"Did you get it?" Dipper called as he mixed the large pot on the table. He glanced over expecting to see Stan or Mabel but instead it was just Ford. "Their not back yet?"
C"Not yet." Ford nodded. "Sorry it's just me. How's it coming?" He walked over and looked into the pot. He started coughing and pulled back. "Smells like it's going well.
"I hope so." Dipper nodded, still stirring. If he stopped the mixture would harden and then it would all go to waste. "Hopefully Mabel and Grunkle Stan get back soon."
A"Agreed." Ford walked over and poked his head out the door. "We need to get this done quickly before Bill comes and attacks."
"I'm surprised he hasn't done anything yet." Dipper glanced out at the dark sky. "He's had four hours, and we lost time because of that whole Mindshark attack."
"He's got some kind of plan. He's had years to plan." Ford frowned. "Which only worries me more. This stronger potion will hopefully help."
EDipper froze and then quickly went back to stirring. "What if Bill attacked-."
"WE'RE BACK!" Mabel's voice came from the front door. Dipper sighed in relief and then watched as Mabel came rushing in. "Here." She set a bag on the table next to the pot. "Now what?"
"Right." Ford opened the bag and pulled out brightly colored mushrooms. He tossed a few in causing the mixture to change from the murky brown color to a murky purple color. Next he pulled out a clump of a red plant, Dipper couldn't remember what the name of that one was, and crumpled the plant up over the pot. Dipper continued to stir. "Mabel I don't see the vial in here?" Ford said as he dug his hand around in the bag. "Did you-."
"Right here!" Mabel held up a vial of colorful liquid. "It was hard but I got it!" She laughed.
"I hate those things." Stan muttered. "So what if I've committed a few crimes in my past." He folded his arms over his chest.
Dipper and Ford seemed to roll their eyes at the same time. "I told you you shouldn't go." Ford said as he took the vial and poured the unicorn tears into the pot. The new ingredient made the liquid turn into a light blue color.
"We had no problem when they stampeded through town." Stan shrugged.
S"Yes when they were grateful." Ford shook his head. "When you approach them they will be a lot more tense and arrogant."
"Whatever." Stan muttered while Ford threw a handful of unicorn hair into the pot. It sparked a little and then settled down.
"How close is it to being done?" Dipper asked.
"Almost ready." Ford nodded. "Just one more thing is needed." He said. He walked into the other room and returned holding a large ladle and a handful of stones.
"What is that for?" Mabel asked as she flopped onto a chair.
A"I'm fine Bill can't take over me, but he can still affect me if he takes someone else over. He could also trick any of you."
"No way would we let him." Mabel waved a hand.
"Unless he tricked you." Dipper whispered. "Anyways." He quickly turned back to Ford. "What are those stones for?"
"Protective charms." Ford threw the stones into the pot, making small plops. "As long as you wear them Bill won't be able to touch you."
"That's great!" Dipper almost stopped stirring. "Why didn't we think about that last time."
R"Because I didn't know about it at the time. I only discovered it a few years ago." Ford admitted. "I… I was always worried about Bill coming back. He haunted my nightmares."
Dipper nodded. He knew that feeling. It hadn't been the actual Bill but the memories of the demon.
"Alright." Ford held up the ladle and stuck it into the pot. He fished around for a minute and then scooped out the first stone. It had changed slightly so that it was a faint purple color with dark blue swirls engraved in it. Ford slid the stone onto the table. "Don't touch it yet." He said as he proceeded to scoop out each of the stones. "Mabel go grab some string please."
-3"ON IT!" She darted off.
Dipper looked down at the stones as he stirred. He was feeling a lot more confident. "So um… Grunkle Ford can I stop stirring this?"
"Not yet." Ford was pulling out bottles. "We need to pour it into the bottles, which we will have to keep swishing around until we pour it."
"Right." Dipper sighed. He watched as Ford started to dish the liquid into the first bottle. He handed it to Stan and Stan started to swirl it, looking a little annoyed. Mabel came back right as Ford finished filling another bottle, which he quickly handed to her.
"Don't stop swirling it." Ford told her.
A"Got it." She started swishing it around energetically.
Ford filled the last one and then handed the bottle to Dipper. Dipper grudgingly took it and started to swirl it around in his hand. He stopped stirring the pot and Ford picked up the pot and moved over to dump the liquid around the doors and windows. "A little goes a long way." He said as he started to pour it along the borders of the house, leaving the room.
"How long to we have to do this?" Stan whispered as he swirled the bottle around.
"Until Grunkle Ford tells us to stop." Dipper sighed.
"Great." Stan grumbled.
"Alright." Ford returned with an empty pot. "The house is now protected. Let's head to the mystery shack next."
T"TO THE CAR!" Mabel yelled as she rushed out the door.
"Don't stop swirling it!" Ford yelled after her.
Dipper and Stan followed and soon they were driving, with Ford at the wheel, to the mystery shack. IT didn't take long before Stan, who had quickly jumped on it, began to pour out his bottle around the edge of the building.
"Make sure to get the door frame and window frames for extra protection." Ford ordered.
BThen they were back in the car and driving towards the school. Ford parked. "Alright Mabel you and Stan go pour around the dorms. Dipper and I will go pour around my lab and nearby buildings."
"Right!" Mabel took off running again.
Dipper sighed and followed Ford. The next half an hour Dipper was pouring the bottle around Ford's lab and the nearest building. Once the bottle was empty Dipper practically collapsed and began to rub his wrist. "I never want to swirl anything again." He sighed sliding down into a chair in Ford's lab room. "Hey Grunkle Ford what would happen if Bill was inside the building?"
A"He would be trapped." Ford smiled as he sat down. "And the rest of the world would be safe."
"I highly doubt we would get that lucky." Stan said walking in with Mabel.
"Probably not, but at least for now we're all safe." He pulled the small stones that had been enchanted with the potion and set them down on his desk. "Mabel do you mind turning these into necklaces."
"Sure!" She jumped at the opportunity and started to work.
"You're going to make us wear necklaces?" Stan grumbled. "Not very manly Poindexter."
"Maybe not, but it will keep up safe. As long as you wear it Bill won't be able to touch you."
S"Done!" Mabel held up the first stone. It had a long cord of string knotted around it and leading up to a smaller knot creating a necklace. "Here Grunkle Stan!" She practically jumped at him and tugged the necklace around his neck.
"ACK!" He complained lightly shoving Mabel away. "Geez kid no need to attack."
She giggled and then moved onto the next necklace which was quickly thrown around Dipper's neck. He could agree with Stan, Mabel was being a little aggressive. But that was just who she was.
After they all had their new talismans Ford finally allowed them to leave the room. "Be careful." He said. "We don't know what Bill is planning."
"Right." Dipper nodded.
"See you later." Mabel waved her hand as Ford and Stan left.
"Come on." Dipper sighed. "Let's go get some food."
H"Right! We can't fight Bill on an empty stomach." She started to skip away and Dipper shook his head. He just hoped the talismans would really work. He didn't want his family to get hurt.
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