Chapter 13
Disclaimer: Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, not me.
After the Mystery Shack had been closed from the public for a total of two days straight, Stan finally decided to re-open it, deeming the time for mental healing to be over. Upon entering the twin's room though, Mabel had firmly insisted on Dipper waking on his own. Stan agreed, simply because he still felt guilt about hitting the kid. Yesterday, Dipper had assured him that he didn't have any hard feelings on the matter. Neither had mentioned Stanley Pines though. The elder man had called his employees two days back, letting them know that Shack would be closed for a few days, his excuse being he wasn't feel too hot. He decided to call them up though, informing them to come in today. Much to his surprise, Wendy showed up first, before work for once, and began to rattle off on an apology for finding out about Dipper's anxiety, but Stan cut her off. "Corduroy, as long as you don't judge the kid, I don't care if you found out squat. Just make sure he knows you aren't freaked out about it or anything though."
"I would never be freaked out about it, Mr. Pines!"
"Good." Stan rolled his eyes at her passionate tone.
Wendy seemed convinced that she was on good terms with him and moved on. "Are you still sick though, Stan?"
"What a-Oh, no, I just had the summer flu. Past two days were a bit ruff, but I feel fine now."
She squinted her eyes. "...doesn't the flu take a few weeks to go away?"
"...Nonspecific excuse on why I'm leaving." Stan told her, before turning to head to his office.
Soon after though, Soos burst into his room, crying. "Please don't die, Mr. Pines!"
Stan stared at him as if he had confessed his love. "What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Your flu!"
Oh. Stan could see, considering his age, how concerned about him becoming sick. The elderly man thought that Soos would know he's tougher than that by now though. He rolled his eyes. "Clam down, will you? I ain't dying."
Soos ceased crying and blinked a couple of times. "You aren't?"
"Do I look like it?" Soos blinked at him. Stan sighed. "No, I'm not."
Soos sprinted around the desk Stan was at and wrapped his thick arms around his shoulders. The elder man cringed away from the contact, feeling as if his personal bubble had been invaded. He didn't pull away though, knowing Soos needed to be reassured. After about five minutes of this awkward hug though, Stan decided to push him away. "Ok, ok, enough with the hugging! Off! I'm alright!"
On the surface, everything seemed to becoming normal once more, but there was tension in certain situations. When Dipper came down from his room, he froze when observing Wendy perusing through a magazine at the cash register. She glanced up at him and presented him with a grin. His nerves slackened, though felt confused. Didn't she think he was annoying? It wouldn't be the first time someone had thought that very notion thanks to his agonizing anxiety. She waved him over though and he tentatively approached the counter. "You and Mabel ok now?"
"Uh, y-yeah. We aren't fighting anymore..."
"Good. I think we need to be ok now though, too. I'm gonna start by saying, I don't care if you have anxiety or not, you're still one of the coolest kids I've like ever met."
Dipper gulped thickly, overcome with emotion, not expecting her to tell him this. "Thanks."
"We good now?"
Dipper nodded and her grin increased. "Now, how about me and you head up to the roof?"
~!5-22-9-12/9-19/1/6-18-1-13-5/15-6/13-9-14-4-!~
Mabel's vision was wavering as her eyes filled with tears. She hurriedly wiped at them and her bottom lip protruded. She was wracked with anxious feelings for her grandfather. He had not answering her calls from any reflective surfaces throughout the Shack and was beginning to believe something had happened to him. Or, perhaps he had grew resentful for her not fulfilling her promise yet of convincing Stan that his brother was enclosed in a dimension between their own and another universe? She shook those thoughts off and continued to whisper his name to the reflective surface of the vending machine. Mabel was becoming quite stressed about all that was going on, especially feeling this angsty need to go check on Gideon on the hospital and the nagging whisper in her mind confirming that Jill Rephic would be back. She kicked the vending machine, but nearly had a heart attack when Wendy spoke from behind. "What that vending machine do now?"
She turned to the register and observed the redhead causally flipping through her magazine. Mabel approached the counter with glum appearance. "Uh, nothing...just stole my money..."
"Well, you look sorta freaked out. Is there anything else it did?"
"No...I'm, just, feeling sorta upset right now..."
"Anything you wanna talk about?"
"Well...me and Dipper met someone that we really don't like and she's gone for now, but I sorta have this feeling that she'll be back soon? And then, we found out someone we know was being...hurt by someone else and that they knew her."
"Wait, so like she was being hurt by someone that's gone and doesn't like her?"
"No, urgh!" Mabel cried out, before flopping over onto the rug in front of the register.
Wendy leaned over the counter. "Sorry, your story is a little confusing...hey, Mabel?"
"What?" She mumbled, face squashed into the floor.
"Dipper's book, the one he always carries around, isn't it red and has like a hand on the front?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, I found it. In my room. Under my bed. I was getting rid of some stuff yesterday and I found it there."
Mabel gazed up, perplexed look on her face. "Wendy, Dipper has his in his room. He was looking at it last night...Wait, what number is on it?"
"Number? Wait, there's more than one?"
"There's three."
"Really? Oh, well the one in my room has a one on it."
Mabel jumped up. "That's the one Gideon had! We thought it went missing!"
"You mean that little creep ha-"
Mabel leaned over the counter, interrupting her. "He isn't a creep, Wendy."
She raised an eyebrow. "I though you didn't like him?"
Mabel jaw clenched, appearing slightly agitated. "Well, I changed my mind."
Wendy frowned, sensing the 13-year-old had changed a bit. "And why is that?"
"I just did, but that journal, can you go get it?"
Well, they were done with that. "Well, Stan will probably bite my head off, but I'm sorta hungry, so eh, why not? I'll be back in about an hour. Can you cover the register for me?"
Mabel nodded. "Thanks, man."
Stan came by, not five minutes later, and frowned at Mabel, who was staring intently at the jar of eyes on the counter, muttering to herself. "Where's Wendy?"
"Lunch." Mabel answering, not removing her eyes.
Stan's frown deepened. "Her lunch isn't for another two hours! Freaking teenagers these days...unreliable..."
When Wendy returned later, she had in hand a soda and, in the other, one of the journals. Mabel snatched it from her with such fever, that Wendy thought it was Dipper before her and not his sister. "It was under your bed? Woah, do you think it got there by like magic?!"
Yep, not Dipper. "I don't know dude, but don't you think we should show Dipper? He went to watch TV, after we came down from the roof."
Mabel bit her lip. Her twin had recently suffered one of his worse panic attacks and felt it unnecessary to stress him out any more with the knowledge that someone placed this under Wendy's bed. She hugged the journal to her chest. "I...I don't think he needs to know."
"Uh, why?"
"Wellllll...he sorta had a panic attack and I don't wanna stress him out?"
"Wait, when?"
"Ummm...a day ago..."
"...Stan wasn't sick, was he?"
Mabel shook her head and Wendy's eyebrows furrowed together. "Wait, was it bad?"
The brunette gazed away, avoiding the question. "Mabel, how bad are we talking?"
"He sorta...maybe...passed out?"
"WHAT?!"
"It's ok, it happens sometimes, don't freak out!"
"What do you mean don't freak out! Like, what happened? Did he like hyperventilate?!"
"Yeah, that's kinda what happens when he has his full blown ones. He's really ok though, he just gets really tired and has to rest. He's ok now though, I mean you were with him earlier and didn't he seem ok?"
Wendy seemed to deflate a bit. "Yeah...Sorry, it's just now that I know he has anxiety, I feel worried about him."
The brunette gulped, realizing how true this statement was. "Yeah...um, anyways, can we keep this a secret, Wendy?"
Wendy hesitated, then released a sigh. "Ok, as long as we do tell him, before the end of the summer, ok?"
She could do that. "Ok, I'm gonna find somewhere to look at this..."
Mabel left, flipping through the journal, as the redhead called after her. "Just don't get too obsessive with it, like Dipper does!"
~!-?-!~
Pacifica Elise Northwest intently observed the maroon journal laid out before her, on the silk-sheeted bed. She was lying on her bed, attempting to figure out how in the world Dipper's journal had found it's way under her pillow. Last night, when tucking herself into bed, she felt a lump beneath her head and discovered it there. She recognized it immediately, recalling vividly the night Dipper saved her family and guests attending the party. Except, it had a 2 on it, instead of a 3, as she knew it to have. Pacifica wasn't all that confident that it was Dipper's now and that made her a bit nervous about the idea how it had arrived here in the first place. She had been itching to open it, but had no courage to do so, instead staring at it as though it would verbally tell her all the answers she needed. "Where did you come from...?"
"PACIFICA! PACIFICA ELISE!" Her father bellowed from downstairs.
The blonde cringed at the demanding tone. Ever since that night, her father no longer sent a butler to fetch her, but screamed and hollered, if he required her presence. Her mother and him were becoming quite aggressive as of late, causing her fear of them to increase. Yes, they paid attention more to her now, but not in the way she had so desired for. She sighed, tucked the journal back under her pillow, and hesitatingly headed downstairs to the library. Preston Northwest, adjourned in his business suit, sat at an ancient, mahogany wood table. Pacifica gulped, before addressing him. "Yes, Father?"
He gazed up, eyes boring into her own, before gesturing to the book before him. "Pacifica, do you know what this is?"
"Uhhh, a book?"
"Of course it's a book, foolish child."
She cringed. He had been calling her names as well, ever since the incident. "Ummm, a book full of importance?"
Preston rolled his eyes, muttering about how idiotic his daughter had become. "This book, was one my great-grandmother followed when raising my grandmother."
She didn't like where this was going. "And, do you know what this book says to do to unruly children?"
Her palms began to grow sweaty. "N-No, father."
Preston looked his daughter dead in the eye and what he said next made Pacifica realize in that moment, was that her Father didn't actually love her. "Send them away."
~!-?-!~
Robbie Stacey Valentino hadn't felt as pissed as he did at the moment, in what like, forever. He growled and mumbled to himself. Tambry and him had been absolutely head over heels in love. Robbie hadn't laughed with such exuberance in years and he knew he had his girlfriend to thank. Lately though, they had become both snappy at one another and were acting as though they didn't enjoy one another's company. It was as though a spell cast upon them was fading, returning them to their original hate. He kicked his bed in frustration, then howled in pain. He began to hop up and down, grasping at his foot. A cheerful feminine voice from beyond his door interrupted. "Dear, are you having another meltdown?"
"Leave me alone, Mom!"
"Well, when you're done throwing a fit, you can come downstairs and have your lunch."
"Aughhh!" He heard his mom leave and he flopped over onto his bed. "I hate this town!"
He rolled onto his back and heard a crinkle. He frowned. Did he leave some sheet music in his bed? Or his summer homework? He readjusted his comforter, revealing a crisply folded up paper with his full name written across it. He ripped it, expecting a letter, but instead there was only a phone number and a time, which was nearly five minutes from now. "What the hell is this?"
He flipped it over, but there appeared to be nothing more. He hadn't a clue why, but the teenager felt as though someone was observing him read it. He glanced around and startled at the knocking at his door. "Robert, are you done having one of your teenage mood swings yet?"
"I'm not having a mood swing, Mom!" He hollered back, rolling his eyes. "I'll be down in a minute! And it's Robbie!"
Robbie located his cell phone and stared at the time. 1:23 PM. Two more minutes until the time. He punched in the number and his thumb hovered over the "CALL" button. He was hesitant on following the instructions of an unknown recipient. 1:24 PM. His curiosity overcame him and pressed "CALL", right as the time changed to 1:25 PM. It rang a few times, before... "G-Grandpa Stanley, is t-that you?! I-I'm sorry that I ha-"
"Wait, Mabel?"
"...Robbie?"
"Uh, yeah. Wait, who did you think you were talking to?"
"Uhhhh, no one...How do you know my uncle's number?"
"Umm, I found a letter with your number in my room?"
"What?"
"It had my name on it a-"
"In cursive?"
"Yeah, wait how did you know that?"
"Me and Dipper got one, too."
"From who?"
"We don't really know...why would you be given my Grunkle Stan's number?"
"I don't know, but my letter said to call here aro-"
"Robert! Your food is getting cold!" His mother shouted from downstairs.
He groaned. "Hey, I need to go to lunch an-"
"That's ok, I need to look at uh...something...Bye-bye, Robbie!"
He cringed at the loud tone. "Uh, bye?"
He pressed "END" and stared at the flashing word, before it faded before his burning eyes. He pressed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, feeling a dreaded beginnings of a migraine. Robbie had actually gotten those since a young age, typically curling under his blankets, praying for the pain to fade. No lunch. He couldn't. The teenager snuggled into his dark comforter, relishing in the softness. There was a knock at his door and he cringed at the sound. The door opened after a moment and his mother stepped in. "Robert, we can't eat lunch without you down here, can we?"
"...migraine..."
His mother's face became sympathetic and she flashed his room's light off, much to his relief. He felt the end of his bed dip, as she settled down onto it. Her hand began to stroke his hair and he hummed at the comfort. This was the only time he wouldn't attempt to avoid his parents, being in such an amount of pain not to actually do so. "Did you take your medication this morning?"
He hummed in reply to her whispering. "Alright, if you're feeling hungry later on, your lunch will be in the fridge."
When she left, Robbie couldn't help but feel as though she wasn't in as great as a mood as she appeared to be.
~!-?-!~
Bill Cipher materialized, in a flash of golden luminance, in the basement of the Mystery Shack. The hum of the portal echoed throughout the unoccupied, confined space and the dream demon gazed thoughtfully into it. The glowing white, mingled with a hue of Jill Rephic, suggesting her taint to the area. This was not on the mind of Bill at the the moment though. Notions of destiny were. "The rest of the pieces are falling into place..."
A reflective wall presented the image of a pensive Stanley Pines Jr. He could hear the voice of him echoing into this universe. "Cipher...you..."
"You should worry about Jill Rephic, not me, Fingers...she has altered the wheel of density, which is a big no-no...and now I've had to do the same!" Bill seethed, golden hue becoming a vicious maroon.
"...what...mean...?"
Bill's golden hue returned at the question and his tone mellowed. "Those that shouldn't be on my wheel, have shown up...Pine Tree...Gideon...Icy...and those that should of been there are missing...Red is dead, Eye, he was defeated by part of the wheel, and Daisy, Crescent's woman..."
Stanley squeezed his eyes shut, pained appearance overcoming him at the mention of these names, while Bill directed his gaze back to the glowing portal. "...the only other time this has happened...everyone on the wheel died..."
And in a different plane of the universe entirely, a dream demon howled her vengeance against Bill Cipher's wheel.
Chapter 13 End
I was honestly planning on updating last week, but didn't like how the chapter ended up, so I decided to rewrite the entire chapter. I'm truly sorry for the wait. So many followers though! Thank you all so much for your support and patience for this story!The next update could possibly be this Saturday, since I don't have work then, so see you all then.