[ CLOSED: XION ] ❝ 'cause it's who we are ❞

[ It's not as if there are really any typical days in Gravity Falls, but there are days typical to it. Days where if you stacked them next to each other, their weirdness levels would be roughly equal. This was one of those days - Grunkle Stan had conned a group of tourists into seeing his "Disappearing Potato Chip Bag" exhibit, Mabel was playing one of those weird telephone boyfriend board games with Candy and Grenda, and Ford was holed up in his workshop. Dipper usually started his day down there, asking if there was anything he could help with - alright, begging might be a closer approximation - only to get turned down. Ford was working on something top secret, and Dipper didn't even have any of the journals with him to pass the time reviewing passages he had already memorized.

So, he heads out into the woods behind the shack, not unlike the first time he'd done so and found that journal. Who knows/ Maybe something that life-changing wasn't going to happen today. But this was Gravity Falls, after all, and there was no counting on a normal afternoon.

Just, you know, maybe one that would be normal in its weirdness.

He takes his time exploring, and even though he knows the terrain by heart now, he has a notebook and pen in hand - relics from before the journal that had been stuffed into the bottom of his backpack for weeks. He notes a few rocks blinking at him, a couple of gnome beards disappearing into bushes...was that tree leering at him?

That one might be new.

And then he hears it. An ethereal sound, beyond his sight, through the trees. It's the sound of something otherworldly, and something new, though the sound almost reminds him of...

The portal.

Heart ramming against his ribs, he breaks into a run towards the source of the sound. ]

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[ This world was new.

She'd been surprised to get the assignment from Saix a few days ago. "Gravity Falls"? That wasn't a place she'd been before... she thought she'd be sent to Agrabah or the Beast's Castle. Instead, she's been here for days, doing reconnaissance on what Saix called "strange phenomena" in the world.

We think this world could be ripe for harvesting Heartless. See what you can find.

So far, she hasn't found much. She's had to hide constantly from the many, many people around this world (why are there so many people?!), and she's spent a lot of time in the woods. In that time, she hasn't felt a single Heartless. However, she does feel the unmistakable presence of heavy darkness... like there's something wrong she can't place her finger on. What could it be?

When she steps out of her portal in the same small clearing she's been using each day, it's with a heart full of determination to get to the bottom of things. Saix is frustrated with her lack of progress. She has to come up with something to report back to him! Otherwise...

... no, she can't think about that.

The portal continues to swirl behind her for just a moment after she steps out, her hood up and covering her face. But it quickly vanishes as she lets go of the darkness needed to maintain it. Once its strange sound disappears, she can hear something else--

--footsteps. Running footsteps. ]

What...

[ That's not possible.... how could someone be coming? She's been so careful! No one should have found her!

Panicking, Xion darts away to ... hide behind a tree. Hoping against hope that whoever is coming didn't see her run and won't see her now.

Please, go away... ]

[ Seeing her is a very near thing indeed. Dipper's acutely aware of when he can no longer hear the otherworldly sounds of the portal, but that only causes him to run faster. Whatever's going on, he can't just miss out on it, not when it could be that hugely important -

He almost misses a blur of moment up ahead. If his eyes weren't fine-tuned to catch sight of the unexpected, he probably would have. Unfortunately, Xion isn't that lucky.

However, he's not exactly sure what he's seen, so he skids to a stop, breathing and listening hard. He tries to muffle the sound of his own breathing with his hand - and then coughs, loudly.

Bad idea.

When he can't hear anything - which wasn't necessarily a good sign - he starts to tiptoe towards the trees where he'd seen whatever it was stop. It hadn't been big, and it had wanted to get away from the noise he was making, instead of being drawn in by it. Probably wasn't predatory then, but that didn't mean whatever it was wouldn't attack him if provoked.

Man, he can't wait to tell Grunkle Ford about this. ]

Um...hello? I come in peace. Seriously. That's not just a bad line from a sci-fi movie. [ In his experience, most of the creatures he'd encountered could understand and communicate in human speech. So, it was worth a try. He keeps moving closer to the trees. ]

[ Noooo...

Xion huddles on the ground at the base of her tree, curled up in a ball as if that will make her invisible. The footsteps stop when they get too close for comfort, and Xion holds her breath, silently wishing as hard as she can for whoever this is to give up and go away.

Her teeth dig into her lip when the opposite of that thing happens. The person - a boy? - comes closer and calls out.

He saw me! I'm going to get in so much trouble...

Should she run? But ... it hasn't been so bad, talking to people on other worlds. The Genie was nice... and Roxas has told her stories of that fairy he helped rescue. Still... she's worked so hard to keep away from the locals of each world, and up until now she's been so good! How could she mess up this badly?! Saix will reprimand her if he finds out. This could even get back to Xemnas! Blowing their cover is a really big deal.

She can't RTC... even if her mission were complete, she can't open a portal with that boy right there.

Torn by indecision, Xion calls out without coming out of hiding. ]

Go away!

[ Okay, so, there's a girl.

Dipper's never been one to give up when it's probably in his best interest. Even if the voice that greets him doesn't sound like it belongs to any kind of monster, she - who was she? - clearly didn't want him finding her out here. For half a moment, he wonders if it's someone who's cut out of school early before he remembers it's summer. There's no school to cut out of.

Undeterred, he calls out again, though he doesn't move any closer to the group of trees that the girl's voice came from. Maybe she's not a monster, but he knows better than to completely intrude on a girl's privacy. ]

Sorry. It's just - this isn't the safest place to go exploring by yourself. [ Said just before quickly realizing the hypocrisy of that statement - and recalling the unearthly sound he had heard coming from this general area. ]

...Never mind. Are you okay? [ First things first. ]

I don't need your help, [ she mutters mulishly, staring down at her boots and sucking a hard breath in through her nose when she realizes her vision is starting to swim.

She can't cry!

Xion furious rubs her eyes, huffing a breath back out. She has to focus! And be in control... maybe she can scare him off. But to do that, she has to look brave, and strong.

After taking a moment to gather her composure, Xion gets to her feet. Cautiously, looking like she might run at any moment, she emerges from behind her tree, her gloved hand trailing on its bark. Her other hand pulls her hood up, so that by the time she's facing him properly, her face is partially hidden in the darkness of her cowl.

A boy ... he doesn't look much older than she is. Xion studies him from within the safety of the darkness she knows partially obscures her face, uncertain what to make him. She does, however, frown. ]

... who are you?

[ Her voice is low, and a bit mechanical. Formal, somehow, almost like this is an act she's putting on.

And of course, she ignores his question. A member of the Organization wouldn't answer something like that to a stranger! Much less a human. ]

[ At the sound of her movement, his heart starts to pound like a jackhammer again. A girl or not, who's to say she might not be in league with Bill? Especially if he really did hear a portal. She could have been trying to summon him.

But even as she rises from her hiding place to face him, he realizes that's probably just his paranoia talking. There wasn't any of the usual paraphernalia that would be needed for a summoning like that, and people couldn't just travel between this world and Bill's.

That he knew of, anyway.

Ignoring the niggling voice in the back of his head that tells him this argument isn't good enough, he glimpses her face - a little. It's hard to really see her in those hooded shadows, but at least he's fairly certain he's never seen her before, and that she's probably somewhere around his age. ]

Um... [ His voice trails off in an uneasy hum. She didn't answer his question, and he's none too sure he should be answering hers. The name "Pines" carried weight in several dimensions, after all. ] Dipper. I'm Dipper. Who're you? Where did you...are you from Gravity Falls? [ An easier way to ask the question he wants an answer to. ]

From ... here?

[ The question seems to give her pause, for some reason. Without thinking she lets one of her hands rise, curl into a loose fist over her chest. She is no longer frowning, her lips slightly parted as she tries and fails to think of a good answer.

Of course, when she realizes she's been showing a little more vulnerability than she intended, her mouth thins into a line. ]

... I'm from somewhere else. Dipper ... what are you doing here? I've never seen anyone this far out before.

Shouldn't...I be the one asking that question? I mean, there was -

[ But he cuts himself off. He shouldn't mention what he thought he'd heard, with how reluctant she was to talk already.

A not-quite-step towards her - more of a shuffle, really. He inclines his chin, trying to get a better look at her face. ]

I was looking for something. [ Not a lie, even if he didn't really have anything particular he was looking for. Then he asks again, ] Who are you?

I'm Nobody, [ she says reflexively, and then frowns. Is that ... even right ... ?

She gives her head a little shake, lifting her hands as if she'll do something with them, and then hovering awkwardly when she realizes she has nowhere for that gesture to go. After a moment, she drops them back to her sides.

... somewhat less mechanically, tinged with curiosity: ]

What were you looking for?

[ There's a lot of questions being half-heartedly answered and outright dodged on both sides here, and as much as he might not want to tip her off about what set him on her path, they aren't really getting anywhere. Xion's not the only one who's curious, and even if telling her stop her from saying anything else...

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? ]

I guess I was looking for something, you know, weird. And then I heard this noise... [ A light shrug as he pockets his fists in his vest, like it's not that unusual. ] It sounded familiar, so I thought I'd check it out.

... so you heard it.

[ Her voice is a murmur, sounding a little defeated, a little lost. What ... should she do? She could still run, but ... that wouldn't change what he's heard and seen.

... he ... he seems nice ...

Xion fidgets a little, ducking her head. Now her cowl hides her whole face. ]

Have you ... ever seen anyone else like me, Dipper?

[ Maybe if he doesn't run into the rest of the Organization... doesn't talk to them... if her superiors don't find out she's done this... maybe-- Dipper could be a resource to help her with her mission! Right? After all, so far she hasn't found anything...

That has to be okay, right? ]

[ A little apologetically, with a half-grin: ] Yeah, I heard it.

[ And she's not bolting off. At least, not yet. He's curious about more than just what he'd heard now. She's definitely not from Gravity Falls - that's obvious enough. But...where was she from? Who could she be? And what was she doing in the middle of the forest in the weirdest town in the country?

Yet, he doesn't press her with more questions. The one's he's asked so far aren't really getting him anywhere. ]

Well, I mean, I can't really see you,so that's soooort of a trick question. But if you mean your uniform...no, I haven't.

[ ... he's ...

... smiling ...

Once Dipper confirms that he's never seen anyone else like her - not her superiors, not the imposter - Xion finally lifts her hands. After hesitating for just a moment, she pulls down her hood. Beneath is ... just a girl. A young girl, with startlingly blue eyes. She regards Dipper with a mixture of curiosity, uncertainty, and caution, but ... well, this is progress, right? ]

... okay. My ... my name is Xion.

[ She shifts a little. ]

I'm ... sorry I was so suspicious of you. I'm not supposed to-- [ Her mouth audibly clicks shut. ] Please, if you ever see anyone else in a cloak like mine, don't tell them I spoke to you, okay?

[ Dipper's eyes widen slightly as she draws back her hood, breath catching imperceptibly. Her eyes. They're so...blue. She's really...

He clears his throat, gazing off into some undetermined point beyond the trees, cool as a cucumber. Or so he hopes, anyway. ]

Xion, huh? That's a different name. [ ...Hand suddenly up. ] I mean, in a good way. It's nice. Uh - anyway, don't worry about it. Believe me, Iiii get the being suspicious thing.

[ And then he mimes zipping his lips and throwing away the key. ] Your secret's safe with me. But...what brings you to Gravity Falls, anyway?

[ Xion tilts her head when he kind of verbally stumbles over her name, blinking. It's ... nice? He thinks her name is nice?

She blinks a few times, one of her hands lifting to curl loosely over her chest.

A breath she didn't realize she was taking fills her lungs at his promise. Your secret's safe with me. ]

Do you really mean that? You'll keep my secret? I ... I'm not supposed to talk to people. Not ever, whether I'm working or not. That's what I'm doing here. I'm working.

[ She could explain, but... but... ]

Do you promise? Really promise? No matter what?

[ There's an edge of worry in her voice, something that tinges her expression with anxiety. ]

[ ...Man, she's really serious about this, isn't she? Maybe it's his ignorance to what's really going on, but Dipper's at least aware that he could be making a very dangerous promise here.

But for all his paranoia and suspicions, she just seems so genuine, and he considers himself a pretty solid judge of character. So really, it's not all that difficult of a promise to make.

He smiles again, a little more fully. ]

I promise promise. Cross my heart, hope to die.

[ If that's...even a phrase wherever she's from. ]

[ Xion continues to stare at him, for just a moment.

And then, finally, she smiles. Bright and sweet in a way that lights her whole face up. ]

Thank you! I'm so glad. I ... I've always wanted to talk to people.

[ She takes a few steps closer to him, and it seems like the serious cloaked figure of a few moments ago is completely gone. In its place is an effervescent young woman, overflowing with curiosity. ]

You can try asking me your questions again! I know I wasn't really answering them. I just had to be sure... [ She looks sheepish. ] But I'll try my best to answer this time!

Really? You will? [ And the questions are there, waiting patiently in his mouth until he had the chance to give them voice again. Now he has her full permission to do so, and...

His smile fades a hair. I've always wanted to talk to people. What did she mean by that? She's so eager just to talk to him. As curious as he is about who she is and where she came from, it doesn't feel quite right to immediately take advantage of that offer to find out everything he can.

First things first. ] Well...are you hungry? Maybe we can go to Greasy's Diner and talk over some pancakes, or something.

[ And he'll silently pray he doesn't run into Mabel on their way. Then again, if Xion didn't want to be seen by one person, would she even go out in public?

This is sure a Situation. ]

Hungry?

[ Xion blinks at him in surprise, and then abruptly laughs. The sound of it is quiet and breathy, and she hides her mouth behind a loosely curled fist. She can't help it, though. To her, at least, it seems like a random topic change. ]

I wouldn't mind getting something to eat. But... what's a diner?

[ She tilts her head. She actually hasn't made the connection yet that this would be a public place. ]

[ What's a diner?

What's...a diner?

To his credit, Dipper manages to not look completely baffled by her question. Wow, she...really is from somewhere different, isn't she? Instead, he looks mildly bewildered in a pleasant sort of way. Her laugh is infectious. ]

It's the kind of place where you get the worst-for-you-but-most-delicious kinds of food. I bet I can even talk Lazy Susan into giving us some extra cheese fries on the house. [ Not by his charm. He'll probably employ one of Stan's trusty techniques. ]

It's a place? You mean ... there'll be people?

[ Her smile is gone, replaced by a look of concern. The idea clearly makes her nervous. She isn't saying no, but ... she doesn't seem enthused about it. ]

I ... won't I stand out? [ Her shoulders hunch, a little. ]

[ His smile, instead of faltering, curls to one of wry amusement. ]

In this town? Trust me, you'll fit right in. Everyone stands out just a little, so...they all fit in, in a way. If...that makes sense.

[ He's not terribly sure it does, now that he's running over the words in his head again. ]

Well...

[ She still seems really uncertain. Exposing herself to one person was, well, one thing, but to a whole bunch of people? They'll see her. They'll remember her! If Saix ever comes here...

No, he won't. He doesn't do fieldwork. She'll just have to make sure she does her job well, and then it won't ever be a problem.

With her resolve apparently firmed, Xion nods just once. ]

Okay. But hang on a sec.

[ It can't hurt, can it? After all, there aren't any Heartless here... just... darkness.

So Xion turns slightly away from him, and unzips her coat. It's well-fit, so she has to practically peel it off. Still, after a moment, she's free of it, and with a quiet hup! she tosses it to hang over a low tree branch. Beneath it, she's wearing ... more black. A black t-shirt, tucked into black slacks, which are in turn tucked into her tall, silver-trimmed black boots. As a last precaution, she takes off her black gloves and tucks them into her pockets.

Somewhat self-consciously, she turns back to Dipper and ducks her chin, tapping one toe on the ground and smiling shyly up at him. ]

Is that better?

[ A knot of tension he didn't realize he was holding releases when she agrees to go with him. Sure, they could have kept to the forest if she wanted to, but that would have made things infinitely more complicated. And what would he tell Mabel? She'd have to know. And Mabel tended to blow the lid wide off these sorts of things. ]

Perfect. You'll blend right in. [ He beams. So much for his typical day, and they're just getting started. ] Ready?

[ Xion bunches up her shoulders, the motion at once shy and a bit defensive, still smiling a little. ]

Ready as I'll ever be.

[ Walking through the forest is not the hard part. She's been through these woods, and Dipper will notice she seems to know her way around. The closer they get to civilization, though, the cagier she gets. Once they're out in public she's ... shy, reserved, and gets much quieter, glancing around a lot like she's paranoid. Paranoid of what, or who, she never says. She makes efforts to relax, but it's obvious 1) how hard she's trying and 2) how much it's not working.

But she's also very curious about their surroundings. Every building that isn't the diner, she'll point to and ask is that the diner? until, at whatever point, Dipper actually says yes. ]

So... this is it? They make food here? [ For one reason or another, she seems thoughtful over that. ] Why would you need a whole separate place to make food?

[ As they make their way towards the town proper, the way Xion moves around the trees like she knows them, like she's seen them before doesn't go unnoticed by Dipper. It does go unspoken of, at least for now, but he wonders to himself just how many trips Xion had taken through the woods around Gravity Falls.

And how he didn't notice the signs of someone being out there before now.

While they walk, he keeps the topic of conversation harmless, idle, so neither of them have to devote much thought to them. He points out a few of the locals, also noting the way she clams up the further into the town they go. Given her reaction to meeting just him, it's not that surprising, but if someone like Toby Determined saw them and decided to ask too many questions, would she bolt?

He hopes not.

When they've finally stop in front of Greasy's, he aims a smile at her that he hopes is reassuring. ]

It's a restaurant. I know it's no five-star joint, but - [ Wait. He rewinds her question in his head. ] I mean, people make food in their homes, too, but this is where you come if you want to pay someone else to do the cooking for you.

[ ...Didn't they even have restaurants where she's from? ]

[ At least he's easy to talk to. It's ... nice. It reminds her a little of hanging out with Roxas. Being with Roxas is always easy, simple... fun.

Is being with Dipper ... fun? Like it would be with a friend?

She's pondering that by the time they get to the diner, though only in a distant way. Most of her attention is preoccupied with being nervous around all these people. There's people on the streets! Walking past... there's people in the buildings. There's people in the ... this feels like a word she should know. Without thinking, she murmurs the word: ]

Cars....?

[ Very softly, and then snaps back to attention when she realizes Dipper replied. She's a little pink in the face as she scrambles to come up with a coherent reply. ]

Uh, uhm... s-so, you can pay people to cook for you, here? Like... it's their job? That's so ... weird. [ Xion presses a hand to her face. At the very least, her curiosity seems to be overriding her apprehension. ]

Are there always this many ... people, around? There's so many.

[ Did she just say something about cars? Yes, there were cars parked out on the street, but what about them?

Well, he'd wonder about that later, because right now he isn't asking about it. For all the questions he has for her, it's almost more interesting to hear what questions she asks. He's learning a lot just that way.

He pushes open the diner door and holds it open for her. ] If you think this is a lot of people, you should see some of the bigger cities. Gravity Falls is a pretty small place. Probably only a couple hundred people. Somewhere like New York City has millions.

[ Though the weirdness factor definitely makes up for that. ]

[ Oh, he held the door. How weird. Is that a him thing, or a human thing? She decides not to think too much about it and steps in the door. Still, once they're both inside, she'll let him lead the way to a table. She has no idea what the protocol is in this sort of place.

The numbers he lobs at her are rewarded with only a blank look. A couple hundred? ... millions? She ... can't even conceive of that. There's no way for her to reference that number of people against her experiences. ]

That's so hard to picture... [ she murmurs, drastically understating the matter. ] I really can't imagine that many people living in one place. Where does everyone fit?

[ He gestures vaguely upwards with both of his hands as he leads her towards one of the diner's empty booths. It's next to a window, so they'll - she'll, really - be able to people watch if she wants to. It's also the one with the fewest tears in the upholstery. ]

Well? They fit up. I mean, people build apartments which are basically like a bunch of small houses all stacked next to and on top of each other. So you can fit a lot of people in a pretty small space like that.

[ He...hopes that makes sense. He's not always the best at explaining things, especially things that seem like common knowledge to him. ]

[ Dipper's a good judge of character. Her character, at least. When Xion slides into the booth it's almost like she's magnetically drawn right to the window, and she presses a few fingertips to the glass as she watches the world go by outside. This world... it's really nothing like anywhere else she's ever been.

With a blink and a soft sound she'll remember herself and glance back at him, blinking once or twice before frowning thoughtfully. ]

Actually, I think I know what you're talking about after all. But the city was always empty...

[ .... hm. Overshare. Xion shifts a little, her fingers twisting together in her lap, hidden from view. ]

S-Sorry... I, um, don't really spend a lot of time around other people. You can probably tell. [ A sheepish laugh. ] Gravity Falls is just so interesting! I've never been anywhere like here before. I could spend days here...

[ Somewhat wistfully. ]

Oh! Didn't you say we could get pancakes? I had those before, once! A friend made them. [ One side of her mouth quirks up in a fond smile. ] They weren't very good, but we had a lot of fun eating them anyway.

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[ CLOSED: XION ] ❝ 'cause it's who we are ❞

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PIP WHY DID I GET THIS TAG AT 3AM

the same reason you're getting this one at 4:45 AM probably????