Mel sat quietly in a small, dim room. Sorcha had asked to speak with her. But she was very impatient. Mel was ready to murder Mabel. She'd kill her good. Not even with a poison ball. She'd probably wring her little neck, literally, with her bare hands. Then stab her for good measure. The events unfolded in Mel's mind, getting more horrific and gruesome every time.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a small rap on the door. Mel's timid servant entered nervously and stood in front of the door. Mel observed her nose was bleeding dreadfully, and fresh scratches and bruises covered her arms and legs.

"Sorcha is here to see you, ma'am," she whispered. Mel nodded.

"Did she, um, do that to you?" she asked.

"Yes!" Adelphie said, and started to cry. "Please tell her she did something horrible!"

"I'll do no such thing," Mel replied, munching on a grape. "You deserved it."

"Why!?" Adelphie shrieked.

"Because you were born," Mel answered, obviously bored with the subject. "Now show the visitor in." Adelphie let out a moan, and opened the door wider. Sorcha stalked in and sat down in the chair opposite of Mel. After a minute of silence, Sorcha snapped harshly to the servant,

"Leave."

Adelphie burst into tears and streaked from the room. Sorcha chuckled and leaned back in her chair. "Fine servant you've got there," she said sarcastically. Mel made a face.

"What did you need me for? I have a pesky girl to slaughter and I don't need another of your lectures, so if that's the only reason you're here, please let Adelphie escort you out." Sorcha held her hands up in mock-defense.

"Hey, hold up, Violin."

"Viola," Mel corrected grumpily. "And it's my middle name. What if I went around calling you- what's your middle name again?"

"I go by my middle name now, idiot. And I haven't come to give you another lecture. Right now," Sorcha said. Mel rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. Cut to the chase."

"Fine. What I wanted to tell you, since you're probably going to die-"

"What!? No, I'm not. Proceed," Mel cut in. Sorcha gave an exaggerated sigh.

"What I wanted to tell you was some vital information. How stupid you were for this war. Mel... you were wrong. Five years ago-"

Dipper frantically searched for his sister on the bloodstained ground. But she was gone. Vanished, without a trace. His face hardened. Mel had done this. She was going to kill her. But he wouldn't let that happen. Never. Back in their attic bedroom of the Mystery Shack, the loud bumping on the wall had frightened Mabel. She had asked for Dipper to protect her.

"On my life," Dipper re-promised darkly. With a sudden newfound strength, he weaved through the throng of soldiers, slicing, decapitating, blocking. All of a sudden, an especially pointy-tipped blade scratched his shield deeply. He looked up, and there, on a shining black stallion, sat a beautiful young woman with sparkling golden hair falling elegantly from a silver crown with adorning diamonds on her head. She wore tight armor of the darkest black that seemed to gleam in the light.

"Unë dua të di emrin tuaj para se t'ju vrasin, armikun trim," she said sweetly, her voice like silk.

"Can't understand," Dipper mumbled, gazing into her stormy gray eyes.

"Emër," she whispered like he was stupid. "Më jepni emrin tuaj. Minave është Kytie. Unë jam mbretëreshë."

Mel's voice appeared in his head.

"She wants. To. Know. Your name before. She kills you. Her name is Kytie. She is queen of Assyria at. The moment."

Dipper nodded like Mel could see.

"Dipper," he said loudly, above the noise. Kytie laughed lightly, and brought up her sword. Dipper dodged the blow, and raced from her and her stallion. He didn't want to kill such a beautiful queen. Unfortunately, she followed him, sword raised high, ready to strike. Then, she leaped from her horse. Dipper staggered backwards, not expecting this strange fighting technique.

"Është e mahnitshme që ju keni bërë deri tani. Por tani ju do të takohet fund tuaj," she said, a cruel gleam playing in her eyes.

"She. Says. It is amazing. You have made it this far. But. Now. You will. Meet your end," Mel's laughing voice appeared in his head. Dipper shouted in pain. Mel's voice was beginning to hurt him, and he didn't know why. The queen dropped her sword and advanced on Dipper, her fingers clenched, ready to choke. Then something odd happened. Blue froth escaped from her mouth and dripped onto the floor. Kytie bent downward in pain. Dipper stared at her in shock. With all the noise, he hadn't heard the clang of a poison ball collide with her neck. She started to twitch, and dropped onto the ground, her skin a sick green and her eyes clouding over drastically. The queen moaned in horror, but her release wasn't coming for a while. Black pus filled lumps developed quickly and spread rapidly throughout her entire body. Dipper leaned down in morbid fascination when a hand touched his shoulder gently.

"There's nothing we can do," a voice said. Dipper whirled around.

"Mabel!" he shouted, and threw his arms around his sister joyfully. "Where did you go!?"

"I don't know," Mabel admitted. "I felt a strange tug on my whole body... and it was almost like I was a puppet and the puppet master was pulling me forward. I was in a sort of trance, I guess. I walked around a room stuffed with old photographs of Mel, Sorcha, and I... it was weird." The twins looked around. Even the Assyrians looked a bit tired. Bodies littered the ground, some stinking and decomposing already. The air was excruciatingly hot and just felt rotten.

"I'm really glad you are here with me," Dipper said gratefully. "I thought I'd have to finish up this war on my own!" Mabel smiled warmly and shook her head.

"That'd never happen. Ever. We're meant to fight evil together," she said. All of a sudden, a loud, ear splitting shriek sounded in the twins' ears. Startled, they turned around. It was Mel. She charged forward, gun poised in the air menacingly. Dipper braced his sword. Mabel readied defense. But Mel shook her head. She stopped, parallel to Mabel.

"Sorcha told me everything. She was wrong. I was wrong," Mel murmured with her gun still pointed at Mabel. Dipper realized in shock it was the beautiful gem-studded one he had found on the ground when he was fighting the soldier. "Mabel. You loved me. You were trying to protect me." Silent tears dripped down her cheeks. "I was so wrong." She began to sob, still pointing the gun to Mabel. "I'm sorry."

"Mel. You had every right to be afraid-" Mabel cut in.

"No. I was- no. I am evil," Mel cried. She was shaking horribly. "There's something wrong with me. I love you as the most best friend in the world. I'm sorry."

Mabel nodded and began to cry as well.

"It's okay, Mel. I know what you want," she whispered.

"We really need to be even," Mel finished, and another round of sobs racked her body. Mabel nodded kindly.

"You are my best friend, Melodie Jhonston. And you always will be. I'll love you for you, I always have. I'll love you no matter what you do. Please. Make us even. I won't be able to live with this," she said sadly. Mel smiled through her tears. It was one no one had seen for a long time. A sweet, kind smile. A smile of peace. A smile of love. She stuck out her pinkie shakily. Mabel did the same. They didn't touch because they were some feet away, but it was like an invisible bond held them close.

"I, Melodie Viola Jhonston swear to be best friends forever with Mabel Pines and Sorcha-Leigh Miller. I swore, Mabel. And I still swear," Mel cried in agony.

"We'll be even. Forever. Thank you, Mel. Thank you, best friend," Mabel whispered, and Melodie Jhonston pulled the trigger.

A low caterwaul rose up from the back of Dipper's throat. "On my life," he shouted, and flung his body in front of his sister.