Gravity Rises (S1)

FE: Part Nine

Pacifica hadn't been sure what to expect when she went to Gideon's mansion. But she certainly wasn't expecting her — or, Gideon's — butler to tell her to get ready for a family outing on the lake.

"Why do we have to go?" she asked Mrs. Northwest, using the snobbiest voice she could.

"I don't want to either, believe me," Geneva Northwest replied, pulling on a fur coat that probably cost more than Pacifica's stagehands earned in a month. Pacifica liked her style. "You know Mother hates the cold. But your father thinks it would be a good time to remind the townspeople that we're one of them."

"Are we one of them?" Pacifica drawled in Gideon's lazy cadence. Though she'd never speak like this in her body, it was natural in his.

"No, darling, we're not. But it's good to pretend. It keeps them from prying into our lives too much."

Pacifica wondered if a gruff, "Don't call me darling," would be something that Gideon would say, then decided against it. Just in case.

"Go get out in the limo, Gideon; your butler already put your ice skates out there." Geneva put an earring in her ear.

Pacifica wished she could have her own earrings. "Yes, Mother."

"And Gideon?"

"Yes?"

Geneva turned from her mirror and gave a little sigh. "I know it's hard, but can you try to be happy today? To the common folk, we're a perfect, happy family who has everything they could want. And. . ." She considered her words. "Well, at the very least, we have to keep up appearances." There was a faint trace of bitterness in her face. Pacifica could probably only see it because she had experience with hiding her emotions behind smiles and make-up.

She wondered how Gideon would react to this, and whether this was a common or rare interaction with Geneva. It seemed rare. Pacifica didn't know exactly what to say, so she nodded and said, "All right, Mother."

Half an hour later, she was ice skating near Gideon's parents in slow, lazy strokes. A good amount of the town was out on the lake, and Pacifica realized that she didn't even know most of them. She could pick out people she had read at her shows, but she couldn't remember anything about them. She never held onto that information; it didn't matter outside the show. She could even see the people that had watched her show just last night, before she'd held the séance.

Last night. She had been in her own body last night.

She looked down at Gideon's stocky chest and legs with a sigh. She had to switch back. She couldn't be stuck in this body forever!

Her eyes scanned the lake again, though she didn't know what she was looking for. Had Gideon had any luck? Not that she wanted Mabel to think she was sorry, but. . .

Wait. Was that. . . ?

Her eyes focused. Dipper! Dipper Pines was here! Pacifica quickly looked around for Mabel but luckily couldn't see her. Good. By no means could she face Mabel in this body. If that girl found out about the switch, she could take advantage of it and attack!

But Dipper — Dipper was here. Pacifica watched him dreamily for a moment. He was so. . .

Who was that?

There was someone with Dipper! Another girl! They stepped out onto the lake on their skates and started gliding on the ice. They talked and laughed. Pacifica didn't recognize the girl, but that didn't mean much; she didn't know most of the people out on the lake.

All that she knew was that Dipper was with another girl. Pacifica had to do something!

She nearly started skating over right away, then stopped herself. She was in Gideon's body, which meant she needed a plan. She needed a plan that would get Dipper away from the girl and get him thinking about Pacifica without knowing that he was actually talking to Pacifica. Piece of cake, she thought sarcastically.