Chapter 7

-What will it happen after, but first if they defeat the monster? Asked Mabel worried.

-Well, it's just a matter of time, because that dungeon is designed to be beat by everyone…I thought that show pretty much explained it all.

-I fell asleep on your shoulder halfway through, you've still got my saliva all over you.

-Never mind that. In essence in the morning, they should be back here, of course mad at you, and they will be of course together…

-I hope so. I don't think I have the guts to go through another shenanigan…

-You won't have to. Besides, soon I shall be back.

-You haven't explained how yet.

-I'd like to keep it a surprise, I said winking. Right after I used my miraculous power to just disappear into thin air leaving Mabel to her usual dreams…

I returned to the cave, we've left those poor souls to rot into. They were still as I've left them last time. Yes I can also be in more than one place at a time. Pacifica's tears poked a hole through the dirt beneath her. Despite Dipper's best efforts to comfort her she didn't stop raining cats and dogs from those blue gems of hers.

-Look, we've been here for about 8 hours already and you've spent half of them crying your heart out.

-I…am…sorry, she said between sobs. I just can't help myself, knowing that I lived only 13 years to die pushed in a hole by a monster. I will forget that I've almost been erased last summer, but still. I was hoping that I would go out somehow more stylish or peaceful.

-Look, I know that things look rough. And I am sad too, but shouldn't we try to make the most out of these last moments? You know, throw away that bucket list?

-I don't have one…

-Me neither, but that's not the point. The point is that being down right now is irrelevant…

-Ow, you're still such a nerd, she said finally stopping crying , her eyes now glimmering.

-See? It's good to keep positive and always have happy thoughts…

These were the last words those too had spoken for a long time. I couldn't help but stare at them as they quietly cuddled. It was so cute to see her blonde hair falling off into his lap as she quietly laid her head and soon enough her eyes closed and was long gone to the Sandman's lair. Dipper was tired too, but he couldn't sleep and let them all vulnerable to unknown threats. And so, with an eagle gaze he was carefully soaring the depths of the cavern with his gaze. Nothing moved… The time was immutable. Completely frozen for them. No water drops falling from the ceiling, no more bats, silence. Pacifica's heavy and rugged breath came like a fearful wind over a mind deafening state of complete tranquility. It was…peaceful. This is a place you could truly reflect on your thoughts, your life. You know how they say it's the quiet before the storm? I present to you the silence afterwards… However, it is the same principle of Karma… what goes around comes around. In this case it was the monster. Stealthily, his claws clanged on the dome's support pillar and soon enough he was carefully sneaking in on his prey. His footsteps made no noise, as his jaw hung open, getting ready to maul them both. At this point Dipper turned around and tried to scream in his high pitched voice, but he was instantly muffled by the beast's claws…

Meanwhile, in the outside world it was morning, Mabel completely freaking out over their delay. She tried to get her mind of this. "They will show up" she would whisper to herself. Long ago, she found knitting would occupy a lot of her time. This is how she got about a hundred beautifully hand crafter sweaters all being based on her mood at that time… A strawberry for her sweet times, a rainbow for the magical ones…Now it was time to make a new one. The basic shape is always easy… It's a pattern she now did mechanically, but filling up the center piece turned out to always be troubling business… She couldn't get her mind off the horrible thing she did. Now that I think of it's my fault. I knew what kind of person she was and I pushed her fragile heart over the limit. I can't do more but do a mea culpa and be done with it, but sorrow still exists there in my long lost humanity. I watched her knit every knot of that sweater and the lovely icon she sewed in the front of it… It was a small llama and a pine tree and over them a little rainbow was watching over them… I was there too. In the background, jealously watching in her vision it was a tiny ghost, its arms crossed and looking away in disdain. I was the only one to have a face or an expression…And it was a mean look. The two people/ things in the middle were looking so gentle, so peaceful… so perfect. This wasn't just a simple sweater, it was a beautiful work of art… It had everything it needed: perspective, quality and depth. Then I watched Mabel do something strange… she got her sweater and put it into an old copying machine. It wasn't until I saw the sweater copy materialize before her eyes that I remembered the power Stan's old printer had… She made two copies of them… The early morning hours were coming to an end as she laid back in bed taking a specific Wendy pose. Laid down, hands under the head and crossed legs. Then it's just the gaze of a thoughtful person drilling a hole through the wooden ceiling…

It wasn't long until Dipper woke up, seeing the monster quietly watching over him. Pacifica was nowhere to be seen…

-What did you do to her? Yelled Dipper.

-Quiet down you will wake your girlfriend up, the beast said calmly as he pointed a sharp claw to a rock, under whose protective shadow Pacifica was still fast asleep, lying on a bed of dust like a small golden haired angel. She was so cute as she rumbled around in her dream and turned her back so the two could see her blonde mane.

-What are you doing? Asked Dipper calmed down and was completely astonished by this turnaround the monster has proven.

-I am being cordial to the people who have won the dungeon's test.

-I am sorry? Asked Dipper more annoyed and angry now than he was amazed.

-Sit down kid, I am going to blow your mind more than I did already.

-Ok, said Dipper completely calmed in appearance, but ravaged in essence.

The monster sat down as well, taking his most comforting look and trying his hardest to cover all of his scary bits.

-Look, kiddo this is not really a dungeon, this is more of a development program chaperoned by me with the short lived help of a friendly ghost we can talk to, because of a curse, but this is not my story. The thing is I never tried to kill you…

-NEVER TRIED?

-Do you really think, I would sit and survey the rocks I know ,because this is my lair, and literally stop short on every single occasion I had to maul you? Look, you were never endangered in any way, never. You were pushed here because of my ghost friend's relationship and bond with your sister which lead to you finally confessing to each other. You couldn't be together after her best efforts nor his bests so you were forced into it… That's the way it is kid…

Dipper was blown apart. The simple things he remembered Mabel do suddenly made sense to him, after previously glossing over them with no further thought. They were acts of kindness and care between brothers. This was what she was trying all along, making a complete fool out of herself only for his good.

Pacifica was awake for about 5 minutes and she heard it all. Now she was hiding behind her rock fighting the remorse she was now overwhelmed it. She couldn't see in which way Mabel sentencing them to their apparent death, made them closer, but now it was clear as the summer's night sky what she was doing.

-May I know one thing? Dipper suddenly started speaking, breaking the silence that sat upon them

-Sure, anything, responded the monster placid.

-Who is this ghost, that you said has been trying to fix our relationship?

-Remember the Weirdmageddon?

-Of course. What about it?

-Your friend died that day. Bill took his human form as part of a bargain… He took his body away from him, but he got a wish in return. It wasn't a fair trade, but it was what he got… Cipher got his dying wish and he used it wisely, but not as wisely as your friend…

-What do you mean?

-He made you all forget him, in order to not hurt you, his depart completely devastating you… However , one person kept him in her mind.

-Her? Wait… you don't mean…

-Yes, I do mean your sister, Mabel. You see it wasn't a perfect system. She chose to remember his being forever, but it wasn't at all to her good. She changed a lot, but she kept it hidden from all of you guys, in order to not worry. She secretly snuck into your room and took your diary from your pillow and studied it, in order to bring back your friend from the grave.

-That's why I had glitter all over the pages… But nothing you say adds up…

-It all adds up. But not the way you'd think. You must carefully analyze the situation and draw a conclusion… The last thing you must hear is… just be brave. And by the way, go check on Pacifica, she isn't doing so well, said the monster as he slowly faded away into the shadows.

With a loud crack, the ceiling split open leaving the dying rays of the sunlight to flood the cavern. A stairway swiftly appeared out of thin air, making their exit a piece of cake. Pacifica was still pouting disgusted at her thoughts, hiding from Dipper. He found her instantly, because when you wear shiny clothes and have light colored hair, light will bounce right off you.

-What's the matter, asked the boy soothingly.

-I am an awful person… I was the fiercest attacker of Mabel, while you continuously defended her in some way. I thought ill of her and now I am so mad at myself for what my mind could imagine when she is the kindest and most generous person I've been proud to call a friend.

-You know what we've got to do right?

-Surely.

And as the two faded away from the cave holding hands, the cavern's walls reformed, the ceiling reunited and the ground was left unscathed. It was as if they never were there. It wasn't a long way from home, this mystical place. They've reached the shack in no time, but night had already fallen over the world. Slowly they made their way in, past the old creaking stairs, over the corridor and in the twins' room. Mabel was sleeping, biting her pillow as her blanket was on the floor keeping the tiles warm. Pacifica shook her up really good, but it was impossible. You could cut wood on her back and she still wouldn't wake up, but they couldn't wait another day… They decided to go the cartoonish way and grab a whole bucket of water to pour on her. It worked in a pinch.

-What? Who? Which? Waffles? Blabbed Mabel confused after waking up soaking wet.

-Well hello there you rock hard heavy sleeper, Pacifica said with a caring look.

-Ok, guys don't freak out, I can explain anything you may ask me, but first let me say what I have to. So, the second I saw you two acting out your feeling I knew it would be hard to…

She was interrupted by the two newly found lovers hugging her tight, cutting the last breath from her.

-We wanted you to know we appreciate what you did to us, said Pacifica leaning close to Dipper.

-And we are sorry for whatever worries we may have caused to you. The dungeon was completely safe and you didn't know that… Neither did we, but still it's another reason to be sorry.

-So it finally worked? Mabel asked like a little kid asks the prodigal question: " Are we there yet?"

-Yes, it worked out, silly, Pacifica boasted.

-Then these are not going to go to waste, she said pulling out the sweaters she had copied earlier.

-What are those? Asked Dipper surprised.

-Sweaters, I've made for you, pretty couple. Aren't they cute?

-They sure are… Thank you, they both replied.

-Where's mine?

The voice who asked was none other than mine…I would love to explain how I've got back on my feet so fast after this event, but it is the object of another story…

-Who should you be? Asked Dipper not recognizing me…

-Oh my god, you're here, Mabel squeaked in such a high pitch that it could break a window… Her bear grip on my hips was killing my lungs I haven't used in a while. Ok, an year.

-How come you are here? Mabel asked her eyes glittering with the shock of finding her boyfriend again.

-It's a long story and I am tired as a race horse after running the marathon. How about we speak in the morning?

It was true… Think that I can't sleep as a ghost and add one year. However I didn't have my room as I had last year, and Stan was already taking the couch… Pacifica was tired as well and fell asleep on Dipper's bed, while he did the usual cliché reaction of caring: tugging someone in. Dipper then crashed at the bed's feet.

-You can sleep in my bed, said Mabel reading my mind…

-Thanks… See you in the morning, I answered drowsily as I bumped my head o the pillow with a loud thud… I couldn't wait to tell them the good news. Hopefully, good at least.