Greetings! Clearly, if you're seeing this, then you've decided to keep going with this story. That, or you're that cat again. Either way, great job!
Wow, I'm honestly astounded at the reception this got, on AO3 at least. Over 30 kudos in one day! And your comments were great. I thank everyone who took the time to comment or review last chapter, they all meant a lot to me.
Now, onto a couple things I forgot to mention yesterday... So, this story is unbetaed. Any mistakes you see are mine and mine alone. If you do see anything, feel free to tell me. I read through my work extensively (perfectionist, here) but I do miss a lot of things. So feel free to mention if you see anything wrong, especially if it's a misused word. I write this story on my iPod in the middle of the night, and autocorrect is not always my friend. The second thing I wanted to say is that I'm planning on updating this story on a weekly basis, after the fourth chapter. Basically, I'll post the third chapter tomorrow, then wait a couple days before posting the fourth chapter on Sunday, and then I'll go to a weekly schedule of posting every Sunday, since that's the easiest day for me. Just wanted to mention that so no one starts thinking I'm posting daily for this entire story. I mainly just want to get the first chapters out as soon as possible, since they're all kinda connected.
And now, with that out of the way, onto the story! Just a warning, this chapter is the longest chapter in this story. It's 9,700 words, while most chapters max at around 4,000-5,000-ish. Just so you know.
Make sure you review/comment! They help me know that people do enjoy this story, which makes me feel less anxious. So if you have the time, I appreciate anything you have to give. :-)
Life after the news of the pirate sighting had been tense for Dipper. The whole crew knew, since not much could be kept secret while on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Everyone was talking about it, in whispers and mutters, as the crew knew that Captain Pines didn't approve of gossip on his ship.
But that didn't stop Dipper from hearing their muttered conversations. From hearing their speculations on whose ship it could be. None of them seemed particularly worried, but it left him on edge to be constantly reminded of the threat. They felt safe in the knowledge that Stan was an excellent fighter, that they would beat whoever possibly boarded them, but he wasn't so sure. And that left him with a constant unease that refused to cease. And that's not even mentioning the worry he felt for his twin.
His great uncle still expected him to do his daily chores, though. Each morning at the crack of dawn, he and Mabel would awaken and help the rest of the morning crew get the ship ready to sail for the day. He would help hoist the sails, or swab the deck, or do any other small task his great uncle had on hand. It was difficult to work with the crushing worry he felt, but he had no choice. Stan would crucify him if he didn't help out.
It was times like this that he hated being on a ship in the middle of open sea. There was nowhere to run if they got attacked or ambushed by the pirates. Nowhere to hide. Trying to go about life like everything was normal was difficult, because everything was not okay for him. The news of pirates had turned his life around quickly, and he was struggling to pretend he was alright.
The absolute worst thing about the past several days, though, was how morose Mabel was. He saw it in how she held herself, saw the panic and fear she felt. She did her best to hide it from the rest of the crew, but around him she let her walls down and he saw how upset she truly was. He just wished he knew how to help her, how to make things better for her.
The only good thing was that they were scheduled to reach port by morning. He was glad. While on land he could find a way to distract himself. He and his sister had their plans to shop for clothing, but he could always look in the book shop once they were done. That would be a good distraction, he guessed. And Mabel loved being on land, loved looking at the sights. Hopefully being at port would raise her spirits.
But, that was later. At the moment, he was sitting out on the starboard side of the poop deck, watching the horizon with mistrusting eyes. Land was in sight on the port side, but he still didn't feel safe. After all, pirates did attack port towns sometimes. One could never trust a pirate to not attack when they had the chance. Pirates were scum and would do anything for monetary gain. He had learned that ages ago.
Dipper hated pirates with every fiber in his body. He had always heard tales while growing up about pirates, about their horrible deeds and their viscous lifestyle, and they had left him terrified. And then, after what had happened… Pirates would always be something to fear, something to hate. He could feel that fear and hatred bubbling in his gut as he looked out at the horizon, his teeth gritting.
He didn't know how much time had passed, his thoughts turning darker as fear flowed through his body, before he heard a feminine voice call his name, breaking his train of thought. Despite himself, he could feel his mood brighten at the sound, some of his worry melting away as he turned and gave a small, if a bit tense, wave towards the redheaded woman whom his great uncle had employed despite the superstition of having a woman aboard a ship. The woman was an excellent helmsman- or should he say helmswoman- and Stan claimed that he didn't regret picking her up during a stop in Ireland all those years ago.
"Hey Wendy." He called, standing up to face her. For a while when he had first come on board, he had had a small infatuation with her, but it had faded when he had learned she saw him more as a friend than anything else. He still felt a small tug in his heart when he saw her, not as big as it had originally been, but always present. But then, she had been a big contributor in helping him get over the pain of his parents; of course it was hard to get over her.
The woman grinned at him and punched him lightly on his shoulder once she had reached him, her version of a greeting. He grinned back, finding that being in her presence was already helping calm the nerves that had been plaguing him. She had always had that effect on him, her cool persona soothing his nerves and making things seem so much simpler. It had helped him escape the pain of his parent's deaths, back when he had first arrived on board and it had still been fresh in his mind. It was part of why he liked her so much.
"Hey. You excited about being able to go to port? Man, it's been so long since I was able to properly stretch my legs. I cannot wait until we reach land." The woman claimed with a grin, leaning her back against the railing of the ship. He grinned back up at her, nodding his agreement.
"I know, right? It feels like it's been ages since we last were at port. I know Mabel was excited to talk to some of those sailors she likes obsessing over." He stated as he copied Wendy's position, trying to look as impressive as she did while doing it, but most likely failing miserably. He heard her laugh at his words, and it made his muscles relax a bit.
"Yeah, Mabel seems like the kind that would be excited about that. What about you? You got any plans for what you're going to do while ashore?" She asked, smiling down at him. He could feel his face heat up at her attention, her smile doing terrible things to his insides. He didn't think he'd ever be used to her focus being entirely on him.
"Uh, well Mabel and I are planning on getting some new clothes. Mabel's idea, not mine. And after that, I was kind of thinking of finding a book shop and getting a few new books." He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, trying not to feel too embarrassed about his less than impressive plans.
"Oh man, that sounds lame." Wendy laughed, shaking her head lightly at him. Dipper could feel his cheeks flush bright red at her words, embarrassment flooding through him despite himself. He was about to defend himself, somehow, when she continued. "Hey, you know what? You should join me and some of the guys at the tavern. It'll be fun. More fun than simply going shopping for clothes and books." The woman claimed, bumping against his shoulder lightly. Dipper stared at her, his eyes widening and his mind freezing as he comprehended her words. His previous embarrassment was forgotten in light of her request. Was she asking him… to go out with her? Yeah, he knew it was just as a friendly get together and that other members of the crew would be there, but it was still great. Even if he had given up on the hope of them ever being together, he still enjoyed her company and was rejoicing that she actually wanted to spend time with him too. She was one of the few who did, on this ship. There was just one problem, though…
"But... But I'm not old enough." He stammered, his heart sinking, knowing that his great uncle would kill him if he went to a tavern. Wendy raised an eyebrow at him.
"So? Live a little, man. You're almost seventeen, aren't you? You can come to a tavern if you want. I mean, no one's saying you have to drink or anything. Just hang out with me and some of the guys. It won't kill you to have some fun, will it?" She questioned, smirking down at him. Dipper thought it over, his heart thudding just a bit too hard. Well, perhaps he could go out for a little… as long as he didn't drink, his uncle shouldn't be that upset, right? And, it would help get his mind off his anxiety about the pirates. Plus, Wendy. So, even though he had his reservations, he found himself nodding, his insides giddy as he did. Wendy grinned brightly at him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder.
"Great! Well, I'd better get back to work, since Captain Pines probably wants me to take over the wheel again soon. Meet me tomorrow night at nightfall and we'll go to the tavern together, okay?" She asked, to which Dipper responded with a nod. She grinned down at him once more, before pushing off against the railing and sauntering over towards the helm. He felt his heart stutter as he watched her go, even though he knew he shouldn't feel that way about her anymore. Just as he was about to turn away from her, to look back out at the sea again, he heard Wendy call back.
"Oh, and Dipper!" With a startled blink, he turned back to face her, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Don't worry about the pirates, alright man? I noticed that you've been looking kinda nervous ever since the sighting, all jumpy whenever someone mentions them. So just remember, chances are they won't even bother us. And, even if they do try and board us, your great uncle will be sure to fight them off. In all my years of being on this ship, never has a pirate even come close to beating him. So you don't have to worry, alright?" She reassured with a smile, her green eyes looking at him with kind sympathy. He felt his throat go dry, and all he could do was nod dumbly in response. She accepted it though, and left for real that time, giving him one last smile and a backwards wave. Dipper stared after her for a few moments, heart in knots, before looking back out at the sea. He sat down slowly, and he thought through what she had told him.
He knew that her words were true. He knew that his great uncle was a fearsome fighter, having years of sword fighting experience. He even thought that the man might have been part of the navy, once. But still, even as he acknowledged this truth, he could still feel worry fill his gut. After all, pirates were tricky, and their great uncle was getting old. One wrong move and… he shook himself quickly before he could finish the thought, scowling at himself. No. He couldn't think like that. They would be fine. Wendy was right; chances were, the pirates wouldn't even board them in the first place. It wasn't like their vessel looked very impressive from the outside, the run down and worn wood a deterrent to most pirates. So he shouldn't let it bother him. He should instead focus on good things, like the upcoming trip to shore, and his outing with Wendy and her friends. He couldn't let pirates ruin everything for him, not any more than they already had.
So he continued to sit in his spot, watching the sun as it moved across the sky, forcing his mind off of pirates and simply watching the vast heavens. When the sun started to sink below the horizon, the setting sun creating a beautiful sight over the water, he heard the dinner bell ring. With one last, regretful glance back at the sunset, Dipper got up from his seated position and moved through the ship, down to the mess hall. Part of him wanted to just stay where he was, to watch the stars come out and shine, but he knew he needed food. And that that should take precedent over watching the sky.
The trip down to the mess hall didn't take long, and he was soon taking his usual seat beside his twin, giving the still too quiet girl a tired smile. He felt his heart sink when she didn't return it, but he was hardly surprised. Ever since that night their great uncle had informed them of the pirate sighting, she had been subdued, her usually vivaciousness dulled greatly. It wasn't as bad as it had been during those first few months, but it was still pretty bad and he had no idea what to do for her. How he could make it better.
Watching her be like this was a constant reminder that no matter how much he despised pirates, his twin loathed them infinitely more. For a good reason, too. What they had been through at the hands of pirates, her in particular… he didn't blame her for her worry and fear. He just wished he could help her, somehow. Seeing her like this reminded him of his failures as a brother. He was meant to protect her, to keep her safe, yet he had failed and now here she was, silent and hurting. And he couldn't even make things better for her, because he was useless.
Despite his own depressing thoughts, he still did his best to cheer his twin up, commenting on the clouds he had seen and the dolphins that had passed the ship earlier. After a while he even tried striking up a conversation about what they would do at port in the morning, but all he got from her was half-hearted shrugs and single word replies. He felt hopeless as he watched her. God, he hoped that she perked up during their outing tomorrow. Mabel had always loved being on land, to be free of the confinement of the ship and be able to wander around the port towns. It had always been like an adventure to her. If she was this listless tomorrow… he prayed that she would be alright. That she'd be able to get over her inner pain, at least for long enough that she could enjoy her trip onshore.
Once they had finished eating, he got up, Mabel following his lead, and went back to their room to get ready for the night. Despite the fact that he wanted to try and get his twin to feel better, he forced himself to sit on his bed and read while she got ready for bed. It was a routine of theirs and he didn't want to break it if she didn't want him to. It was surreal, though, to not hear her chattering at him, for her not to be humming or singing lightly under her breath. No matter how many times something like this happened, after pirates had attacked or they had heard news of them, it never got any easier to witness.
Sleep didn't come any easier that night than it had the night before, but eventually he managed to succumb. The same nightmare that always plagued him returning with a vengeance.
Fire. Death. The glint of a blade.
The inability to escape.
~XoxoxoxoxoxoX~
Dipper woke with the sun the next morning, groaning softly as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He felt exhausted from his nightmare the night before, but he was used to that by now. Looking over at his twin, who was also waking up, he sent her a small, tentative smile. She returned it weakly, shuffling off her bed a second later to get ready for the day, but he felt his heart lift. That smile was more than he had gotten in days, and he could feel hope fill him that maybe she was doing better now. It varied, sometimes, how long it took her to get over her bouts of depression. Sometimes it lasted a couple days, sometimes it lasted weeks. He hoped that this would be a bout that had only lasted briefly. Mabel deserved to enjoy herself while onshore today. And he also hoped that she wouldn't just fake it, like she sometimes did. That only led to her crashing eventually, which was worse than her lethargy.
"Hey Mabes. You ready for today?" He asked her as he got up and got dressed. Mabel shrugged, her hands gripping her underclothes absently, not giving any other reply. Dipper tried not to sigh as he turned from her so she could change into her dress in peace. So much for her feeling better, he thought morosely.
They finished dressing quickly and were soon ready to leave for breakfast. Before he left, though, he made sure to get some gold from the pile they kept hidden deep in the trunk in their wardrobe. He estimated that fifty gold pieces should be more than enough for not only the clothes, but for whatever else he and Mabel might want to get onshore. He placed it in the wallet he kept in his satchel before following Mabel out of their room and down to the Mess Hall.
Breakfast was subdued, like it had been for the past several days, even though everyone in the mess hall was buzzing with excitement. It was a mild comfort to see his twin brighten slightly when Soos came over and spoke with them, joking around and making Mabel laugh a bit. That had him smiling even as they went out onto the deck for their daily chores.
They did their daily chores as they always did, the same drudgery it always was, but he could practically feel the energy in the air. They had been traveling across the ocean for weeks now, far from any port as they returned from a far off land to get rare spices, so everyone was ecstatic to be on land soon. And even with all the worry and concern Dipper felt, not only for his twin but also about the pirates, he couldn't help but feel the same energy flow through him. Even Mabel could feel it, he noticed as he watched her brighten even more as they got closer and closer to the port, her eyes less dull than they had been for days, which only made his heart lighten further as they got closer to their destination.
It was around mid-morning when they finally docked at port, a cheer ringing out amongst the crew as the anchor was lowered into the water. Dipper could feel his insides squirming as he waited beside his sister for the gangplank to be lowered so that they exit the ship. He could even see Mabel smiling as she waited, timidly at first, but getting bigger as the gangplank was finally lowered and they walked onto the dock. He bumped against her shoulder gently and smiled at her hesitantly, which she finally returned with her own hesitant grin. Dipper could still see the worry in her eyes, but she was so much better than she had been even that morning. He was starting to believe that maybe this trip to shore wouldn't be as bad as he had feared. Maybe they wouldn't meet with the pirates. Maybe everything would work out. Maybe.
The port that they were docked at was actually one they had been to once before, a few months previous. It was a pretty big town, if he recalled correctly, and it had been interesting to wander the streets which had been full of life and cheer. It wasn't like the neutral ports that Stan occasionally brought them to, which were full of fear and mistrust, ridden with crime and violence. This one was an actual town, filled with people trying to make an honest living.
As they walked down the dock, the rest of the crew who had gotten first land time walking beside them, he smiled as he felt the relief at being ashore. He could see Mabel's hesitant grin bloom brighter as they progressed, the cheer and high spirits of the crew around them affecting her. He could feel a weight lift from his heart as he saw it, knowing that while she might still be feeling off inside, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. At least she would be able to enjoy today, he thought optimistically. He may hate shopping, but his sister adored it and it would be devastating if her day was ruined because of her depression.
When they finally reached the land, the wood of the dock turning into hard cobbled stone, Mabel let out a soft, happy sound as she twirled slightly. She turned to him then and gave him a smile, even if it was just a touch forced.
"So, Bro-Bro, you ready for some time at the tailor?" She questioned, her smile turning into a more natural smirk, her eyes bright with excitement. Dipper, not wanting to ruin her mood by asking if she was really feeling better now like part of him wanted, let out a fake groan, though he made sure to smirk back at her. If she was happy to be back on shore, he wasn't going to ruin that by reminding her of her previous lethargy.
"Ready when you are, sis." He replied, holding his arm out for her to take, like he had been taught as a child. She giggled as she placed her hand gently on his arm, before grabbing his wrist and practically dragging him down the street in her quest to find a tailor. He let out a startled laugh as she darted between the sailors that were milling around, her eyes searching for a store they could enter, her own face alight with a grin. Oh, he loved seeing his sister like this, so carefree and happy. He always missed it during her down periods, no matter how long or short they were.
As they darted around, Dipper took the time to drink in the sights around him, watching the milling sailors they were passing laugh and grin at their companions. Looking at the various storefronts around him, the bright, warm colors and the weathered stone. He could feel himself grin as they moved, could feel a sort of giddiness rise in him at the sights. Oh how he loved coming to port, especially with his sister. It was an adventure, filled with wonder and intrigue. The people, the shops, even the illicit, clandestine meetings between various people in dark alleyways. He loved it, and was glad he was here. His worries were gone, even if only for the moment, and he was grateful.
When they finally found a tailor shop, his sister letting out an excited gasp, Dipper absently hoped that whoever owned the store would be able to create their clothes within a few days, since that was around how long they probably had at this port. He knew that clothes could take a while to make, but he was hoping that it wouldn't take too long, since they only wanted a few simple outfits. If not, they would probably have to get it mailed to them, which had the potential of taking weeks or even months. Or, there was always the chance that the tailor would have some pre-made clothing in their store that they could get and have tailored to them, if they found something that looked nice. The only downside to that was that pre-made clothes weren't as custom as clothes that were made from scratch.
His sister dragged him over to the shop as quick as she could, opening the door with a soft grin on her face as she took in the rows and rows of fabric and clothing. Ever since they had been children, Mabel had loved clothing and sewing, always dragging their parents to the tailor whenever she could. She had used to have piles of fabric and cloth in her room back at home. She didn't sew much anymore, not since their parent's death, but she still loved to examine fabrics and threads, like she currently was doing. After all, she always had to have the absolute best fabric possible for her clothing. He could feel himself chuckle as he watched her, as engrossed as she was in her perusal. He was distracted a moment later by the seamstress who presumably owned the shop, who had come up to him and asked what it was they wanted. With a pleasant smile, he turned to her and informed that he would need three cotton sailing shirts and pants, while his sister would need three working dresses.
He made sure to ask her, before she brought him back to her measurement block, if she would be able to finish them within the next few days, to which she responded with a frown, claiming that she might be able to finish his shirts and pants, but that Mabel's dresses would take just a bit longer. He bit his lip and frowned, before looking over to his sister and asking what she thought. Mabel got a contemplative look on her face and tilted her head to the side as she thought.
"Hmm… would you be able to make at least one dress within the next couple of days?" She asked. The tailor frowned again, but nodded, claiming that she most likely would, it would just cost a bit extra for rushed production. Mabel grinned, not minding having to pay extra just as long as she got her dress.
"Okay! We'll do that. Then, you can just send the other two over in a mail ship once they're done." She claimed, a large and genuine smile on her face as she turned back to the fabrics, telling the seamstress which colors looked best on her, or else which type of sewing she preferred on her dresses. Dipper felt just a little sorry for the older woman, but knew that once his twin got like this, there was no stopping her. She took her clothing seriously, after all.
As his sister spoke with the woman, he went back with the seamstress's assistant and got his measurements taken, the young girl helping him smiling kindly at him as she took precise measurements. The whole process was always a bit awkward, since he had to get partially undressed so the measurements would be accurate, but he lived through it and soon it was over and he was allowed to put his shirt and pants back on.
It was as he was pulling his shirt back over his head that he heard his sister gasp loudly, an excited sound. Turning, he had to suppress a groan at the article of clothing she was holding in her arms, her eyes alight with passion and joy. It seemed that while he had gotten his measurements taken, she had moved on from the fabrics and onto the pre-made outfits that the seamstress had around the store.
"Oh, Dipper, look! Wouldn't this just look perfect on you?" The girl questioned, her eyes sparkling as she grinned. Dipper, on the other hand, had to try his best to not grimace at it.
It wasn't that it was bad, per se. In fact, compared to some of the things his sister had picked out for him over the years, it was actually pretty tame. It was plain white, with blue embroidery on the cuffs and collar, little swirls like a wave. What had him grimacing, however, was the embroidered design that took up the left breast of the shirt.
"Really, Mabel? A pine tree?" He responded, walking over and examining the shirt. Touching it, he had to admit that it was pretty soft. And up close, it didn't look quite as garish as it had seemed at first. The blue pine tree on the left breast was a bit much, but it didn't completely ruin the shirt, he guessed. He saw Mabel roll her eyes at his words.
"Why not? We're the Pines! It's fitting!" She exclaimed, grinning cheekily at him. "Besides, you like blue, don't you? And, if you get this shirt, it won't take as long as making one from scratch would. It's win-win, bro-bro."
Well, when she put it that way… with a sigh and a shake of his head, he found himself shrugging his agreement. The shirt honestly wasn't that bad, even if it was a bit unheard of for sailors to wear embroidered clothing. Part of him was sure that certain members of the crew would tease him about it, if they saw him wearing it. But, if he wore it only on occasion… he guessed it could work. Plus, if his sister liked it, he'd get it. He trusted her opinion enough for that.
Mabel gave him a happy grin at that, handing it to the seamstress before she went back to look at the other pre-made clothes the tailor had in her shop. While Mabel wasn't the biggest fan of pre-made clothing, preferring to have her own specifications on the clothing she wore, it took a lot less time to adjust an article of clothing than it did to make one. With their time restraint, he knew that his sister would suck it up and get something not to her specific liking if it meant she would have more clothing to wear. However, she found nothing else that really interested her, so she simply shrugged and went back to the rows of fabric to find the best ones for their outfits. Dipper, not having any idea what she was muttering about, decided to retreat to the back of the store to wait for her to finish, hoping he didn't look quite as uncomfortable as he felt. He didn't think he'd ever quite understand his sister's fascination with clothing, but he wasn't about to make her leave early if she was having fun.
Once his sister was finally done examining the fabrics and threads, she got up on the measurement box to get her measurements taken, the privacy sheet going around her so that no one would see her underthings. It took her a bit longer than it had taken him to get properly measured, but not that much. When she had finished and had stepped off the box, the seamstress asked him if he would try on the shirt his sister wanted him to buy so she could tailor it to him. Obliging, he took off his shirt and put the pine tree accented one on, noticing that it was a little too big, but not terribly so. He stood, patiently, as the woman poked and prodded, putting pins dangerously close to his skin. He was grimacing lightly by the time she let him go, rubbing his arms to get the goosebumps to go away.
Finally done, the tailor smiled at them politely and informed them that they should come by later that day to pick up his shirt, and to come by in two days to pick up the rest of their clothing. With smiles of their own, they thanked the woman and left the store quickly.
Back on the street, Dipper had to let out a relieved sigh, glad to be out of that store. While he didn't mind shopping as much as he always claimed, it really was long and boring to get done. Especially when his sister got really into it. Unfortunately, his sister heard his sigh of relief and let out her own, amused snort.
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it Dipping-sauce?" She asked teasingly, bumping her shoulder lightly against his as they walked. Dipper rolled his eyes, concealing a smile as he bumped her back.
"Wasn't as bad as it sometimes was. I mean, at least this time you didn't harass the seamstress as much as you usually do." He teased back. Mabel took on a look of mock offense at his words, placing a hand dramatically over her heart
"Really, Dipper, you wound me. Is it really my fault that I have such strong opinions about how clothes should be properly made? And besides, the seamstresses never seem to mind." She sniffed dramatically. Dipper raised an eyebrow at her as they took a right onto a smaller, less crowded side street.
"Mabel, you once made a woman cry because she couldn't follow all of your needlessly complicated instructions." He reminded, the memory of the time that Mabel had come on just a bit too strong when they had been young, causing the seamstress's apprentice to burst into tears as she tried to follow all of his sister's instructions clear in his mind. Mabel pouted at that and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Well, it wasn't my fault that the woman couldn't follow my simple instructions. And besides, I was twelve at the time, and had apologized for that."
Dipper shook his head at her, letting out a small laugh as he bumped against her shoulder again. She smiled softly back at him, before turning and looking at the shops they were passing by, gasping with interest at some of the things they saw. Dipper followed her around, entering stores with her and offering his opinion on some of the things she wanted to buy. Usually when they were at port, his sister would have left him by now, off to find some handsome men to flirt with while he went to do his own thing, but today neither particularly wanted to leave the other's side. Dipper knew he didn't want to leave his sister alone, not after her bout of depression, and he assumed that she was still a touch shaken from her earlier upset. He didn't mind, though. He enjoyed his twin's company, and it wasn't too terrible to wander into stores with her.
As they were walking down a side street, sometime later, Dipper noticed a book shop and could feel excitement fill him. He could see brand new books sitting in the storefront and he was itching to flip through them, seeing what knowledge they contained. Turning to his sister, he began to ask if they could go inside, but was stopped when he saw her roll her eyes with a fond grin.
"Let me guess, you want to go in?" She asked with a smirk, shifting her weight a bit so she wouldn't lose her grip on the stone pig she had bought. He replied with a sheepish grin, which made Mabel sigh good-naturedly.
"Okay, Dipper. I'll allow it. And, I won't even complain or tease you all that much, since you came clothes shopping with me earlier." She stated, before heading off towards the worn store. Dipper smiled as he followed, feeling giddy to be back in his element.
Dipper had always loved books, ever since he had been a child and had learned to read from a tutor. Growing up, he had read anything he could get his hands on. Mysteries, dramas, and most of all, nonfiction research books. Back at home, he had spent hours in his mother's library, reading all the books that he could find. The rest of his family didn't quite understand why he loved to read as much as he did, but he had always found it hard to explain. He simply loved to learn, loved to explore the worlds that the books shared. That was something that he guessed they just could not understand.
But now, in this old book shop, mountains of books surrounding him… he felt at peace for the first time in days. All of his worries and fears melted as he ran his fingers over the leather bound spines of various tomes. Who cared about pirates when he had books to read? He barely even noticed his sister, who was watching him with a fond- if a bit bemused- smile.
Wandering the aisles, he pulled out random books and read a few sentences before either putting them back or adding them to a pile he had accumulated on the ground. He lost himself in the aisles, time escaping him as he wandered up and down the small shop. He didn't even know much time had passed when his sister finally came up to him, practically pleading that they leave, saying that she had tried to be nice, but they had been in there for long enough. It was with a sigh that Dipper did as she asked. Part of him wanted to stay in the shop, to tell her to go on without him, but he still didn't want to leave his sister alone. And no matter what, he knew that he would always pick his sister over anything, even his own peace and contentment. So, with just a twinge of regret, he picked up the large pile of books and brought them to the counter. They were really heavy, but over the past year of moving boxes around for his great uncle, he had gained enough muscle on his lean body to be able to lift them with ease.
At the counter, Dipper bought the lot of books, and requested that the bookkeeper deliver them to his great uncle's ship in the harbor, if the man did that sort of thing. The bookkeeper said that he did and agreed, charging a small fee for the additional service, but Dipper didn't mind all that much. Handing the required gold over, he smiled pleasantly before leaving the counter, feeling happy that he had gotten enough reading material to hopefully make the long trips across the ocean just a bit more bearable. Going over to his sister, he smiled sheepishly at the exasperated look she was shooting him, holding the door open for her so they could leave.
"Finally! Thought you were going to spend the rest of the day in there!" She exclaimed, shaking her head slightly at him. "Well, at least we're leaving now. What do you want to do now, bro-bro?" Mabel asked, poking him lightly in the arm. Dipper thought for a second, before noticing that the sun was positioned more west in the sky than it had been earlier. Judging by its location, he assumed that it was probably around five or six in the evening, right around time to pick up that shirt that Mabel had insisted he get. He said as much to Mabel, and she nodded.
"Yeah, you're right. Come on, let's go back and find the tailor so you can get your nice, new shirt."
Together, the two of them wandered back through the streets of the town, trying to remember the way back to the tailor's shop. It took them a bit longer than they had expected to get to the store, the sun already setting by the time they walked in.
The seamstress greeted them as they entered, walking over to a mannequin and presenting him with the fully tailored shirt that he had requested. She then told him to take his shirt off so she could make any final adjustments, which he did with some reluctance. He hoped that it fit right, because he did not want to get poked and prodded by any needles or pins again.
To his luck, when he tried on the shirt, it fit almost perfectly. The seamstress had to hem the bottom just a bit, since it was a little too long, but other than that it was perfect. He thanked the woman and was about to change back into his old shirt, when Mabel stopped him.
"Nuh-uh, bro-bro. This shirt is full of holes, stains, and is tattered beyond belief. Just wear your new shirt out for now." She demanded, frowning down at the garment that Dipper was holding in his hands. He was about to complain, saying that there was nothing wrong with his old shirt, but decided that it wasn't worth the effort and gave up. Besides, his sister was right; his old shirt was really ratty.
After that they exited the store, the darkness spreading outside. The oil lamps were lit and everyone was starting to go home, or else to the tavern for a night out. Dipper watched them go, thinking that perhaps they should head back to the ship for the night, since the stores were probably closing soon. Part of him had the nagging feeling like he was forgetting something though. Something he had wanted to do while on land, something important. Something like… oh. Oh. Oh dear. Something like Wendy. Like the fact that she had asked him to go with her and her friends out to the tavern tonight. Something that he had completely forgotten with his worry about his sister and his desperate wishing for this day to be good for her.
Oh great. He had finally gotten asked to go out with Wendy and her friends, something that had never happened before, and he went and forgot. He let out a groan as he slapped his forehead in frustration, angry at himself.
"Hey, Dipper, what's wrong?" He heard Mabel ask him, placing her hand on his shoulder a second later. He looked up at her with miserable eyes.
"Argh, I forgot! Yesterday, before dinner, Wendy invited me out to the tavern with her and a couple of the guys. She said to meet her at nightfall and I'm late!" He stated, shifting around and darting his eyes. He hated that he did this sometimes, forget important things. With so many thoughts racing though his overcrowded head, it was easy to overlook things, even if those things should be important. Especially when his sister was concerned.
"Oh my gosh, are you serious?! Dipper, what are you doing standing around here for then, get going!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked at him, a large grin sprouting on her face. He faltered for a second though.
"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you alone." He stated, really not wanting to abandon her or anything. Mabel just waved her hand dismissively.
"Go! Have fun! Just be sure to tell me all about it tonight, or tomorrow if you get back really late. Okay?" She insisted, nudging him gently along. With a smile, he leaned down and kissed her cheek gently.
"Got it. See you later, Mabes." He said, before turning and rushing off, the wind blowing through his hair as he rushed to get to the port. He felt bad about leaving his sister, but he supposed that she would be fine. It was getting late anyway, so she'd most likely just go back to the ship and settle down.
Running between the various people and the various obstacles in his way, Dipper tried his best to get back to the port as quickly as possible. It wasn't that much past sundown, so he was hoping that he wouldn't be too late. That they were waiting for him. Part of him feared that they weren't, that they would leave without him, not wanting to wait. He hoped that they didn't. He hated getting left behind. It was always painful.
He reached the port soon later, his heart pounding as he tried his best to catch his breath. He realized as he walked down the dock that they hadn't specified where they would meet, if they were meeting on the ship or if they were meeting somewhere else. After a moment of searching, though, he spotted the tall redhead standing beside The Mystery, laughing at something one of her friends had said. Taking a deep breath and standing up straight, he walked over to them, trying to keep the nerves out of his mind. It was just a meet up with a group of sailors from his great uncle's ship. It wasn't anything to be scared of. Just because he barely spent any time with these people- outside of Wendy- didn't mean it would go terribly. After all, Wendy would be there. She would help him out.
Reaching them, he cleared his throat a bit, which caused them to stop their conversation and look over at him. He felt relieved when Wendy grinned down at him.
"Hey, Dipper! You made it! Great, that means we're all here and can get going. Finally. I'm looking forward to spending some time at the tavern, ya know what I mean?" She asked to the other sailors, who all laughed. Dipper didn't really see what was funny, but he laughed along, somewhat awkwardly.
After that, the group of six- Dipper, Wendy, and four other sailors from The Mystery- moved down the dock, laughing and joking around. Dipper found himself trailing behind, however, feeling awkward. He didn't know these people, spending almost all of his time on board the ship either with his sister or alone. He did occasionally speak with Wendy or Soos, but it wasn't very often. Mabel was always the more outgoing of the two, while he tended to fade to the background. Being here, with these people he didn't really know, was awkward and he briefly wondered why he had wanted to do this, especially now that Wendy was more or less ignoring him. He was fading to the background again, and he was beginning to hate it. But then, maybe that was just the type of person he was. Meant for the background, there but not really.
As they walked off the dock and over towards where he assumed the tavern was, Dipper listened as the other five joked and laughed together. Part of him wanted, desperately, to interject with his own comments. To add something to the conversation. But he never could get up the nerve, too worried that he might come off looking like an idiot, which had happened in the past. He knew that a lot of the crew saw him as a cowardly child, and he really didn't feel like getting made fun of tonight. Getting laughed at by members of his great uncle's crew was never fun, the sting bitter in his heart. Part of him wished that Wendy would speak to him- hell, even look at him- but she was locked in a conversation with Robbie, a stupid sailor who always made fun of his Noble upbringing.
By the time they finally reached the tavern, he was firmly wishing that he had never agreed to come in the first place. This wasn't fun for him. It wasn't what he had thought it would be. He had thought Wendy would be there for him, but she was barely even looking at him, let alone trying to speak to him. It just reminded him of how much of an outsider he truly was on the ship. Part of him wished that someone, just once, would care if he was there or not. Outside of his family, that is.
As they took their seats, finding themselves a large round table near the centre of the room, Dipper tried to think positively. Sure things weren't looking too good, but maybe they would start to look up. His seat was right beside Wendy, something he made sure of, since he only really knew her. Maybe now she would look at him and talk. Maybe now he'd have an ally.
And it seemed to be true. Once they had all settled and Robbie had went off to get some ale for them all, Wendy turned to him and began joking around, telling him an anecdote about something hilarious she had seen Soos doing a week or so ago. For the first time that night, he laughed genuinely, and he returned with his own hesitant story. To his surprise, the whole table began to laugh at his words, but not cruelly. No, they seemed to actually think his tale was funny. It made him smile, part of him relieved that that first bridge had been crossed. That he had made the first step and it seemed to be successful. Now he just had to play it cool and hope that nothing bad happened.
Before he could finish his story, though, Robbie returned with the ales, slamming them down in the centre of the table with a thud that sloshed part of the liquid out of the mugs and onto the table.
"Alright, so I got the ale. Everyone grab your pints an' drink up." Robbie stated as he took his seat on the other side of Wendy. Dipper's story got put to the wayside as everyone cheered and grabbed their mug, laughter sounding as they drank. Dipper felt confused when he saw that a mug remained in the centre of the table, though, wondering why Robbie had ordered a sixth. It wasn't until Wendy nudged him in the arm and indicated to the remaining mug that he realized that it was meant for him.
"B-but I'm not old enough." He stammered, feeling his face heat up slightly. On the other side of Wendy, Dipper could see Robbie scoff and give him a look.
"So? Just drink the ale, freak. 'S'not like we're on the ship or anything. Unless you're afraid your uncle's going to catch you?" Robbie questioned, smirking meanly. Dipper felt his face heat up further, hating the way that Robbie made him feel like an idiot. Like he was lesser. Dipper had always hated that feeling, and would do almost anything to get rid of it. Including, it seemed, taking the mug of ale from the centre of the table and taking a large sip, doing his best to not gag on the foul liquid. While he had had beer before, back on the ship when their water had turned stale, it was weaker and more dilute than this was. The ale's taste was like paint, thick and unrelenting on his tongue, and he longed to spit it out and never take another sip of this fermented nightmare. However, he could see Robbie was still staring at him, judging him, and so he took another sip purely out of spite.
The rest of the night was a bit of a blur to him, the alcohol from his ale making his head spin. He had only had the one mug, since Wendy had stopped Robbie from getting him a second one, but it was enough to make his fingers tingle and his head swim. He found himself joking with the others, laughing at their stories and even sharing his own. At one point he thought he might have even started sharing tales from before his life on the ship, something he hadn't done before. He kept it mostly to the funnier stories, the lighter ones that weren't as painful to remember, so he guessed it wasn't that bad. At least the others seemed to enjoy them, if their laughter was any indication, which made his heart swell. All in all, it was shaping up to be a perfect night, the initial unpleasantness forgotten.
But nothing could be totally perfect. About an hour or so after they had arrived at the tavern, Robbie returned from getting the others' their fifth pint of ale, a piece of paper in his hand. Dipper watched as the man set the mugs of ale down before brandishing the paper, a wide, drunken grin on his face.
"Hey, lookie what I found at the bar." Robbie slurred, setting the paper down in the centre of the table after everyone had taken their mugs. "'S a wanted poster for a pirate captain, who's been terr- teror- terrorizin' the port fer a couple'a weeks now. Who wants ta bet this is the pirate that the watchman spotted?"
The other guys in the group got excited at that, crowding the poster and taking a look at the pirate depicted there. It had become almost a game amongst the crew, trying to figure out which pirate was the one they saw, if it was a famous one or a newbie. Dipper, though, found himself hanging back, his heart falling as the words resonated around his mind. Of course they had to talk about pirates now, just when he had finally gotten his mind off of them and was enjoying his time at port. Part of him didn't want to see the poster, didn't want to acknowledge the real threat that followed them, but the majority of him was filled with a burning curiosity. And he was never able to ignore his curiosity, not until he had sated it fully. So, even with the pounding in his heart, he took the poster that Wendy had somehow ended up with, and took a long look at the sketch.
Well, it was of a man, clearly. Light-ish skinned, with medium length, choppy hair that was slightly longer than his own, but not as long as some pirates had. One of the man's eyes, the right one, was covered by hair, but the other was staring straight forward, somehow piercing even as a drawing. The pirate's mouth was stretched in a wide, almost manic looking grin, his teeth sharp as fangs. On top of his head was an elaborate- and tall- pirate hat, indicating the man's status as captain. At the top of the poster was a list of crimes the man was wanted for, and Dipper could feel himself shiver. Murder, piracy, and treason. With a reward of 50,000 gold pieces, it was clear that this man was one who was keenly sought after.
Before Dipper could fully examine the poster to his liking, he felt as it got ripped from his hands, the sailor who was sitting on his right wanting to take a look.
"Huh. Doesn't look that tough. I bet we could take 'im." The man- Lee Dipper thinks- claimed, grinning at the other man beside him.
That got the group started on what they would do to any pirate who dared to board their ship, ranging from barely plausible to downright impossible. But Dipper wasn't paying attention. He was still focussed on the poster, which was now in the centre of the table again. He could feel his heart sinking as he looked at it, the pleasant feeling he had gotten from the ale disappearing in the wake of remembering the very real danger they were in. And despite what the others were saying, Dipper thought that this man looked incredibly dangerous. That grin… feeling the urge to examine the poster later, when he was alone and no one could distract him, Dipper grabbed it from the centre and folded it, sticking in the back of his shoe for safe keeping. He then forced himself to listen to what the others were saying, trying his hardest to laugh along and not show his discomfort.
Once the guys were finally done talking about the pirate, they went back to their previous conversation, laughing and joking once more. Dipper did his best to move on, but he felt off now, like he had been thrown off kilter. When the night ended hours later, he found that he felt somewhat relieved, despite the fact that he had had a mostly good night.
Once he was back in his room, the lantern off and Mabel asleep in her bed, Dipper couldn't help but think about the poster. About the pirate depicted there. With a burning curiosity and a building fear, Dipper removed the poster from his shoe and went over to the single candle in their room, lighting it so he could see.
The man really did look fearsome, he thought, doubly so with the manic grin. Dipper almost felt like the drawing was staring at him, the pirate depicted laughing at him right before he sliced his throat.
What confused Dipper, though, was the high and sharp looking cheekbones the pirate appeared to have. Typically, only the aristocracy, the high society, had cheekbones such as that. Dipper's mother and maternal grandparents had. So to see it on a pirate was bizarre to him. Why would a man with Noble blood ever go into something as terrible as piracy? Unless, he thought with a frown, the man was illegitimate. As a child he had heard whispers, stories of mainly men who had accidental children with their mistresses, sending the child away and pretending they had no idea about their existence. What happened to those children was never spoken about, too improper for polite company, but it was assumed that they tended to end up on the streets, the bastard children of the most elite. Unwanted everywhere they went.
But that didn't matter. Regardless of the man's family line, no matter his reasons for turning to piracy, Dipper feared him. If this was indeed the captain of the pirate ship the watchman had spotted, he could only hope that Stan was as good a fighter as people always said he was. Because this man… something about him screamed 'DANGER.' And Dipper trusted his instinct enough to know that if his gut was screaming at him to run and never come back, then this man was seriously bad news.
He stared at the drawing for a few more moments before shaking himself out of his fear. There was no reason to panic, he told himself harshly, even as the fear settled in his gut. There was no proof that this man's ship was the pirate ship they had spotted, and even if it was, there was no saying that they'd get boarded. He was just being paranoid. Again.
So, he blew the candle out and put the poster back in his boot, before going over to his bed to go to sleep. There was no use, at all, worrying about something that might not even happen. Instead, he should focus on the fact that he had successfully spent a night out with Wendy and her friends, without making a fool of himself. And that Mabel was doing better now.
Things would work out just fine. He was just being paranoid. Nothing would go wrong at all.
Hopefully.