"WAIT!"

Bill glances downward, his hand still held as if to snap the children away at a moments notice.

"I surrender!"

Internally, Bill smiles, dropping Dipper and Mable to the floor. "Good choice."

"Don't do it, Ford!" Stanley cries out, taking hold of his brother's shoulders. "It'll destroy the universe!"

"It's the only way!" Ford says, batting his arm aside and turning back to the dream demon.

"Hahaha. Even when you're about to die, you pines twins just can't get along," Bill muses, opening the cage they were held within. Before the triangular walls finish sinking into the Fearamid, spectral arms coil around and ensnare Stanley.

Bill looks down at Ford, his question understood without words.

"My only condition is that you let me brother and the kids go."

"Fine," Bill returns, raising up a hand in a silent pledge.

Off to the side, Dipper shouts in warning, but Ford ignores him. Taking a deep breath, he steps forward.

"It's a deal."

Ford reaches out his hand towards the demon's outstretched palm.

Only for Bill's hand to retreat.

"Please, do you think I was born the last millennia? Of course I saw through the swap."

All eyes go wide as more arms bind Stanley to the ground.

"Now then, where was I? Ah, yes- Ford?"

The rest of the question needn't be put into words. The hardened gaze from the eldritch horror said all that was required.

"I understand," the real Stanford said with a sigh. "I didn't want it to come to this."

"Of course not, wise guy," Bill remarks, floating towards him. "But I did."

Stanford lowers his head, bowing towards Bill.

Unbeknownst to Bill however, one of his six fingers was pointed towards his wrist.

No watch laid there now, but all eyes were on him. Stanley got the message.

"Oh, it's a little late to beg for mercy. This is all you have left," Bill says, holding out a four fingered hand coated in pale blue flames. "Make the deal."

Bill perks up at a noise off to his left... From Stanley.

A beam shot forth from the device- aimed straight for his eye. WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE EYE!?

Except... It never hit. About halfway to him, it fizzled out.

"Ahahahaha!" Bill chortles, turning to face Stanley directly. "Truly, you don't understand who runs this place. I am God now."

"That wasn't for you!" Stanford shouts, taking Bill's attention. "No, I was just calling in a favor."

Bill laughs at that, his eyelids forming a crooked smile. "And who could you possibly ask to help against ME!?" To emphasize his point, ghostfire plumes up in all directions. "I control space, matter, and time."

"True," a new voice greets from behind him. "But I'm a scientist."

Each of the pieces that form Bill flip around, leaving him facing... An old man in a labcoat?

"And who are you, then?"

"I'm Rick."