A/N; Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that this chap had a few mistakes that i fixed but nothing too major, and i rephrased some stuff but whatever. Beware the f-bombs within if that sorta shit offends you or sumptn'.
Dipper really needed to revise how to help people having panic attacks.
The world's ended. It's going to be needed again, sooner or later.
He'd've never pegged Pacifica as the first to break though. Not by a long shot.
We were so busy when we got back to the shack – after almost attacking each other, but the world has ended, easy thing to happen – That I almost didn't notice someone sneaking off during the planning stage. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop her – I was in the middle of trying to calm a Manotaur down, with our last beef jerky (Manly Dan was rather upset to part with it – Wendy convinced him to, though, and they went in another room to talk. About… Well. Three young(ish) redheaded boys are missing from the family reunion. You get what that means.) and I sent him and a few others outside to do guard duty – he looked fairly pleased about getting 'a man's job' and oh lord did a lot of people want to punch him.
Which left me to mediate. Again.
Godiwhishfordwasherestopnousewishfulthinking –
Don't think about that. You're holding everything together man. You can break down later.
Later.
So yeah. So much mediating went on, let me not bore both of us to sleep about that shall I?
It's probably not a good sign when the mediator wants to either punch and/or grab and relentlessly shake the people involved because Jesus Christ we're in the middle of the end of the world this is no time for petty fighting –
Yeah. Probably not a good sign.
Anyway, I still needed to assign her to her post, and so I went looking.
What was that noise?
Carefully, I walked upstairs to the attic, following where I heard the sound coming from –
It sounded like a thud, someone hitting the floor-
Oh god.
Okay, don't panic. Pacifica's probably fine –
Nope okay we're panicking.
Quickly as I could, I ran up the stairs and burst into my bedroom, and saw Pacifica –
She was curled up on the floor, and she looked like she wasn't breathing.
Shit.
Oh-kay, okay. Uh –
Right.
Panic attack. Bound to happen to someone at some point –
Surprisingly, it turns out I didn't expect that person to be Pacifica. At all. I mean, she wasn't exactly last on the list, but – well. She was pretty close.
So –
"Pacifica!"
- Okay. Right, cause that'll help. Um, what am I supposed to do?! Think, Man! Um -
"Pacifica! Hey –" might as well check, just to make sure – oh, no. "– oh god she's not breathing – um stories! Right soothing okay, okay, right – um – oh god – um –"
Stop.
Breathe.
Don't you dare panic, Dipper Pines. We don't need two of us out for the count.
Stories.
Oh, hell if I can't tell a story after the summer I've had.
"Right. Okay. So, one day, early-ish summer, Grunkle Stan hosted this really cheap carnival – remember? You got that chicken there, right? – um, anyway, me, Mable and Wendy went to the place, right? Free, because we're workers – and, um, Mable ran off somewhere – and so Wendy and I just – sort of hung out, and visited the different things there – and then she saw thing stuffed animal thing she wanted – oh god this isn't working, skip a bit – and I tried to get it for her. I failed, she got asked out by this – jerk – and that was terrible. My sister got a pig. Waddles. Skip some time, and we find this guy who has a time machine. And we use it, obviously. So, we use the machine, so I can stop her dating – him, and she can relive her happiest moment – winning Waddles. It, ah, fails a few times, et cetera, and we go through a trip through time, after a little… uh, disagreement, that made Mable sad. So - Ah - I decided that I didn't want my sister to be all depressed, and um, used the time-travel device to, uh, go back to the original time line – hey, actually, now I think about it, how did she remember anything about time travel; was it because I expected her to? Huh, anyway – um, next story -"
This isn't working thisisn'tworking –
What should I do whatshouldido –
"I can't think of one damnit - oh, and that was one heck of a day, I'm telling you – uh,the time travel day was, that's what I'm talking about, yeah -" wait –
it's working stop talking for a goddamn minute
Slowly, she lifted her head up, and looked at me. Weakly, she said; "Hey - You can stop now. But - ah - thanks. I guess. Uh - how's everything going - you know, with the plan." There was a lot of stuttering, her still slightly short breaths and – probably, I have no clue what panic attacks do, just a general idea of what might help – her still slowed down mind stopping her from being eloquent.
I blinked, because still, that was a fast recovery, and also, I gave her what I hope was a reassuring smile. It could have been a grimace, I don't know. Her face was still slightly blank, but just as – if not more – open than it had been when in that hidden room with the paintings. She looked slightly disgusted, but what it was geared towards I don't know exactly.
(I do have an idea, though.)
Belatedly, I realised she'd asked me a question. Oops.
Quickly, I morphed my face into a serious expression.
"Okay, so, so far we've just been gathering all the intel we have and separating out jobs between us all. Putting people into groups they can work with, and all that. We've got scavengers, defenders and scouts set up, but I had to mediate far too many arguments between species for us to get much further - I had to set the Manotaurs up as the guards to stop them punching holes in the walls; they destroy stuff when they feel... well, any emotion, really. So, to be honest, not much, tensions are far too high to get any real planning or work done. So yeah, so far? It's not looking so good... but we'll see. Right now, I'm more worried about the person I found not breathing on the floor in our room, rocking back and forth. Are you alright, Pacifica?"
Uh, that was probably a bit blunt, actually. Never mind, she doesn't seem too bothered by my phrasing. And sure, I left some stuff out, but, hell. It's a good enough explanation.
Better than the one I gave the others, anyway. (For what had happened. We'd agreed beforehand, if there were any questions, to follow my story. I'm a surprisingly good liar. In general, not that it's that surprising in this particular situation, really, or even that difficult, since I stayed fairly close to what actually happened. Just left some more... personal stuff out. As you would. Oh, and nearly all of the details were left out. Because that stuff is pines family confidential, along with those that already know the stuff anyway, like soos and Wendy. Nearly all of the personal stuff was omitted, and i did not say exactly who caused the end of the world. Just that I wasn't in the right place to know, and neither were the others.
Which is kinda true butnotatallreallyandilefteverythingoutwithseeminglyonlystanthewiserwow. Ahem. Moving on.)
She opened her mouth to reply, but took a few seconds to start actually doing so, as if her brain was still working sluggishly.
I wonder if she knows that that's happening.
Finally, she starts speaking; "so, you know when Weirdmageddon started, and Cipher demonstrated his power to the masses? Well... my family, we were in town when that happened - front row seats."
Wow. okay then, she is not okay. Stupid question. I winced, and some form of emotion flashed across her blue eyes, to fast to really get a read on.
She continued. "So that was something." No kidding. "Well, Dad decided... he decided it would be a great idea to join bill andinreturngotalltheorficesinhisfaceswitchedround." Dear god. Christ. She'd had to watch that happen? "So yeah. Mom disappeared... I don't know what happened to her. I don't really think it'd help to know, to be honest." ...Yeah. She's probably right about that. Scratch that, she is right about that. Not knowing is one less thing to have filling your head when you should be concentrating on notfallingapart stopping the world from ending."Then I came across Mr. Pines, Grenda and Old Man McGucket, and... well. Here we are now."
My eyes had widened when i heard about her dad, but it seems she's only noticing now. Swallowing, i replied, "Woah, Pacifica - I - I'm sorry you had to see that."
Because really, neither of us care much about her dad.
if that's messed up - which, yeah, it kinda is - then it's messed up. But he was a messed up man, using inhumane dog training techniques on a child. So yeah, i care more about her having to actually see that happening, then it actually happening to the man. No-one should have to see that happen to anyone.
(Evenifthatpersontotallyfuckingdeservesitno-onedeservesthatyesnoyesno-
Argh. It's morally wrong to think that anyone deserves that. Stop it.)
For some reason, something that closely resembled gratitude mixed with reluctant understanding and realization flashed across her face when I'd said that.
We're probably all really messed up by now, aren't we?
We'll have to sort that out, when the world no longer needs saving.
Or we won't. We're a stubborn bunch. There's nothing wrong with us.
"Y-yeah. That - it. It happened. And, and it's over, now. Mostly. So yeah, I had a breakdown, it won't happen again. It can't. You know that. It - mostly, its over. And now it's your turn. Tell me the stuff you censored out of your story - since I told you mine." Pacifica stated, because, really, it was only fair.
"Yeah. Okay. Um, I guess I should start at the beginning, Right?" Pacifica looked slightly worn out, like having a panic attack and everything that has happened since the end of the world has finally caught up to her. She tried for dry sarcasm, but it sounded a little flat - "That would make sense. Or, you know, start at the end. Whatever works."
That was kinda funny.
Anyway -
"Okay. So, this morning, Mabel and I were exited - her more than me - about our birthday, coming up in a weeks time. We'll be thirteen, just so you know."
Because thirteen was such a lucky number.
she didn't look very impressed, (and why would i want her to?), or seem to realize what i meant by specifically stating that it was our 13th birthday, and not just that we'd be having a birthday soon, aren't we just the luckiest.
"Happy Birthday. Get on with it." Yeah, alright then. Probably should, at that.
"Okay, okay. Umm, fast forward, and Mabel has gone out - we both have walkie-talkies so we can communicate - she's gone out to invite people to the party and find a place to host it. And, um, me and Ford, my other Great Uncle, we went to go to this alien space ship -" She looked disbelievingly at me. Seriously? Look around us man. The world's ended. I think that allows for some suspension of disbelief. (is that how that phrase is used goddamnit i need to check that later -)
"-Hey, don't look at me like that; the world has literally ended and you question aliens? Anyway, we were going to find this adhesive, to glue the container for the rift that is now up in the sky - see that cross, up there? yeah, that, where all the demons came from -" I'm rambling now. She nods, impatient, and gives a little huff, as if to say 'get on with it' again, but without wasting breath. " - Right. so, um... complications happened, the alien security was activated, Ford was taken by this alien pod thing, and I... kindofusedanincrediblypowerfulmagnettoattachmyselftothepodthingandbringitdownwhilstinmidairandthenfoughtitontheground, andwowsayingthisoutloudmakesitsoundcoolerthanitwas and Ford offered me to be his apprentice - discovering the secrets of gravity falls and the supernatural, and working for... well, basically my idol, and... well, I said yes." Looks like she didn't catch - or at least, register, what i said when i talked really fast -
I don't really want people knowing about that yet.
Might say i have 'lack of self-preservation' issues, or something stupid like that.
She nodded, as if that made perfect sense to her. Finally, someone gets it, - out of the people that know and I've had time to speak to - get's that it makes sense for me to take that offer.
Because why wouldn't I have taken it?
"So, well... it turns out that my walkie-talkie was on for the whole conversation. Mabel... heard everything. I don't really know what happened on her side of things, but it was enough for her to be... to be even more upset than she normally would have been, and the way she heard about it was... not ideal, and everything went wrong from there. Next thing I know, she's running off into the woods, taking a backpack with her, and I'm having a conversation with Great Uncle Ford, and then we realize she took my bag, with the rift inside -"
This was one of the worse parts. Not really knowing what was going on, a chain of bad events that just kept happening -
and then the world ended.
and i don't blame mysisterbutidobutidon'tbutido/don'tdodo -
Not the time for this, Dipper. Pull yourself together, man.
When I got back to the present, out of my own head, i saw that Pacifica, with dawning horror on her face, had understood the implications of what I had said.
I grimaced.
I know that i'm going to start ranting, maybe even forget she's even there if i start telling the rest of this story -
But she has a right to know. I have a feeling she only told me and the three she mentioned about her Dad, not the rest of the Fallsmen (i don't even remember who came up with that, I'm sorry.), and her mom... Well.
She probably didn't tell anyone about that. Except for me, that is.
I continued; "Yeah, it's as bad of a mess-up as it sounds. So Mabel ran off into the forest, and next thing I see is Bill Cipher corporeal, in our reality, floating up to the sky and fully opening the rift, letting thousands of horrors into our world and my sister is nowhere to be seen, and Ford is already planning how to get rid of Bill, and we go off to the clock tower and he shoots this one-time-use bill defeating gun - I know that it's annoying that its one shot only, truly - but misses, freaking misses, and there's a temporary hole in Bill's top hat, and Ford's tossing me his journals and I'm hiding and ford's being turned into a freaking gold statue and I can't bring myself to tell anyone this -"
Oh god I'm telling her this -
Why am I telling her this?
"- and then I'm standing in front of Bill, and there is nothing I can do, and I think, 'you know what? fuck it.'-" because that is really rather an apropriate time to swear, to be honest - "and I punch him in the eye."
She blinked, gaping at me -
Either impressed, or astounded by the stupidity of that last, desperate move. (why am i really hoping it's more of the - you know what never mind i'll figure it out later)
"Well that was a stupid, desperate move. I'll give you that not many'd have the guts to do it though."
Ouch. Harsh. Kind of a backhanded compliment, at least i get that. I relent that it was pretty stupid though.
Reckless.
"Sorry. That was harsh. You tried, and this guy is an immortal, all powerful demon - and, ugh, don't tell anyone, but -" she stopped, and frustrated, she puffed out her next breath. "Ugh, I'm impressed, okay?!" She was all but yelling now, "You - you stood up to that- I could never do that, I can hardly stand up to my parents and a stupid... bell of all things. You're far braver than I gave - than anyone gives you credit for." There was a pause that it seemed only he noticed. "Don't ask me to say that all again, it was difficult enough the first time - how do you people make it look so easy to do that? Ugh don't answer just... just continue, we can talk after if you want. Just..."
She looked so tired after that... explosion of thought.
I'm pretty flattered though, to be honest.
But don't think I didn't notice that bell aside.
later, though.
Wearily, she added, "Just continue."
Somehow now mentally drained myself, I rub my face with my hand, and nod, once, -hopefully discretely- flicking my eyes to look at her's directly again, for a second, and look away, quickly.
I continue.
"Well, obviously that backfired, luckily not as much as I expected, as I am standing here now, talking about the event - so I got repelled backwards. Skipping a little of me running away from two of his 'gang' members, and trying to find anyone whilst talking into my walkie-talkie - as if that'd help anything - and to after I found Wendy." That was a relief at the time - and still is now. I don't know what would have happened if i hadn't found her. For a second there, Pacifica looked extremely happy with herself. I wonder why?...
Anyway,
"So, Wendy gets my spirits up with a pep talk and the last box of food she had and some Pitt cola, and we made a plan to get to Mabel's bubble - her own little prison away from the terrors of the apocalypse. Soon, we find ourselves captured by Gideon and his Warriors, but, after a chase, I convinced him to give us the key to the bubble, and - now with Soos - all three of us enter the bubble while Gideon and his fellow prison escapees front-onattack the Pyramid, and well... the next part is... something."
She snorted, probably understanding that that was not at all a good description of what the Mabel bubble was like, first setting eyes upon the 'prison'
"So basically, Bill had her trapped inside the perfect, Mabel World - where summer never ends. And it's heavily inspired by the 80's. And 90's. It knew what you wanted - whatever you wanted, before you even knew you wanted it; and that should have been a clue that Mabel wasn't in complete control, she only thought she was - oh, right, yeah, everyone there treated her as if she were the ruler. and just, like, lots of her was the jury, and all her creations were there, and all her crushes as if they returned her feelings - The perfect Mabel world, right down to... to a better me. Which, by the way - not a better me, not at all, I hated that guy - was called..." I let out an angry breath of air. "... right. It was called "Dippy Fresh". Just... why?" I felt my face adopt a confused expression, and she laughed a little.
it was kinda a pretty sound. - wait. -
Still smiling, she replied, "It's Mabel, Dipper. There is no rhyme or reason to her imagination, nor the things she does. Which can be great - or terrible, judging by the great big hole in the sky. And the fact that she replaced you. Ehrm, sorry."
she looked genuinely apologetic - though not for stating the truth, just for saying it so bluntly.
I'm not sure what expression came over my face as i responded. hopefully, it was at least partially positive.
I need it to have been.
"Yeah, everyone's pretty disappointed with Mabel for that. And, yeah, I see why, but haven't any of them wanted to replace family members with better versions of them when they're angry at them? I just - I guess why I'm not refuting it completely is because... because I don't know what I'd do in her place. What my bubble would be like. I just don't know and - yeah. That's why I don't. Refute it, I mean."
Okay.
So there might be a little lie in there, since my fingers are crossed behind my back.
andi'mnotscaredofwhati'mlyingaboutyesiamnoi'mnotnthat'swhatscaresmei'mnotscared-
ahem.
Hopefully, she didn't recognize that i was scared.
(i do really wonder what my bubble would be like though. just for the record. But in her place? I think i might know what i might've done, and it's the fact that that doesn't scare me that scares me, if that makes sense.)
Softly she replied, in an understanding tone, "Yeah, okay, I get it." I glanced at her, and said, thoughtfully, "You would, wouldn't you? Anyway-" We really do need to get on with this if we want to be finished any time soon. "some stuff happened andisawsomethingithoughtiwasoveralready but it doesn't really matter," phew, it looks like she was not paying attention for that part - "and after that, i asked Mabel to leave, but we had to go to trial. So she tried to make an argument to stay, and I showed her why leaving, and fighting for our world would be way better than hiding in a fake one. And we awkwardly hugged as siblings do, the world fell apart into nightmares around us as we rode to the outside walls of the bubble on waddles, the giant version, and Mabel stood on the back of his head holding a giant needle, and popped the bubble. We made our way back here, and you were present for the rest. So yeah, that's my apocalypse story."
With an odd expression, she was silent for a few seconds. almost distantly, she said "Well done on not dying, dork." Uhm, okay. "Thanks, I think."
Now it's time to talk about her problems again.
That rather terrible one, in particular.
Noticing the direction that the conversation was now going towards, she started to look a little worried, a little like she really wanted to not be here right now. Well, too bad. We're doing this. Now.
You know it's not stupid to be afraid of that bell, right? When it rang, it never meant anything good - and, you seem to forget that this is a tried and tested method, an inhumane method, of controlling a dog. It has been used on people in the past, and, just like you, even though they were afraid they stood up to the owner of the bell, eventually, and hey - the definition of courage is being able to do something, even in the face of fear. Like when you saved everyone when you stood up to your dad and the bell to free your family from the curse, and, more importantly, free the people who were turned to wood. Thanks for that, by the way." I smiled at her, genuinely, and noticed a very faint blush was decorating her cheeks. it was kinda - nope. not going there. "Uh - yeah. Thanks. And - you too? In return - oh whatever. Just - it was something I did, because - because it was right to, do so. I guess."
She's doing a lot better at being a good person than a lot of people are, and she's only been at it for a few days. (weirdly enough, and i'm not going to analyse it, but i'm oddly... proud, for her. she certainly can't see how well she's been doing at being a good person, so far.)
Without it really being a conscious decision, i placed my hand on her shoulder. Removing it, and -hopefully- smiling in a way that was meant to reassure.
Her expression went unreadable again.
and seemingly from out of nowhere, she near tackled me in a hug, and was quite shocked, so I stood stock still.
We stayed like that for a second or so, and then i realized, belatedly, that this was a hug, and i was just standing there, and her arms were tightening around my neck which -
Ouch.
Awkwardly - as if this wasn't awkward enough already - i hugged her back.
She relaxed, and i also realized i hadn't noticed how tense she was.
Oh. right. probably her first hug that she wasn't going to ask him to forget, along with bribe money.
It doesn't look like she'll be letting go any time soon.
Alright then.
I mean, this is kinda...
Nice. I guess.
So they sat there, just hugging slightly, listening to the sounds of the end of the world, the people in the house, and just sitting. Hugging. Thinking.
And yeah, maybe their eyes are damp.
But they'll ignore that when they stop.
later.
A/N
So hey guys! just letting you know thanks for the reviews letting me know about that little... ha... problem with the formatting. it's been updated and stuff, check it out! and here is that promised second chapter in Dipper's pov. This took several hours i could have been doing revision but ugh. revision. See you guys later!
