The fact that Dipper had a girlfriend left Wendy staring at her bedroom ceiling all night long. It was all she could think about. It was as if all of her deepest dreams and wishes had been stomped into the ground by a giant, sparkly teenage girl in a pair of designer heels.

The following morning, Wendy discovered that Mabel didn't seem to be in the happiest condition either.

Photographers and reporters were constantly trailing her in flocks and clusters outside of the Mystery Shack's windows. Stan at first seemed pleased with the attention his attractions had been getting until he discovered the real meaning behind the paparazzi.

"Gideon Gleeful? I've never heard of him," Stan grumbled when his niece explained to him the story. "But he seems to be what's been attracting all the tourists lately. I haven't seen competition like this in years!"

Soos looked distraught to see Stan like this.

"What're we gonna do? We're losing all of our customers!" Soos cried.

"I tell you what we're gonna do," Stan said with eyes narrowed and tightened fists. "We're gonna get more information on this kid and hit em' where it hurts!"

"Yeah!" Soos exclaimed, trying to match his facial expression with Stan's.

"Please don't tell me that you're turning this into another one of your crazy plans," Dipper said. "Cause' I've seen enough of them to know that this will not go well."

"Oh ye of little faith," Soos said while sadly shaking his head and patting Dipper's arm (since he couldn't reach Dipper's shoulder.)

Dipper's cellphone beeped. He reached into his pocket and drew it out to look at the message that had appeared on the screen.

"I gotta go, I have-"

"-another date with Paz, we know," everyone replied simultaneously in equally bored tones.

Dipper quickly left the room to join Pacifica, who was waiting outside on the porch for him to arrive. Wendy, who was squinting at Pacifica from behind the window, began to wonder why a girl like Pacifica NorthWest wanted to date Dipper.

                         . . . . . . . .

"I'm starting to want to go see Gideon, his motorcycle looks cool," Soos said. He was in the living room, laying on his stomach with his eyes fixed on the old television set.

"Something about this guy seems off to me," Wendy said with a curious look on her face. "I'm not sure if I believe that he's all what his act is advertised to be."

"Hmm. . ." Mabel grunted.

Stan barged into the room and turned off the TV.

"There is no way anyone in this room is going anywhere near Gideon, and that's final! This kid is something, and it's nothing good I tell ya!"

"But Stan, this could be our ticket into finding out if Gideon's really a fake," Soos suggested eagerly.

"I said no, and don't even bother asking again," Stan said angrily before turning to leave to tend to his customers.

Soos sighed and stared at the empty TV screen.

"But it looked so cool. . ."

"Let's go anyways," Mabel said. "Stan doesn't have to know."

Soos looked nauseous at this idea. His respect for Stan was too strong to even think about going against what he had said.

"You mean sneak out? Sorry but I don't think I can do that. I don't do well under pressure."

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I've been around Soos long enough to figure that out."

Mabel nonchalantly swatted a hand through the air. "Don't worry, it'll be fine. Just follow my lead and you'll do great."

Soos nodded and gulped. "Erm. . . okay, if you say so."

                         .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

The following evening, the three made their way to the address that was plastered all over town, declaring when and where this "life changing" event would take place. The location of the show was apparently a ramshackle tent in the middle of an abandoned lot.

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Wendy asked Mabel, who was looking down at the address she had saved on her phone.

"This has to be the right place," Mabel responded with a questioning look on her face. "With all the publicity Gideon's been getting, how could they mix up the address?"

The three shared another confused look as well as a shrug before proceeding towards the tent's opening.

The inside was unbelievably big. There were bleachers circling the walls of the tent like an arena, with various obstacles scattered across the center of the stage. Loud pop music blared through the speakers, making it impossible to communicate without shouting.

"No way," Mabel gasped as she took it all in.

"This is amazing!" Soos exclaimed, jumping up and down and looking as if he could bounce high enough off the ground to burst through the ceiling.

"Common, there's only a few seats left," Wendy announced, pointing towards an empty row on the bleachers. The three quickly filed through the ticket booth and took the remaining seats.

They didn't have to wait long for the show to start. As soon as they had gotten settled, the lights dimmed and two large spot lights swiped across the audience as a jolly voice yelled over the speakers, "Our show is about to begin! Please take your seats and feel free to help yourself to our complimentary popcorn!"

Mabel jumped in surprise when she was randomly greeted by a concession worker who handed her a ridiculously large bucket of popcorn that was twice the size of her torso.

"Is it just me or is this place too good to be true?" Wendy whispered to Soos after poking him in the shoulder.

Soos nudged her back. "Oh, lighten up! Let yourself have fun for once and stop stressing over ole' Dippin' Sauce."

"Speaking of ole' Dippin' Sauce. . ." Mabel muttered as she set aside the popcorn and squinted at the person that had just sat down two seats away from her.

Mabel cupped her hands around her mouth and hissed, "DIPPER!"

When Dipper didn't hear her, Mabel sucked in a deep breath and whisper-shouted his name once more. "DIPPEEEER!"

Finally, she grabbed a fistful of popcorn and flung it at him.

Dipper whipped around and glared at his sister, then his eyes widened in sudden realization.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE!?" the twins whisper-yelled at the same time with matching looks of anger.

"I'm here on a mission to get some important info on Gideon. It's for the greater good, so what's your excuse?" Mabel said while defiantly crossing her arms.

"Pacifica wanted to come," Dipper said exasperatedly. "I couldn't say no!"

"Wow. Just wow. Ya know, Dipstick, I've heard of jellyfish with more spine than you!"

"OOOOH!" Soos hollered. "Someone get the fries cause' Mabel's got the salt!"

"Soos! Stay out of this!" Wendy snapped.

"Sorry," Soos said while attempting to suppress  his fit of giggles.

Pacifica had just arrived and greeted Dipper with a smile followed by a peck on the cheek. Mabel turned to Soos and Wendy and made gagging sounds.

"Who are you talking to back there?" Wendy heard Pacifica ask Dipper, who replied "it's nothing. Look, the show's about to start."

Wendy felt a low growl catch in her throat as she dug her fingernails into the wooden bench beneath her.

Pacifica seemed to be the perfect girl. She was pretty, nice, and obviously cared about Dipper. Yet those three traits combined seemed to make it easier and easier for Wendy to hate every single thing about Pacifica NorthWest.