The Pines twins' feet pounded on the carpet as they crossed the living room floor. "This is going to be so great," Dipper said as they walked. "With all the merchandise out of the way, that room is a lot bigger than I thought it was. I hope a lot of people come! I wonder how loud Melody's speakers can go. Or maybe Robbie has some good ones if Melody doesn't, I dunno. He seems like the kind of person to have big loud speakers."

They had come out of the gift shop when Mabel's stomach had growled loud enough for the both of them. They hadn't had lunch yet, so after assuring Melody they could get their own food and leaving her to continue tidying things up, they set out for the kitchen.

"I hope it's not too many people," Mabel said. "If I'm going to dance at all, I'd better have room to do it."

"Aw, come on," Dipper said, bumping into her from the side. "You love to dance."

Mabel shrugged. "Occasionally, I guess, but not—"

The words cut off in her throat, like she had been strangled. Dipper swung his gaze to her in alarm. She was just standing there, mouth slightly agape, eyes unblinking and filling with a hardness Dipper rarely saw in her.

So he turned to see what she was looking at.

Gideon Northwest was sitting stiffly at the kitchen table, looking like he'd just been caught cheating on a test as his eyes met Mabel's and then slid away. Ford sat across from him, a mug cradled in his six-fingered hands. It looked like the two had been interrupted in the middle of a conversation.

"Northwest," Dipper said, because clearly Mabel wasn't going to speak up. "What are you doing here?"

Gideon's chest rose and fell as he took a long breath. "I. . . came to speak to Stanford."

Dipper's eyes kept glancing between Mabel and Gideon during the short exchange. Mabel was still standing frozen, eyes locked on Gideon, this look on her face like she got when she was about to cry, except with no wetness in her eyes. This hard, hurting, hateful look.

After an awkward pause, Gideon cleared his throat. "Mabel," he said slowly, "I—"

And then the dam broke, and Mabel's foot thumped on the ground as she stepped heavily forward. "You left me alone!" she exploded, and the words were so forceful that Dipper, Gideon, and Ford all flinched. "I trusted you — I thought you were going to help me — and you stole my only hope and left me for dead!"

Dipper stared at his sister in shock. Not only was this maybe the fourth time in his life he'd seen her yell like this, but this was much worse than he'd originally heard. But then, when he first heard it, Gideon was telling the story. Of course he left things out.

"Mabel — Mabel, I — I didn't—" Gideon spluttered out the words. It gave Dipper an evil little pleasure to see him squirm.

"I nearly died from hypothermia!" Mabel shouted. "I almost—" Her voice faltered. "I nearly — I hate you, Gideon Northwest!"

And with that, she whirled around and fled up the stairs and out of sight, leaving a wake of silence behind her.

Dipper was torn between following his sister and finding out just what Gideon wanted. A glance to the kitchen. Whatever Ford and Gideon were talking about might not have anything to do with him. A glance to the stairs. But surely Mabel wanted to be alone for a while.

Dipper stayed.

He sucked in a breath and sauntered into the kitchen, pulling up a chair and turning it around to sit in it backwards, because that was Cool. He fixed Gideon with an unrelenting stare.

"I truly am sorry," Gideon finally said, softly, like the words were hard to force out. "For. . . everything."

"Okay," Dipper said.

"You're not angry at me?"

"Nah." My sister will never forgive you, he added silently, so I might as well pick up her share. "Since you apologized and all," he said aloud. "So, what are you doing here?"

It wasn't that easy, of course. Though Dipper said the words, played the part, he knew he could never actually trust Gideon Northwest. Not as far as he could drop-kick him.

Ford cleared his throat, which startled Dipper because he'd nearly forgotten his uncle was there. "Gideon, what exactly is Mabel so angry about?"

Gideon squirmed some more. Good.

But he didn't have to say anything, because Ford kept talking. "When I found Mabel alone. . . she told me the Journal had been stolen by Pacifica. Or. . . ." He frowned, remembering. "She didn't use those words exactly. That was you, that stole it?"

Gideon was paler than Dipper had ever seen him.

"Why?" Ford asked.

"I. . . I had heard that there was a book documenting the magical phenomena of Gravity Rises," Gideon began. "When I saw that Mabel had it. . . I took it. And when I saw the six-fingered hand on the front, I realized that you must have written them. Which is also why I'm here."

Something about that didn't seem right, but Dipper couldn't put his finger on it.

"You have knowledge about magical creatures and artifacts, right?" Gideon asked.

"Some," Ford responded.

Gideon took a deep breath. "You were there, the other day. You saw what happened to her when. . . when the amulet got smashed."

"Pacifica?"

"Yes. She. . . she's not doing well. She's completely lost it. Never meeting people's eyes, slurring her words, screaming about things that aren't there."

Ford leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "You've spoken to her?"

"No." Gideon's eyes flicked down to his lap. "Just watched. But, Mr. Pines, she's had that amulet since we were kids. She's been using it for years. I always told her she relied on it too much, and now that it's gone. . ."

His finger reached up and traced his collarbone, and that's when Dipper realized he wasn't wearing his own amulet.

"Do you know what's happening?" Gideon said to Ford. "Can you help her? She can't even. . . she can't even think."

Gideon's eyes were dry, but his face was pained. Dipper was surprised. He thought Northwests weren't allowed to show emotion.

"I'm not sure," Ford said after a pause. "When I first saw Pacifica's amulet, it reminded me of something I had studied before. But I can't recall much detail. And I'm no doctor. Well — I am a doctor, but not of medicine. This sounds like something that may not be in my expertise."

"You have to know something," Gideon said. "And you're probably the closest thing to a doctor in this backwards town. Isn't there anything you can do?"

Ford studied Gideon's face while Dipper studied Ford's. The latter was unreadable.

"What would you propose I do?"

Gideon blinked. "Maybe. . . maybe come and take a look at her? Or. . . do you know of any other artifacts like the amulet that might take its place?"

"No way!" Dipper said immediately. "We're not giving her those powers back."

"So you want her to be crazy?" Gideon demanded.

"She already was crazy!"

"You haven't seen her since it happened — even though you were the one who did this to her!"

"Boys!" Ford shouted.

Dipper and Gideon were almost nose to nose, glaring at each other across the table.

"Sit back and calm down," Ford said in an authoritative voice. Dipper obeyed, but he didn't take his gaze off Gideon. The two remained with eyes locked.

"Gideon," Ford continued. "If I'm going to help you, you must understand. Pacifica was attacking Dipper, Mabel, and myself. Breaking the amulet was the wisest course of action to keep our family safe. None of us are to blame for the effects of this."

He said it so calmly and emotionlessly that Dipper was sure Gideon was going to blow up at him. But the Northwest simply let out a pent-up breath and nodded.

"Yes," he said. "You were protecting yourselves. I understand. But Pacifica is still. . . still broken, because of it."

"I know," Ford replied. "And I'm willing to come take a look at her. I want to see what is happening before I propose any solutions."

"Of course," Gideon said. His face was composed, and his formal tone matched Ford's. They probably thought it was sophisticated. Dipper just thought it sounded stuffy.

"Wait a sec," Dipper said. "If Pacifica's all crazy and Ford goes to see her, won't she attack him or something?"

Ford thought on this. "It is a possibility. But without her amulet, I doubt she can hurt me. Still, we'll be cautious." He turned to Gideon. "You said she hasn't seen you since the amulet broke?"

"Yes," Gideon said. "But for all our arguments, we're. . . we're friends. I don't think she'd hurt me."

His face said he wasn't so sure, but Dipper decided not to push it.

"Tomorrow evening," Ford declared. "I'll meet you outside Pacifica's house at six-thirty."

"All right."

Dipper's eyes widened. "Wait, Ford — you can't go tomorrow night, that's when the party is!"

Ford turned to his grandnephew. "Exactly," he said. "I wasn't planning on attending, at least not the whole time. And I seem to recall you saying something about not wanting Gideon along."

He didn't want Gideon along, but Dipper wasn't planning on saying that in front of him. Oh well.

"What's this about a party?" Gideon asked.

"We're holding a town party tomorrow to celebrate the re-opening of the Museum." Dipper gave Gideon a meaningful look with the word re-opening. "And you're not invited. So go ahead and go check on Pacifica with Ford."

"You seem to think that will offend me," Gideon said smoothly.

"The fact that you said anything means you're offended," Dipper shot back.

"Boys," Ford said again, this time wearily. "So do we have an agreement, Gideon?"

"Yes," Gideon said. "We'll go tomorrow evening, and I'll stay away from this party of yours. Although," he said to Dipper, "I thought you've forgiven me."

"Mabel hasn't," Dipper replied.

Gideon flinched a little at that. Good.

Ford stood up, and Dipper and Gideon followed suit. "Well, Gideon," Ford said, "I admire your courage in coming here despite the hostile territory. Until tomorrow, then."

"Until tomorrow."

The two shook hands, but Dipper stepped away before Gideon could even think of coming near him. Gideon didn't even look in his direction.

And then Gideon left.

Dipper and Ford followed him to the entry way and watched him go until he closed the front door behind him. Neither of them said anything for a while.

Dipper broke the silence. "Well," he said. "I guess I'd better go talk to Mabel."

AN: These are some sketches of this chapter by . Aren't they amazing?