Falling Universe [Complete]

Chapter 5

(Might have to edit ending, feel free to point out any mistakes)

The bulky blonde circled him like a shark. "You looking to catch that lake monster the old man was blabbering about?"

Dipper rubbed one of his arms as his cheeks turned bluer, obviously embarrassed. "K-kinda, I guess." He sputtered. Something about this man didn't feel right. "It's more of just a picture for this contest."

"If, surely not by yourself." The man smirked. "Much too small in this form, childish and vulnerable, any friends?... Family, even?"

Dipper didn't want to stay there, he wanted to leave. This didn't feel right... Something about the guy, his bright appearance, smokey smell and bold personality, reminded him of a burning forest.

"Feeling ok, child?" The man asked, stopping right in front of him and leaning down. "You're looking a bit... blue. Maybe I can yellow you out a bit?"

Dipper backed into the shed. "N-no, that's just how my skin is, sir...." He bit his tongue from correcting him any further. Especially about the 'yellow' part. "Thank you, Bill, but I really need to get this to my sister." He said, blindly tugging at the net.

"I'll be on my way, then." He smirked at the child, so weak without a driver, controller... user. "I could help with your monster hunt, y'know."

Dipper shook his head vigorously. "If my Grunkle found out I talked to strangers, he'll destroy me! I can't just show up with a stranger, or even be seen with one or-or or..." He said, a bit dramatically. He imagined an archive of cruel and unusual punishments, staring into the distance.

Bill smiled, coming over and gently removing the boy's fragile hands off the net as he began unraveling it from the wall. "He doesn't have the guts to, kid." He handed the small blue gem the net. "We're also going to need some kind of fish food, eh?" He ruffled Dipper's hat.

Dipper shook his head. "You can't Grunkle and Mabel would be mad." He rubbed his arm, feeling so upset with himself for just kicking this friendly (but still creepy) man out of his life like that... I mean, his sister does always beg him to get friends... Wait... how old was this guy? How old am I?

The man flicked Dipper's hat up and smirked. "Ok, kid. I get it. Give me a call if you ever need help with anything, I'll know where to get you. I'm very helpful, and if you need... I could be you and your sister's saviour."

Dipper's face turned to utter concern and fear. "H-how? and how would you possibly even know if you could help?"

Bill smirked and began walking into the forest, he looked back. "I'm always watching, and know things, kid." He blew the hair off his covered eye and revealed an interesting, if not beautiful gem. It was a pale yellow with an obvious shining white line going down the middle. "Lots of things." The man laughed before sprinting away into the forest. "EVERYTHING HAS A PRICE, KID!"

The words echoed through the young's body, making him shiver. Dipper scampered back to his family as fast as he could, forgetting the net and leaving it behind. Why did that guy have a gem? Was he like he and his sister? Was he really always watching? Why was he watching? Was he watching everybody, just him, or people with the gems? What did he mean by 'saviour?'

He slowed down at the call of his name. "Hey, Dipper!" Mabel called, happily waving to her twin from a pretty big (in his opinion) red boat. Soos the handyman waved from the boat as well, both wearing life jackets.

"Hey, dude!" The older friend called.

The closer Dipper got the more he smiled. The boat had the words 'S.S. Cool Dude' written on the side in white paint and an action figure taped to the bow. "Yo dork, where's our monster catching supplies?" Mabel smirked.

Dipper rubbed the back of his neck. Oh yeah. "I kinda..." He thought of what he could tell her. It was either the truth, or a lie. He decided with the ladder. "Wanted you to come with me." He raised his arms, awkwardly waiting for a hug.

She rolled her eyes and smiled, swiftly jumping out of the boat and running into his arms. After 3.4 seconds, they both loosened and did their sibling "pat pat" ritual. He held her arm and closed his eyes, he let her lead the way just how he liked it. Just letting her know how much her brother really trusts her. Y'know?

It felt like a good forever until he reached the supply stand again, this time with his sister... And Soos who, he didn't notice, had tagged along. He walked up to the stand and asked for umpteen disposable cameras. Along with the fish food Bill had suggested. "Uhhh." He looked to his monster hunting crew. "What else?"

"Sunscreen, dude." Soos pointed out, literally pointing to the sunscreen.

They ended up dragging a bunch of supplies with them, all the way to the boat, having to make multiple trips for the fish food. "How many cameras didja even get?" Mabel asked, moving from the steering wheel to let Soos start driving.

"You know how in horror/ mystery movies-" The blue gem was interrupted by his counterpart.

"The ones you make me watch with your scaredy butt?" She laughed, digging through the fish food.

"What? No I don't!"

"You do! Otherwise you won't sleep and no matter how much I try get you to stop watching, you do anyways. You goof." She dropped the smelly fish snack back into it's barrel.

"That's besides the point." He took a breath. "The point being they always have some kind of camera trouble, right?"

"So what? You just got a billion cameras?" Mabel arched her eyebrow.

"Seventeen. Only seventeen." He jiggled his bag of cameras.

"Dude, that's still a lot." Soos said, he smiled to himself. "Wouldn't it be cool if that were a magic bag? Then, all the cameras could double until we like... actually have a billion."

The twins shared reasoning smiles. They both nodded and agreed. "Takes care of the camera problem." "Do you think it would work on other stuff too?"

Soos barely had to think about it. "Like Pizza? We could have like, infinite pizza for like, ever."

"Or stickers. Can you imagine how many things I could decorate with those?" Mabel smiled excitedly.

"You could cover the whole town in your artistic vision." Soos gasped. "Only use it for good, dude.

Mabel winked and pointed at him. "No promises."

Dipper looked at the lake island in the distance. "Where's Grunkle Stan? Also can you be lookout?"

"Stan's just fishing. And I'll be the best lookout you'll ever know." She smiled, then gasped immediately. "A pelican!" She scurried towards it and poked it in various places. All the while her twin look wistfully towards the shore. The only thing on his mind the mystery of Bill, and how he could possibly help a pair of twins.

Dipper obviously had no idea of the dangers he'd face when returning to Gravity Falls. Not that he knew they'd been there before.