"Wendy!"
Dipper called out to the cave. No response.
Where was she? As he ran to the bottom of the crater, he thought back. The last time he saw her, he was attempting to pry his journal from the Shapeshifter. She had stepped in, and was about to chop off the monster's tongue with her ax when the water pipe burst. They were swept away, followed by Soos, Mabel, and Dipper. He had found the ax after the water cleared, but not her.
It was hard to see, but he thought he saw Wendy get hit by a stalagmite.
He was really worried now. And as he reached the floor of the cavern, he found he was right to be.
The body was unmistakable.
Green flannel shirt tied around her waist, slight scrapes from earlier scuffles, and red hair. Especially red hair.
"Wendy!" Dipper ran to her side. "No-no-no-no-no! Can you hear me!?" He slightly shook her, hoping for a sign. "Please be ok, please be ok!"
Nothing. She just slightly rolled over.
"No no no! This is all my fault! If I had told you while we were in the closet, we wouldn't be in this mess! But I was too scared and now you could be hurt or worse, and I never even got to tell you I'm, like..."
Even then he was reluctant to tell her. He wasn't even sure she could hear him. But, now was the time to stop pulling a Mordicai. Besides, better late than never.
"In love with you, Wendy."
Despondent, he buried his face in his hands.
Then he heard the voice.
"Uh, Dipper?"
No. It was impossible. But he turned around, and there she was.
"Huh? What? Wendy?!
He turned again, this time to the body of...well, now he wasn't sure.
"Then, who's-"
GROWWWL...
The lying-down Wendy sprung on all fours. It became clear who "she" really was.
"LOOK OUT!"
The Shape Shifter, still in Wendy form, lunged at the true Wendy.
"Give me back that journal!"
"Never!"
Then things got physical.
Dipper could only watch. He was feeling a number of emotions. Nervous, frightened, overwhelmed. But most of all, confused. These two Wendys were completely identical, from lumberjack hat to cowgirl boots.
"Give it back! It belongs to Dipper!"
"Hit her with the ax!"
"Don't listen her, Dipper!"
"She's the Shape Shifter!"
Taking into account the ax at his feet, he quickly and tremulously picked it up. He knew what he had to do. But to whom?
"I, I don't know who's who! Gimme a sign!"
Then he waited until the Wendy on the right moved. He could see her making a gesture he knew well. Her hand pursing over-zipping-her lips. This was the one.
He was about to swing when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught it. The other Wendy. Pursing her lips.
Two Wendys. The exact same in form and motion. Dipper couldn't tell the difference.
Then. Something took hold of him. He closed his eyes.
And swung.
There are some times when you just know you made a bad choice. If you encounter a fork in the road, one full of sunshine and friendly animals and the other dark and lifeless, and you took the latter, you know about the danger, yet you do it anyway. This is called poor judgement.
This was how Dipper felt as he swung. He knew he would hit someone. He just hoped it would be the right one.
But when he opened his eyes, this is what he saw.
The Shape Shifter, almost in half, ax sticking out.
And a 15 year old girl, crying, stomach sliced, lying on the cave wall.
Very poor judgement indeed.