"What? Y – you can't do that." Stan frowned.
Alma found herself squeezing his hand tighter. Ford would notice, turning his complete attention to her. "I'm sorry. It may be destructive. But if it means those kids' safety – I should do it." His free hand moved into his jacket pocket, pulling out the memory eraser gun.
"What if we use that?" Alma suggested. Stan would stare at it intensely.
Ford just shook his head. "Can't use it on me cause of the metal plate. Dipper already tried. It completely ricocheted around us." He let Alma handle it for a second.
Stan had gone awfully quiet over there in his corner. Ford looked over at him, finding his attention was elsewhere. Alma handed him back the gun as he stashed it away again. She pulled his arm in as he leaned in and pecked her on head. He then proceeded to hold her close, stroking her back gently.
"What if you use it on me?" Stan said, shocking them both. His eyes appeared again and looked over at them. Ford stopped stroking Alma's back suddenly. "I got nothing. Its just empty up here." He poked his temple.
"Stanley, I know you mean well. But you have nothing Bill wants." He walked towards his brother. "I do. Which logically, leaves me." He sighed, looking directly at Stan. "If it means he'll leave you, the kids and Alma alone – I'd rather have that." He admitted.
Stan just scoffed. "You really think he's gonna keep that promise? I doubt it."
Alma put a hand on his shoulder. "Stan has a point. He'd use you to get to us."
"Then what other choice do we have?" Ford asked.
Both Alma and Stan fell quiet. Ford figured there would be no answer. But looking at them now, Alma knew there was another option. They were twins after all. Only a few things set them apart.
"You could switch clothes." Alma replied simply to both of their surprise. "You two are twins, remember? You could pull each other off easy. You just need a few changes."
Stan and Ford shared a glance. "She's right." Stan said. "If we swapped clothes, messed with our hair, we'd be solid."
Ford saw it as a solution. But it still meant Stan would have to take a blast from the memory gun. Just the fact it was rubbing up against his thigh right now, made him start questioning if this would work. Yes – they could swap clothes and change their hair. But they didn't sound anything like each other. Ford was more deep and Stan was more gruff.
"Even if we did, you'd still have to make me sound convincing." Ford commented.
Stan chuckled. "I think I'd pull you off pretty well."
"Am I really that easy to imitate?" Ford asked.
Stan started unbuttoning his shirt and shoes. He then would offer his fez to Ford. "Why don't we find out?"
-
After a quick change and mess with the hair, they both looked pretty much like the other. Even if they both were having second thoughts, it was the only way they would win. Ford looked pretty sharp in his brother's suit. But she did enjoy the classic sweater and jacket combo. The only difference between them was the number of fingers they had and both of them had to keep them pretty well hidden.
"I can't believe you talked me into this." Ford said. "This is my suit by the way." He dusted off the sleeve.
"It is? I thought it was dad's." Stan commented, his hair now super spiky.
They both shared a look with each other. Ford could feel himself tightening up inside out of paranoia. He was about to lose his brother possibly. Stan too could relate. But he was trying to keep his Ford confidence on. He felt kind of strong in his jacket and having an actual firearm at his side.
Alma had to play along too. She had to make sure her reactions were authentic, even if she had to go as far as to hold Stan's arm. She just had to keep telling herself that the real Ford was in the suit and fez. Just so she wouldn't freak out. It was going to test them all it seemed.
Bill came crawling back, the Twins being squeezed by two of his arms. He shrunk himself back to his classic yellow form. Dipper and Mabel were both squirming in his clutches. "Times up." Bill quaked. "So who am I going to kill?" His eye started flashing their symbols. "Eenie, Menie, Miney, Mo." He chanted as the twins grabbed each other tightly as it stopped on Mabel's shooting star.
Bill would lift his finger, just about to snap her dead when Stan pushed his way between them and put his hand out the bars. "Wait, don't." Bill hesitated as his eye went over to them. "You win, Bill." He said solemnly while returning his hand back and putting his head down.
"Are you insane?! Think about what you're doing!" Ford came up behind him and grabbed his coat collar tightly. Stan tried to pry his hands off.
Alma had to admit, they were playing their parts pretty damn well. And it seemed Bill was falling for it. Dipper and Mabel didn't know what was going on, but the horrified expressions on their faces read it all. She had kept her look stoic but scared behind them. Bill kept going back and forth between them.
"What a pity seeing you two bickering. But I love it!" Bill empathized. He let the twins drop from his hands before releasing the rest of them. Stan had glanced between them, only to hear Ford and Alma grunt as the glowing red hands forced them to the floor.
"Please Ford." Alma acted, tears teasing her eyes.
Stan looked over at her sadly before puffing his chest and releasing a deep breath. "I have to do this." He turned away, taking a few steps forward towards Bill.
"What's it gonna be, Fordsie?" Bill asked, tittering on his feet cheerfully.
Stan took one last glance to Ford behind him. Heavy grief lined his face. "I'll shake your hand on one condition." He gestured his hand towards the others. "You let them go."
Dipper and Mabel hadn't moved from their spot across the way. But there was gut wrenching look in Dipper's eyes when he met Alma briefly. "Please Grunkle Ford." He mumbled ever so slightly with a wet sniff.
Stan was having second thoughts, seeing the conditions everyone was in. But the enemy was right there. He was gazing restless toward him with his giant glossed over eye. This moment was going to win it for them. Stan watched as Bill put his hand out towards him. It ignited with blue fire a second later.
"It's a deal." Bill proclaimed.
Stan froze up. Was he really about to do this? The devil himself was staring back at him with one hand engulfed in fire. He never wanted to actually shake the devil's hand, even if he had to. But it was for his family. That is all that crossed his mind those seconds ticking away.
Without hesitation, Stan shook his hand.
