Chapter Text
A long time ago (1950 something)
In a place far, far away (New Jersey)
Two twins were born
The first one born with six fingers
The other was born with both fists raised in the air
They were never to be separated
But it seems, this world had different plans…
As they would not meet till, much, much later....
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Date April 12th 1976
2 years have passed since my arrival in Gravity Falls and what an exhilarating two years it’s been. I’ve had more to explore and research than ever before. The anomalies and strange happenings of this town are at such an abundance that I’ve already filled my first journal and I’m now starting this one. I can barely contain my excitement at starting a fresh new journey. I wonder what this chapter of my life will be filled with? What mysteries I will uncover and solve and record in the confides of this journal.
Only time will tell, but I feel something is going to happen soon, something that will change everything. I’ve stated this in Journal 1, but I never fit in much thanks to my six figures. My brother S always made sure to never let what the other people say get to me. While I could care less about what people say, the effect of so many people's cruelty has led me to despise most people. Aside from F and S of course, thanks to them, they stopped me from, as S would state “becoming an evil super villain”. Which wouldn't have happened. As if I’d waste my time on getting revenge by destroying the world, I live here too. No, I plan to get my revenge on those who wronged me by making a name for myself, publishing my findings, to be known in the scientific world for years to come.
I’m getting ahead of myself.
I had a dream last night, and if anything, my mother says is to be true (which is rare) then I believe it to be a sign that something extortionary is going to happen. My dream was of me on a boat sailing in the open sea but there was someone with me. I know it was man, but he had no face. Whoever this man was for some reason I felt more comforted and relaxed than ever before with him. I was even able to talk with him, and he talked back even though he didn’t have a mouth. We talked for seemed like days the night sky and stars shining above us. Also, a huge Axolotl appeared for a second in the water below us, which was the strangest part. When I finally awoke, I was surprised how much I remembered as I normally don’t remember my dreams so clearly.
I called my mother as she is very familiar with these types of things as she always encouraged my love of the supernatural.(she’s a phone psychic) I told her about my dream, and she told me that everything about it meant that good things were in my future. Normally, I don’t take my mother’s prediction to heart, but I can’t help but feel that is what the dream meant. Though she did warn me saying that while good things will happen that doesn't mean it will happen right away so I don’t think anything will happen today but who knows in Gravity Falls anything can happen....
Stanford F. Pines leans back in his chair and puts his pen down and looks at the clock to see it’s almost 12pm. So, he quickly gets up and gets his bag ready for another day of exploring the woods. Cataloging all the things in this amazing and strange town, he calls his home.
Ford steps outside and locks his door (rather not let the gnomes get in again) watches as the racoon is chased by a (ugh) hwaktapus and Steve can be heard taking his middle of the day walk. Ford takes a sip from his water and takes a deep breath in and out.
“A new day of discovery is ahead” Ford says a grin on his face, adorned in his trench coat and sweater with well-wear boots.
Ford starts his walk into the forest. Excited to see what the forest had in store for him.
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Well, it would seem Ford shouldn’t have listened to his mother because it seems she still SUCKS at predicting things because NOTHING about what is happening right now is good!
Ford ran through the trees trying not to trip and almost considered dropping his bag so he could get away faster but remembers his journal is in there and thinks better of it. Even as the beast roars louder.
Honestly, everything until this was great. The weather couldn’t be nicer, not too hot. He had found about 5 new mushrooms species, discovered a new moth that had beautiful yellow wings and had even gotten one of the Question Quails to let him pet them. It was great! Until well Ford heard a creature he never heard before, and well Ford couldn’t just NOT go and check it out.
This turn out to be a mistake
A mistake he was currently running from
“CAAAAWWWWWAAAAAAAA”
“Moses! Why did I think getting so close was a good idea!” Ford yells as ran
Ford may or may not have gotten a bit too close to a griffin's nest; this caused the creature to now view Ford as either a threat or food. Ford was not a fan of either option.
Ford continued to run until he couldn’t hear the griffin anymore and took a second to breathe. Then he hears the wings and looks up as the griffin dives from above and pins Ford to ground, and Ford screams as he stares into the eyes of the griffin.
Ford thinks fast and realizes only his arms are pinned and while dodging the griffin beak he starts to kick at it from below and the creature gets off him, surprised by the attack. Then as Ford tries to run, he feels pain in his back as the griffin uses one of his claws to slash Ford’s back.
Ford screams in pain and is now on the ground trying to crawl to hide behind a tree and doesn't take his eyes off the griffin watches as it just stares at him. Watching him and that is when Ford realizes the creature is just...
..toying with him
meaning that the griffin would only keep him alive to make his death more enjoyable for it...
Ford didn’t think this could get any worse. God. Will they even find his body out here? What the hell would they even do with his body or hell his research! That's his life’s work! and he’s barely recorded enough to get his name in history books!
“Come on! Think! Stanford your supposed to be..” Fords thoughts are interrupted by the creature screaming in pain and Ford looks up and can see clearly that it’s from the knife in his neck.
Everything happens so fast, a man wearing a flannel shirt runs and jumps on the griffin back and reaches for the knife in its neck takes it out then pulls back the griffins neck and stabs it in the eye causing the creature to buck the man off and fly away from the two them.
A clam silence taking over the forest.
“Ugh..everything hurts” the man says has he sits up rubbing his head
Ford starts to try to get up but is then reminded of his back and hisses in pain. The man seems to notice as Ford hears him get up and walk over to him. Then Ford feels a hand on his shoulder push him back down so the man could get a better look at it and Ford hears him wince and take in a sharp breath.
“Damn, he got ya pretty good huh” the man says with sympathy “though luckily ya an’t gonna be bleed out anytime soon, it’s too shallow”
Ford huff a laugh “I suppose that’s another thing I should be grateful for.” It really hurt but he should still try and get up. He didn’t have enough first aid to fix this here. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd have to ask the man for help again at least see if he could bring him to his cabin, even offer him something in return.
He looks up, to get the first good look at the man who saved his life and they both make eye contact and.......
It's himself?
Well not exactly Ford but...
What...the…
...
But…how…
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WHAT IN THE NAME OF TESLA!!?
The man seems to have the same thing going through his head as he is no longer touching Ford and has taken a step back. Blinking, pointing at him. Ford knows he is making the same expression of awe and confusion. To make things even worst the man takes a case from his pocket and opens it to reveal a pair of square lenses and places them on his face. Making the man's eyes go even wider and mouth gape. Mouthing what Ford can only make out as ‘what the fuck”
The man is almost a perfect mirror image of Ford, but it was mainly in the face the only thing missing was a cleft chin. The man’s hair also seems to be longer than his as it was kept in a ponytail and in the shape of a mullet of some kind, but it was the same color. Their eyes were also the same color, they had the same nose and ears, they both wore glasses and had a square jaw.
The main difference was the fact that Ford was leaner, his legs weren’t as skinny as they were in collage thanks to all the hiking, and he defiantly wasn’t as “noodley”(as Sherman would call him) anymore. But the man in fronts of him looks like it he could knock anyone out with one punch and had a bit of a gut but that didn’t distract from the man broad shoulders and strong arms that were covered by the sleeves of the flannel button up shirt he was wearing.
After a while of both men gapping at each other his doppelganger finally says something after he coughs into his hand
“I’m gonna take a wild guess that you're the scientist the people in town been talking about”
Ford blinks a bit then asks, “People in town talk about me?”
The man chuckles not looking at Ford “heh yeah, ever sense I got here, I keep having to tell people I’m not you, they kept telling me I…look just like ya” Stan looks at Ford again and then looks at the ground and mumbles “they uh...they weren’t kidding huh”
Ford looks at the man “Yes I...I have to agree” he says still a bit shocked
As much as Ford wants to ask SO many questions, he needs to get home before sundown and tries to get up. But the pain is a bit much, and it is hard to stand fully up, and he was about to fall when two hands grabbed his arms.
“Whoa, bud, ya gonna wanna, take it easy” the man say “here let me just” The man moves Ford over to his back, so that Ford is basically laying on the man back and to Ford shock and embarrassment he picks up Ford with ease and holding his legs from behind. Basically, he was giving Ford a piggy back ride.
“You don't have to carry me!” Ford says as he grabs the man shoulders.
The man just laughs “eh it’s easier this way plus ya an’t heavy if that’s what ya worried about” the man gives him a cocky smile, which is strange seeing someone that looks so much like him smile like that.
“I wasn’t worried about that, it’s just..” Ford mumbles, starting to realize how tired he was along with the adrenalin going away, and that he was sounding a bit too much like a child.
“Just one sec though” Stan lets go Ford’s legs and Ford just leans on him and Ford watches as the man takes a radio out of his pocket. “Hey Dan, over”
Ah so he works for Manly Dan, that makes sense given the flannel shirt.
“You all good, been gone a while was about to come looking for you over” Manly Dan says over the radio
“I’m fine, but I found that scientist in the woods, he got hurt, gotta help him back to his cabin, don’t know how far so don’t think I’ll be back for the rest of my shift, over” the man says with a strange hit of something that Ford can’t quite place.
“It’s not too far from where we were, but your right and you all good man, I can tow your car to the scientist place, so you don’t have to walk all the way back for it, sound good? over” Dan says
The man looks at the radio with studded expression but then it turns to a found yet sad smile “Yeah, that’d be great Dan, thanks, I owe ya one, over”
Ford hears laughter from the radio “You don’t owe me nothing, Stan!, least I can do for our best worker! I’ll see ya soon, over and out!”
Stan....
The man’s name was Stan..
They had the same face
They even had the same name
Kinda...
....
WHAT! IN THE NAME OF SCINECE WAS GOING ON?!?
“Your name is Stan?” Ford asked a bit groggily as Stan put him on his back to carry him through the woods
“Yep” Stan says popping the P “Stanley, but I just go by Stan”
“Moses” Ford mumbles
“What?” Stan asks
“My name is Stanford, but I go by Ford”
Stan stops and looks over his shoulder at Ford
“You gotta be kidding, right?”
Ford just shakes his head
Stan just frozen for a bit the huff a laugh “Here I thought this town couldn’t get any stranger”
Ford just hums in response and starts to close his eyes when Stan shakes him a bit and Ford looks to see Stan looking at him
“Hey before ya nod off can ya tell me which way ya house is?”
Ford points in the direction and Stan nods
“Thanks, now you can rest, I’ll get ya home before dark might have to wake ya when we get there, thou” Stan says with smile that for some reason makes Ford want to trust this man even though he barely knows anything about him. All they share is the same face and name apparently, but it makes Ford wonder...
What other things are similar
Ford closes his eyes.
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God, What the hell even was today.
Starts off normal, at least as normal as it gets in gravity falls. He actually ate some breakfast which was leftovers from yesterday that luckily didn’t spoil in his car. Mange to find a place to get his plaid shirt, that Dan gave him washed. Only got mistaken twice for this science guy. Which Stan can’t even be annoyed about anymore because now that he’s seen the guy he can’t really blame people for the slip up, especially if Stan was wearing his glasses.
Stan looks back at the man on his back.
“Standford...” Stan whisper
Stanford looked just like him. Well, the guy was definitely skinnier, not thin but more just on the leaner side than Stan at least. Ford seems to dress like a damn nerd with a trench coat and sweater (why the hell are you wearing a sweater in this heat?). They both had the same face, hair color and eye color, square jaw, hell the biggest difference between them was the guy had a cleft chin.
Stan continues to walk.
Really what the hell was Stan life! one moment he’s chopping wood like normal then hears a scream, tells Dan he’ll go check it out, runs off and sees his doppelganger about the get mauled by some cat bird.
UUUUUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHHHH
What does this even mean?!
Who the hell is this guy?!
Stan knows his father had multiple partners while growing up, most of them staying to take care of his father for a bit, and once Stan got to about 11 or 10 his father stopped dating and started drinking more. Leaving Stan to do all the “womenly” duties and chores. Still Stan would think any woman would tell the father of their child about said child, but Stan doesn't remember any kind of augments like that. Stan remembers a lot of arguments.
Stan glances again at the man on his back.
It’s been a week since Stan came to gravity falls, and it seems like he’s found another reason to stick around because this was just too strange for even him to ignore. Plus, it could be a good thing..
Maybe he’s..
“I mean we looked a lot a alike...”
Hell, you even share the same name...
“but who would give their kids the same name?”
Filbrick would
“he would, wouldn’t he, uuuuggghhhh” Stan groaned
Stan tried not to talk to himself so much, but he really needed to with this because what was he gonna do when they got back to Ford’s house. Just go “hey, so ya think we’re brothers and if so, what do you wanna do with that info also I haven’t had contact with my dad in over 8 years sooo, I can’t ask him about it” Plus Stan didn’t wanna ruin a marriage or anything just because maybe Ford’s mom had slept with his dad and had found out she was pregnant and then found a better guy but....
Oh, who is Stan kidding that didn’t make any sense either! none of this dose!
“UUUGGGHHHHH” Stan groans again repositioning Ford
Stan hears a small groan from Ford and decides that as much as he wants to figure this out, it’s probably best to mull over all this later and wait till Fords a bit more awake.
After about an hour of walking Stan makes it to the cabin. And it’s...Beautifull, Dan wasn’t kidding when he said this was the best thing he’d build. Ford must be from money to get something so nice.
Stan walks up to the porch and sits Ford gently on the floor near the wall and shakes Ford a bit to wake him.
“hmhm” Ford looks up at Stan
“Hey, I need to get into ya house, got your key on ya?” Stan asks
Ford just nods, reaches his pocket and hands it to Stan.
Stan nods as thanks, opens the door and grab Ford again. Walking inside the place is big, well bigger than most cabins he’s been to and very well made. Which is why it makes him a bit pissed about all the books and other shit just all over the place.
Dose this guy not know how good he has it!
“ugh, shut up, the guy is probably just too busy to clean”
More like he doesn't appreciate it enough to even keep it clean
“I thought I just said to shut it”
Stan shakes his head at his thoughts, walks to the kitchen, and sets Ford on the chair to where his front leaning on the back of the chair. That way Stan can have easier access to Ford back. Stan shakes Ford’s shoulder till he sees him look at Stan with an annoyed expression.
“Sorry, look ya got a first aid kit or something, wanted to help out with ya back sense I know it’s a pain to do it yourself” Stan says
Ford looks at him then very mumbled says “Frist bathroom down the hall” Stan nods and goes to the bathroom which is clean. He opens the cabinet below and finds a pretty nice first aid kit. Not as stocked as Stan’s but still good for a random guy who lives in the woods.
The guy must get into some trouble huh?
“Heh guess so, another thing we got in common..”
Stan walks back to the kitchen to see Ford eyes still close most likely asleep. Good, probably better for Stan if he is. Stan walks over and carefully takes off the trench coat and then takes off the sweater and winces. The trench coat could probably be stitched up, but the sweater can’t be saved. Sense Ford wore those layers they took most of the damage and from the looks of it, the scratches would barely scar, if at all.
Stan put some disinfection on the wounds and cleaned them up and then wrapped Ford up in the bandages. Stan didn’t wanna risk going around and trying to find Ford’s room so he could find him another shirt, so he just ended up carrying Ford to the living room and setting him on the couch and covering him up with a blanket.
Stan turned back to grab the first aid kit and put it up but stopped when he noticed there was a sowing kit in there. Stan then looks at the trench coat...
Well, it had been a while, but he sure he could fix it or at least make it better plus it’s not like he’s got much else to do.
Stan grabs the sewing kit and trench coat and goes outside and sits on the porch steps and starts to try and fix up the coat.
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Ford wakes up feeling very groggy and confused but also very cozy for some reason. Why is he sleeping on the couch? Ford sits up and looks to the window outside and notices the sun close to setting plus there seem to be a car parked outside his house that he doesn’t remember and..... is that a man smoking on his....
Oh..
Right..
Ford shakes his head and looks down to notice that he has been bandaged up, and he must have passed out once they arrived here. The man outside, Stan, must have done it. He must be waiting for Ford to get up. So, Ford gets up and heads to his room quickly to grab a sweater and then walks over to his front door and opens it to find Stanley leaning on the rails and blowing out a puff of smoke then looks at Ford eyes widen a bit then looks quickly back at the forest.
“Was wondering when ya wake up” Stan says
Ford coughs in hand to clear his throat “Yes, sorry I guess I haven’t been getting as much sleep”
Ford walks over and leans on the rails, looking at Stan and taking in again just how eerily similar they look but it seems that Stan isn’t as interested in that as Ford as the next thing Stan says he is still looking out in the forest
“Ya back feeling any better?”
“Yes, much better, thank you”
Stan shrugs “don’t mention it, I know back wounds are pain to do by yourself”
Ford just nods at that finally turning his gaze away from Stan
“Oh, by the way” Stan starts causing Ford’s head to turn to Stan once again. “I found some needle and thread in your first aid kit, did my best to fix the coat but hey I’m sure if you take it to some other place, they can probably fix it better” Stan points to the his trench coat that is draped over the side of the rails. Ford goes over to it and sees that the stitching isn’t too visible at all and it’s done quite well.
Ford just stares at it; most people would have just left when their car arrived; most people wouldn’t have even thought about how much Ford cared about this coat let alone try and fix it. Ford then looks at Stan.
Just who really is this man who shares his face.
“Thank you” Ford says holding his coat to his chest
Stan shows small smile “heh, well its nice coat, be a waste to get rid of it, but I don’t think the sweater can be saved, sorry about that’
Ford just waves a hand and puts his coat back on “it’s quite alright, I have plenty them”
Stan huffs at that “What, ya closet filled with’em” Stan ask jokingly
“Well, yes” Ford say
Stan looks at him then chuckles “heh, ya really are a nerd huh”
“Yes, to that as well” Ford says though for some reason being called a nerd in this context doesn't feel bad at all.
Both look out on the forest and then Ford sees Stan put out is cig on his flask from his pocket. Then for the first time sense Ford came out here Stan faces him, and they are now eye to eye with each other which makes him realize that they are the same height as well.
Then Stan closes his eyes and just takes a deep breath, turns back to the forest, leaning on the rails again and lets the breaths out. “God.…fuck ... that’s weird..” Stan mumbles running a hand over his face
Ford nods “Yes, I must agree.” knowing exactly what Stan in taking about.
“Just like, I’m going through all these different theories in my head and honestly they seem ether really sad or cra-” Stan cuts himself off and then clears his throat “stupid, I mean”
Ford looks at him “Well what are your theories? I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours”
Stan eyes him but sighs “Fine, well first thought is we are defiantly related somehow, but my dad doesn't have any siblings, and my mom is dead, I'm pretty sure. So, your mom and my dad had thing and then had you but then UUGGGHHH” Stan then puts his hands on his face
Ford chuckles in his hand “well with the other information you just gave me, it seems will have to call our parents”
Stan gives him a look “trust me, ya don’t wanna talk to him and he don’t wanna talk to me”
Ford winces “that bad?”
Stan sighs “Ya don’t even know the haft of it”
“Well what other theories do you have?”
Stan shrugs “the only other one I could think that might make sense is your mom sold your DNA to some sci fi lab for money, and I wasn’t good enough copy, so they gave me to my dad and paid him some money to get rid of me”
Ford looks a bit surprised at that but also a bit confused as it makes Stan sound like he’s a worst version of Ford, but Ford can disprove this theory thou “I don’t think that would be the case as most clones would be identical in body”
Stan narrows his eyes at him “Ya calling me fat”
Ford chuckles “not at all” and then raises his hand to show his six fingers
Now Ford knows that most people aren’t fans of his hand, but Shermie had taught him that he should be proud of them and if someone doesn't like them then that’s not his problem. So, Ford isn’t as nervous showing them to people as he used to be, but he hopes his gut feeling about Stan is right.
“I think if they wanted a clone of me, they would have at least gotten the fingers right, ” Ford says putting his hand back down “it would actually make more sense if I was the one given away, for not being a perfect clone of you” nervously waiting for Stan reaction.
Stan looks down at Fords hands and then back to face Ford “Gotta ask, how do you flip people off?” in a serious tone
Ford lets out a laugh and has him clutching his stomach, and Stan soon joins him when Ford flips him off with both middle figures.
“Oh, Oh my god! Shit, Man, that’s so cool” Stan says trying to catch his breath
Ford looks at Stan “You...you think it’s cool?”
Stan shrugs “Sure, why wouldn’t it be”
Ford looks to side “Most people don’t think that way”
“Then srew’em, bunch of five fingered assholes if ya asked me” Stan says with smirk causing Ford to chuckle and nudged Stan in the elbow and was surprised when Stan nudged him back.
“Also” Stan starts “I think them wanting a clone of YOU makes WAY more since, ya got all the smarts and stuff”
Ford was a bit confused by the comment, but the Stan asks
“So, what’s your theory Mr. Scientist?”
Ford rolls his eyes “Dr. Scientist to you, and while I agree we must be related somehow as there are way too many similarity for us to be just doppelgangers, but if we are thinking outside the box I’d go with your a me from an alternate universe and was captured by some kind of police and given a memory wipe and false memories so then you’d be trapped here forever” Ford nods and looks to Stan
Stan is just starting at him “not gonna lie, I kind of hope that’s true cause that would cool as fuck, plus it would mean I'm actual really smart”
Then Stan adds “But wait I don’t have the fingers sooo, how can I be an alternate you?”
“Well in theory if there are multiple universes it’s not wrong to think that there’s one where I have 5 figures” Ford suggests and Stan nods
“Well, whatever the matter, sense you can’t call your parent, I’ll call mine, I don’t have a father but hopeful my mother can shed some light on this”
Stan just nods
Then at first Ford thinks maybe that’s the end of the conversation but he’s curious he wants to ask so many things but what he ends up settling on is:
“What brought you to Gravity Falls?” Ford asks
Stan turns to look at him and shrugs “Trying to start fresh ya know, clean slate. Found about this place a couple towns over and I was like, ‘small town that doesn’t show up on any map, sign me up!’ ya know”
Ford nods
“Plus, all the weird shit an’t too bad when ya already used to it” Stan says a bit quieter.
“What do you mean?” Ford very interest now
Stans expression turning sheepiesh “Look, it’s nothing really, ya probably gonna think I’m cra-” Stan cuts himself off “I mean you probably wouldn’t believe me” now looking at ground
Ford fronds at that “Stanley, did the towns people ever tell you what I do up here?’
Stan shakes his head “no, not really just said you're doing research or something”
Ford gives a sharp nod “Yes, while I am doing research, it is specially research on the strange creatures and happenings of this town, I want to learn everything I can about this place. All this weirdness is why I chose to live here; I’ve never felt more at home here and so if there is anyone who would believe you it’s me” Ford gives Stan a sympathetic smile “Trust me”
Stan just looks at him with eyes wide and in awe “Wait. So you study all this werid shit, like the gnomes and stuff AND ya get paid to do it?” Stan gives a whistle
“Yes, now I must ask how long you have lived in gravity falls and how long did it take you get used to it’s strangest?” Ford asks
“oh, about week ago and didn’t take long, like I said seen a lot of weird shit” Stan says casually
Now, Ford is the one starting “You’ve only been here a week, and you were able to fight off a griffin? No, scratch that you weren’t even going to question the fact that it was griffin, were you??”
Stan shrugs “Not really, that cat bird thing don’t even make the top 20 list.” Stans says again causally
Ford eyes go big and grins “Could you talk about some of your encounters; I’d love to hear them!”
Stan just chuckles a little nervously “Sure, just don’t call me a loon and I’ll give ya all the stories ya want”
“Fantastic! and I would never call you that” Ford says
Stan gives a nod, “Well it’s getting dark, I don’t have work tomorrow so ya can meet at that weird bar in town later tomorrow, and let me know what your mom has to says about all” Stan point to both of them “this”
“Yes, that sounds perfect” Ford brings his hand up “It a pleasure to meet you Stanely”
Stan scoff but shakes Ford “Nice meeting ya too and not just because ya have my face” Stan snickering at the end
Ford rolls his eyes and watches as Stan gets in his car and head out of Fords driveways
Ford gets his journal out and writes on a new page:
April 12, 1976
Anomaly Number 88: Stanley (last name unknown)