Earth, August 5th, 2012
Gleeful still hadn't made a move yet. Pacifica wasn't too worried. He probably saw the increased security and backed off for now.
Dipper was in bad shape. He looked like he was sleeping now, but she could spot a panic attack a mile away and that had definitely been a panic attack. It gave her plenty of time alone to search the house. All that meant was that she really, really had to pull this off.
Her parents never visited the room she discovered with Dipper, hidden behind a painting and full of the Northwests' misdeeds. She sat against an armoire covered in a dusty sheet, a flashlight by her knee. In her lap, a llama hair sweater stretched over her thighs, a llama sewn on the front. It had been in the weird filthy den area in the Mystery Shack, lying on a pile of sweaters like no one had the heart to pick them up. It was definitely Mabel's. Pacifica could recognize one of her old lady sweaters any day of the week.
Pacifica made sure to wear gloves for the mirror now in her hand. Everything she read said that she could scry for a person better if she had something of theirs. She dug her fingers in the llama hair sweater, the eyes of her wretched ancestors staring at her from all around.
"Come on, Mabel. I'm trying to be a good person, so don't go and make this harder." As if Mabel could control how easy she was to find with a mirror, but Pacifica found comfort in sending barbs at someone who wasn't even there.
Pacifica held up the mirror, setting her jaw. The stupid flying eyeball with the even more stupid green lens was staring at her judgmentally again, but she was trying to do a good thing so she didn't know what its problem was.
"Show me Mabel."
The glass fogged. She held the sweater so hard her fingers were digging through the stitches into her palms. Mabel, the girl who'd wear corn chips as earrings and challenge the rich girl at a new town she'd only been in for a month. Mabel, who knit more sweaters than should be possible and wore them in the dead of summer. Mabel, who had a mean swing in golf and fought by her side against ball monsters.
Mabel, who really needed to be alive, because she forgave all of Pacifica's nasty behavior and her brother was lost without her.
The ivory warmed under her glove. The fog parted, and there was light.
It was like a painting. Towering trees, colors more vivid than Pacifica had ever seen, and glimmering, luminescent jellyfish-like creatures swam through the air like it was water. With every contraction that sent them flying forward, the creatures let out sounds that Pacifica had never heard before. It was like music with instruments from another galaxy, and she had to bite her lip to keep from being caught in it.
"Look! I think they're dancing!"
Pacifica almost snapped at Mabel to shut up and let her listen, but then her heart skipped a beat. Mabel?
There she was, on the ground with grass as high as her hips, complete with a white sweater and… did she have stars braided on her head? Pacifica was pretty sure Mabel had stars braided on her head. The braids were so tight that there wasn't any hair that fell past Mabel's ears. It was incredibly tacky but Pacifica was grudgingly impressed. She'd never seen braids done like that before (probably because braids were far out of fashion but still).
"You're not looking!" Mabel cut through the grass, and it was only then Pacifica could see another human was there. It was a man. What was a man doing there?
The man was bent over and writing in a journal, wearing a black trench coat that looked like it was out of an action movie, but while everything around him was distinct and vivid, his head was a gray and pink blur.
Pacifica held her breath, biting her lip as Mabel wandered towards the man. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't she see him? Was he a dangerous alien? Was he going to eat Mabel?
Mabel grabbed his arm, pulling it down and hugging it while he wrote. "You're not looking." Mabel grinned at him, her braces gleaming as bright as ever. Pacifica couldn't see the man's eyes (did he have eyes?), but his shoulders shifted like he was looking down at Mabel. The arm Mabel hugged shifted, sliding out of her grip…
And he gently patted her on the head.
"I'm just finishing this sentence."
Mabel was clearly entranced by the musical jellyfish, and so was Pacifica, hunched over the mirror just so she could hear better. The man put his book away and kept one hand on Mabel's shoulder. He was probably human, or if he wasn't, then he was still safe if Mabel was okay with him. Probably. Mabel would probably be okay with nearly anything.
"You should dance with me," Mabel said, tugging on the man's sleeve. He chuckled, and the noise was warm and definitely human.
"You just want me to twirl you."
"Twirl me in time to music!" She grabbed his hand, tugging him out under the jellyfish.
He laced their fingers together. Something looked wrong about it. Pacifica squinted. Did he have six fingers? That was definitely six fingers.
The man led Mabel into some bastardization of a waltz, but their uncoordinated steps didn't matter, because Mabel was grinning and completely whole.
Pacifica watched them dance a crooked path through the grass, smiling at the way Mabel never failed to be a dork even across universes, before she remembered that there was someone else who needed to see this.
Fumbling with the jacket for a moment, Pacifica pulled out a disposable cell phone she had bought early this morning. She wiggled in place, staring at the mirror as she punched Dipper's number in. It was like she was a spy. The best kind of spy that could reunite a brother and sister (or at least assure one that the other was okay and happy enough to be dancing with a stranger).
"Hello, this is the Mystery Shack." The cheap disposable crackled Dipper's voice, but Pacifica couldn't be bothered by it.
"Dipper, it's Pacifica. You have to come up to the mansion now."
"Pacifica?" He sounded nervous. Maybe she shouldn't have left it so ominous. "Is something wrong? Did Gideon attack?"
"No, no, this is a good thing, I swear." He'd be so happy to see Mabel okay. "It's better if I show you. Just come here as soon as you can and I'll meet you outside of the gate, okay?"
"Okay…"
She hung up on him, still watching the mirror. Mabel danced gracelessly, but she made up for it by making it look really fun. She laughed and the man twirled her over and over as they raked a crooked line through the grass and the jellyfish glimmered above.
"You know, a portal is going to open soon. We're going to need to go through it." The man had that indulgent tone Pacifica's father would get sometimes when Pacifica wanted to get something particularly expensive, like a new horse or helicopter flying lessons.
"You can make me dizzy first!"
He twirled Mabel around and around, laughing. It was like a scene from a Disney movie. Too cute. Oh well, good to see Mabel still had the energy to be her good old saccharine self.
Pacifica lost track of how long she watched them before they suddenly stopped and the entire image crackled, wobbling before becoming distinct again. A blue portal was opening up at the base of a tree.
"Okay, Mabel." The man stopped twirling Mabel, and he managed to catch her before she toppled over. "Time to go."
The man and the girl laced their fingers together before he tossed a rock into the portal. When there was a clatter, they stepped inside.
For a moment, the mirror just showed the jellyfish world without Mabel.
"Hey, I want to see Mabel." Pacifica clenched the mirror tighter. "Don't show me that. Keep showing me M—"
Electricity blew behind her eyes and the dusty room of paintings disappeared. She was surrounded by the universe. Six connected prongs of lightning with blue words all over the surface moved like a golden, sparking six-fingered hand through the void of space, and a shooting star left a trail of brilliant color through the cosmos.
"Mabel?" Pacifica called out, already looking around, trying to clench and unclench her hands to feel the mirror. Where was she what was she doing what happened oh God she was supposed to be in the mansion—
Pacifica?
The voice was too loud, too bright, bouncing around the inside of Pacifica's skull like Mabel wiggling her inexperienced, graceless butt across a dance floor.
You sound like Pacifica, Mabel's stupid internal bouncing said.
Mabel, stay back, a faraway male voice said. The hand crackled. Pacifica could taste metal and the golden fingers were suddenly like bars of a cage, fixed between her and the star. The air popped, Pacifica's hair stood on end, and she lashed out.
"Ruin my hair and I will sue you, old man!"
Oh my gosh it is Pacifica!
Mabel squealed in the weird collective brain thing they had going and Pacifica tried to cover ears that she was having trouble finding. By the way the lightning fingers shuddered, the old man was feeling it too.
Oh my gosh oh my gosh how are you here?
She's from Earth?
All the colors from the star were getting so bright and hot that it gave Pacifica a headache, but that was pretty normal whenever she talked to Mabel. It almost completely overwhelmed the old man, who she only felt as though she were listening to an old radio that cut in and out. Unlike Mabel's flashy, tacky glitz, he was a dull, indistinct roar, thinking so many things at once that Pacifica couldn't pick anything out, but cold dread shot from him like a knife cutting into her, and Mabel's light flickered uneasily.
"I might have stolen one of your sweaters and scryed for you in a magic mirror."
Awww, a wave of warmth swept through the void of space, you do care about me.
"Don't let it go to your head."
Where did you get the mirror? The old man's voice cut in, suddenly closing distance, a signal that wanted to find her. The dread was pricking out of him like spikes, and she was narrowly avoiding getting caught on them all. How are you communicating with us?
"I don't know." Pacifica tried to twist away from the spikes. Space was too wide to feel so claustrophobic. "My family had the mirror, and some freak wanted to buy it. I just wanted to show Dipper that Mabel was okay."
Dipper! Mabel's feelings punched Pacifica's nose so hard she could swear she would be bleeding if she even had a nose right now. All of Mabel rushed around her and for a moment she was drowning, clawing for air in between the hope and longing and love that had burst out of the star. Is Dipper okay? What's he doing? He's rebuilding the portal, right?
Pacifica gagged on all the sweetness that was Mabel, nauseous. Could she throw up in nothingness? "Of course he is. Everyone is in on it. We're going a lot faster than I thought we would. I bet we'll have you home by—"
EVERYONE IS WHAT
The world exploded into lightning. It cracked and split into dozens and dozens of branches, stretching above and below and grasping Pacifica, buzzing over her skin like it wanted to electrify her but couldn't break the barrier formed on her flesh, and its urgency kicked her gut until the tidal wave of before was burned away but she still couldn't breathe.
YOU HAVE TO STOP THEM
Grunkle Ford, no!
Mabel's horror tasted sour, but it was nothing to the lightning.
YOU HAVE TO DESTROY THE PORTAL IT WILL END THE WORLD IF IT IS OPENED AGAIN
"Wait wait what?"
Don't listen to him! Mabel and the old man were too loud. Pacifica could barely find her own thoughts anymore. Please please I want to go home
WE ARE NOT WORTH THAT RISK
Please I want to see Dipper I want to see Grunkle Stan I want Waddles I want my parents I want Mommy
SOMEONE LED YOU TO THE MIRROR HE IS PULLING THE STRINGS BREAK THE MIRROR AND DESTROY THE PORTAL BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
Please please please save us
SAVE THE WORLD BEWARE YELLOW EYES
Grunkle Ford why are you doing this
TRUST NO ONE
"Oh daughter of mine!"
Pacifica was back in the dusty room, her eyes and nose running down to her chin and the mirror blank.
She sucked in the stale air, putting the mirror down before her shaking hands could break it. A film of sweat on her face threatened what remained of her makeup, and she quickly dabbed her forehead with her handkerchief before wiping her nose and eyes. Presentable, presentable, got to look presentable.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
It was her father, and he was nearing her wing. Quickly, she folded the mirror into Mabel's sweater and stuffed it in her jacket, smoothing out the lump it made as best she could. Fixing a smile on her face the way her parents taught, she stumbled out from behind the painting, brushing dust off her clothes and combing her fingers through her hair to fluff it back to perfection.
"I'm over here, Dad," she called with false cheer. She needed to talk to Dipper. She needed to talk to Dipper yesterday. Whatever her dad wanted, she had to deal with it fast.
Her father poked his head into the hall, giving her a big smile that he hadn't had since before she opened up the gates. Maybe their relationship was healing after all. "There you are. I was looking all over."
She wished she could be happier that he seemed pleased to see her, but her dad had the worst timing. "Do you need something?"
"Yes, actually!" He rolled his wrists. He always did that when he had been writing too long. "I need to see that mirror I told you to check on. Where is it?"
Her heart fluttered in her chest, but she kept smiling. The same frozen smile her parents always had when they lied. "It's in that room with all of Edward Northwest III's other junk."
"Weird," her father's smile stayed in place as he padded towards her, "because it wasn't there."
Pacifica had to keep her composure. No gritting teeth or paling or anything. She pressed her hands to her hips to keep them from shaking. "Are you sure? It was definitely there when I checked yesterday."
"Oh, little girl." Her father laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Don't you know it's naughty to lie?"
His hand came down on her face so hard her back slammed into the wall. Pacifica grabbed her cheek with a cry, staring slack-jawed at her father. The sting hit her like a wave, and suddenly he was standing too close for her to run.
"I didn't—"
"Liar." His hand came down again, smacking her lip into her teeth and splitting it wide open. She tried to flinch away, but she could only press harder against the walls, eyes darting for escape that she didn't have. "Maybe if I do something like this—"
His knee crushed her gut. Spots danced in her eyes as the air in her body came out in a rush and she collapsed on the ground. "—you'll… oh, here we go."
The sweater package fell from her jacket with a thud. Preston tugged the sweater loose and the mirror fell out onto the carpet. "See, that wasn't hard, you…" He glanced at the sweater dangling from his hand and let out a guffaw. "You llama! You're the llama! That wasn't so hard, was it, llama?"
Three weeks ago, Pacifica would have cowered and waited for him to stop. This wasn't three weeks ago.
She had to get out.
While her father laughed at the sweater, Pacifica lunged, grabbing the mirror and running as fast as she could.
"HEY!"
He was coming for her. She had to run, she had to get out of the house, she had to—
"GOTCHA!"
A hand grabbed her hair and yanked her back. She skidded, almost falling to the floor except he lifted her by her hair.
"Dad, stop! Why are you doing this?" She tried to scratch his hand, but it didn't hurt him. He was still grinning when he moved his face right up against hers, his breath stinking of mint.
"Humans are hilarious when they're in pain!" Ripples of manic laughter rattled his chest. "But seriously, I want something you have."
Pacifica finally looked at his eyes.
They weren't her father's eyes.
They were yellow with a dark slit.
Beware yellow eyes
"So hand it over, kiddo. If you do, I might just let you keep that pretty head of yours!"
That smile and those eyes were out of a slasher movie. They were wrong on her father's face, like someone had carved them in with a knife. He wanted Mabel, her gut said. Whatever was wearing her father's face was going to find her and do something terrible. Maybe to Dipper, too. Maybe to everyone.
The end of the world.
Pacifica nodded mutely, her bleeding lip trembling. The beast kept grinning and flicked her nose. "I knew you'd come around. Humans always do."
Pacifica offered the mirror in a shaking hand… then slammed it in his face, shattering the glass on his cheek.
He dropped her and reeled back, screaming like a demon from hell as blood spattered on the walls, on the floors, on Pacifica's face. "YOU IDIOT!" She moved to run, but he recovered too fast, faster than any human should, and he grabbed her by the throat and picked her off the ground. Her father's thumbs dug into her esophagus and she scratched and kicked her feet in the air, her face swelling. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST COST ME? YOU WORTHLESS SACK OF MEAT!"
Her grip on the ivory shell of the mirror loosened as his yellow eyes bore down on her and he gnashed his teeth, stained with blood that dripped from the tears in his flesh.
"It's time to take you off the board PERMANENTLY!"
Her last thought was that the old man was right:
Trust no one.
Content warning for violence against children.
Thank you to Eregyrn-Falls for betaing this chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed. Comments, compliments, and critiques are always warmly welcomed.
For those who don't know, I have a Tumblr called Themadqueenmab. I post unbeta'd ficlets, comissions, fandom reblogs, and writing tips I come across, so if that interests you, feel free to follow.