Chapter Four: Blue Tickets
Times really change, as Gideon knew well. Over the years, he had changed from the young child who had been responsible for bringing downthe monarchy, into a man who planned a dictatorship.
The masses had always been easy to control though. They had fallen to whispers of demons in their sleep, who told them that they didn't really need to be ruled by a family whose name was that of to a certain tree. They believed that bloodshed was the only way for change that would have come with just protests.
Oh, how easily they had protested , cooed on by a child who knew just what to say, who claimed to have powers at the beginning with parlor tricks that had turned into real magic. It didn't matter if only one person survived during the night. Gideon had led the people through bloodshed into a victory that would leave men and women with red on their hands they would never be able to fully wash away.
He had watched the fall of the royals. He had seen gunfire ring out, and he had watched the people who were still loyal flee in fear. He had watched Stanford fall but declare with his dying breath that the Pines would live on, and Gideon had laughed in his face and told the old man that he would kill every last one himself.
Except Mabel.
That night, he had been right beside the mob as they barged into the palace, and when they arrived at Mabel's room he had been right behind them. He stood there as a king as the men struck down the servant who had been in Mabel's room. The blond boy collapsed in a heap just as gunfire rang through the room, and Dipper Pines fell as a lamb should to its slaughter, without a sound.
She hadn't been anywhere to be found though. They had searched the whole castle, and though he knew she was still alive, yet she never showed up. Nor was Stanley, but that old fool was going to die soon, so Gideon didn't even bother to worry. Stanford had been his main target, as well as Dipper. Everyone knew that Stanford was the brain behind the monarchy, and with him gone the rest would crumble around him.
"I know she's still alive, I can feel it in the air just like how I can feel Stanley." Gideon's chubby hand went to clasp the glowing green pendant around his neck. "I wonder how she's doing now."
When he had been cast out by Stanford, they went about their business as though he meant nothing to them. As though he wasn't the reason why their kingdom flourished, why the people had never risen up before. Gideon had declared war on the Pines when he had been cast out, but Mabel was different. He could just kill her if he wanted to, if she didn't give him what he wanted. What better way would it be to go and rule the kingdom he had once tried to help, than with the old princess by his side? They claimed not to want rulership of a monarchy, but Gideon had risen them to bloodshed when needed, underneath him they wouldn't know they longed for something else.
"Gideon?" An old associate of his, a man who could no longer remember his birth name but simply went by the name 'Ghost Eyes' asked. His clear, milk white eyes always seemed to stare blankly ahead.
" Yeah ? What do you want?" Gideon leaned back in his chair.
"Just thinking about that night again." Ghost Eyes came close, close enough to pull up a chair and sit next to Gideon. "I don't think I'll ever forget it."
"I wanna find her." Gideon leaned forward in his chair, far enough to put his elbows on his knees and rest his head in his hands. "It's eating me alive."
"No one's seen her in years." Ghost eyes was always one for reason, even when Gideon wouldn't listen to it. "She's not around anymore."
"Nah, she's around, I know she is. I want her." Gideon stood from his place, barely coming up to Ghost Eyes chest. Gideon blamed it on the man being too tall, not that he might be short.
"Find her. Find anyone who looks like her, and bring them to me." His hand was still wrapped around the pendent, eyes barely tinting at the same color as the magic he used . "Check the trains, she won't escape me again."
A day later they were moving through snow and onto a train that made Mabel look around in wonder. She snuck Waddles aboard inside of her jacket since they wouldn't allow livestock unless it was an actual pet. Unfortunately, pigs were not seen as pets.
"You really have to bring that thing with you?" Bill asked, pointing to the pig, as Mabel collapsed in the train car, even going as far as to put her feet up and relax. Waddles hopped out of her jacket to take the seat next to her, squealing loudly when Bill tried to move him.
"Waddles is adorable, don't talk about him like that." She covered his ears with her hands. "How could you say that about him?"
"It's cute." Tad spoke up, looking through a book and marking another note down on it. "Leave her alone about it, one must not argue with royalty."
Mabel gave Bill a smug grin when Tad agreed, crossing her arms and quite proud of herself. In just a day she had learned that she got along much better with Tad than Bill, if only because Bill liked to nag at her to do the things that he thought 'proper' princesses should do.
"Sit up straight! You're never going to pass as a princess if you keep slouching and making a mess of yourself." Bill decided to taunt instead. Mabel glared at him, making an extra show of spreading out and taking up as much room as physically possible. Her feet propped themselves up on the cushion in front of her.
"I thought we were just going to see if I was a princess? I might not be." Mabel took the time to stretch and not so subtly smack Bill in the face. He winced and held his jaw, but didn't comment. "You really think I could be a princess?"
It was a strange thought, but Bill nodded absently putting on that grin that Mabel was starting to recognize as the charming grin he put on when he wanted to get his way. She rolled her eyes at the sight of it.
"You know I do, Mabel." Bill replied without missing a beat. Mabel didn't even bother to look at him, tucking her feet underneath herself and settling in for a nap.
"Then stop bossing me around!" She grinned as Tad laughed, and Bill's cheeks just barely flushed with a bit of embarrassment . Waddles nudged his way into Mabel's lap, demanding pats and attention.
"Told you she was royalty." Tad kept writing, seeming absorbed in his task as he listened to them bicker .
Bill made a face at the statement, but Mabel ignored him and laid her head on the side of the car and did her best to relax. Something about the way the cabin rocked and swayed, it sent her right into sleep, almost like a spell. She didn't have the strength to stay away, and soon she was fast asleep, curled up next to Bill, against the wall.
"You shouldn't lie to her. It's one thing to trick an old man, which is mean enough, but don't lead her on into thinking she has family. She doesn't have anything." Tad finally looked up from his work, frowning at Bill. "This is one profit scam where more than someone's wallet is going to get hurt if you're not careful."
"I know what I'm doing." Bill kept his voice level and quiet, to avoid waking Mabel. "I've done stuff like this be-"
Bill cut himself off as the cabin rocked a little roughly, and Mabel went from cuddling close to the wall to laying against his shoulder. His surprise must have been clear, because Tad had to cover his mouth not to laugh.
"I'll get is something to drink, maybe some food." Tad closed the book with a quiet click, the noise just barely making Mabel stir until Bill wrapped an arm around her to let her rest.
Tad escaped just as his laughter escaped , but he fought it down as best as he could lest he wake Mabel. Normally, Bill didn't let anyone touch him unless he initiated it, but as long as she was leaning against him and asleep she was being quiet, Bill didn't mind.
Tad hoped they had good food on this train, not heading to the car that would have food, but instead heading for the back. If some food went missing, no one would really miss it , and everyone would just assume that someone bought it. Tad passed by the conductor, keeping his head down to avoid drawing attention.
"That's right, miss. Some people thought they were smart and tried to copy the tickets themselves, so we changed the ink color." The conductor tore off the edge of her ticket. "Nice and blue. Everything's in order."
Tad didn't even try to hide the fact that he immediately turned to head back to his car, though he did act as though he was a bit lost. Bill was still relaxing with Mabel, even as Tad came in and opened up the book he had just been holding minutes earlier.
"Just want to make sure our tickets are perfect and blue." Tad hissed, showing the quite red tickets in his hand. "They changed the ink color."
"Blue? Who likes blue?" Bill scoffed, shaking Mabel awake and letting her figure it out for herself.
"Hey, Mabel, come on, wake up." Tad was nicer, setting aside the forged tickets and gently propping the waking girl up. "We have a better cabin in the back were headed too."
Mabel yawned and nodded, wondering if that one had a bed they could rest on as well. Sleeping in the train felt surreal and both right and wrong at the same time. The train had that rocking motion that tried to put her right to sleep.
It wasn't until they were out of the cabin and in the back car that Mabel felt like she had fully woken up, managing to shake sleep off of herself and look around. They weren't even in another cabin, in fact she was sure they were in the car that stored the luggage for the other passengers. Bill sat down on something that looked comfortable, leaving Tad and Mabel to shake and stave off the cold in the car that had no insulation.
"There wouldn't happen to be something wrong with our tickets ?" Mabel asked, looking around for Waddles. "I was so tired I left Waddles behind, I'll be right back."
"This is the best seat in the house! Forget the pig and just relax." Bill asked, leaning his head on his hand.
"It's freezing in here." Mabel said flatly. "I'm not leaving Waddles, I'll be right back."
She rolled her eyes at the face that Bill made, sticking her tongue out at him in a gesture that most certainly wasn't like a princess at all, but felt gratifying in the moment. Lectures and lessons would always come, but she was still the girl who was raised in an orphanage.
The train seemed more animated than mere moments ago, people whispered amongst themselves as Mabel made her way through. She yawned once more as she drew closer to their old cabin, about ready to take another nap .
"This train is underneath Gleeful's custody now, no need to panic. We're searching for a wanted criminal who might be aboard." A large man with dark skin held up a painting, this one looking fairly new, it looked exactly like Mabel. Everyone around her stared up at it, murmuring amongst themselves.
"We will be searching this whole train!" The man shouted as Mabel hid behind a slightly larger woman to remain out of sight. "Gleeful wants her to repent for her crimes, anyone who aids her will be brought before him for judgement!" Mabel felt a nudge against her ankle, and scooped Waddles up without even questioning how he got out of the cabin.
"What did she do?" Someone asked, and Mabel wished she had a hat to cover her brown hair. It didn't stand out much, but it was identifiable if one looked close enough.
"Treason against Gleeful." The man spoke as Mabel calmly walked down the hall and away from them. Their voices faded away to nothing as she moved further down the train, and further away from the commotion
Gleeful. The name sent shivers down her spine. She knew he taken power since the Pines had fallen , but she had never seen so much as a picture of him. Apparently, she had done something awful enough to warrant an arrest , even though she was sure she had never been outside the orphanage before.
"We have a problem." Mabel said as she entered the storage room, pausing the moment she saw Bill and Tad held up at gunpoint by even more men. As she the door closed behind her, all eyes turned to her, weapons cocked to follow their stares, and suddenly Mabel wished she had never left home.
