As strange as it was, Dipper felt like he was back in school.

He was sitting on the couch, not allowed to stand up. He was watching the clock tick the seconds away like they were hours. And he was, occasionally, getting lectured by a girl with big hair who was trying to teach him something that he refused to learn. It was like math class.

Except that he'd been kidnapped; he was in what was technically his own house; there was a pig on his lap; and said girl with big hair was trying to convince him that he'd been brainwashed by his own family.

So, not quite like school.

"Oh, dear, I think you're starting to bruise." Pacifica reached out for his face.

He twisted away from her touch. "It's fine."

It wasn't fine, but he wasn't going to tell her that. Since getting kidnapped some seven hours ago, Dipper had already tried to escape. When they'd first gotten back to the Mystery Museum, Dipper had fallen asleep; but as soon as he had woken up, he had bolted. Pacifica (who had probably been watching him sleep — eugh) had tripped him with her magic, and he'd ran into a wooden beam face-first. Now, a couple hours later, his cheek felt swollen and wet, and he could imagine a shiny purple bruise forming.

"Of course it isn't fine, sweetheart," Pacifica soothed. "I can get something for you to put on it."

"No th—"

He stopped. Maybe, while she was in the other room, he could make a break for it.

He feigned giving in. "Actually, that would be really nice," he said with a small smile. "It does hurt. Ford has a box of salves at the top of a cupboard in the bathroom." This was a lie — the box was in the kitchen — but the bathroom was far away from here. Hopefully far enough.

Pacifica gave him a look of utmost sympathy. "All right." She turned and left the room.

Dipper immediately started nudging the pig on his knees. "Waddles. Waddles, wake up."

The pig snorted as he woke up. The one good thing about this whole ordeal was Dipper being reunited with his pig, who had apparently been banished to the furthest corner of the Museum since Pacifica had taken over. Dipper hadn't known how worried he'd been about Waddles until he had run up to him, squealing in delight, a few hours before.

Dipper pushed the pig off his lap and stood up, shaking out his tingly legs. Pigs were heavy. "All right, Waddles," he said quietly. "Let's go."

The pig followed him dutifully as they crossed the room to the table. Dipper grabbed the crystal ball: He didn't know what it was, but he could tell that it was magical, and he thought it was better to destroy it than to leave it in the hands of Pacifica. With the ball in hand, he and Waddles started for the door.

"Dipper darling, which cupboard?"

Dipper froze as Pacifica's voice carried from the hall. "Uh, the one right above the sink!" he called back. She wouldn't be able to tell that he was halfway across the room just by the sound of his voice, would she? He kept an eye on the entrance to the hall just in case, moving past it on his way to the door.

Then he heard the door open and close as someone entered the Museum.

Dipper whirled around to see Gideon Northwest, of all people, frowning at him. "Of course," the boy said with a sigh. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, hi!" said Dipper, trying to keep his voice low. "Funny story: Pacifica invited me over for snacks, and I couldn't resist a good—"

He stopped in the middle of his own sentence, throwing the crystal ball to the ground. The movement was so sudden that Gideon had no chance to catch the ball: It hit the wooden floor and shattered in a magnificent crash. A blue blast of light pushed the crystal shards away from Gideon — and, luckily enough, away from Dipper. Gideon's magic was focused solely on the crystal; in the distraction, Dipper was free to bolt for the door.

He flung it open, reveling in the afternoon sunlight that bounced off the snow and scorched his eyes. Freedom was—

His limbs froze. A purple aura sprang up around him.

No!

"Dipper," came Pacifica's voice from behind him. She sounded like she was about to cry. "I can't believe you would try to trick me like that."

Dipper was dragged backwards by her magic with a roughness that didn't match her soft voice. When he fell to the floor at her feet, he heard the door slam. Dipper stared at the crystal shards around him, trying to distract himself from the pinpricks of pain that had popped up in the areas of his body that had hit the floor first.

"For some reason, Pacifica, I didn't think you'd actually do it," Gideon drawled. "Obviously that was stupid of me."

Dipper counted to three, then sprang to his feet, smiling in satisfaction when both Gideon and Pacifica jumped. He faced Gideon. "Don't tell me you're helping her."

"I'm not," said Gideon. "I'm just passing through."

Dipper couldn't tell whether or not he was telling the truth, but he did catch a quick, loaded glance between Gideon and Pacifica.

"Yes, Gideon finds it petty what I do for true love," Pacifica said, taking Dipper by the shoulders and turning him so that she could look into his eyes. Dipper glared back and tried to twist out of her grip.

"You do know she's crazy, right?" he said to Gideon.

"It'd be very concerning if I didn't, considering that it's extremely obvious," was the dull-toned reply.

Looked like Gideon Northjerk wasn't going to be much help. He probably gave Pacifica the idea to kidnap Dipper in the first place.

A rough nose nudged at Dipper's leg, and he bent down to pick up Waddles. He checked that he wasn't hurt from the shattered crystal; and when he couldn't find any injuries, he hugged Waddles tightly. At least the pig still cared.

"What is that doing in here?" Gideon shied back from the pig.

"It won't leave Dipper alone," Pacifica said. "And it apparently makes him happy. We want you to be happy, don't we, Dipper?"

"No," said Dipper, his voice muffled as he held Waddles to his face. "You want me to be captive."

Pacifica tilted her head. "Well, we can have both. Come on, Dipper dear, let's get you back to your seat."

Dipper let himself be led back to the couch he'd been in earlier, plopping down with Waddles still in his arms.

Pacifica sat primly beside him. "I'm so sad that you broke my crystal ball, Dipper," she said. "That was precious to me."

"Your amulet is next," Dipper threatened.

A flash of hatred appeared in Pacifica's eye, then disappeared just as fast. "Don't be silly. You can't get to my amulet. And I don't think you'd even want to, if not for Mabel."

Dipper paused, trying to figure out the logic of that sentence. In the silence, Gideon said, "I'm going for a walk," and left before anyone could respond. Pacifica didn't even appear to hear him.

"Pacifica," Dipper finally said, "I'm not going to let you talk badly about my sister."

"See, that's where it all starts. She won't even let you say anything about her that isn't positive. She does that so you'll only think positively about her too, you see."

"That's stupid!"

"It's actually quite genius. She doesn't let you speak out against her; and now that I'm trying to, you're defending her." Pacifica's face grew serious. "But in order to get you there, she has to have had some sort of reinforcement." She reached out and put a hand on Dipper's knee. "I know it's hard for you to remember," she said, "but how has she hurt you?"

Dipper was on his feet before he processed that he was standing. "Shut up! Just shut up!"

Waddles squealed and struggled in his arms, muffling Pacifica's calm words. "I know you think I'm the bad guy—"

"You are the bad guy! You kidnapped me! You're trying to hurt my sister!"

"Your sister is—"

"Shut up!"

Pacifica leapt to her feet as well. "I'm trying to free you, Dipper Pines, from that monster!" she shouted. Her placid demeanor disappeared completely, replaced by an ugly expression. "If you don't cooperate, you'll wish you had!"

There was a beat of silence.

"You're just as bad as you think Mabel is," Dipper spat.

The malice in Pacifica's eyes faded, and she sat down again, brushing off her skirt. A magical surge from her amulet pushed Dipper back into his seat as well. "I see," she said quietly, "that we're going to have to come back to this later. Until then, think about what Mabel may have done to you to make you react this way." She stood up.

"Mabel hasn't done any—"

Dipper's voice cut off as Pacifica's magic bound his mouth shut. She gave him a significant look before walking away.

The purple magic disappeared, but Dipper didn't say anything. He tore his eyes away from Pacifica and clung tighter to Waddles, who settled into his arms. Hot, angry tears wound their way down his cheeks.

Mabel would never hurt me, was his silent mantra. I can't let Pacifica convince me otherwise. Mabel loves me. She would never hurt me. She loves me.

She's probably coming to save me right now.