The town spun around to find themselves facing Bill Cipher, the being that had threatened their dimension seven years before.

"How about Veronicapocalypse?"

He got disbelieving stares in response.

"What? Don't like it? I thought it was pretty good."

"Actually, it's quite clever," said Ford, a little sarcastically. "I'd like to know how you came up with it. I'd also like to know HOW YOU GOT HERE!"

"It was my sister's doing," said Bill. Ford seemed to contemplate this for a moment.

"What did she do?" asked Ford, opening his journal to the next blank page.

"I don't know. One moment, I'm trapped in your brother's mind-"

"Wait...what?!"

"Erasing Stanley's mind with me in it was obviously a temporary solution. I would have been immediately freed because I can't be contained in emptiness. But, since Stanley recovered quickly, I became attached to his mind force, and it acted like a prison. My only choice was to wait it out. He would die someday and his mind force would fade into nothingness, which would set me free."

"But how did you get out?"

"I don't know how Veronica did it, but I'm back. Why complain?"

"Because you're annoying and dangerous. You could easily disturb this entire operation."

"You're trying to take my sister down, aren't you?" Bill chuckled gleefully. "Okay, smart guy…I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" Ford asked. "What do you propose?"

"I propose we work together." Bill held his hand up before Ford had a chance to question him. "Allow me to explain. We both hate Veronica, we both know a lot about her, and we both have certain talents that could be used against her. Maybe we could take her down together."

Bill extended his hand, which was now engulfed in blue flames. Ford thought for a moment.

"Fine…but we HAVE to work together, not against each other," Ford said sternly. Safety was a must, especially now.

Bill gave the impression of smiling. "Deal."

And they shook hands. When the flames around their hands receded, Ford reached for the handle of the door.

"Stop!" Bill yelled.

Ford drew back his hand. "Why?"

"Without a weapon, that's suicide!" Bill said.

"I have a weapon," Ford said, pulling a gun from a holster behind his trench coat. "But please…put some kind of force field around everyone else."

"Sure," said Bill, summoning a protective field around the horribly confused town.

And with that, Ford opened the door.

"MA! PA!"

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Another surprise entrance…I'll stop now.