Forest of Riddles (Reverse Falls, S1)

SBP: Part Ten

The white cottage near the Tent of Telepathy shook with a scream.

Mabel Marvelous sat on her bed, scowling and upset. Nearby, Dipper leaned on a wall with his arms crossed, a deadpan look on his face.

"It's all her fault," Mabel growled.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you? She did literally nothing."

"She broke me and Gideon up."

"You mean 'Gideon and me' ," Dipper corrected before Mabel shot him a glare.

"Stupid little Pines," Mabel said in a low voice. "Just had to bring Gideon into all of it."

"At least she didn't smash your amulet," Dipper pointed out.

"She almost did," Mabel snapped. "Where's my amulet?"

"In my pocket."

"Give it to me."

"Of course not. Are you ridiculous? You just tried to hurt Pines and her cousin - Mother and Father told us not to harm anyone with the amulets."

"You're such a goody-two-shoes." Mabel scowled again. "Give it to me!"

"No!" Dipper shot back.

"I'll tell Father!"

"Is that really going to change things? I'm keeping it until you can learn to control yourself."

"Control myself? I can control myself just fine!"

Dipper gave his sister a look. "And what do you call tonight?"

There was a long, profound silence, in which Dipper waited patiently against the wall for his sister to cool down. Mabel stared at the wall in front of her, her eyes narrowed and hands clenched into fists.

Mabel took a deep breath. Then she turned to her brother and asked, in a sweet voice, "Can I please have my amulet back, Mason?"

"No," Dipper snapped. "I'm leaving."

"Get back here!" Mabel shrieked. "Give me back my amulet!"

Dipper turned around, ready to walk out of the room. He stopped when another one of Mabel's questions reached his ears - "What about my show?" his sister demanded.

Dipper paused, sticking his hands in his pockets. As much as he didn't want to, he had to cancel the show. "I'm cancelling it. It's on a temporary hiatus."

"But this is Stanley's only source of money!"

"We're Gleefuls, sis. We have money."

And Dipper left, ignoring his sister's cries for her amulet. Her amulet was safe in his pocket, curled up in his hand.

Sadie sat on the sofa in the living room, knitting something as usual. "Going?" she asked, noticing Dipper storm out of Mabel's room.

"Yes." Another pause, and then Dipper turned around, making eye contact with his aunt. "Tell Stanley the show is cancelled for now."

Sadie merely nodded and went back to knitting.

Dipper glanced at the clock that hung above the fireplace's mantle. It was too late to head back to the mansion (Mabel had caused quite a scene that had carried on for at least an hour after she had woken up), so he turned back to Sadie.

"Actually -" Dipper hesitated. Then he said, "I'm sleeping over tonight. In my room here."

Sadie nodded again. "Will you call?"