming more independent too.

Dot: Thank you! And who knows?

nikole yu: Thank you! And I would love a drawing of Evie! I'd love to see your interpretation of her.

Guest: Thank you for your incredibly kind review! It's nice to know that you enjoy the story and my writing!

laurenalyse24: Thank you so much! I hope the wait was worth it, and I am sorry about the wait. The next chapter will be much faster!

sweetpye: It's nice to know that it's clear, since I sometimes wonder whether it stands out. Thanks for reviewing!

Guest: Thanks, and no, I have no intention of leaving this story behind.

Thank you all again for your patience! Please favourite, follow, and/or review! I apologize for any spelling mistakes, and no flames, por favor! Love you all! – Aria

P.S. I have a girl in my group that's name is Evelyn, and she's adorable.

I don't own Gravity Falls.