headcannon: this elitist asshole demon who wanted to get rid of dip to "keep our kind clean of human filth" starts a demon brawl with dipper and that. that is the thing that made alcor the dreambender a household name and put him on the "frequently summoned demon" list
post/112816799893/headcannon-this-elitist-asshole-demon-who-wanted
A/N: I feel like I need to apologize in advance for all the Zalgo in this. (...let me know if anything needs clarifying/translated.)
Afardow the Prideful had more than earned their name and the right to keep it only theirs. Only the finest of sacrifices would do to tempt them from the Mindscape, only the most perfect of summons with the highest quality materials, and they were powerful enough to demand them.
Though they would eagerly accept the sacrifice of lesser demons to their glory. If a demon could be bound so easily, then they were unworthy to call themselves demon and deserved to be sacrificed to give power to the more worthy.
Other demons tended to avoid them with more care than they commonly put toward not meeting with each other. A basic precaution, since while most meetings of demons led to fights, it was a guarantee if they didn't meet Afardow's extremely high standards of demonkind – and it was the rare demon that could.
After the Transcendence, it took time for Afardow to hear the rumors of Alcor. Little surprise when they held themselves as being above gossip, and so few would dare approach them anyway.
But hear about him, they finally did, around eight years after the world changed irrevocably.
And they weren't happy.
Dipper was teasing Gompers the Second (while the original Gompers sat watching enviously by the porch, too old to chase after the floating coattails dangling temptingly just out of reach anymore) when he felt something akin to an electric shock tingle over his skin while a chill ran down his spine, and somehow he knew without being told (thank you omniscience) that another demon had just crossed into Gravity Falls.
There was another demon in his territory. And they were looking for him.
He could sense them, trailing blood and death and pain and announcing their presence and they were not allowed here and that was a Bill thought, a possessive demon thought, but Dipper didn't really care because Gravity Falls was his.
And they weren't allowed near his home. Especially not the Shack!
With that last thought, he blipped toward where he could feel the new demon waiting for him, already furious.
The demon waiting for him in the woods outside Gravity Falls was, quite possibly, the most stereotypically "demon" looking demon Dipper had ever seen.
Tall, with long digitigrade legs that ended in cloven hooves, too-long arms with too-long fingers tipped in long, black claws. Covering their torso was a sleeveless robe of black edged in gold, one that tapered down over their hips into a sort of loincloth that narrowed down to a point by their knees, belted around where their waist should have been.
Huge, bat like wings arched from their back, twitching toward Dipper when he appeared even as the goatlike bone head, crowned with arching, sharp tipped horns, turned empty eye sockets to look at him. The long, triangle tipped tail arching behind them snapped once as they looked Dipper over.
The two floated in silence for a few seconds, sizing each other up.
"Ś͞ò̶,̶̵͞" the stranger finally said, crossing their arms and sneering (as much as a bone skull could sneer), "t̴̨h̷͢i͠s͠ ͞i҉s̸͘ ͠͠th̵̕e̵͠ ̷͜h͞ų́m̷a͘n ҉́͞f͠i̧l͞t̡h̷͢ t̶ha̧t̸ ̧t҉͢h̵͘͜i͜ń̶k͘͜s ̵ţh͡͡e͞y̶'̧̧͡r͠͝e͝ ͜wo̵̢r̶͟͠t̀h̨y̢͞ ҉̢of̧͠ ̢̡be̴̡͟i̢͟n̢g͟͜ ̕͜͜à̀ ͟͝d̷em͝͡on̢.̵͘" They floated forward, circling Dipper, who refused to turn to follow and show that weakness even as they disappeared behind his back. "T̕͘i̸͡n҉̡̡y̵͏̛ ̵͜w̧͟͏ì̛n̶̷g̡s͘,͘ ̀͘n̢͜o̢ ̷t̢a̶̕i҉̶̛l,̨͘͝ ͟ǹo̷͟͝t́͜ ̴̴e̢v͞e̵n͏̴͟ ̛á ̡t͠͞r̷̡͘a҉̸c͢͢e ơ͡f̶͡ hò͟͟rn.̢̀.̸́͞.̴̛I͡͏'̀͜d̨͢͠ ͜͜͟say̕ y̢͘͟o͘͢u'̵̕̕re̴͡ n͢o͠҉ţ̶ ̶̧͏e͏v̡͠e͟n̵͝ ̢́͢t̷r̛҉yin͜g̨͞͝,͏ ̶̡h̡̨u̧m̴a̕n̷-̡͠b͜҉o̵̸͞y̴͞.̵̧̧ "
Dipper snarled, shoving away the sudden urge to flare out his wings as big as they could go, his temper already frayed to near the snapping point between the insults and too close to MY town MY territory MY FAMILY. "G̕͜e̛̛͞t͜.͞ ҉̸̛Ó͢͠ut̶̡͘,̵̢ " he growled, more reverb to his voice than he liked but he didn't care. "Th̡is̕ ̵i̡s͜ ͠m҉ý T҉er͏ŕi̕tor͢y̵, a͏n̛d yo̵u̕ a̢r̶en͝'҉t̕ ͞w͠el͘çom҉e̴ he͢r̴e.͘ "
The strange demon laughed, and the trees around them began to wither. "Y̷͞ó̸ư'̧͞r̡é͏̕ ̧à̧lmo̶͘s̀t҉͘ ̡c̵͜u̷͠t̷e.̢ ̛I̡f̨ ̢́yo̢ų̵̛ ̛͡wè̕r͠e҉́ ̛a͠ ͘t̢҉r͏̕͜u̵e̴ ̡͞d͏͢͝e͏m̶̨̨o̵̧n͘,̧͘ ̶̨I͢ ̨mi̵̵͝ģh̡t ̛͏h̴͏a҉v͜͟e̸̷͜ ̢͞l͘e̢͡t ̴̷͟y̴͡͡oų͢ ̕l͘iv̨e̶͝,̷" they gloated. "I҉̧̛ a͏҉m͟͜ ҉̶̛Af̀á͞rdò̸w͏,̀ ̵̧b̸ò̢̕y͟͟,͘͠ ̕͜ań̶d͡ ̵n̶̸̷ò ͘h͟u̡m̧͟à̧̀n̵̛ ̀͢f̡͟͞i͏͢l̷̸t̛ḩ͘ ̸͡w̷͜i҉̴ļ͏l̀͟͟ ̀͜tai̴n̴t͏ ́͢d̨̕e̡m̨̛͢ǫ͘n̕k̵i̴ń͟d̵̷͜ s҉̡o̡ ̷l͝o̧͠n͝g̢͝ ̵͏as̵ ̷҉I͏ ̨͜l͠͡iv҉e̢,̕͞ ͠n͘o͢r͏̀ ̀͞s̵̨ha̶̛l̴̀l͡ ̴͜a͘n̶y̨ p̵l͢a͝҉̡cé́͡ ́͢a̢͟s͏̛ ̡f͞i͜l̢t̕͏͢h͝͏y ͏́a̡̨͢ş͞ thi͟s̢ e͟xi͝s͘t͏ ͠͏-͜ – "
Their rant was cut off as Dipper snapped, a left hook catching their midsection and throwing them into the cliff behind them. It may not have been very demonic, but it felt good.
Afardow rose from the crumbled rocks, scattering the pebbles and fallen bits of cliff with their wings, laughing in a voice that would make mortal ears bleed. "Ye̷s͘, yes̢,҉ ͜gơo͟d!̀" they gloated. "Y̶o͢u ͜m̀a̢y n͡ot ́be ̧wor̵t͘h͘y ҉of ͠li͞f͘e, ̴b̢u̧t́ ̷át l͘e͏as͏t̸ y͏ou͟ ̧w̨i̢ll̢ pu͡t̵ ͡up an e͘ǹj͡oyab̸l̨ę fi̡gh͞t!"
Dipper just snarled, striking out at Afardown with claws that were suddenly longer and sharper than ever before.
Afardow caught his hand in its claws, smirking. "Y҉ou͡'̢l͞l ha͞ve̴ t͜o͟ tŕy̛ ha̡rde̡r t͠h̀ąn͘ that, b́óy!" they said, twisting sharply, and Dipper screamed as the bones in his arm snapped.
Without thinking he lunged forward when Afardow expected him to pull away, sinking teeth sharper than should have been possible into Afardow's shoulder, coming away with a chunk of demonic flesh when Afardow howled and pulled away.
Dipper swallowed before he realized what he was doing, his human side demanding he hack it back up while the stronger demon side grinned, licking lips stained with black blood and savoring the taste and rush of power as he smirked at the older demon, holding his arm close as it started healing.
"You ҉ąr̷e̴ ̧going t̸o̧ ̢r͢eg̡r͟e̶t th̢a̴t," Afardow hissed, slowly standing from their defensive crouch, clutching at their shoulder as it seeped blood. "I ̶w͝í̡̀l͠͝l̕ ̶͢m̡ak͘e͠ ́͠yo̶̶̧u҉ ̡͘b̢e̕g̛͜ ̕͜f̶͡o̴r͞͞ ͏͢d́͘e̸͢͝at̴̕h͡͝.́͡"
Dipper bared bloodstained fangs and hissed."B̕r̵i͢͞n̶̶͘g̴͜.̶̛ ̡Įt.̶ ͘͢O̸ņ̀͘.̵͘ "
In the town proper of Gravity Falls, the ground shook, sending everyone tumbling to the ground as roars rent the air.
Something plummeted from the sky, hitting the pavement with an earth-shattering crack. Two dark figures bit and clawed, rearing up and ripping and tearing into each other over the cracks their impact left, hissing and tumbling, leaving black and gold blood streaked across the asphalt.
The swirling, snarling mass separated, still looking like a pair of cats brawling in the street, into Dipper and an unknown demon. Their claws left more grooves in the pavement as they skidded to a stop on either side of the street, crouching low and watching each other warily.
Dipper scrubbed a hand across his mouth, gloves shredded and useless, leaving a streak of gold and black, while the other demon ran a too long tongue over lipless teeth, glancing at the surrounding town.
"T́h̸i͘s̢ is wha̸t y̨o̢u'̸r̸e̛ ͢tr͝y̶in̶g̀ ̛t́o̷ ͘p̵ro͡téct? I̸f̨ ̴y̕ou fig͢h̶t ̸s̷o ̷for ͡i͝t,͏ ̡t͝h҉en̡ it ͟m̸uşt ̢b̴ę p͠ow̶er̷f͡ul͝ ̶in̨d͠e̷ȩd! ̨I̛ ͠c̶àn̵'t̷ ̶w͠ài҉t ͘to ͢f̨e̢as͝t ͝up͡on͡ it̷,͡ l͏it̕tl̕e͜ a̸bo̕minatíon̸!̛"
The strange demon shrieked a second later as Lazy Susan dumped the bucket of holy water they kept at Greasy's to spritz Dipper with when he misbehaved over it. Smoking and sparking, they shot into the air, shaking off the holy water as best they could even as it left burns on the bones of their body and holes in their wings.
They landed heavily and spun, hissing at Lazy Susan. "Ơn͠͝c̵e̴ ̡̕I ̡k͘͠il̡҉l̵̸͘ t̷͟h̨͜is ̵̶u͘p̢͘͏s͝t́a̷̶͢rt,̸̕ ͏̴̕y̶o̧̢͞ų͝҉ ̛d̡įe̸͟ ̷̸̛f́͘i̸̕͠r͞st͘͘!̀"
And Dipper struck. His leap sent them back into the mindscape just long enough to blip them out of town and away from the people there while he bit and clawed, ripped and tore, giving as good as he got, even as his own body was torn by Afardaw's claws and burned by his fire.
"M̸͠y ҉to̕͡w̡̡͝n҉̀! ҉͏̧M̛͜͠y͘҉ ̕͜p͘e̷̴̶op͜͢l̕e͜͞!̸̨͡ ́̕M̢Y̨̨ F̵͜҉A̸͢M̧IL͏̕Y̸!̢͏͡ " Dipper roared, "Y̷̧o̵̵̕uwìl̶͢͢l̡ ̨͘͘n̕͞o̶̢̡t̸̶͟ t̀ó͝ù̢c̴̡͏h ̶̛t̛h̸́e̵̢͝m͏͏!͟͟"
They hit the ground outside Gravity Falls, tumbling end over end and separating in the crash. Warily they circled each other, each nursing wounds and watching for the other to make a move.
Afardow wouldn't admit it, but they were frightened. They'd thought this imposter would be weak, a human pretending to proper demonhood, unworthy of the title, but he was strong, stronger than he should have been, as young as he was.
They had to finish this, and fast, before this upstart could shame all of demonkind even further. A tiny part demanded they flee, but it was silenced – Afardow was a full, proper demon, he would not lose to this pathetic thing that had no right to claim demonhood!
He leapt at Alcor, and blue and gold flames erupted around them as they collided in the center of the circle.
There was a crash, and the people of Gravity Falls looked towards the woods where bright flashes of light and blue fire strobed against the sky as roars and guttural, demonic screams rent the air.
It seemed like the noise would never stop, like the world was coming to an end a second time.
Then abruptly it all went quiet, and the residents of Gravity Falls clung to each other and watched the skies, unsure of who had won and just what to do.
Despite their worry for Dipper, they held back from going to see – better to let the experts do that (plus, they'd gotten a good look at his opponent, and general opinion held that they didn't want to go up against that unless Dipper was in serious trouble), so Mabel and Stan headed the search party that went out to find him as soon as the screaming stopped.
(They would have gone earlier, much earlier, ready to defend their brother/grandson nephew, but they'd been held back by the rest of their family when the ground shook and it was obvious that any human nearby wouldn't survive being close to whatever was going on.)
They found Dipper crouched in the center of a crater that hadn't been there before, covered in black and gold blood, gnawing on something they couldn't make out from the edge. He dropped it when he saw them, slowly floating upwards until he met them, wiping his mouth sheepishly as Mabel grabbed him, twisting him in midair to check for injuries, most of which were already starting to heal.
He stayed downcast even after Mabel grabbed him for a hug, sighing heavily and following her back towards the Shack to be properly looked over, looking back over his shoulder for a second at the crater they'd left before giving himself a little shake.
Stan punched his shoulder and they shared an understanding glance as they made their way back home
Dipper was torn between freaking out at just how powerful he was and preening when they finally had time to look up Afardow and realized just what Dipper had taken down.
Mabel got out Bear-O special for the occasion when he started getting a little too puffed up about it.
The supernatural gossip line meant that everyone else knew just what Alcor had done almost before Dipper himself did.
A new demon that was that powerful was someone to watch, and supernatural eyes began to keep a wary watch on Gravity Falls at that point – from a cautious distance.
A very cautious distance.