Mabel stared up at the figure that surrounded Pacifica and made a supreme effort not to hyperventilate.

The thing was huge — taller than the Mystery Museum, even. It had a vaguely human shape, but it didn't look much like Pacifica. Its skin was purple with swirling shades of lilac and black, shifting like a thick galaxy of stars. Pacifica floated at the center, where the giant's heart would be. She was clearly visible through the figure's skin, which was more transparent at the chest than in the limbs.

"Astral projection," Ford whispered.

Mabel glanced up at him, searching for signs of fear in his face. There weren't any, blessedly, though he did look impressed.

"Four against one isn't all that fair, wouldn't you say?" Pacifica said. Even though Mabel saw her mouth move, her voice boomed across the clearing as if the sound were coming from the projection. "So we might as well level the odds."

Pacifica swung her arm. The projection copied her actions, throwing its huge arm towards the ground — towards the Pines.

Before Mabel knew what was happening, she was on the ground, with the snow soaking through the knees of her new pair of jeans. The ground shook, and she saw the giant purple arm hit the spot where she had been just a moment before. A glance to the side told her that Ford had pushed her out of the way.

The astral arm lifted off the ground, and Mabel could see Dipper and Melody on the other side. They were in a heap, much like her and Ford, but it looked like no one had been hurt.

"N-now would be a really good time to get those resources, Grunkle Ford," said Mabel.

Ford nodded, helping Mabel to her feet. "Hurry," he breathed, then pulled Mabel and his duffel bag into the tree line. "She won't be able to reach in here if we find the right spot."

He unzipped the duffel bag and started pulling things out, while Mabel tried to find Dipper and Melody through the trees. She could make out their forms, but no details.

"Grunkle Ford, they're not coming to us," Mabel said worriedly.

Ford didn't reply. He was looking a gun up and down, looking shocked. "No. . ."

"What?"

"The projection's arm. . . it hit the duffel bag." He dropped the gun. "Most of this stuff is useless now."

Mabel's eyes widened. "Then wh-what do we have?"

"Mabel!"

She whipped around. Dipper was running around the clearing — it looked like he was trying to dodge Pacifica's projection. Melody was still lying in the snow. Not moving.

"F-Ford!" whispered Mabel. "I think Melody is down! We've gotta get out there!"

He shoved something into her hand. "This little guy is all we have left," Ford said. "Press down on the button at the center, and it should temporarily negate the effects of her powers — if I'm right about what type of power she holds, that is. It won't last more than a minute tops before burning out, so be careful."

"D-do you have any more?"

"One." He held it up, then slipped it into a pocket. Mabel followed suit.

"Mabel!"

Dipper! Mabel turned and dashed out from the trees.

"Mabel, wait!" Ford called after her. But she didn't stop — Dipper needed her.

She burst from the tree line to see Dipper running from the outstretched hand of Pacifica's astral projection. "Dipper!"

"Melody is unconscious," he yelled, running towards his sister. "Pacifica hit her."

He reached Mabel, and the two grabbed hands as they ducked back into the trees. The barrier gave them a moment to catch their breath.

"You can't hide from me," came Pacifica's sing-songy voice, amplified around them.

"Ford brought some weapons—"

"What?" Dipper asked. "Mabel, we don't want to kill her!"

Mabel looked at him strangely. "But none of them are working," she finished slowly. "Were you. . . defending her?"

Dipper turned red. "W-well she's still a person. She's terrible, but she doesn't deserve to die."

"We weren't planning on killing her," Mabel said. "And she does deserve to lose her powers. Get the amulet. That's the plan."

"How?"

Mabel looked him in the eyes, then down at the snow. "I don't know."

Dipper put an arm on her shoulder, which she thought was supposed to be comforting. But when she looked up, she saw an expression of horror on his face.

She turned around slowly.

"Hi there," said Pacifica. Her projection crouched behind them, with only a few trees between her and the twins. She started reaching through the trees.

"Not my grandniece!" Ford leapt at Pacifica and her astral projection from the side, holding a gun up and firing it. It crackled with a few yellow wisps of light, but nothing else happened.

Pacifica laughed. "Oh, hello there, Stanford. I was wondering when you would stop hiding with your little toys."

With a backhand from her purple projection, she sent Ford flying across the clearing.

"No!" Mabel yelled, running towards him. Almost immediately, her foot snagged on a tree root, and she tripped.

"Mabes!" Dipper was by her side in seconds. "You okay?"

Mabel felt at her ankle. It didn't feel twisted, though it did hurt a bit. "I-I think so, yeah."

"Perfect. Now hold it right there." Pacifica's surrogate arm reached through the trees as her voice echoed off the branches.

Her fingers closed around Dipper's torso.

"N-no!" Mabel jumped to her feet, lunging for her brother. Dipper reached back, and their hands touched for a second before Pacifica tore Dipper away.

"Dipper!" Mabel yelled. She ran out from the tree line after her brother. He struggled against the projection's tight grip as it lifted him into the air. Mabel jumped for him, but he was far too high for her to reach.

Pacifica's echoing laugh filled Mabel's ears. "Too short, are we, Mabel?" Her projection crouched down again, Dipper still in its grip. "I can help with that."

She reached for Mabel.

Mabel dodged out of the way, then tripped over something and fell backwards. With a lump in her throat, she realized it was Melody she had fallen over. The woman's chest rose and fell as she breathed, but her eyes were closed.

Mabel scrambled to her feet, but it was too late. Pacifica's projection grabbed her, hoisting her into the air. Its fingers were cold and smooth, and swirls of solid magic passed over Mabel like rolling waves.

She pushed against the giant fingers, but they didn't budge.

"Mabel!" Dipper yelled. He pounded his fists on the hand that held him. "Let her go!"

Mabel's hands were pinned to her sides, but she could feel the device Ford had given her in her pocket. She might be able to reach it — but then, if she "negated the effects of Pacifica's magic," she'd probably fall down to the ground. And the ground was getting further and further away.

"Let her go!" Dipper yelled again. "She didn't do anything!"

"All right," Pacifica said. She looked right at Mabel from the center of her projection. Mabel shivered.

Pacifica dropped her.

"No!" Mabel heard Dipper's scream travel down with her as she fell. The freezing wind whipped at her ears. This was it. She was going to—

She landed on something hard and wooden.

Pain flared through her shoulder where it hit the wood; but once the initial shock of the pain wore away, Mabel was relieved to find herself alive. Pacifica had only dropped her a few feet onto the roof.

It still hurt, though.

Mabel got shakily to her feet, blinking back tears of pain and rolling her shoulder in its socket to make sure it was still in place. Pacifica just watched as a high-pitched giggle reverberated from her astral projection.

"Mabel!" Dipper called. "Are you okay?"

She held up a hand and nodded, though she wasn't sure if that was the truth. She could feel the bruises forming on her side; her legs were shaky; and her shoulder felt like it had been shoved back into its joint by a battering ram. Still, she looked defiantly into Pacifica's eyes, despite the astral projection that loomed over her.

Pacifica moved the projection so that it leaned an arm on the roof, forming a curve around Mabel. Dipper was still in the grasp of her other hand. "Face it," Pacifica said. Her voice was high and sweet, like a tone reserved for a naughty child. "I've already won. You will no longer have influence over my sweet Dipper. I've already convinced him of your evil."

"She's lying!" Dipper shouted back. "Don't listen to her!"

Mabel squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't listen, not to either of them — she had to think, she had to—

"You know. . . now that you're in this little predicament," Pacifica continued, "it's hard to believe I considered you such a threat. You have no special powers. No beauty. No real intelligence. Dipper and I both know he deserves so much better than you."

Don't listen to her, Mabel. Make a plan. Don't listen. Make a plan.

The projection leaned in further, and Mabel's eyes opened at the sound. Pacifica looked straight at her enemy from the center of the projection's chest. "What can you possibly do now?" she taunted.

Mabel's eyes hardened. "This."

With the hand she had snuck into her pocket, she pressed down firmly on the device Ford had given her. It emitted a low hum, and a faint glow wafted from her pocket. Mabel ran forward and leapt off the roof, passing through the projection and slamming right into Pacifica herself.

The projection stumbled back, still in tune with every motion Pacifica made. Mabel pushed against Pacifica, and the projection fell as if it were pushed back by another giant figure. It crashed onto the ground and rolled around as Mabel and Pacifica wrestled around in the center of it.

Get the amulet! That was the only thought in Mabel's mind. Get the amulet!

Mabel reached for it, but Pacifica knew what she was trying to do. She shoved Mabel away, but Mabel clung to her shoulders to stay put. She clawed at Mabel's arms, but Mabel pushed her hands away. She tried to use her amulet magic on her, but the device kept Mabel protected — and every time Pacifica flared her powers, the astral projection flickered, like it needed all her power to stay running.

Mabel couldn't see anything other than Pacifica, whose long purple nails reached for Mabel's eyes. As the two kicked and screamed, the projection thrashed around the clearing behind the Mystery Museum. Mabel could only hope that Dipper, Ford, and Melody were out of the way.

Get the amulet, her brain reminded her.

Pacifica screeched and kicked her heels into Mabel's stomach.

Get the amulet.

Mabel shoved Pacifica's chin back on her neck.

Get the amulet.

Pacifica fingers fumbled for her amulet, trying to keep Mabel's hands away. Mabel deflected the attacks and reached forward. She felt a cool, glassy surface under her fingertips.

Getting a grip underneath it, she ripped the amulet free from Pacifica's shawl.

The amulet stopped glowing, and the astral projection flickered once and died — leaving Mabel and Pacifica stranded two feet above the ground. The two fell to the snow with a thud.

Pacifica landed on her back, with Mabel on top of her. Trying to ignore the pain, Mabel scrambled to her feet. She had to get away from Pacifica before she could grab the amulet back.

Pacifica shrieked at the top of her lungs; whether from the pain or from losing her amulet, Mabel didn't know. She sprinted towards Dipper, who, blessedly, was on his feet on the other side of the clearing.

"No!" Pacifica screamed. "No! Give it back! Don't you dare!"

Her voice was getting closer. Mabel could feel manicured nails grabbing at the back of her sweater.

"Dipper!" Mabel shouted. "Catch!" She drew back her arm and threw the amulet with all her might.

It sailed through the air, propelled by Pacifica's screams. Dipper reached up and caught it like a baseball.

"Break it!" Mabel yelled, dodging out of Pacifica's reach. The girl started running for Dipper.

With a determined look in his eye, Dipper stepped up to a rock that jutted out of the snow. He raised the amulet above his head and hurled it onto the stone.

It shattered into a thousand sparkling purple pieces.

The scream that escaped Pacifica's lungs was like nothing that Mabel had ever heard before. It was high, but guttural — a terrible wail that ripped through the clearing. It sounded like a banshee, shrieking at its full capacity, making those who heard the sound want to tear at their ears to make it stop. Pacifica fell to her knees, still screaming, and collapsed into the snow.

Mabel watched in shock. She wanted to cover her ears; she wanted to make it stop; she wanted, even, to comfort the girl. But she just stood there, watching, as waves of pain from the battle washed over her body.

The worst pain of all was the horrid screech that came from the girl who had just lost her powers.

Dipper edged his way around her towards Mabel. His face was a mixture of horror, pity, and relief — he looked the way Mabel felt. When he reached her, he immediately grabbed her arm, standing close to her.

The two watched Pacifica in silence. She was sobbing, now. Sobbing and screaming. A purple and blonde mound in the snow, grieving.

In a moment between shrieks, Mabel heard footsteps behind them. She whirled around, ready to fight whoever was sneaking up behind her.

But it was only Ford.

His face was grave. He was limping, and his arm dangled at his side. But he didn't seem to notice his wounds; he was watching Pacifica.

"We broke the amulet," Dipper said quietly.

The three stood together for a minute, watching Pacifica grieve, until they heard more movement — this time from the house. They all looked over to see Gideon Northwest, staring at the scene.

Mabel looked away from him.

Gideon slowly and quietly stepped down from the porch and made his way across the clearing to Pacifica. None of the Pines moved to intercept him. When he reached her, he crouched down, putting an arm around her. Her sobs quieted, and within a minute or two, she had stopped.

Mabel watched as Gideon pulled Pacifica into his arms and stood up, carrying her bridal style. She looked. . . asleep. Had he put her to sleep with his magic? Or had she fallen asleep — or unconscious — from the shock of it all?

What had happened to her when they broke her amulet?

"I'll take her home." Gideon's voice was quiet, but it easily traveled the few yards between him and the Pines. "I'll explain to her parents what happened." He paused, his eyes travelling across all of their faces. "I hope you know what you just did."

Then he turned, Pacifica in his arms, and disappeared into the woods.

He left a wake of silence behind him as they all tried to process what had just happened.

Then Mabel sat down hard in the snow, dragging Dipper — whose arm was still linked in hers — down with her. "We did it," she said. She looked up to Dipper, urgency in her eyes. "The Journal. Do you still have it?"

He jumped up and ran over to Melody, who was still unconscious in the snow. Reaching underneath her, he pulled out the Journal and waved it over his head for Ford and Mabel to see.

Mabel grinned and raced towards him, Ford limping along behind her. She hugged Dipper when she reached him, and then took the Journal. "We did it!"

His face split into a smile, and he hugged her back. "We did! We did it!"

The two laughed — partly from relief, partly from hysteria — and ran around in circles, cheering and hugging and laughing. Behind them, Ford bent over Melody, inspecting her for injury.

Mabel and Dipper ended up on their rear ends in the snow, still giggling after falling over each other. There was a sudden squeal, and Waddles charged out of his hiding place in the woods, barreling into the twins and licking at their faces. They laughed, and Dipper tightly hugged the pig, before Mabel suddenly stopped. She stared at Waddles in disbelief.

"What?" Dipper asked.

"I touched the pig," Mabel said.

Dipper looked confused. "That's. . . cool."

"I touched the pig!" Mabel laughed, pulling Waddles into her arms and squeezing him tightly. "I can touch you, Waddles!"

Waddles squealed happily, and Mabel laughed along.

"You're hysterical, Mabel," Dipper said. Then he chuckled, rubbing Waddles behind the ears. "Good pig."

"Good pig," Mabel echoed, smiling down at Waddles dreamily.

"You two okay?"

They both looked up to see Ford standing over them.

"A bit shaken," Dipper said.

"And bruised," Mabel added.

"But okay," Dipper finished.

"What about Melody?" Mabel asked.

"She'll be all right," Ford replied. "I'll need help getting her into the house. I'm not exactly in the best shape either. Are you two up for it?"

"Having a couple bruises sure is better than being unconscious in the snow," Mabel said. "We'll definitely help."

"All right," Ford said, smiling. "Then let's get inside. Inside our home."

As they gazed at the Museum, it almost seemed to smile back at them.