Zero Falls (Season 2)-CONTINUED

The Tale of a Demon-Part One

(Late update again! Busy with Thanksgiving yesterday. This is the last time, I promise)

"Will, would you stop screaming!" Bill yelled at his brother, who was currently freaking out.

Tad pressed his gloved hands over his ears, grimacing. "I can't say I didn't expect this."

"Easy, Will," Mason said, putting a comforting hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Let's take a few calming breaths."

Will obliged, inhaling and exhaling slowly, and eventually, it seemed to work. However, his scared eyes could only focus on Tad. "You...goat...how??"

"I was about to explain, before you tried to burst my eardrums," The Demon noted.

Bill glared at Tad, absolutely livid. "All this time, it's been you!? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I apologise for keeping my true identity a secret," Tad said, calmly. "I wanted to wait for the right moment, where I knew you would be ready."

"Tad..." Ford breathed, slowly approaching the Demon.

Tad turned to him, a small smile formed on his face. "Ford, you silly man, you've become quite the catalyst to all this mess, haven't you?"

"What are you talking about?" Ford snapped, now furious. "I specifically told you not to turn on the machine! Now I hear you've been working with the enemy."

"That enemy is my brother," Tad shot back, the two men now standing face to face. "And I am the one who tricked him to work on the machine. He's not at fault."

Ford stared at Tad, appalled. "You're smarter than this, Tad. You know the dangers of that machine, and the fact you decided to ally yourself with him, makes it worse."

Tad didn't break eye contact, looking at the grey-haired man intensely. "After all these centuries, you still haven't changed. I don't know why I hoped for something different."

For a split second, Ford's expression softened. But, it was gone, as the Night Guardian regained his stern mask, and grumpily turned away from the Demon.

"Uh, hey," Mabel said, gaining their attention. "If you don't mind me asking—WHAT IN AXOLOTL'S NAME IS GOING ON?"

"Where were you, Uncle Ford?" Dipper demanded, giving the old man a hard look. "Why didn't you try to come back to us, what is going on with that machine—"

"Are you okay?" Stan chimed in, gawking at what was once his long lost brother.

Ford smiled when he turned to them, and moved towards them. He gave all three of them an embrace, before withdrawing to better look at their faces. "Gods, you have no idea how much I've missed you three," He said. Then, he frowned. "I know you're confused, and I don't really know how to explain this..."

"Don't bother," Dipper said, in a bitter tone. "I think we already know the full story."

Ford frowned at the brunet's reaction, and a moment later, Tad cleared his throat, so that all heads turned to him. The Purple Demon looked at them with a sly smile. "Not exactly, Dipper, there's still much more to the story."

"Okay, can you explain why my brother didn't tell me Gompers was actually a man?" Will remarked, turning to Bill. "Not only that, but apparently, he's our older brother!?"

"Because I didn't know!" Bill yelled back. "I just thought he was some eldritch being that wore goat skins!"

"Well, you're not wrong," Tad pointed out.