Sincerely Yours, Bill Cipher

No Matter What

"We found a Jinni once!" Mrs. Bluff exclaims excitedly, beginning their story. "I think it's really what pressures us into becoming monster hunters. Teddy and I both grew up in families that investigated the supernatural, but our happening upon a Jinni really excited us."
Mr. Bluff nods. "We collect suspicious and supernatural influenced objects. One contained a three-wish Jinni."
"Of course, we knew at once what we wanted to wish for," Mrs. Bluffs continues with a smile.
"We wanted a child," her husband explains. "We'd been trying for years, but we'd gotten nowhere. But soon after our wish was made, we had a daughter of our own."
Yule looks at Merrily in awe. "You never told me that," he says. "Your life is like a fairy tale."
"Uh-huh. It is like a fairy tale," Merrily agrees, then looks lovingly at him. "I even found a prince at the end."
Yule blushes with a flustered grin, then presses his lips to her cheek.
"Our Jinni didn't leave right away," Mr. Bluff continues. "Her name was Isla. She wanted to stay until the wish was completely granted. Isla stayed until Merrily was born."
"She was so enamored with Merrily," Mrs. Bluff picks up, reminiscing. "She loved her with all her heart. Just by looking at her, we could tell how much Isla longed for a child of her own." Mrs. Bluff looks away in shame. "I'm embarrassed to say it, but that frightened me and Teddy. Looking back, I know we probably shouldn't have done this, but we kicked Isla out. We- We were afraid that she might let it get to her head and take Merrily for herself."
     "We're not proud of that," Teddy agrees, shaking his head solemnly. "I really do believe her love may have been innocent, and that she may have left on her own, given time, but..." He wrings his fingers through his wavy salt-and-pepper hair. "We were only being parents. After all, Merrily seemed to be our only chance. And we couldn't let anything happen to our precious daughter. And also, Jinn don't have the best reputation. The ones in bottles especially turn out to be evil ones."
     "But during her time with us," Mrs. Bluff continues, "she was so captured by Merrily that she let a few things slip about her and her home where she lived long ago."
     I take in a sharp intake of air. "Are you saying...?"
     "Yes." Mrs. Bluff smiles. "She was part of a community of Jinn before she was paired to an object."
"Then... she must have been in that bottle for years," I remark.
Mr. Bluff nodded. "We don't know exactly how she was imprisoned like that, but our second wish was for her to reveal where the Jinn community she came from was. Our third was for her to leave and forget all about our encounter. Once that was complete, she simply left, no recollection of why she was here at all. But she was freed from her bottle and I assume went back to her home."
"So you think that community is still around?" Pacifica asks excitedly. "If it is, how are we supposed to get a wish there?"
     "I do believe it would be," Mr. Bluff replies. "It's north of Gravity Falls, near the Washington border. If you drove, you could reach the town the Jinn live by about noon. I can write down the directions to take to get from the main town you can drive to into the forest community where the Jinn reside."
"You've never been, though?" I ask cautiously.
"No, those directions are straight from Isla's mouth," he replies, pulling a pad and pen from his pocket and beginning to jot everything down.
Mrs. Bluffs looks at us nervously. "Are you children sure you want to do this? This could be a perilous mission. Jinn are most certainly not always the safest beings to interact with. I- I don't want us to be hearing about your deaths after this."
     "You know we have to do this," I tell her firmly, putting a hand on Pacifica's shoulder. "If we don't, Dipper and Mabel will almost surely die, with us and so many others following soon after."
     Merrily bows her head, then peers back up at us. "I don't suppose you'd let me come with you?" Her parents cringe and bite back their disapproval. However much they'd hate her coming along, they don't want to take away her free will. They don't want to say she can't help her friends. Merrily sees the looks her parents are giving her and tells them gently, "Remember, I'm not seventeen anymore. I'm just about twenty-two now. I'm an adult. You two forget that sometimes."
     "I'm sorry, Merrily," I say before they can respond. "I know you're fully capable of coming with us and taking care of yourself, but I'm not comfortable with bringing another person along. It's way too dangerous to bring any more people than we need. We need two people. One to carry out actions, and one to swoop in if help or rescue is needed. Yule can come because he won't be put in near as much danger, and he'll provide insight, help, and companionship. Plus..." I look at Pacifica and Yule timidly. "The three of us, if we fail, will most likely perish anyway. If you stay, you'll live either way."
     Merrily tears up. "Are you serious? I can't lose you all! You- You're the only ones who know about what I'm going through!" Her wildly frantic gaze shifts to Yule. "And I finally found someone that I can actually spend my life with! Please don't leave me!"
     "Sunshine, that's why we have to do this," Yule insists, his eyes sparkling with emotion. "We'll come back, all of us, okay?"
     "Come back here tonight, whatever happens," Merrily pleads desperately, putting her palms out in front of her.
     Yule touches his hands to hers. "No matter what, I will." He gives her one last kiss, then comes to my side. "Let's go."
     I nod and then dip my head in thanks to the Bluffs. "Thank you for all your help."
     "It was our pleasure," Mr. Bluff says in reply, standing to shake my hand. "Stay safe."
     Pacifica hugs Merrily, then I do. As we embrace, she whispers, "Take care of yourselves."
     I pull back and smile at her with a whisper of my own. "Always."