Pacifica Northwest patrolled through the finished set-up of the Gravity Falls Summer Carnival. Pen, paper, and board to write against, the teen brushed her bangs from her eyes with a quick scoff. So far, as she had hoped, things had been going according to plan. The inspections for the rides; Ferris Wheel, mini-roller coaster, the usual kiddy attractions; all had passed and with good reason- Northwest's only purchased top of the line. Then she had gone through the food stands, personally disgusted with many of the choices that people apparently ate, but refrained from upsetting the workers present. She had to let this carnival walk away with a pleasant impression of her family.
She could hear the words in her mind. "If the Family Name is as important as you claim, then you should begin working in place for myself and your mother," Pacifica's father had once told her, "And perhaps we can overlook your mild transgressions."
The echoing reminder of her parents shame only drove her to walk faster, passing by the remaining food stalls. It was just an hour before people would be showing up, and she was almost done, along with her management of the park. The last thing she needed to check up on was the animals. To which she, however silent about it, was worried.
She didn't exactly doubt the abilities of the Pine twins, darting her eyes back and forth from the pages on the notepad and the game stalls around her. Those two were, if anything, efficient at discovering, solving, and exploiting trouble. Her worries came in the form of her desperate plea, and not knowing what to expect at the booth. She would soon be coming around to see their collection, as she left the games and bright neon lights that accompanied them.
A yawn pressed out of her mouth, demanding her eyes to water in the fatigue that crashed over her. This was the second large project she had to manage solo, and sleep had become a spares occurrence. She was tired, and though she fought to hide it with her bright and inviting make-up of pinks and shades of violet, there was no hiding that throaty, dry feeling when she spoke up. Drinking water came at a long second to her duties as manager.
Her nose scrunched its nostrils as the thick, unclean smell of animals hit her. Loving animals or not, this was the accumulated stench of several barns wrapped in one spot. She would certainly be quick about passing by the other specimens - she only needed to see if the Pines did as they were instructed to.
She rounded the corner, and was knocked off her feet with a loud blast of a trumpet. Pacifica shrieked as she fell backwards, her hair falling past her face and blocking out most of the light from the sky above. She could feel the dirt under her fingers and she clenched her teeth tightly and groaned. So much for her nice dress staying clean today.
"Pacifica!"
She blinked as someone parted her hair for her, and extended a hand.
Mabel Pines.
"What is that noise!?" Pacifica barked as she stood back up, gathering her papers and straightening herself out. Then she saw it. A smaller, furry... elephant. Standing in the large pen made for whatever the twins had been asked to capture, this just-slightly-taller than adult-human-height animal poked and prodded the metal wiring around it curiously, while a pink pig sat atop its back proudly.
"Tadah!" Mabel declared, wiggling her fingers as her hands danced before the sight of the animal in it's pen, staring at Pacifica with uncertainty. "I present to you, Miss Mina the Mastodon!"
"The heck is a mastodon?" Pacifica demanded, stepping closer and past Mabel. "Is that the name of a baby elephant? I didn't know they were so hairy before they group up," Pacifica noted as she looked closer. The large, dark eyes of the creature continued to stare at Pacifica as she leaned closer getting a look at the being. Dipper, who had been behind the elephant stepped closer.
"She's not an elephant," he stated, carrying in his arms a torso-sized barrel.
"A mastodon, whatever," Pacifica corrected herself hastily, with little intent of actually caring for the animal's true title. "So, what, you just stole one from a zoo?" she asked Mabel.
"They're an extinct species," Mabel told Pacifica, walking next to her as they both watched Mina turn to Dipper, ruffling his hat with her trunk, "That died out ten thousand years ago."
"She's just an elephant though, Mabel," Pacifica turned to the brunette, a distressed look about her as she glared at Mabel, "I thought you two were going to find something that was actually, you know, weird?"
"That's what I thought you'd say," Mabel pointed at Pacifica, and then nodded to the back of the pen, as Soos and Yuki carried in a large sign, trailed behind by Grunkle Stan, "So we made this sign!"
"You made a what?" Pacifica demanded, almost knocked aside as the three passed by her and out of a small gate, and stabbed the sign into the ground.
"There we go," Soos brushed his hands.
"I needn't you help," Yuki reminded Soos as he adjusted his hat- a borrowed cap from the Gift shop at the Mystery Manor. "I was more than capable of carrying in that sign."
"Yeah, but dude, I can't just let a bro do all the work on my own," Soos patted Yuki's shoulder with a grin, "Makes me feel like a jerk, watching you do all the work." Yuki, despite his insistence, was clearly touched with Soos' care.
Pacifica side stepped the three and found herself next to Stan as she stared at the sign. A large, crude make (probably from Mabel herself), the sign read in colorful pain 'Rare as they come, the Mastodon here is a total love-bird and is currently engaged to the local Waddles, the pig. She loves all sorts of sweet fruit without tang, and likes people with poofy thick hair, because it tickles her trunk!'. Pacifica gaped at the sign, but then noticed, at the bottom, was an outline of the animal before her and a standard elephant. Pacifica blinked, and realized they did, indeed, have different body proportions. So maybe this was something she could brag to the coming crowds of the day about.
"Well, I'm, eh, pleased with this," Pacifica nodded to Mabel with a curt bob of her head. "This sign is going to help people realize that we are actually offering them a chance to see something unusual."
"Aww yeah!" Mabel punched the air proudly, and then leapt over and hugged Pacifica tightly, pinning her arms to the side, "See? We can still be friends, right?"
"Ugh- off!" Pacifica contorted herself away from Mabel, her cheeks mildly flushed as she glanced around, "Please don't ruin my dress."
"So, we're good on this end?" Dipper asked, coming through the fence as well.
"Yeah, sure, favor earned," Pacifica barely nodded.
"Good to hear," Dipper said curtly to her. The two stared at one another for a moment before breaking away.
Something cold grew in Pacifica's voice as she asked Dipper, "So, where's Wendy?"
"Stayed behind to watch the building," Dipper retorted.
"Oh. Sure, you wouldn't rather be there? With her?" Pacifica asked, her arms wrapped around her note board tightly.
"Well, Pacifica," Mabel quickly stepped between the two of them, and wrapped her arms around her brother's, pulling him away, "We'll be here, watching and taking care of Mina! You keep doing your business stuff," Mabel waved and winked to the blonde. As Mabel pulled her brother, who glared at the Northwest, Pacifica turned to the other three. Soos and Stan were eyeing her with a crooked eyebrow, but Yuki was spinning around, his eyes growing wide.
"My word! Amazing!" he declared as he nearly ran into Pacifica, "Beg your pardon," he blurted out, but was too mesmerized with the neon lights and tents all around him to truly mind nearly knocking into her.
"You like it, huh?" Pacifica mused with a half-smile.
"I... I had heard of the carnivals that huma- err, Americans have," Yuki corrected himself with an awkward check back to Stan and Soos, who were grimacing at his near mess-up, "and I have always wanted to see one for myself!"
"Canadians don't have carnivals?" Pacifica asked with shock.
"Well, they do, and I can't wait to see theirs too!" Yuki excitedly declared, but then shrunk back as she looked at him, her eyes squinting in confusion, "Oh, uh, what I mean to say is, uh, 'I can't wait to go back and see them... again'!" He nervously chuckled and peered past her to the twins. They nodded and gave him thumbs up for approval. He sighed, and gasped. The woman before him was laughing.
"You're hysterical!" she told him, giving his arm a gently push.
"Uhhh... a positive expression?" he asked Pacifica as she grinned at him.
"Ah, yeah?" she told him. "Mean's you're being funny."
"Oh! Not to be confused with being in hysterics! Hah, expressions," he chuckled to himself, "Quite amusing."
"Well, mister..." Pacifica eyed him for a moment. Yuki stared back.
"Yes?" he asked her. She scoffed and crossed her arms. "I am missing another expression, aren't I?"
"When someone asks for you as 'mister' but doesn't finish, it means they want to know your last name," Pacifica informed him. Yuki slowly nodded his head, thinking hard. Xavbri didn't have last names. Then again, there was the second half of his first name that no one else seemed to use.
"Dohth," he told Pacifica. "Yuki Dohth."
"Dohth. Huh. Not what I expected, honestly. Maybe that's your Japanese heritage," she told him with inspecting eyes, but she shrugged when he stared back at her. "Well, Mister Dohth," she told him, and opened her arms to him, "How about I take you on a personal tour of the carnival?"
"Oh. Well, I would very much enjoy that, Miss Northwest," he smiled happily as he wrapped his own arm around hers. Pacifica suppressed a snort as he called her 'miss', but grinned and pulled him along. As they walked together back towards the front entrance, Soos and Stan watched them depart.
"Wow. That plan worked perfectly," Soos admitted as Stan sighed and spun the sign around. "Having him right next to Pacifica really did drive her away."
Stan picked at his ear. "Yeah, kids these days: just throw a half-decent looker next to them and wham- distracted long enough to make some money under the table," Stan declared. The other side of the sign read 'any picture with the Mammoth- ten bucks'.
"They are kind of cute together, aren't they?" Soos said as Stan made sure the sign was secure, pushing it further into the dirt.
Stan seemed to care not even the slightest. "Whatever. Now go get the money jar and get set up behind the gate. No one, not us or that Northwest brat, gets in for free. Even if they're on fire!" Stan reminded him as Soos nodded and headed back towards the back lots. As he departed, he passed Mabel and Dipper, standing by Mina, who was efficiently playing with the brunette girl.
"Mina, you're a natural at this!" Mabel declared as she tossed a Frisbee at the Mastodon. She caught it and tossed it into the air for herself to catch. After a few tosses into the air, she then gave Mabel the chance to play again, and threw it back. "Nice one!" Mabel told her. "Dipper, you throw it at her," Mabel told him. He was looking down to his seat, atop of the barrels of food he had helped carry into the pen. A little louder, Mabel called to him, "Dipper?"
He startled easily. "Huh?"
"You play with Mina for a bit," she told him as she forced the plastic disk into his hands. Without much of an option, Dipper stood and gently tossed the disk at the Mastodon while Mabel took his seat. He stilled looked like he was somewhere else in his mind. Mabel pried, "What'cha thinking about, anyway?"
"Nothing," Dipper quickly replied. Mabel nearly burst out laughing- one of his worst lies yet. Instead, she snickered. "What?" Dipper said as he caught the disk from Mina.
"You're so not telling the truth," she replied.
"Am too."
"Are not.
"Am too!" Dipper turned to her, his arms crossed.
"Incoming," Mabel pointed past him. Dipper spun around just in time to receive a Frisbee to his face, and he grasped and rubbed his nose- the recipient of the blunt trauma. Mabel laughed aloud as her brother scowled, refraining from tossing the disk at Mina angrily. The Mastodon looked happy just knowing Dipper was playing with her. So, he threw it back, being a good sport.
"I'm... uh," Dipper said as he waited for the animal to return the throw, "I'm just thinking about the ruckus that Stan is going to cause when he finds out our plan," Dipper sighed, his shoulders tightening as he spoke, "He's not going to like the fact that I called in that San Francisco scientist."
"Hm, yeah," Mabel said, resting her head on her arms as she sat down. Watching the happy mastodon play with Dipper gave her a kind of sad hope. Waddles was nuzzling his chin into Mina's back, scratching himself with her course hairs, which she seemed to love as she patted his head after tossing the disk to Dipper.
Yet Mabel wandered if she was... entirely on board with Dipper's and Yuki's plan. Certainly, they weren't wrong; by letting Mina go with this supposed doctor from California, they would be able to gain, functioning DNA to study. It wasn't that far-fetched of an idea for there to be, one day, a whole national park full of natural mastodons like Mina wandering around the country. That was not a problem.
Then again, Mabel worried for her new animal friend's wellbeing. Scientists can be so pushy and only watch the horizon sometimes. What if they kept poor Mina locked up in a cage while they kept drawing blood and cutting her nice, warm hair away? Not only that, Mabel wasn't certain she could let Waddles go for Mina. Why would a science lab let a pig linger when they were working to restore an entire race of animals?
What was right? What was easy?
Mabel supposed it would be easiest to let Dipper and Yuki sneak out with the Mastodon. Grunkle Stan would have gotten in a large quantity of the day to scam the crowds with Mina, and then the other two could get Mina to a lab somewhere.
Then Waddles would never see her again. The thought alone almost brought a tear to Mabel's eye.
Distracting herself from the thoughts, and trying to remain pleasant, Mabel raised her gaze from the floor and watched Dipper play some more. A thought came by as she spotted the vanishing backs of Yuki, pointing excitedly to the lights and tents. She also spotted Pacifica, who seemed to be guiding him.
Mabel, just loud enough for her brother to hear her, asked, "So, are you two cool?"
"Huh? Who?" Her brother asked, hesitating to throw the Frisbee.
"You and Pacifica," Mabel clarified.
Dipper eyed Mabel, and seemed to nod to himself, his lips pursed tightly as he tossed the disk at Mina. "I, uh... sure," Dipper shrugged.
"That could have been more confident," Mabel told him.
"Sure?" Dipper tried again, his words long and airy.
"So, you're not," Mabel sighed, "C'mon dude, what gives?"
"Gee, I don't know," Dipper sarcastically gasped, and grasped the disc out of air and turned to sit next to his sister as she eyed him, "Let's count: she's rude, inconsiderate, snide, stuck-up, arrogant, and has a huge stick up her-"
"Alright, okay," Mabel grabbed the Frisbee forcibly from her brother as she stood, shaking her head. There was more than just bark in those words. "Is this still all from that one summer?"
"What does it matter?" Dipper replied as she caught the Frisbee from Mina. She dropped the disc and found a large soccer ball, and gently kicked it over to Mina, who seemed shocked at the idea that she could play with things that rolled around on the ground.
"It matters because we should be friends with her," Mabel told him strongly, "And not be at each other throats." He scoffed, but said nothing in reply. Mabel could almost hear the tightening of his arms as he crossed them and scowled at nothing in particular. "Dipper, I don't know if you remember," she stated, turning around once after dribbling the ball back and forth between the mastodon, "But we couldn't have beaten Bill without her help."
"I haven't forgotten that summer," Dipper told her in a huff.
"Then why are you acting like she's done more harm to us than help?" Mabel asked in her best restrained voice.
"I'm not," Dipper grumbled.
"You keep trying to fight her, dude," Mabel pointed out.
"She jabbed at me earlier!" he pointed out, annoyance and exasperation rolling off his tongue.
"Oh, I'll talk to her about this too," Mabel informed him, catching the ball from Mina with her foot. She then turned to her brother, her hands at her hips, "C'mon dude, don't-"
"Look, just drop it Mabel," Dipper glared at her warningly, and stood up, "I'm going to go find Yuki. We need to figure out how to distract Stan," he told Mabel without looking to her, keeping an eye on the back of the suited elderly man. "I'll be back."
Mabel watched Dipper storm out of the straw covered pen with wide, quick steps. He was out faster than she had anticipated.
The grump still hadn't gotten over the break-up, after all.
"How does that one work?" Yuki asked excitedly, pointing to another game booth, with balloons set up on the wall.
Pacifica, though having never played such a game, had watched any amount of television. She explained, pointing, "You take a dart, which you pay for three or five." Their arms still entwined, she added, "Then, throw them at the balloons. When you pop balloons, depending on the amount you pop, you get a prize."
"Oh. While it promotes violence as a means of gain, I suppose it does instruct to use such means on inanimate objects," Yuki nodded, "And those plush dolls on the walls are to be the prizes?" he asked, pointing around to the odd assortment of animals that were displayed.
"Yup. The bigger they are, the more balloons are required to be popped," she told him.
"Interesting. And this one?" Yuki inquired as he took a long step to the left, almost dragging Pacifica with him as he pointed to an almost identical game stand, but a pellet gun shooting range.
"Uh, Uki-Dohth, it's basically the same stand," she laughed.
"But clearly not! There are some mechanized devices resembling weapons displayed on these counters, and the balloons have been replaced with small metal frames with paintings on them!" he excitedly informed her, his eyes wide as a child first seeing a pile of candy for the taking.
"You're really into these things, aren't you?" Pacifica asked him, taking a step to see him fully, almost in disbelief that a human being can be this excited about something she considered low. Were it not for her mind reminding her that he was foreign, she would have half a mind to correct him and show him real entertainment; holographic and interactive game sessions at her manor.
"I... well, yes," Yuki nodded plainly. "There is something to the archaic nature of these games that drives me to want to learn more about them."
Pacifica laughed loudly. Archaic nature? "That about sums it up," she shook her head as she giggled, "They are kind of old, aren't they?"
"But in that lies charm," Yuki continued, "For there is clearly history and meaning behind these games and stands that predates either of us. That is what drives myself to understand and partake in these carnivals – the understanding of tradition."
"Oh," Pacifica eyed him as she frowned. "You know, Yuki Dohth, I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you're kind of... eccentric," she gently told him, getting as close as she could to telling him he was weird without the threat of upsetting a foreigner, whom she knew little of. She had no desire to blemish her reputation internationally.
Fortunately to her, his reaction was quite positive. "I would hope so. At minimum that would make my life an interesting one, which certainly seems to be the direction it has taken recently," Yuki sighed, rubbing his hat as he recalled the events that led to his life here, on earth. This comment did not go unnoticed by the blonde, who eyed him, but said nothing.
"Here, I can show you the snack aisle. I have the fried food section hold off on selling any real food unless I or my family orders some. You ever had truffle fries?" she asked. Yuki shrugged, and shook his head. "You'll love them. They are just to die for-"
"Yuki!"
The undercover alien turned quickly and Pacifica groaned. She needn't turn to know who that was. Dipper was walking over to them, eying Pacifica warily as he approached. She spun slowly; hands firmly stuck to her hips. As Dipper walked over, he gave the blond a cold and quick nod, and looked directly to Yuki.
"Hey, I need to talk to you," Dipper told Yuki as he came to a stop.
"Ah. Very well, you have my attention," Yuki nodded and waited. Dipper sighed and Pacifica smirked. "Ah... you are not speaking?" Yuki pointed out as Dipper eyed the two of them.
"Alone?" Dipper added.
"Oh. Of course. Please excuse me, Miss Northwest," Pacifica nodded to Pacifica, who laughed.
"Yuki, just call me Pacifica, okay?" she told him as she rolled her eyes. "If you want more of a tour, just come back and find me, okay?" she told him, and turned away.
As she walked Yuki called after her. "Okay. Thank you for the guide!" As she waved back to them, Yuki turned and found a scowling Dipper. "Oh. Have I said something wrong, my friend?"
"Yuki," Dipper leaned closer, and lowered his voice, "You should be careful with Pacifica," he told a confused Yuki.
"Oh... Oh! I see!" Pacifica slapped a fist into his hand, "she is some sort of supernatural being then! Possibly dangerous!" Dipper scoffed and shook his head. "Oh. Part of a dangerous syndicate that operates by using powerful forces towards their goals?" Dipper again shook his head, and the Alien huffed. "I am uncertain then. What prompts caution when around her?"
"Just trust me, okay?" Dipper put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "She's a mess."
"But... she seemed quite orderly and groomed," Yuki protested. Dipper growled, and pulled Yuki away, leading him back towards the Mastodon.
"Anyway, moving on," Dipper sighed, the stone expression in his eyes fading away, "We need to get the plan ready. The doctor is going to arrive around noon, which means it's going to be prime money-making hour."
"Agreed," Yuki nodded as they marched together across the carnival grounds, "Stan believes that he is employing me to distract Pacifica, and as long as he is under this illusion, we will be able to draw him away from Mina."
"We? You," Dipper told him.
Yuki blinked, and his dark tan skin paled. "B-but I am no deceiver," Yuki worriedly confided in Dipper, "And I know not Stans expectations."
"Which is what makes you so perfect," Dipper explained, "Stan knows that, too. He thinks you're a soft, bleeding-hearted person, and you could never lie to anyone."
"My hearts are perfectly healthy, I assure- ohhh," Yuki nodded when Dipper eyed him, "Expression."
"Yeah. Anyway, all you have to do is let him know that there's something either free or easily exploitable in the fun house, and lead him inside and keep him there long enough for me to lead Mina to the doctor," Dipper told him firmly. "Just thirty minutes away, and then Mina will be the salvation of an entire race of animal."
"I... I suppose I can commit such false-hoods in the name of reviving a native species," Yuki nodded as he rubbed his hat nervously, "After all, it is what brought me here in the first place."
"Okay then. Let's just wait, and then we activate operation 'Mammoth Problems'," Dipper told Yuki, his tone darkened and grim. The alien eyed him, and opened his mouth to comment, but Dipper beat him to the punch, "Yes, I know Mina isn't a mammoth. Mastodon Problem's doesn't sound as cool, and Mammoth Problems is a double entendre."
"Oh, yes, I see," Yuki nodded and smiled pleasantly with his full understanding.
Hours passed as the group by Mina the Mastodon exchanged places. Soos would come and go, half the time interested with the many various tents, often times taking Yuki with him to compete in the games. Dipper and Stan remained close by the Mastodon at all times, along with Mabel, who played with her and Waddles behind the fence.
People had started to come. Families from Gravity Falls and visitors from out of town, as Pacifica had predicted, toured around, unfettered by the small-town feeling and smaller scale of the presentation.
Mina very quickly became a notable attraction. A full hour passed as Stan made quick and easy cash. Everyone wanted a picture with 'the furry elephant'. However, as it turned out, Stan wasn't done with his schemes – very quickly he realized people didn't want him in the photos either, as it 'dulled down the fun', 'ruined the shot', or better yet 'reminded them of the inevitabilities of old age'. So, to fix this, he added a second part to the sign- 'photos without the old man: twenty bucks'.
As noon rolled around, and the crowds were more inclined for food and festivities, Mina had a chance to shy away from the crowds, and play more with her best friend Mabel and boyfriend Waddles.
"Aww, aren't you two just adorable?" Mabel cooed, sitting before Mina and Waddles, who were currently engaged in some version of tag. Waddles wouldn't run, as much as gently walk away from Mina, who let him gain a decent distance from her before reaching over with her trunk and tagging his neck with a small, loving peck. Then waddles would spin around, stride back over, and bop his nose against her leg, and turn around with gusto.
Soos watched them play as well. "The two of them really are something," Soos admitted as he leaned on the fence.
"Aren't they? It's like a super good-feeling kids movie, but real!" Mabel squealed as Waddles then ran over to her hopefully, and pat her legs with his own feet. "Aww, you want up on your girlfriend again?" Mabel asked him, and stood up while lifting the pig up with her, and placed it atop Mina's back again, who threw her trunk around the air excitedly.
"Gosh. Makes me miss Melody like five times more, you know?" Soos admitted.
"Oh! I remember Melody!" Mabel cried out, stepping closer to Soos, who had lowered himself to lean on the fence in wonder. "How is she?"
"Aw, she's doing great. She's almost done with college, actually," Soos told Mabel.
"Wow. She's, like, doing adult things," Mabel gasped, and leaned against the fence as well, leaning away from her animal friends, "You two still are together, right?"
"Oh yeah dude!" Soos nodded and smiled happily, "We see each other on school breaks. She used to come up a lot during the summer, but this year she found a job nearby her home, so we're probably not going to see each other much this summer, you know?" Soos added, a small frown on his face as he dreamily watched Mina and Waddles play around.
"Aww, we should change that!" Mabel told him, "Like, go down and kidnap her for a weekend or something!"
"Actually, she was going to come up for Summerween this year," Soos informed Mabel, who gasped and cupped a hand to her mouth.
"Oh... my... god... I totally forgot about Summerween!" Mabel told him, bubbling with excitement. "I can't wait for that to come back!"
"Only two weeks, hambone," Soos told Mabel with an assuring grin, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Then we drown ourselves in the second largest pile of candy next to Halloween."
"Yessssss," Mabel hissed excitedly, "This Summerween is going to be awesome!"
"And that's not all!" Soos continued, pushing himself forward slightly, letting himself turn and speak to Mabel directly, "In a few days, the-"
"Soos!"
"Ah, yes, Mister Pines?" Soos pulled back and turned as Stan walked over.
"Getting hot around here. Go fetch a drink or something, would ya?" Stan barked at him. Behind the older man, Dipper subtly nudged Yuki forward. The alien stumbled mildly, yet continued to balance himself as he stepped forward. He cleared his throat just loudly enough for Grunkle Stan to turn around and eye him.
"You know Stanley," Yuki started shakily, his voice mildly trembling, "I hear there is a, uh, free hand outs across the carnival. Of..." Yuki turned himself back towards Dipper, who merely shrugged, "Oh... money. Yes. They're giving out free money."
"Wow! No way," Soos stepped closer to the two of them, "that's not just crazy, that's unheard of."
"Yeah! Carnivals never give out things for free," Mabel added suspiciously, eying Dipper and Yuki. The alien began to sweat- small beads of moisture forming on his face as he stood there, being eyed by Mabel and Stan. The old man's face had gone wooden as he stared at his newest employee, studying him in a terrible, fear inspiring gaze.
Soos didn't help with the plan, but then again, Dipper and Yuki hadn't included him. His loyalty to Stan's various causes would likely have backfired aginst them. Soos admitted, "I bet this is some sort of trick, you know? Maybe they're giving out gift cards instead of actual money?"
"Soos," Grunkle Stan finally spoke up, "Under normal circumstances, under the condition that anyone else told me about this new development, I would agree. But this is Yuki we're talking about here!" Grunkle Stan pointed to the alien, who's matching smile trembled with uncertainty, "The poor kid – err – guy can't even think about lying without his mind collapsing in on itself!" Stan turned to Yuki, who had nodded with agreement on Stan's observation towards him. Stan told him, "Lead the way."
"O-okay," Yuki nodded and turned giving Dipper a small yet pointed glance at him. "This way, Stanley." The two began to walk away, Stan rubbing his hands together with eagerness as he followed pace, muttering to himself plans for scamming those who would be stupid enough to just 'hand out free money'. As soon as they rounded a corner, Dipper turned to Soos.
"Hey man, you don't think you could go get some drinks for everyone still, could you?" Dipper asked hopefully to Soos.
"Sure thing, dawg. Be back in a flash! Whooosh!" Soos turned and galloped away, swaying side to side as gladly romped past several tents. No sooner had Soos turned away to leave, then Dipper grasped the sign by the pole and pulled it out of the dirt, and carried it around to the non-public side of the fence.
"Dipper, what are you doing?" Mabel asked.
"Getting Mina out of here," he told her firmly.
"W-what? Now!?" Mabel gasped, standing up.
"Yeah, right now," he nodded as he dropped the fence onto a pile of hay. "Stan's going to be occupied with Yuki for a while now, and a doctor is coming to examine and discern if Mina can be used for generating more mastodons," Dipper told her.
"And you felt like telling me this only now?" Mabel demanded, crossing her arms, and glaring at her brother.
Dipper halted and glanced her. "I thought I did tell you," he said.
"You told me you wanted to give her to a lab," She barely moved her lips.
"I did. And we're going to," Dipper patted Mina's side, who eyed him worriedly, unnerved with his sudden movement with the sign from across the fence. "But we need to get her to him now, before Stan tries forging a document of ownership or something."
"I thought you meant weeks or months away! Not two days from meeting her!" Mabel declared, marching over to Dipper, who was beginning to push away the front fence. "Dude, what gives? Are you just telling me things that may have to do with me or my friends?"
"Mabel, I just had to rush this plan so that we could get Stan away," Dipper said to her as he patted Mina's side, and gently pushed her forward, "Otherwise I would have gotten you in on everything."
"But you didn't-"
"Well, here they are," a new voice called to the twins as they started simultaneously for the opening in the fence.
Three figures stood before them. One was a man roughly in his late forties or fifties, with a very well-kept moustache and graying hair. His wear was casual, but very fine- more than likely his polo-shirt and pants were custom tailored for his form. The woman next to him, with very large puffy lips and tan brown hair wore similar, if not nearly matching clothing that was easily tailored to her exact body. Next to them, with her arms crossed and looking very displeased, was Pacifica. The whole Northwest Family.
"Dipper Pines," Preston Northwest stated, taking a step forward with his gloved hand, extending it forward, "and Mabel Pines. I believe we have met."
"You could say that," Dipper crossed his hands tightly as Mabel shook the older man's hand carefully. "What do you three want?" he asked, glaring at them all with equal disdain.
"Dipper, chill," Mabel warned him, elbowing his arm, "What's going, North-by-Northwest family unit?" Mabel asked, putting on her best smile.
"We simply wished to congratulate you on your capture of this majestic beast, and of course, your assistance to our daughter during that fiasco last week," Preston Northwest stated, "Why, if you hadn't been there, so we hear, that woman who can throw fire may not have leapt on stage, and the whole show could have been ruined."
"Yes, and it's very important to maintain standards, as a northwest," Pacifica's mother, Priscilla, added.
Preston sneered. "Yes, and thank to your discovery of this beast here," he pointed to Mina, who blinked and looked to Mabel and Dipper for guidance, "We have something for the masses to gawk in awe at."
"Oh, well, Mina's just happy to meet people," Mabel shrugged.
Preston's eyes glazed over the twins, clearly bored with them. "Yes. Now, if you wouldn't mind pointing me in the direction of your old man, Stanley Pines. I have a business proposal to run by him regarding your prize here," Preston informed them.
"W-what?" Mabel asked, a faint tingling in her neck warning her of an answer she would not like.
Dipper declared, "What do you mean? We're the ones who found Mina! If you want Mina, you talk to us!"
Pacifica tried to get a nervous word in, "Dipper, just-" but Preston continued over her.
"Listen, young man," Mister Northwest eyed him from his height, "You may have grown since we last met, but you are most certainly not one in charge here," he told him, "Discovery is one thing, but ownership? That's another."
Dipper glared at him and then shot a look to Mabel. She returned a worried look, understanding their silent communication. Dipper had been right – try as they might, as long as they were associated with the Mystery Manor, the last say regarding Mina the Mastodon would be assumed to belong to Grunkle Stan. It wouldn't matter how or why the twins found her, the adult got the last word in.
"Well, what's the deal for then?" Mabel asked worriedly.
"Nothing," Pacifica quickly said, looking to her parents, "Not your business."
"Oh, well, Preston was just thinking about adding to part of his collection, you see," Priscilla stated.
Preston excitedly agreed, "Quite! Can't have enough stuffed things, am I right?" he said, and chuckled with his wife.
Mabel felt the color of her skin fade and sink into the deep recesses of her body. That wasn't just a purchase for a zoo, or for a pet. They wanted Mina for a specific, brutal purpose, one that fit entirely with Northwest traditions: trophies. She felt ill at the thought.
Pacifica loudly told her parents, "Mom, Dad, I'll take care of this, why don't you two go on for a bit."
"Why, of course we will," Miss Northwest rolled her eyes and turned with her husband, "Remember to wipe the dirt from your shoes, Pacifica," she added as the two turned and left. As they left, Pacifica turned to the two of them, a long-lost look deep in her eyes.
"You didn't need to hear that Mabel," Pacifica told her with a deeply troubled look, "I'm so sorry."
"But – but they can't buy Mina! She's priceless!" Mabel declared, marching back and hugging the scared Mastodon's trunk. "One of a kind!"
"She may be," Pacifica informed her, "But is Stanley?" Mabel and Dipper looked again to one another, this time Dipper winning her over entirely. Pacifica nailed the point home, saying, "Just how much money do you think my parents would be willing to throw at your Grand Uncle to win over a one-of-a-kind animal to stuff and present in their foyer? Enough to buy her away from you?"
"More than enough for Stan to retire," Dipper agreed solemnly.
"Listen, I don't know what you guys were doing before we came along, but if you want that thing to not be killed in the name of sport," Pacifica bluntly said, "You might want to get her out of here."
"Right," Dipper nodded. He patted Mina's side again, and she lumbered forward with him, passing the fence. As the two moved out, Waddles playing sentry atop the young Mastodon, Dipper passed close by Pacifica. The two made sure not to give each other more than a second to glance at the other as they passed by.
"Thanks, Pacifica," Mabel nodded to the blonde as she trailed behind the two. Before Pacifica could give a reply, Mabel ran into the rear of Mina, and bounced back. "Ow. Hey, Mina, what's going-" Mabel stepped around, followed by the blond. Dipper had stopped in his tracks, staring dead ahead with wide eyes.
Ten feet past Dipper was Grunkle Stan. "Just where exactly are you taking Mina?" Stan asked, his arms crossed as he tapped his foot.
"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel declared, looking between Dipper and Stan. She realized that there was a particular missing person. "Where is Yuki?"
"Yeah, where is Yuki?" Pacifica added.
"He took me to the fun house, and then got lost. If there was supposed to be a free-give away of money, he certainly couldn't find it in there," Stan told the three.
"You just left him in there?" Pacifica demanded.
"I shouted that I'd be back for him later," Stan waved his hand aside, dismissing the lost soul somewhere across the carnival, "Now, mind telling me why you took down my sign?"
There were too many issues for her mind to work now. Mabel turned her gaze towards her brother. He still hadn't said a thing. Behind his eyes, Mabel knew Dipper's head was racing at an alarming pace. He was easily cooking up a new idea that could probably get all of this resolved without anything crazy.
Or at least, it was what Mabel had hoped she would have seen.
"Grunkle Stan! Look! The cast from The Duchess Approves!" Dipper pointed.
Like Grunkle Stan was dodging a bolt of lightning, he whipped around and stared. "Where?!"
"Run!" Dipper had spun Mina around and taken off at a high speed, leaving Mabel and Pacifica in the dust.
"What the heck- you cheating little- get back here!" Grunkle Stan shouted, running after him, past Mabel and Pacifica, and then after Soos, who spun around as his employer charged off.
"I got the drinks, Mister Pines!" Soos called, holding a tray of varying colors and levels of ice content. When Stan only raced away, he turned and found a shocked Mabel and Pacifica staring after them. "Oh hey. Either of you want a drink?" he offered, holding up a cup. "No? Okay, I'll just have them over here," Soos said, walking through the opened fence. "Hey, neat new idea for the pen. It probably makes people think they're walking among the Mastodons like they were one of them."
"Great," Pacifica growled, "now they're running around my carnival with a large, prehistoric animal. Just great- Mabel?!"
Mabel ran after them, her feet digging into the dirt and gravel laid around them. This was ridiculous; and not in the fun, goofy, entertaining way. As she raced to catch up with the now stampeding Mastodon, her brother, and her grand uncle, she could only feel a boiling anger inside her that yet seemed unjustified.
Through a tent Mina pillaged, as Mabel caught up with them. Knocking over a series of squeaking and squawking plushies to the ground, Mina was becoming panicked in a hurry. Waddles was just in for the ride, still sitting complacently atop her back and watching the destruction with a calm eye. The tent-keeper barely had time to dive out of the way, and the family he was trying to bargain with run while screaming.
Mina crashed through another tent, with the title, 'Books on Demand; Please Stop Running From the Library Already'. Journals, Magazines, and books of all types went flying, trampled into mud. As the tent collapsed, Miss Isoar collapsed to her knees, clawing at her head. "My Literature!" she cried out.
Then Stan caught up with Dipper, and he took the reins. Calling Mina over his way, the ancient elephant plowed her way over a slip 'n slide, thoroughly becoming tangled in the plastic sleeves and having water splashed over the three run-away figures. As Mina came to a slowing pace, freaked out by the large amount of color wrapped around her legs, Dipper and Stan rounded on each other, entirely forgetting about the poor, scared animal.
"What's the deal, kid!?" Stan shouted.
"You tell me – going to sell Mina to anyone we know!?" Dipper demanded.
"HA! Yeah right! She's a living gold mine, and I'd sooner shoot off my own leg than get rid of her!" Stan barked back, "So what; you're trying to swindle me of the cash? I would commend you for the plan, if it wasn't working against me-"
"I'm not taking her for money!" Dipper rounded, stepping closer, "Mina is the last Mastodon, and her DNA could resurrect her entire species!"
"Could! It could!" Stan pointed out, "And where exactly does an elephant sized creature go roaming around the wilderness of North American, huh kiddo? Our backyard has barely enough size for one, let alone thousands!"
"It would be wrong to let the humanitarian thing slip by!" Dipper angrily explained, pointing to Mina, "What if she's lonely!?"
"She has a pig!" he pointed atop the back of Mina, where Waddles tilted his head and oinked, "And since when did humanitarianism do anything for you!?" Stan laughed in a loud, boisterous boom. "Listen, kid, these guys had their time! Now we can just make her comfortable and us rich!"
"I could say the same about you!" Dipper barked. "Time is up-"
"SHUUT UUUP!"
Both hotly debating men, Dipper and Stan, came to a standstill and froze in place like statues. As the heavy breathing of an infuriated brunette told them, Mabel had fully caught up, and probably overheard the entire argument. Her fists were so tightly clenched it wasn't a surprise if steam wasn't streaking out of her hands like gushing steams of rage. Her steps were restrained as she approached them, marching over as the furious drill sergeant ready to discipline. Dipper and Stan, both witnessing the unadulterated menace they had created pulled back, but dared not move; lest they provoke attack. She was only feet from them...
And she stepped aside from them and started untangling Mina from her constraints. One by one Mina lifted her feet gingerly, and allowed Mabel to release her from confinement. As Mabel finished her untangling, and turned her gaze back towards the two men, another figure approached, in shock and fury to match Mabel.
"Three tents!" Pacifica roared angrily, "Three?! You couldn't just hit one, you had to mow down three!? How did you even manage that?! And the kids slip and slide?!"
"What is your guy's problem!?" Mabel babbled at them, "I don't care if what you're trying to do benefits us, or the world, but you're forgetting the only person who gets to make that choice!"
Dipper and Stan exchanged glances between the two fury-driven ladies, and then looked to Mina, who's dark eyes seemed to shimmer with tears. Pacifica's breaths slowed down enough for her to straighten up and flick hair from out of her eyes. She snapped her fingers loudly, and several large, shade-wearing men appeared from sections of the carnival.
"Please escort Mister Pines and Mister Pines from the premise," Pacifica told the guards, who all nodded. Two reached for Dipper, and two reached for Stan, and their grips were not to be resisted.
"Oh, c'mon! Northwest! It was just a mistake!" Stan roared as he was shoved away first.
"Wait! Mabel!" Dipper tried calling back as he was almost dragged away, "Mabel, I'm sorry!"
"I'll be taking the money you've earned as a means of paying back the tents," Pacifica yelled at the two men as they were forced away. Stan barely had a chance to shout back in indignation before he was out of sight, along with Dipper.
Mabel watched the two relatives of her get pulled away. A crowd had gathered from the screams and commotion of a large creature, and pointed and spoke to their close comrades as they watched Mabel and Pacifica. The blonde eyed them with a daring glare, and slowly the people backed away and went about their usual routines and journeys through the carnival. Mabel let her legs give away, and she fell to the ground in a seat.
"Well," Pacifica turned to face Mabel, "I suppose... it was only three tents, and not the whole dang carnival." Mabel looked to her and shrugged. "It's improvement for your family," Pacifica said with a straight face.
Mabel stared at her, blinking occasionally. The blue-eyed girl stared back, a quivering lip betraying her stoic look. It had been a joke. Mabel snorted and let herself laugh, leaning back against Mina's foot. Pacifica laughed along with her, then gasped; holding her side in a sharp gasp.
"Ow- ow- cramp. Ow."
"You okay?" Mabel asked as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"Yeah, just... running, and working, and shouting... laughing would be the one thing that made me hurt, wouldn't it?" Pacifica asked Mabel, shaking her head sadly.
"You need to hang out with us more often then," Mabel smirked, "Plenty to laugh at when we're around usually." Pacifica snorted and walked over, offering a lowered hand to Mabel. With a wide smile on her face, knowing she had regained if not a friend, an ally, Mabel took it and let herself be pulled up.
"Mabel," Pacifica told her, her face reddening mildly in her cheeks, "I'm sorry."
"Huh? For what; kicking out my family? Nah, they had it coming," Mabel admitted in a huff.
"No. For pretending I didn't remember you," Pacifica told her. "I... it's been hard living the same without you and Dipper around. You guys," she laughed and looked up into the sky, "You changed so many things around here the first summer, and... I was one of them, I guess," she admitted with a shy smile, "But I had to survive, you know? Being tough... it helped."
"Well, no muss no fuss," Mabel patted her re-gained friend's shoulder, "At least you didn't die or something while we were away. That would have been horrible."
"Did that happen to someone you know?" Pacifica asked worriedly.
Mabel shrugged. "Not to my knowledge," Mabel sighed, and turned to Mina, who was rubbing Waddle's head still. "What am I going to do with her?" Mabel asked out loud, staring at the calming mastodon. "Dipper isn't wrong by letting her go with that doctor or whatever, but if let her leave, Waddles and her will be separated, and your parents may still try buying her," Mabel added worriedly to Pacifica, who nodded firmly.
"They will. They don't miss an opportunity to collect something rare when it's available," Pacifica noted. Mabel sighed, and rubbed Mina's tusks gently, looking up into the eyes of the concerned animal. This sounded like a lose-lose kind of situation. Someone was going to walk away unhappy, and Mina could be that person to get the worse of both deals. "Mabel," Pacifica suddenly spoke up after a few quiet moments, "I... I think I have an idea."
The blond nodded for her to follow with a tilt of the head, and the three, Mabel, Mina, and Waddles, follower Pacifica away from the scene of the crime and towards the single non-tented building. There, standing by a large cooler, a suited, but dirty looking man rested, placing his head against the wall behind him as he stared to the sky.
"Mister Gullian," Pacifica cleared her throat as she spoke. The man started and looked over, spotting the sudden appearance of the four. He had sparse black hair that had slowly fallen from his head. Pacifica explained to Mabel, "This guy is the owner of this carnival."
"Miss Northwest – woah. Ohhh, look at her," the man known as Gullian stepped forward, passing Pacifica and to Mabel and Mina. "This is the Mastodon I've heard about in my carnival," he said to Pacifica, and then looked to Mabel, "You must be her friend who brought her here."
"Why yes, sir, I am," Mabel nodded, a smile growing on her face. The man, wearing a dusty vest and work shirt had a kind, youthful voice behind his worn wrinkled skin. Skinny and gangly, he appeared as almost a friendly grandpa who refused to properly age.
"What's her name?" he asked Mabel, offering a sky-faced palm for Mina to inspect, which she did quickly. "She's very friendly."
"Being locked up in ice would do that to you," Mabel cheekily told him, "Her name is Mina."
"Mina. Love it," he patted the base of the trunk with a soft, gently rub. "What brings you, oh, and the gentlemen riding Mina," the man named Gullian stated, spotting Waddles, "Over to the base?"
"Mabel and Mina have a bit of a problem," Pacifica told him, catching the older man's attention. "They need someone to watch Mina while people calm down about the fact, she's an actual Mastodon."
"Too much greenlight?" he asked Mabel, who gasped and nodded.
"Yes! Everyone wants her for something different," Mabel scoffed, "And I don't know what to do with her now. If she stays, people could try to hurt her for tusks or whatever. But if I let a scientist take her, she'll be locked up in a lab for years."
"And neither of those sound too comfortable," Mister Gullian nodded with agreement.
"So, what do we do with her?" Mabel asked the man.
He puzzled, and eyed her. Her worries transformed into confusion when he started laughing and shook his head. "Why not ask her?" he told Mabel. Mabel stared at him, and grinned. It was what she wanted to do. Maybe, just maybe, this man here was just as nutty and weird as she was. Without another thought, Mabel spun and approached Mina.
"Hey Mina," Mabel asked, "Look, I know you're been through a lot recently... but we think you need to choose something big," Mabel spoke to Mina as one of her own, and the Mastodon continued to watch her, apparently listening. "If you stay here, you'll be able to keep playing with Waddles, but I don't know if that will last and you may be hurt," Mabel admitted, "and if we send you with this scientist person, you'll never be really in danger, but you'll probably be kept up in a zoo, or lab, forever. I... I don't want to tell you what you should do, buddy," Mabel admitted, hugging to Mina's trunk.
Mina looked to her, and jostled her trunk, letting Mabel know she had to let go for a second. The Mastodon turned around, staring at the distant treeline, and the sky, and even the tents around her; dark eyes drinking in the amazing colors and her large ears capturing each and every laugh, giggle, or cry of excitement. The emotive beast turned and extended her trunk to Gullian.
"Pardon?" the man asked, taking a step closer to let her touch him. Her trunk wrapped around his hand, and before he knew it, she was giving him a hand shake. "Oh... ohhh," he said with a small smile.
"Mina, you want to go with him?" Mabel asked, blinking in confusion. Quickly the Mastodon turned and blew a loud trumpet, happily acknowledging her choice. "So... you want to be a circus mastodon?" Mabel clarified one last time. A flexible, hairy trunk reached out and ruffled Mabel's hair, who laughed and grabbed at it gently, "Okay! Okay, you silly thing!"
"I suppose I can take her under my wing," Gullian said with a shrug, "She'll be well fed and we'll make sure she can decide whether or not she wants attention. Hopefully she likes travel," he added, checking with Mabel.
"Locked up for ten thousand years would make you want to get around, wouldn't it?" Mabel laughed cheekily, and the carnival owner laughed with her.
"Well then, Mina, if you'd come with me, I can get you nice and signed up for travel," Gullian stated, and extended an arm for the Mastodon.
"Oh! One second," Mabel stated as she walked next to Mina, and picked up Waddles, and placed him on the ground. "Okay. Mina," Mabel walked to the front of the animal, and wrapped her arms tightly around her neck, "Good luck out there sweety."
Mabel walked away, sniffling mildly, with Pacifica on her trail. Waddles did turn to, until he realized that Mina was not following. Those loud steps she took, pressing her heavy feet into mud were vacant. The pink pig turned, and oinked loudly. Mina spun around, staring at the pig, her trunk hanging limp as she watched her pink boyfriend stride up to her.
"Waddles, she can't stay with us," Mabel said, realizing the confusion of her pig.
The pig turned back to Mabel once, and then stared at his massive girlfriend. Perhaps something inside the pig finally clicked, or maybe he had known it was bound to come sooner than later, but Waddles stepped closer to her, and with the end of his flat nose, he bopped her trunk gently, and turned away. Waddles didn't get very far; Mina extended her trunk, wrapped it around him, and carried him up one last time, rocking him back and forth in a gently air-graced hug. Mabel's lower lip started to tremble as she watched her pink pig get lowered and walk back to her.
Mabel and Pacifica walked away from the building, leaving behind the mastodon to the owner, who already could be seen talking animatedly to the animal much like Mabel would have been. Mabel's eyes still watered as she turned away and tried telling herself that she wouldn't cry.
"You okay, Mabel?" Pacifica asked.
"Y-yeah. Just, you know," she admitted, "Waddles and her were so close."
"Well, you never know," Pacifica shrugged, "Distance doesn't always kill a relationship. Always," she added, a dark look overcoming her eyes as she looked away.
Mabel caught wind of her meaning, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should talk to him about it."
"I... no. No. He's still mad at me, and I'm... ugh, I guess I'm still a little mad too," Pacifica admitted, crossing her arms together.
"It was three years ago girl," Mabel told her, an arm on her shoulder. Pacifica blinked, and suddenly looked around. "What?" Mabel asked.
"I just thought... someone's been missing for a while," then she jolted up and spun around, "The funhouse!"
"Huh? The funhouse has been missing?" Mabel asked as Pacifica stormed away. As the blond vanished, Mabel looked down to her piggy friend, and sighed. "Just you and me, buddy. Let's go find Soos and our criminal family members."
"Oink."
Mabel and Waddles walked through the destructive path of Mina. Miss Isoar was still cry to the heavens, ignored by the masses. Tracing their way back towards their once-used tent, Mabel saw the emptiness that was their saved spot. There Soos was standing, foot propped against the side of a pole, where he finished the last of his drinks he had purchased. "Oh, so I guess we're done then?" he asked when Mabel had explained everything that had happened afterwards.
With Soos joining in on the trail, Mabel and him packed up the remaining goods and property worth salvaging from the tent, and headed towards the entrance. There, standing by the cars in a huff in the parking lot, Stan and Dipper waited.
"Mabel!" Dipper called out when he spotted them approaching.
"Boys," she called to them dropping from her arms the sign and a barrel of food for Mina.
"Hey kiddo," Grunkle Stan said as he and Dipper approached, rubbing his hands together, "Yeah, uh, we think we may have gone a bit overboard with trying to decide what to do with the elephant. Just, you know, to let you know."
"What Grunkle Stan means," Dipper said with a long sigh, "Is that we're sorry. We let it get to our heads, and we were kind of jerks not taking yours or Mina's account into the plans."
"Well, it doesn't matter as much now," Mabel sighed and put her hands on both before her, "Mina will be staying with the carnival."
"Huh? You let her go?" Stan demanded. Mabel glared at him, and he gave out a hacking cough, "I mean, oh, she made her choice. Right." Mabel nodded, and pointed behind her to the carried-out objects from their tent. Stan sighed. "Okay, we got them," he said, accepting the punishment.
"Mabel," Dipper said, his eyes heavy with guilt as he stared to her, "I really am sorry."
"You want to make it up to me?" Mabel asked him, glancing behind her and gasping. Perfect timing; two figures were leaving the front gates together. Yuki: shaken, scared, and nervous looking was being guided with a firm hand by Pacifica, who was apparently trying to assure him of something. Mabel told her brother, "Go talk to her," and pointed behind herself, "And wrap this stupid stuff up between you two."
Dipper clearly hesitated. "But-" Mabel crossed her hands and warned him of disobedience. "I... ugh," Dipper grumbled and walked past her.
Approaching Pacifica, Dipper strode closer and closer, worry and fret building inside his mind as he considered what to say. There were so many things he wanted to get off his chest. So many different angry messages he had saved for a rainy day against her. Yet, watching her sooth Yuki, who seemed under a considerable amount of stress, he found those hateful messages washing away down a drain of darkness.
"Yuki, it's okay," Pacifica told him again.
"But why would one do that to yourself," he asked no one in particular, his gaze clouded and unfocused, "So many reflections, and refractions, all of misdirection and-"
"Yuki?" Dipper asked as he came closer.
Yuki continued muttering to himself, "With all the different variables of light, one could simply be lost inside one forever…"
"Jeesh, the funhouse did this to him?" Dipper asked Pacifica.
"He was in a corner, huddled up and shaking. Something about the mirrors being everywhere freaked him out," she told him, and Yuki let out a single rattling breath, "Messed him up pretty bad."
"Yuki?" Dipper snapped his fingers before his friend, catching the alien's attention, "Go across the parking lot to Mabel. We're going home for the day."
"N-no more funhouses?" Yuki asked with a mild stammer. When Dipper nodded, Yuki sighed, spun around, and grasped Pacifica's hand, "Thank you for the tour. Alert me should there be another such event I might attend," he told her, and started a shaky walk to the car.
Dipper laughed slightly as Pacifica sighed. "Poor guy," Dipper said to her off-handedly, "He's still getting used to how things work here."
"I can tell," she nodded, "He thought pellet guns were a novelty," she snickered to Dipper, who grinned.
The eye contact they briefly shared was enough to remind them of their previous woes. Dipper coughed and turned away, feeling a heat grow in his neck, while Pacifica straightened the collar of her dress, and looked around to the parking lot, perhaps trying to find anything more interesting than the two of them standing next to one another. A few moments later, after both attempts to distract failed, they turned back.
"I'm sorry-" they both started.
"Oh, go ahead," Dipper shook his head and nodded to her.
"No, by all means-" Pacifica shrugged and eyed him.
"Oh, okay," Dipper licked his dry lips, "I, uh, wanted to apologize."
"Yeah. Same here," Pacifica shrugged.
"I was a jerk to you," Dipper said.
"Same," Pacifica agreed.
"I never should have led you on in the first place," Dipper told her as he looked directly at her.
"Neither shou – wait, what?" Pacifica blinked and stared at him.
"When you asked me about Wendy... I wasn't just lying to you, but myself," Dipper scratched his head nervously as he spilled his secrets, "And... letting us become the way we were? I let you get hurt because I thought I could let go."
"Oh..." Pacifica nodded, her lips pursed tightly as she listened intently.
"I, well, uh..." Dipper shrugged, "I was stupid. I tend to do that a lot," he added, chuckling to himself as he nervously chewed on his lip. "So... yeah... I'm sorry."
"T-thanks, Dip," Pacifica smiled lightly. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, and in one solid breath, let out her own apology, "I'msorryIyelledatyouthewayIdid-IknowIshouldn'thavebutIwasangry-butthatdoesn'tjustfywhatIdid..." Pacifica sighed and panted, watching Dipper, who stared at her with confusion.
"Uh... right," he nodded.
"Dipper, you weren't the only one who was stupid," Pacifica told him, and extended her hand for a shake. Dipper eyed it, and grinned, taking it into a pleasant handshake. "Friends?" she asked.
"Friends," he replied candidly. "Hey, you know, we can always hang out again, like we did three years ago. I bet Mabel would love to catch up with you on things, and we can show you the new stuff in the Manor."
"Dipper, I'm crazy busy," Pacifica sighed as she took her hand from the shake, "I can barely see people my family are comfortable with me hanging around, let alone you two. I'll see if I ever do have the time. If you guys come back to an event I'm hosting again, maybe we can chat while I'm working?"
"Sure. Maybe we'll contain the damage instead of encourage it next time?" Dipper asked and laughed. Pacifica smiled, but let her grin die as she started eying Dipper with sharp, critical eyes. His laughing slowed, remember that he had only too recently caused property damage with Stan. "Too soon?"
"Yeah. Talk to you later," she told him, and with a curt turn, she marched back inside the fair grounds.
Dipper turned, shrugging to himself as he walked back to Mabel, who was waiting for him with a wide, brimming sunny smile. "Better?" he asked.
"It would have only been better if I had listened to it!" she squealed, and quickly wrapped her arms around her brother. The two climbed into the cars with the others, and started their departure from the carnival. From Dipper's car, a small pink pig propped himself up from the back window, and stared as they gained distance from the carnival groups.
"Cheer up buddy," Mabel told Waddles as he sat back down next to her, "I'm sure you'll meet her again."
They will.
So, a bit of a messy ending, but this chapter also became known in my notes as 'a lot of social crud goes down'. Hopefully you all enjoyed it! :D
So, it's late, and I don't have much to talk about this time- sorry for those of you that hold your breath on my words. (Question you: WHY? I'm boring!)
The next episode is a BIG one guys. Hope you're ready for some more characters from the past, and some biiiig OC's about to hit the main scene. Next episode is simply called: Duskhope.
You know what's coming. :) (A large full-metal guitar crashes through EZB's ceiling and crushes hum to the floor, while still humming the soft melodies of the band that inspired Duskhope- Nightwish. Maybe you should check them out if you want some ideas as to what the next episode's songs sound like.)
As Mina the mastodon churned through the books, Miss Isoar roared, "My Literature!" People surrounded her, as she pounded the ground. "You maniacs!" she cried out, hysterical, "You blew it up! Damn you! God, damn you all to hell!"
A passing tween eyed her like she was an unflushed toilet. "Dude, chill out," the tween told her.
Miss Isoar stood up, her eyes bloodshot and her hair a mess. "I'll chill you out in a convenience store freezer!" she shrieked, and dived for the kid.
The barely-a-teen screamed, fleeing for their life. The people around her quickly turned and left, eager to distance themselves from the person who had such terrible displays of emotion. Isoar started reaching out, collecting books with a trembling hand. Slowly, she amassed the dirtied books to her. She told herself, "This was a bad idea," as she began to rock back and forth, crying over a spilt book titled, 'Milk'.
Nrmz zmw Dzwwovh: xlnrmt hllm gl gsvzgvih. Yfb blfi grxpvgh mld, yvxzfhv lmv wzb gsv Tizergb Uzooh Gsvzgvi dlm'g vcrhg.