CinderPines AU

The NorthCipher Ball

"You're joking right?" the taller of the two blonds asked before he raised his arms exasperated and collapsed on his grand bed. "Pfft I hate this as much as you Cipher but we have no choice..." the shorter female blond sat on the tall blonde's equally grand couch. Cipher sat up and ran his hand through his rebellious pale gold hair "No we have a choice, you just really want to go along with this," he twirled his left hand emphasizing this "and dance with every single lord and lady you see."
Pacifica rolled her eyes and saw how bright her simple lavender dress looked compared to the dark crimson couch. Almost everything in Bill's room was that same color save for the outlines which were gold. Crimson and gold, Cipher seemed always ready for the winter holidays. "Look Ciph it's a one time thing when our parents see that their last and most spectacular stunt of getting us together completely fails right under their noses they will stop and we will finally be free!" Pacifica sighed happily the thought of finally leaving making her giddy as she tugged on a loose string on the couch.
Bill narrowed his single sky blue eye at her and shrugged defeated "Anything to get this stupid charade to stop..."

You are Cordially Invited

...to the Grand NorthCipher Ball in honor of the newfound peace between the two kingdoms and of Lord Cipher and Lady Northwest of age conjoined celebration. It is of the upmost need to dress and behave accordingly for the commoners to join in such an occasion may be the first of many. Signed Pacifica Northwest/ William Bill Cipher

"Oh me gosh Dipdop can you believe this?!" Mabel screeched happily and snatched her twins lavender letter to see if it was the same as her gold letter. "All I see is the royals wanting all the commoners in one room to see if we can behave on such a "spectacular yet very dignified event" the male Pines used air quotes on the last bit. Mabel didn't pay attention as she noticed the only difference aside from the color was that Dipper's invitation was signed by Lady Northwest and hers by Lord Cipher, the rushed crossed out nickname confused her. "You have a suit right?" Mable asked tossing both letters to Dipper out of pure excitement. "Emphasize on a...what for?" Dipper gently caressed Lord Cipher's invite as it seemed to be made out of some sort of expensive scarlet velvet paper save the gold words which left rough indents like one of Mabel's glitter pens.
"What for Dipdop?! For going to the ball of course!" Mabel hopped out of her twins bed and flung open their shared closet pulling out Dippers navy blue suit and about a million of her colorful dresses, "the invites say 'dress accordingly' bro bro." she hung Dipper's suit on a chair then laid out her array of dresses on her tickled pink bed. "Wait a minute...I'm not going!" Dipper growled then Mabel yanked him off his bed by the arm and pull him near hers. "Of course we are going bro bro I mean you DID get an invitation," she muttered pulling a completely serious face examining her dresses.
In the rush Dipper had dropped Lord Cipher's invite but still had Lady Northwest's thin lavender invite with black messy scrawl as if she couldn't care less about the affair. Huffing he tossed it. "Come on bro bro help me choose one the balls like tomorrow!" Mabel moaned and pulled his arm. "As if we didn't have anything better to do than to go to a ball a day after the invitations were sent," Dipper muttered glancing at Mabel's very colorful laid out dresses. That was her style colorful and cute not to forget homemade yet sought after. Weeks after their beloved Grunkle Stan's passing Mable spent all her time sowing. Soon enough more than enough common folk began asking about her beautiful outfits and it became her business.
Dipper on the other hand was drastically different the only "fancy outfits" he owned was his one old suit and the occasional colorful sweaters Mable made him in-between her orders. "I don't know pick your favorite..." Dipper muttered if his sister wanted to look beautiful during the ball she didn't even need to try in his opinion. "Augh! Your no help!" Mabel whined picking up the simplest periwinkle dress and tossed his at her brother.

The Plain Nights Like These

Pacifica hopped unladylike on the balcony above the ballroom in her silver dress. William rolled his eyes at her but nevertheless was smiling at her childlike antics. "Paz calm your butt or you'll be tired before the guests even arrive!" William joked and jabbed a caramel finger at her shoulder. Pacifica giggled and shoved him "playfully". The latter squawked and stumbled a bit before regaining his forced dignified stance. "Only you can pull off the pirate look and not be mistaken for a scoundrel," Pacifica muttered and adjusted his obsidian tie.
The lords outfit consisted of a long black coat with gold buttons which on the middle ones where done. A white button up shirt, black tie, black dress pants, black dress shoes oh and his signature gold eyepatch on his right eye. If Pacifica did not know him so well she would have thought the outfit was a "spur of the moment thing" but she did and she knew he was trying to look bad not to attract attention. "Pa-z-z-z-z i-em-ch-ok-k-ing" she was snapped out of her thoughts when William began sputtering his her face. "Oh sorry Bill got distracted by your hideous outfit," Pacifica giggled and released the lord from the death trap.
Bill coughed in a vain attempt to get the air back into his lungs. "At least I-I don't look like I took a sh-shower of glitt-tter," he stuttered "shielding his visible eye from the bright "mess" that was his friend. Pacfica's theme was silver. Long flowing glittery ball gown sparkling threating in the bright ballroom light. Silver high heals which he only knew about because she had forced him to help her choose from her collection of million...what a waste of three perfectly good hours. Her makeup was a soft blue to compliment the silver. Sapphire and clear diamond earrings for the cherry on top.
This was an inside joke between the blonds as Bill's style was usually gold and red they had picked blue and silver for Pacifica to spite their parents...some stupid thing saying "opposites attract" or whatever. Pacifica squeal and hooking her arm around his neck pulling him down to her face "The guests have arrived Cipher!". "Oh joy...," he muttered trying to untangle himself from his very platonic friend.
About an hour in only one dance between them and a fair amount of red punch Bill was getting real bored. Having experienced their fair share of balls in one life time this was to be expected but this was ridiculous. The only reason he had danced in the first place was that it was customary for him and Paz to share the first dance inviting the plethora of guests to join in the "fun". "Um-Lo-lord Ci-ci-pher would would would may I um may we uh have this this dan-ce?" A pretty thing with soft brown hair and scarlet attire cautiously asked. "No thanks," Bill declined bitterly. "O-oh-oh um- o-k-k-ay...s-s-s-orry t-t-o bother y-y-y-ou m-y l-o-o-od," she bowed and ran off presumably to the restroom to bawl her eyes out.
"And the handsome devil breaks another heart!" Pacifica commented the handsome devil shooting her his best death glare. Pacifica snickered taking another swing of punch "Seriously Ciph that's what like the fifth lady you've turned down not counting the like fifty your father made you greet," Pacifica cackled. She on the other hand had danced on the gold floor way to many times to count and was her with her friend at the food table to annoy him. "Come on Ciph! We gotta find you a baeu!" Pacifica squealed took his and her's drinks set them on the table and dragged the blond man into the crowed.

Things Could Not Get Worse...

If the bright gold lights did not kill him Dipper was sure all the people would. After the second day of his twin begging him to go to the ball with her using a long string of 'please' Dipper caved in and agreed. He instantly regretted it as soon as he stepped the Cipher's colossal gold and red ballroom. For crying out loud it was bigger than the twins shared cabin in the woods. Even with all the space it seemed like the whole kingdom had been invited (which was probably the case) and was crowded as heck save for the first dance in which Lord Cipher and Lady Pacifica shared the crowed circled around them.
"So Dip! Who should we dance with first?" Mabel asked excitedly twirling in her sparkly white dress. She had chosen the simple yet curious one that looked as if half way through Mable got bored and splattered pink and blue paint for "the lolz". Some people (presumably the invited royals) gave her odd looks while the common folk who bought Mabel's creations whined about her not making more of it's kind which is why she chose it in the first place. Soft pink makeup making her face glow in the bright lighted ballroom. "Look Mabes go enjoy yourself I'll just-" Mabel shrieked and hugged her brother tightly "Like you wish I'd leave you here to sulk while I go have fun! Come onnnnn dance Dip! What other chance do we have to go to a royal ball let alone the combined birthday ball of Lord Cipher and Lady Northwest!" Mabel emphasized a whole lot of her sentence gesturing to their colorful surroundings.
"Excuse me doll! My handsome devil yet really shy sheep of a friend and I couldn't help but to notice our names being said!" Mabel squeaked and dropped her oxygen deprived brother as Lord Cipher and Lady Northwest made themselves noticed the latter bouncing on her heels (as she had taken off her high heels a few hours ago) looking a lot more excited than the Lord. Dipper groaned and took the hand offered to him assuming it was Mabel's them felt him face enflame as he noticed it belonged to a very doe eyed Lord Cipher.
Mabel giggled noticing her brothers enamored look as his far away crush took his hand to help him up. Never in a million years did she think this would happen. Her brother did not surprise her but Lord Cipher sure did. They both stood hands still loosely entwined gaping at each other like fish out of water. Pacifica smirked and gave her friend an encouraging shove while Mabel pulled her brother away before the touched. Lord Cipher took a deep breath as if had forgotten to but still had those sparkles in his visible sky blue eye. Dipper gasped shook his head rapidly and looked anywhere but the obsidian dressed lord.
Pacifica shrieking with laughter wiped her tear filled eyes and patted Mable on the back who sheepishly giggled. "Oh Ciph! You devil you! Why don't you and errr...Oh excuse our manners!" Pacifica gasped and took Mabel's hand giving it a vigorous shake "Names Pacifica Northwest only heir to the Northwest line..you doll face may call me Paz," the lady wriggled her eye brows and Mabel hoped that her makeup hid the blush that was threatening her face. She glanced at her twin who looked on the verge of hyperventilating. "Bro bro why don't you have some punch?" Mabel worried. Dipper nodded and fled as fast a he could. Pacific nudged her platonic "date" and Bill snapped from the daze he was in. "William Cipher the oldest of three to the Cipher thrown...," he muttered gazing at spot where Dipper was only a few minutes ago with such a longing gaze it made Pacifica gag.
"Mabel...and that was my younger twin brother Dipper..." Mabel forced cheerfulness at the two royals. Pacifica noticed the lack of last names but they wouldn't matter for so long with Bill's obvious "infatuation at first glance" charade but then again it was Bill so Pacifica sigh and took matters into her own hands. "Hey Ciph why you don't you go to err Dipper and keep him company cause I do not want his...beautiful sister to be worried about him. This is a night to celebrate after all!" Mabel squeaked and smiled. Bill nodded shooting his blond friend a grateful look.

Dipper downed his third cup of punch and was about to get his fourth when he noticed a weak cough to his left. Lord Cipher fist on lips cough again then gave him a weak smile. Dipper smiled back and decided no to the punch. "Sorry about that back there" he gestured in the general direction where they left Lady Northwest and his sister "I have no idea what came over me...," having somewhat of an idea why he panicked. Him holding hands with his long time far away crush might have had some very miniscule play in it. Lord Cipher sighed and ran a hand through his beautiful golden hair. It was a nice pale contrast to the bright gold of the ballroom, Dipper thought.
"No my it's my fault...I startled you I...I'm sorry," Lord Cipher muttered leaning on the food table glancing at the dancers. The awkward silence between them was to much for Dipper so he decided to start a small talk "Agh I hate crowds...," Dipper muttered jokingly. Lord Cipher chuckled "Oh really?" Dipper nodded and continued "Yeah too many smelly people together in one rooms enough to make me gag." Lord Cipher laugher and got an idea "Why don't we go to the garden?...If er you know you want. It's open to all but I doubt many people are there considering the chilly weather." Dipper forced himself not to squeal in joy because that was Mabel's job and nodded, it WAS an offer by the lord of the land after all.

Flight at the Midnight Hour

Mabel shrieked in joy as she was spun by Pacifica for the umpteenth time. Long ago they had stopped caring about the other dancers and were just wildly spinning each other full of glee. Mabel knew that the lady was trying to distract her from her twin and the lord and it was working a bit. She couldn't help but to wonder how her brother was doing as she took a quick glance at the dining table noticing the male pair staring at anything but each other, "Don't worry Bill won't hurt him. As tyrannically idiotic as he looks that's just a mask." Pacifica muttered slowing their swing to a slow waltz. "Umm Bill?" Mabel asked admiring the ladies creamy face. "William. Lord Cipher. Ciph the pirate. He'd rather be called Bill but his family hates that," Pacifica giggled and raised a hand to brush a stray lock of hair from Mabel's face.
Mabel blushed and giggled as well. The twins often joked about their far away royal crushes but right here right now they were both (Mabel hoped for Dipper's sake) having the time of their lives with the royals. It was like a dream come true for the twins and Mabel wanting nothing more than this night to ever end. "Come on let's get wild!" Pacifica cried and spun Mabel thrice before they both collapsed in a fit of laughter. "Ahh ow my feet," Mabel muttered and rubbed them around her pink heels. Pacifica shifted and helped her. "Why don't you take off your shoes? I did quiet a while ago and it's fun to slide on Ciph's shiny floor" Pacifica giggled undoing the straps. Mabel squeaked and pulled the ladies hands away. "No no no I'm fine...just a bit sore," she muttered and stood with a wince.
Pacifica sighed and followed suit. "Well then let's go stuff our faces with tiny foods and delicious tropical punch," Pacifica declared taking Mabel's hand with a bright grin. "Of co-" she was quickly pulled away by her brother. "MABLE! We have to leave NOW!" "Wha-what?" Mabel stuttered and gasped at her twin. He was drenched in what she couldn't tell was water or sweat, she decided the former because of the bit of moss she waved off his brown hair. Even though he was head to toes covered in water she could tell he had been crying his eyes red rimmed and wild. "Bro what's going on?" Mabel asked and shook his shoulders trying to snap hi m out of his paranoia. "I'll explain when we get home but please Mabel we HAVE to leave!" Dipper cried. Mabel nodded and gave a meek wave to Pacifica who was glaring at an equally flustered approaching Lord Cipher. Dipper shrieked and with Mabel in tow the twins ran from the ballroom as fast as they could.

"What. Did. You. DO!?" Pacifica screamed at her fogged eyed friend. Bill ignored her and shouted at some guards "Well?! What are you staring at? GO AFTER THEM!" Pacifica growled and slapped him as the guards left in a rush of blue. The others had stopped dancing and the main focus became the enraged lord and lady then to a tall tan man resembling Bill in almost every way but the gold stubble on his chin "Okay the festivity is over everyone may leave...now" he said with such an icy authority no one needed a repeat. In a few hours the place was empty aside from the servants making a quick haste to clean the ballroom and Bill's pacing echoing.

Pacifica sighed in her chair for the umpteenth time and deciding her friend had cooled down asked her again "Ciph...what in the world happened?" Bill ignored her instead brightening for a second at the lead guard approaching them then scrunched his eyebrows and frowned "Well?" he asked his voice send chills down Pacifica's spine. "Not one trace of the-" "What in the WORLD do you mean NOT A TRACE!" Bill shrieked and the guard cowered pitifully. "They were RUNNING for crying out loud! You all in HORSES and CARRIGES! HOW DID YOU LOSE THEM!" Bill roared. Pacifica having enough of Bill's shouts for one life time stood and slapped him again this time making sure to leave an angry red mark on Bill's caramel skin.
The gold lord gasped but showed no sign of pain and glared at Pacifica. The latter dismissed the guard and glared back. "What. In. The. World. Is. Wrong. With. You?" Pacifica growled darkly not taking her dagger glare off of Bill's single eye. "Calm the flip down! Breathe and explain to me why they left in the first place and so...so...abruptly." At the mention of the siblings Bill's cold mask broke and with a pitiful sob collapsed to his knees.

To Be continued