Chapter 17

Pacifica yawned quietly as she opened a cabinet and poked her head in. She tsked.

"Doesn't your uncle have any fun sugary cereal?" She asked the sleepy twins.

"Nah, just Raisin Bran, oatmeal, and granola. But we did pull a prank on him and pick out all the raisins once!" Pacifica said with a smirk. Pacifica chuckled as she sat down with her coffee.

"Well once upon a time he and your gran used to do syrup races and each Fruity Pebbles let me tell you" Pacifica said with a wink.

"Are you giving the kids bad ideas?" Dipper asked as he entered the kitchen.

"No." Pacifica said innocently.

"Humph" Dipper grunted with a slight smile. The room slowly descended into silence that after a while became awkward. Pacifica cleared her throat and stood.

"Well. It was nice meeting you kids… and seeing you… Dipper. But I should probably head back to Portland"

"But you just got here!" Ford whined.

"I have to get back to my shop." Pacifica said with a sad smile at the twins. They both slumped into a sad mope.

"But how are we gonna get Fruity Pebbles?" Patricia asked with her strongest puppy dog eyes.

"Oh I'm going to look at your uncle sternly" Pacifica said before she turned and did just that. Dipper winced and laughed nervously.

"I suppose a few more cereal option wouldn't hurt." Dipper reasoned as he rubbed the back of his neck. Pacifica chuckled before she turned to the door. It's was a mild morning and the sun was shining through the pine trees casting everything in a golden glow Pacifica remembered so well from her childhood. She paused for a moment to take in the splendor before she sighed and turned back to the house. The three occupants were standing in the doorway.

"Drive safe." Dipper said quietly.

"Thank you." Pacifica said quietly "buy them junk food!" Dipper sighed.

"Fine." He relented and the twins cheered.

"Great aunt Pacifica you're a miracle worker!" Patricia said with a grin. Pacifica laughed before she entered her car and turned on the engine.

Nothing happened.

She tried again and the car sputtered then the engine gave a mighty bang and the hood flew open as smoke poured out of it. She stared out the windshield in shock before she stepped out and coughed at the smoke. Dipper and her both tried to wave the smoke away as they peered into the engine in shock.

"When was the last time you brought this thing to a shop?" Dipper asked.

"Last week! It got an oil change and a tune up!" Pacifica cried in outrage.

"I'll call Hadron to have a look at it. He can fix almost anything" Dipper reasoned as he went inside for the phone.

"Guess that means you'll have to stay a bit longer." Patricia said with a grin. Pacifica turned to her and frowned.

"I guess so." She said suspiciously.

"It was probably the gnomes. They were sleeping in the golf cart the other day. Took Hadron a couple hours to fix it. I'm sure you'll be able to leave by tomorrow" Ford said nonchalantly as he scribbled in his journal.

"I once watched a gnome eat through a seat cushion once. Springs and all" Patricia said matter of fact.

"Yeah that sound normal" Pacifica said with a chuckle before she re entered the mystery shack. "Hm! If I'm staying that means I can make us a real breakfast, who wants waffles?"

"I do I do ido!" The twins cried in unison before they both ran for the kitchen, got stuck in the door, and started arguing.

Hadron removed his hat and scratched his head with his wrench.

"This might be the weirdest thin I ever did see…"

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Pacifica asked in confusion?

"All the bolts are missin. Even the ones that are suppose ta be fused down. I mean I might be able to order em all in but it'll be a while." Hadron said as he dove into the engine again.

"What's a while?" Pacifica asked nervously.

"A couple of weeks? Maybe a month"

"A month?! I cant stay the whole month!" Pacifica argued in horror.

"Well I suppose I could repurpose a few old bolts from the junkyard… but I don't know if they'll hold ta Portland" Hadron reasoned as he brushed his beard thoughtfully. Pacifica groaned before she walked back into the mystery shack.

"What's the word?" Dipper asked from the coffee maker.

"No great." Pacifica muttered quietly. "Any news from Bill?"

"No… but apparently the lights are on in the Illuminati again." Dipper reasoned. "We could head down and check to see if he's back if you like."

"I think I'd prefer to walk down…"

"Oh… yes. Right that's fine too. I think I have tours today anyway… yes." Dipper muttered awkwardly before she walked out of the kitchen. Pacifica winced.

"Dipper I didn't mean… ugh." she groaned. Patricia walked out of the living room and gestured back to Dipper.

"What's up with Grunkle Dipper?"

"Honestly I think awkwardness is a transferable illness with that family."

"Gosh I hope not. Ford would cause a pandemic." Patricia complained.

"Hey!" the teen crowded angrily.

"I'm just saying it like it is."

"Yeah well maybe being annoying is too!"

"Why you little-"

"Children." Pacifica said warningly. The pair both turned to her sheepishly. "Would you like to join me? I'm heading out to see if I can find Bill in town."

"I'm good. He kinda gives me the creeps." Ford said quietly. Patricia nodded empathetically before scratching her hand absent mindedly. Pacifica frowned before turning away out of the door.

"I swear to god Bill." she muttered darkly as she walked away from the Mystery Shack.

"Pacifica?!" a woman suddenly called down the street. The woman turned and a smile bloomed on her face.

"Wendy!"

"When did you get here?" Wendy asked with a smile.

"Last night… it's a long story." Pacifica finished.

"Regular Long story or 'Pines long story'?" Wendy asked with a smirk.

"Definetly a 'Pines long story'" Pacifica reasoned.

"Then nobody in the world has a enough time for the explanation." the older woman said with a knowing grin. Then she smirked. "Never mind all that."

"Definitely." Pacifica responded, harrowed. That just made them both laugh.

"Well it was nice seeing you again! Though I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

"Of course! Have a nice day." Pacifica said before she continued walking down the street. The amount Gravity Falls had changed, or rather lack thereof, astounded Pacifica. At last she arrived at the Illuminati. But something felt wrong. The lights didn't look right and the flickering of the sign was too apparent from what she remembered. She reached out a hand for the doorknob. And then she realized her mistake. But far too late. When Pacifica opened her eyes after the horrible pressure that had crashed into her ear drums she was standing in a perfectly circular room with no windows or doors. The only light can from a flickering candle in the middle of the room. "Bill? Bill let me out of here!" Pacifica shrieked in anger. "You can't keep me here forever!" suddenly the edges of the room burst into blue flames. Pacifica jumped back in fright but the flames merely died down to reveal Bill zodiac glowing on the floor slowly it began to spin and spin and Pacifica fell over in dizziness when bill rose out of the floor black and evil looking with a red fiery eye.

"I can do whatever I want!" the triangle screamed before he stretched out his hands and chains appeared all around Pacifica trapping her in a grotesque cage. The woman puffed up in a terrified attempt at intimidation.

"Bill that's enough! You're acting like a child." Pacifica screamed. Bill snapped his fingers and the woman looked down at her hands and gasped before touching her face.

"Okay that is not cool! I've already gone through puberty once thanks!" the twelve year old girl Shouted angrily with her familiar haughty tone. The triangle growled and Pacifica dodged as the chains suddenly slithered like snakes and tried to snap mannacle jaws at her heels and wrists. Each jump brought her closer to the demon who suddenly grasped the older woman in a levitating grasps and bored into her soul.

"You Northwests are all the same! ALL OF YOU! I'm through with you! I'm through with everyone! It's time to END THIS PATHETIC TOWN!"Bill screamed before he threw Pacifica away. She fell through space until suddenly she gasped as she fell backwards from seemingly a great height. Her eyes widened and began to tear up in shock and horror.

Then someone… or rather something grabbed her arm. Pacifica grabbed it as tight as she could and looked up. Bill was staring down at her, hidden as he always was in public looking shocked and afraid himself. After much grunting and panting and Pacifica stretching out her strained back the pair sat in a nearby fallen tree.

"I…" Bill started but the words died in his throat and he looked away.

"Is it out of your system?" Pacifica asked.

"Huh?"

"You're temper tantrum? Is it done now?" Pacifica asked. The man looked down.

"I… I think so… I haven't lost control like that in a long time… 30 years I think… wow you guys are getting old!" Bill joked.

"Yes… we are." Pacifica said tiredly. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're sorry?! Llama Face I almost killed you!" Bill blurted out shocked.

"I should have called… or sent a letter… or done something! instead I tried to forget that this place even existed… I just wanted something to be normal for a change…"

"Pine Tree already tried that. And it turned out great." Bill said sarcastically. Pacifica sighed. Then she stood up and brushed out her rumpled clothes.

"I think we should head back to the Illuminati. I don't know about you but I could really use a drink."

"That'd be nice…" Bill said with a smile.

"But next time Bill just ask. Don't remove all the bolts in my car engine." Pacifica said sternly. The demon coughed and looked away.

"I have absolutely no clues as to what kind of crime you are referring to." Bill said robotically Pacifica raised an eyebrow. "Pine Tree taught me to say that to the police… really comes in handy in a lot of other places too!" Bill said excitedly. Pacifica groaned

"That man… hell be the death of me."

"Naw! That's what your kidneys are for!" Bill said with a grin. Pacifica looked at him worried. "Ah I'm just messing with ya." Pacifica rolled her eyes. "That Tambry Valentino though. I'd hate to be her in ten years."

"BILL!"

19-5-18-9-15-21-19-12-25 20-8-15-21-7-8 22-1-12-5-14-20-9-14-15 19-8-15-21-12-4 7-5-20 20-8-1-20 3-8-5-3-11-5-4 15-21-20...