Northwest-Pines Mystery Hunters

Six-Partners

"You're what?" I asked, almost falling off the bed.

"Good God Pines, I only said I was a member of the third richest family in America." Gideon said, as if he'd just told me he had a cat.

"But still, you're a member of the third richest family?" I asked.

"In America!" Gideon corrected.

"But still! Imagine all of the scientific research you could conduct!" Gideon chuckled.

"Please. I have no use for scientific research. After all, imagine what I could do with magic. I could be a God!" He stood on my bed with his fist clenched in the air.

"Woah there, I think you have some explaining to do first." I crossed my arms.

"Of course, please forgive me." He sat down. "Now, what questions do you have?"

"First off, why were you looking for the journal?"

"This town has mysteries to be discovered and that is all you need know." Gideon said firmly.

"Alright then," I said, cockily. "But why do you need my journal? Can't you discover them in your own?"

"First off it isn't your journal anymore than the other is mine." Gideon said fiercely. "Your Uncle clearly never meant for anyone to read them therefore they are his, we are merely borrowing them."

"Why are you so defensive?" I asked, taken aback.

"I'm not defensive." Gideon said curtly, looking through the pages of his journal. "I'm simply respecting his possessions, as one must learn to do in my line of work." In his line of work? What the heck does that mean?

"I take it you 'borrow' people's things a lot." He closed the book quickly.

"I do what I have to."

"Why?"

"That is between me and my father." I looked down to the floor, where the journal sat where I'd dropped it. I bent down to examine the page it laid open to.

The page was covered in strange lines, circles, and symbols that made no sense.

"It's in that one too?" Gideon asked, rushing to my side on the floor.

"Do you recognize any of these symbols?" I asked.

"No, in fact I've looked for them before. They appear on nearly every page of the journal." He grabbed his journal too, opening it to a nearly identical page, save for the fact that it was mirrored.

"It's... a diagram!" I exclaimed, nearly jumping with excitement. "Finally, I have a chance to make some real discoveries!"

"No..." Gideon said, almost whispering. "We need to know what it's for. We can't just rush into things." I sighed.

"You're right." I looked at the white-haired boy. "Does this mean we're partners?" Gideon blinked, then chuckled.

"I guess it does." He said, smiling a genuine grin.

"This is great!" I smiled, holding out my hand.

"What's this?"

"A promise. You have to promise that if we'll be working together you won't keep any secrets from me." I said sternly. If I was going to be stuck with this snob all winter, I at least wanted to know what his 'line of work' was.

"Mmm... fine. But you have to promise you'll keep this a secret. You cannot tell a soul, not your friends, not your uncle, and most certainly not your brother." I held my breath, a bad habit I'd acquired when doing hard thinking.

"Fine. I promise I won't tell a soul. Not Ford, not Dipper." I promised.

"And your friends?"

"Don't have any."

"Alright then, I promise I won't keep any secrets from you." We shook hands and stood up. "The only problem now is-"

"Mabel?" Ford called, knocking lightly on the door. I rushed to stand with my back against it, holding a finger to my lips.

"Yeah Grunkle Ford?" I asked.

"I was wondering if we could talk." I panicked.

"I'm-uh..... changing!"

"Oh." Ford sighed.

"Well, I just wanted to apologize for not taking more of an interest in you. What say you we go ice skating later? Melody has some free passes that need to be used by tomorrow and apparently her cousin has new plans."

"What about my ankle?" I asked curiously.

"You'll be fine if you don't skate too fast." I giggled.

"I don't think I could skate fast. I'm not the most graceful skater. Or walker, for that matter." Ford chuckled lightly.

"Well, come on down when you're dressed." I listened carefully for his fading footsteps and breathed a sigh of relief.

"The only problem now is how to sneak you out." I finished for Gideon.

"In a dignified manner, if you please." Gideon climbed up to the window and opened it. "We'll meet again." He climbed through and disappeared. I ran to see what had happened to him in perfect time to see him floating away with his usual blue aura strong around him.