Garage War
The circle of friends gathered in Thompson's garage.
"All right, who's ready for the best and most over-priced day of our summer?" asked Wendy.
They all cheered.
Thompson pulled off one of the snacks taped to his body and said, "I brought a baggie of trail mix, and safety whistles, in case we get separated."
"Ahem-lame," said Dipper in a cough.
"This kid is a champion," Lee said.
Nate said, "We're just waiting on Tambry. Can't leave without Tambry."
Tambry walked in. "Sorry guys, I was delayed by a blind date schemed up by Mabel."
"A blind date?" asked Wendy.
"Yeah, she tried to set me up with Robbie, of all people," said Tambry.
"I guess I should have warned you," said Dipper. "Mabel said finding Robbie a new girlfriend was her new project. She fancies herself as a matchmaker."
"Me and Robbie? As if," said Tambry.
"Yeah, as if," said Nate, with a touch of relief in his voice.
Lee chuckled.
"Poor Mabel," said Wendy. "She probably won't show her face around us for a few days, out of embarrassment."
Mabel ran in, panting. "Help! Robbie's... after... me!"
"Maaa-bel!" came Robbie's voice in the distance.
"Watch out! He's got love potion," said Mabel.
"Love potion? Where would he get that?" asked Wendy.
"No time to explain now, just protect me so he doesn't get it on me," said Mabel.
Lee, Nate, Wendy, and Dipper formed a human barrier across the garage door.
"We'll guard you," said Nate.
"Even though this is probably a joke," said Lee.
"She's serious. I can tell," said Dipper.
Tambry and Thompson stood beside Mabel, with Tambry furiously texting a status update. Thompson just looked worried.
Robbie appeared, looking wild-eyed. He was holding the basket of pink-potion-dosed fries.
"Mabel!" Robbie yelled.
Dipper narrowed his eyes. "Robbie, what do you want with my sister?"
Robbie glared at them all. "Out of my way. I have talk to Mabel."
"No!" said Mabel.
"You'll have to get through us first," said Nate.
"Yeah," said Lee.
"Catch!" said Robbie.
He threw some of the fries at Nate and Lee. They stumbled against each other as the fries struck them.
"Sorry, dude," said Lee. "Hey, wanna hang out together after this?"
"Sure," said Nate. "That would be awesome."
Robbie took advantage of this moment to move in and try to breach the line. Dipper slammed him from the side and Wendy kicked the basket of fries out of his hand. A shower of pink fries rained down on Dipper and Wendy, and some slid across the floor of the garage.
Wendy looked at Dipper with new eyes. "You're something special. I said you were too young before, but I was so wrong."
Dipper looked back at Wendy, "I've hoped for this forever. But we have to save Mabel first."
Robbie, using their distraction, slipped past them and picked up a fry from the floor. He headed toward Mabel.
"Prepare to be in love, sweetheart," said Robbie.
Mabel was desperate. She grabbed up a fry herself, and threw herself into a hug with Tambry, with the fry crushed between them.
"Tambry, kiss me, I'm yours!" Mabel said.
After a puzzled instant, Tambry did.
Robbie touched Mabel with the fry he held, but it was too late. The bond with Tambry was established.
"Why?" asked Robbie. "Why choose her and not me?"
"Because I wanted a choice," said Mabel. "You were trying to take my will away by force. That's like rape."
Nate and Lee moved in and grabbed Robbie, one holding each arm.
"Robbie, you've sunk to a new low, trying to molest a twelve-year-old," said Wendy.
Dipper said, "How did you get hold of love potion, and why did you use it to try to attack my sister?"
"Mabel gave it to me first," said Robbie.
"What?" said Dipper.
After a long explanation from Mabel, with interruptions by Robbie and Tambry, everything came out.
"Wow," said Dipper. "What a mess."
Tambry said, "Mabel, I love you, but we're not going to be together. It's over between us."
"What? No! Why?" asked Mabel. "Please Tambry, give me a chance."
"I can't forgive that you were going to hijack my life and throw me to Robbie. It's fine that you set me up on a blind date with him. I could say no and walk away, and I did. But you planned to take away my free will, just like Robbie was trying to take yours. It scares me you would be that manipulative. Knowing that, I can't be your girlfriend."
"I-I'm sorry," said Mabel. "I didn't think about that. I just was sad to see Robbie unhappy."
"I think you wanted to feel like a great matchmaker," said Dipper. "That was the biggest deal, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess," said Mabel, on the brink of tears.
"Thanks for nothing," said Robbie. "You should have stayed out of my life. I'd have moved on by myself after a while. Now I'm in love with a twelve-year-old with a god complex."
"Wendy, I... I can't take advantage of this with you," said Dipper. "I have to set you free."
"I know," said Wendy. "But what are we going to do? My feelings are stuck on you."
"I'm liking this new feeling," said Nate. "What about you, Lee?"
"I'd sort of like to go with it," said Lee.
"I want to get out of it, if there's any way," said Tambry.
"Me too," said Robbie.
"Me three," said Mabel. "Since Tambry doesn't want me. Another failed summer romance."
"You should have picked me to hug," said Thompson. "I wouldn't have turned you down."
"Sorry, Thompson," said Mabel. "Tambry's hotter."
Thompson sighed. "I know."
"So can we go talk to this Love God and get him to fix this?" said Dipper.
"He won't want to help, since I stole the potion from him," said Mabel. "But he has an anti-love potion we could steal."
"Let's go for it," said Dipper. "With all of us working together, it'll be easy."