Forest of Riddles (Reverse Falls, S1)

SBP: Part Four

Though Pacifica hated to admit it, Gideon was right.

The Tent of Telepathy looked amazing.

Silver stars everywhere, old-fashioned gas lamps - it was simply mystical. But the gas lamps reminded her of the fairies from the forest, so Pacifica made sure to avoid those as much as she could.

Once Melody had given a red-headed teen their tickets and they had found seats inside, Pacifica decided to glance at her surroundings. Her eyes landed on the unlit stage in front of her - rounded and big for a stage (in Gravity Falls), with blue-velvet curtains drawn.

An image flashed into her head - a pixie standing on the stage.

Pacifica shook her head. When she took another look at the stage, it was as unlit as it had been seconds before.

She settled back into her seat, suddenly aware of her surroundings with her heart pumping fast.

~

"Five minutes to curtain!"

Mabel ignored the knocking on her trailer door and instead politely coughed to let her stagehand know to leave her alone. Then she turned back to her large vanity mirror and fixed her hair.

Another knock, moments later. Mabel gritted her teeth, coughing just a little bit harder but still politely nonetheless.

Suddenly her trailer door slammed open. Mabel whirled around, ready to yell at whoever had intruded on her getting ready for the show -

- and instead swallowed her tantrum, scowling.

"It isn't polite to intrude on a lady while she's getting ready," Mabel said in a forced voice, turning back to her mirror. She grabbed a make-up brush and began to apply a tiny amount of pink blush to her cheeks.

"Hello to you, too," Mason Gleeful said sourly. "What a nice 'welcome back' article there was in the paper."

"There wasn't any article in the paper."

She watched in the mirror, out of the corner of her eye, as her brother folded her arms and gave his sister a Look. "Exactly," he said in a deadpan tone. "How long have you been back?"

"About a week, Mason dearest."

Mason coughed. 

Mabel paused powdering her face and sniffed. "Are you still going by Dipper?"

"Speak for yourself, Marvelous." Mason rolled his eyes. "You heard Soos. There's, like, three minutes to curtain."

"They'll just have to wait, won't they?" Mabel said sweetly. She activated her amulet, pointing at strands of hair that rested in front of her ears and gently curling them with her magic. "Your outfit's in the wardrobe."

Mason didn't move from the doorway. "I still can't believe you're bringing back the Mystery Twins. It's only your second performance here."

"Mason." Mabel looked him right in the eye. "Your public appearance."

"Dipper," Mason corrected. Then he rolled his eyes again. "That doesn't work all the time."

Mabel stared at him expectantly with a smile.

Mason groaned and headed towards the wardrobe, raising his hands in defense. "I'm going, all right?"

"Thank you, brother dear," Mabel said sweetly, turning back to her mirror. With one final touch, she added a giant white bow on her head. "Perfect."

~

"Remind me again, why are we standing outside when we're supposed to be inside?" Mason said.