Dipper and Mabel sat in the back of Stan's car along with Yuki. The three quietly waited for the car to come to a halt. Dipper grumbled in his seat, watching the clouds in the sky as the horizon barely shifted as they rolled down the road. Their destination? The recently re-fitted Gravity Falls convention center, which would be holding their first ever business corporation convention. The purpose?
"I need to see if any of those dang hotel chains are coming to town or not," Stan repeated for the fourth time to Dipper after he asked. Soos sat in the passenger seat, adjusting his tie on his shirt. Stan added, "I may be getting the cash I've been waiting for, but if one, just one of these shmucks gets into town and has those international ties, I could be out of business."
Dipper pointed out, "You still haven't explained how we do anything about that."
"Simple," Stan said in the rear-view mirror, "You get whatever information you can on them, and then I scare them off with my own personal guerilla warfare!" Stan chuckled darkly.
Yuki frowned, eying their destination. "Is this necessary?" Yuki inquired. His voice was a tad stronger than it had been in the past regarding Stan's antics. Yuki elaborated, "While I do not cherish your ideas of commercialism and capitalistic beliefs, certainly healthy competition isn't such a terrible thing for the town."
Stan twisted around, glaring at the alien. Yuki slightly winced. Stan stated, "Yuki, one of these days I am actually going to start paying you to keep your ideas to yourself." Yuki sighed and also peered his head out the window, watching the trees go bye. Stan turned back to the front. "Now, Soos," Stan turned to his employee next to him, "Same goes for you and Yuki. Any of these guys at this convention show up saying how excited they are to start moving in, figure out dirt on 'em. Need to sabotage these guys before they have a chance to even set foot on my soil."
"You got it, mister Pines," Soos saluted proudly, "Agent S-Double O-S: ready for action!"
"But Grunkle Stan," Mabel piped up, "if you wanted to send someone out to get a look on these people, shouldn't you send out Wendy and Soos, and not us? We're kind of on the internet now and stuff," Mabel told him.
"Ha!" Stan laughed, "Like everyone lives on the internet. Look, these aren't people your age you'll be dealing with; old farts and busy-bodies that don't have time to check their favorite whatever on the internet," Stan told them as the convention center appeared before them, "Also, Wendy would just find a spot and lounge around, or just take free samples of food from all the stands." Half a minute later, Stan pulled up to the street next to the packed parking lot, and halted the car. "Alright soldiers, mission is a go. I'll pick you up later."
"Okay," Dipper grumbled as he followed his sister and Yuki out of the car, and then Soos followed him out.
The door was closed behind them, and the driver window slid down. "I don't want to hear about how something crazy happened while I was gone. So, don't go looking for trouble! Just get the dirt, and make like a tree!"
"And do an interpretive dance?" Mabel asked, and rooted her feet together on the ground, wiggling her arms about.
Stan watched her, his face blank and devoid of any real response. "I am not going to dignify that response with anything but this," he slid the window up, and the car hurdled away.
"Well," Dipper sighed, his hands in his pockets as the four of them turned and stared at the large building before them, "I guess we should get going."
"Yeah! Can't disappoint mister Pines on such an important mission," Soos told them as he patted Yuki's back.
Yuki seemed less than enthused. "I'm fairly certain that I do disappoint him on regular basis," Yuki muttered with heavy sigh.
"Oh, don't think that dude!" Soos told him as they walked forward, passing through the many, many expensive luxury cars that had taken home in the large parking lot, "Mister Pines just has a way of doing things, and you see differently. That's all, bud."
"I – well, I suppose," Yuki shrugged.
Leaving a reassuring pat on Yuki's shoulders, Mabel stepped over to Dipper. Their eyes met in that way that theirs often did; with silent communication. They had a different purpose for being here, and as soon as they passed inside the automatic glass doors, the twins looked around, ready to apply their plan.
The huge space was swarming with business suits and dresses, people of an older carriage, and the volume was lower. Stands and stalls were set up, displaying various businesses from local ones- such as Manly Dan's logging camp, all the way to a mega-corporation called "Steindorf and Co". Dipper, Mabel, and Yuki looked to Soos, who was, of the four of them, the most appropriately dressed to fit in. Then Dipper gave to each of them a nod; time to split up.
"Okay, you guys – we'll head off that way, and you two head off that way," Dipper suggested, and the two others nodded.
Mabel pointed at Soos as the twins tarted to take their leave. "Soos, remember if you see anyone with good clothes for girls, bring me some samples!" Mabel told him with an excited wave goodbye. As the twins slowly marched away, and glanced back to see Soos and Yuki walk away together and vanish into the crowds of men and women, Dipper took a quick breath. Mabel turned to him expectantly, "Okay, now that we're alone?"
"Yeah, okay," Dipper nodded, and pulled her over to a quiet corner in between two stalls; one advertising surveillance equipment, and the other a trust fund company. "I wanted to talk about Wendy."
"Dipper, really?" Mabel sighed, "Here? Now?"
"Yes, really, here and now," Dipper told her, glancing around as he crept a finger into his jacket, and pulled out his work-in-progress journal, "Wendy would rather be dead than be here. This is basically Anti-Wendy environment, which means we can talk without her possibly overhearing us. We've been through this exact thing before, and last time, it was directly related to this!" he indicated, pushing out his journal before Mabel.
Mabel looked from the book to her brother. It had been a week since they both overheard Wendy's strange, cryptic talk with Robbie. Dipper had become very quiet, almost secretive in the house. He and Wendy spoke less and less each day, and Mabel watched him simmer about it. It would be when she knew Dipper thought he was alone, he would then clench his fists angrily or pull at his hair. Mabel wasn't sure what was driving him crazier: the fact that he hadn't realized she was hiding something all this time, that she was hiding something from them at all, or that he had no idea what to look for.
He asked his sister, "Mabel, have you noticed anything odd about her since then?"
"No dude," she shook her head. "She's the same as she's always been."
"Anything!?" he repeated, and Mabel glared at him. "Okay, okay, fine. So, maybe nothing has changed... because she's practiced hiding whatever it is away. That's gotta be it."
"Dipper," Mabel said to him, pulling her head back and glaring at the ceiling in exasperation, "Look, I want to know what's up too, but this is just-"
"Mabel, this is important!" Dipper reminded her, his hands tightly pulling on the book.
"I know it is," she admitted, "But what do we have to work off of, Dip?" she asked. Her brother stared at her for a moment, his eyes boring into hers as his vocal cords uttered short bursts of sound. He growled and started pacing. Mabel pointed out their evidence, an empty hand held out, "See? Nothing. For all we know, she just, I don't know, really goofed with her friends and doesn't like bringing it up. Sometimes secrets are just really normal, boring things."
Dipper must have thought that a few times, for he immediately spun to her and asked, "But then why hold it a secret, to us of all people? You'd think we'd get it, considering. And Robbie is involved? Mabel," Dipper leaned closer, "You told me that Wendy said Robbie left shortly after that one summer, right?" Mabel nodded. "Well, the way they talked made it sound like they hadn't seen each other since then. Robbie is in on whatever she's hiding, which means- Mabel- whatever this secret is could be years old!"
"That doesn't really mean anything though, bro," Mabel told him. Dipper groaned and went to lean against the wall, his fist bouncing off the side again and again. Mabel chuckled at his dramatics, and added, "Dipper, I'm not saying she's not suspicious, but... we don't know anything else."
"I... I guess not," Dipper admitted, scowling at the ground now, "It just annoys me we're aware of something-"
"-but don't know what?" Mabel finished for him. "I am a little too. I thought Wendy trusted us," she added.
Dipper looked from the floor to his sister. Her eyes had lost some of that light he had come to accustom his sister with when they were out and about. Excitement? Enjoying the walks and adventures? All that energy was vacant. Now she was down, and feeling the same realizations Dipper was. Why, of all people, would Wendy hide a secret from them? Dipper felt his own annoyances fall away as he felt himself responsible for downing his sister's mood. He knew these things bothered him, but Mabel didn't need to undergo the same mental stressors.
He sighed, stood away from the wall and put his hands on her shoulders. "C'mon, we can talk more about that stuff later," he told her, "Besides, we shouldn't start assuming until we get data. Otherwise, we'll end up thinking she's a clone, or vampire-"
"Or a ghost?" Mabel suggested. Dipper laughed, and they turned, and ran straight into someone. Mabel apologized quickly, "Oops! Sorry ma'am," as they tried side-stepping around the figure.
Then a hand reached down and patted them. A voice, trying to deepen and come off as masculine, forgave them. "Think nothing of it, my children," said the person. Terrible impressions aside, Dipper and Mabel both recognized the voice. They looked to the face of the figure and found themselves before Arline.
"Master!" Mabel declared, and smashed into her for a hug.
Arline snorted at the bear-hug. "So, it would seem," Arline chuckled. As Mabel let go, Arline patted Dipper's arm. The martial arts master gave them a look. "Fancy seeing you two here," she said, eying around.
"Grunkle Stan's idea," Dipper told her, "Something along the lines of spy-work to make sure his monopoly of stay-over-night plus tourist traps rooms is kept in place."
Arline's lip narrowed and her gaze looked distant. It was like she could hear the exact conversation the twins had with their Grunkle on the ride here. "Sounds like him," Arline admitted, "He sure loves that money I pay him."
"Master, where have you been?" Mabel asked as she stood next to Dipper, and the three of them took a side of the walkway around the stalls, "Dipper and I were going to learn some more from you this week, and you've kinda been... gone?"
Arline nodded and looked around, her eyes scanning around the convention. "Yeah, sorry about that you two," she stated, scratching her head as she continued to scan around, "I've just been busy recently."
"Busy?" Dipper repeated.
"You shouldn't be busy!" Mabel told her master with a small snort, "You said this was vacation, and when you're really on vacation, you shouldn't have to work. It's like eating a jelly donut and taking away the jelly! Or the donut! Then it's just sticky jelly."
"At least it would still taste good," Arline pointed out. Though she responded to Mabel, Arline's eyes were focused on the convention at large. She seemed to scan around again like a radar dish. "Yeah, uh, I did say that, didn't I? Vacation is important," she said to them. The way she had said that reminded the twins of someone reciting surface thoughts, and only that. Was Arline distracted? Her eyes spotting something in the distance, "Huh, well, got to run," she said, and side-stepped around them.
"Huh? Master?" Mabel asked as Arline stepped away from them, passing by a duo of well-dressed men.
"Arline?" Dipper called after her, "Are you okay?"
She whipped back to the twins. "Yeah!" she shrilly stated. She cleared her throat, "I'll catch up with you two later! Why don't you two, you know, go home for the day – nothing exciting here, after all! Just dudes like that," she said, pointing to the pair of business men. They scowled at her, and she made a motion to go at them. The two flinched, and rushed off. Without another word, Arline darted off. The two stared at her while she ran. Her pace went from a steady one, to seemingly frantic and rushed.
"Did... did any of that seem normal to you?" Dipper asked Mabel as she stared off.
Mabel didn't need to answer, she looked at Dipper, and then back to the direction her martial arts master had just left to. That was... strange. Arline Hirsh never rushed, not unless... "Something's going on, Dipper," Mabel said firmly.
"Yeah, I was afraid you were going to say that," Dipper sighed and cracked his knuckles expectantly, "How bad do you think it is if she's running off without telling us?"
"That's the thing," Mabel turned to him, "I don't know. She always tells me when stuff is going on," Mabel admitted as she shook her head. She gasped and turned to Dipper, "You don't think-"
"She's hiding something too?" Dipper tried finishing for her. He hissed out a long breath, and said, "Mabel, I don't know her nearly as well as you. No idea."
"And we serve excellent meat products as bargain levels! Remember, if you need something to root, always think Meat-Cute!" the saleswoman proclaimed happily as Soos nodded and walked away, a sample plate in his hands. Yuki had pulled him away, better to leave the table after a solid ten minutes of Soos chatting with the woman.
"What a nice lady," Soos admitted, "Maybe everyone who works at meat-cute is super cool and I never knew," he told Yuki as he shoveled a three-meat sampler burger into his mouth eagerly.
Yuki inquired, "You have met others from the company before?"
Soos nodded and grinned. After swallowing, he said, "Yeah! My girlfriend, Melody."
"I do believe I overheard you mentioning a girl you are in romantic relations with," Yuki nodded and smiled, "I would love to meet her."
"Ha! Great joke, buddy," Soos laughed and nudged the alien in the arm.
Yuki froze, his mind reeling. "I... uh... joke?" he asked Soos, lost to all understanding of Soos' comment.
Fortunately, Soos understood the translation error that just occurred in Yuki's mind. "Oh. She worked at Meat-Cute? And you said you wanted to 'meet' here? Get it?" Soos asked him.
"...No?" Yuki admitted, but then his eyes widened and he chuckled, "Ahhh, a play on the comparable words 'meet' and 'meat', which have identical phonetic structure, yet have two separate meanings! That is quite funny!" Yuki told Soos, who nodded eagerly and laughed with the Alien.
"See, dude! You're slowly getting it!"
"Being immersed into one of the more complicated human cultures is... difficult," Yuki admitted as they continued onward, passing several other stands. "I think the hardest aspect of all I learn is the self-contradictions."
"Oh, well, if you need to learn more about sarcasm you should ask Stan-"
"No! No," Yuki gasped and shook his head, "I can now hear sarcasm much better, thanks to my... time with Stan," Yuki grumbled as he rolled his eyes, "What I mean are the vastly different ideals and mannerisms the cultures have. Such as this-" Yuki turned and pointed to a nearby stand, advertising a group specializing in reconstructive surgery, but at bargain prices.
"What about it?" Soos asked him, chewing loudly on his next sandwich.
"You've made grand advancements in technology; able to alter appearances and even biology of individuals. Yet, then people use it to profiteer off other's needs! These discoveries," Yuki turned fully to Soos, a stark confusion, almost anger in the aliens' eyes stunning Soos, "These advancements were not made for the human race to prey off itself, but to aid and grow themselves to a better day!"
"Uh... so, you don't like that it's bargain?" Soos asked, "Yeah, honestly I wouldn't trust bargain lip-injects either."
"I... never mind, my friend, "Yuki sighed and turned away, looking around him. "This culture of consumption just... perplexes me."
"You sound a little more annoyed than perplexed, dawg," Soos approached him, checking on his friend, "You're okay, right?"
Yuki shrugged and shook his head. "It's just... upsetting."
There was an outcry in the crowd around them, and both men turned to see a younger blonde teenager rushing out towards them. She was waving towards Yuki eagerly, barging through the various people at the convention.
"Yuki Dohth!" she waved, wearing a well-fitting business dress with deep burgundy colors.
Yuki smiled ear-to-ear. "Hello, Pacifica," Yuki waved back.
Pacifica Northwest, wearing quite the ensemble of elite business apparel, giggled as she walked over. About to speak to Yuki, she paused, spotting Soos as he devoured his burger. "Oh, you're with the Pines servant," she acknowledged Soos with a nod, "Wow, they're lending you him around now?"
"Uh... Soos?" Yuki turned to Soos, who was shoveling more food into his mouth eagerly. When the handyman simply shrugged, Yuki turned and chuckled. "No, Pacifica, he is no servant. He is a handyman."
"Really? Oh. I assumed that – huh," Pacifica stared at Soos, eying him in his outfit, "Well, you've got a nice vest," Pacifica allotted to Soos. The man smiled with his full mouth and attempted replying, but couldn't budge open his lips, so full of food he may spill. Pacifica looked a little disgusted, but refrained. "...Sure," Pacifica nodded back, and then turned to Yuki. "Yuki, I had no idea you were interested in business like this."
The natural smile worn by Yuki quickly became a stiff one. He certainly did not like the way humans justified business. That said, Pacifica had typically been very pleasant to him, and he didn't want to cause her duress. So, carefully, he said, "Ah, well, I must admit that while I know my fair share of proper business ethic, I am not particularly drawn to it," he told Pacifica with a crafted smile.
"A shame to hear that," a proud man's voice called from behind Pacifica.
Yuki peered past the now darkening face of Pacifica as two figures approached. The woman of the two wore a similar burgundy dress as Pacifica did, but it was tighter fitting and had gold accents. The man of the two wore a pinstripe suit, and shared the same sigil that the woman and Pacifica had sewn into their clothing- a simple gold and white 'N.W.'
Preston Northwest took up the space like a golden idol draws eyes in a room. His moustache, ever trimmed and perfectly neat, bristled as he spoke to Yuki. "The realm of good business is always looking for capable and willing sharp young men, like yourself, to take up the place of retiring old geezers. Or at least to be their secretaries for most of their lives," Mister Northwest continued as he and his wife stepped up behind Pacifica. Pacifica, bright and warm as a summer's morning, gathered thunderclouds in her eyes as her parents arrived.
"Yes, people always need more secretaries," Priscilla Northwest added, putting her hand over Pacifica's shoulder like some taloned vulture.
"I'm sure," Yuki nodded, and glanced to Soos. The man slowly swallowed his burger, and returned the look. Communicating merely with looks, Soos had confirmed to Yuki that these were not the kind of people that they should want to get along with. Yuki looked back and his smile dropped. "I recall you were family responsible for the talent show and carnival in town."
Mister Northwest spoke with all the pleasantries language could provide and none of its kindness. "As sharp as you looked," he said, feigning interest.
"Well, at least past the borrowed second-hand clothing," Miss Northwest commented with a displeased eye, looking to his hat. Yuki gulped and adjusted it ever-so-slightly, aware of his plant-like leaves hiding underneath it.
Pacifica bristled at the comment. "Mom, don't be mean to him – he's not a local," Pacifica told her mother with a snap.
"Pacifica!" her mother gasped.
"Mind your tone, young lady," Preston Northwest stated firmly. Pacifica looked to the ground. Preston turned back to the alien in disguise. "You must forgive my daughter," Northwest told Yuki, "Actually, you don't have to. Not forgiving her would probably do her good in the long run."
"Oh, yes, that would probably do," Miss Northwest tagged onto with her husband with a small chuckle.
"Excuse me," Yuki stepped forward, "But I do not agree."
Pacifica's eyes shot wide and she looked to Yuki. His face was plain and unaltered by emotion. He was merely looking at her parents, as if anything he had said or done was as simple as discussing the weather. A little stunned, Pacifica turned to her parents. Her mother had frozen in place, looking at the dark-skinned 'boy' before her with such shock.
Mister Northwest's eyebrow rose and he stared back. There was something mean stewing in his mind. "Now, what on earth would prompt you to say that?" Mister Northwest asked him.
Yuki took to a scholars tone; passive but explanatory. "Pacifica's tone was not threatening, and she merely attempted to correct a derogatory tone towards a fellow human you were speaking to," Yuki made particular emphasis when mentioning himself, "And such behavior is morally appropriate. In fact, if I were to be so bold, your own economic status conveys a condescending nature to which others would regard as 'snobbish'."
Soos looked like he was about to watch the fight of his life. The parents Northwests stared at Yuki like he was a creature from another planet, appropriately. Miss Northwest blinked and looked to her husband, as if she had been just dropped from being in a trance. Preston Northwest, however, squinted his eyes and gave a short, curt grunt in reply.
He passed by Pacifica, who worriedly looked between Yuki and her father. "Dad, don't-"
"Be quiet, Pacifica," he told her as he leaned down, his tall persona giving him leverage as he looked into Yuki's eyes. "Tell me, my young foreigner," Preston said, his words quieting as he breathed words like they were dangerous little things, "Do you even have the slightest inkling as to who I am?"
Yuki watched Preston. The alien turned earth-inhabitant was an optimistic, and often naïve person, who wished to see the best in those around him. He was not one to suffer fools who threatened him. Yuki took a long breath, and reminded himself something: this man before him was probably half his age. Perhaps it was the knowledge of what kind of people Preston and Priscilla Northwest had become that fired up Yuki. He had, after all, three years to study their neural structure and sociological patterns. Perhaps it was the way Pacifica looked upset. Maybe Yuki was tired of old humans trying to boss him around with their lack of morality. Either way, Yuki almost sneered as he said, "More than you think, Preston."
The man blinked, and Yuki felt his advantage, to which he pressed forward.
As a broker might with stocks, Yuki rapidly dropped knowledge. "I know you carry six puppies with you and your wife to bed every night, and you distribute the puppies to your servants every night because you seek 'fresh' ones the next day. I know you keep seven pure-bred dogs at your manor; one for each week, and one extra for Pacifica. You have thirty-five luxury cars, one first-class private jet, forty-nine employees, which you pay minimum wage, a small personal zoo, an Olympic sized pool, and an indoor personal theatre which seats three hundred thirty-three."
"But that's not all I know," Yuki took a half step closer, ready to test his studies of human intimidation tactics, "I know you. I know your family, and what it is you fear. I know the people you have scammed, the money you have laundered, the things you have stolen: in the past and even now. I've had the opportunity to learn every single fact about you and your family down to the details of what you prefer to have for breakfast. Which, by the way, is one ostrich egg, sunny side up, with a plate of imported Belgium sausages. So, Mister Northwest, in the words of my age demographic; back off, old man."
Pacifica's mouth had fallen open. Her mother was staring fearfully at the 'young man' before his husband, staring at him like he may carry a plague. Mister Northwest's eyes had grown wider and wider until the point they may have well just taken up his entire face. If there had been a fire in Preston Northwests heart, ready to verbally slander Yuki, it was well doused by now. Yuki was without a fret as he stared back up at the much taller man. He slowly stood straight again.
Yuki relaxed. "Now, please have a good day," Yuki added with a too-polite smile to the parents.
Choking on nothing in particular, Preston cleared his throat. "Uh, Dear," Preston Northwest turned to his wife, "Let's go say hello to Omir, shall we? The old coot probably wants to know our stance on his next big move towards researching better vacuums."
"Of course!" Miss Northwest gladly agreed, and the two marched away stiffly.
Soos looked like he just witnessed the throw-down of the century. "Yuki, you rock dude," Soos patted his back
Yuki sighed wistfully. "I wish I wouldn't have to," he said sadly as he watched them go. "Their impasse of intolerance is what drives me to reprimand them so. A remind such as that," Yuki turned to Soos, who frowned and stared at Yuki's words, "Will keep them away for now."
No louder than a small whisper, Pacifica asked, "How did you know all of that?"
Yuki turned to her. In the moment of intimidation, he had forgotten that Pacifica could hear everything he was saying. Yuki looked worriedly to Soos. The handyman shrugged; he wasn't any better at lying than he was. As much as it pained Yuki to do so, lying was the best way to keep himself, and her, safe.
Trying out the awful sensation of being misleading, Yuki bent truth. "Ah, I had to, at one point, uh, you know, do a study. Yes! I studied much of, um, regarding the wealth of American families of wealth," Yuki smiled and nodded. "And your family came up at one point!"
"Oh," Pacifica nodded, frowning. Her eyes focused on him intently. Yuki knew that look by now: she wasn't sure she believed him. All he could do now was stare back. There was some sort of clockwork going on behind those eyes, and Yuki wondered if he hadn't given a good enough excuse. Then she burst out laughing, and walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "That was amazing!"
"O-oh!?" he asked.
"I think the last time my dad was that stunned was when I let in the entire town to a party!" Pacifica told him, clutching the sides of his arms, "Oh man, I hope I have a chance to see that face again."
"I'm sure you'll remember it clearly," Yuki told her with a small grin, "You strike me as being much smarter than your parents, Pacifica," he said, and he smile grew much wider as he chuckled.
As Yuki beamed at her, it was clear his words hit Pacifica hard. Her eyes softened and her gaze became unfocused. His smile, happy and well-meaning, shook and trembled when she stared at him a tad longer than he had become accustomed to; at least for normal situations. This was strange. He had studied the Northwests, they didn't often linger to look at someone. Had she noticed something about him being different? He gulped and looked back.
"Pacifica?" he asked.
"Yes?" she replied in a lost, soft voice.
Yuki mentally scolded himself. He was so preoccupied with his own concealed nature that he didn't realized that she could be in duress of some sort. "Are you well?" he inquired. She blinked and pulled herself together. She was brushing her dress smooth, and looked around. Yuki could swear he saw red in her cheeks. He worried for her, saying, "Oh! Are you feeling ill?"
"What?"
"Your cheeks are flushed," he pointed out, and Pacifica gasped, clapping two hands to her face, "Fret not," he continued, "If you are feeling 'below the weather'," he said with fingers acting as quotes, "You should find a seat, and remain calm. Having a healthy, optimistic outlook on things can improve immune response in humans up to, in some cases, fifty percent!"
"I – oh, wow," Pacifica said, and then turned away for a moment. As Yuki and Soos stared, they could swear she was muttering something under her breath; snippets of short sentences, similar to that of re-assurances and reminders of ability and prowess. Then she turned around, and the flush was gone, "So, what brings you two here?"
The smile faded off the Xabvri scientist. "Stanley Pines," Yuki told her with pursed lips.
"Oh, Mabel and Dipper's grand-uncle. Why's he sending you here?" she asked.
"He fears for the safety of his economic stability should another rival company make a building in town for hotels of nicer quality than his," Yuki blatantly said.
"Makes sense," Pacifica shrugged. "My parents wanted to come and meet up with some friends of theirs- rich and powerful types, and then show me off like some collectors toy," she added with a touch of disdain.
"You're not a toy though," Soos told her, "You're a real person!"
"I didn't actually mean like a toy, "she said to him with a snap, and then looked back to Yuki, "They're excited that Zander Maximillion is still in town."
"Who?" Yuki asked. Soos prodded the back of his head. "Huh?" Yuki turned, and Soos tapped his foot and looked at him expectantly. "Oh. Oh! Yes! The musician!" Yuki spun back, nodding his head rapidly. "Yes! I... I had no idea he was still here."
"Me neither," Soos told Yuki, his eyes widened.
"He's moved into the old Gleeful home. No one wanted to buy it after what happened three years ago, so he grabbed it and moved in five days ago. And I," Pacifica shook her head and closed her eyes, "Ugh, have to take music lessons from him."
"What?" Soos gasped, and almost dropped his plate of food.
Pacifica acted like his shock was support of her displeasure. "Yeah! My parents want me to know more than just piano, violin, harp, flute, and a bit of guitar," she told Yuki.
Yuki glanced to Soos, who was breathing heavily, shocked at Pacifica's news. Soos asked, "Y-you mean he's offering classes?!"
"I don't think so. It sounded like my dad asked him for a favor or something, and now I have to take classes with him on... I don't even know, honestly," Pacifica admitted with a huff. "Not looking forward to it."
"You should be!" Soos exclaimed. "Learning from Zander Maximillion!? The greatest rock-artist in the past ten years!? And you get private lessons from him!?"
"Yeah, sounds like a drag," she told them.
Yuki snorted loudly and shook his head. "No, no, Pacifica, you mustn't look at it like that," Yuki pleaded of her, "Clearly you have the ability to learn multiple complicated instruments, and the ability to still use them," he continued, that same warm smile growing on his face, "You must see this as a chance to learn from a much more-"
"Talented?" she asked, cutting Yuki off with a mild bark.
He blinked and shook his head. "Experienced," he continued. Pacifica lowered her gaze and bit her lip. Unphased, Yuki continued, "I know it must be frustrating to live up to the expectations of your parents: trust me – my father put me on... oh," Yuki stalled himself, remembering not to bring up his real past stories, "Uh, a science team back in, uh, Canada... yeah, and I wasn't sure I was ready for it."
Pained, perhaps from relating to his story, or from hearing that he supported her parents in any way, Pacifica heatedly asked him, "Why, then, did you do it?"
"Because I didn't do it for him," he answered, "I did it for me. My father being pleased was just a side-note." Pacifica frowned, and looked away, and Yuki nodded. "I would understand your hesitation to compliment your parents' efforts. But this is a chance for you, and only for you in the end," Yuki told her.
"I... I guess so," she said as she started to spin away.
"Pacifica," Yuki called to her once more, and she whipped back to look at him, "It was nice to see you again."
Pacifica nodded and began to depart. She couldn't break away from his eyes, though; lingering on those pinks and violets like they commanded her to stare. It wasn't until she almost fell, twisting on her leg, that she then hurriedly walked away.
Yuki watched her go, shaking his head. "Well, I do hope she finds a quiet, calm place to rest," he said aloud. Next to him, someone began to chuckle and snort. Soos was giggling, holding his hand to his mouth and looking at Yuki. "What?" he asked, and then re-traced his most recent choice words. "I don't recall making any form of metaphor or alliteration."
"It's okay, dawg. I think you just made her day, that's all," Soos told him.
"Guys!"
Soos and Yuki turned around. Dipper and Mabel were peeling through the crowds, passing by those in suits and dresses. When they rushed over, Soos shoved the last sandwich into his mouth and greeted them as best he could with muffled, pleased grunts.
"Hi to you too, Soos!" Mabel cheerfully replied.
"So then," Yuki asked them as he watched Dipper catch his breath, "What brought you two here in such awful haste?"
"We- we-"
"-Ran into my master," Mabel said, leaning in closer with wide eyes, "And she was acting really weird."
"Huh," Soos nodded, his arms crossed as he chewed, "Like weird as in 'sounded off', or weird as in 'was changing colors'?"
"Sounded off," Dipper answered as he stood up and groaned. "She kept looking around like she was expecting to see someone, and then she just suddenly left us alone."
Yuki frowned at this information. "Correct me, if I may be wrong," Yuki asked Mabel, "But your master, Arline, is not one for business gatherings like this?"
"Not at all. She thinks people who always dress up in suits look silly," Mabel explained, "and she doesn't like offices."
"Which is why we thought it was odd she was here at all," Dipper furthered, "But then she ran off without explanation, and it looked like she may be tracking someone or something," he added.
Yuki smirked. "You know, if I hadn't known otherwise, I would say that danger and odd circumstances do gravitate towards you two, just as Pacifica Northwest stated," Yuki pointed out.
"Hey!" Dipper grumbled.
"Did you run into her?" Mabel asked.
Yuki made to speak, but Dipper cut him off. "We'll catch up later. Soos, Yuki, I think if the woman who jumps at giant spiders like it was her day job is nervous, we should be too. I think we should start looking around for someone or something suspicious, and then figure out what it is they're up to," Dipper announced.
Yuki inquired, "And if they're dangerous?"
"Keep a distance. If they spot you, just find the rest of us," Dipper suggested.
"It's busy though," Mabel pointed out, "So start making a whole lot of noise if you need to alert us."
"Uh... yeah," Dipper looked from his sister to the others, "I don't know about that, but try finding us, or at least someone who's going to help out. Just be careful. If Arline is nervous about something-"
"-We should be too," Mabel finished.
The four gave a simultaneous glance around. With all the numbers of older men and woman walking around them, and the low buzz in the air, it was a strange feat at all that nothing had been noticed so far. Yet, with the evidence still suggesting that they had a job to do, they nodded to each other, and split. Dipper and Mabel started walking deeper into the convention while Soos and Yuki turned and traced after Pacifica's direction.
This was the trickier part of the search. While, granted, Dipper and Mabel were beginning to notice a trend of those who seemed in place, and those who did not, the problem soon arose that there was no one else that broke the established norm aside from the twins. If they were here for the convention, they wore business suits and were well groomed. If they weren't wearing suits, dresses, nor particularly done up well, they were clearly labeled security and stood by doors and particular stands. Only Dipper and Mabel seemed to be out of place, and they began to worry. Spotting the odd ones out became a game of 'find a nearby mirror'.
"You'd think that we'd see if even one person was walking around with just a T-shirt and jeans," Dipper grumbled as he pushed his way past a large group, "Or even see Arline again!"
"Dipper, I've been seeing those security guards," Mabel turned around and pointed, "And I've been thinking- what if whoever or whatever's here is behind the scenes?"
"The scenes?" Dipper repeated.
"You know, in the kitchens, and offices, and back-hallways and stuff," Mabel shrugged.
Dipper spied over in the direction she pointed to. Nearby several bathrooms, a duo of large security guards, both wearing the trademark dark clothing, stood with their arms behind their backs by a pair of doors. Dipper managed to see just a little past the doors, where as Mabel said, it led to a long blank hallway. He had no idea what would be behind those doors, but it was worth checking.
"You think the bathrooms have a vent-shaft that'll lead inside without them noticing?" Dipper suggested. Mabel grinned, and he mirrored her quickly. They plan was already set. "Split up at the bathrooms, then?"
"I'll take the girls side, and you take the boys," she nodded to him and they marched.
Mabel darted ahead, and Dipper took his time, scanning the guards as he walked over. The both were big, bad locals he had seen occasionally. One was heavily tattooed, and the other was one of the bikers who enjoyed stopping by town. They were clearly bored out of their mind, and didn't even notice Dipper as he continuously stared at them, hoping they wouldn't suddenly have the urge to use the bathroom. However, Dipper wasn't watching where he was going: he ran into someone.
"Oof!" Dipper cried, feeling like he hit a brick wall.
"Oh, my," a deep, soft voice uttered as Dipper stumbled back, "Are you alright, my boy?"
Dipper shook himself, and looked up. The man before him had warm, dark skin, with bright amber eyes that stared hopefully at Dipper. Bags and wrinkles under his eyes told Dipper this man was older, probably around Grunkle Stan's age. Dipper saw the suit was immaculate. He was talking to someone rich.
Quickly, Dipper apologized, "Sorry, I didn't mean to run into-"
"Oh, no harm done, my friend," the old man chuckled easily and patted Dipper, who was rubbing his nose. When he had run into the old man, it had felt like the man was made of solid iron. Dipper, taking a chance, closely scanned the man. He found the tall gentlemen easily one of the best dressed men in the entire convention. Deep violet suit and pants were trimmed with silver and steel colors, and he wore a magnificent, but humble, patterned bow-tie.
The man looked closer, eying Dipper for himself. "Ah, you're the boy who stood up with the girl – against the beast."
"What?" Dipper asked, "Oh- oh the spider, yeah."
The man's eyes twinkled. "You must be remarkably brave if you're willing to stand up to something that science has yet to even discover!" the old man patted his shoulder, "And now I find you here? You know," the man leaned down to him, his eyes twinkling as he moved to Dipper, "There are only a few people I've ever met with the kind of courage you displayed."
"Oh... thanks," Dipper nodded, uncertain how to take the sudden praise, "Just did, you know, what felt right."
The man bent up and laughed. "Modest? And brave? Ha!" he said with hearty boom of his voice, "So there is hope for the generations of today. Young man, could you let this old man know your name?" The old man asked, extending his hand. Dipper stared at it for a moment, rushing through his mind to quickly make a decision. There was a chance, a very, very small chance, that this man could be related to the activity that had Arline nervous. Yet as Dipper stared at him, he found no malice behind the faint grin and his darkened skin.
"Dipper," he told him, "Dipper Pines."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mister Pines," the man told him, a pleased smile growing as he winked. "My name is Omir. Omir Steindorf."
"Nice to meet you sir," Dipper shook the hand as he took it.
Mister Steindorf again chuckled and nodded to the young man. "Mannered, polite, brave- my word, you're just a bag of surprises, aren't you, Mister Pines?" he said with as he stood up. "Well, I won't keep you too long. I'm sure you were heading to the bathrooms for a reason?"
"Y-yeah," Dipper nodded, and side-stepped around the older man. "Nice to meet you, sir," Dipper added as he stepped inside. Omir Steindorf chuckled as he turned away, leaving Dipper to walk inside.
Once he stepped inside the surprisingly empty restroom, Dipper looked around. A row of cleaned stalls awaited him, along with entirely unused sinks. Then there, at the far end of the bathroom, Dipper found a vent. At the meeting corner of the wall and ceiling, it stood just above the sink counters by about three feet, being a good seven feet off the ground. Dipper marched over, and looked back once before committing to his action. He just hoped no one would come in as he climbed through.
He stepped onto the counter and pushed up, ready to pull at the metal grate. To his shock, the metal grate fell and swung side-to-side, already entirely loose. Dipper looked at it, and then stared at the vent. Three screws to the four corners where missing.
No coincidences. Someone had already come by this way. Possibly recently.
"Hey!"
Dipper froze. Footsteps were approaching him, and he slowly turned. A man in a business suit approached him, slicked back black hair and sharp eyes investigating Dipper as he stared at the vent.
"What's going on here?" he asked.
"Uh..." Dipper looked around, "I'm... a handyman."
"You?"
"Yes. Me. I was, uh," Dipper pointed to the vent, "Going through standard procedure sweeps of the air-conditioning vents, and I spotted this one. So, uh, I'm going to fix it. It needs, uh, fixing."
The man's eyebrows rose and stayed perched in the middle of his forehead. Dipper prayed that his recollection of Soos's minor teaching would pay off. He had no idea if anything he said made much sense- all he had to do was convince this person that it did. Finally, the man shrugged.
"Sorry. You just looked a little young to be... hired," the man pointed out, and turned towards one of the stalls.
"Yeah," Dipper grumbled as the man disappeared behind the door, "I get that a lot."
With a grunt and huff, Dipper pushed off the counter and began to wriggle his way into the vent. Twist by twist he began to pull himself through the dusty darkness. It smelled of old hair and fabric, as he saw many balls of collected fuzz bundled and bunched up on corners of metal and screws. He held his breath passing them, not wanting to choke to death on the collected remains of someone's hair. Then, finally as he made a turn to the right, he found the exit, and gasped. That vent had also been unscrewed: this time entirely left open.
Dipper pulled himself out and landed on the floor expertly, silently thanking Mabel for her training. Then, from a corner, he heard a whisper. Mabel was there, waving him over.
"Now, time for the Mission: Really Hard to Complete music," Mabel said as she and her brother were re-united and began to walk down the hallway. Dipper kept his head at standard level, looking back and forth down the barren hallway, his eyes staring at the piping above him on the ceiling. Mabel, however, got into her spy-persona, and began to avidly creep about the hallway, bounding from side to side with quick steps. She remained close to the ground, half-crouched as she bounded up her arms close to her sides, and peeped around a corner. Dipper heard her gasp, and watched her pull her head back around, eyes wide.
"What?" he asked. Mabel, with wide eyes that could easily be the size of a small saucer cup, pointed her thumb over her shoulder. Dipper leaned past her, and peered down the hall.
A lone figure, draped in a single long jacket with a hood stood at the end, reading into something resembling a scroll. The hood was down, and the tall figure hand thin, gangly appearance. As he looked through the scroll, Dipper immediately recognized the person.
Quietly, Dipper gasped, "It's him, the Warlock," Dipper whispered as he pulled himself back behind the corner.
"What do you think he's doing here?!" Mabel asked him worriedly.
"There are powerful people here, and he's got magic," Dipper thought out loud in a whisper just loud enough for Mabel to hear, "Maybe he's going to try blackmailing them or something. You know, learn their secrets, and then get cash from them?"
"The scoundrel!" Mabel declared.
"Or, what if he's actually going to try kidnapping them for some nefarious purpose?!" Dipper added.
"The double scoundrel!"
"Or what if he's going to try killing them here for some even worse purpose!?"
"The huge jerk, mega-horrible-scoundrel!"
Dipper nodded and shared a meaningful glance with his sister. This man had tried, and failed, more than three times to do in him and his sister. Spells, giant spider, poltergeists, werewolves; this man was a determined and mean-spirited jerk of a human. The twins shared a single, united thought: this man needed to be stopped before whatever plan he had was carried out. They shared a look between their eyes, and knew exactly what was going to happen. They then nodded, and stepped out and marched down the hallway, side by side.
"Warlock!" Dipper called.
The man gasped and fumbled the scroll in his hands. Shoving it away under his jacket, he whipped around and stared. "No... you!" he growled as the two marched towards him.
"Times up, jerkwad," Dipper told him.
"No more trying to get us hurt or killed from the sides," Mabel added, "We're for you – here and now, ya meanie."
The warlock stared at them. There was a very-well founded anticipation as he glared at the twins. His face broke into sweats, and then he grinned. He had some plan, perhaps. The twins readied themselves, ready to move and run at the first sign of hostility. Without another word, he whipped around and ran. The twins made no outcry as they followed suit, chasing after the warlock as he darted away.
Through a pair of open double-doors the man flew, and the twins followed suit. The found themselves in the kitchen. The workers and cooks inside stared after the Warlock, who had already made it half way across the entire room, which spanned nearly a hundred feet. Dipper and Mabel saw the warning signs before the attacks happened. The Warlock had raised his hands, and a faint glow shone from his palms. Knives, heated pans, pitchers of boiling water all rose from the hands of the workers and drifted into the air. All the workers began to panic and flee, screaming "Witchcraft!" and "The end times are here!" as they fled.
Throwing his hands forward as he conducted his spells, the warlock roared, "G-get lost!" The hail of knives and dangerous tools soared through the air.
Mabel easily wove her way past the soaring objects. They moved in easily predictable straight lines that she read as easy as a line of text from her favorite song. Dipper, since his training with Mabel, followed suit, focusing his thoughts to track and dodge the danger as he advanced next to Mabel, jumping, leaning away, spinning aside, and rolling forward to avoid the coming danger.
This increase in ability since they last met stunned the Warlock. He sucked at the air, realizing that they weren't some moody teens looking for trouble anymore. He started stepping back, using that old trick of telekinesis to throw more and more objects at them. The levitated objects grew larger and larger, becoming rolling pins, and then kettles, and then entire stoves. Each time the twins would evade the danger, and continue after him, and the Warlock's appearance grew more and more desperate. His blonde hair fell past his eyes as he turned and ran for his life.
With no more objects to be thrown at him, the twins hurtled onward, ready, and willing, to catch up with their deranged and dangerous foe. Through another pair of double doors, he plowed through, and into the main convention he darted.
Mabel and Dipper followed suit, and easily traced him through the destruction he wrought. Knocking people over, tossing over tables as he jumped on them; nothing would get in this man's way as he dashed for his life away from the twins. They made it their priority not to lose track of him. While the Warlock was fast and very agile, he was not concealing himself by any means. Shouting for people to move aside and get out of his way, he pushed and shoved his way across the entire floor as the twins chased after him.
Finally, with a powerful telekinesis spell, the Warlock threw aside two guards and hurtled through a second area of the back-hallways. Dipper and Mabel, though wanting to check on the hurt people behind them, carried on, their feet pounding against the hard floors. They saw the warlock turn down a hallway, and they followed. There and then they found him trapped. He had turned to a hallway that led to an elevator some fifty feet ahead, and he stood in place, facing away.
"Give it up, Warlock," Dipper told him.
"Yeah! Your 'running from people younger than you' days are over and through!" Mabel added.
Panting from the chase, the man with cold, pale blue eyes glared at them. "You think so, do you?" The Warlock asked, and then reached inside his jacket.
"Don't think so!" Dipper shouted, and bolted forward.
His feet pressed hard against the tiled floors, propelling himself closer with each step. Mabel was right behind him, her gasps catching Dipper off-guard as they watched ahead. The Warlock had retrieved that same scroll and whipped it out and unfurled it. The long paper whipped majestically around him like a coiling serpent. Without another warning, the Warlock roared with laughter, and slammed both his hands onto the paper and shoved it against the ground.
The Warlock yelled to the scroll, "Unbound! Be free of earthly grip! Be taken away from my sight!" As he shouted these words, he reached out to a pipe next to the elevator behind him and grasped tightly. What followed next shocked the twins, and not that Dipper or Mabel knew, shocked the entire convention elsewhere.
The scroll, covered in runes and huge cryptic verses, glowed bright blue. In mid-dash, Dipper tried to push forward, but found himself hurtled upwards. Too late he realized that all gravity fell away.
Mabel cried out, "Wowie!" as she and her brother found themselves falling to the ceiling. Unprepared for the impact of falling eight feet upwards, the slammed into the ceiling. Clutching at their sides, shoulders or legs, as it had been a sudden, eight foot drop upwards. Their shock and pain were not enough to drown out the taunting laugh of the Warlock. He stared up at them from the floor, which to the twins, was now the ceiling.
"Fools!" he shouted, "As if I'd let you get as close as this without a trick up my sleeve!" he grinned. "Now, do me a favor; stay there while I just finish our little war."
Dipper and Mabel looked up to him, trying to re-adjust to the strong forces of the gravitational shift. Dipper, grumbling, looked to his sister, "Who says fools anymore without it being a joke?"
"I think he was serious," Mabel admitted.
The Warlock's ego seemed scratched by their back-and-forth. His free hand slowly let itself go from the grip of the pipe next to the elevator, and in it, Dipper saw a spiraling ball of what seemed to be deep purple and black flame. It hummed a deep, scratchy noise, like sparks coming from a tunnel.
"This time," the Warlock told them, "We say goodbye for-"
A loud, running pair of feet echoed from the end of the hall, and the Warlock turned. Dipper and Mabel also peered around to see a figure darting towards them. Running along the ceiling like a true ninja, a golden-haired woman with sharp green eyes rushed closer. The Warlock gasped and seemed to panic: the spell he had been preparing for Dipper and Mabel was unleashed on the approaching figure.
The human attacker leapt into the air from the ceiling and she crossed her arms together. From under her jacket, Arline's strange arm-guards created sparks, and fire erupted around her hands. Mabel and Dipper watched as the black fireball shot out towards her, and she didn't even try to avoid it. As she landed back to the ceiling, she wove her arms around and re-navigated the fireball to fly past her and hit the wall, where it exploded into deep-violet sparks.
The Warlock snarled and lifted his hand from the scroll. Dipper, Mabel, and Arline all fell from the ceiling. Dipper slammed into his side, and Mabel onto her rear. Arline caught herself a bit better, but was on three limbs. As the elevator beeped and opened behind him, the Warlock stood up quickly and raced inside. "Stay out of my way, Pines!"
Arline shot up in a single vault upwards. By the time she raced to the doors, they had closed, and the elevator was moving away. She roared, slamming her fist into the metal of the closed doors before her, leaving a surprisingly large dent for the size of her fist. Turning around, she found the twins staring at her, eyes wide and in shock.
She took a deep breath, and looked between them. "Hey, uh, guys," she began, her voice leveling as they looked to her, "Are, uh, either of you hurt?"
"Arline," Dipper quietly said, staring at her, "You… the Warlock?" The focus in his eyes sharpened. "Earlier, you thought that-"
"Ah, I just noticed something odd," she quickly explained, poorly. "Saw him all, you know," she made a 'creepy' gesture with her hands, "And thought he was a baddie."
Dipper shook his head, and looked to his sister. Mabel was the one who truly sounded hurt as she spoke. "You're not really here for vacation, are you, master?" Mabel asked, her strong pose faltering as she looked to her Master.
If there had been a calculated response the Martial artist stored, it fizzled away. Mabel's pain seemed so raw, uncovered by social grace, or played up for pity. Master and pupil relationship aside, there was a small dent, a hiccup in the relationship the two had established. Arline, despite some feeble attempt at masking it, gave the twins a very guilty look.
You know what they say about Gravity Falls?
Trust no one.
Got pretty exciting at the end there, didn't it? The Warlock makes his return to the stage as the villain of the story! And we've got a lot of hints of suggestions in this chapter as well. Zander? In Gravity Falls? It's more likely than you think.
Also- I just wanted to let you all know how absolutely honored I am to have the fans and readers I get for this story. You guys are seriously super supportive, helpful, understanding, eager, and always willing to tell me when I goof up. Reading the reviews you leave me always makes me super stoked and makes me think I'm doing more than just writing some crazy fan-fiction on my computer. So, I just wanted to say thanks again. This story is getting more reviews each week, and I can't confess my excitement enough.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed the first half of the episode "The Warlock Returns", and I'll see you guys- (The warlock bursts into EZB's room angrily.) WHOA, hold up, fella!
The Warlock: Not today, stupid! (The Warlock casts the black flames onto EZB, which instantly charcoal him and turn him into a charred skeleton.)