The Return to Gravity Falls

by EZB

Mabel and Dipper return to Gravity Falls three years after their life-altering summer vacation spent with their Grunkle Stan, to find that Gravity Falls never stops being, well, weird. As the twins encounter old friends and reconnect with the supernatural inhabitants of Gravity Falls, new dangers lurk just outside of the knowledge of Uncle Stanfords old journals.

81. Ye Olde Fair-Wells: Part 2

As far as the knowledge of shows and performances to the public, a Renaissance Fair is known for its theatricality. Robust and loud actors patrolled the streets in garments suiting the times, fooling mouth-agape audiences into thinking that talent was behind their misquoted Shakespearian lines. The fights in the sand pit by the battle-masters tent was filled with auditioning individuals, all ready to prove their merit. To those who would stop and watch the antics of the amateurs proving their worth, it would seem quite special.

It was an interesting twist when people started to come to some of the officials in town with their praise for the street-fights that had happened earlier. With confusion and unease, the more experienced fair-goers would ask, "What street-fight?"

"Why, the one with the kids and the knight! They had scripts, and action, and even animals too! A real one!"

Rushing past one of the groups going through this discussion, Mabel Pines scrambled around a potter's shop. Her face was dirty and covered with sweat, and she peered around the street corner.

"He could be around here," she said aloud as the panting of her exhausted brother caught up to her, along with Wendy and Soos. She called out, her hands around her mouth, "Waddles!"

"Excuse me sir," Dipper turned to a shopper, "Have you seen a cart with a knight and woman being dragged around by two in horse costumes?"

The man chortled. "I thought you weren't supposed to admit that the costumes actors aren't real," he winked at Dipper. Dipper glared at him with a twitching eye.

"Waddles!" Mabel cried out, shoving past the man and entering the street. "C'mon, just a little squeal here, buddy," she pleaded quietly.

"Mabel," Dipper followed, leaving behind the bewildered visitor.

"Waddles!" she shouted again.

"Okay, drawing some attention here," Dipper gulped as he looked about, the turning of heads evident.

"WADDLES!" Mabel screamed over the gazes of distant onlookers.

"Mabel!" Dipper called, running in front of her, grabber her shoulders, "That's not working! Stop it!"

She declared hastily, "It hasn't worked yet."

"It won't work," Dipper tried evening his voice, toning it down.

"Says who?" she demanded of him. "You?" she leaned towards him, a danger in her tone, "You trying to stop me from getting my pig?"

"Mabel, you know that's not what I'm trying to do," he scolded.

"Then help me! Please!?" she demanded, turning away. "Waddles! Just squeal or... something! Anything!"

Dipper's jaw clenched, and he turned away. He walked off, facing Wendy and Soos. They had just caught up, looking down. With a decided nod, he said, "She's not going to stop. Not at least until she's got the pig back."

"You speak wisdom, dude," Soos nodded.

Eying the cut in her shirt, Wendy asked, "So, like, what's the plan then? Running around this fair hasn't gotten us anything, and we've been at it for a whole hour. I wasn't even sure there are that many places for a giant knight in armor to hide!"

"I know," Dipper said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Mabel wants to find the pig, and she may think that the best way is just looking and calling out for him," Dipper explained, "But we may need to attack this differently-"

"Guys!" Mabel butted in, "C'mon, we can look by the 'Ye Olde Bev-Arrr-ages' again," she suggested, nodding her head towards a brink booth decorated like a pirates galleon.

"Hold up, hambone," Soos said with his hand out, "We're going to come up with a plan."

Whining aloud, Mabel pleaded with them, "We don't have time for a super-complex plan."

"Mabel," Wendy stepped over, a hand on her shoulder, "Waddles is fine. Even if he is kidnapped, or whatever, by that dagger throwing jerk," she gave her shoulder a flex and sighed, "He'd have no reason to hurt the pig. Waddles is probably tied under a cart, out of the sun, and a little spooked. You can relax a little."

Mabel's eyes shimmered. Conflict of heart and mind raged behind those brown orbs of emotion. With a small nod, the girl seemed to come to Wendy's agreement.

"I just can't let him be taken away again," Mabel sniffed, "this is my fault."

Wendy shook her head. "Placing blame won't help us right now, girl."

"And even if it did, it's not your fault," Dipper added.

"It is!" Mabel declared. "I told Waddles to hide under the cart! I told him to stay out of sight in the one place that's like the worst to hide under! The getaway cart!" she groaned. "I'm so stupid!"

"Mabel, that wasn't anything you could have predicted," Dipper said, shaking his head slowly. "You know that."

"Yeah, well," Mabel gritted her teeth, "I could have chased them!"

"Uh, I think you did, hambone," Soos raised a hand, "Unless my low perception score deceived me."

"I did, but when I fell, I let my pain stop me," Mabel groaned. "Arline would have gotten up. She would have!"

"That wasn't your fault either," Dipper growled, "The other girl got in your way."

"Well, not really," Mabel shrugged.

Wendy piqued up at the mention of the other person. "Speaking of which, who was that?" Wendy asked. "Only got a two second shot of her as she ran out. Thought it was a tourist or something. She was really bookin' it."

"Like a pro paranormal investigator or something," Soos nodded.

"No idea," Dipper said, and his jaw clenched as he added, "But she kept stepping on me."

"A clue," Soos nodded as he scratched his chin, "She tries stepping on Dipper frequently... clearly this is a long-lost rivalry that has only just caught up with-"

"Guys," Mabel called, heat rising in her words, "The problem with my pig?"

"Right, sorry," Soos said, as Dipper glared at him. "Don't worry though bro. Any girls try stepping on you again, they'll answer to me. Like," Soos held up his hands, "Woah girl, stop stepping on Dipper. Totally not cool."

Dipper sighed and patted the man's arm. "Thanks."

"No prob dude."

"Can we please-" Mabel began again.

"I got an idea," Wendy spoke up. "Twins, you keep at this. I mean, there's a ton of hidden space behind the shops and things, and maybe the jerk is just hiding behind a closet door or something."

"See?" Mabel nudged Dipper, "She agrees with me."

Wendy added to her plan. "Meanwhile, Soos and I will check the parking lot in the grass. The jerks may try to leave or something. If they do, then we can trail them, and call on the phone," Wendy said, lifting up her own phone, provided by Dipper days ago.

"Not a bad idea," Dipper said and nodded with a grin.

"And we call if something crazy comes up?" Soos asked Wendy, who nodded. "Or if we think of food we want them to buy?"

"That'd be only you, bud," Wendy said with a grimace.

"Well, or a souvenir-" Soos began.

"Let's go," Wendy poked his tummy and move towards the gate entrance. With a small chuckle, Soos followed, gently rubbing his stomach.

Dipper watched them go, reminding himself in his own mind that he wouldn't fall to the low of his age. Wendy's butt was right there. Instead, he smiled and turned away, to where Mabel was. He said, "So, should we-" only she was gone, and moving towards a wind-chime shop. "Mabel, wait!" Dipper shouted as he jumped on, rushing to keep up.

"Well, they're gone," Mabel said over her shoulder, "So we should look around," she said, pushing around the heavy amounts of merchandise to the back of the shop. She kicked the door open and looked inside. A white-haired woman making wind chimes looked at her from inside. "You seen a little pink piggy with a spot over his eye?" Mabel demanded.

Shaking and sounding like there was dust in her lungs, the woman asked, "Uh... what?"

"Sorry," Dipper apologized, and closed the door. He rounded on his sister, "Mabel, really?"

"Dipper, we can't just not look around, or ask people," Mabel glared at him, and turned away.

"You're right, but we can try to be a little less suspicious about it," he explained. "Kicking down a shop-keeps door is a good way to have them kick us out."

"They stole my pig!" Mabel snapped.

"One of them did," Dipper reminded, "I get the feeling that whatever is going on is something that is new, or not part of the fair."

"Why? How?" Mabel demanded.

Dipper wrapped his hand around her arm and tugged. When she resisted being moved away from the back door, Dipper sighed. "Mabel, c'mon. I'll explain, but let's not blockade that woman's exit."

"Why? What if she's what's under the knight?" Mabel dramatically asked. When her brother gave her a bored look, she sighed and followed suit.

"Look, it's about how they're all acting. When you've been storming around, looking for Waddles-"

"The right thing to do," Mabel declared.

"-I've listened and watched people. Guests are complimenting the staff here. They're all taking about what happened. The knight, our battle with him, his escape – they're saying that they're pleased with how the Fair has a new performance. Only thing is," Dipper added with a smile, "The staff don't seem to know what they're talking about!"

"Yeah, so?" Mabel shrugged, "Big Renaissance fair conspiracy. They steal my pig, because they're all working with the Warlock," Mabel sniffled.

"Maybe you should leave the conspiracy theories to me," Dipper shook his head, "Because yours kind of suck."

"Tell that to the aliens," Mabel stuck out her tongue.

Dipper paused in his retaliation. Regaining his composure and his trail of thought, he said, "These fair-geeks aren't in on whatever is going on. They are just as confused as we are, only they're trying to stay out of it. Probably for safety or security reasons, I don't know," Dipper shrugged.

Mabel pocketed her hands. After a moment of her brow focused and her staring past her brother, she again focused onto him. "You promise me that going around, beating up the ren-fair nerds isn't a good idea?"

"Promise you," he said with a grin.

"Well... saves me trouble. I was looking forward to beating up people who probably deserved it though," Mabel sighed. "I mean, look at that necklace over there," she pointed to another shop, "That's a bear tooth necklace. It's not a bear's tooth, and they're still selling it for fifty dollars. Whoever runs it kinda deserves a punch."

"Or, if Grunkle Stan was here, some lessons," Dipper smirked, and Mabel chuckled with him. As she laughed, Dipper patted her shoulder, "C'mon. We can try back at that one shop."

With the nod from his sister, Dipper lead them back to the fortune telling building they had encountered the knight and the older woman. The shop now held the vigilances of an anxious crowd. The visitors all watched the door expectantly, ready for a new fight to come out at anytime.

As Dipper and Mabel stepped past the wall of people, a loud shush echoed around. Mabel turned around as Dipper ignored them. Mabel decried, "No fight now, guys! Go on with your business and buy expensive stuff!" And without any other complaints, the people began to disperse, off to do as they were instructed.

"Makes me wonder if you shouldn't have been a public speaker," Dipper grumbled as he saw Mabel step inside with him.

"Heh, people like a girl who can chat it up," she winked.

"Except you over-do the entirety of chatting," Dipper retorted.

"Says you," Mabel snickered. "Please, tell the disciple of the love god herself how to interact with people."

Dipper didn't reply, instead grumbling and turning to the deeper end of the shop. As he stepped inside with his sister, they peered around. Gentle candles and their smoke still lingered in the air, from several dressers and tables.

"Look around," Mabel instructed, "Maybe they have a secret door or something cool."

"My thoughts exactly," Dipper nodded.

With only the faintest of crackles as the wick of the candles burned around them, Dipper slowed his searching. He light was just dim enough for him not to feel tired, but it stirred thoughts. He was finding little with his hands, but he felt a weight in his vest that could. He slid his palm against the spine of one of the four journals, feeling the temptation.

It was stupid to not use a utility as powerful as magic. It would just be a single spell after all. A search spell – just to find a secret door. Or heck, he could use a locator spell to find out where Waddles was (assuming the pig hadn't been taken more than a mile away). But unless he was lucky, Mabel would know. She'd see or hear him.

Dipper stood up, and faced his sister. Her back was to him, trying to look behind a large bookshelf.

"Something's off here," Mabel grunted, trying to pull away the back of the shelf to examine herself.

His lips felt tight. He didn't want to outright say it. Maybe he ought to try being subtle? Dipper, clearing his throat, tried saying, "Mabel, maybe I can help?"

"Yeah, come over here doofus," she waved him over with a smile.

"No, I mean with finding Waddles," Dipper clarified.

"You are," Mabel glanced back to him, "Just because you're not as strong as me doesn't mean-"

Dipper sighed and stepped closer, and put his hand on the shelf. "That's not what I mean." With a deliberate reach, he snatched from inside his vest, his own journal. "I mean this."

"Wait, what is that going to help us with..." Mabel started, but her eyes went from unfocused and uncertain to a pin-point accurate. "Dipper," she gave him a warning tone.

"Mabel, really," Dipper laughed, "Like we are without really any inclination. This stuff, and magic as a whole," Dipper held out the book, "Could help us get back Waddles. I could try using a locator spell for pigs in the area."

"Dipper, we shouldn't," she said with finality.

"Why!?" he exclaimed, his air exerting itself with force.

Mabel, clearly tired from the search, and form the topic, reminded Dipper, "Because magic is so clearly bad."

"How do you know?" Dipper asked. "We've seen minor magic that isn't evil. This isn't like it's an all-corrupting thing."

"Zander says it is," Mabel told him.

Oh, that got a fire under his butt. "Zander," Dipper growled.

"What?" Mabel snapped back.

"Zander Maximillion," Dipper repeated, "The Guardsman, the master of the Paths – he's just as bad!" Dipper said.

"No, he's not!" Mabel declared. "He's trying to stop bad things from happening!"

"How? By collected magical stones from around the world? He could be doing anything with the stones," Dipper pointed out.

"We've helped so many people who are around those magical stones," Mabel explained. "Like the people who are around the stuff get hurt or scared, and when we come around, we save them. Because Zander sends us there."

"Mabel, c'mon!" Dipper shouted, "You're not Zander! You have your own opinions! Just because Zander has a stupid boycott against magic doesn't mean you have to blindly obey him!"

"Dipper, really?" Mabel gasped, "It's not stupid! He's got reasons for it."

"What? What are they?" Dipper demanded.

"Well, all the bad-guys we really fight usually use magic," Mabel suggested.

"So what? A police officer uses a gun to defend himself as he enforces the law that keeps people safe! Arguably, ah, debatably, most of the time," Dipper added as a half-note, "But so do criminals! They also use guns."

"Which is why people are trying to ban them," Mable shrugged.

Dipper roared, his frustration with his sister boiling his brain. "Mabel is this really what you think?! That all magic is so evil you won't even touch it?! Or is it just because Zander says it is!?"

"What if I just so happen to agree with Zander?" she posed, her own voice growing in volume.

"You're just agreeing with him because you like him!" he shouted.

"Am not!" Mabel called, feet from him. "We just have a better sense of good and bad than you!"

"You want to talk sense!?" Dipper roared, "It's ironic coming from the one person who thought that bringing her pig along with her on a dangerous mission was a good idea!" he snapped, and clawed at his hair as he turned away. "See, this!? This is why Waddles was stolen! Not because of chance or luck, but because there was something right in front of your face, and you didn't bother seeing it for what it was and-" Dipper spun around, ready to take another chunk of Mabel's argument and destroy it.

Except that, by seeing her crushed expression and hopeless stare, he couldn't. Her entire tightened body posture had slumped and fallen. Dipper was half ready to rush forward and catch her, she looked like a mere teeter in one direction could knock her to her feet. Her eyes shimmered, yet not one tear fell from her face.

His mouth and throat were dry. "I-I'm sorry," he struggled to say. "I was angry, Mabel. I just got frustrated, and... you know."

With a hoarse, tight voice, Mabel timidly said, "Don't apologize."

"No, I should," Dipper nodded, "Because I was being a jerk."

His admittance floated through the air shortly. Her already shaken eyes went from looking towards the ground to looking to Dipper. She slowly shook her head.

"Dipper," she slowly said, "You're right."

"I... am?" Dipper carefully repeated. Mabel stepped forward and slumped into one of the chairs on the table with cards. Dipper made to counter her, taking a chair in front of her as she slumped onto the table.

"Mabel, what do you mean?" he asked, "What I said was stupid and horrible."

"Well, maybe a little angry and mean, yeah," Mabel sighed as she rested her chin on her arms against the table, "But you weren't wrong. I... was blinding myself."

Dipper remained in his chair, watching his sister carefully. It was a dangerous game that he had just walked into. Mabel rarely admitted full fault like that. Heck, Dipper knew that he was partially to blame for that, but Mabel letting herself out, undefended and willing for blame, was... weird. Anything weird to Dipper was definitely weird.

"Mabel, what do you really mean?" he asked.

She turned her head to give him a checking look. When her said nothing, she sighed and sat up in her chair.

"It's about Waddles," she started. "Right before Gravity Falls... you know... what happened to it," she explained.

"Ceased to exist," Dipper nodded.

"I was scared for everyone. You got scarred, and Yuki had just... well, I was afraid I would lose more people. I didn't want to have to give up anyone else to what was happening. Then... the explosion happened, and we lost everything, Dipper. We don't have a family like that with mom and dad," Mabel said to Dipper, "Not like Grunkle Stan, and Wendy and Soos, or with Candy and Grenda, and Pacifica... Yuki..."

"I know," Dipper nodded, rubbing her shoulder.

"When we lost them, I thought all I had left was us. And Waddles," Mabel sniffed, "Was the last thing that I had as a real family member after Gravity Falls aside from you. Mom and dad got stupid, but we still had Waddles for a bit. He was there, being cute and silly and, oh, just so pink," Mabel chirped, and wiped her eyes.

Done rubbing her face, Mabel said, "But things are even more dangerous than before. Graupner has armies. There are monsters and magic trying to kill us. Mom and dad are so far away now... we don't even have a room to hide in, anymore."

"Mabel," Dipper scooted closer with his chair, the wood scraping against the floor loudly," I'm sorry."

She reached forward, and twins, in a long time coming, gave each other a real hug. One that wasn't tapped with a small joke of theirs, but one of meaning. After a short silent moment, the two let go, and looked to one another.

"Mabel, I feel the same way, you know," Dipper admitted, "But I was just... too invested into solving the issue to realize how I felt."

"Yeah, you kind of do that, doofus," she snickered as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"Takes one to know one, doofus," Dipper retorted. She gave him the lightest of punches on his chest, and the two laughed.

A loud stomp nearby had them startled. Jumping up from their chairs, they looked towards the door, and saw a looming, shining figure in the doorway.

A voice echoed distantly. "I knew you interlopers would come looking for her here," the figure snarled, and then turned away, clanging his metal suit as he did.

"Wait!" the twins cried out in unison.

Their footsteps raced to the front of the shop, Dipper just barely behind in his sister in the race to exit and chase the armored knight.

Mabel was in the air at the steps of the stairs, bellowing her best war-cry as she kicked out. The Knight spun around to face her; an arm raised to block her attack. Landing with only the smallest of moments to recoil from the pain of kicking a full-metal set of armor, she again swung.

"You children mock me," the Knight growled, towering over Mabel as she ducked and dived around him, avoid his own sweeping punches. As she did, Dipper ran to a fallen tree branch, and lifted it to his shoulder.

"Mabel! Incoming!" he shouted, and gave his own charge a massive swing at the end. Lifting the piece of wood over his head, he swung down on the knight.

"Fool!" the knight knocked aside Mabel with a shove, and drew his blade half way out- using the pummel of his sword to block his attack. "To disregard my honor and attack me while my back faces you!" He roared, and shoved Dipper backwards, and fully-drew his sword.

"Uh-oh," Dipper ducked one heck of a slash made at his shoulder-height. The log which he held up was sliced in two, leaving a clean cut where half of the wood had been. Eyeing the broken weapon, Dipper gulped and stepped back, dropping the chunk of wood to the ground.

"I shall preserve my honor in combat!" the knight roared and made a sweeping strike, cutting at the air where Dipper had just been. The teen had rolled away, knocking into a nearby cart of straw.

Mabel then leapt up onto the knights back, pounding onto the helmet with her fists. Each hit she winced slightly, feeling the sturdy steel resisting her impacts. Yet she was blinded by her pain- the Knight reached up and grasped her face.

"You shall bother my charge no more!" he roared, and threw Mabel forward.

Dipper was only just about to stand up when his sister slammed into him like a cannon ball. The two collapsed backwards, splintering the small cart and becoming cascaded with the straw inside.

From a distance past their pain and agony, the two heard cheers and applause. Among it, a pair of heavy footsteps clanged away. With a gasp of air and a set of heavy breaths, the twins emerged from the straw and looked around. They were receiving applause from the crowds, who had eagerly watched the fight. But their task, the strange knight, was gone. They were defeated yet again.

"Dang it," Dipper kicked aside some straw with a snap of his foot. "This is ridiculous! How do you stop this guy?"

"He's got a really good tactic," Mabel said as she burst out of the straw next to Dipper.

"Throwing people at other people?" Dipper asked.

"I guess some things in action movies actually do work," Mabel shrugged. As she looked around with her brother, all she found were the excited, entertained onlookers. "And he's gone again too," Mabel mumbled. "He didn't have Waddles either."

"Like, this stupid mother-hubber of a knight," Dipper grumbled as he shoved aside straw and jumped up, "He's got moves! And if he really is a ghost or something, then we need something other than fists!" As Mabel stood, Dipper turned and watched her, awaiting an answer.

When she looked to him, and his firmness met her uncertainty, she grumbled and turned away.

"Mabel, really though," Dipper raced next to her as they left the still excited crowds, "This thing vanishes and reappears when it wants to, and our fighting isn't enough," Dipper explained, "This... calls in for something special."

"You know I don't like it," Mabel admitted, facing him as they stood in the center of the walkways by a crossroad.

"I do," Dipper nodded, "But I believe that your pig is worth more to you than the idea that all magic is evil." That was an arrow that pierced her armor against magic. Mabel sighed and tilted her head left and right, giving away more uncertainty. Dipper added, "Let me prove to you I'm right. If magic can find Waddles without negative consequence, then it can't be all that bad, can it?"

Mabel pursed her lips, a thought behind her eyes. Dare Dipper think that he may have convinced her.

"Well?" he asked.

The crowds, now distant from their problems, buzzed their casual din around the twins. They were alone, together, in the swarm of visitors and tourists. Finally, Mabel opened her mouth.

"Dipper, if you really think that this will-"

Clang.

The twins heads twisted towards large tents. From the distance, they heard metal strike metal. Like a sword. Or armor.

"That came in the direction of Mina's tent!" Mabel gasped, and started a run.

Dipper raced after her, his feet sore from the fighting and running the day had provided from him, and the night before. As they shoved and dodged and weaved their way through the crowds, they came upon a hill that overlooked the large tent for Mina and her fence. With a sigh of dismay, Mabel stopped running and looked down from the small hill.

"What?" Dipper asked, looking past her.

"False alarm," Mabel told her brother, and pointed.

Down below, in a large arena of sand and loose gravel, there were rows of trainees. Men and woman of all ages wore simple, work-out oriented clothes and under the sun, they lunged and parried with large, blunted metal weapons.

"The heck? They have an army?" Dipper asked, uncertain.

"Stage combat," Mabel waved her hand, "Just actors pretending they can actually fight."

"Oh. Dang it," Dipper sniffed. "I guess it's back to square-"

"Wait!" Mabel gasped, slapping Dipper's shoulder.

"Ow! Stop that!" Dipper growled, "It's not like you were thrown at me or anything."

"Stop whining. I'm light as a feather," Mabel reminded him. When he gave her a very particular smirk, she jabbed his stomach. "Jerk. Seriously though, look there!"

Dipper, after recovering from his sister's lightning jab, turned and looked to the pits. There was a line of people who hadn't joined the fray yet. As his eyes focused to accommodate the rays of the sun, he noticed one particular figure standing in that line, looking sullen and sour.

"The girl from before," Dipper stated.

"Yeah! The other person who wanted after the ghosty-knight-thingy," Mabel encouraged him.

"So? So what?" Dipper turned back to her.

"Well, she also found the knight, remember?" Mabel asked. "When you got snatched by the big 'ol armored jerk, she was there right behind you," Mabel reminded him. "And you spotted the old lady first I think. How do you think that girl found it then?"

Dipper clenched his jaw. "She wasn't helpful to us. And I don't like being stepped on by strangers who don't apologize for it."

"But she knew something if she could keep up with us. And she was able to fight the knight too," Mabel pointed out.

"Barely," Dipper added. When Mabel gave a cheeky grin, Dipper gasped. "No. We're not asking for a stranger's help."

"Even one who could step on you and get away with it?" Mabel smirked.

"If I had magic, she wouldn't get away with it," Dipper grumbled.

"And you just proved my 'magic is evil' point," Mabel said.

"She's mean to me, and was mean to you," Dipper scoffed, "Why would she help us?"

"Because she wants something from the knight. Maybe we can work with her to get Waddles back, and then Knight jerk can get what's coming to him," Mabel suggested.

As his eyes flickered between his sister and the woman below, he audibly groaned and shook his head. "I want it written that I oppose this. We're fine on our own."

"Your complaints are noted," Mabel rolled her eyes. Before Dipper could speak again, she snagged his vest, and dragged him down with her, moving towards the sand. "C'mon!"

Approaching the pits below, the duo found the small wooden fence surrounding the pits lined with on-lookers. Curious and entertained with the shaky sparring going on, the twins were not suspicious about their approach. The line on the other side of the fence was mostly made of athletic looking young men and women, ready for their chance to display their skill. Some of them chatted amicably, others warming up their voices with the strangest of chants.

"All I want is a proper cup of coffee," one man was chanting as he massaged his cheeks and neck.

Mabel giggled. "Made in a proper copper coffee pot," she snickered.

"Is that some sort of mystic actor phrase?" Dipper asked to Mabel.

"Nah. Just a warm up thingy my drama teacher taught us. It's silly and fun!" Mabel grinned, and chanted the rest as they approached the mysterious young woman. "I may be off my dot, but I want a proper cup of coffee in a proper coffee pot."

"Mabel," Dipper scolded her, and nudged her ribs as they found themselves feet from the girl.

The woman was just barely taller than Wendy. As Dipper remembered seeing her, the girl had a short pony tail of pointed black hair that gave a blue tint as light from the day bounced off her. She was lanky and tone, with an exposed lower back due to her smaller shirt. A thick yellow jacket was tied around her waist, and she wore heavy combat boots, tied tightly around her ankles. She looked away, observing the fighters with a leaned back, slacking posture. Her jaw opened and closed, and the clasp of chewing gum reached the twin's ears.

Dipper rose his hand, ready to clear his throat.

"Don't bother," the girl suddenly said out loud. Her voice, one of a more moderate pitch, was riddled with acid and venom. "Whatever you kids want, I'm not interested."

"Like I thought," Dipper sighed, and pulled on his sister's arm, "C'mon. She's not interested."

"Wait," Mabel hissed quietly at Dipper. As her brother stayed put, glowering only a little, Mabel turned to the woman. "We wanted to ask if you would help us."

The girl snorted, "I think you do need help."

"So, you'll help us?" Mabel gasped.

The woman smirked, chewing her gum louder. "What you need help with isn't something I can provide."

Mabel tilted her head. She asked, "Wait, what do you-"

The girl turned, leaning on the fence. She had a pointed nose, and dark, blue eyes that caught the light of the sun well. Dots of freckles played gently under her eyes and on her cheeks, but any number of attractive qualities were diminished by her sneer.

"As in, you need help hearing me. So, I'll say again, no!" she snapped, glaring at the two of them.

"Mabel, c'mon," Dipper scoffed, "She's not worth it."

"But she could be," Mabel shrugged, "She was super cool and stuff earlier."

Leaning over the fence slightly, the girl sardonically chuckled, "I wish you two had been."

Going from leaving to incensed, Dipper barked back, "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"I had the jump on that freak," she explained. "The knight was slower than me. Even on that stupid cart, I was going to get him. And it was because you two got in my way that I have to start from nothing again!"

"Well, to be fair," Mabel chuckled, "He loves throwing suckers at other suckers. I was a weaponized projectile just a few minutes ago!" she admitted excitedly.

The girl went from Dipper's glare to Mabel, with a moment of scrutiny and confusion as one. After a short break from talking, the girl shook her head.

The dark-haired girl glowered, and asked of the twins, "Okay, listen to me carefully, okay freaks?"

"Freaks!?" Dipper snapped.

"Willing and able," Mabel winked.

"Ugh!" the girl growled and stood up fully on the fence, her eyes simmering with frustration, "I don't want to see you anymore, okay? I'm not interested in dealing with kids who get in my way, or anyone anymore for that matter!"

"You don't work with people?" Mabel asked.

"Yeah," the woman said.

"Gee, wonder why?" Dipper quietly muttered.

The comment fired the woman up. "I can kick you about as far as I can throw you, punk," the girl warned Dipper.

"Aaand threats roll in. Classy," Dipper sighed, "C'mon. She's not going to work with us. Nor is she worth it."

"But she knows how to find him," Mabel told him, and looked to the girl, who was turning away from them. "Look, miss..?"

The woman said nothing.

"Okay," Mabel chuckled, "Miss 'Silence', I need your help. My brother and I were looking into the weird thing that happened today, and we found that old lady. But when the crazy knight showed up, our pet pig was stolen by them!"

"What?" the girl twisted her head halfway around, glancing to them.

"And we're like eighty percent sure that you found out how to track them before we did," Mabel said, and then looked to Dipper. "Is it eighty percent? I made that number up." Dipper rolled his eyes and pointed his thumb to the sky. "Oh, okay, closer to... ninety?" Dipper shrugged. "Sorta like ninety percent."

"So? So what?" the woman asked, slowly facing them again, a weary look to her.

"Well, you surely won't turn away us now that you know there's a cute little pig on the line?" Mabel asked with a watery smile.

"Look kid," the woman growled, "I don't care about you, your brother, your not-present friends, or whatever else you have to say!" she snapped, and made for the center of the arena, "I don't work with people who get in my way!"

"Wait!" Mabel yelled and leapt over the fence.

"Hey, Mabel!" Dipper growled, and started to climb over the fence as well.

"Look," Mabel said, now walking in pace with the woman, "I know you're probably upset with us," Mabel admitted.

"And growing more with every word," the woman scowled, never looking back to Mabel.

"But this is more than just twins asking someone for help," Mabel said, walking in tandem with the taller woman. "An innocent creature is on the line. A sweet, precious animal that wouldn't hurt a flea!"

The girl stopped, letting Mabel carry herself just a foot ahead. Her eyes were to the ground. As Dipper arrived, the twins saw just for a moment, the remains of concern in her eyes. The hardness and sharp attitude the woman had carried were washed from her in just an instant. Perhaps Mabel had gotten to her.

Then that harsh attitude resurrected. She glared at them, a tired, exhausted woman. "I told you to get lost."

"But we'll help!" Mabel assured, "I promise that if we work together, my brother and I kick plenty of ass!"

"Yeah, sounds about right actually," Dipper nodded.

The woman let out cruel laughter, shaking her head as she looked to the twins.

"You two are idiots. You just don't get it? You, and your stupid pig, aren't going to get any help from me!" she yelled, her voice loud enough to echo throughout the arena. As the twins stared in shock at the figure before them, she continued. "You two are lucky I pity little kids who don't know what they're getting into, and I haven't kicked your teeth in or anything; especially since I won't have a good chance to nab that spirit, which you ruined!"

This woman was like some sort of cactus, to Dipper. "First of all," Dipper snarled, ready to test the threats from the woman before him, "You didn't get claim on that knight! He went after me first, so you can just deal with that!" he snapped. The girl laughed. Dipper was not done scolding her, "Second, and more importantly, apologize to my sister!" The woman continued to laugh. "Or else I'll-"

"No," Mabel said, and thrust her hand out, holding back Dipper. As Dipper felt the rigidness of the hand withholding him, he stepped back, aware of the change in tone his sister spoke in. He had rarely heard that before.

Anger.

"Look, Lady," Mabel put her arm to her side as she looked up to the taller person, "I don't care what you call me and my brother. We know that whatever you call us, we won't mind. But you call an animal something, and they may think that's what they are!" she snapped. "My Waddles is not dumb! He's an adorable, squashy, lovably animal that reminds his friends and family that he loves them all the time!" she yelled, now in the face of the girl. "Now, APOLOGIZE."

The chewing of gum had ceased, as well as most of the conversation around the arena. The girl before Mabel had a face of stone, and slowly she leaned into Mabel's own.

She then spat out her gum next to Mabel's feet, and said, "Make me."

Without skipping a beat, Mabel said, "I will."

The confidence in the older woman flickered for a half-second. Dipper was certain that no other person in this woman's life had been both younger and more intimidating than Mabel. Yet here they were, locked in a staring contest that corroded the air with tension.

Finally Mabel spoke. "I'll make a bet."

"Will you?" the woman asked.

"I fight you. Duel. You and me. However you want to fight, in a real fight. If I win, you are going to help us find and fight this big, nasty Knight," Mabel declared.

"And if I win," the woman leered back, "You leave. You get out of the fairgrounds and I never see you again. Got it?" she snapped back.

"Okay, hold on," Dipper stepped in, eyeing the women, "As much as I'd love for my sister to literally hand you your own ass," Dipper added, "If you two fight this out, the Knight could arrive and challenge you both while you're exhausted? Mabel," Dipper turned to her, "Just do rock-paper-scissors or something!"

"This is for Waddles, Dipper," Mabel told him, daring his eyes to look away from her gaze. "I'm not going to do anything, other than my all, to get him back."

A man, one of the few 'fight masters' of the arena, approached them, his arms up. "Now excuse me, this is an unsanctioned fight arrangement made on official Renaissance fair grounds. I can't abide by-"

"Sir," Dipper stepped to him, "If you don't let them fight here, they'll fight in the streets over there," Dipper cast his thumb towards the crowds, "And I think we both know what could happen. Public involvement. Accidental injuries. Or worst of all for you," Dipper lowered his voice to a whisper, "Property damages."

The man stared at Dipper. "You raise a fair point. Well," the man held his arms and walked away, "Clear the arena! A claim to honorable battle has been made! None shall interfere!"

Dipper approached Mabel again. "Look, Mabel, I don't like her either. And I'd totally fight her, you know, if we weren't trying to conserve strength here."

"Dipper, c'mon," Mabel smirked to him, "Look at her." The twins glanced over to the woman, who had walked over to a table of weapons, and started examining them. "She's like a twig. Like, thinner than you!" she snickered. Dipper glared at her, and then looked back to the woman.

His mouth dropped when the girl lifted a large rod, a quarterstaff, and began to effortlessly twirl it around her body. She even tossed it into the air, still spinning, and caught it again without problem.

"Ah, well, you know what they say," Dipper gulped, "Don't judge a book by its cover."

His sister laughed. "C'mon. Bro. It's like you and chess," she gave him a poke to his brain, "You'd win. Easily. But this is my game. I got her down."

Dipper bit his lip. This was a risk still. Even if she won, that means that this girl was still less effective at fighting than Mabel. They'd add numbers, sure, but really only gained a possible guide to the Knight. They needed something that could ensure their victory...

"Chess." Dipper suddenly blurted.

"Huh?" Mabel asked. Her brother turned, and ran.

"Mabel, don't get too hurt, okay! I'll be back in a bit!"

Mabel watched him go, a strange happiness in watching him leave her be. She was alone now, alone to vent her anger and frustration on this person. This girl, this woman, was in for it now. Mabel turned around, and saw her now, some fifteen feet away, holding up a staff.

"Ohh, nice toy," Mabel said.

"Go get yours," the girl nodded to the distant tables filled with blunted swords and other weapons.

Mabel blew a raspberry and crossed her arms. "Don't need 'em."

The woman scoffed and shook her head, reading Mabel's cockiness poorly. "Fine, whatever. Don't blame me if I break a finger of yours."

"I kick to much ass to have you break a finger," Mabel winked.

The girl growled. "Yeah right."

The man stepped between Mabel and her foe, a white flag in his hands. "To those gathered to watch this duel," he shouted to the audiences by the fence, "I bid thee a good day. For this is a moment of honor and prestige! Where two capable ladies test themselves before us all, and give it their right o' best! Who's ready for a nice old-fashioned fight!?"

The crowds cheered and hollered.

"Then, by my graces alone..." he looked between Mabel, and then the woman, "I pronounce this fight as... started!" and he waved the flag between them.

The man barely had a moment to dive out of the way before there was a dash of movement. Mabel's foe made a rush at her, staff out and at the ready like a spear. The sand behind her, kicked into the air, splashed out in waves as the charge against Mabel began. The girl finally attacked, taking both hands and lifting them to one side of the quarter-staff, and swung it down.

Mabel, never once flinching or making an adjustment, stepped aside.

The staff slapped into the sand as Mabel stood perpendicular the attacker, her eyes locked onto the woman. The reaction to her miss was trained and precise; sliding forward and recuperating her grip, she changed from a long-form grasp to a centered one, and she swung out again, twist around to strike at Mabel.

Mabel stepped backwards, avoiding the attack. Already people were cheering for the battle, under the impression that the fight was, in any way, sanctioned by the fair.

A flourish and twirl later, the woman brought her quarterstaff to her chest, level with her sight. Still focused on the female pine, she thrust it forward like a spear.

Mabel rolled her head to the side, avoiding the trust. When the woman spun it downward, Mabel twirled aside, spraying her own sand into the air.

"Stop toying with me, kid," the woman demanded.

"What?" Mabel snapped, "Don't like it when someone makes fun of you?"

The woman roared and whipped the staff around, and struck out at Mabel again. The teenager, trained under Arline Hirsh, had seen this kind of speed before. Quarterstaffs were something she was used to, to be sure. Again, she ducked, dodged, and stepped away.

Finally, the woman used the staff to her advantage. She feigned a thrust, fooling Mabel into reacting and stepping back. In the woman's new and true purpose, she pole-vaulted forward, and threw out a kick. Mabel was still in mid-dodge, and had no choice. She blocked, feeling the weight to the kick in her forearms, which came together as a brief 'x' to absorb the damage.

The woman sneered and stepped back, allowing herself a moment to twirl the staff in one hand absentmindedly.

"Miss 'too-good' to fight had to block," she noted.

"Yup," Mabel nodded, clenching her jaw. "Nice hit, by the way."

"You haven't seen anything yet," the woman said, lowering herself into a readied stance.

Mabel slowly slid a foot back, and took her posture. With the deadliest of assurances, she replied, "Yes, I have."

The woman roared and lunged forward, thrust the staff as a long rapier, right for Mabel's stomach. The strike was clean, true-

Only Mabel leapt up and screamed. In a show of true strength, she leapt up and punched down simultaneously. The crowd gasped.

The entire mid-section of the weapon had shattered by Mabel's knuckles.

The woman stumbled back, gaining her ground and footing as Mabel landed, her knees in the sand, and her fist dug into the pit. The grip the woman had with her now ruined weapon trembled as she raised it to examine. If it had been a trick, she was uncertain how it happened. With a sigh, she smirked, and tossed the remains aside.

"Well, okay," the woman nodded, and shrugged, "I was wrong. You do kick some ass."

"All the ass," Mabel corrected. Then she moved forward.

The older girl turned and ran for one of the tables. As Mabel patiently followed her, the woman found her next choice in armaments. With her left arm slipping into a brace, a small circular shield was lifted up, along with a short sword.

Without another word, the older woman approached again: a steady run, not a charge. The last few feet, she slowed down, and readied herself, a bounce in her step. Mabel never hesitated in her advance, assured of her victory.

The woman swung out with the sword, sweeping to cut Mabel's left arm. Only Mabel ducked under, leapt up, and swiped out with a kick. The kick didn't disarm as she had hoped, but the woman stumbled with the added momentum to her now missed swing.

Mabel leapt into aggressive tactics. She raced forward and threw out a punch at the woman's back. One solid strike would knock her to the ground, and then it was only matter of if she'd surrender or if she'd struggle until Mabel beat her down. Only the woman spun – presenting a solid shield to block.

The knuckles struck hard and true against the shield. With a loud clang, Mabel yelped and stepped back, wiggling her hand through the air, trying to 'air out' her fist. The woman, staring at the shield, which hummed gently with energy, took to advance again. With the shield as her wall of power, the older girl yelled and bull-rushed Mabel.

Mabel turned and thrust out her heel for a kick, in attempts to halt the woman in her place. But the momentum of the charge out-powered Mabel's kick, and Mabel was lifted into the air. While she flew with coordination, when she landed, the woman was already upon her.

Slash, swipe, stab; rinse and repeat. The girl was a flurry of attacks that effortlessly blended from one to another. Mabel was suddenly aware of how naked she felt. The range of the weapon, tied with the defense of the circular shield, made it nearly impossible for Mabel to take a chance and strike back.

She then saw that the woman's feet were out of position. With a grin, Mabel feigned a punch in retaliation, only to sweep out at her feet.

To her shock, the girl chuckled and leapt up. "Tricked you!" she shouted, in mid-air. Mabel ducked and rolled to the sand quickly, barely avoiding a trio of thrusts from the dulled sword. The woman was fast, chasing after Mabel fast enough to deny her to stand up.

Finally, Mabel was bold, and lifted both feet up and pushed her back into the sand. The shield was impacted with two resounding kicks, and the woman stumbled away, her center of gravity thrown off. Clenching her gut and every muscle in her body, Mabel leapt off the ground with an all-too recognizable flip-kick.

"I want a toy!" Mabel called, and rushed away, running to the table. The woman made to follow, her sword and shield at her side.

At the table, Mabel looked around desperately. The arrangement of weapons didn't sit right with her. Daggers. Shields. Swords. Axes. Big swords. Bigger shields. Even bigger swords. Where was the brass knuckles when she needed them!?

The woman behind her slashed out in a downward cut, and Mabel rolled aside, grasping at the first thing she passed before leaving the table. As she collected the weapon, she realized it was dragging at her feet. She had gathered a rope.

"Nice pick," the woman sneered, and rushed forward.

With a yelp, and no idea how to use a freakin' rope as a weapon, Mabel back-stepped with the attacker, pulling a section of the rope taught as hard as she could. With her isolated section of pulled rope, she blocked the blunted sword with each swing and attack.

Then Mable realized that the rope was a blessing to her in disguise. The sword had to be sharp to be a problem. Then it would have cut her only line of defense. Realizing now, backing up and blocking each attack with her supposedly improvised weapon, she had an upper hand.

The woman thrust forward once, intending to stab Mabel's shoulder, but Mabel dived her body aside, and then wrapped the end of the rope at the guard of the sword. Placing her foot on the shield, Mabel kicked off the woman, and wrenched the sword from her hand.

"HA!" Mabel roared with glee as her opponent saw her now open, disarmed, hand. The sword fell two dozen feet away from the two, and Mabel's opponent rushed forward, to re-gain her sword.

Mabel spun, building momentum with her ropes. Then she whipped it out, striking out at the woman's back. A lighter weapon or not, a whip to the back hurt. The woman cried and out and stumbled forward, sliding into the sand. She had only made it half-way to the sword, and tried standing again. Mabel had other plans.

She rushed forward and kicked out at the girl. The girl instead lifted her shield, absorbing the kick and falling side. Mabel kicked again and again, aiming at the girls' feet, trying to catch a knee or heel with her strikes. Yet the girl was quick with her dodging and blocking. Mabel was stunned at how she could not land a single blow against this person, even with her on the ground.

Not only was she quick, she was clever. As Mable missed one kick, and the girl reacted, swinging out her own leg. Mabel had not been ready, and fell to the ground, on her back. It was the opportunity that the girl had been waiting for. She jumped up, holding the shield as a driving object, and attempted to bring the edge down onto Mabel.

"Yikeroos!" Mabel shouted and thrust out her two hands, bringing the rope out and making it taught. She deflected the shield to one side and rolled to the other, and then kicked out as she rolled. The shield was flung out of the girls' hands, and slid to a stop next to the sword. "Man, you're not bad," Mabel chuckled as she stood up slowly, watching the woman scramble to her feet, running to her weapons.

The girl made no reply, instead gathering her tools, and running back at Mabel.

Dissapointed at the banter, Mabel whined, "Geesh, you're great battle-company," as she leaned back, avoiding the first attack.

No longer was the rope a mysterious and impossible to use tool. Mabel had unlocked its secrets. As long as she found a way to confirm, with either her hands or feet, that it was secured to her, she could use it any way she wanted. Whipping out, she would delay a strike with a sword so she merely walked backwards from an otherwise speedy attack. With it wrapped around her foot, she actually caught the sword with the material, and then roundhouse kicked it away, again disarming the girl from her sword.

Finally, there was only the shield to deal with. Mabel was clever about it, letting the woman get distance to think she couldn't reach her. When she turned to get her sword, Mabel whipped out with the sword and caught her leg.

Tripped and face-planted, the girl lost her shield again as she fell. Only, she didn't remain fallen. Turning to face Mabel, still covered with sand in the face, she kicked at the rope around her leg with a scream. Mabel felt the sudden jolt and fell forward herself, also falling into the sand.

The girl, her opponent, was already back on her feet and running towards the tables when Mabel stood back up. From the tables, the girl had retrieved two weapons that resembled police batons.

"Police brutality!" Mabel laughed as the girl rushed at Mabel.

The jokes fell aside when Mabel saw the speed at which the girl whirled the batons in her grasp. Blurs of black sided the girls' arms as she twirled them around threateningly.

"I can do that too," Mabel protested, and tried spinning her own ropes around hastily. Heavier and longer than the weapons the girl used, Mabel only half-succeeded, but smiled each time she heard the 'whoosh' sound.

"Eat tonfas," the girl snapped, and then leapt up and swiped at Mabel's head. Still in mid-swinging, her ropes, Mabel had to duck and step backwards. The weapons, identified as 'tonfas', sailed through the air effortlessly, and Mabel began only what she felt was another evasion training from Arline.

With her rope, she was unable to find real purchase to grab these weapons. They were held by one of two handles, either like a sword, or like an arm-guard. When held like a sword, they gave the girl extra reach on her attacks, but Mabel could anticipate them easier.

When held like a guard, they messed horrible with Mabel's perception of danger. They easily were twirled around, and then could be swung out. The moment Mabel went to snag one or both with her ropes, they were retracted and hidden from her. It was annoying to say the least.

Mabel felt herself bullied around the field, retreating more and more now. The attacks with the lighter, faster, weapons were dizzying. She was still able to avoid and dodge almost all the attacks, but never able to retaliate.

"Screw this!" Mabel shouted, and after she leapt back, she bundled all her rope, and threw it at her target. Heavier than she had anticipated, the girl fell back and into the sand. It was Mabel's turn to flee for the tables.

The woman was up quickly though, and readied herself again, assuming a fighting pose as she ran after Mabel. That all changed when she saw what weapon Mabel picked.

"YAAAAAAH!" Mabel roared, holding up a full-sized bastard sword over her head.

Panicking, the opponent ran away, towards the other side of the arena. There was another table of weapons awaiting her. Then it was Mabel's turn to scream and run away. The girl had tossed aside her newly acquired weapons and drawn out, for herself, a blade of equal size.

Mabel stopped running and turned in the center of the arena. The woman stalled as well, as they both held out their swords. Heavy in breath, sweaty, and covered in sand, the two began to slowly pace around one another, making a circle. Resisting the urge to scratch the sand out of her hair, Mabel blew a tuft of her brown, wavy hair from her face.

"Well then," Mabel cleared her throat.

"Yeah?" the girl asked.

"You know how to use that too?" she asked.

The girl glanced to the large sword. "Of course," she shrugged. "Use the front to stab and cut."

"Ah," Mabel nodded, "That's what I thought. You see, I'm trained with it, uh, intimately," she lied. "Like, I can tell you where the weight of it is, and stuff."

The girl tilted her head and stared at Mabel. "You have no idea how to use it either," she claimed.

"What gave it away?" Mabel sighed, lowering the sword.

"You gave it the same look you did with that rope," she noted, looking to the distant pile of rope.

"Drats!" Mabel grumbled, "I need to work on my poker face."

"So, why did you pick it up then?" the girl asked, both their pacing slowing.

"Eh," Mabel shrugged, "Looked like something really scary if I saw someone running at me with it over their head."

"Oh. Well, good job," she admitted to Mabel, "It worked. It's also why I picked it," she sighed.

"Wow! Nice," Mabel smiled. "And the reason you're talking to me now isn't because you're secretly feeling out the sword so you know where it's center mass is?" Mabel asked with a nervous chuckle.

The girl stared back, eyes wide. She slowly said, very convincingly, "...Uh... No."

"Ohh," Mabel sighed, and slowly nodded. "That's good..."

A moment passed where they said nothing to one another, and both stopped moving in a circle.

Then they both cried out and lunged at one another, swords forward. As they passed and parried one another expertly, pushing against one another with all their strength, the two shoved each other apart, and rushed at one another.

Clang, clang, clang.

The clash of blunted steel against one another echoed. The two were locked in combat, moving with sways of control. Moments in the fight, Mabel was panicking as she lost control, backing away and trying to find footing. Then she would gain it again, and the girl would be pushed back. Back and forth.

Back and forth.

The two clashed and fight until finally Mabel used her strength to her advantage. She stabbed the sword into the ground, and as leverage lifted herself into the air, entirely avoiding a mid-section slice through the middle. As she landed, she lifted the sword and brought it down, knocking the girl to the ground.

The tip of Mabel's bastard sword now rested gently inches from the girl. Heavy panting and breathing filled the air as the two saw the outcome. Mabel smiled.

"I win," she sighed.

"Do you?" the girl asked, and looked down.

Mabel followed suit. The tip of the other bastard sword was pointed into her center.

"Ohhhh," Mabel gasped. "Stalemate!" she gasped, and looked up to the girl again. "That's crazy!"

"Yeah, it is," the girl nodded, out of breath.

"So... lower weapons on three?" Mabel suggested.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"One," Mabel said.

"Two," the girl counted.

"Three!"

Both swords fell to the sand with a gentle thud. As the girl scrambled to get up, and Mabel stepped away, they stared at each other, panting. There were levels of exhaustion Mabel had experienced fighting multiple trained bodyguards that didn't reach what she was feeling now.

"You know, you really can fight," Mabel admitted. "Who's your teacher?"

"None," the girl admitted.

"NONE?!" Mabel roared. "No way! You're so good!"

"Four years at it," she pointed to Mabel with a grin, and then started shaking her hands and arms. "How about you?"

"My master is... was... Arline Hirsch," Mabel proudly said.

"Yeah?" the girl nodded. "So, how long has she taught you?"

"About a year and a half," Mabel said.

The girl's flushed face went pale. Then she coughed, and adopted a look of causality. "Neat, I guess. Uh... can I get their number after the fight?"

Mabel gave a sad smile. The explanation as to why she couldn't tell her Arline's number anymore would be complicated, but while they were both resting, it was a good time to talk.

Then gasps, cries of excitement, and hollers of panic echoed behind Mabel. She turned, and there he was. The Knight. He was stepping out into the arena, slowly drawing his sword.

"Sir!" the fight master ran towards him, "This is an honorary battle! Do not interfe-"

The knight swiped the back-side of his gauntlet against the man's face. The 'fight master' spun in place, and collapsed onto the ground with a goofy look upon his face. Shouts and hollers and cheers followed this action from the crowd, all thoroughly convinced that this was merely another part of the show. The metal knight continued forward, his clatter of metal kicking up sand as he approached. From behind his back, he drew, to the two ladies growing dread, a sword that was easily the size of the knight himself.

Pointing at the massive sword, Mabel said,"That's the kind of look I was going for," as she gulped. Her eyes were wide as they drank in the terribly intimidating sight of a blade the size of a large man.

"Not important now, kid," the girl told Mabel, rushing forward for her sword. Mabel followed suit. As they grasped their weapons and stood up fully, they met each other, side-by-side. "He's strong, and fast with his swings. But his armor won't allow him to move that fast around."

"So, we'll bounce around him like cute little rabbits while nibbling his garden," Mabel grinned, gripping her blade with two hands as she stared at her newest target.

Eying Mabel quickly, the girl snorted. "Uh, sure, I guess. Call it whatever you want, kid," the acknowledged, shaking her head.

Mabel glanced to her, and then to the knight. He took his hands, and wrapped them around the handle, holding the sword before his helmet as a salute. Mabel snickered. "See? Told you we'd be better fighting him together."

"Not on the best terms, though," the girl admitted. "I'm tired as heck. You?" she asked.

"Ah, running on fumes too," Mabel admitted. "Plan?"

"I'm not running from him again," the girl declared.

Before them, the knight lowered his blade. With a ringing, loud voice, he called out to them. "I, Archenhuad de Serolo, guardian and protector to her Lady Taggart, challenge you to a duel."

Breathing in readiness before the knight, the ladies exchanged a glance between one another, and then opened their mouths.

"I accept that challenge!" a voice cried from the crowd.

The three turned in a quick blur. Pushing his way out from the fence, holding a folded-up cardboard checkered board, was Dipper. His foot briefly caught in the fence, and as he stumbled, he mumbled curses under his breath. Clearing his throat, he approached the knight, holding out his playing pieces.

"I accept your challenge, and demand a duel by means of strategy!" he declared loudly, holding up the board, "By the means of a game of chess!"

"Huh?" the girl asked. Mabel merely turned her head to the side and whined similarly to a dog.

The knight scoffed. "Do not mock me, child," the knight said, lowering the sword out and pointing it towards Dipper as he approached. The crowds at this point started humming amidst themselves, uncertain to the status of the fights.

"I'm not mocking you, big guy," Dipper said, "You offered a challenge without a clearly stated type of battle. I accept your challenge and therefore," Dipper folded out the chessboard before him, allowing it to fall to his feet, "Declare the situation in which we shall battle. A game of chess."

"I did not come to play a mere game," the haunting voice sneered.

"Too bad," Dipper said, "To deny me is to rebuke your claim to combat. Do you surrender?" Dipper suggested, "Or perhaps you rescind your claim to a duel, and choose to 'besmirch' your honor? In front of all those gathered?"

The knight visibly shook, his helmet glancing around to the crowds.

The woman, next to Mabel, asked, "Did your brother or whatever he is, just intimidate him by challenging him to chess?"

Mabel, and her former combatant, slowly lowered their swords. "If anyone could do that, it'd be Dipper. Almost makes using a bunch of Stronghold and Serpents words sound cool," Mable admitted.

The girl asked, "The heck is stronghold and serpents?"

The knight then slammed the sword into the sand, and approached Dipper. Falling to a kneel, he leaned towards Dipper. "I accept."

"Good. I'll even let you go first," Dipper said, and handed out the white pieces to his opponent.

The knight chuckled. "A child, pretending to have the upper hand in a game of wit and thought?" the helmet shook side-to-side, "Absurd."

"If you say so," Dipper shrugged, setting up his own pieces. Within a minute, as Mabel and the girl approached, they saw the board set, and the two combatants sit before one another, both cross-legged. Dipper was easily dwarfed by the size of the knight, yet his face was blank.

"If I win, Sir Serolo," Dipper stated, "You will no longer peruse my friends and I, and lead us to the woman."

"And when I win," the knight chuckled, "You all shall be executed."

"Deal," Dipper immediately agreed.

"What?!" the girl yelled. "You can't be serious-"

"Don't worry," Mabel smirked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's got it."

"He better!" the girl growled. "I don't let others decide on my life without my say."

"Well," Dipper cleared his throat, "Your move. What are you doing?"

The knight lifted his hand and placed it on a pawn. Dipper hissed and let out a small 'ooo'. The knight lifted it's gaze to him. "What?" he asked.

Dipper eyed the knight. Acting as if he had said nothing, he mumbled, "Oh, uh, nothing."

The Knight looked back down to the pawn, and then lowered his hand back. After a moment, he chose another pawn, and lifted it forward.

"Huh. Interesting," Dipper said, raising an eyebrow.

The girl next to Mabel snapped, "It was just the first move!"

"Yeah, Dipper-duty," Mabel asked, "You can't see that far ahead, can you?"

Dipper just smiled, and moved his own pawn.

The knight made to choose another piece, and Dipper hummed. The knight hesitated, and then moved another piece.

One turn followed another. Action by action, Dipper quietly, but audibly, second-guessed the knight's choices. The knight was affected each time, becoming distressed. Grunts of frustration soon followed, as Dipper would suddenly swoop in with a bishop, navigate a rook to claim an entire row. Knight pieces were left in check against strategic spots. The knight suddenly was scratching the side of his helmet, truly uncertain to how it had suddenly gone down-hill this badly.

"This... this cannot be," the knight barely mentioned.

Dipper quickly snapped back, "Yes it can."

"But you are a mere child!" the knight yelled. "Your knowledge of battle should be justly limited!"

Dipper snorted, and took his turn. "Ahem," he said, moving a pawn forward. "Check in two turns."

"What?!" the knight snapped.

"Really?" the girl gasped, leaning in. "I don't see it..."

"Dipper, how?" Mabel asked.

"Just watch," Dipper smirked.

"Do... do not mock me, boy," the knight snarled, and lifted a shaking hand to the board. As it moved towards one of his remaining knight pieces, Dipper groaned. The hand retreated. The hand then moved towards a pawn instead. Dipper turned his head away and cleared his throat. The knight, visibly shaking, snapped out at Dipper with, "Would you please be quiet!?"

"Sorry, but you should go," Dipper pointed out. "Chess typically only gives a minute for each player to take a turn."

"It has not been a minute!" the knight yelled.

"Are you sure?" Dipper asked.

The knight gasped, and then reached down quickly and moved a piece.

Dipper nodded. "I see," Dipper said, and then moved his queen across the board. "Check in one turn."

"B-B-But," the knight protested.

"Well, go on," Dipper said, letting out a small grin.

"So this is how he's done it," Mabel let out a small chuckle, scratching her jaw.

"What?" the girl next to her asked.

"Dipper is the undefeated champion at his school," Mabel explained, "Well, for a junior, that is. I always wondered how he did it. I mean, he is smart enough to do it, duh," Mabel rolled her eyes, "But he's showing off just how good he is."

The girl turned back, and then gave a small smirk. "He's controlled the battlefield the moment the game started."

"Gave the enemy the first move, made him doubt his own choices, and even made him feel a certain way," Mabel breathed, "Oh, Dip, you little monster."

"I-I-I-" the knight struggled to say, shaking loudly in the armor.

Dipper, folding his hands together, eyed the knight across the chess board. His eyes shimmered in the sunlight above. Dipper, his tone cool and pleased, proposed, "Well, c'mon. Take your turn."

With a roar, the knight yelled, "NO!" the knight slammed his fists into the sand, knocking the pieces over. "I will not be bullied by a child in a pathetic game! You must have cheated!"

"You saw the entire game, and played it yourself!" Dipper snapped back, but never dropping his coy grin. "And by disrupting the board, you've resigned from the match!"

"I- what?!" the knight roared.

"You heard me!" Dipper snapped.

"I will not be told," the knight darted up, blotting out the sun, "How to defend," he lifted his fist up, and Dipper recoiled, "MY TASK BY-"

As Mabel lunged forward and the girl dodged aside, another voice cried from the side-lines.

"I banish you!"

The knight collapsed. From nothingness, the armor fell into the sand, as a pile of unattached, unadorned armor. The crowds gasped and hollered in shock as the three stumbled away, staring at what was just the knight.

"Well," Mabel said, standing before Dipper, her hands sprawled out, ready to take any hits otherwise meant for Dipper, "Good thing my face doesn't have to become a plum. Being hit by that gauntlet would have sucked."

The three, as Dipper stood up to join them, saw the source of the voice. Dipper had immediately noticed and recognized the tone, and saw her again: the old woman from earlier. She stood, leaning on the fence. With a drawn-out sigh, she adjusted her wrapped bandana around her long hair. As the crowds gave to loud applause, cheering the three still in the arena, the old woman nodded and waved to them, beckoning them to approach.

"Well, it's either the worst or best trap we've encountered," Dipper suggested.

"Or she's willing to talk," Mabel gasped, and rushed forward.

The taller girl glanced to Dipper as he stayed back, and only after he returned the stare, they moved forward.

"Nice chess game," she admitted coldly.

"Glad you could keep up with my sister," he remarked with a bite.

The girl let out the tiniest of hums and scanned Dipper briefly. After that, they met with the woman, who was watching a panting Mabel before her.

"Please, you three, come with me," she nodded, and turned from the fence.

The return to the fortune telling shack was, finally, much less dangerous than they had remembered. Entering the space with candlesmoke and dim light, the three found the woman sitting by the table with many seats. She then bent down, and lifted something up, which squealed.

"WADDLES!" Mabel roared, and rushed forward, lifting the small, pink pig up into her arms. The pig in question squealed as he was re-united with Mabel. "What's on you, buddy?" she asked, noticing something wrapped around his mid-section.

The woman spoke again, her tired voice explaining. "The poor dear had been dragged along the wagon, scraping his belly against the dirt. He was quite scratched up by the time Archenhuad had felt we had gained enough distance," she explained. "I patched up his stomach just enough to stop any swelling or bleeding. He'll be fine."

"Aww, you darling, poor, pink love-machine," Mabel cried, tears falling from her eyes as she squeezed the pig, falling to the floor slowly to cuddle him.

"Mabel," Dipper sighed, patting her head gently. When she nodded to him, Dipper understood that she'd be fine. He took a step closer to the woman, and took a seat. The girl stayed back, watching from the doorway. "Ma'am, what is going on?"

She snorted. "My protector, Archenhuad, takes his job terribly seriously," she sighed, "It has become an issue of late. He is aware of the dynamic shift in our world, and frets that it shall come to my..." she looked to the girl by the door, "Lowering health. Threats from the weird and spectacular have come before. He stands at my side, ready to thwart such dangers."

Seating before her, Dipper leaned closer. "Just who are you, exactly?" Mabel, from his side and on the floor, was watching him closely, patting her pig. Dipper added, "You knew exactly my name."

The woman nodded. "I do know you. I know lots of things," she sighed, and reached down.

Dipper shot up in his seat. "What did you say?!" he demanded.

She lifted something up from under the table. From her hand, she folded out before them a large circle. Scribbled into in sketch-like artistry were several pictures of odd symbols. One of them made Dipper gasp – a simple picture of a tree. Another was a shooting star. Another a question mark. A stitched heart. A five-pointed star.

Dipper looked up to her, and she nodded. She told him, "I see many things. Hear many things. I... am a psychic," she said.

"A real psychic?" Dipper asked.

She nodded.

Lifting Waddles gently down to the floor, Mabel asked, "How do you have this?" She came next to Dipper, looking at the large poster. "This looks... old," she noted, seeing the aged sides of the sheet.

"Forty-eight years ago, I saw this prophecy," she said, "One that had laid dormant for untold decades or centuries before that. I had to write it out, and did so here," she patted the pages. "This, you see, is one that pertains to an enemy of yours."

Cold fury bled into his words as Dipper said, "Bill Cipher."

"This prophecy," the woman stated, "Was completed. The circle is a means to bind and remove a spirit of great power, you see," she said, "But... something changed."

"What do you mean?" Dipper asked.

"We beat Bill," Mabel explained, "We threw him, and Grunkle Ford, into the portal! They got sucker-punched so bad."

"For a time, yes," the woman said, and then reached down, and lifted a new, much less worn script. The art was different, more refined. The twins gasped. The symbols had all changed, but they recognized them as well. "This, however," she said, "is what followed."

"The one that Bill had three weeks ago," Dipper whispered.

"This is the second prophecy. Not three years ago, I felt the pull in a dream, and drew this immediately after awakening. It is the return of-"

"Bill?" Mabel asked.

The woman shook her head. "Of magic."

"Magic?" the girl from the doorway asked.

"Yes. You see, inadvertently," the woman explained, "The wish killer-"

"Who?" Dipper asked.

"Bro," Mabel chuckled, "Clearly Bill we're talkin' about."

"The one known as Cipher," the woman explained, "has name names. Bill. Wish-Killer. Cosmic Con-man. He is the corrupter, and deal-drinker. Before mankind, and surely after them, unless something drastic is done," she explained, "But he is less of a concern. The well-pool of magic returning brings doom to us all."

"Does it really?" Dipper asked.

"Yes. Not all face the same risks as you," The lady again turned to the girl by the door. "But all face it."

The girl by the door stirred. She looked to the twins, who had turned to stare at her. With a quick clearing of her throat, the girl asked, "What do you mean?"

A sad smile crept onto the woman's face. "You should not seek revenge in a time like this. Your family... they may need you nearby now more than ever."

The girl, stoic and stony in appearance, shifted. Those words, meaning nothing to the twins, hit the girl deep in her soul. She looked ill. From leaning against the door, she turned and slowly walked away, holding arms in her hands. She was gone just like that.

Mabel turned back to the psychic. "Who is she? You know her too?"

The woman nodded. "A time may yet come where her call will be sounded."

Dipper leaned forward, "But this magic crisis – Is it really just magic that's the issue?"

"Nooo," the lady shook her head, "It is those who will twist it to their power. Bend it to their will."

"Heh," Dipper smirked to Mabel, "Told ya."

Mabel shoved him gently, and looked to the woman. "It's Graupner, isn't it?"

The lady shook her head. "More complicated issues arise before the child of darkness will have his time. That lich will have many years before he is truly a threat to the world."

"Years?" the twins gasped.

"Another crisis will arise from him, however, which will be connected to this one. I tell you now," she suddenly looked to her watch, "Fourteen minutes... quickly," she stood, and grasped Dipper and Mabel as she did, standing them with her, "Stay with your friends. Trust your hearts and your minds. It is these reasons that you are chosen to this path. Only together, and using your greatest strengths, can the four of you," she looked to the twins closely, "Yes, four of you, stand in the way of the wave of madness that the child of darkness will spawn."

She let their arms go, trembling. "Now, quickly leave. Archenhuad will return within half a minute, and surely come to check on me. Go, my children."

"O-okay," Mabel nodded, and scooped up Waddles. As she made for the doorway, Dipper stalled. "Dipper, c'mon."

He looked to the woman, halfway between his sister and the prophet. "Tell me, if you see so much... is Zander really on our side?"

The woman's smile trembled, but she held firm. "To ask such an answer of such a thing would be to ask the same to yourself, Dipper Pines. Are you a good person... always?" she posed, and then sat down. "Now, go."

Hastily leaving the shop, but with Dipper lagging behind, the twins were met outside, alone. The tall, dark-haired girl had already gone.

Now alone, and with an injured pig, and more questions than answers, the twins made for the last place they could thing before meeting back up with Soos and Wendy: Mina the mastodon and Gullian.

"Well," the circus man stated as they explained their story, "Sounds like quite the interesting adventure."

"Typical day, really," Dipper shrugged. "Wish she had told us more before kicking us out, though."

"We just wanted to come say goodbye again," Mabel smiled, letting Waddles rest on the fence, facing his girlfriend.

"Well, it's sad to say that I'm not sure when we'll be so lucky to meet again," Gullian said, patting the woolly animal next to him. "Circus life has us moving all year round, really. Mina and I will be nearly impossible for anyone to really trace, even resourceful kids like yourselves."

"Aww, sorry Waddles," Mabel hugged her pig, who eyed his massive girlfriend with a twinkle in his eye.

Yet as she did, Dipper put a hand on her shoulder. As she rose to face him, she gasped. Dipper had the look she had seen only a few times when death had come. A surrender of sorts. She turned to her pig. She looked back to her brother, and realized what he was thinking. Mabel shook her head. "No."

"Mabel... this is the best place for him."

"No!"

He turned away from her, and with a shaky voice, asked Mister Gullian, "Sir, do you think that Waddles could stay with Mina?"

"Dipper!" Mabel shouted, slapping him, full force, on the shoulder.

"Uh, I don't know," the man shrugged, studying the twins with worry. "I suppose so. Wouldn't be too bad."

"He is my pig, Dipper," Mabel cried, holding the pink animal tightly.

"And this is the life you want for him?" he asked, nodding to the bandages. "One the edge, like us?"

"I want him close!" she sobbed.

"I... I do too," Dipper said, patting Waddles ears gently. "But we can't drag him around us like this. What if this gets worse? Like that the lady said?"

Mabel held out her pig before her. Her arms shook slightly as she supported the weight of a pig that had once been much, much smaller. His beady little black eyes stared back at her, a quizzical questioning look that he nearly always had when Mabel just stared at him. The times, the memories, the two entire summers she had spent with this loving, caring animal... The years she remembered where he was just a few counties away, they were so precious to Mabel. How could anyone live and not see such a beautiful soul?

Mabel gulped as she pulled the pig into a hug. "I need you, buddy," she croaked loudly, "To stay with Mina for a bit. Okay?" Mabel asked.

Waddles gave the only answer he could.

He oinked.

"Good boy," Mabel said between a hiccup. Walking over to the fence, she slowly lowered the pig into the waiting trunk of Mina, who then raised him up onto her back. As Mabel cried, watching her beloved, trusting, faithful companion be carried away, the Mastodon patted her head. Mabel couldn't resist- grabbing the trunk and pulling it into a hug. "Now, Mina, you be super good to him. He's the best!" she cried. Mina patted her again, and then lifted her trunk away, resting as it usually did, but with a happier little swing in it's place.

"Good luck, kids," Gullian sighed. "I'll make sure Waddles gets fed, and rest, as good as Mina does."

"Thank you, sir," Dipper said, slowly escorting his weary sister away.

As the two made for the exit of the Renaissance Fair, the colors and sounds seemed muted. The air of sweet confections and heavy, toasted breads were less enticing than they had been two hours ago. The day, starting its descent into afternoon, was not one that provided comfort. To Mabel and Dipper, it was just the two of them, arms around their shoulders, as they left through the front gate.

"He'll be fine," Dipper assured her.

"I know," Mabel nodded. "I'm still going to miss him."

"And still love him," Dipper reminded her with a smile.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Well, we should get going," Dipper said, looking ahead. "I see Wendy and Soos over there."

"Yeah," Mabel nodded, and in a zombie-like trance, stumbled ahead.

"Hey," Dipper asked, "You gonna be okay?"

"Maybe later," Mabel sighed. "I just... I just want a nap."

"Yeah. I can drive," Dipper said with a gentle smile.

As Mabel walked slowly ahead, Dipper stalled, and turned to the sounds of a roaring motorcycle. Louder and more reverberant than Mabel's, Dipper saw the girl, the strange girl they had met this day, exiting the park atop what, Dipper could only describe as, a make-shift and entirely scrap-yard quality motorized bicycle. A license plate read 'C0R4L1N3'.

"Just who was that?" Dipper asked, squinting after the vanishing bike. Only then did he realize that his sister was gaining distance. "Mabel! Wait!" And with that, Dipper ran after his broken-hearted sister.

---

Wow. This got out of hand. Was supposed to be, ehh, maybe 27-28 pages long. WHERE DID 40 COME FROM!?

I'm so tired guys, I wish I could say I've got it in me to update with anything, but honestly, I'm pooped out. Next week's update, and either get confused, weirded out, excited, or concerned, is simply entitled, 'The Haunted Mansion'.

It is EXACTLY what you think it is. Enjoy! ;)

(A mountain of words explodes out from EZB's mouth like a fountain. As they funnel out, he slowly shrivels and shrinks down until he deflates like an old party balloon. That's actually kind of gross when you think about it. Yuch.)

---

In the fortune teller's tent, the woman shuffled her cards, looking at the pacing knight. The candles burned faintly, but steadily. The armored creature had appeared only a few minutes ago, and clearly was agitated.

"You ought not banish me," he scolded her.

"And you know better than to not listen to my orders," she glared back, and finally played out six tarot cards. As she played them out, a wind whipped into the room. The very first card was played, and she gasped. The card of death was revealed. She held it aloft, eying its image. It was the grim reaper, holding an hourglass in one hand, and a scythe in the other. Then the candles all flickered, tussling in some unfelt breeze. The psychic snickered, and then said, "Right on time," and lowered the tarot card.

She looked up to a man in a black cloak and a mask of silver.

The knight noticed the arrival. He turned and bowed, claiming, "Master, you have returned."

The new arrival lowered the mask first. "I need to speak with Aisling, Archenhuad," Zander said as he lowered the hood on his head. Without hesitation, the knight nodded, and marched away. Now only the two of them, Zander approached the edge of the table. "So," he said, "You met the twins."

With a warm grin, the woman said, "And another young lady."

"What did you tell them?" he asked urgently.

"The warnings that they aught know," she admitted.

"Do they know about my-"

"Relax, Orvar," she said to Zander, "They know nothing of your past. Your secrets are, and always shall, be safe with me."

"My past can hurt them. It's unlikely, but possible," he sighed, taking a seat before her, and lifting the card she flipped, of a skeleton in a cloak. He snorted. His green eyes darkly peered at her, and he said, "My future may hurt them."

She sighed and shook her head, flipping over another card. "Times are coming that will test you all. One failure," she revealed a card of goofy looking dancer with a ball-mask, "May lead to greater beginnings."

Zander played with the card of death. "You know I don't believe in tarot cards," Zander smirked.

"I do," she winked.

"Do you think they're afraid?" Zander asked, settling into his seat. He frowned, looking suddenly old and sad, "I… I fear I've given them too much to do. This is a heavy thing."

"I wonder," she asked, leaning closer to him, "If it is not the fear of the journey, but a fear of discovery you worry for. You fear they will come to fear you, as you do yourself. As, perhaps, you should," the woman eyed him.

Zander whistled, "Ouch."

She reminded him coldly, "I am not the one with a song named after my hauntings."

"Okay," Zander groaned, "Point taken."

In the pause of their conversation, the psychic played with the edge of her tarot deck. She said, "Corduroy suspects you."

Zander nodded. "Maybe she should."

"She will ask very soon."

Zander sighed. He rubbed his eyes. The green in his eyes seemed to shift and move with his very touch. He managed to say, "I see."

"Will you help her?" the lady asked, leaning even closer. "Her future may depend on your willingness to inflict pain onto another soul."

Zander stood sharply up. "I think I need to go, Miss Taggart," he declared.

"You think so?" she asked, a sad smile, "That is a shame."

He eyed her. "Why?"

Gently reaching over, she pulled out the card from before his chair, and held it to him. "This was for you. Your future, Guardsman."

Zander snorted. "The card of death was not always literal."

"No," she shook her head, and let the card fall from her hand, "But then again, you cannot die, can you? It is always the end." At that, Zander's eyes widened, and the old woman's eyes twinkled. "I'm sorry," she said, "There is no perfect way to tell someone that, well, we may not meet again."

With a flourish, he spun from her, the cloak whipping in the air. Over his shoulder, he called out, "Should another prophecy arise, and I'm still around, summon me. Otherwise… goodbye, Aisling Taggart," and he vanished from the room in a gust of movement.

The lady in the room sighed and sat back down into her seat. She rapidly, one by one, flipped over the rest of the cards. As she read the total fortune before her, she hummed. "Time waits for no one, my old friend. Well, perhaps only you, and the few like you," she sighed, "As my mother once told you, I'm sure," she added, and leaned back in the chair.

---

-Vigenere-

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