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“He came out of the portal sputtering something like, “Fear the beast with just one eye!,” and I--” Ford was recounting his own side of the story when Dipper shot up from his seat, causing the older man to pause. He hadn’t really taken notice of the kids much, but the boy reminded him a lot of Stan when they had been younger. Dipper was looking at his own twin, Mabel, and Soos with wide eyes.
“Guys, that’s Bill! I mean, we knew he was bad before, but this just proves it!” Dipper said animatedly, gesturing wildly with his hands. They didn’t need to be told he was evil, but they knew what he wanted now, at least. Dipper thought absently that maybe Old Man McGucket had been right about the world ending, just not from the portal Stan had built.
Ford had gone still, and his face was devoid of emotion, as was his voice, the crazy look in his eyes from years ago returning, “What did you just say?”
Dipper turned back to Ford, his earlier nervousness around the man gone, replaced by excitement that he knew what the other was talking about, that maybe he could help, “Bill Cipher, he’s--” Without warning, Ford had lurched forward and grabbed Dipper by his vest, hoisting him into the air, “Hey!”
“Dipper!” Mabel screamed, rising from her own spot, “Put him down!”
The Author ignored her, and peered angrily into Dipper’s eyes, breathing heavily. Dipper himself was terrified, and the way that Ford’s eyes were moving….it reminded him of the message in the journal: DON’T LET HIM INTO YOUR HEAD, HE WILL WRECK THE PLACE!
The blue vest Dipper usually wore was scraping against his neck as Ford held him in the air, feet dangling.Dipper and the Author’s eyes were locked together, and they were oblivious to Stan’s shout as he dove at his brother. Stan was at least careful enough not to hit Dipper, his balled fist slamming into Ford with a satisfying smack. Stunned, The Author dropped Dipper and stumbled backwards, clutching his cheek. “Stanley, what the hell!”
Dipper scurried backwards into Mabel, who caught him and pulled him up. Stan had not stopped after the punch, diving after Ford with vigor. Soos was watching them with an open mouth, his brows pulled together in concern.
“You do not touch these kids! Do you understand me? If you flippin’ lay one six-fingered hand on them again, I’ll beat you so hard you won’t even remember your own name!” Stan bellowed, trying to punch his brother, who was doing somewhat well in holding Stan back, despite his surprise. Stan pulled away for a moment before aiming a kick at his brother’s leg.
“What are you doing, you idiot?” Ford hollered back, “He knows Cipher, and Cipher doesn’t just have friendly chats! You’re-- ugh, ow!- you’re fighting your own brother over a demon!” Ford kicked back against Stan, pushing himself backwards and onto his feet.
“Dipper’s not a demon, he’s one of the only pieces of family that I have left! No thanks to you!” Stan shoved his brother hard, and was only stopped by Mabel’s own shouts.
“Grunkle Stan, stop! Please, please stop!”
Panting, and beginning to feel the effects of his old age, Stan stepped back, glancing toward the kids. “You alright, kid?”
“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” Dipper breathed, watching his idol working to regain his footing, blood dripping from one of his nostrils.
“This is not a game, Stanley!” He pushed out through labored breaths, “Bill Cipher is dangerous! He cannot be stopped--”
“Yes, he can!” Mabel interrupted, outrage bubbling within her, “And I don’t appreciate you attacking my brother, no matter who you are!”
“What?” Ford looked dumbly down at the little girl. At first impression, he’d liked the girl for her seeming weirdness, and it seemed she wasn’t lacking in the guts department either.
“We’ve stopped that stupid dorito, what, like twice?” Mabel looked back at her brother for confirmation.
“Yeah!” Dipper rubbed at his arm where Bill had stabbed him, a little wary of the older man, but nursing a desire to prove his worth.
“Two kids? I--”
“Well, it wasn’t just us the first time. Soos was there. We had to catch Bill in Grunkle Stan’s mind, and well…” Dipper trailed off, thinking of the memories he’d seen of himself inside of Stan.
The Author stumbled forward, and Stan moved to stand in front of the other three protectively, glaring at his brother. Stand didn’t quite understand everything they were saying, but he knew they’d been screwing around with the journals all summer. Ford held his hands up defensively.
“I...I don’t understand….”
“We beat the dude at his own sick game,” Soos offered, “and then we got the heck outta there.”
“You said twice, you beat him twice?” The man looked desperate, and Dipper felt a pang of sympathy, but he was still somewhat winded from his trip up.
“Well…” Mabel seemed more hesitant now, and Dipper was still a little glad that she felt bad for abandoning him, “I was supposed to help Dipper crack the password to Old Man McGucket’s computer, but I was distracted…”
Dipper stepped forward, patting Mabel’s shoulder, “Bill tricked me into making a deal, because he wanted the journals. He possessed me and tried to get to it, but Mabel forced him out of my body.” Dipper hesitated, and then spoke Bill’s own words. “She sacrificed everything just for her dumb sibling.”
“You know,” Stan griped, “I have a feeling a good caretaker would ground you or something for getting into these shenanigans.”
Ford stared at Dipper with a new kind of wonder, ignoring Stan. It made Dipper feel self-conscious. “He possessed you...and you’re fine? You were in the dreamscape with him and you made it out? How in the world….?”
Mabel looked at him, crossing her arms and stepping closer to her brother. “We had to remember what it meant to be twins, that Mystery Twins have each other’s back, no matter what.” She turned to fist-bump Dipper, who grinned weakly at her.
The small girl hesitated, looking between her two Grunkles and then said softly, “I think you should remember that too.”