Chapter Text
“...And I suppose that summarises all this situation quite accurately”, Stanford closed his Journal - the one he hadn't seen in years. Yet as familiar as the first time he wrote in it.
His twin grumbled something behind his back, but Stanford still wasn't sure he was ready for another round of “I'm Stanley and everyone should praise me for my doings”. Later. Later, when he could finally deal with the mere idea of finally being in home dimension, of once again seeing a familiar face… of once again being remembered why that face stopped being present in his memories.
He still was pissed. And yet he wanted nothing more than to let himself grasp even this little spark of familiarity, to allow himself even a faint reminder of their hugs full of affection and of their mutual hopes.
But he couldn't. He knew Stanley. One hint that Stanford was hopeful for their old bond - and his cheat of a brother would grasp at it and feed into it and assume that everything was well and normal. Everything: him taking his name, his life, maybe more…
No. Stanford needed to stay strong and resist his wishes.
At least until he knew full damage of the past thirty years.
And that was how he allowed the young kids (his grandnephews! How odd!) to lead him upstairs. Stanley and the older kid (Zeus or something) followed them.
And aside from younger twins chirping, the ride upstairs was awkward and silent.
The moment they exited to the storage room (that was something else now! And that strange vending machine! What happened to the classic bookcase or something?! His twin’s taste was as awful as always…) became even more awkward.
As they were greeted by several people, all crossing their arms and glaring.
Stanford felt himself reaching for his blaster, yet Stanley already stepped forward, raising his arms and grinning. But his voice was nervous and on the verge of panic.
Who were those people? Stanford didn't like it. As much as he resented his twin at this very moment, he wouldn't hesitate if they became a treat to anyone present.
So… He looked over the small crowd. And that was indeed quite a crowd.
In the middle was a middle-aged man in a black suit, with a mustache. His entire appearance screamed of being a government agent - Stanford saw some of them back in old days.
Next to him was a woman in another perfectly fitted suit hinting at the serious job of its owner who had the air of a very displeased person. What the…?
There also was… A biker? Looked like one.
The last man haunched behind the others, with an overall scruffy appearance, large hat and very impressive beard. There was something familiar in that one, like Stanford actually knew him.
And… Aside from them was a raccoon, standing before everyone else, with raised fur, hissing and glaring.
To be honest, Stanford did see a lot more stranger things, both in Gravity Falls and during his interdimensional travels. Yet it still was quite a peculiar company.
So he glanced at his twin. Who tried to make a step forward, but was stopped by a hissing.
“Hey, hey, let's not be hasty!” he gulped.
“Oh he's so in trouble”, Mabel quietly giggled.
Stanford looked at her. “What do you mean?”
“That's… that's quite difficult to explain”, Dipper shrugged.
So Stanford coughed.
“Stanley, care to introduce us?”
His twin glanced back and exhaled in surrender.
“Right… Right. Everyone, this is my twin. Stanford. Ford, that's Emma-May…” what? “Old Fiddsy…” what? “Jimmy, Agent Powers and… sorry, doll, always forget your name… My Tax Agent!”
“Greetings”, Stanford blinked. Surely it was a coincidence… “So, what all of you…”
“Oh, we just decided to see what our beloved Stan did this time so that the whole town went flying”, the Tax Agent said in quite a melodic voice.
“Beloved?” Stanford repeated, almost sure he heard it wrong.
“Yeah, our babycakes is a real trouble left alone”, the biker winked, making Stanley laugh from embarrassment.
“So you're the real Stanford?” the haunched figure finally spoke, making Stanford grasp in recognition.
“Fiddleford?! That's you?”
The raccoon hissed and finally jumped at Stanford, aiming with its (her?) claws in his face. Luckily Stanford had enough of the instincts to catch the beast in air and far enough from his eyes. Not that it helped with hissing.
Fiddleford already slapped Stanley by his arm. “I told you not to activate the portal without my presence! What if everything blew up!”
“But it didn't!” Stanley pulled Fiddleford up in the air by the back of his shirt so they were screaming each other in the face… What??
Agent Powers before them sighed. “I'll go file some reports. And then I'll bring some takeovers!”
Mabel, Dipper and Soos cheered at him.
Stanford looked over the screeching raccoon that continued its (her?) attempts at clawing the air. Emma-May? Right?
What the hell was Stanley up to in the past years?!