On one excruciatingly hot day, the group were huddled in the living room of the shack, as the heat exhausted them.

"Arrgh!" Mabel groaned, leaning against the TV.

"Translation, please," Bill asked Dipper.

"She can't take the heat anymore," Dipper replied, waving a paper fan at his face rapidly.

Wendy came out from inside the kitchen, bits of frost stuck in her hair. "OK, I only managed to stick my head in the freezer for 20 minutes before I started suffocating. Any suggestions on how we can cool off?"

"I'm too dehydrated to think," Will complained. "This is probably the hottest day of the summer."

"I know right," Bill said. He turned to a figure sitting on the sofa. It was Stan, and he seemed unfazed by the heat. "I wonder what despicable person allowed this."

Stan gave him a sideways glance. "Heh, are you talking to me?"

"Yes!" Bill snapped. "You control the sun! What is with this weather?"

Stan shrugged. "Being a sun deity, sometimes I see how much I can get away with being the biggest jerk possible, just for the heck of it."

"Prime example: Australia," Dipper said.

"You're way too chaotic," Mabel told her uncle.

"Only when I'm off my special medicine," Stan replied.

Just then, an advertisement popped on the TV, and as though luck struck them, it was about a new pool opening.

"A pool? This is great!" Mabel beamed, standing up.

"We should go now, before it gets full," Dipper pointed out.

Stan leaned back in the sofa. "Have fun, kids. I'll look after the shack while you're gone."

"Don't set anything on fire, old man," Bill said, before following the rest of the group out.

"Like I was going to," Stan muttered, softly. "Probably."

❇❇❇

Later, the group arrived at the pool, wearing swimsuits. The area was packed with people, but fortunately, it wasn't too full.

"Ah, the pool," Mabel said, blissfully. "A sparkling oasis of summer enchantment."

"Nothing beats going in a tub with strangers," Bill remarked. "It's like the public bus, but wet."

"Try to have some fun," Will told him. "And don't try to drown Dipper."

"I think it'll be the other way around, Will," Dipper chuckled.

"Haha, very funny," Bill deadpanned. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be swimming, pretending you guys don't exist." Then, he walked off.

"Pfft, his loss," Mabel claimed. "Because the rest of us are gonna have fun--Wait a minute, who's that?"

She pointed to the edge of the pool, where a young man with tanned skin, long hair, and stubble on his top lip was relaxing in the sun. Wendy looked at him, and she made a look of recognition.

"Yeah, he's quite a loner," Wendy told Mabel. "Some say he never leaves the pool."

"And his skin never gets pruny?" Will questioned, slightly amazed.

Meanwhile, Mabel was gazing at the stranger. "Is it hot out here, or is it just that guy?" She giggled.

"It's the hottest day of the summer," Dipper told her. "Also, can you go one minute without having a random crush?"

"Are you kidding? Look at his little mustache hairs!" Mabel beamed. "There's no way I can resist his charms."

"Maybe, you should ask him out?" Will asked.

The female brunette sighed. "I've been out of the game for half a century! How am I suppose to impress him?"

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," The blue haired boy reassured.

Mabel looked at him thoughtfully, then smiled. "Hey, you can help me! Like some kind of wingman."

Will tilted his head. "Um, I guess," He said. "What do I have to do?"

Mabel wrapped an arm around him, and stirred him away. "I'll explain everything."

Eventually, the two left, and Dipper exhaled softly. "I guess, it's just you and me, Wendy--"

But, when he turned, she was gone.

"Oh, come on."

❇❇❇

At one side of the pool, Mabel and Will sat on the edge, while observing the long haired guy that was a short distance away.

"So, the plan is that I pretend to drown, and you come save me," Will revised.

"Yep, and Handsome Guy will be so impress, he'll have to date me," Mabel smiled.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Will said. "Let's first get his attention."

He took a deep breath, before sinking into the pool. He paddled to the center, and looked at Mabel. She gave him a thumbs up, and he returned it.

He cleared his throat, before rapidly splashing. "Help! I can't swim!" Will shouted. "Someone help!"

The long haired man blinked, looking in his direction. It looked like the plan was set in motion. Will kept screaming, and Mabel stood up with a smile.

"Don't worry, I'll save you!" She yelled, then prepared to dive.

"CANNONBALL!"

Will's eyes widened, when a random citizen fell on top of him, erupting a big splash in his place.

"Will!" Mabel shouted, distressed.

Will floated to the surface, unconscious, while the man who had fallen on him, which revealed to be Officer Blubs, looked at him in surprise, as though he hadn't noticed him.

"Aw man, that's the third time already," Blubs sighed.

Quickly as possibly, Mabel slipped into the water, and swam towards Will. She held him out of the water, checking him for any injuries.

"Will, can you hear me?" She pleaded.

"Over here!"

Mabel turned, seeing the guy from before waving in her direction. She quickly paddled towards him, and he patted a floaty raft.

"Lay him right here," He told her, and she obliged.

The young man examined Will carefully, and after a while, he seemed satisfied. "Good, he seems to be breathing normally," He said, in a thick accent. "But, he should definitely be out of the water for a while."

"Thanks," Mabel said.

The stranger looked up at her, with a smile. "My name is Mermando, may I ask the name of you and your friend here?"

Mabel blinked at him, blushing. "My...uh.."

"Her name is Mabel," Will said, peeling his eyes open. "And I'm Will...Ow."

"Will, I'm so glad you're okay!" Mabel beamed.

"I'll leave you be, then," Mermando said, starting to swim off. "Keep care of your friend, Mabel."

"Wait!" Mabel said, grabbing his arm. "Maybe we can hang out later? And grab some snacks outside the pool--"

"Sorry, but I cannot," Mermando sighed, a look of sorrow in his eyes. "I must go."

Mabel watched with a frown, as the young man left. Will looked at her in concern.

"Are you alright, Mabel?'

"I'm upset," Mabel admitted, then she smiled softly. "But intrigued."

❇❇❇

Bill was getting out of the pool, after a few minutes of swimming. He supposed it was about time he acknowledged the existence of his friends, as long as they didn't do anything annoying. He went to go search for them, but only managed to find one.

It was Dipper, and the Guardian was currently buying a bottle of water from a vending machine. Bill forced himself not to stare, since Dipper was only wearing a pair of swim trunks. A shirtless Dipper was something he'll never get use to.

Suddenly, Dipper turned towards him, and a smile formed on his face. "Bill, you came just in time," He said. "You mind helping me with something?"

"If you're gonna ask me to rub sunscreen on your back, I swear to--"

"Relax," Dipper told him, tiredly. "I only want you to pour some of this water over the back of my neck." He tossed the bottle to him.

Bill caught it expertly, and stared it. "The pool does exist, you know?"

Dipper shrugged. "I find it more refreshing this way."

"Why can't you do it yourself?"

"I can't reach."

"Really, even with your noodle arms?" Bill teased.

The Guardian rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by the blond's remarks. "This is literally the easiest thing in the world, can you just do it for me?"

"Alright," Bill remarked. "But bend down a little, you're way taller than me."

Dipper nodded, and did what Bill suggested. The blond walked up to the crouched Guardian. Dipper's head was bowed, leaving his neck exposed. Bill did his part, and pulled cap off the bottle, before turning it over the brunette's neck. The crystal clear water tickled down Dipper's back, and the Guardian tensed before his body relaxed. The brunette released a soft sigh, which made Bill's stomach tingle slightly.

Bill stood there awkwardly, finding himself focusing on the lines of water crawling down Dipper's shoulder blades. He stared at the wet marks left on Pine Tree's skin, and he felt very parched. Feeling the situation could only worsen if he dragged it on, he quickly emptied the bottle, before dropping it onto Dipper's head.

"Ow!" Dipper snapped, rubbing his head.

"Cooled down, yet?" Bill remarked.

Dipper stood up straight, and glared at him. "Yes, but you don't have to be such a jerk about it!"

"It's nice to see you two get along."

Both turned towards the voice, and were taken aback by surprise. Wendy was standing behind a fence, with a sign Pool Jail on it.

"Hey," She said.

"Red, we've only been here for 5 minutes, how are you already arrested?" Bill asked.

"By stealing snacks, I guess."

"When are they gonna let you out?" Dipper asked, concerned.

Wendy shrugged. "Beats me. But, don't worry, I already displayed my dominance by punching the biggest guy here."

"You mean that chubby kid brawling on the floor behind you?" Bill questioned.

"Yep," The redhead said. "I already have a ton of pool convicts on my side, so expect a jailbreak soon with water balloons."

"There's no need for that," Dipper told her. "We'll just have a talk with the pool manager, and have everything sorted."

"That might be impossible," Wendy said. "Mr Poolcheck is a beast."

"I'm sure he's a reasonable guy," Dipper insisted.

Wendy arched a brow, then pointed behind them. They turned, and saw a muscular man with a deep tan, a red shirt and white shorts. The man who could only be Mr Poolcheck, was currently doing pushups with his index fingers. He abruptly turned to them, and Dipper gasped.

"Oh, great," Bill sighed.