"Whoa there!" Stanford tugged on the reins of his horse, the animal braking to a halt right before his destination. He dismounted gracefully, pulling an apple from one of the many pockets in his coat and slipping it between the horse's teeth.

"I'll be back soon," he promised, petting the animal's head gently. He secured her to the wooden post outside before waltzing up the steps and entering the establishment.

Gnasty's was a gnome-run tavern, a hub for forest-dwellers. By day it was just a run-of-the-mill diner, serving food to satisfy the tastes of any clientele. At night it became more of a club scene, the unicorns using their magical horns to play music and put on light shows. It was a bit rowdy for Ford's liking, but he did manage to meet some interesting regulars there.

"Table for two, please," he told the owner, a somewhat obnoxious gnome by the name of Jeff.

"Why? I don't see a date there, Six-fingers," Jeff snorted, but he led the man to a table in the corner. He handed Ford a menu and some cutlery, leaving a second menu in front of the seat opposite him.

"Thank you," Stanford stated politely, the gnome taking his cue and leaving. Ford ran a hand through his hair as he looked over the menu, hoping for some new additions. It had been awhile since he'd last visited the restaurant, Caskey's illness and the twins' births keeping him busy.

"You made it!" a voice cheered, smile evident in its tone.

Ford glanced up from his menu to find the other menu upright opposite him, a head of wavy rose-colored hair peeking up at him from behind it. Star giggled when he saw her, lowering her menu to reveal her beaming face.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so giddy," Stanford chuckled, taking her hand and kissing the back of it gently.

"I'm just excited to see you! It's been forever!" Star clasped her hand around his, trying to convey all of her emotions through the touch. Ford was overwhelmed by the worry and fear that had consumed her during his absence, clutching her hand more firmly.

"Hey, stop that," he ordered softly, rubbing circles onto her hand with his thumb. "I'm here now, and everything's alright. You helped save my niece, you know!"

Star looked at their joined hands with a smile, bringing her other hand up to hold his free hand. "I know how much she means to you, I couldn't just let her die. But if she's better now, where have you been?"

"Well, it's still a very delicate situation." Ford chose his words carefully, describing the events of the past two months. Star listened intently, asking a question or two of her own as he went on.

"Wow," she finally breathed when he was finished. "That's definitely a doozy!"

"Now you see my conflict," he agreed. "I'm sorry that I haven't been able to see you sooner."

Star nodded, picking her menu up again. They lapsed into silence, the waiter coming to take their orders and bring them some water the only breaks. Finally, Star looked at him seriously.

"Stanford, I have something urgent to tell you."

Ford was startled by the sudden declaration, but seeing the burning gaze in Star's pink irises, he gave her his full attention.

"You're in danger. That day that we retrieved the flower… there was this man lurking in the shadows. His intentions were definitely threatening, but he didn't try anything because I was with you. Now, though, I'm almost certain that he'll come after you, and possibly your family, too."

Stanford took a second to digest the information, hoping that Star was pulling some sick joke. He felt his stomach turn when her expression didn't falter, his appetite weakening. "Okay, that's definitely not good… But you wouldn't have told me without having a plan, so let's hear it."

"Run away with me."

Ford choked on his water. That certainly wasn't what he'd expected to hear. "E-Excuse me?"

Star's face softened and she slipped her hands into his again. "I know how much your family means to you, but this madman is after you. The best way to protect them is to leave."

Stanford frowned at their joined hands. "Star, you're not making sense. Why should I abandon my family when it seems they'll need me the most?" The prospect of it all seemed too irrational, especially for his usually quick-witted girlfriend.

"Because I love you, damn it!"

The dining room fell silent, the scarce patrons present startled from their small talk by the fierce declaration. All eyes fell on the bickering couple.

Stanford resisted the urge to curl in on himself at the attention, squaring his shoulders and giving Star a firm look. "I care about you, too, but that's not enough reason to abandon everything that I have here."

"What about what we have? Is that not enough for you?" There were tears in Star's eyes, a sight that Ford had never beheld. He watched with stunned eyes as the roots of her usually pink hair darkened to a gentle blue, the color steadily creeping to her tips. Her face paled slightly, adopting a faint blue tint as well.

"Star…" He had no idea how to let her down. He was terrified of the reaction that he might trigger, and he really did care about her.

Ford stepped around the table to pull his girlfriend into a hug, a hand gently stroking her hair. He glared at their audience, annoyed at how weak Star was being portrayed. Two of his favorite qualities were her strength and confidence, both of which he seemed to have diluted with his refusal.

"I love you, Star, but I also love my family. Please don't make me choose between you." He spoke softly, fingers still running through blue strands. It was clear that whatever premonition Star had received had left her very distraught.

Suddenly, her head shot up, her eyes blue and cheeks stained with tear streaks. "Do you value them over your life?" she asked quietly, face dead serious.

Ford spluttered at the question. Maybe he wasn't taking this seriously enough? Still, he knew that he couldn't abandon his family. He sighed, giving her a firm look. "I do."

And he believed it. He would gladly lay his life down for any of the members resting in the palace, even his knuckleheaded brother. The veiled threat greatly concerned him, but he wouldn't run like a coward.

A sob broke past Star's trembling lips, her entire being shaking. She pulled away from Ford, wrapping her arms around herself. He stood back, hands at his sides awkwardly.

"Fine," she finally murmured still not facing him. "Stay with your stupid family, see if I care!" She whirled around, her hair igniting into scarlet as she did, eyes aflame in the same brilliant color. The remaining customers in the tavern were quick to evacuate, Jeff and his staff retreating to the kitchen.

Ford choked down a gulp of air as she glared at him. Her heels clicked menacingly as she pressed an accusatory finger into Stanford's chest.

"I poured my heart out to you Stanford Pines! I risked everything to help you get that damn flower! I helped you with your stupid fucking journals! Do you know how much trouble I could get into for that?! And still, you don't trust me!"

Ford's eyes widened, his hands shooting up. "Wait a minute, Star! This has nothing to do with trust; there has to be another way! Let's figure this out together!"

Star shook her head, tears still dripping from her lashes. "It's not just this, Ford! I've been trying to reach out to you for the past six months, and nothing! I couldn't even feel you through our empathy link – do you know how terrifying that is? Your life is on the line and you still won't listen to me!"

She burst into a hysterical sob, wrapping her arms around herself again. Her hair began to fade to blue again. "I just feel like I'll always take a backseat to your family now," she mumbled, sitting in her seat again.

Ford ran a hand through his hair, completely overwhelmed and dumbfounded by the emotional waves rushing through their link. How had he been so neglectful? He recalled shutting her out during the first month of Caskey's recovery, then again around the time of the twins' birth, and it suddenly hit him that he hadn't even missed the demon. Sure, he thought about her from time to time, but he'd never had the urge to see her, or the desire to drop everything and run to her. Of course, if she had been in danger he would've rushed to help, but he knew that she was very capable on her own, and she had her brother to keep her company.

He shook his head, focusing on their situation now. He had no idea of how to rationally discuss anything with Star when she was in that state, nor did he understand how to transition out of it. He certainly didn't want to say anything to further damage their relationship, but at this point he didn't even know what was salvageable.

"Star," he finally whispered, coming to a resolution that would make or break them. The distraught demon didn't look at him, but quieted enough to let him know that she was listening. "This isn't an easy conclusion for me to draw, and I'm certain that you won't like it, but-"

"You think that we should take a break," Star finished, her voice hollow and quiet.

Ford bit his lip, nodding solemnly. "Please, blame no one but myself for this. I've been very neglectful toward you, and you deserve much better. But at this point in time, I need to be with my family. I hope that once you cool off you'll understand, and that after this is over we can be together again."

He contemplated his next move for a second before throwing caution to the wind, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to the top of Star's head. "I love you," he mumbled, stroking the silky waves one more time before taking his leave. He heard her cry out behind him, wincing as the door shut her out.


Three months later, when the queen deemed the twins old enough, a ceremony was held to introduce them to the kingdom. Alongside her two uncles, Queen Caskey stepped out onto the grand balcony overlooking Gravity Falls, a baby in each arm. Mabel immediately stirred from her slumber at the raucous applause they received, large brown eyes peering out at the crowd. Roderick remained asleep until he was passed to Stanford, lazily looking up at his great-uncle before becoming aware of their audience.

Stanley happily took Mabel from his niece, lifting her high enough to see the cheering townspeople over the railing. Mabel gave a bright toothless grin in response to the praise.

Flanked by her uncles, Caskey stepped up to the front of the balcony, where a pair of lanterns sat on a pedestal, tethered to the ground by ribbons. A gleeful smile lighting up her delicate features, the queen reached for the lanterns, grin widening when a small hand touched each of hers.

Mabel and Roderick stared at the lanterns with great curiosity, tapping their mother's hands to get closer. Caskey raised a lantern to each of them, trusting Stanford and Stanley to supervise them around the flames.

As if coordinated through telepathy, Roderick and Mabel released the lanterns at the same time, cooing as they watched them rise up into the cloudless sky.

Hundreds of lanterns followed as the entire kingdom rejoiced for their new prince and princess. Stanford and Stanley had their hands full with containing the two, who climbed all over them trying to get closer to the floating lights.

Caskey beamed at her babies with pride, a single tear running down her cheeks. "If only Robert could see them," she whispered, clutching to her golden locket.

Sensing her pain, Stanley hurried to her side, placing a giggling Mabel in her arms and wrapping a free arm around her shoulder. Stanford followed a moment later, holding Roderick close to her and rubbing her back soothingly. Caskey relaxed, comforted by the small family that she was able to call her own.

Unbeknownst to the happy quintet, a sinister figure was approaching, hell bent on revenge.


"Goodnight, my lady, see you in the morning." The servant excused herself from the bedroom, a tray tucked beneath her arm.

Caskey waved as she left before turning to the crib. Having only expected one child, she'd only had one crib prepared. As soon as Roderick popped out, she'd ordered a second one to be built. By the time it was finished, however, the twins had become so comfortable with sharing one bed that they refused to sleep separately. She could still recall the restless crying they'd made when they couldn't feel each other's presence.

Just as she reached to scoop the twins up, the door opened, Stanford and Stanley slipping inside.

"Don't you two ever knock?" she teased, laughing as Mabel giggled at her joke.

"Oh please, knocking wastes too much time," Stanley snorted, picking up one of the bottles from the nightstand and reaching for the baby girl. Caskey gently handed her over, watching Stan settle into one of the armchairs and slip the nipple of the bottle into the baby's mouth.

She turned to Stanford, who waited silently with a small smile and open arms for the other twin. She gratefully deposited Roderick into Ford's hands, walking back to sit on her bed. "So, what's the verdict?"

Stanford took up the chair opposite his brother, facing the two adults with a grim face as he began to feed the baby in his arms. "I'm afraid there isn't much good news to tell. The forest dwellers are getting antsy without me there; I've received word from my contact-"

"He means his demon girlfriend," Stanley interjected with a sly smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Caskey shot the elder twin a scandalous look, to which the man responded with a blush and a bitter grumble of, "It's not like that!" He whispered something else under his breath, magically launching a nearby book at Stanley's head.

"Ford! Not while he's holding my baby!" Caskey scolded.

"Sorry, sorry," Stanford quickly apologized. "Anyway, according to my contact, Fiddleford-" he shot his brother a pointed look "-there have been a few violations of the new treaty by some Gravity Falls residents on the outskirts of town. Some supernatural beings are looking to retaliate. He also told me that there has been an increase in supernatural participation of crime, though whether this has anything to do with the treaty being broken or not has yet to be confirmed. He's doing the best he can to keep things at bay, but there is a lot of unrest."

Caskey rubbed at her eyes wearily. "Okay, so you need to get back there soon. How about you, Stanley? How are our ambassadors fairing?"

"Unfortunately, they have their hands full with requests to visit you or for you to visit them. A lot of diplomats feel that they've lost touch with Gravity Falls because of the past year that you've been on bedrest and I was here caring for you. I'd recommend we arrange some sort of social gathering for them here, but I'm not sure if that's in your best interest."

As if to solidify his point, Caskey fell into a coughing fit, her hacking drawing the attention of her babies. Mabel and Roderick began whining, reaching for their mother. Caskey gulped down the glass of water at her bedside, falling onto her sheets tiredly.

"I think it's time for a recharge," Stanford observed. He and Stanley stood and brought the twins to their mother. Mabel and Roderick easily snuggled up to their mother, who wrapped them up in her arms.

"Laeh tahw sah neeb truh," Stanford began to recite. Roderick's birthmark immediately responded to the incantation, lighting up along with his eyes.

"Egnahc eht 'Setaf ngised.

Evas tahw sah neeb tsol,

Gnirb kcab tahw ecno saw enim."

Caskey sighed as the magic flowed through her, a content smile on her face. Roderick and Mabel had fallen asleep, and Stanford and Stanley were quick to pick them up and return them to their crib.

"You should get some rest, too," Stanley advised, patting Caskey's shoulder as they passed. "We'll be out in the halls, as always, if you need us."

"Thanks Lee, Ford," Caskey nodded, punctuating the sentiment with a yawn. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," the elder twins returned, slipping out of the room silently.

"I can't believe that it's already been six months!" Stanley sighed, running a hand through his hair. The twins were maturing rather quickly, already beginning to make noises that sounded vaguely like mimicked words.

"I know," the elder twin agreed. "It's pretty crazy. I'm worried about our neglected duties, though. The last thing that we want is something snowballing right under our noses – especially with how vulnerable this family is right now."

Stanley nodded solemnly. While it was fun to just enjoy being a family, his brother was right. They still had jobs to fulfill for the kingdom; things couldn't stay this way forever.

Stanford caught his brother's misery, patting his back with a laugh. "Oh, relax Lee, embrace the present! We'll get back to our duties eventually, but enjoy the moments we have now. Come on, security isn't going to run itself!"

"Standard procedure?" Stanley asked, perking up.

"Standard procedure," Stanford agreed. "It's your turn tonight."

"Roger that," Stanley saluted. He watched his brother march regally down the hall before taking his position at the door.

While he liked being able to guard his family closely, security detail was always such a bore at night. He and Ford hadn't been doing it initially, but with crime on the rise, they'd agreed on rotating nights of patrolling the main hall and Caskey's bedroom. Fiddleford would oversee the guards outside. They barely slept anymore because of it, but it was a price both were willing to pay.

"Aww, that's a very nice sentiment – you guarding your family like that," a voice drawled from the shadows. It held a backcountry accent, characteristic of the citizens who lived toward the outskirts of the kingdom.

"Who goes there?" Stanley called, drawing his sword warily. His eyes scanned the dark hallway, and he could feel sweat bead along the back of his neck. "Reveal yourself or I'll attack!"

His threat was returned with an eerie silence. Suddenly, a cloud of pink powder blurred his vision, a merry cry of "peek-a-boo!" the last thing he heard before the room spun and he fell to the floor.


"Hmmm, that was almost too easy!" Gideon snickered, tucking the sack of fairy dust away in his belt. He was impressed that his cloaking spell was holding up for such a long time; it typically would've expired by then.

Ensuring that the bag was secure and no other beings were present, the man cracked the grand doors open, peering inside. Gentle snores greeted him, and after determining that there was no movement, he slipped through the gap.

Quietly, he began reciting an incantation that he'd found through his research in the library. "Cigam, laever flesruoy ot em!"

A soft glow flickered from the crib, growing stronger and brighter as he continued chanting. Gideon approached slowly, careful to avoid anything that could potentially create sound. Upon reaching the bed, he drew the sheets back to reveal the prince and princess of Gravity Falls, eyes alight with power. The girl's hair mirrored the golden glow, as did the boy's strange birthmark. Strange birthmark…?

Gideon's baby blues widened as he reached into his cloak and whipped one of his books out. He quickly thumbed through the pages, stopping with a small gasp when he reached the desired page. There, inked in black and white, was the very same constellation. The text noted that markings related to the heavens were incredible sources of energy and magic.

Gideon's smirk stretched from ear to ear. An unlimited power supply that he could draw from whenever he needed it! All he'd have to do is find the right spell…

"Meh?"

Gideon jumped at the small sound. His eyes focused on the girl, likely woken by the magic he'd stirred in her. Oddly enough, her brother was still asleep, but that wasn't of much concern compared to the little noisemaker he had on his hands now.

"Shh!" he hushed, shooting the infant a stern glare. She cocked her head at him, reaching out with her small fingers. "No! Bad baby!" he whispered urgently, shooting anxious glances at the bed.

"Dah!"

"Ah shit!" Gideon groaned, slapping a palm to his forehead as the other twin woke. He was itching to use the powder to knock them out, too, but it would be a great risk considering their youth and delicate immune systems. Sure, they were magic, but was that a risk that he was willing to take?

"Shhheger bleh!" Mabel gurgled excitedly, patting her brother's cheeks.

"Eeeehhhh!" Dipper complained, swatting at his sister's intrusive fingers.

Oh yes, it was definitely a risk worth taking, Gideon decided, blowing a smaller cloud of the pink substance at them. Almost instantly, they fell silent, nearly inaudible snores falling from their open mouths.

Gideon shot an anxious glance back to the bed, a relieved sigh escaping his lips at the still form of the resting queen. Acting quickly, he scanned the room, finding a large basket near the fireplace. Tapping into the power of his gemstone, he lifted the basket and emptied its contents onto the carpet before drawing it closer.

He stole a pillow from the open closet door and stuffed it into the basket, laying the babies onto it a moment later. As an afterthought, he snatched the blanket from their crib and tucked them in, ensuring that if the ride got a little bumpy they're be secure.

Hooking the basket over his arm, he strode to the balcony, shutting the grand doors behind himself as silently as possible. They were four stories up, no trouble for his magic. He could feel the masking spell slipping, though.

Once he and the basket were safely on the ground, he bolted for the gates. Just as he'd predicted, someone sounded an alarm, shuffling sounding from every corner.

"Almost… there…" he panted. He really should've used the youth spell before taking them. He could feel his joints ache, mumbling small pain-killing chants. He caught sight of a pair of guards racing to close the gates, but even they could tell that they were too slow.

Slipping through the opening, Gideon didn't stop until he reached the cover of the forest. Chest heaving, he placed the basket on the ground gently, slipping the hood of his cloak off of his white hair.

"Stop!" a familiar voice shouted. The sharp sound of a sword being drawn pierced the air.

Despite the danger of the situation, Gideon smirked. This was the man he'd been hoping to run into. He tugged his hood back up, determination set in his eyes.

"Admiral Stanford Pines," he crooned, whirling around to face the man. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Stanford didn't seem flattered by the pleasantries, whispering something that made his blade glow red. "You've stolen some things that don't belong to you, and I've come to retrieve them," the man answered gruffly, eyeing the basket.

"Stolen some things…" Gideon repeated in a contemplative tone, tapping his chin with one finger. His idle hand clutched his gemstone behind his back. While it was powerful on its own, it did drain magic from him, which he was currently running low on. He knew of a method that worked in theory, but had never tested it out. Was he desperate enough to try it now?

"Stall all you want, felon! The guards are right behind me!" Stanford shouted, face red with rage. He took a step forward, brandishing his weapon confidently. "Do us all a favor and surrender now!"

"No way, Pines!" Gideon spat, voice adopting a sinister undertone. His fingers dug into the gemstone, and he could feel its power meld to his, running through his veins. It burned; he'd only be able to hold it for a couple of minutes.

Through the haze he heard Stanford's startled yelp, the thud of his sword falling to the dirt, and the rustling of pages. His vision was blurred by a teal filter, but he managed to make out the younger man's form, lenses reflecting the light cast by his magic.

Stanford shot him a determined look, reading an incantation off of a page. "Cigam eb enog-"

Recognizing the spell as a block, Gideon quickly knocked Stanford off of his feet, disrupting him before he could finish. He smirked at the pained expression the other wore as he rubbed his bottom. Tapping into his magic, the white-haired man levitated, hovering over the royal.

"You gave me quite a bit of trouble, taking my flower and destroying it," Gideon growled in that echoing voice. "Then again, I should thank you. Now I have two little flowers."

Noticing Stanford scrambling to get up, Gideon pinned him down with an invisible, but very tangible, fist. "Whoa there, Pines! You can't leave yet! I've been saving this spell for this very moment!"

It was true. He'd been plotting his revenge for almost a year now, and his plans were finally about to come to fruition!

"Otni a esroh I nmednoc eeht. A etaf taht llahs dnats litnu eht srieh nruter. Dnim taht yeht ton eb decrof. Yeht tsum eb kcab ot yats."

Gideon observed with wide eyes as the man beneath him was engulfed in teal flames. Stanford screamed as his entire body contorted, his back hunching over and his limbs elongating. Gideon bit his lip, feeling power drain from his being as the transformation ensued.

"Please!" Stanford cried, eyes squeezed shut. He cried out again, but it cut off and turned into a hoarse whinny, his throat presumably scratchy from his screams.

Gideon backed away as the shift seemed to draw to a close. He lowered himself to the ground, watching the scene intently. Finally, the flames died down, leaving in their wake a smoking animal curled up in the fetal position. A pair of glasses and the discarded journal were the only remnant of the horse's true form.

A platinum mane stretched across a burgundy coat, resembling the man's trademark outfit. The horse was heavily built; he could easily rival the palace horses

Gideon's satisfied grin stretched further. Using the last of his fused magic, he conjured up a collar similar to those that the palace horses wore. As the horse finally stirred, he strode over to it and latched the tag around its neck.

"Listen up, Admiral, you've been demoted," Gideon leered. "Here's the gist: You will now serve as the remaining royal family's horse. No one will know who you really are, and that's how it'll stay. Unfortunately, I cannot turn you into a horse permanently, yet, but you'll never fulfill the condition that I've set."

He moved to leave, but a reflected light stopped him in his tracks. Gideon's blue eyes sparkled when they spied Journal 2 laid out on the grass where Ford had dropped it. "Well, what do we have here?"

Stanford released a disgruntled sound, baring his teeth at the man. That was all the motivation Gideon needed, snatching the book up with a self-righteous smirk. "Last I checked, horses have no need for material possessions such as journals," he stated condescendingly. "Allow me to take this off your hands, or should I say 'hooves'?"

With an obnoxious chuckle, Gideon spun around and scooped the basket up, humming a tune as he strode confidently away. He heard Stanford scramble to get to his feet, laughing as he heard the unsteady hooves give out and drop the horse back onto the ground.


The kingdom woke in a panic the following day, the news of the missing heirs and admiral sending the sensitive citizens into a frenzy. Stanley had ordered a full sweep of the entire kingdom, closing the ports and having every ship searched inside and out. No nook or cranny was left untouched, and yet there was no sign of his missing family.

Stanford had been found wandering outside of the gates, a note attached to his collar addressing him to the royal family. Stanley had been highly suspicious of the apparent present, but Caskey had openly accepted it, commenting idly that he resembled Stanford.

She and Stanley had held a lantern ceremony after a week of fruitless searching. As much as they wanted to continue, tensions were rising along the borders of the forest with the seeming death of their ambassador. The queen was forced to cut down the search party to a few troops, which gradually diminished as the months drew on.

Without her sources of healing, the queen deteriorated as time stretched on, too. Stanley had done his best to use Stanford's extensive research to stave death off, but it eventually enveloped the queen two years later.

The sole heir to the throne, Stanley took the crown in her place. He refused to give up hope that his family was still out there, holding a lavish lantern ceremony every year on June 18, the day of the twins' birth, in the hope of drawing them out.

Meanwhile, in a small tower hidden away in an alcove of the forest, Gideon raised the twins himself. He started out as a father-figure to them, but that slowly degenerated into an adoptive brother vibe as the children matured. He doted on Mabel, almost incapable of denying her anything. He held a bit of disdain toward Dipper, envious of his power and the close relationship he had to his sister. Nevertheless, he tried his best to be a fair guardian, only imposing a few rules: no entering his private study unsupervised, no practicing magic unsupervised, and absolutely no leaving the tower.

While his laws were restricting, that didn't discourage inherent curiosity – on the contrary, it only made them antsier. They knew that there was a great big world to discover, and once they got the chance they'd start with the floating lights.


A/N: Since the finale steamrolled me like a train, I decided that it was the perfect time to post the prologue to the story that I've been slaving over for the past two months! I will attempt to update every week, as I already have the next chapter written. I hope you enjoyed!

(P.S.: All magic is cast in native Faller language - backwards speech!)