Guided by demons

Chain reactions

"So, Dip Dop. What do ya wanna do?" Mabel looked around town after hopping off the bus. Everything seemed like it was before they'd came to town last summer. Before 'All That', as it was now known (courtesy of Mayor Tyler).

"I dunno, maybe go to the library and pick out some new books..."
"You practically brought a library with you this year!" Mabel argued, making it overwhelmingly obvious she had other ideas on where we'd go. "I thought we'd go see Pacifica...maybe all hang out together." She smiled, and Dipper didn't know how to say no. "Great! Let's go!" She grabbed his hand and ran towards a small row of of houses in the town centre.

"How on earth do you know where you're going?!" He asked, trying to keep up with Mabel who appeared to have downed five bottles of Mabel Juice.

"I asked her via text this morning!" She laughed, waving her phone. They'd both gotten a mobile for Christmas, but Mabel had broken her one on the first day, while trying to test how high her window was. Dipper, not wanting to make her upset, gave her his, meaning she had all his contacts...and he was sure Pacifica wasn't on there. But, he kept that thought in his head as they ran, because the words would just make him run out of breath faster.

Eventually, they slowed to a halt beside a small cottage. Mabel rang the doorbell, her smile practically reaching her ears. Before the third chime, the door opened to reveal Pacifica Northwest's beaming smile; it practically mirrored Mabel's! She was wearing a pink crop-top and denim shorts, the kind of thing she'd never be allowed to wear when she lived in the mansion. "Oh my god, it's so nice to see you guys!" She pulled them into a hug, before realising herself and slowly releasing them. "Um, I mean...hi!" She brushed her blond hair behind her ear, and awkwardly twiddled her fingers, not really knowing what to say. "So, um, how've you been?"

Mabel laughed. "Oh, the usual. We did some scrapbooking, Dipper showed interest in life for the first time in months, we had Stancakes, same old, same old." Dipper looked at the ground, not sure how to respond to everything Mabel had told Pacifica. Did she really just tell her about how he'd...shut off from the world..? That was one way to put it, at least. He sighed, ashamed of his negligence of everyone around him. Meanwhile, Mabel and Pacifica kept talking about something or other. He really couldn't care less at that point.

"Dipper, you ready?" Mabel held his arm, but he pulled it away through pain. She laughed slightly. "Oh, right. Sorry bro bro." She had grabbed the exact area where the weird dream-cut was.

"It's okay...ready for what?" She looked at him, clearly annoyed.

"You weren't paying attention?" Mabel frowned, but didn't loose the excited speed. "We agreed that it was unfair of me to say you couldn't go to the library like that, so that's out next stop!" She grabbed his hand snd started walking. Pacifica walked next to him on the other side. She looked worried, and Dipper suddenly felt nervous of just how much Mabel had told her. He barely knew the 'new' Pacifica, and it's not like he trusted the old one with his secrets either.

They reached the library, and Dipper opened the door. "Ladies first." He said, half joking. He waited for Mabel and Pacifica to go in, before entering himself. He quickly ran over to the spot by the window, and pulled out his journal, whereupon he started writing notes and sketches.

"Seriously Dipper? You dragged ups out here for this?" Mabel looked at him, the annoyance from before bubbling up once more.

"Dragged you? Mabel, you suggested we come here!" He tried to reason, but to no avail. She'd finally lost her temper.

"No! You know what? No!! I'm so sick of you shutting me out! I thought yesterday meant something, Dipper! I thought you'd finally opened up to me! Why are you so obsessed with NOT spending time with me?!" She drew herself to her full height. "Dipper, I've had enough of you acting like I'm just the sidekick in your story!"

He stood up, unable to take more of this. "Do you think I do this on purpose?! You think I shut you out to annoy you?! Hell no! I do this for you to be safe, and I'd rather you DIDN'T forget that! I work on this journal so if I'm not around, you have a shot at making a smart decision instead of a hotheaded one!" He threw it into her arms. "You don't want me to have it?! Fine, take it! I'll go do whatever silly thing you want me to do is!"

Mabel snatched the journal and stuffed it in her bag. "GOOD! Glad you finally see some sense! You know, your stupid obsession with mystery is the reason I'm scared to be around you! It's your fault that Bi-" she saw Pacifica in the corner of her eye. "That HE'S back. You need to get your head out of the sand and face facts. This world could do with a little less mystery, and you'd do well to remember that, M..." she trailed off, unable to bring herself to use the blackmail of his name.

He looked at her, his face in shock of how his sister just talked to him. He pulled his hat lower on his head, and ran out of the library. "DIPPER WAIT!" Pacifica called out.

Mabel simply turned her back on the door, and folded her arms.