Author's Notes: Alright everyone we are going to be focusing on a character who usually plays the third wheel. That's Right, it's all about Mabel in this next exciting chapter. What new discoveries will we find? Let's dive in and find out.
As always, I ask that you enjoy and please review.
(Back with Mabel…)
"Dipper No!" Mabel Pines woke up with a start, a terrified scream leaving her mouth. She looks around, startled for a moment, and then sighs in relief. "It was just a dream." She whispered. Still, the fear had not left her completely. Pieces of her nightmare were still as clear as day in her mind, and she tries to shake the images away as she gets up to start her day. It's another slow weekend at the shack and no one really has anything planned.
Usually on a potentially boring day as this, Mabel would be reading magazines and catching up on all the drama of her thousands of favorite celebrities. Or she might even spend the day with the girls, or maybe she would do both. However, her nightmare had her in a very uncharacteristic slump that she just couldn't shake.
And what was the nightmare you might ask.
Mabel was reliving the moments when Dipper was captured by Mr. Hugo. The creepy Headmaster had kidnapped him and tried to drain Dipper of his youth. Only she couldn't save him, and no one else was coming to his rescue. She was forced to sit and watch as her brother's youth was sucked away. Until, he was nothing but brittle and withered bones. She was powerless to stop it, not only in her dream, but in real life too.
'If Kelly and Bill hadn't been there Dipper…' Mabel couldn't even finish the thought. She had been having this dream almost every night now, and the more she had it, the more she realized the truth. The truth being that she was helpless: helpless at magic, helpless at protecting her family or her friends, and worse, she was helplessly the weakest link. The damsel in distress, that's what she was, and she didn't know how to escape it.
Mabel got dressed and brushed her hair before pulling on the best smile she could muster. She was starting to form bags under her eyes. She hid them well however, with a dab of foundation that she left on her vanity. "There, all better." She said, only it wasn't. She could still feel the dread that she was hiding. Sighing deeply, she heads out of her room to find the boys. First, she peaks her head into Bill's room.
"Bill?" She called, no answer. She looks around and spots Bill's spell book on his desk. She walks over to it, having a sudden idea. She flips open the book to see the Axolotl restfully sleeping, "Hey, Axolotl…" She whispers.
The Axolotl stirs. "Oh, young Mabel." He says looking equally surprised and pleased to see her. "It is not often for you to seek my council on your own."
"I know." Mabel admitted sitting in Bill's chair before scooting closer. She looks unsure to begin so he decides to give her some help.
"I sense you are troubled by something, yes?" He asked.
Mabel nodded. "I am." She admitted. "And I want to talk about it, but…" She trailed off.
"You don't want to be a burden." Axolotl guessed. "You feel like that's all you are, don't you?"
Mabel nodded. "I'm always needing rescuing, even though I get stronger, I'm always the weakest link. I just wished I had some power of my own." She said. "Something only, I can do, that makes me an asset to the team." She complained.
"But you already are." Axolotl told her. "I can see all of your potential and you have so much more than you realize." He looks thoughtful. "Your true potential is already inside you; you just need a way to help bring it out." He stops as he spies a magazine. He floats over to it and flips through the pages looking for something.
"Uh Axolotl." Mabel said. "Why are you skimming through a magazine?" She asked.
"You need a solo quest to help build your confidence and hopefully unlock your potential."
"I get that." Mabel said. "I just don't know why you're looking for a quest in a magazine."
"Oh well since this is your first solo quest, I thought we'd start small and built from there." He said and stopped flipping pages. "Ah yes this is the one."
Mabel looks on the page. "The Banagic Wand, Earth's coolest magical treat." She reads out loud. "This is my quest?"
"Yes, it is colorful, and intriguing to a person with your unique and creative personality. The point is since you're interested in the item you won't get distracted on your quest."
"Axolotl, how is this dessert maker going to help me find my true potential?" Mabel groaned.
"The size of the quest does not affect ones path." Axolotl told her. "You could fight a dragon and still not find your true strength."
"But why?" Mabel whined.
"Because the quest is not in the result, but the journey." Axolotl tried to explain.
"I don't get it." Mabel admitted.
"You will, now hurry downstairs where your quest will begin." Axolotl said before the spell book closed.
Mabel sighs: she knew from her brother's constant smart babbling that the Axolotl was mysterious, but this was more puzzling than she had expected. She knew he could just give her the answers she wanted to hear, but he chose to make her discover them for herself. She gets it, in a way. She'd never grow as a person if everyone always gave her the answer. So, trusting his instruction she makes her way out of Bill's room and downstairs.
As she gets down the stairs a commercial begins to play on TV. It shows two kids on-screen." It's so hot." The first kid said.
"And I'm so bored." Said the second.
"What are we going to do?" They asked.
Suddenly words appear on the screen.
"The Banagic Wand! It's a little bit of banana, and a lot of magic. Designed by leading freeze-ologists, the Banagic wand uses state-of-the-art molecular ice-astronomy to frostulate your sizzle zones and CHILL YOU OUT!" The announcer on the television said.
"Mmm." The second kid said. "I'm totally chilled out." He ate the frozen treat happily.
""There's enough Banagic fun for all my friends to enjoy." The first kids said as more friends appeared.
"Available at better stores near you." the announcer said. "Supplies are limited! Get yours now!"
Mabel was floored, how did Axolotl know that the commercial was going to be on TV? She walks further into the TV room where she sees Bill and Dipper eating cereal while watching Saturday cartoons. "I want one of those." She said grabbing their attention.
"There she is!" Bill said. "I told you she wasn't dead." He joked.
"No, I told you, she wasn't dead." Dipper corrected him as he rolled his eyes. "And sorry Mabel but Bill has finally agreed on a do-nothing day." He said giving her the response she was expecting. "We'll get it tomorrow though, promise."
"That's okay." Mabel said grabbing her purse. "I was thinking of going out on my own and getting it." She revealed.
"By yourself?" Bill asked.
"Yeah, why not?" Mabel asked as she opened the door. "You guys deserve a break, and what better way to finish the perfect Saturday, but with a new frozen treat." She was doing her best not to look panicked. Truth was she never went anywhere without either a friend or family tagging along.
Dipper gives her a puzzled look but ultimately relents. "Okay, have fun I guess."
Bill looks at Dipper as if he's grown a second head.
Mabel however takes a deep breath and steps out into the unknown.
"Seriously?" Bill looks at Dipper in disbelief.
"What." Dipper asked.
"You know for a human you really need to work on picking up on subtle cues." Bill said.
"What do you mean?" Dipper asked.
"Your sister just left." Bill explained. "By herself to go get something. Without a hassle, without begging you to go with her. Without calling any of her friends to come walk with her. She is going to do something by herself, spontaneously, with no explanation and you don't think something is up?"
Dipper looks thoughtful. "Well to be honest I have noticed she's a little off lately." He admitted. "But I asked about it and she said she was fine."
"Pine Tree a girl only says she's fine when something is wrong." Bill retorted getting up. "No wonder you're still single."
"Hey!" Dipper pouted. "I'm not singel, Wendy and I are dating...sort of. Wait, what are you doing?" He stopped noticing Bill getting ready to leave. "The show is about to start again."
"That no longer matters." Bill said. "Cause we're following Mabel to see why she's acting weird."
"Bill she obviously wants to do this herself." Dipper said. "And I'm proud of her."
"What if she gets into trouble?" Bill asked. "Tad tried to get my magic out in the open just yesterday." Bill reminded him. "You think he'd pass up seeing one of us alone."
Now that got Dipper's attention, he gets up and nods. "Okay we'll go, but don't let her see us."
"Why not?" Bill asked.
"Because if you're right, something is up with her. And whatever it is, she wants to figure it out herself." Dipper told him. "We can't rob her of that."
"Fine." Bill said. "Stealth mode it is."
The two boys set off to catch up with Mabel, hoping to protect her without her knowing it.
Toffee's eyes narrow as he watches from the All-Seeing Eye. He had to study his target very carefully before he made his next move. Truth was, he wasn't sure what he was truly capable of and attacking an enemy you know nothing about wasn't a very smart idea. So, he watches and waits for his prey to reveal their true potential.
Meanwhile, Dipper and Bill have caught up to Mabel, who is walking into a nearby store.
"Hello I'm Mabel." She said as she walked up to the cashier.
The cashier, a Goth teen with an attitude scoffed. "So, what do you want?"
Mabel doesn't let his mood deter her. "I was hoping you had some Banagic Wands."
The Goth clicks his tongue. "Sorry, we ran out of those yesterday, you can try the supermarket down on Main and Riverside." He said.
"Thank you." Mabel said and went back outside.
Bill and Dipper run to hide behind the corner to watch her leave.
"See, she's doing fine." Dipper told Bill. "This is good for her; she'll learn to be more confident and self-reliant."
"I'm not saying we drag her back home." Bill said. "I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."
"Else?" Dipper asked. "Bill what happened to Mina's parents is not your fault. You can't change what happened."
"No." Bill admitted. "But I can make sure it never happens again."
Dipper sighed and nodded, knowing Bill was going to do this no matter what he said.
Meanwhile Mabel has pulled up Google Maps on her phone to get directions to Main and Riverside. The directions are up in seconds, and she follows the routed path. 'This is actually surprisingly easy.' She realized as she went on her way. She begins to doubt that this will teach her anything. How could one simple trip to the supermarket teach her how to be strong enough to save Dipper or anyone else?
'Remember what Dipper always says.' She reminded herself. 'Don't question the teacher, just follow the path he gives, and the lesson will find you…or something like that.'
She makes it to where Main Street and Riverside meet and looked around. "Now where is that store?" She asked out loud. She spots it by The Salty Barnacle Club, a pirate-themed restaurant. Her stomach growls and she realized it's almost 11:30. 'Maybe I can get a quick bite.' She thought before stepping into the establishment. After all, she had skipped breakfast and knew it would be harder to focus on her quest with an empty stomach.
"Ahoy, Matey," A pirate worker said in a pirate voice to Mabel. "What will it be?"
"I'll have the fish and chips with a cola." Mabel told him as she pulled out her wallet and grabbed a twenty. "Keep the change." She told him.
"Mighty generous of you, miss." The pirate said. "Let me show you your table."
Mabel follows him to her seat and takes it as he adds. "I'll get your drink while the chef starts your order."
"Okay, thanks." Mabel forced a smile until he is gone and then she sighs. She still doesn't see how this was supposed to help her with her problem. She looks up to see someone she doesn't expect. "Buff Frog?" She whispered.
The frog creature is hiding in a large trench coat with a hat and looking a bit down in the dumps. Mabel feels sorry for him, he looks so sad. And before she really thinks it through, she finds herself walking over to his table.
"Hi." She says.
"You waste your time." He says. "I'm not here for you."
"Oh, I know…" Mabel lied.
"If you know, why come over here?" Buff Frog asked.
"I don't know, I just thought…" She pauses. "You looked so sad I thought I'd check up on you."
"Why care?" Buff Frog asked.
"It's my nature." Mabel admitted. "I care about people, even the ones that try to hurt me and my friends."
"Master Tad has abandoned me." Buff Frog said, surprising her with his openness.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." She said but wasn't really.
"Worse, Toffee is using him for his own evil scheme." Buff Frog revealed.
"Toffee?" Mabel asked.
"He is new monster, Master Tad hired him. He is a Septarian." Buff Frog explained.
"Oh, they're the lizards that are basically immortal right?" Mabel asked.
Buff Frog nodded. "The Septarians were loyal soldiers of…" He paused and leaned in before whispering. "Seth."
"The Demon King!" Mabel exclaimed quietly.
Buff Frog nodded. "I thought he wanted to serve my master, take my job." He shook his head. "But he told me he wishes to bring his master, his true master back to power,"
"And you think he means Seth." Mabel said.
Buff Frog nods.
"I see you found a friend." The pirate said coming over with her drink. "Is he ready to order?" He asked.
"Told you I don't have Earth moneys!" Buff Frog growled.
"It's okay I'll get him something." Mabel said. "What do you like?"
Buff Frog looks unsure, but answers. "Corn."
"He'll have three corns on the cob, grilled please." Mabel said, handing him a ten-dollar bill. "And another cola please."
"Of course." The Pirate said before going to fill the order.
"You did not have to." Buff Frog said.
"I know, I just wanted to be nice." She told him.
"You are too trusting." Buff Frog said.
"Maybe." Mabel said. "Or maybe what you just told me is very scary, and I want you to stick around and answer some questions for me."
Buff frog nods. "What would you like to know?"
"Toffee, you say he wants to bring Seth back, but how can he? Seth was destroyed." Mabel reasoned.
"Seth cannot be destroyed he is a Septarian like Toffee." Buff Frog revealed.
Mabel is floored. "But Bill and his dad…they don't look like Lizard people." She said, looking confused.
"Seth's Bride was not a Septarian." Buff Frog explained. "Not sure what she was, but by looking at master Tad and his brother I can say she most likely looked more human."
"Like Bill's mom, Queen Luisa." Mabel said thoughtfully. "So, if Seth is a Septarian how did King Hannibal defeat him?"
"Some spell, was used." Buff Frog revealed. "Rumor has it, that it was supposed to kill the one who couldn't be broken, but Hannibal's spell was not strong enough. If the story is to be believed Seth is still out there…slowly healing."
Mabel remembered Ford mentioning this spell when he told Dipper and Bill how Hannibal defeated Seth. If the spell wasn't performed properly as Buff Frog said, then it was possible that Seth was not as gone for good as they thought. "But still, even if he is not dead, surely he's locked up somewhere. I mean with charms and enchantments to keep him trapped."
"That is just it." Buff Frog said. "No rumored location of his remains existed."
"You think Toffee thinks Tad knows where this location is?" Mabel asked.
"I do not know Toffee's plan." Buff Frog huffed. "I have been wondering through several realms since I was kicked out of the castle. I have asked anyone I've come across about Toffee or Seth, and this is what I have gathered so far."
Mabel nods as the Pirate comes back with their food and Buff Frogs drink. "Thank you so much."
"Enjoy." He says before leaving.
Buff Frog digs into his corn as Mabel eats and thinks to herself. 'If what he says is true then this is bad. Still, they are just rumors…if the spell didn't work Ford would have told us. Either way this Toffee guy sounds bad.' For a moment she considers abandoning her quest and telling Dipper and Bill about this new foe. Only to remember that Axolotl told her not to get distracted.
"Look, thanks for the heads up." She said giving Buff Frog some money. "This will help you get food for a little while." She told him.
"Why help me?" Buff Frog asked. "To get information out of me. Well, you have it."
"I'm helping because I know how you feel." Mabel said.
"How does Buff Frog feel?" He challenged.
"Like you're useless, like nothing you do is right. Like someone else always had to rescue you, fix your mistakes. Like someone better is always going to outshine you, no matter how hard you try." Mabel said.
"You feel same way." Buff Frog figured the obvious.
"I love my brother." Mabel said. "And I want to be strong, and useful and reliable, like him." Mabel said.
"But you don't think you are." Buff Frog added.
Mabel shook her head. "I came out here on this silly quest to prove to myself that I can be like Dipper. That's silly, isn't it?"
"Not silly." Buff Frog said finishing his corn. "You, like Buff Frog, must find your own path."
Mabel smiled. "Thanks Buff Frog, you know you're not so bad." She admitted. 'Why do you hang out with a creep like Tad?"
"Tad found me in the swamp, raised me as a young tadpole." Buff Frog explained.
"Oh." Mabel said. "So, he's like family, I can relate to that, I guess."
"You are good person Mabel." He tells her. "I hope you find what you are looking for."
Mabel smiles as she finishes her meal. "Look If you ever need a place to stay, we have a shed out in the back. I'll leave some corn if you like."
Buff frog looks thoughtful. "Maybe." He says. "No promises."
"Okay big guy, see you around." She said, moving to leave, leaving the money for him.
"Yes, see you." Buff Frog said.
Mabel can't help but smile as she leaves. She may not know how to save Dipper if he ever gets hurt. But she did help someone today; so that was something.
Meanwhile, Bill and Dipper have noticed who Mabel has been talking to.
"Buff Frog!" Bill is stunned. "Why would she be meeting him?"
"Okay, let's not jump to conclusions, maybe she just happened to run into him." Dipper reasoned.
"And she decided to sit down and have a chat with him?" Bill argued. "Or maybe she's the reason why Tad knows my every move."
"Bill you can't honestly think Mabel is secretly working with the enemy and spying on us." Dipper whispered as they followed Mabel who is heading to the market.
"No, but we can't overlook that we just witness your sister buy the enemy lunch." Bill pointed out.
Dipper knew he had a point but shakes his head. "I know Mabel, and she's not that scattered brained. She wouldn't trust him enough to be that close without a reason."
Mabel runs inside the store and looks around and sees a tower of boxes containing the mighty "Banagic Wand". She walks over and grabs one before heading to the check out. "Wow this was surprisingly easy." She said as she got to the cashier.
"First time shopping alone kid." He asked.
"Yes, but that's not it." Mabel said. "I knew this part was going to be easy, I just thought something dramatic would happen." She explained. "I went looking for this as a soul-searching kind of quest and nothing…No earth-shattering realization. Just lunch and a Banagic Wand." She looks disappointed as the cashier rings it up. "This was a waste of time."
"That's because you focused on the wrong thing." He said, bagging her purchase.
"What do you mean?" Mabel asked.
"You said this was a soul-searching quest, but all you did was focus on this." He pointed to the bag. "You have to look on the inside to find what you're looking for. You know, let your heart tell you what's right. If you focus on the quest and not what brought you here to the end; you miss the lesson."
"The lesson is the journey." Mabel gasped as she had an epiphany.
"Exactly." The cashier said. "That will be 25.99" He said.
Mabel pays the guy and gives him an extra ten as a tip.
"What's this for?" He asked.
"For helping me." Mabel said. "I know what I was supposed to learn now, what my strength is."
"Oh, neat." He said as she took her bag. "But what is it?"
"Kindness." She said. And while she wasn't sure how it would help her save her brother if the need should ever arise again. It did save one person, and it also got her some new Intel on the enemy. Which wasn't a bad start.
"Oh well, come again." The cashier told her as Mabel left.
Dipper and Bill had to run to make it home before Mabel but managed to arrive about five minutes before she did.
"Guys I'm back." She said as she came through the front door.
"How'd to go?" Dipper asked.
Mabel noticed right away that even though they were sitting back on the couch that they looked anything but relaxed.
"Yeah, run into anyone while you were out?" Bill dared to ask.
Mabel smiled. "Yep, and I'll tell you all about him as I make us our frozen treat." She declared as she unboxed the Banagic Wand And she did, she told them how she had spoken to Axolotl before she left and how she wanted to prove to herself that she can be useful.
"But you are useful." Bill said. "You fight monsters with us all the time."
"I know, but we all fight monsters, you and Dipper do more. You have your magic, and Dipper has his brains, plus magic. I just felt so helpless when you got captured." She admitted to her brother. "I just wanted to find the strength in myself so if you needed me again, I could help."
"By getting that?" Dipper asked as she started to make their frozen treat. "No offense Mabel, but how was this dessert supposed to show you your strength."
"Silly Dipper, the lesson is in the journey, not the end result." She said as she finished making the dessert and scooped some into three bowls.
Dipper actually smiled. "Okay, what did you learn on your journey?"
"Oh, nothing much." Mabel said as they sat down. "Just why Tad's attempts have started getting so good lately."
"Wait, what?" Bill snapped.
"Turns out Tad's got a new henchman a Septarian named Toffee." Mabel told them.
"A Septarian!" Dipper looked amazed. "They served Seth and are supposed to be gone, like him."
"Well according to what Buff Frog said, Toffee is a Septarian, and his purpose is very clear." Mabel said.
Dipper nodded she wasn't hesitating in revealing her talk with Buff Frog, so he picked up on the truth. "You know we followed you, don't you?"
"Yeah, got to say, not cool guys." Mabel said.
"You were acting weird." Bill said.
"Yeah, I was hoping you didn't pick up on anything." She admitted. "But I'm glad you did; things with Buff Frog could have gone south."
"Why did you talk to him in the first place?" Bill asked.
"He seemed so down, I couldn't bear it, you should have seen how sad he was." Mabel said.
"So why was he sad?" Dipper asked.
"Who cares?" Bill asked.
"I do!" Mabel said. "And you should too. Buff Frog says Toffee admitted that he is trying to bring back his master."
"You mean Seth!" Bill yelled. "Is that even possible? Sixer says dad defeated him."
"But Buff Frog says Seth is a Septarian." Mabel said, "They're practically invincible and defeated doesn't mean killed."
"She's right Bill." Dipper said. "Even if your dad did kill Seth, if one of his followers is trying to bring him back, then we have to take this seriously."
Bill nodded, he didn't want to doubt his father, but he had said it himself just yesterday. Seth was…is unstoppable. "So, what do we do?"
"We tell Ford and Stan when they get back, they went to search on a lead to see how Tad is spying on us." Dipper revealed.
"You think this Toffee has something to do with it?" Bill asked.
"Maybe." Mabel answered making a smaller fourth bowl.
"Who's that for?" Dipper asked.
"For Axolotl." Mabel answered as she took the bowl upstairs.
"And you thought she was the spy." Bill shook his head. "For shame."
"Seriously Bill?" Dipper asked. "You thought she was the spy." He corrected him.
"Your own sister too." Bill said through laughter. "How could you?"
"That's it!"
Mabel shakes her head as she hears the boys begin to scuffle downstairs. "Boys," she said making her way to Bill's room. She enters and returns to the desk where the spell book still laid. She opens it, and Axolotl is waiting.
"Ah I see you were successful." He said as she presented him with the bowl.
"Yep." She said. "Thanks for helping me out."
"So, you know how to fix your problem?" Axolotl asked as he lapped at his bowl.
"Turns out I had what I needed all along." She told him. "Which you could have told me, but by learning it on my own I actually ended up solving a piece of the puzzle for our real mission."
"Yes, life is funny that way, isn't it?" Axolotl mused. "I take it our new friend will help us in the future."
"Maybe." Mabel said. "He's hurting right now, but I think I can help him."
"I know you can." Axolotl assured her. "You are more powerful than you realize."
Mabel nods her understanding, and she does. Her strength my not be as impressive as Dipper's or Bill's, but it was just as important. Empathizing with others and understanding how they're feeling had saved the day. They now knew of a new enemy, an enemy who wanted to bring back an old evil.
The question was how?
(Back with Toffee…)
The Septarian turned off the monitors, thankfully Tad was away with his squad of dummies at the moment. He was grateful, since his plan was just spelled out to the enemy by the useless worm he just got rid of. A worm that wasn't as useless as Tad thought he was, and certainly not as useless as Toffee made him look in the past few weeks.
But no matter, Buff Frog's findings while true would not stop his plans, the next phase would go off soon without a hitch and then he could snatch up his prey. His eyes narrowed; he just needed a way to test him. He smiled, with how much trouble the prince and his friends find themselves in, he knew the opportunity would present itself.
And when it did, he would be ready!
(Back with Mabel...)
That night Mabel took a plate of freshly baked corn on the cob to the shed out back. It wasn't much of a place to stay as it was for old forgotten storage. But it had an old mattress which she had made with sheets with a large pillow and blanket for her expected guest.
She opens the shed door and hears a rustling. "Buff Frog?" She asked, no answer. However, She looks over to the bed and sees that it is no longer tidy. Someone was just lying in it; She smiles and places the corn beside it on a little table with a cola. "Sweet dreams friend." She said before leaving.
For a moment all is still in the shed, and then Buff Frog emerges from his hiding place in the corner. he smiles at the freshly made corn, and the drink. 'Maybe...' he thought as he sat to eat. 'Maybe these humans aren't so bad...'
-To Be Continued
