In your dreams, Sixer!

1

Stanford Pines remembered the first time he set foot in Gravity Falls, Oregon. It was weird, unsettling, and he was fascinated by it.

Just a year prior to his arrival, the town became the epicenter of a "massive earthquake" and the family of the founder of Gravity Falls fled under "mysterious circumstances." Shortly after, strange anomalies, once hidden, now flourished in the small town.

Some of the citizens in Gravity Falls got out of dodge while the diehards stayed to make sure the townsfolk stayed together despite the strangeness. The population went from a little over a thousand to around two hundred in less than a year.

Ford knew all of this prior to arriving but the peculiar occurrences were what attracted him to it in the first place. The townsfolk all thought him to be strange since no one ever came to Gravity Falls for its oddities. However, living in an abnormal place always appealed to the scientist since he was teased all his life for his six fingers.

Ford figured he'd fit in just fine.

And it went beyond Ford's expectations. From the moment he stepped foot in the small town, he noted the fantastic and bizarre creatures that hid in plain sight. Some sort of tree monster had even destroyed his car...

He decided he would investigate these anomalies to determine the source of their origins. After months of research, chronicling, and reassessing his life goals on number of occasions, Ford began to know dead ends all too well.

Just when he was about to give up and abandon the idea of unlocking the mysteries of Gravity Falls, he met a strange man who offered to help Ford with his studies.

His name was Bill Cipher and he claimed to know a bit about the strange occurrences in Gravity Falls and he offered to become Ford's research assistant.

Ford was hesitant at first but after a long conversation over a chess game, Ford connected to Bill faster than he anticipated. In no time at all, the two became fast friends.

Ford opened up to Bill in ways he hadn't opened up to anyone since the falling out he had with his twin brother, Stanley. Never before had the presence of another person made him feel comfortable. Even though he knew next to nothing about the man, Ford came to consider Bill his best friend and confidant.

The days seemed much brighter.

Two years later

Ford was pacing around the table in the study room of the library for probably the fifteenth time trying to finish his research on the swamp creature outside of Gravity Falls. The thing had been causing minor but annoying havoc in the small community where it lived and Ford was more than curious about what fueled the monster's ability to replicate itself in a matter of seconds.

But, as always, with each turn he made in advancing his findings he only reached a dead end.

This had been going on for days and Ford couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten a proper meal much less been outside.

When the door opened with a small click, he was relieved to see his research assistant standing in the doorway, "Oh, thank goodness! I was getting ready to call you...I need another pair of eyes to-"

Bill let the door slam shut and crossed his arms, glaring at Ford, "Really? I left you alone for a full eighteen hours and you still haven't figured that creature out yet?"

Ford quickly grabbed his notes and offered them to his friend, "It's not that I haven't been trying! Look, I filled this whole notebook!"

Bill took the notes and read them over quickly, "Not bad, Sixer," he walked over to the table, pulled up a chair, and sat down, "You essentially have it figured out." The blonde flipped through the pages, shaking his head, "It's no wonder you're confused, your notes are a mess."