Gravity Rises (S3)

TTF: Part Seven

Percy Pleasure sat at his desk in the Order headquarters, rubbing his forehead. He had plenty to do tonight — a few stacks of papers were pushed to the sides of the desk — but he needed a moment. He had just arrived from his home, where his thirteen-year-old son Patrick was reigning terror on the house. The young teen thought it would be a perfectly sound idea to go camping in the middle of the forest with his friends — and with no adults. This was, in reality, a terrible idea — even in forests without magical creatures waiting to capture Patrick at any moment to gain an advantage over the Order. Percy had joined in the argument for a bit before he had to leave for the Order; then, he left his poor wife to deal with their moody son.

He sincerely hoped Patrick would mature into a good Order leader. Things were looking worrisome right now, but, well — Percy hadn't exactly been a model teenager either.

Percy's trouble with his son wasn't his only problem, far from it. Last night, Lord Cipher had visited his dreams, informing him about the arrival of Stanley Pines and the potential problems he brought with him. Stanley, it turned out, was a Symbol — the fourth Symbol to arrive in Gravity Rises, along with Stanford and Fiddleford and the young Ramirez girl. With only six more people, the prophesied Cipher Wheel could form, thereby ruining Bill's escape from this dimension.

That certainly could not happen.

So, Stanley's arrival was less than ideal. Another Symbol meant another person Gaston couldn't wipe with his amulet. And, of course, the very reason for the man's coming posed a significant problem.

Stanford was on the Order's trail, and he planned to bring Stanley in on it. Soon, they might discover them, and the memory gun wasn't ready yet. Bill forbid Percy from using the gun on the Symbols until it was perfected; at this point, it was a race between Fiddleford's completion of the gun and the brothers' investigation.

Percy wouldn't tell that to Fiddleford, however. Cipher and the Order leader had both agreed that Fiddleford was more efficient in his ignorance of the brothers' suspicions. Informing him would only fluster him, making him effectively useless — and more likely to give something away, besides.

A frantic knock sounded on Percy's office door. His rumination time was over.

"Come in, Fiddleford," he called, for who else could it be?

Sure enough, a red-faced Fiddleford burst through the door, his anxiety written across his face. "Master Pleasure, there's a situation. Stanford has invited—"

"Do you not think Lord Cipher informed me of this?" said Percy, his voice calm. "I am aware of Stanley's arrival. And I received instruction from our lord on what to do about it."

Relief swept through Fiddleford's countenance, though it was quickly overtaken by a frown. "Why didn't Lord Cipher visit me last night as well?"

Percy raised an eyebrow. "He and I were consulting. Do not think he is at your whim, to appear to you whenever you're worried."

Fiddleford look crestfallen. Percy winced inwardly at the overt nature of this man's emotions. It was a wonder he was able to keep the Order secret at all, considering how obvious he was.

"I'm. . . I'm sorry, Master Pleasure."

"You have great purpose with our lord, Fiddleford, but don't let it get to your head," said Percy in a mild rebuke. "Now, would you like to hear what he said?"

Fiddleford nodded eagerly.

"This Stanley Pines is a snarl in Cipher's plans, yes, but not a major one. In fact, Lord Cipher believes he can perhaps use Stanley to further his desires. Your instructions, then, are to stay out of his way."