Always (2/3)

04: but he's not evil

04
Pacifica

My heart thudded in my chest. I was actually back to where I was years ago, where I'd first met Dipper. It was almost scary how surreal this all felt. It was easy to convince Jenessa and Rachel to go, although I didn't tell them that the reason was to see Dipper.

The Tent of Telepathy looked exactly how it did all those years ago. But Gideon was right, the Tent was practically full. We were lucky enough to even get seats, even if they were nearly all the way in the back. What mattered was that I was there.

I thought back to what Janessa and Rachel had said back when we were on the road. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Maybe my story really would get a happy ending.

"A magic show?" Janessa snorted. "What are we, five?"

"Lighten up, Nessa." Rachel swatted her. "If Paz likes it, it has to be interesting and cool."

Janessa shrugged and shifted in her seat. "Whatever."

Gideon looked around warily. He looked nervous, and I needed to figure out why. I kicked his foot with my own to get his attention. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Gideon glanced at my friends and then at me. "Just the whole, supernatural issue. That's all."

"Lemme guess," I sighed, "being here doesn't exactly help."

"Well think about it, Paz." Gideon frowned. "After you left, you took the Journal with you. Between everyone in Reverse Falls, how many people --that we know of-- know about the strangeness and magic that this town?"

"Four." I stated, after thinking a moment. "You, me, and the twins."

"Exactly." Gideon nodded. "Now just let me talk, and don't interrupt me."

"I won't." I promised, glancing back to see that Janessa and Rachel were talking about some random guy at our school. Figuring that they were occupied, I signalled for Gideon to continue.

"Just think about it: as soon as you left, the twins were enrolled into some boarding school up in Seattle, Washington. Then magic disappeared as soon as they were gone. But when they came back, it started up again."

"What are you saying?" I demanded, albeit keeping my tone hushed.

"I'm suggesting that the twins might have something to do with this." Gideon sighed, "I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's not totally unrealistic."

"Why would they want to do that?"

"I know you don't wanna hear this but," he sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly. "The Gleeful family isn't nice, Paz."

I couldn't help but let out a snort. In the process, I received a weird look from both Janessa, Rachel, and a few people that didn't even know us. I cleared my throat. "Sorry."

Everyone else went back to waiting for the show to start, but I looked back at Gideon. "Everyone knows that the Gleeful family isn't full of nice people. But they're not evil, Gideon."

"I'm thinking specifically the youngest Gleefuls." Gideon pointed out.

This time I held back my snort of disapproval. "Dipper and Mabel aren't evil, Gideon. I know Dipper."

"But did you know him before he fell for you?" Gideon challenged, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "Sure, he may not have been 'take over the world and destroy everything' evil, but I don't think there's anyone who can stop him from getting what he wants."

"That's unsettling, Gideon." I rolled my eyes. "Dipper's. . .different, but he's not evil. Why would he even start doing something like whatever it is you think he did?"

Gideon pondered the thought briefly. "Oh, maybe it has something to do with broken promises."

"Broken promises?"

"Never mind." Gideon shook his head. "Just admit that it isn't unrealistic."

"Maybe there's a different reason." I suggested.

"Which would be?" He gave me a look that said 'really?'.

"Maybe whatever magic creature that's here only comes around to try and eliminate the twins." I stated, and as I said it, I started to believe it. "Not so unrealistic?"

"Eh," Gideon gave a half-hearted shrug. "Mine's better."

"Sh!" Janessa elbowed me. "The show's starting."

"I thought you didn't want to be here." I scoffed lightly.

"Well, I read about this place online while you two were talking about god knows what." Janessa explained. "And it seems kinda cool."

"Well shush!" Rachel exclaimed. "It's starting."

Sure enough, the lights began to dim, making my nerves bounce. This was exactly where it was, although I didn't picture us meeting like this again. I always assumed that it would be more romantic. With me coming into town and then him showing up unexpectedly. I chuckled to myself. Showing up unexpectedly was something Dipper was known for.

Once the overhead lights were completely off, the sound of a lighter flicking echoed across the tent. It got everyone to shut up and now there was only silence. Suddenly, the candles that were hanging on the walls of the tent (did it even have walls?) caught afire.

Janessa and Rachel gasped loudly, as it was their first time at a Gleeful show. And even though I kind of knew what to expect, I was in awe.

Soon, the red-orange flames changed to a light blue color. Burning with such intensity that it actually startled me. This was much different to the show they performed the first time I saw it. That's when I heard it. The familiar sound of click-clacking heels on a wooden stage. Even with the curtains still closed, I knew who it was without needing to see her.

It was Mabel Gleeful, Dipper's twin sister.