Gravity Rises (S1)

PF: Part Six

As strange as it was, Dipper felt like he was back in school.

He was sitting on the couch, not allowed to stand up. He was watching the clock tick the seconds away like they were hours. And he was, occasionally, getting lectured by a girl with big hair who was trying to teach him something that he refused to learn. It was like math class.

Except that he'd been kidnapped; he was in what was technically his own house; there was a pig on his lap; and said girl with big hair was trying to convince him that he'd been brainwashed by his own family.

So, not quite like school.

"Oh, dear, I think you're starting to bruise." Pacifica reached out for his face.

He twisted away from her touch. "It's fine."

It wasn't fine, but he wasn't going to tell her that. Since getting kidnapped some seven hours ago, Dipper had already tried to escape. When they'd first gotten back to the Mystery Museum, Dipper had fallen asleep; but as soon as he had woken up, he had bolted. Pacifica (who had probably been watching him sleep — eugh) had tripped him with her magic, and he'd ran into a wooden beam face-first. Now, a couple hours later, his cheek felt swollen and wet, and he could imagine a shiny purple bruise forming.

"Of course it isn't fine, sweetheart," Pacifica soothed. "I can get something for you to put on it."

"No th—"

He stopped. Maybe, while she was in the other room, he could make a break for it.

He feigned giving in. "Actually, that would be really nice," he said with a small smile. "It does hurt. Ford has a box of salves at the top of a cupboard in the bathroom." This was a lie — the box was in the kitchen — but the bathroom was far away from here. Hopefully far enough.

Pacifica gave him a look of utmost sympathy. "All right." She turned and left the room.

Dipper immediately started nudging the pig on his knees. "Waddles. Waddles, wake up."

The pig snorted as he woke up. The one good thing about this whole ordeal was Dipper being reunited with his pig, who had apparently been banished to the furthest corner of the Museum since Pacifica had taken over. Dipper hadn't known how worried he'd been about Waddles until he had run up to him, squealing in delight, a few hours before.

Dipper pushed the pig off his lap and stood up, shaking out his tingly legs. Pigs were heavy. "All right, Waddles," he said quietly. "Let's go."

The pig followed him dutifully as they crossed the room to the table. Dipper grabbed the crystal ball: He didn't know what it was, but he could tell that it was magical, and he thought it was better to destroy it than to leave it in the hands of Pacifica. With the ball in hand, he and Waddles started for the door.

"Dipper darling, which cupboard?"

Dipper froze as Pacifica's voice carried from the hall. "Uh, the one right above the sink!" he called back. She wouldn't be able to tell that he was halfway across the room just by the sound of his voice, would she? He kept an eye on the entrance to the hall just in case, moving past it on his way to the door.

Then he heard the door open and close as someone entered the Museum.

Dipper whirled around to see Gideon Northwest, of all people, frowning at him. "Of course," the boy said with a sigh. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, hi!" said Dipper, trying to keep his voice low. "Funny story: Pacifica invited me over for snacks, and I couldn't resist a good—"

He stopped in the middle of his own sentence, throwing the crystal ball to the ground. The movement was so sudden that Gideon had no chance to catch the ball: It hit the wooden floor and shattered in a magnificent crash. A blue blast of light pushed the crystal shards away from Gideon — and, luckily enough, away from Dipper. Gideon's magic was focused solely on the crystal; in the distraction, Dipper was free to bolt for the door.