@bedazzledtwin
She had to get out of there, she had to get somewhere safe.
Pacifica’s parents were furious with her. She’d messed up, she had embarrassed her parents in front of some business associates they were trying to schmooze up for money. The second they got home, their anger unleashed on their daughter for her mistake. Pacifica knew that this was something deserved but it was still terrifying every time.
It was when they talked about bringing out the bell that had caused her to flee. They sent the security after her, but they lost track of her when Pacifica ducked into the woods. For once Pacifica was grateful for all the physical activities her parents forced her to take as she ducked under branches and danced over roots that threatened to slow her down. She could hear them getting lost in the woods, could hear their shouting voices get fainter and fainter as she ran for the one place in town that felt safe.
Despite how her hands hurt from how Preston purposefully slammed a book down on them(books don’t leave bruises), she beat against the door of the Mystery Shack desperately. “Hey- HEY! Let me in!” Pacifica didn’t even have the time to try and mask her terror for annoyance. The very second the door cracked open she shoved herself the rest of the way in and slammed it shut behind her, body shaking as she fiddled with the locks.
She didn’t care what she had to do or say, Pacifica would be staying at the Shack tonight. It had been her shelter during Weirdmageddon and it would be her shelter once again. Her eyes were wild and terrified as she finally looked at who’d opened the door for her.
“Mabel.” Okay. A person who was going to ask questions about who had hurt her. Pacifica tried to think of excuses but in her state, she was too scared to think straight. “You- you need to like, let me stay the night. I messed up- my parents they-” She looked out the window fearfully and ducked down when she saw one of her parent’s goons burst through the edge of the woods with gnomes biting at their clothes. “Don’t tell them I’m here! I can’t go back to my parents!”
The evening had been fairly standard for Mabel. There were Ducktective reruns for her on tv, and plenty of yarn. She had just finished up knitting a sweater sleeve when she heard the knocking.
It sounded loud and intense. So either somone was super anxious or super mad. She remembered all the times her grunkles had warned her about being careful who she opened the door for. She’d made more than enough costly mistakes.
She looked through the peekhole and arched an eyebrow in disbelief. Pacifica? It seemed a bit unusual. But based on what she could see, it wasn’t any sort of doppleganger, monster, or trick. Even if was, it wasn’t worth the guilt she would feel if she didn’t at least try to do something. It was just a friend, upset and in need of help.
She opened the door.
She blinked and stayed almost uncharacteristically silent as the other started to explain. Her bubbly, energetic exterior deflated and was replaced with seriousness. “I...I mean, sure, yeah. I’m allowed friends over, but -- jeeze, Pacifica, I -- “ she stopped, realizing that she’d been so invested she hadn’t moved to let the girl in. “Oh. Duh! Come in.” She moved aside. “Are you alright? Okay, sorry, dumb question. But -- what happened, exactly?”
