Who is the Author?
There was silence while the surprise of Stanley's announcement sunk in.
"So..." said Dipper. "You're not the caregiver our folks expected. That explains a few things. Does that mean we're, like... kidnapped?"
"Don't be silly," said Stan. "Nothing has changed. I'm still your Grunkle, taking care of you for the summer. I'm holding my brother's place and taking on his responsibilities."
"You're a good Grunkle Stan, even though you're not that Grunkle Stan," said Mabel, giving him a hug. "We love you and you love us."
"Yeah," said Stan. "But if you tell your parents about this, they'll pull you back home right away. I might have to go on the run. Then your other Grunkle will never be found."
"I agree not to tell," said Mabel. "I'm having a super-duper exciting summer here."
"I'll go along with it, too," said Dipper. "I don't want to be pulled back before we solve more of the mysteries of Gravity Falls."
"Hold on, kid," said Stan. "It's dangerous to go poking around here. Maybe I can help answer some things for you instead."
"Are you the author of the Journals, or is your brother?" asked Dipper.
"Hah! Neither of us is smart enough for that. The guy was a genius," said Stan.
"Was? He's dead?" asked Mabel.
"He's pretty much lost his mind," said Stan.
"Old Man McGucket?" Dipper guessed.
"Nope," said Stan. "Fiddleford McGucket was involved, but he wasn't the Author."
"Who was it?" asked Dipper.
"First I want the Journal you've got, Journal 2," said Stan.
Dipper said, "I'd like to look at all three."
"I'll let you borrow them one at a time," said Stan. "Just to know about things around here and protect yourself, not to investigate and get into trouble."
"Deal," said Dipper, but he was crossing his fingers behind his back.
"We've got to keep working on getting the Shack open for business," said Stan. "Grand re-opening and karaoke party tomorrow night."
It was frustrating to wait, but Stan insisted on a full day of work before talking further. There was repairing, cleaning, and scrubbing ("to get the Gideon smell out," Stan said).
At the end of the day, Dipper brought the Journal to Stan.
"After all these years, I.. I mean we... finally have them all," said Stan.
He took them down to the portal room again.
"When I open them to these three pictures, they fit together and show the complete code for starting the Portal."
"Will it find the other Grunkle Stan right away?" asked Mabel.
"It's not that simple. There are billions of other universes. There's a computer scanner on this baby that will match up measurements taken at the place the last portal was opened, the world where Stanford disappeared, to where the portal is pointing to. When I get a good enough match I'll check it out."
"That could take a long time," said Dipper.
"That's why I'm always short of money. I have to stockpile mineral oil for fuel," said Stan.
"Too bad," said Mabel."I was thinking we could blackmail you into ordering pizza for us once a week."
"No blackmail," said Stan. "This is a serious rescue mission."
"How do you know he's still alive?" asked Dipper.
"I don't, but he's the same age as me," said Stan. "As long as there's a chance, I have to try. If I find his remains then at least I'll know."
"You're twins?" asked Mabel. "And you stand up for your twin, just like me and Dipper. Good for you!"
"Are you going to start it now?" asked Dipper.
"I'll wait until the middle of the night, when most folks are asleep," said Stan. "The last time the portal was opened there was a bright flash of light. They waited until the Fourth of July so it would seem like another firework."
"You have to tell us more about the Author now," said Dipper.
"All right," said Stan. "I was living here in Gravity Falls with my brother, recovering from a jail term in Columbia. We had built a small log cabin, not exactly on this site, but close. One day there was a knock at the door."
"Knock knock. Who's there?" said Mabel.
"It was McGucket, back when he was a techie with his own startup company," said Stan.
"I thought you said he wasn't the Author," said Dipper.
"He wasn't," said Stan. "Stop interrupting, both of you, and let me tell the story. Anyway, a visiting researcher had hired McGucket to build a super-sensitive detector to trace strange energy patterns that interfered with his short-wave radio. They traced the signal to this property. They asked our permission to excavate, and we agreed in exchange for a chance to be involved in the project."
"But who was the researcher?" asked Dipper.
"He was a young man then, in his mid-twenties, but brilliant. He had traveled all over the world digging into strange places."
"Did he have six fingers on his hands?" asked Dipper.
"Yes," said Stan. "In one of the places he poked in Europe, he disturbed a creature with a rainbow tail. It cursed him, and an extra finger grew on each hand. He was ashamed of it and always wore gloves."
"Was he really nerdy?" asked Mabel.
"He was big and brawny, able to handle himself in the woods, which saved his life more than once," said Stan. "But he was nerdy in one way: he was terribly shy about talking to women. That all changed later."
"But who was it?" Dipper asked in frustration.
"He and I have parted ways," said Stan. "But I still want to help his family. That's why I gave his daughter a job, even though she's not a good worker."
"Wendy?" asked Mabel.
"But that means the Author is... Manly Dan?" asked Dipper.
"Daniel Corderoy, he was called back then," said Stan.