If a Pine Tree Falls in a Forest...

Average Joe

Tad Strange had lived a normal life. He worked a 9 to 5 job as an insurance broker, lived in a house with a white picket fence, and spent most Sunday mornings reading the local paper.

He was the town's friendly neighborhood Average Joe.

Or at least, that's what he'd been for the past forty years.

It was strangely easy, all those decades ago, to insert himself into people's memories. In Gravity Falls, it was easy enough, with the society of the blind eye starting up not too long after he created "Tad Strange." With them erasing people's memories so often, no one questioned why this young man had appeared, seemingly with no parents, and already had a steady job that he was in no way qualified for. (What could Tad say, there was a learning curve to being human.)

He found that people were far more willing to make deals when they didn't know he was a demon. Not a flashy dream demon like Bill Cipher, the irritating triangle. No, he was just a small time demon trying to gain a bit of power for some insurance. No one really cared what he did, especially since he rarely dealt with souls. (Disgusting things really, tasted like over cooked steak doused in gasoline.) Just exchanged some luck, some fortune, the occasional unfortunate accident for objects, memories, sometimes even blood. Small things in the long run of a human life.

And the people of Gravity Falls were ready to deal.

It was easy, and it was effective.

Until Bill Cipher showed up and ruined his little niche.

Tad had known what was going on since the Pines twins had gotten off that bus. Even the weakest of demons could feel the potential in the male twin. But to actually try and harness that? Nearly unheard of. Absolutely insane. And something Bill Cipher would absolutely do.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Bill was manipulating timelines. Tad had known what the dream demon was doing, or he thought he did. Thought that the dream demon was settling a grudge, taking on an apprentice, or even just doing it for shits and giggles. But he didn't think he'd launch an apocalypse. And, when he was in town, disguised as the red headed cashier from the Shack, he knew. Knew it was time to move to another dimension. Another timeline, maybe. It would be easier, and far less messy.

But dammit, he liked this dimension. There was so much energy within humanity, and so many were willing to deal. So few truly believed in demons, they were things of fiction here. And besides, it was growing irritating. This wasn't the first dimension that Bill had overtaken, and Tad doubted this was the last. But this was the first time he'd ever heard of the dream demon going so far, and even taking an interest in a human.

It was probably a bad idea. Bill was much more powerful than Tad, and the both of them knew it. That's why Tad had left any dimensions that Bill had previously overtaken.

But, Tad doesn't need to face Bill head on. There was another way he could fix this mess.

This was a really bad idea.

A/n: I'm not dead! Sorry that it's been so long since my last update, I just started college and have been so busy. But I have not forgotten/abandoned my stories!

Hope you liked the update! Sorry for such a short update. I'm hoping to get another one out soon, so look forward to that!

Votes and comments give me life! Thanks for reading!