Chapter Text
The next morning, Mabel was filled with energy; Dipper was not. He had been so on edge watching that triangle mess around with Mabel last night that it seemed to have infected his body in real life, too. As one could imagine, he laid into Mabel as soon as he saw she was awake.
"What were you thinking?! Making a deal with that dream thing!!! We have no idea what it could do!" Mabel rolled her eyes, "First of all his name is Gruncle Bill, Secondly What happened to you trusting me huh?" Dipper stood up glaring at her angrily, "I don't trust you right now! You got us stuck in the past over a stupid pig!" Mabels eyes widened her fist clenching, she looked like it was taking everything in her not to punch him. "Well, at least it was for Waddles! You only want to change time to get a date with a girl too old for you anyway!"
Just as the fight was going to get more intense Ford walked in, his eyes widening at the sight. He rushed in, standing between the two, "Hey let's calm down, we should focus on other things instead of fighting. I was just getting you so you could grab some of Fiddlefords cooking." Mabel stormed into the kitchen not even looking at Ford, Dipper followed behind. Mabel turned her head, "Stop following me!" Dipper rolled his eyes in response, "Mabel, there is only one doorway to the kitchen." Mabel huffed and proceeded to sit down in her chair, Stanley sat up and removed his feet from the table as the two walked in, seemingly interested in their argument. "Children fighting, one of the best things in existence."
Dipper rolled his eyes in response as he walked, "That sounds more like something ..." He trailed off, his suspicion suddenly peaked, he had a theory, maybe not a good one, but he knew he needed more evidence before he could confirm it. He watched as Stanley took a long sip of his coffee before deciding to ask, "Hey Gruncle Stan, can Mabel and I hang out with you today?" Stanley spit his coffee out, causing it to land all over Fiddleford who yelled in response to the scalding coffee, pushing his face in cold sink water in response. Stanley stuttered, "I don't know if that's a good idea kids, Im sure Fiddleford is more capable than me-" Fiddleford brought his head put the sink and stared at Stanley deciding to butt in on the conversation, "Actually, we ran out of food and so need to go to the store... Stanley, could you take the kids to the convenience store to get some food for me?" Stanley glared knowing he had been put in a corner but nodded silently, if looks could kill Fiddleford would be dead if he didn't die from putting his head in the sink first that is.
Stanley sighed and got up, "C'mon kids let's go." When Mabel didn't move, he turned around and faced her. "You too Pumpkin." Mabel lifted her head and crossed her arms in defiance, causing Stanley to sigh, "Fine I won't force you to go anywhere, but you're missing out" Mabel looked at him, eyes narrowed "Do they have glitter?" Stanley scratched his head, not actually sure if they did "Sure kid we just have to walk to the car and find out."
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The drive there was quiet, there was obvious tension between the two twins in the back, Stanley recognised it from a mile away. He wondered whether they could tell something wasn't quite right between the adults and were reacting to that. He knew how sensitive kids were to these things, he had experience with that after all. As they arrived the silence was broken from the back seats. "No..." "...way" The twins responded upon seeing the Dusk2Dawn in all its glory as well as the teens dancing outside with their boombox as customers walked in and out. Dipper excitedly sat up and looked at Mabel, "We get to see the convenience store before it was haunted!!!" She grinned with excitement and then held her belly as the smiledip memories flooded back into her head. "Ugh and preferably not eat that smiledip stuff... my stomach feels the pain whenever I think about it." Stanley opened the door trying to ignore the stuff coming out of the kids mouths, which prompted everyone out of the car.
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Fiddleford stared at the time machine, aware that Ford hadn't come down to help him with this in a while now. It had been around thirty minutes since Stanley had left and the last he heard from Ford he said he'd be down in a minute and the fact that he hadn't was causing his anxiety to tear him to pieces. Ford was known to get caught up in things and forgetting the time, but that was normally when it came to experiments, not daily tasks. This thought pattern prompted him to get up to go check on him, he knew he was probably silly for it but there was a chance, a slim but stupid chance something was up.
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Stanley and the kids were not the best shoppers, they all grabbed whatever they wanted off the shelves, instead of what was needed. They didn't really have a list and admittedly, it wasn't as fun then they thought. "This place is better when it's haunted" Mabel huffed flicking the old cans and displays in the store, Dipper nodded "I agree with you on that." He sighed as he threw another piece of meat into the grocery basket. Stanley ushered them all to the counter and checked his pockets,
"Uh Kids, did Ford or FiddleFord give you any cash?"
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When he got there he was pleased he had checked it out as he came up just as Ford was about to pour hot coffee on his eyes, "FORD, WHAT IN THE BLAZES ARE YOU DOING?!" When Ford didn't seem to react, Fiddleford did the only thing he could think of in his blind panic, jump him. He tackled Ford to the ground causing the Coffee pot to hit the ground and shatter, but Ford was no longer in danger of blinding himself. "What in tarnation were you thinking?! You could have blinded yourself, I haven't had to tackle anyone like that since my farm days. If you were struggling, you could have told me.." as he kept Ford on the ground he reached into his lab coat for his memory gun, however when it appeared in Ford's vision he yelled out "WAIT, LISTEN BUDDY, THERES NO REASON TO USE THAT GUN ON ME. I CAN GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO DOWN THIS ROUTE."
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Mabel and Dipper looked at each other, then back at Ford and shook their heads, Stanley kneeled. "Alright, don't worry I have a plan. Dipper you push the trollies out of the store when I give the signal. Mabel, I need to pick you up and I want you to act sick. Got it?" Mabel grinned and nodded while Dipper narrowed his eyes, ready for this kind of routine. This had all but confirmed his suspicions, he would have to tell Mabel later though as right now they had a plan.
Stanley scooped up Mabel and dramatically ran to the front of the store, "MY BABY, OH SHES SICK. SOMEONE HELP!" He cried out as he ran to the tills, everyone turned in his direction and rushed over ready to help Mabel and Stanley, Dipper slowly wheeled the trolly outside and started packing the car as he had done many times before. After several minutes of fussing, Dipper ran in and gave the signal, as to which Stanley nudged Mabel and Mabel popped right up with a cheer, "I'm fine everyone see!!!" Stanley grinned and cried out "ITS A MIRACLE! I have to get home to tell my wife!" and ran out the door away from the crowd as soon as he could, nearly throwing Mabel in the car as they drove off as fast as possible, "Mabel leaned into the front seat. "Do you even have a wife?" Stanley shrugged "Does being divorced count?"
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Upon hearing the all-so-familiar voice of Cipher he stopped, "So your Fords Muse. The one he keeps going on about in his dreams." A sickening smile went across 'Ford's face just slightly too wide for a human smile, "AWW SO SIXER TALKS ABOUT ME ALOT HUH?" Fiddleford scoffed and let go of 'Ford' glaring, "No I just read his journals now and then'" he tried to pretend he didn't know, after all apparently Bill himself hadn't figured out that he already knew, even with all the flirting. Bill chuckled it sounded strange coming out of Ford's mouth, his laugh continued for a little bit even after Ford's mouth closed, "FOR SOMEONE TRYING TO FORGET, YOU SEEM TO WANT TO KNOW AN AWFUL LOT." Fiddleford winced at the comment, he didn't feel as stubborn as he was before, the more he talked to Bill, the more Fiddleford recognized how Bill was trying to scare him. It wasn't working. "Now why were you pouring boiling coffee into Ford's eyes?" Bill shrugged, "I WAS HAVING A DRINK BEFORE YOU RUDELY INTERRUPTED" Fiddleford burst into laughter, any fear and anxiety he had was gone, "That's not how you drink, this is."
Before Bill had the chance to protest Fiddleford grabbed a cup with water in it and brought it to Ford's mouth, slowly tilting it and Bill's head up. Pouring the water into his mouth, then stopped when he realized Bill wasn't swallowing. "Swallow you dumbass." Bill swallowed his face red and feeling rather confused in these few seconds, all while Fiddleford put down the cup and nodded to himself. "That's how you drink. Now, I am heading back to work. Give me Ford back when he's ready to work." Fiddleford rushed down the stairs eager to get to work while Bill stood there staring at the wall a horrible consideration popping up into his head, "AM I INTO THAT?"