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tinfoil-jones · 6 months ago

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Gravity Falls: For Your Own Good, Ch.21

Summary: A few years after moving to Gravity Falls and having his lab built, Stanford Pines happens upon his estranged twin brother, Stanley. He mentally prepared himself to be suffocated by his brothers neediness all over again - what he wasn't prepared for was Stanley walking right past him like he didn't even notice him.

Rating: M for language, violence, and adult implications

Preface: Dialogue only, but some actions will be annotated for clarity. Cross-Posted on AO3 Here.

The scene between Ch.20 and Ch.21 (the immediate result of Ford seeing Stans death, and Bills reveal) was not shown on purpose. Because it was a very emotionally intimate affair. It's up to the readers' interpretation how Ford and Stan reacted after they left the dreamscape. I will tell you this time Ford was HONEST-honest, like he even told him the truth about Bill and that's how Stan came back.

Bill's Nicknames:

Ford: Fordsy, Sixer, IQ

Stan: Slick, (ex)Conman, PTSD Barnum

Fiddleford: (The) Hick, Glasses, McSuckit

Stan’s Nicknames:

Ford: PhD, Doc, any synonym for the word ‘crazy’

Fiddleford: Specs, Stretch, F

Bill: Lashes, (One-Eyed) Demon, (The) Triangle

“(italics)” Indicates that the speaker is speaking in Spanish (unless stated otherwise). This author only knows English, and I did not want to misrepresent Spanish by using Google Translate.

When people are in the dreamscape together, their dialogue is written normally. But if Bill and Ford are communicating in Fords head without the mindscape, Bills dialogue is in "italics", and Fords dialogue is in 'apostrophes and italics' like thoughts are. Memories are written entirely in italics.

First - Prev - Next

CH.21

RING

CLICK

“Hello, Dr. McGucket speaking.”

“Is it double-doctor yet, F?”

“Well I’ll be! It’s good to hear from the case study himself. How you doin’ this evening, Stan?”

“I’m doing pretty great actually, hiding out from d- Stanford.”

“Still having trouble using real names, darlin?”

“I know now he’s my real, actual, twin. But… I dunno specs, it’s hard to see myself as his brother; there’s still a lot of stuff I don’t remember.”

“Still uncoverin’ small memories' day-by-day?”

“Yeah, mostly going through childhood stuff now… still having trouble with his- our, parents faces. Feelings get too big for my brain to handle with that subject.”

“I'm still beside myself that the key to helping you uncover your lost memories was Stanford’s meditative exercises. The answer was right in front of us the whole time!”

“...Yea’.”

“Stan, have you… thought about reporting yourself as alive to the authorities? I know it’s been over a year since that car accident, but there hadn’t been a body…”

“Not yet… I got a lot of enemies, stretch. I don’t wanna bring all that trouble to Gravity Falls, ya know?”

“Yeah, you bring enough trouble all on your own.”

“Were you always such a smartass, McGucket?”

“I usually hear ‘sassy’.”

“Heh. I’d believe it. By the way, did your beard like the biker chick I sent her way?”

“You can say 'wife' Stan, you don’t have to say beard every time just because we’re- oh that don’t matter none right now. I have half a mind to cane your hands after that disaster.”

“Disaster? Jimmy told me they had a great time!”

“... Stan, when you described this woman to us, you said she was ‘extremely hot, out of this world, and holds other people accountable’.”

“Was I wrong?”

“You didn’t tell us she was a partially undead psychopomp who can transform into a flaming skeleton, and drags people down the fiery yonder under the weight of their sins!”

“I’m not hearing the part where I was wrong.”

“It wasn’t easy explaining to Tater where Old Man Jenkins went…”

“Trust me, if he got dragged ‘down’ he deserved it. Jimmy tried that on me once, and Hell decided I wasn’t bad enough. But hey, sounds like you’ve been having more fun than me.”

“And what have you and Stanford been up to?”

“He’s a little pissy right now.”

“What did you do?”

“Why do you always think I did something?”

“...”

“Point taken. Every time I go into town I pretend to be him, right? Well, the townsfolk of Gravity Falls don’t just think he’s a menace, they also see him as some kind of cryptid too. They’re always wanting to check out his creepy cabin in the woods and whatever freaky science stuff he has lying around.”

“Okay…”

“I may have let some people look at his paranormal stuff while he was asleep in his lab. For a price, of course.”

“Stan!”

“What? It’s not like he’s patenting anything right now, and the grant moneys gonna run out eventually. Especially with the late fee’s he’s accrued over the years. He wants me to stay here, but keeps shooting down my attempts at contributing.”

“Your last attempt at contributing was raiding Mayor Befufftlefumpter’s estate and stealing a Fabergé egg.”

“That was honestly more for me. I’m still mad about him triple-stabbing me when I tried mugging him months ago. That old codger has more ruthlessness than you’d think.”

“Well, you ain't goin' on more revenge quests when I come back down in three days are you? Can you not do that, for me?”

“Fine, I promise; no vengeance plots anywhere in this house.”

(...)

“Stanford’s Log: Vengeance Plot number fifteen.”

“Bill, what are you going on about this time?”

“Just narrating your elaborate revenge scheme against that list of people who tried to kill your brother.”

“Please refrain, my muse.”

“Ah, no fun Fordsy. So, which poor sap are you creating brutal nightmares for this time?”

“Did you finally find that monster from the homeless shelter?”

“I had to jump around the minds of a few vagrants, cops, and humanitarian workers to piece the details together, but it looks like someone already beat you to the punch Sixer. That guy was shanked to death in an alleyway seven years ago over a bag of coarse-grain Himalayan pink salt he thought was crystal meth.”

“I was looking forward to that one… He deserved worse.”

“Aww, don’t be too disappointed Sixer. This next guy is the one who locked him in the trunk of a car and dropped it into a reservoir. Ironically, he has a fear of small spaces and the dark! Also, public speaking. I think you have a fair bit to work with there.”

“Well then. Project me into his mind, and I’ll be sure to be creative.”

(...)

“For the short amount of time you’ve been able to manifest yourself here, you have a surprisingly high degree of control over your mindscape.”

“All ya need is a little imagination PhD, you should try it sometimes.”

“I will stick to what is tried and true.”

“Hey, when am I gonna be able to jump around headspaces like you?”

“I’m afraid it is not an ability that can be learned or taught, manipulating your own mindscape is something you can learn and train in, or have a natural aptitude for like yourself or our mother. The reason I’m able to traverse the mindscape of others is because of my deal with-”

“Meeee!”

“Oh fuck! What are you doing here, ya One-Eyed Demon? I told you you’re not welcome here.”

“Well hello to you too, slick. That’s some way to greet your saviour.”

“If you’re a saviour, I’m Madeline Kahn.”

“Besides; you know good ole’ Fordsy can’t go anywhere without me. We’re partners; through all of time, space, and creepy shipping art.”

“Stanley, Bill, please. Do not make this dream session another fight.”

“I’m watching you, Triangle.”

“Get your two-eyed privilege out of my vertices, ex-con man.”

“Enough. Stanley, as far as your memories go this may be a painful topic, but somebody had to have tampered with your car. Do you have any idea who would’ve done that?”

“Lots of people have tried to kill me so I can’t really think of anyone specifically who stands out. As far as hating me the most goes, it's a tie between the IRS and the City of Tijuana.”

“...Why does the City of Tijuana hold such contempt for you?”

“I was banned from there after they figured out the ‘corn tortillas’ I was selling were really just flour tortillas I mixed with sand.”

“...You are being serious, right now?”

“Mhmm.”

“There is an entire city’s worth of people in Mexico who would go out of their way to tamper with your vehicle and have you killed just because you were selling them flour tortillas and telling them they were corn tortillas?”

“I wouldn’t say the whole city, just their judicial department, police force, a dozen clubs, at least seven gangs, a prison, and this one guy who sold even worse tortillas.”

“They should have drawn and quartered him.”

“Bill!”

“Some crimes just can’t be forgiven, Fordsy.”

(...)

“Saddle up, Stan.”

“I’ve never used one of these, Jimmy…”

“Better learn quick, before the Taxman gets you first, (brother).”

“How old were you when this happened, Stanley?”

“Oh, god, I don’t really remember. Eighteen? Nineteen? I wasn’t new-new to the streets, but I was pretty fresh compared to the rest of the biker gang.”

“You were still a teenager, and she just handed you a shotgun?”

CLICK-CLICK

“I’ll put ya inta the fuckin’ ground!”

“Are you?”

“I-I…”

“Are you really going to shoot me, son?”

“Yeah!”

“Well do it then, shoot me.”

“... Oh for fucks-”

CRACK

“Didja shoot him, Stan?”

“...Yeah, I killed him. He’s dead.”

“Good, let’s get the fuck out of here, (run quickly)!”

“You didn’t shoot him?”

“Naw, just cracked him with the buttstock… I never killed nobody, doc. I was always kinda soft compared to the other guys, ya know?”

“I wouldn’t say that makes you soft, it’s admirable that despite everything, there were lines you wouldn’t cross. And, about that taxman…”

“Yeah I dunno what shit the IRS is on, and it didn’t matter what name I was using, they always managed to find me.”

“That agent you just spared went to your ‘funeral’.”

“I’m not surprised, he was always telling me that it wasn’t over.”

(...)

KNOCKKNOCKKNOCK

“Oh no, holy shit, we need to leave.”

“Stanley, what are you talking about?”

“I know that knock, that’s the cops. Doc, we gotta run!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, why in the right mind would-”

CRASH

“STANFORD FILBRICK PINES THIS IS THE TIME PARADOX AVOIDANCE ENFORCEMENT SQUADRON AND BY THE ORDER OF TIME BABY YOU ARE WANTED UNDER SUSPICION OF MEMORY TRESPASSING, RECKLESS PERCEPTION DILATION, AND UNLICENSED NIGHTMARE FUELING.”

“...Stay here, Stanley. I’m going to see what it is they want.”

“Wait-.”

“Stay here, don’t follow me.”

“...Fine.”

“This is Dr. Stanford Pines. How can I help you?

“Dr. Pines, I am Agent Lolph and this is my partner, Agent Dundgren. We are agents under the cosmic being known as Time Baby, and you are under arrest for suspicion in extradimensional criminal affairs. ”

‘Cipher, can they do this?’

“Yes, cosmic authorities are beyond the need for warrants.”

‘Is there anything I can do?’

“Say ‘I invoke Globnar’.”

“What is that?”

‘Just do it, Fordsy. I can't represent you in transdimensional court, and you really don't want me to.’

“Does The Accused have anything to say? Anything you say can and already has been used against you in future court.”

“I invoke Globnar.”

“Are you challenging us to Globnar?”

“Say yes. To avoid charges.”

“Yes. To clear the accusations against me.”

“So be it. May Time Baby have mercy on your soul. You have 48 hours to prepare.”

(...)

“Ya telling me you breaking into peoples mind has been a real, cosmic level crime this whole time?!”

“Yes… More specifically, doing so without permission. I had your consent to access your dreamscape, so that instance wasn’t illegal.”

“God, PhD, how many brains have you been breaking and entering?”

“Details are not important.”

“And what did Lashes tell you about this… Glob thing?”

“It is gladiatorial time combat, in which tributes can either find justice, or face the whims of the winner.”

“So you’re going to fight those guys?”

“That might be one of the challenges, there are several. It is a point-based system.”

“Let me go with you.”

“Absolutely not, Stanley! I will not subject you to the consequences of-.”

“Come on, doc. There’s two of them, and I’ve dealt with all kinds of pigs before; foreign, domestic, transdimensional, and space-faring.”

“No. That’s my final answer. Do not bring this up again. I will be fine.”

(...)

“Hey Doc, I’m back from the- what’s with that get up?”

“You told me the multiverse was cold and dry.”

“So you needed a turtleneck, scarf, and ski goggles?”

“Yes.”

“And what’s with the belt around your chest?”

“What if I need to sling something like a gun onto my back?”

“And it’s all black because…?”

“I don’t need to hear fashion judgement from you when your knit cap is covering almost all of your head.”

“I was pretending to be you in town again, genius. Is this… this how you’re preparing for that Nobglar thing?”

“Globnar, Stanley. They’ll be here in twenty minutes… are you going to try to convince me to bring you along again?”

“Would it work if I did?”

“No.”

“Figured as much. Before you go, can I at least wish you luck?”

“... I’d appreciate that.”

"High six?”

“High six.”

CLICK

*Looks down and see’s Stan jabbed him in the abdomen with the tranquilizing gun. Looks back up at Stan. Looks back down at the gun slightly longer. Then looks back up at Stan again.*

“I’m sorry, Stanford.”

*Stan rips off his beanie. His hair’s been cut to the same length as Fords*

“But this is for your own good.”

To be continued…

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