Zero Falls (Season 2)-CONTINUED

Sock Opera-Part Three

(A/N; Continuing where we left off)
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Dipper Oak didn't know why, but he had the itching suspicion that someone was watching him.

While they prepared to woo Mabel's newest crush with sock puppets, it was this constant feeling. When Red Pine wasn't questioning his life choices, he felt a rush of warmth down his neck, a warmth he wanted to describe as eerie, but sorta felt...pleasant?

Whatever it was, it was persistent.

Dipper could've easily brushed it off, passed it off as his imagination or the faulty ventilation in the Cipher twins' shack. But he learned long ago, not to pass off anything when it came to this town.

The feeling tugged at him until the fateful day before Mabel's big show. Everyone was helping load the newly prepared decorations and sock puppets into the back of Wendy's truck. They still had a few more hours before they'll make their way towards the theatre, and Mabel Oak was already grouping the Cipher twins and him together and listing down everything they needed to do.

"Okay, role call," She said, while focusing on a notepad in her hand. "Will will prepare the costumes--"

"Why do sock puppets need costume changes, again?" Bill chimed in.

Mabel waved him off. "It's called professionalism. Anyway, Wendy will handle the backstage maintenance. And Dipper...Dipper?"

Dipper blinked quickly, previously looking in another direction, before turning to her. "Huh?"

"Are you okay?" His sister asked. "You're acting weirder than usual."

"Oh, I'm fine," He lied.

Mabel didn't look entirely convinced, but she thankfully let it slide. "Okay. Bro-bro, you will be playing the reverend. And if you have cold feet, don't worry, just imagine the audience in their underwear."

"I don't know if that technique works," Will said. "Every time I tried it, it just made me feel like some kind of pervert."

"What makes you think you're not?" Bill teased, and Will nudged him, gaining a chuckle from the blonde.

However, Bill's smile was erased, when Mabel spoke in his direction. "Bill, you will be Dipper's understudy, if anything bad happens to him."

Bill tilted his head. "Falling Star, I don't think you understand, that your brother is an equivalent to a ticking time bomb the size of Mount Everest. What makes you think anything bad would happen to him of all people?"

"If you seen his sleep schedule and overall diet, you would understand," Mabel deadpanned, ignoring her brother's glare. "Anyway, just a few more preparations, and we'll be—"

"Mabel!"

The familiar voice made them turn, just in time to witness a boy stirring towards them in rollerblades. When he drew closer, that was when he paused. Up close, he was revealed to be Gabe, Mabel's crush.

"Who wears rollerblades this generation?" Bill muttered.

"G-Gabe!" Mabel stuttered, a crimson spreading across her face. "What are you doing here?"

"And how the hell did you find out our location?" Dipper remarked.

Mabel shot her brother a sharp look, and went back to blushing at Gabe, whom was removing his helmet.

"I was just bladin' by. Helps me dry out my ponytail after a shower," Gabe said, before shaking his ponytail in the breeze.

Momentarily, Mabel had this dreamy look on her face, before she snapped out of it and responded rather sheepishly. "It's so great to see you! I was just working on the world's greatest puppet show. IT HAS PUPPETS!"