video } I said, hey, girl with one eye

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper's sitting in his room, holding a red-wrapped piece of paper and looking very seriously at the camera.]

So, I just received a very interesting package–Mabel and I both did–I mean, we each received a different package, and… [He holds his up, then holds the note up to the camera.

It reads: In the search for something lost, do what you know you must. -RQ]

So clearly they're important, and I thought it'd be best if we open them nice and slowly and everyone can have a chance to see and weigh in, cause this is definitely a puzzle, and–

[–and Mabel shoves her way into frame violently, pushing Dipper aside and slamming a jar in front of the camera. The jar contains (1) blue eye that darts around in confusion at being jostled so savagely!! For a hot moment, Mabel does not care about that. She’s too busy looking a bit frantic.]

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. This is the moment I’ve been training for since I first met Alice. [She balls a tiny hand into a fist.] I have one of her eyes, man. But that’s one more eye than I had before!

[She’s… definitely going at this with all the passion of a drill sergeant.] So my question is… Who’s got the other one? [SUSPICIOUS SQUINT. YOU BETTER NOT BE HIDING IT FROM HER. SHE WILL FIND YOU.

Dipper looks annoyed at the intrusion until he sees just what it is she has, at which point he looks shocked and amazed, one hand going to his head.]

Mabel, that's amazing! Oh my gosh, we have to find the other eyeball and figure out where the heck she hangs out when she's not announcing events… I'm going to get a clipboard!

[Whoops dashing offscreen now. There's a thump. Followed by an "I'm okay!" then another thump.

Mabel watches all of this with increasingly more pained flinches at Dipper tripping over everything, all while hugging the jar close to her chest.] Um… We’ll be right back, guys.

[She flicks the camera off.]

Comments

[trabryu]

Huh. You can do that? Does the library have it?

[powerofmabel]

It sure does. Illustrated and everything! The pictures really help with the craziness.

[trabryu]

[ With illustration! Good, Mondo needs that. He nods at her. ]

I'll check it out. ...You guys sure you'll be fine? Need any help there?

[ Kids running around with a jar of eyeball isn't really a fun sight to behold. Especially if the boy's fumbling and tumbling aren't some seasonal thing. ]

[krmvgivv]

We're good. We've been planning this for ages.

[Granted, without any actual resources or ability to get it done. But still!]

[trabryu]

If you're sure, then.

[ Their confidence is pretty overwhelming. It's almost as if they're treating this like some kind of game. Don't you usually get more, he dunno, weirded out getting an eyeball as a gift? Sure, they probably came from a totally different world from his, but still...

Ah well. Anyway, before he lets them go, he has to check with them. ]

...Say, you guys said you've gone to the other side a couple times before. Why did you guys do that? It's dangerous, right?

[powerofmabel]

Most of the time, it was because our Mirrors switched with us, so we didn't really have a choice. We just made the best of it.

[trabryu]

Huh? [ 'Switched'? ] Does that mean whenever they decide to come over we'll get ported there? [ What kinda fucked up system... ] So we can't go there with our own will?

[krmvgivv]

Sometimes we can. But it's under very rare circumstances. Like the huge party last year, or the time all the glass broke, or the time with the weird portals.

[Dipper can't help but be intrigued by the Mirror side, even though he knows he shouldn't want to go over there. He's just... curious.]

They don't switch over here often. They can, but the Queen would unmake them.

[powerofmabel]

Schyeah. She is really control freak-y about her Mirrors. If they disobey her, she can just tear them down and make something better... Or worse. Usually worse.

[trabryu]

By Queen you guys meant the Red Queen, right? She that powerful?

[ Sounds like another woman Mondo would hate to cross. God, who the hell told him women are weak and need protection, again?! ]

How long've you guys been here, anyway?

[ They seem so well-adjusted to all the weird antics of this world. ]

[krmvgivv]

Queen of Hearts. The Red Queen's trapped in the Core with the Jabberwocky. [Said as casually as if he's discussing the weather.] And she's pretty powerful, but mostly only over the Mirrors. She can't do much.

[He glances over at Mabel.]

We've been here two and a half years now.

[trabryu]

[ Okay whoa, whoa, he's got many questions here. What's the Core? What's Jabberwocky? Mondo scrambles to keep the new information in his head, all these funky names are doing a number on him. One by one, now. ]

So she's got power over the Mirrors, but not our Mirror selves, is what you're sayin', right?

[ That's his assumption on 'can't do much'.

At any rate, these kids have been here longer than most of the people he knows, might as well check with them. ]

Have any of these Queens cause some kinda danger to the people here? Are they the ones behind the events?

[powerofmabel]

Our Mirrors were made by her, actually. They're just copies of us that she can use. It's really creepy.

[She's at least sympathetic to his plight.] This is a lot to take in.

[trabryu]

She was the one who created those Mirrors?! [ Oy vey... His head's spinning. He's certainly trying to bite more than he can chew right now. Too much information, limited brain capacity. ] Yeah... it's... yeah. [ Not very intellectual right now. Give him a sec. ]

So... you guys gonna find that Alice girl, right? How're you guys plannin' to do that?

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper shrugs.] We're still working on that part of the plan.

[powerofmabel]

Most of our plans are just whatever comes to mind in the moment anyway.

[Despite Dipper's protests.]

[trabryu]

[ Oi oi... You don't call those plans... These kids are really not taking this seriously, are they? ]

Aren't you guys... I dunno, scared?

[krmvgivv]

Of Alice? She's our friend.

[They're taking it seriously. But that's never stopped them from being flippant before. No reason to start now.]

[trabryu]

Well, not Alice per se, but... I dunno. You guys seem like you're used to doing dangerous stuff ー this doesn't sound any different.