Little Dipper

Salt

"Your house is really big." Dipper said as they entered the tall gate.

"It's meant to be like a castle, which is why it's on a high cliff overlooking the town." Pacifica shrugged.

"Well, I think it's stupid. What if there was a really big earthquake? Or a horribly-placed lightning strike?" Bill pointed out.

"Well, there's enough cliff that it shouldn't be a problem." Pacifica shrugged again and then the driver opened the door for them to get out. "Hopefully we can get this done before my, uhm, guests arrive. My parents don't know they're coming..."

"Who did you invite?" Bill asked.

"Candy and Grenda." Pacifica said in a small voice. "My parents wouldn't approve, so I was going to sneak out of the party and spend time with them in my room..."

"Aww." Bill smiled.

Pacifica blushed. "A-Anyways, let's go to the lounge."

"Lead the way." Bill gestured for her to go first.

They entered the large manor and went to the lounge. It was quiet, the curtains were cheerily letting in sunlight, and there was no sign of the blood from the night before. Still, Pacifica looked at the walls fearfully, one hand gripping Gideon's sleeve.

"Well, no sign of the ghost." Bill commented. "Hey, I have a question. Will I be able to leave the room once the salt is in place?"

Gideon looked thoughtful. "Uhm...probably, since you're only a manifestation of the mind and not really here. And even then, you're an alien, not a real demon of Hell, so it may not affect you."

"Just checking, in case things get ugly and I need to step back." Bill stretched out his arms. "Let's get with the salting, then. Uh, better tell your maid not to clean this room until we give the okay, Pacifica."

"Ah, you're here!" Preston walked into the room. "So, can you handle it?"

"First, we're going to make sure he can't run rampant by putting salt along the walls, doorways and windows." Gideon explained. "After that, maybe Bill can actually get an answer out of this thing and find out what it wants."

"If nothing else, I can punch it into submission." Bill said, blue fire forming around his hands. "It might take a little while, so keep any early guests from going near this room."

"Of course. Thank you for taking the time to come." Preston said, glancing at Bill's hands awkwardly before quickly deciding against offering his hand to shake. "Well! I'll leave you to it. Pacifica, come with me."

"Actually, it might be best for her to stay." Bill said. "He may not come out unless a Northwest is here, if his beef is with your family. Unless you'd rather volunteer yourself?"

"...What about Gideon?" Preston asked.

"He's a Gleeful, it doesn't count. I mean, we could try it, but it's unlikely to work." Bill looked out the window. "We better hurry, the sun's setting."

Gideon nodded. "Mabel, Dipper, can you help? The more of us that do it, the better. I'll also make some wards and put them on the walls. And once the salt is done, everyone but Bill, Pacifica and I will leave the room." He handed them each a container of salt.

Preston sighed. "Fine. But if anything happens to her, you're in trouble!" He walked away.

"Don't pretend to care about her now, you jerk." Gideon grumbled as they set to work.

"Uhm...what can I do to help?" Pacifica asked.

"Sit down in a chair and stay in it, we're going to put a ring of salt around you." Gideon explained.

"Okay." She sat down in a chair. "Why?"

"So you can't be attacked or possessed." Gideon said as he started to surround the chair with salt.

"Okay, I'm done over here." Mabel said, holding up her empty case of salt.

"I'm done!" Dipper held up his.

"I'll check on your work in a moment." Gideon said, standing up and looking over the circle. "Remember, Pacifica. No matter what, do NOT move from the chair. As long as he can see you, he'll come out."

"Or she." Bill shrugged. "We don't actually know yet, do we?"

"Gideon, are you going to be okay?" Pacifica asked worriedly. "You look terrible..."

Gideon rubbed at his eyes. "I'm fine. This is more important, I'll sleep when I know you're safe. I'm sorry I haven't been able to do much before now."

"You weren't equipped to fight a ghost." Bill commented, looking at his empty container. "I'm done. That everything?"

Gideon looked around. "Yes. Mabel, Dipper, leave the room and make sure not to disturb the salt as you go." He looked out the window. "Just in time, it's almost night."

Pacifica gripped the arms of her chair nervously, looking at the walls.

"We'll be right out here." Mabel said, picking Dipper up and stepping over the salt line carefully. "Be careful, all of you."