Gravity Rises (S1)

FE: Part Eight

Mabel, Dipper, and Amanda sat around the living room, playing more cards. It was the same game as earlier, and Dipper was still winning consistently (though Amanda gave him some competition). Mabel was bored of the game, but she kept playing for Amanda's sake. And so that she could watch Dipper: He was sitting a bit too close to Amanda, in Mabel's opinion.

They were just about to finish another round when the doorbell rang. "Not it!" Dipper shouted.

"Not it!" Mabel said a split second later. "Aw, dang it." She gave Dipper a mock glare and stood up, heading for the door. She absently scratched her head as she went.

Her hand dropped when she opened the door. So did her mouth.

"Uh, hi," Pacifica Pleasure said.

Mabel immediately went to slam the door, but Pacifica caught it with an outstretched hand. "Mabel—"

"What are you doing here?" Mabel hissed, covering up her internal panic by glaring fiercely at Pacifica.

"I—"

"How dare you show up here after what you've done! What, are you here to apologize?"

"Yes, actually."

Mabel threw up her hands. "Well you can — wait, what?"

"I'm here to apologize."

Mabel lowered her hands to her sides as she stared incredulously at the other girl. Finally, she glared again and said, "What are you playing at, Pleasure?"

An expression flitted across Pacifica's face, nearly unreadable. Was that. . . amusement? Respect? But then it was gone, and Pacifica hesitated. She was probably deciding whether or not to lie.

"Nothing," she finally said. "I'm really sorry for attacking you. I'm. . . unstable. I need help, and I don't know where to get it. So, I'm sorry."

Nothing could convince Mabel that Pacifica was being sincere. And yet. . . she was being insincere in a strange way. It was like she found this. . . funny. Mabel's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to mock me, Pacifica?"

"No! Please, you have to forgive me. I can't live with myself knowing you hate me."

"You can say things like that to me when you mean them!" Mabel shot back, her voice rising. "How dare you come and laugh at me and pretend to apologize like — like it's nothing! Like what you did wasn't even a big deal!"

She was shouting now. She braced herself in the doorway, vaguely aware of footfalls behind her.

"Mabel, what's going—?"

Dipper stopped when he saw Pacifica. "What are you doing here?"

Pacifica let out a sigh that Mabel wouldn't have expected from her dainty way of moving. "I'm trying to apologize to Mabel, but it seems she doesn't want to hear it."

Mabel gave an indignant scoff, but Dipper started talking before she could. "You, apologize? To Mabel?" His eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at, Pleasure?"

Pacifica threw up her hands, much like Mabel had done earlier. "Never mind! Just know I'm sorry, okay? Let me know when you want to believe me." She turned and stomped down the steps, giving heavier footfalls than Mabel thought possible.

It was only then that she realized Pacifica wasn't wearing any shoes.

Dipper eased Mabel's hands off the doorframe and closed the door. "You okay, Mabes?"

It took Mabel a moment to process that he was talking to her. "Y-yeah, I guess. That was. . . weird."

"Who was that?"