26
Pacifica

Dipper was lying and I knew it.

I knew him well enough now to know when he lied. His eyes would have that glint to them, sparkling even. Why he was lying to me now I didn't know, but it could only mean one thing; that this was more serious than he was letting on.

Dipper had gone to the bathroom to take a shower and I was sitting in the living room, thinking over the story he told me. If that creature tracked magic, Reverse Falls was a goldmine. It explained why the Tent of Telepathy only held one show a year, to keep the creature from finding them.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

I looked up, startled, but it was only Gideon. He walked into the living room and sat down next to me. "So, what'd you and Dipper talk about?"

Did I tell Gideon the truth? He needed to know as much as I did. It seemed only fair. "Y'know that creature you've been investigating?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Gideon looked at the tv and grabbed the remote.

"Well, Dipper and I saw it last night." I said quietly.

"What?! You're kidding?!" Gideon exclaimed, dropping the remote. "What happened? Is that why Dipper's got those ugly slash marks?"

I nodded slowly. "Even I don't really understand it. But Dipper seems to know more about it than anyone."

"Speaking of which, where is that heathen?"

"Showering." I replied. "But that's besides the point. I saw the creature, Gideon. God, it was terrifying."

"What even happened?" Gideon asked. "Tell me everything!"

I took a deep breath. "Well, Dipper and I were arguing--"

"No surprise there." Gideon muttered.

"Do you wanna hear the story or not?!" I demanded, cursing myself for getting angry.

"Okay okay okay, relax." He rolled his eyes. "Continue your story."

"And before I knew it, the creature came out of the trees into the clearing Dipper and I were standing in." I recalled. "He pushed me out of the way, and I barely remember the rest. But Dipper was hurt because of the damned creature. Or, Traqueur Magique as Dipper calls it."

"So he does know about it." Gideon murmured. "So I was right."

"Yeah," I rubbed my shoulder. "Apparently the thing tracks magic, and now Dipper is Marked."

"Marked?" Gideon echoed, confused.

"I dunno much about it either," I admitted. "But basically he's the creature's next target."

"And what, we have to be his bodyguards or something?" Gideon tched. "If I'm being honest, I thought it would be the other way around."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I crossed my arms.

"Nothing, never mind." Gideon shrugged. "So, if tracky-boy is after Dipper, what are we supposed to do about it?"

"I have no idea." I sighed. "Dipper's trying to play it off as if the matter isn't as serious as I think, but I know he's lying."

"Dipper lying?" Gideon coughed his voice dripping with sarcasm, "now there's something you don't hear everyday."

"Shut up, Gideon." I groaned.

"Sorry, Paz." Gideon winced. "So, what's your plan?"

"My plan?" I gave him a confused look.

"Well obviously you aren't going to let Dipper, for lack of better term and idea, die because of tracky-boy." Gideon rolled his eyes. "If I know you, you're going to do something."

"Yeah, you know me." I sighed. "I feel helpless, Gideon."

"What d'ya mean?" He raised a brow.

"I feel like I can't do anything to help him." I cradled myself and leaned back against the back of the couch. "He always acts so strong, but I know this worries him. Otherwise he wouldn't have lied to me."

"If he lied to you, why didn't you confront him?" He asked.

"I, uh, I actually dunno." I closed my eyes.

"Well Paz, if there's someone who can solve this, it's you." Gideon said as he stood up.

"You really think so?"

"Well yeah." He nodded. "You've got the drive to."

"I suppose you're right." I found myself nodding along.

"Janessa's raving up there." Gideon then told me. "Talking to Rachel about you and Dipper."

"I figured she would." I groaned. "Honestly, it doesn't matter to me anymore. She can be all pissy about it for however long she wants, it won't bother me."

"You think they're going to leave?"

"Janessa would, I dunno about Rachel though." I explained. "If they do, it's whatever."

"Uh-huh." He mumbled. "Well, I'm gonna go back upstairs."

"Yeah, okay." I said, turning my attention back to the tv that Gideon had turned on. "Have fun, I guess."

"You too." Gideon waved a goodbye before walking up the stairs.

Coincidently, as soon as Gideon left, the bathroom door opened revealing Dipper. He had a white towel wrapped around the bottom half of his body, and his hair was still wet.

"I'll take it that you don't have a hair-dryer." Dipper muttered to himself, and then he saw me. "Hey, Pazzie."

"Hey, Dipper." I yawned, not realizing how tired I was.

"You look exhausted." He commented.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." I rolled my eyes in a playful manner. "It's because I was up all night making sure you didn't die."

He frowned for a brief second before rolling his eyes. "Why don't you sleep then?"

"Too much to do." I sighed.

"Oh? And what would that be?" He raised a brow, curious.

Can't tell him about said plan yet, can I? I shook my head, "honestly? I have no idea. I think I'm sleep-deprived."

"Sleep, then." He walked over to me and my eyes grazed across his scared chest. The slashes worried me, but I couldn't focus on that right then.

"I don't want to stay here." I admitted. "I don't want to be by Janessa or Rachel at this moment."

"Okay," he seemed to be weighing the options. "We could just go back to Gleeful Manor."

"Oh, that's a good idea." I laughed. "Oh, you're serious."

"Why not?" He smirked whilst plucking his phone from the table near the couch. "I'll have Mabel send us a car."

"Okay, so we're doing this."

"Like I said earlier, why not?" He walked back toward the bathroom. "They should be here by the time I finished getting dressed."

And sure enough, they were.

With me hanging around Dipper supposedly more, it would give me time to plan out how I was going to do it. How was I going to protect Dipper from a creature that was set on destroying him?

Well, I was getting there.