Chapter 3 - Stolen Treasure
The third chapter of my fic based off of @reaganwarren's red hood better world au.
Mabel is brought to the ship at Dipper's insistence, but random crashed ships are often what police are called for. Perhaps this was just a short chapter in their lives. Or did someone sneak something home? (also on ao3!)
“This sure is a shipwreck,” Mabel said. Dipper had dragged her down the beach, she hardly had time to explain to their parents where they were going. She looked around the mouldy wood and held her nose. “Did it always smell like this or was it only after you got in here?”
‘Honestly Dipper could be so silly sometimes.’ She thought, shaking her head.
There wasn’t much to the ship, no matter how haunted Dipper made it sound. Old furniture, broken glass and a mess of ropes and papers decorated what was once a proud sailing vessel. Mabel was sure that she wanted nothing to do with the ship, it felt like anything she touched would have crumbled to dust in her hands. And not in a fun way like those balloons that were filled with glitter.
Unforutanly, the pair of almost teens exploration was cut short when their parents pulled them out of the beached shipwreck. Saying something about ‘dangerous spaces’ and how ‘they were being reckless.’ The twins couldn’t get a word in when all four Pines heard the sound of something rattle. The sound was unsettling, as it echoed through the cabin. Turning their heads, the four caught sight of bones, next to a picked clean human skull.
The twins didn’t get home until really late that night.
“Who knew police questioning could take so long?” Mabel’s voice was muffled by her pillow. She rolled over onto her back. “But hey, now that all that hooey is over, you ready to be king and queen of middle school?”
“More like jester and scholar.” Dipper rolled his eyes.
“C’mon Dip, this is going to be our last year of middle school. We gotta take any advantage we can get!” Mabel jumped up and pulled her brother into a side hug. “Just imagine it. Cutting in line at the cafeteria, borrowing unlimited books from the library, we’ll even get that private senior lawn!”
“Okay okay, maybe there will be some good things to look forward to.” Dipper pushed his sister away with a chuckle. “But that doesn’t stop Carl Spencerson from being a jerk.”
“Think of it like this: Just one more year and then you’re free of him.” Mabel clapped her hands together before slowly spreading them apart. “Like a nerdy butterfly, you just need to stay in your cocoon for a little while longer.”
Dipper sighed and pulled himself into bed. He retrieved the leatherbound book he had found on the shipwreck from under his pillow.
“Isn’t that the creepy book you found in that creepier ship?” Mabel asked. She had hoped back into her bed. “I thought the police took everything.”
“I - uh, you gotta promise not to tell mum or dad alright?” Dipper looked at the door to their room nervously.
“I mean,” Mabel looked at her brother’s nervous expression before offering him a beaming grin. “Sure! How did you hide it?”
“I uh, slid it under the party table when mum and dad took us back before calling the police.” Dipper said. “I also hid this there as well.” he lifted up the old red hoodie.
“Ew! Dipper that thing stinks.” Mabel held her nose. “Why did you even hide a jacket? I get the book but what’s the deal there?”
“I don’t know. That’s the thing. When mum and dad said they were calling the police I felt this chill down my back. I knew they wouldn’t let me keep the book. I wanted to find out what it was doing in that ship wreck but if the police took the journal, there’d be no way to figure it out. So I kicked these under the snack table until we packed everything up after the police questioning.” Dipper said.
“Huh.” Mabel tapped her chin.
“You’re not going to tell them right?” Dipper asked nervously.
“Why are you worried about that?” Mabel asked. “You told them about your conspiracies before. What’s different about this?”
“I-,” Dipper scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t really know. Something came over me I can’t explain it.”
“You don’t think that book is haunted do you?” Mabel asked.
“No? Maybe.” Dipper looked at the cover. His face reflected in the six-fingered hand.
“Do you feel haunted?” Mabel asked.
“I don’t think so?” Dipper shrugged. “How would that even feel?”
“Maybe a really bad headache.” Mabel suggested. “Because that’s where the ghosts have to be to control you.”
“That doesn’t sound right.” Dipper scratched his temple.
“Well anyway, your secret is safe with me bro-bro.” Mabel gave a cheerful smile and placed her hand on her hips.
“But on one condition.” She leaned her forehead against her twin’s. Her cheerful tone dropped as before she continued. “You’re washing that jacket first thing tomorrow morning.”
“What? Oh come on, it doesn’t smell that bad!” Dipper insisted. “Look!”
He held the red jacket against his nose and took a deep sniff. He tried to hold his face, but didn’t last more than a second. The smell of sea salt, mixed with rotten wood and decay filled his nostrils. The intense odour overpowered his mind forcing the now 12 year-old to cough repeatedly.
“Point proven.” Mabel teased. She danced to her side of the room. With a smug grin she picked up a scented marker from her night stand and took a small whiff. “Ahh, the smell of being right.”
“This proves nothing.” Dipper coughed.
“I think it proves you’re a sweaty nerd.” Mabel rolled her eyes.
“C’mon kids, Lights out!” Their father, Ali, called from down the hall.
“Aw, but it’s our birthday! Don’t we get to stay up late?” Mabel called back.
“You did stay up late! You’ve been up for two hours past your bedtime.” Ali leaned into their room. Dipper quickly hid the journal under his bed sheets.
“If you don’t sleep soon you’ll be too tired tomorrow.” He gently stroked her hair.
“Not if I get enough sugar to keep me going.” Mabel grinned.
“We’d go bankrupt if we fed you the sugar you’d need. And then how would we be able to afford your art supplies.” Ali smirked.
“Not my yarn!” Mabel clapped her hands on her adorable cheeks.
“C’mon, to bed.” He smiled, picking her up. “That goes for you Junior, and now after dark reading. Don’t think I can’t tell when you stay up to read.” He nodded to Dipper.
“No butts except for yours fast asleep.” His father wagged his finger. Mabel giggled as she dangled over Ali’s shoulder. “Got it?”
“Yes pops.” Dipper sighed.
“Pops? That’s a new one.” His dad chuckled.
The twins settled into bed, their long day finally catching up with them. Their eyes felt heavy with their heads against their pillows. In his last moments of being awake, Dipper felt someone running their fingers through his hair, before he shut his eyes.
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just as a heads up the chapters are one ahead on ao3, but we'll catch to there soon enough.
