This was the first thing I ever wrote for this story idea. I really love it and hope you do too. Oh and this probably takes place sometime after the final scene in 'Home is Where the Weird Is'. Enjoy!
Pacifica sits idly in front of the couch. She leans against the arm of the couch, going in and out of focus on her surroundings. The television flickers and sound blares as people run across the screen and act like idiots, but it doesn't hold her attention for more than a few seconds every few minutes. It is one of Stan's shows, not hers. Not that it matters. Even if she wanted to, their home doesn't get the channels she was gifted with back at her house. She glances up at the chair. Huh, looks like he isn't even watching anymore. She frowns. He must have slipped off when she was in her own world, thinking about everything from how she misses the luxuries of life she never realized were luxuries to how unbelievably nice these people are despite the way she always treated them before. She grimaces and ducks her head. She never lingers on that one long. It only makes a massive weight press harder on her already crushed soul.
"HEY!" Pacifica is jolted from her thoughts by a loud call to attention. She jumps and jerks her head around. She shouldn't be so jarred by the sound at this point or be surprised at the source, but even to this day – a week into her time with them – she can't help but feel this as she lays eyes on Mabel.
Mabel rushes at her. She seizes Pacifica's by the sleeve of her shirt and pulls her up. "Come on," She grins from ear to ear. "Let's go!"
Pacifica stumbles to her feet. "G-Go? Go where?" She learned quickly that this is a vital question. Otherwise she could end up roped into corralling a pig (NEVER AGAIN!).
Mabel laughs. "Outside, silly. I got Dipper jazzed up and we're gonna play a game! So come on, come on." She drags Pacifica along and out the door.
Pacifica could resist if she wanted she supposes, but she knows there is a part of her that actually wants to go – to be included in this crazy family. She doesn't deserve it really, but when has that ever stopped her? At least she isn't hurting anyone with this. "Easy, easy!" Pacifica smiles despite her sharp tone. "This jacket costs more than your house."
Mabel makes unidentifiable noises and bobs her head back and forth in response to Pacifica's comment.
Pacifica catches movement from the corner of her eye as they exit the house. Oh, there he is. Stan is on the couch on the porch. She makes a face out of instinct. It never gets any more normal for her to see a piece of furniture clearly meant for indoor use outside. Surely it must be ruined from all the countless rains this town has. Yet there Stan sits, completely comfortable in the strangeness. Then again, this is the Pines she is talking about.
"Dipper!" Mabel releases Pacifica then and bolts forward. "Ready?" A smirk curls her lips and her eyes twinkle mischievously. She tenses and bends forward, prepared to pounce.
Dipper looks past her. "Hey, Pacifica, you're actually going to play?" There is a laugh to his tone, but the words he chooses inadvertently betray his disbelief in her being willing to 'stoop to their level'. He doesn't mean to be condescending – really! – he's trying. But he can't quite shake the image of her as a snooty prep too good for 'his kind', even after all he has learned about her. He isn't like Mabel.
Pacifica scoffs and places a hand on her hip. "You think I can't do it?" He might be right in all actuality. The things they do, it never is orthodox. They could be about to hunt down the Hide Behind or whatever those things are Dipper babbles on about to Mabel when he thinks Pacifica isn't listening. The instant he notices of course he clams up, leaving her hopelessly in the dark for the umpteenth time. Still, she knows little things now.
Dipper throws his hands up in defense. "No, no." He grins. "I just didn't peg you as one to play something like tag."
Pacifica blinks. "…Tag?" Is it really something so simple?
Dipper swivels and shoots a hard look at Mabel. "You didn't tell her?"
Mabel glares back. "She knows, she knows."
"Nu-uh. You cheater!" Dipper shoves a finger in Mabel's face.
"Cheating is life's easy button." Mabel puffs her lips out.
Pacifica stares in awe at the twins. She slowly cocks her head. Are they really fighting over something so stupid? She looks over her shoulder at Stan, a frown creasing her face. Isn't he going to do anything? Isn't he worried it will escalate? But no, contrary to all her logic, he is grinning. This is…funny? Then again, what would she know? She doesn't have any siblings. And they don't exactly play with each other often, what with Dipper's odd behavior. Maybe this is…healthy? She shrugs. So, tag huh. She has never played, sure, but it isn't exactly rocket science. She takes small steps forward, toward the twins. They are so caught up in their silly fighting that they don't notice her, not until she is right on top of them.
They look at her simultaneously. Their voices quiet upon the sight of her in their faces.
Pacifica only stares for a long moment. Then, slowly, she reaches out. She pokes Mabel in the shoulder. "Tag." She says in a monotone.
No one moves at first. They only exchange blank stares. Then the moment is shattered by Mabel's battle cry.
Pacifica shrieks and turns hard on her heel. She scrambles away, not sure where she plans on going to get away from this crazy girl.
Dipper runs the opposite direction. If he can get there fast enough maybe he can scale a tree and avoid his sister's wrath.
Mabel rockets after Pacifica. A terrifying grin spreads across her lips as she closes the distance.
Pacifica's heart pounds relentlessly in her ears. Her breathing is ragged even after only this short sprint. She never has had much use for exercising, not with her naturally slim figure. And what other reason was there? To escape a deranged girl playing tag apparently. But who prepares for that? She looks frantically about her, never stopping. She can hear Mabel's scream growing ever closer all the while. Need a place to escape, need a place to escape, need a- An idea hits her and she curves hard right.
Mabel flies past her. She digs her fingers into the soppy earth, struggling for traction because of the recent rain. But she manages and is quickly back on track.
Pacifica scurries up the porch and dives to the floor.
Stan perks at the sound of creaking wood. "Hm?" He looks down to find Pacifica there.
Pacifica squeezes into the space between his legs and the couch and hides there. She grabs each of his legs and brings them closer together, blocking her better. She's come to associate him with protection and safety more than anyone in her life, even for something so silly.
Stan chortles. "You really think that's gonna work, kid?" Still, it makes him grin from ear to ear.
Pacifica holds on tighter. She doesn't say a word, just keeps her eyes fixed on the menace approaching her at top speed.
"Hey!" Mabel yells as she closes in. "No fair! Get out!" She'll just reach around and tag her anyway. It's not like Pacifica's choice of refuge is unreachable. Still, adrenaline pumps through her veins (along with five mega shots of Mabel Juice) and she is willing to make a big deal out of even the dumbest things.
Pacifica yelps. She huddles farther down. "No! No tag backs! This is the designated safe zone."
Mabel gapes. "Whaaaat? Nu-uh! There's no such thing!" Mabel comes to a screeching halt before Stan. She bends over and glowers at Pacifica. "You big fat cheater pants."
"Am not." Pacifica says indignantly. She narrows her eyes and pokes her head out between Stan's legs. "It's how you play."
"But you don't get to pick the safe zone." Mabel crosses her arms in a huff. "We have to decide as a group. Otherwise you do what you did Cheater McGee."
"You are kinda cheating." Stan notes. As he says it though he is beaming. "And I a hundred percent approve." He gives Pacifica a thumbs up. "Abuse the system!"
Pacifica smiles at Stan.
"Grunkle Stan." Mabel whines.
Pacifica throws a triumphant grin at Mabel and sticks her tongue out.
Mabel sticks her tongue out right back. "Cheater!" She throws an arm in the air and pivots. She races out into the yard, locking onto Dipper as her newest target.
Pacifica stares blankly after her. She gave up oddly easy. Hm, oh well. At least Mabel has stopped harassing her. So tentatively she crawls out from behind Stan. She picks herself up and brushes off her pants. She sighs.
Stan raises a brow. "Something wrong?"
Pacifica shakes her head. "Just ruined these hundred dollar pants, that's all."
Stan nearly chokes on his soda. "Dang." His eyes widen as he looks at her clothes.
Pacifica scoffs. "Well, they're not worth that now. I mean, who would want a scuffed up pair of dirty old pants for-" She clamps her mouth shut and goes rigid. She turns hard to face him. "I-I…sorry! I didn't mean…I mean I just…" She fidgets with her fingers.
"Whoa, easy." Stan motions his hands downward. "It's no big deal. You're not rubbing it in my face or anything. So its whatever. I mean, what kind of man would I be if I expected you to just forget everything you were brought up with your whole life?" He chuckles. "S'long as you are trying it's fine."
Pacifica smiles meekly. "Thank you Stan." Mabel screeches and jars her out of the conversation. Pacifica looks over her shoulder to see that she is scaling the tree after Dipper. Wow, what a sight. She can't hide a giggle.
"Now get." Stan shoos. "Go play."
Pacifica does as she is told. She is careful to stay at the periphery though. She doesn't really want to be chased again. Watching though, that isn't so bad. She supposes that comes from her old life too. Any sport worthwhile was a spectator's sport. Being involved was for 'their kind'. People like the Pines. She frowns as the thought slithers into her head.
Dipper races across the yard. He isn't sure how long he can outrun a Mabel hopped up on Mabel Juice. There isn't time (or energy) to climb another tree either. He's done for. His skin crawls with the premonition. 3…2…
Mabel screams. "TAG." She leaps and tackles Dipper in one swift move. They go tumbling and roll straight into one of the mud puddles created by last night's rain. The brown glop splatters her face and sticks on clothes and in her hair.
Dipper plows into the puddle and gets smothered in mud. He twists hard, trying to buck Mabel off of his back. "Mabel," He grunts, getting a mouthful of mud. He spites and splutters. "Alright, Mabel, you got me. Now. Get. Off."
Mabel cackles. "NE-VAH." She chomps down on the sleeve of his shirt, clipping skin accidentally.
Dipper yelps. "You-" He grabs her hair and pulls – hard.
Mabel shrieks and jerks backward. She sprawls out in the mud, coating the back of her clothes completely.
Dipper leaps to his feet and shoots her a devilish grin.
Mabel fumes. "Cheater! Everybody's a bunch of cheaters!" She jumps up and makes to go after him.
"Ah, ah, ah." Dipper wags a finger at her. "I'm it." His eyes shine with mischief. He crouches.
Mabel's face lights up and she wriggles in excitement.
Dipper charges.
Mabel shrieks as she sprints in the opposite direction.
Pacifica watches the exchange through ever widening eyes. It is downright brutal – the things they do to each other. Yet never once does the humor leave their tone or body language. It sets her world spinning in confusion. It's like witnessing a Gremloblin, as Dipper would say. She is so captivated by the wrestling that she is oblivious to the fact they are headed right toward her, not until they are practically on top of her.
Dipper takes Mabel's legs out from under her.
Pacifica yelps and jumps back, but it's not enough.
The twins tumble in a twisted knot of limbs. They continue their approach until, with one misplaced kick, Dipper knocks Pacifica off her feet.
Pacifica throws her hands out to catch herself, but it makes no difference. She smashes down into a puddle she hadn't realized was there, soaking her clothes all the way through.
There is a moment of utter silence, where she is too stunned to react. Then it shatters. Pacifica bursts in sobs.
Stan's ears prick and he is suddenly alert. He sits up straight, fervently looking out over the yard to locate the source of the distress. A monster? Did he really zone out so badly as to not notice something like that? Oh, no. He sees the scene before him. Shit. It's much worse.
Mabel wrenches herself out of Dipper's hold and scrambles across the ground to Pacifica. "P-Pacifica?" She lifts a hand as if to touch her, but it lingers uselessly in the air.
"It's ruined!" Pacifica wails. Tears well in her eyes and stream down her face. "Y-You ruined it."
Dipper sits up. He frowns deeply. "Come on, Pacifica. It's just a little mud. It'll be alright." It is an active struggle to keep himself from belittling her crazy overreaction. He has to remember though, it may having nothing to do with the clothes themselves. It is probably just stress from living in a place so different from home.
"No it isn't." She clenches her hands so tightly her nails dig into skin.
Dipper starts at her severe words. He scowls.
"T-This was my favorite outfit. And it-it's dry clean only." She buries her face in her hands. It only makes her cry harder as she spreads the mud on her hands to her face. "I bet you don't even know what that is."
Mabel ducks her head and frowns. Her eyes shimmer with tears of her own. She can't not feel a pang of great guilt and shame for being the straw that broke Pacifica. "Pacifica, I…I'm sorry." She reaches out and lays a hand on Pacifica's shoulder.
Stan walks up to the kids. "Come on, what's wrong?" He looks from one face to the next. Irritation on one, fragile sadness on another, and a complete mess on the other.
"I didn't mean it Grunkle Stan." Mabel's voice trembles. It takes every ounce of effort in her tiny body to keep from mirroring Pacifica. The girl's emotions are just too overwhelming and Mabel too much a conductor of everything for her to remain indifferent. "But I-I messed up her clothes."
"It's fine sweetie." Stan coos as he picks Mabel up. "Accidents happen."
Mabel bunches up his shirt in her clenched fists. She leans into him and buries her face in the crook of his neck.
Pacifica jerks her head up and glowers at Stan. "Fine?" Anger coils her tongue and she spits out words she wouldn't dream of otherwise, "Do you know how much that costs, old man? More than the clothes on your back!"
Stan's face hardens. He does not let her provoke him though. That won't fix anything. Besides, she doesn't mean it anyway. She's just one of those kids – like most spoiled rotten rich kids – who deal with stress and upsets by lashing out at others. "Come on, Dipper." He ushers the kid up and motions him back toward the house. "Playtime's over." He carries Mabel to the house, stroking her hair and whispering comforts in her ear all the way.
Pacifica flops out over the ground. She throws herself right into the puddle. She doesn't care. Halfway ruined or all the way ruined, it makes no difference. Ruined is ruined. And she just lays there, sobbing. She doesn't know how long she stays like that, probably only a minute, but it feels like an eternity before she hears footsteps approaching.
"Alright, up ya go kid." Stan reaches for her and lifts her under her arms.
Pacifica resists. She whines as she twists her body away from him in a halfhearted attempt at escape. She doesn't want his comfort. She doesn't need his sympathy. She is a Northwest! At least…she used to be. At the thought, she crumples. Sobs choke her and tears stream down her face, leaving clear trails among the mud that coats her.
Stan sighs and gives a pained smile. "Come on," He lifts her into the crook of his arm and stands. "Let's get you cleaned up."
Pacifica tries to lean away from him. Despite her cutting words about how cheap his clothes are, she doesn't want to mess them up like hers are.
Stan smiles faintly, touched by the sentiment behind her action. He doesn't care though. They're just old rags. Her feelings are far more important. He runs a hand over her hair and draws her to him. He senses the protest on her lips and speaks before she can, "Shh, it's fine honey. I'll just change into another."
Pacifica gives up the fight. She curls her hands into the folds of his shirt and rests her head against his chest. Sobs wrack her tiny frame despite his assurances.
Stan pats her back and murmurs comforting words as he takes her into the house. He glimpses the kids in the living room as he passes on the way to the bathroom. Mabel still looks particularly upset and Dipper is trying his best to console her. That's good. As of late he has been worried about them. They seem to be doing more and more things apart.
He sets her on the edge of the tub before grabbing a towel, wetting it in the sink, and returning to her. "Come on now. Don't cry." He runs the cloth over her face and wipes the mud away. He wants to tell her that 'they're just clothes' but after her meltdown he knows that will only make it worse. She might even bite his head off.
Pacifica sniffles. She moves to wipe her hand across her face and brush away the tears.
Stan catches her hand and stops her. "You're just gonna dirty it up again like that." He chuckles and offers her a smile.
Pacifica manages a tiny smile in return.
Stan runs the cloth over her hands and legs, cleaning every inch of her skin. "There." He works the towel over her hair as an afterthought, trying to get the muck out before it dries. "Now you just need to get out of those clothes."
Pacifica wipes her hand across her face and rubs at her runny nose. "Shouldn't I take-take a shower? Or something?" Her voice is tiny and laced with tears.
Stan shrugs. "If it will make you feel better, sure. Go for it. I'm not going to make ya though. As long as you put on some clean clothes it'll be fine. Really."
Pacifica nods. "Thanks." She averts her eyes. "And I…I'm sorry I," She picks at her fingernails. "What I said." She ducks her head.
Stan looks sadly at her. "I know it's hard. Living in a way that you haven't had to since you were born. The values you have, they're different from us. Just because clothes aren't as important to us doesn't mean they can't be important to you."
Pacifica shrugs. "But clothes shouldn't be." She mumbles. "They're replaceable." She looks down at her ruined outfit, the mud still covering it.
"You'll get there eventually." He ruffles her hair. "Want me to go get you some of Mabel's clothes?" He tilts his head.
Pacifica giggles. "No, I can get my own stuff."
"Alright." He slips her shoes and socks off. "As long as you don't tromp mud around the house." He grins.
Pacifica hops off of the edge of the tub. She shivers as her feet touch the cool wood, but she quickly acclimates. "Will you tell Mabel I'm alright for me too?"
Stan raises a brow. "Are you alright?" She has mostly recovered, yes, but there is a vibe rolling off her that speaks of how fragile she still is.
Pacifica shrugs. "I will be. Just need a shower." She leaves the bathroom and heads for the twins' room. She probably won't be wearing any of her favorites for a while now. Just something simple, something not dry clean only.
Stan watches after her. He can only assume that is her kind of coping mechanism. Like Dipper shoves his nose further into that troublesome book of his and Mabel eats even more candy than usual. Well, he should probably go find the twins now. So he heads down to living room, pleased to find them just where they were before.
Mabel looks up immediately at the sound of footsteps. "Grunkle Stan, is she ok?" Mabel clenches her hands around the fabric of her skirt.
Stan smiles. "Yeah, sweetie. She's fine. Just stressed."
Mabel lets out a breath. She frowns and drops her gaze despite Stan's words. "It's my fault. I made her cry."
Dipper looks hard at her. "Come on Mabel," He lays a hand on her shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong. She's just being overly sensitive." He says with a single firm nod.
"Dipper," Stan shoots him a disapproving look. "You've had your fair share of overreactions. You could stand to be a little more understanding.
Dipper huffs. "I don't like people who make Mabel cry."
Stan cringes. He can't be sure if Dipper meant it that way, but Stan inevitably flashes back to those last few seconds in front of the portal, before it opened. He made her cry then. No time for thoughts like that though. Not right now. "Just be nicer. Ok?"
Mabel perks suddenly. "I'm gonna do something to make her feel better." She grins from ear to ear. "That'll make things better."
Stan chuckles. "You go right on ahead, sweetie." He ruffles her hair. "Sounds good to me."
"It'll be great!" Mabel nods with the whole upper half of her body. "Definitely." A gift straight from the heart. Even if she doesn't have to, she wants to. It'll make Pacifica feel more at home. And that's all Mabel wants.
What did you think? Hopefully everyone was in character. That's always my biggest worry. Also this is sort of part one of a two parter, so hopefully you'll be looking forward to that. Next chapter might be my favorite idea too. Please review!