The World's Worst Chain
Dipper and the Northwest family stood in the garden of the Manor, with a butler standing by.
"Well, Pacifica, you really found the right man for the job," said Preston Northwest.
He snapped his fingers and the butler shook Dipper's hand.
"We can't thank you enough," said Mrs. Northwest. "That's enough," she told the butler an instant later.
"Hey, just holding up my end of the deal," said Dipper.
"Wait, leaving already?" asked Pacifica. "You're at the world's best party, dummy."
She gave him a covert wink, hinting that they could spend more time together.
"Heh, I'd love to stay, but I've got a Category Ten ghost to dispose of," said Dipper. Looking back at Pacifica, he walked into a pillar. "Aah! Heh heh... Category Ten."
Dipper talked to himself as he walked away through the garden, "Call me crazy, but she's really something."
The Ghost laughed from the mirror.
"What are you laughing about, man?" asked Dipper. "I defeated you."
"You've been had, boy," said the Ghost. "You remind me of me a hundred and fifty years ago."
Dipper asked, "What do you mean?"
The Ghost told the story of Nathaniel Northwest's promise to throw a grand party for the town, the betrayal of his promise, and how it had led to the Lumberjack's death.
Dipper said, "Yeah man, I knew all that. Not every detail, but the basics."
"How did you know?" asked the Ghost.
"Pacifica told me. She didn't keep that a secret; she loves me and I love her."
"Then why didn't you persuade your young lady to open the gates and keep the promise made 150 years ago?" asked the Ghost.
"Well... we planned to do that if trying to exorcise you didn't work," said Dipper. "Pacifica was afraid her parents would be angry if she just opened the gate."
"And it turned out that you found a weakness in me that you could exploit," said the Ghost. "You have allowed the Northwests to trample down the common folk once again."
"When you put it like that, it sounds pretty bad," said Dipper.
"You sold a piece of yourself, all because of your desire for a wench," said the Ghost. "She may be pretty, but what is there to love inside that cold and empty Northwest heart?"
"I know she has good qualities in there," said Dipper. "I can sense it."
"But she puts them down out of fear of her parents," said the Ghost. "How can she ever break free, if you keep giving in? What sort of life could you have together?"
"You've got a point," said Dipper. "I'm going back in there to tell her parents off."
Dipper pushed open the main door. "Northwests! You've got some explaining to do."
Pacifica dashed in from an adjoining room, smiling. "Dipper, you came back!"
"You lied to me," said Dipper. "All you had to do was let the townsfolk into the party and you could've broken the curse! But you made me do your dirty work instead!"
Preston glared at him. "Look at who you're talking to, boy. I'm hosting a party for the most powerful people in the world. You think they'd come here if they had to rub elbows with your kind?"
Dipper said, "My kind? Pacifica, listen to that. If you don't break out of this you'll be just as bad as your parents. Another link in the world's worst chain!"
Pacifica said, "I'm sorry, they made me! I should have listened to you, but..."
Preston rang a bell, and Pacifica stepped back, cowed and defeated.
"Enjoy the party!" said Preston. "It's the last time you and your kind will ever come."
Dipper glared at him and walked away.
When a chimp servant offered Dipper a tray of hors-d'oeuvres, Preston said, "No no! Those aren't for him."
Pacifica worried over what Dipper had said, about being another link in the world's worst chain. He had seen her give in to her father's bell. Would he fall out of love with her?
She had wanted to revisit that strange side room they had found while hiding from the Ghost, to see what all the covered pictures were. But she decided that could wait. Dipper might still return to the party and she wanted to have a long talk with him.
Dipper was in a bad mood. "Stupid Northwests, controlling Pacifica with a bell like she was a dog."
He muttered the words of exorcism: "Exodus demonus, spookus scarus, aintafraidus noghostus-"
The Ghost spoke from the mirror. "Dipper! Dipper! Let me free. Put that girl of yours to the test to see if she's worth loving. See if she will do the right thing and open the gates."
"No," said Dipper. "My sister's in there too, and you seem a little unstable, man."
"Very well, boy. Then... before you banish my soul, may these tired lumber eyes gaze upon the trees one final time?"
"Uh... I guess," said Dipper, holding the mirror up to the forest. "Go nuts, man."
The Ghost cackled madly and the mirror became red-hot. Dipper dropped it when it burned his hand, and it shattered on the ground, releasing the ghost.
"Yes! VENGEANCE!" said the Ghost.
"Oh no! Mabel! Pacifica!" said Dipper.