Winter's Promise

Chapter 26 - The Mall

Over the last week, Pacifica had decided to let Dipper focus on helping Ford in the lab as he helped Ford complete the teleportation engine. They had disconnected the power from the Portal. Partly because they needed it for the teleportation engine and partly as a failsafe for disabling the portal. They finally had finished the teleportation and just had a few field tests to conduct. After that Ford had decided he needed a vacation and what better way when you can go anywhere you want with a teleportation engine. Ford asked everyone where they wanted to go, and after much deliberating, they chose the Bahamas by majority consensus.

Pacifica was rather excited as she said, "I have a great new swimsuit just for the occasion." Mabel snickered. "Yeah, I'm sure Dipper will appreciate that," she said with a wide smirk while Dipper blushed crimson. Then her smile wilted. Dipper put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong Mabes?" She shrugged her shoulders. "It's just I don't have a nice swimsuit. At least not one that fits me." Mabel had not been swimming in a long time and had grown since then.

Pacific took her hand with a smile. "This calls for specialty equipment." She flashed her black VIP exclusive credit card pointedly. "We're going to the mall!" Mabel mustered a smile.

Dipper perked up. "Mind if I tag along?" The girls smiled, then Pacifica raised an eyebrow looking him up and down. "Provided you wear something civilized," she said. Dipper looked down at his clothes. He was sporting a faded Dungeons Dungeons and more Dungeons T-shirt along with jeans shorts that were frayed and had holes in them, and not in a flattering way. On top of all of that, he was wearing a knee-high lab coat. She pointed at his feet. "Ditch the knee-high socks. You look like Lewis from revenge of the nerds in that get-up." Mabel laughed and snorted. Dipper flushed for a moment but then looked at his outfit. Apparently, he arrived at the same conclusion. He really did stand out.

"Yeah, I'll quickly change," he said. Taking the stairs two at a time he hiked up to his room. A while later Pacifica saw Dipper came down the stairs now looking sharp. He was now wearing a pair of nice-fitting stylish khaki shorts that complimented his figure. He had paired it with a white short-sleeved dress shirt that was light and unbuttoned enough to show a decent amount of chest hair. He had on a pair of mirror gray sunglasses and had applied some mouse to his hair again giving it a naturally curly sheen. Her jaw slacked a little. Dipper looked good! She definitely got a little more than distracted with the plunge on his shirt. His shoulders were slightly wider as his muscular torso broadened the further it got from his waist. The white dress shirt showed his figured body well. As Dipper stepped closer Pacifica could smell his aftershave and cologne. She bit her lower lip as a fire grew in her belly.

Pacifica smilled at Dipper eyeing him up and down as he walked over to her with a smile. "Where have you been all week?!" she said watching him with hungry eyes. Mabel said, "head up!" She tossed him the keys for the truck from the key rack saving him the trip. Dipper caught the keys deftly with a swipe of his hand. He held out his other arm for Pacifica. "Milady," he said with a charming smile. Pacifica smilled wide. What a gentleman she thought. After all the scum she saw at prep school it was so refreshing to be treated like a lady. She took his arm. As he got to the door he used both hands to lock and deadbolt it behind him as Ford was still in the lab. Pacifica then reached out and wove her fingers through his. Dipper smilled at her and led the way to the truck as he clicked the Key FOB. The truck chirped and the red tail lights blinked as they unlocked.

Just then a car pulled up the driveway to the shack that Dipper and Mabel did not recognize. She watched it with rapt attention. It looked like a very expensive SUV similar to her own. A tall broad chested older man with gray hair and glasses stepped out. Pacifica recognized the General as she smilled. Then to Mabel and Dipper's horror, Charles stepped out of the passenger side. He looked nothing like he had the night they met him. Then he had an air of smug aristocratic self-confidence. Now he looked fretful and rather uncomfortable. The general leaned against the door folding his arms. His stern gaze tracked young Charles. Pacifica waved to the general with a smile. He now smiled a very bright smile as he returned the wave. Pacifica watched Dipper's face dawn with recognition as he put two and two together. He now understood why Charles looked so miserable. He was here on general's orders to apologize.