Gravity Rises (S3)

PP: Part Ten

The Mystery Museum was getting crowded. Mabel was starting to feel pretty claustrophobic.

They were gathering as many Symbols as they could to the Museum, and Andrew the minotaur had visited a few times and put defensive magic around the building. Dipper had enthusiastically introduced Mabel to his minotaur friend, and Mabel thought that Andrew was pretty cool. And he seemed to know a lot about magic, which was fascinating.

But he wouldn't explain anything to Mabel. If Mabel knew, then Bill knew. Only Ford could know the details of the magic. It drove Mabel crazy. While Ford was working with Andrew outside or behind closed doors, Mabel was left to stew inside, trapped with Dipper, Gideon, Melody, Fidds, and the growing number of guests.

First was Robbie — and his parents. Ford and Andrew had gone to get one person and had come back with three. The Corduroys brought cots and sleeping bags and other supplies — like they were going camping — and set up inside the Hall of Mysteries (after Melody had instructed the twins and Gideon to clear out many of the displays). Everyone had been wary of Greg and Janice at first, though they (and Robbie) had insisted that they were no longer helping Bill. Greg even apologized directly to Mabel for his part in helping Pacifica kidnap her.

It was even more awkward than hearing about it from Dipper.

Mabel still wasn't sure about letting Robbie's parents stay at the Museum. (Gideon grumbled that he'd be able to judge their sincerity in a second, if only he had his amulet.) But Andrew seemed to trust them, which helped the Pines do the same. The minotaur pointed out that it was safest for everyone if they stayed here, because then Bill couldn't send the Northwest servants to harass the Symbols' families while the Symbols were safe in the Museum.

Robbie also told the twins what had happened since he'd last seen Ford and Dipper. He and his parents had had many long talks, trying to figure things out. The barrier around the town, causing a car accident and general panic; the guilt that arose when Ford and Lee had found each other after thirty years of lies; Dipper's outburst and accusations about the Corduroys kidnapping Mabel — all these factors helped the Corduroys see the harm caused by Bill and the Order.

So now Mabel had to share a house with them. They mostly stayed out of the way, but mealtimes got crowded.

And it only got worse when the Valentinos joined them.

The morning after the Corduroys came, Ford, Andrew, and Robbie went to Wendy's house. Like the first time they'd gone, Wendy had been originally unwilling to listen to them — but seeing a minotaur outside her house had stunned her enough to change her mind. Andrew was living proof of the supernatural — proof that Ford and Robbie weren't just making things up. Wendy still wasn't happy to be part of the Cipher Wheel, but she, her father, and her three brothers had all come to the Museum to join what Dipper was calling the "Symbol refuge."

That made eight Symbols and six others staying in the Museum. The Corduroys and the Valentinos shared the Hall of Mysteries; Gideon slept on the couch; Ford slept on the air mattress in the attic; the twins were in their room; and Melody and Fiddleford were in Ford's room. The kitchen got so crowded that they started eating meals in shifts, and the adults took turns cooking.

Mabel felt decidedly trapped. How long would they have to stay like this? It was already Wednesday, the ninth of January: only three days before she and Dipper were supposed to go home. Was there any chance of getting out of this in time? It didn't feel like there was.

Eight Symbols were ready and willing to form the Cipher Wheel. Fiddleford still got tired easily, but he was fully on board with defeating Bill. Wendy seemed scared, and she stayed out of sight for most of the time; but Robbie was confident that she would help when it really came down to it. Mabel hoped he was right.