Mabel felt her breath hitch in her throat. She felt her eyes widen as Stanford, the real Stanford, looked around the shaken portal room.

Her lips and fingers twitched, itching for something to hold on to. Her feet, once her legs had stabilized, thrust her towards the room that the Author was in. Using her amulet she shoved the door open, gaining Stanford's attention. Her black legging-clad legs strode confidently towards him, her blue shoes barely making any sounds against the dirt floor. Her blue jacket was ruffled, and normally she'd obsess over getting it back to perfection before being in front of any company, but right then it didn't matter.

The Author wasn't looking at her jacket though. His eyes were drawn to the amulet on her headband, then they fell naturally to her hair, then her eyes. Eyes that matched his. All four (really six, if you counted Dipper, who was following his sister from out of the control room) were the same turquoise blue, and each of them were hungry, hungry for something they hadn't gotten yet. There was a coldness in Stanford's face that nearly chilled Mabel herself, but she forced herself to come towards him.

Stanford's mouth opened ever so slightly, barely showing his teeth, but he said nothing. Then Mabel came to a standstill about four feet in front of him, and she looked up at him. He stared down at her as well, then she said in a voice as calm as she could make it, "Stanford Pines?"

Stanford froze. His lips became a thin line, his eyes narrowing, a scowl spreading across his features. "How do you know that name?" he whispered, his tone cold and nearly emotionless. Mabel stiffened, then answered in a confident and quiet voice, "That's a long story... But Stanford Pines is the Author of the Journals, and you are the Author. Aren't you?"

The winds of the portal swirled their hair, making it feel like they were at a chilly beach. Stanford's expression turned sour, then he hissed something almost incoherent under his breath, the only word Mabel caught him saying was 'Will'. That all but absolutely confirmed what Mabel had thought about his identity. There was no way this wasn't Stanford Pines.

And by the looks of things he was actually the right one.

"Well, now that you know my name... It is only fitting that I learn yours." Stanford said, like it was an inconvenience rather than a genuine interest. Mabel swept herself into a small curtsy, and said with her head still down, "My name is Mabel Pines." She tilted her head up from her bowed position, just to see his reaction. Intrigue spread across his face, then he pointed behind her. "And he is..."

"My brother, Dipper Pines." Mable answered, straightening and waving at her brother, who stepped right up next to her. Dipper bowed to Stanford as well, his right hand clutching his previously injured side tightly. Stanford's eyebrows raised slightly when he saw Dipper's action, but he didn't say anything about it.

"It is an honor to meet you." Dipper said, bringing himself back up to his original position. Stanford nodded, his eyes flicking in between the two of them. "We've waited a long time for this moment." There was a small period of silence that filled the room after that, then a small smile crept across Mabel's face.

She pulled the second Journal out of her jacket, and held the book out to its creator. Stanford's hands reached out and grabbed the book, taking it all the way from Mabel and opening it up, scanning all of the pages with his hungry eyes. "We discovered this months ago, and have worked tirelessly to get you back." Mabel explained, and Stanford nodded, not even looking up at her. "We're looking forward to your teaching. You must have learned so much in these past thirty years that we haven't even seen." Stanford's eyes raised up and met hers, and she froze.

"You know, these past thirty years have really changed me." Stanford said, a small, almost fatherly smile graced his features. "Now I just want to be a simple man. One who just wants to sit back... relax... and watch the world..." His small smile spread across his face, becoming more maniacal. He snapped the Journal shut, and hissed one last word.

"Burn."

Will shrank back in his cage. It had come too soon. Stanford was there... Oh man... Stanford was there... He could hear his voice, which sounded more hollow and empty than it had thirty years ago, and Will just knew that everything would get worse. Stanford would not be happy with Will at all. Will had told Mabel about him, something that he might take as breaking their contract. He also would be upset that it had taken so long for him to get back, but that was something that Will couldn't have fixed.

Not that Stanford would care.

Pacifica and Gideon believed that he had gotten his scar from the twins, but that wasn't the truth. It was in fact Ford's fault. That deal that he had tricked Will into had granted him demigod-like powers, and he had not hesitated to use them. And his first victim just so happened to be the one who had granted him those abilities.

Where Dipper and Mabel had to use magical artifacts, Stanford himself was the artifact. A being that magic just flowed through now. And now he had thirty more years of experience under his belt. Who knew what kinds of sick and twisting things he had learned in the other dimensions. Will certainly hoped no one found out. Just the idea of Stanford with magical abilities terrified him.

The door was flung open only a few minutes after gravity had adjusted itself, and Will saw Stanford Pines for the first time in decades. Steeling himself up for the inevitible lecture and potential screaming fit he drew himself up inside of his cage, pretending that his thin black arms might actually give him a semblance of protection.

Stanford's ice blue eyes bore down upon him, making Mabel's glares look motherly. Will made sure he didn't do what seemed natural, and forced himself to not back all the way into the corner and curl up in a ball. Stanford's left hand glowed a pale blue, and the door to Will's cage was flung open. "William." He said calmly and evenly, and Will stammered, "Y- Yes sir?"

"Never fail me again." Stanford hissed, snapping his fingers and flinging Will past him and into the opposite wall, crashing the triangle's body against the stone. Will was so used to pain that he didn't even shout, though he wanted to. He pushed himself away from the wall, and turned to face Stanford, any resolve he might have had fading away once he saw his scowling face.

"M... Master... I'm sorry..." Will began, but Stanford sneered at him. "I've had enough of your sniveling." Stanford snapped, his eyes burning with untapped fire. "Now, go attend to the children. Their control over you reverts to me now. You will report to me any requests they make. Understand Cipher?" Will shuddered, trying to ignore the pale glow around Stanford's fingers.

He floated there for a moment, then answered, "Yes sir... It's... It's good to have you back master..." His eye met Stanford's, and the human (if he was even that anymore) smiled coldly. "Yes it is." he responded, looking down at the long cloak he was in. "I expect my room has not been touched. Or at least, it was cleaned?" Will nodded fearfully. "Yes sir."

"Good." Stanford added, sweeping past the triangular demon and striding confidently to the other side of the room. "I am off to my study. In half an hour I want you to come. Alone. Keep those children occupied in the time being. And please," He turned around just as he was about to exit the room, his eyes boring into the blue triangle. "No more information is to be shared about me without my express permission. Ever."

And with that Stanford swept away.

"Are you sure it was the portal? Gravity Falls is weird, you never know what it could be!"

Gideon was pleading with Ford, who was packing a few of his outfits into a blue duffel bag. Once everything had been tossed up (a little gravity hiccup if you will) Ford had instantly jumped to the worst conclusion. No matter what Stanley said, the twins would not stop until they got their Author. And when they did the consequences would be drastic.

"Yes I am sure. Nothing else could have caused something like that." Ford said, shoving one of Gideon's pale blue t-shirts into the bag. "You'll thank me when Weirdmageddon rolls around. Now, do you prefer a crossbow or grappling hook?" Ford held up one of each weapon, and Gideon gulped. "Uh... The crossbow. I don't think Paz would like it... If you're gonna give one to her that is."

Ford nodded, sticking the crossbow in the bag as well, along with a supply of arrows. "You never know." he said, and Gideon shuddered. "You're hardcore," he stated, and Ford shrugged. "I don't know what that means, but thank you." He said, and proceeded to continue packing.

"What about Pacifica and her parents?" Gideon asked, feeling awkward because an injured old man was doing all of his work. Ford looked up at him, and replied, "Well, I've warned them about the imminent... Wait. Aren't they your parents too?"

Gideon froze. A deer-in-the-headlights look passing over his face. His pale cheeks tinged pink, and Ford tilted his head in confision. "Gideon? Is there something wrong?"

"Well..." Gideon mumbled, shifting uncomfortably and looking down at his hands, which he began to wring together. "They are... but they aren't... They're not my birth parents." He looked up at Ford, who nodded. "So you're adopted?" he asked, and Gideon shrugged. "Not yet... My parents... They didn't... They weren't nice." Gideon said quietly. Ford contemplated asking him to speak up, but what he heard was something that Gideon wouldn't be prone to repeat.

Ford gave him a small smile, and said, "You're not the only one to have parent who suck. Kids still say that, right?" Gideon nodded, a look of shame crossing his face. Ford placed the clothes he was folding inside of the bag, then reached across the bed to lay a hand on Gideon's shoulder. "I understand," he said quietly, and Gideon nodded again, biting his lip.

"My father used to compare me and Stanley all the time," Ford explained, dropping his hand back to his side. Gideon opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to change his mind. Ford took that as an opportunity to continue. "I grew up being told to not act like my brother. That if I did I'd go to the same place Stanley was headed. Nowhere. I'd ask Stan what my father talked to him about." Ford's eyes grew heavy, and Gideon shifted awkwardly.

"It got so bad that when it was my principal... I didn't know how to defend him." Gideon nodded, and Ford added, "They took away the one thing I actually had for him."

Gideon looked sadly at the bed, then mumbled, "I get that..." His eyes snapped up and met Ford's. "Thanks Mr. Ford"

Ford didn't know how he felt about that title.

"HE'S WHAT?!"

Ford was sure that Stan wouldn't take to the concept of the children bringing Stan's actual brother back very kindly. At this point Stan looked like he was ready to rip all of his hair out. He held his hands out to Stan, like he was going to stop any potential charges. "He's most likely back. There was a gravitational anomaly last night, while you were asleep..."

"Ford! Do you know what this means?" Stan asked, his tone sounding slightly insane. He held his hands up to his head, and began to hyperventilate slightly. "Ford..."

"I think I understand better than almost anyone. Him being here by himself is already bad, but with my presence as well it may be destructive. That's why we're going to the bunker. Or at least, I'm taking the children. You are more than welcome to join us." Ford gave him a small smile, then added, "I know how much he hurt you. Trust me, I'd give him a swift punch to the jaw if it didn't mean the destruction of the universe."

Stan nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. "Yeah, a left hook is exactly what he deserves... Wait. Destruction of the universe!?"

True to Will's word, Stanford's room had either not been touched, or fixed to resemble how it had looked thirty years ago. His collections were all still there, along with his couch, books, and papers. Though if he'd made any drawings before he left they were gone. It was good to see that Will and the children weren't completely useless.

Children. Just wonderful. Now Stanford had children to deal with.

If it wasn't for the fact that they were related to him and very powerful, he would have killed them right on the spot. But as things stood they had a glimmer of potential. The boy was quieter than the girl, who was almost like a dog to Stanford. Excitable and ready to do whatever he said. Though right then Stanford had nothing for her.

They had spent months getting him back, and he hadn't even wanted it. Sure it was a pleasure to be in a place molded to fit him like a glove, but he had obtained a taste for chaos in the Multiverse. Everything here, although there were still the hundreds if not thousands of anomalies, was normal. Usual. Ordered. That was something that just rubbed Stanford raw. In this universe there was a mold, one that Stanford had never fit. And Stanford knew exactly what he wanted to do with it.

It was time to watch the world burn.

Hey guys! I'm here again! This is going to be fun! Really fun! Reverse Weirdmageddon people!

In this universe, Stanford sort of... doesn't really care about Dipper and Mabel. He doesn't need them, but they're just... useful for the time being. I have a plan for what's going to happen to them during the Oddpocalypse, but I can't tell you... Yet.

For some reason, I really like Ford-Gideon bonding. It's just as pure as Ford and Dipper. I just love my tiny nerds!

Thanks to SnakeySnake, Person, and CWY reader for the reviews! And to everyone else for reading this!

Have a great day! Stay happy, healthy, safe and sane!

-BrilliantLight