Forest of Riddles (Reverse Falls, S1)

FF: Part Two

The day had started out well enough for Pacifica. She had woken up feeling considerably better than yesterday, and she even managed to sit down at breakfast with the rest of her family.

But then breakfast started.

Because at breakfast, Preston had decided it was a wonderful idea to remind the Pines family of the Spring Fest.

And it was a wonderful idea - well, at first, because a chance to attend a fair sounded absolutely amazing. It would've been the perfect chance to forget all that had happened in the last few days and only focus on fun.

"The Spring Fest?" Gideon said excitedly, dropping his fork onto the table with a clatter. "What's that?"

Pacifica tilted her head. The Spring Fest . . . yes, she vaguely remembered winning . . . something . . . had it been the stuffed cat that lay on her bed back home?

"It's a festival the town hosts every year." Priscilla waved her fork offhandedly. "Carnival games, vendor stalls, you know."

"When is it?" Gideon asked.

"It's today, apparently," Preston said.

"Well, we have to go!" Gideon slammed his hand on the table, making Pacifica jump. "Can we go? Can we can we can we -"

"Now, hold up," Priscilla interrupted. "Pacifica's still sick and I don't know if Ford wants to close the Shack."

"I'm not that sick!" Pacifica protested.

"You threw up yesterday," Priscilla reminded her.

"But that was one time!"

"I want you to rest today, Pacifica. I want to make sure that you aren't sick, but you threw up yesterday, so -"

"C'mon, please, Aunt Priss?" Gideon pleaded.

"But does the sound of carnival food appeal to you?" Priscilla raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

There was a beat of silence. Pacifica bit her lip.

"No," she mumbled.

"Then it's settled." Priscilla went back to her breakfast. "Pacifica's not leaving the house."

Pacifica sunk into her chair.

"Oh," Gideon said, looking crestfallen. "Um -"

"We'll all do something fun soon," Priscilla assured. "We could ask Ford if we could have a campfire. Or maybe even a party. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"I guess," Pacifica muttered.

"Besides, we don't even know if Ford would've closed today," Preston added. "So it's not much of a loss."

The front door opened, and soon Melody stuck her head into the kitchen. "G'morning, Pines," she greeted.

"Hi, Melody!" Gideon waved.

"Hi," Pacifica said, nudging the plain toast on her plate with her finger.

Melody disappeared, and the Pines went back to eating breakfast. Pacifica gave up on eating anything else and got up from her seat, scraping her leftover food into the trash and putting her plate in the sink. She hadn't even turned around when she heard Melody walk into the kitchen and announce, "Ford said we're closing early for the Spring Fest."

Pacifica accidentally set her cup on the kitchen counter a little harder than she meant to.

~

Dipper hadn't been to Stanley's cottage in years, and now this was the third time this week he found himself there.