I see the light

Chapter 1

(Dipper pov)

I lay back on my bed, staring up at the paintings that cover nearly every inch of my room. I lift my hands up, looking at the dried paint that has been stained to my hands.

There isn't that much to do in here. I've already read every book that I have and not much room to paint anything else. This is what happens when I have lived in the same tower for almost 19 years.

I sit up stretching my hands over my head. I run my hands through my shoulder length blue hair to get it out of my face as I stand up.

"Pascal? Where are you?"

Pascal crawls out of his hiding space. I pick him up setting him on the desk.

"Can you stay here while I get started on my day?"

He makes a noise in agreement. I scratch under his chin as I get my day started.

"7 AM, the usual morning lineup
Start on the chores and sweep 'til the floor's all clean
Polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up
Sweep again and by then it's like 7:15
And so I'll read a book, or maybe two or three
I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery
I'll play guitar and knit and cook and basically
Just wonder, when will my life begin?

Then after lunch, it's puzzles and darts and baking
Papier-mâché, a bit of meditating and chess
Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making
Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch
Take a climb, sew some pants
And I'll reread the books if I have time to spare
I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere
And then I'll brush and brush and brush and brush my hair
Stuck in the same place I've always been
And I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'
And wonderin' and wonderin'
When will my life begin?"

I pick up one of the books laying on the floor, walking over to the balcony and look out on the world that I have been looking at all my life.

"Tomorrow night, lights will appear
Just like they do on my birthday each year
What is it like out there where they glow?
Now that I'm older, Ford might just let me go"

I put my books back climb up to the one part of my wall that's not covered in paint yet. Pulling my paints over I start my painting, not sure what it was going to be yet and just letting the paints guide me like always.

Pascal crawls on my shoulder as I finish the painting and realize what I actually painted. It's a painting of a field, and a boy in a tree watching the floating lights flying over the dark sky. I know from the blue hair that I am the boy in the painting.

"I'm going to ask him." I look at him, recognizing the look that he's giving me. "I know I know. I am aware that I say that every year but I really do mean it this time. The minute that he's back, I am going to ask him if he can take me."

"Dipper!" I jump slightly hearing him yell for me from outside.

I run over to the window, hiding Pascal behind the curtain, before looking out the window at Ford standing on the ground so far below.

"One minute!"

I grab the nearby rope and throw one end down to him. He grabs onto it and with a very great effort I manage to pull him up and help him through the window. This used to be almost impossible when I was younger but I've gotten pretty used to it at this point.

"I can't imagine how you manage to do that every day, Dipper."

"Really it's no big deal." He hands me his messenger bag and I put it on the table.

"Have you been able to find my journal yet?"

"No, I still haven't been able to find it. Are you sure that you didn't just lose it on one of your travels?"

"I didn't think I did but I'm starting to think that might be the best possibility. Damn it."

I notice a bandage wrapped tightly around his hand. "What happened to your hand?"

"I cut it on some thorns early. Would you mind?"

"No problem."

I get his chair pulling it into the center of the room. He sits in it as I sit on the floor in front of him just like every other time he has me do this for him.

"Flower, gleam and glow
Let your powers shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt

Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine"

I look back at him as he takes the bandage off his hand, no sign of the cut having ever been there. He smiles down at me as he ruffles my hair.

"Perfect as always, dear boy."

"Ford, there is something that I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Well, I.....my birthday is coming up tomorrow and I-"

"Can't be. Your birthday was last year."

I give a weak laugh at his dumb joke. "That's the thing about birthdays, they tend to repeat. So I wanted to ask if I could....um...the thing is...."

"Dipper, what have I said about the mumbling?"

"S-Sorry..." He rises from the chair, starting to walk off. I stand up knowing that I have to ask this now before I lose all of my courage.

"I-I want to see the floating lights!"

He turns back to me looking confused. "What?"

"I was hoping you could take me to see the floating lights." I show him the painting I finished before he arrived.

"You mean the stars. You can see those from the window."

"These aren't stars." I grab one of my star books and open it showing him. "I've calculated stars my entire life and they are around all the time. But those lights only appear on my birthday every year. I can't help but feel like they are meant for me in some way. I just have to go out and see them in person, find out what they really are."

"You want to go outside?" He sighs pinching the bridge of his nose. "Dipper, we've talked about this. You know why you have to stay here."

"I know....."

"The world is too dangerous for you. One day, when you're older than you can go see the stars all you want. But that day is not today."

"Then when is it? You've been saying that all my life."

"Dipper." He holds me by my shoulders making me look at him. "When you are ready to go outside, I will personally take you. But you are not ready yet. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir....."

"I have to go back out but I stopped by to give you something that I picked up." He reaches into his bag and hands me a pair of sneakers that I had asked for. "Why did you want this again?"

I just shrug. "They looked cool in the comic that I read last month."

"Well they're yours now."

"But you have to go."

"I indeed do."

"I'll help you down."

We go over to the window. Using the rope I slowly lower him back down onto the ground. Once he's gone I pull the rope back up and carry the sneakers up to my room.

I pull the sneakers on before I pick up my books putting them back on the shelf. Reaching under the bed I pull out Ford's journal and flip through it.

He will be really mad if he finds out that I lied to him about this. Maybe I should just put it on the table and tell him that I did manage to find it under the stairs or something like that.

I leave my room but freeze seeing a blonde main standing in the center of the room, his back to me.

He looks at something in his satchel and I take the chance. I sneak up behind him and hit him hard with Ford's journal, him hitting the ground hard knocked out cold.