Day 154:
"Do we really have to show up this early?" Pacifica asked as Dipper helped her zip up the back of her halloween costume.
"Mabel insisted we all be there at the same time. Said the illussion of the group costume only works if we are all there at the same time."
Pacifica sighed. "I suppose she's right. Still don't see why I had to be the blue-berry girl. We all know I'm fat, no need to draw more attention to it!"
"You're not fat, Love," Dipper chuckled as he finished zipping up the back of her outfit and kissed her cheek. "You're about to be a mother."
Pacifica grinned as she adjusted the belt of her costume.
Mabel and Dipper had always had joint halloween costumes growing up. Now, as adults, Mabel insisted on their patchwork family to always do a group costume. This year she had decided they would do Willy Wonka and the Chocolat Factory.
Ford was Slugworth. Stan was Grandpa Joe. Wendy was a genderbent Willy Wonka (a Wendy Wonka, if you will). Logan was Charlie. Soos was Augustus. Mabel was Veruca. Dipper was Mike. Melody, Candy, Grenda, and Marius were Ommpa-Loompas. Waddles was a golden ticket. And Pacifica was Violet. Yes, the girl who got turned into a blueberry, complete with a blue face paint she absolutely refused to put on, and instead exchanged with a blue wig.
"Ready?" Dipper asked as he placed his rather large cowboy hat on his head. Pacifica giggled at the sight, but nodded.
"Ready."
They both walked out into the living area of Mabel's where she and the two Grunkles were already waiting in costume.
"About time!" Mabel rolled her eyes as she stood to her feet. "Let's go!"
It was a short drive to the Mystery Shack, where yearly halloween parties had become the norm for the small town. The shop had been turned into a haunted house. The museum was filled with food, games, and a dance floor. The outside had pumpkin carving stations, more food, and more games. There weren't that many people there when they pulled up. Infact Soos and Meoldy were still hanging up decorations when they arrived.
"Oh, hey dudes!" Soos called from the top of his ladder.
"Soos! What did I tell you about ladders! They kill more people than guns!" Stan shouted. "Why you think I got so man-"
"Erm, I think he can handle his own Mr. Pines," Melody blushed. "Besides I'm here to catch him if her falls."
"You, catch HIM!?" Stan pointed and chuckled.
"You'd be surprised, dude," Soos answered solemnly. "She is unbeaten at arm wrestling."
"Oh, ho, ho, ho, sounds like a challenge," Stan chuckled.
"How do I get the feeling this will end badly?" Ford sighed.
A few minutes, and several rounds of arm wrestling (all of which Stan lost) and people started piling into the Mystery Shack. Despite all the conversations, socializations, dancing, and fun going on around them, Dipper and Pacifica were nervous. Their stomachs were in knots, their hearts were beating wildly. Tonight was the night.
Tonight they would find out if they were having a boy or a girl. First they had to waiting until enough people had carved enough pumpkins to line the porch of the Mystery Shack. And then they had to wait for Ford to install the lights.
Try as everyone did, Ford would not give in. He was adamant in keeping Baby Pines' gender a secret until the big reveal.
"Pacifica!" Mabel shrieked at one point as they were waiting, a giant can of Pitt Soda in her hand. "I want a rematch!"
"Rematch?"
"Remember when we had a karaoke battle when we were twelve?"
"Oh...right," Pacifica blushed as she remembered at the cruel remarks she had made that night.
"I want a rematch!"
"Mabel, I have a baby kicking my lungs, how do you expect me to sing?"
"With the power of determination!"
"Sorry. Saving that for the actual birth."
"You're not using an epidural?"
"I don't know yet! And even then that only numbs it. I've still gotta do all the pushing."
"Well, consider this a practice round in determination!"
"Did you really just compare childbirth to karaoke?"
"What? They're both beautiufl in their own ugly, terrifying, and mysterious ways!"
An awkward pause followed before Pacifica asked her sister-in-law: "What is in that drink other than caffeine?"
"Oh!" Mabel flipped the can over to the back. "Carbonated water. Sugar. Fruit juice concentrate. Vegetable extract. Citric Aci-Oh! That's it. It's the acid."
Pacifica only stared and blinked. "You're going to be the aunt of my child."
"Yup, and there ain't nothing you can do about it!"
"What did I marry into?"
"Crazy, unbridled awesomeness!"
"Crazy, definately. Unbridled, without a doubt. Awesomeness? Jury is still out on that one."
"Ew. Pregnancy mood swings much?"
"Shut up, Mabel."
"Mabel, stop pestering my wife!" Dipper finally cut in.
"Aw, c'mon, bro-bro. I was just trying to recruit her to a karaoke rendevouz!"
"That's not how you use the word 'rendevouz,'" Dipper sighed.
"And, again, baby crushing lungs, can't sing!" Pacifica said.
"Yikes, you are carrying pretty high," Mabel nodded.
"You just now noticed?" Pacifica arched an eyebrow.
"Guess that means you two are having a girl," Mabel cheered. "By the way, what are you guys hoping for?"
"A healthy baby," Dipper answered in a dead pan voice.
"C'mon! You've gotta have a preference!"
"Nope."
"Really?"
"Yup."
"You're boring!"
"You've informed me of this fact many times," Dipper flipped his sister's hair into her face.
"Pew! Pew!" Mabel spat as she fixed her hair back. "Well, what about you Pacifica?"
"Well," Pacifica twirled her hair, or rather the hair of her wig. "I mean, I guess I like the idea of a little girl I can dress up, and have mani-pedi parties with, and play dolls with. But at the same time, a little boy, a little Dipper running around would be fantastic."
"Aw! Dipper's boringness is rubbing off on you!"
"Well, he is my husband, it's to be expected."
"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that, Princess."
"Alright, dudes!" Soos' voice called from the DJ stand. "It's time to head outside for the big gender reveal!"
Dipper and Pacifica's hearts started doing somersaults as they followed the rest of the crowd outside. There were several rows of carved pumpkins, one lining the main porch, one lining the side porch, one lining the ground around the porch, even one above the main entrance to the musuem. In the attic window was a purple neon sign that read: "What will it be?" On the left side of the door was a blue neon sign that read "Kurt Tyrone," and on the right side was a pink sign that read "Persia Avril."
"Wow, really out did yourself, bro," Stan said with a smile as he slapped his brother on the back.
"Oof! Thank you, Stanley," Ford returned as he head towards Dipper and Pacifica who were waiting near the front steps of the main porch. "Alright you two, here's the button. When you're ready press it and you'll get a brief light show before the big reveal."
"Wait!" Wendy shouted as she ran up, Logan on her hip, and her phone in hand. "Gotta get a video...okay, ready!"
Dipper held the button in his palm, and turned to Pacifica. "You ready?" he asked.
Pacifica nodded, grinning ear to ear. "Yeah!"
"Alright, let's do this," Dipper took her hand in his and together they pushed the button.
The jack-o-lanterns lit up in alternating shades of : pink, blue, pink, blue. The colors then began to alternate and dance in a flickering show, growing faster and faster until it was almost a strobe-like effect. Then everything went black for a few seconds before the lights slowly turned back on…
...They were pink!
The right side of the door shown bright with the name: Persia Avril.
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
"It's a girl! I knew it!" Mabel fist-bumped.
"AAAAHHHHH!" Stan screamed and jumped as he ran to the young couple to hug them. Dipper and Pacifica couldn't stop smiling. They were having a girl! The minutes Stan let go of them they caught eachother into a tight hug, and a prolonged kiss that probably wasn't appropriate given how many people were watching them, but they didn't care. They were having a little baby girl!
Nothing could have made them smile wider, not even the fact that their group won the costume contest. They couldn't even wipe off their smiles hours later when they were lying in bed, smiling at each other as they tried, in vain, to fall asleep.
"Our little Persia Avril Pines," Dipper whispered as he kissed Pacifica's belly. "We already love you."