"Stan does something dark to save the kids. Buckle up."
Pacifica ran as far into the tunnel as her tiny little legs could take her. Though still upset with the twins, she was done crying. Especially now that she had no idea where she was.
"What is this place?" she asked aloud.
All she knew was that it was dark and that the only light was coming from a small glow around the corner. She also knew the ground was wet, because she felt her boots sink heavily into the mud. Good thing she borrowed them from Mabel.
"I guess it's a good thing Mabel doesn't care about her shoes being ruined," Pacifica said.
The further along the tunnel she went, the more Pacifica could hear running water. Feeling parched from her long and desperate run, she followed the tunnel deeper until she was nearly blinded by a bright light. When her eyes adjusted, she saw a round fountain made entirely of marble, but with running water that overflowed from the fountain and into the surrounding ground. Nothing sounded sweeter to her ears than running water.
"Guess that explains the mud," she said.
Walking up to the fountain, Pacifica cupped her hands underneath and drew water out, which she drank immediately. For an old fountain still running inside a mountain, it was the most refreshing water she ever had. Not even the fancy fruit water at her mansion quenched her thirst like this.
Pacifica became so focused on drinking the water that she didn't hear tiny footsteps coming from behind.
"Hey Pacifica."
Pacifica nearly jumped when she heard Dipper's voice from behind. She didn't even know she had been here long enough for Dipper to catch up.
"...why did you come after me?" she asked.
"Look, Pacifica, I'm sorry," he said, "I'm not romantically interested in those girls."
"Are you sure about that?" asked Pacifica.
"Positive," Dipper said smiling, "The truth is, I could only think about one person. There's only ever been one I truly loved."
Pacifica blushed when he looked at her, and she had to lower her eyes to not get too caught up in the boy's adorkable charm.
"Sup dude?"
Pacifica didn't recognize this voice. But she heard the footsteps coming from behind. She turned and saw a much taller girl walking towards Dipper. A tall, red-haired girl with freckles wearing a brown trapper hat. Just like the girl from those photos in Dipper's private collection.
Wait, she thought, That is her! What is she...
"Oh hi Wendy!" Dipper said with a charismatic smile, "I was just talking about you."
"I know, babe," Wendy said, wrapping an arm around the smaller boy, "You can't stop talking about me, let alone thinking about me."
"Not my fault," Dipper said, hugging her back, "I just love you so much!"
"Wait, what? Why is she here? How is she here?" asked Pacifica.
"You didn't know?" asked Wendy mockingly, "Dipper and I are an item. Always have been, always will be."
"But it's cute the way Pacifica thinks I would like her," Dipper said.
"Hah! Fat chance!" Wendy exclaimed haughtily, "There was never any room for her! Not for a guy who's too good for her!"
"Hey!" Pacifica shouted, starting to choke up all over again.
"Admit it, blondie," Wendy said, staring down at the smaller girl, "No matter how much you throw yourself at him, Dipper will never see you as anything more than a spoiled princess! Why would you ever think someone as selfless and considerate as Dipper would ever waste time on a walking one-dimensional bleach blonde valley girl stereotype like you?"
Pacifica remembered exactly where she heard that before. Back when Mabel challenged her to a rematch in mini golf. When she said it then, it was the first time Pacifica was truly angry at her. Not annoyed like usual. Angry.
No, not angry. Afraid. Afraid Mabel might be right.
"We could have solved that problem a long time ago, Wendy," Dipper said, "I wanted to leave her for dead when the Lilliputtians kidnapped her, but Mabel just had to be the good twin and save her."
"Because you're the smart twin, baby," Wendy said, "C'mon, let's go make out again. Leave the little girl in her own world."
Pacifica had tears coming down her face again, but this time it wasn't out of heartbreak. It was out of rage. She picked up the nearest rock and threw it at the freckled girl's head, only for it to go right through her, making both Wendy and Dipper fade out. As if they were never there.
"Was that...was that even real?" Pacifica asked herself.
After calming down and catching her breath, Pacifica recomposed herself in a more dignified matter.
"Of course it was fake!" Pacifica reassured herself, "Mabel said it herself! Dipper's over her...right?"
Pacifica began to walk out in the tunnel she came in through, or at least the one she thought she came in through. It was hard to tell when an ancient fountain was the only source of light in the cavern.
And that's when she heard it. That awful sound echoing throughout the mountain. The ringing of a bell. Her body stiffened and her mind went into overhaul. The last time her father used it on her was at the mansion party when she finally stood up to him and her mother. Between that, Dipper's guidance, and the public eye on the Northwests now more than usual, Pacifica stopped being afraid of her parents.
But she never stopped being afraid of the bell. Or what it reminded her of.
Accompanied by the bell was the sound of haughty laughter. And that sound was soon joined by multiple images of Pacifica laughing at others. She couldn't see who her former selves were laughing at, but she saw what she herself looked like. And she hated it. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she went to slap the queen bees that surrounded her. But they too were mirages, just like Wendy and Dipper.
But it wasn't over yet. She heard Mabel's voice echoing with the bell now. And she kept saying the same thing, getting louder every time.
"WALKING ONE DIMENSIONAL BLEACH BLONDE VALLEY GIRL STEREOTYPE!"
Pacifica covered her ears and rolled up into a ball, blocking every sound and every picture that entered her mind. And yet they wouldn't go away. Her entire body went numb. It became too much for her, so much so, she did the only thing she could instinctively do.
She screamed.
And when she was done, she felt a pair of hands shaking her. Opening her eyes, she saw Dipper trying to shake her back into reality, with Mabel, Candy, and Grenda standing behind him, looking rather disturbed by Pacifica's meltdown.
"Pacifica!" Dipper shouted.
"Are you...are you real?"
"Am I...yes! Of course I'm real! Why wouldn't I be?" asked Dipper.
"How do I know that this isn't just another trick?" asked Pacifica, "That you won't just walk away from me? Leave me for that stupid redhead you won't shut up about!"
"...what?" Dipper asked, "Pacifica, where is this..."
Dipper was cut off by blood-curling screams that echoed throughout the caverns. Mabel and her friends started to panic, and Dipper, while less afraid than the others in the face of the supernatural, instantly stiffened his stance. This was how Pacifica knew that this was the real Dipper. The screams were far too real to be a trick of the mind. Whatever it was, it was real.
And it was heading in their direction.
MXZFCFZX FP KLQ QEB LKIV LKB CXZFKD EBO CBXOP.
