Little Dipper

Vision

Fire consumed the buildings and trees as people ran in terror and screamed. A red cloth shifted in the wind as a menacing X loomed overhead in the sky, like a crack had burst open. Then it was dark, and a circular object started to glow. A cloaked figure with glowing bug-like eyes stepped out of the glow, and then there was a flash of sharp teeth and high-pitched laughter. And then darkness.

"Let's party."

–

Gideon gasped sharply as his eyes snapped open, his eyes shaking as well as his entire body. "W-Water." He breathed.

"He needs water!" Mabel cried, looking around. Pacifica quickly went and got him some, coming right back with it.

"You okay, Gid? I told you that you should rest." Bill said, frowning.

Gideon groaned and shook his head after drinking some water. "Paper...my bag, sketchbook. Pacifica, you know--"

"I'll get it." Pacifica nodded and headed off.

"What do you need a sketchbook for?" Mabel asked.

"Fire...screams...a red cloth...an X in the sky...I can't describe everything...I need to draw it to make sense of it." Gideon explained.

"A vision." Preston said, walking up with Pacifica. "You had a vision again?"

Gideon nodded and took the sketchbook and pencil when Pacifica offered it, opening it to a fresh page and starting to draw.

"Does he have these visions often?" Bill asked.

"Not too often and, when he does, they always come true." Preston replied.

Bill looked at Tad and McGucket. "...You said there was a countdown? How long do we have?"

"...21 hours. It might be related, but I don't know if it's what he had a vision about." Tad replied.

"21 hours...That's less than a day. You mean, something's going to happen tomorrow?" Bill looked towards the tapestry. "That's so short-notice..."

"Gideon...how long until your visions take place?" Bill looked at him.

"Anywhere from a few days to a month." Gideon said, continuing to draw.

"So...there's a bug coming?" Dipper asked, pointing to the person in front of the glowing circle.

"Isn't that the portal behind him?" Mabel frowned.

"That can't be, the portal is off. I checked it last night." Bill frowned and looked around. "...Where's Stan?"

"I dunno, we've been here all day." Mabel shrugged. "Give him a call?"

"Yeah." Bill pulled out his phone and dialed Stan's number. It rang up to 13 times before he hung up. "He's not answering."

"Maybe he went to bed." Dipper shrugged. "Gideon, are you gonna be okay?"

"Mmhm." Gideon nodded. "Sorry about scaring you, darlin'." He looked at Mabel.

"I'm just glad you're alright." Mabel kissed his cheek. "Hey, guess what? After we moved you to this couch and everyone calmed down, Pacifica introduced Grenda to a guy and they really hit it off."

"Really?" Gideon looked back at his drawing.

"What's that?" Dipper pointed to what he was drawing.

"This...is a red cloth. I don't know what it is, it's just a red cloth. It could be anything from a scarf or a cape to a flag." Gideon shrugged.

"I'm really concerned about Stan not answering his phone." Bill looked to the side. "Pine Tree, do you mind if we go?"

"But, I wanna stay." Dipper frowned.

"Alright, alright. I'll try calling him again." Bill went to dial his phone again, but Tad stopped him.

"Panicking is not going to help anything. Maybe he's really just asleep." Tad suggested. "Calm down, enjoy the party. If something happens, we'll deal with it."

Bill sighed and put his phone away. "...Fine. I'll...check on the portal later, then."

"Good idea." Tad nodded. "Gideon, are you going to be alright?"

"I'll have a headache for a little bit, but I'll be fine. Go on and enjoy the party, I'll join you when I've finished this." Gideon replied.

"I'll stay with him. You guys go have fun." Mabel told them.

"Darlin', you can go have fun too." Gideon told her, looking up from his work.

"I'd rather stay with you. You owe me a dance." Mabel grinned at him.

"Okaaaay, let's leave the lovebirds be." Bill steered Dipper away. "C'mon, Tad, Fids! Hey, Fids, where's Shifty?"

"He didn't want to come." McGucket shrugged. "Said it was too many people, too confusing."

"Ah, I can understand that." Bill nodded, walking away with them.

Gideon watched them go and then went back to drawing.

"Any idea what this is?" Mabel asked. "Is it a monster? What's coming out of the portal?"

"You know, I'm not sure. I'm going to agree with your brother, it looks like a weird bug person." Gideon nodded.

Mabel giggled. "We better have lots of bug-spray ready then!"

"Fire's good against bugs, too." Gideon commented.

"Like we really need more fires set in the basement." Mabel rolled her eyes.

"It survived before." Gideon grinned.

–

"So, we're turning it on again?" Tyrone asked as he helped Stan work on the controls.

"It's almost time, I can feel it." Stan replied. "I just need to keep Bill out of here...maybe send him and the kids out to town for something." He pulled a switch.

"I'm sure you'll think of something, Mr. Stan." Tyrone said, watching the portal come on.

"I always do." Stan shrugged.