Gravity Rises (S1)

DRB: Part Ten

Gideon activated his amulet as the Pines twins ran past him. The world went into greyscale, but no blue smoke appeared around their heads — as he'd suspected. That girl had a shirt with a blue pine tree symbol, and her brother had a star on his shirt; both of them were immune to the mental powers of Gideon's amulet. Unlike Pacifica, Gideon realized immediately what this meant.

"Gideon, give me my amulet!"

He turned as Pacifica stomped up to him. She looked furious. Gideon stepped aside, grasping her amulet in his hand, and used his own amulet to close the heavy warehouse doors. "I'll give it back when you calm down," he said.

"Calm down! I don't need to calm down! I need to stop her!" She lunged for him, but Gideon danced away in a burst of blue light. Pacifica kept trying to reach him; eventually, he levitated her across the warehouse, forcing her to sit still on the floor. She glared ferociously at him through the blue glow that surrounded her.

Grateful for the momentary silence, Gideon sat on a nearby antique chair. He wanted to close his eyes; but he couldn't do that if he wanted to keep Pacifica pinned down, so he watched her quietly instead.

"You do realize what I was doing," said Pacifica. "She's evil, Gideon. She keeps her mind and her brother's mind hidden from us. You have to help me stop her."

Gideon sighed. "I highly doubt she's evil," he said. "You're just not used to meeting people who are immune."

She looked at him like he was crazy. "You're the only one I can't read. Are you telling me you've met more people like us?"

"I'm telling you," Gideon said, "that you don't need to worry about those twins. Trust me, Pacifica."

"Trust you? While you hold me and my amulet hostage?"

With another sigh, he released her from his magic. She got to her feet, brushing herself off. "Now the amulet," she said.

"Not until they get home safely. No more attacks from you tonight."

She crossed her arms. "Fine. Not tonight. You know," she added, "I didn't want to ask for your help. But if you know so much more than I do, then maybe I should. So, will you help me?"

He frowned at her. "With what?"

"With revenge."

Gideon was silent for a long moment. "What are those kids' names?"

Pacifica looked confused, but she answered anyway. "Dipper and Mabel Pines," she said. "Why?"

"Just curious." Pines. They were related to Stanford Pines. Gideon couldn't go near Stanford, but these twins could. Maybe. . . maybe, if Gideon helped Pacifica, he could get closer to finding what he was looking for. At the very least, it would give him the chance to keep closer tabs on Pacifica. He could make sure no one got seriously hurt in this insane new quest of hers.

"Well?"

Gideon looked at her. Why was she acting like this, anyway? Pacifica had always been a little strange, at least in the four years that Gideon had known her; but he hadn't seen her attack people like this. Maybe he just hadn't caught her in the act before, or maybe something had changed. Maybe her year in Portland — without her amulet — had driven her a little crazy, and that effect only increased when she finally got her powers back. Maybe her amulet, found cast off in a cave with faulty magical artifacts, was messing with her somehow.

He fingered his own amulet. Maybe using the amulets in the first place, faulty or not, was a guarantee for insanity. He wouldn't be too surprised.

Pacifica was losing patience (if she had any to begin with). "Well?"

"All right," he said. "I'll help you." He stood up. "And I'll give you back your amulet if you go straight home. Deal?"

"Fine."

He cast her a suspicious look. "Promise?"

"Yes, fine, I promise." Gideon held out her amulet, and she snatched it from his grip. "Good night, Gideon Northwest," and she stalked from the warehouse.

Gideon watched her go. "You're welcome for saving your amulet," he called after her.

In her bad mood, Pacifica didn't deign to grace him with a response.

~~~~~

Mabel and Dipper ran all the way home to the Mystery Museum, stopping only to catch their breath. It wasn't until they'd pounded up the front steps that they came to a final stop beneath the porch light. Mabel stumbled over to the old couch that sat on the porch and collapsed onto it. Her whole body shook, but her exhausted legs trembled the most. She didn't know if she would ever stand again.

Dipper joined her a moment later. "I don't think I've ever tackled a girl before," he commented as he sat beside his sister. He sounded vaguely horrified at this realization.

Mabel stared at him. A laugh bubbled up from her throat, then another — then another — until they turned to sobs. Everything that had just happened burst out of her in the form of tears and shaky breaths. She curled up against her brother and sobbed until her nose and eyes were both running freely into his sleeve.

She had been attacked. She could have been seriously hurt. She could have been killed.

It was all too much for her to handle.

"It's okay, Mabel," said Dipper. He wrapped his arms around her. "I've got you. You're safe now."

"That's what I get," she mumbled into his sleeve. "That's what I get for going up there."

"What?" he asked gently. He couldn't understand her. She could barely understand herself. But she didn't want to repeat it. She didn't want to move away from her brother's comforting arms. She didn't say anything else, and Dipper simply held her close.

The twins sat in the cold air under the yellow porch light, and Mabel continued to cry.

END OF EPISODE TWO