Stan sat alone in silence.

Thoughts raged in his head, like a fire that couldn't be put out. Something pushed against his chest in the inside of his shirt, and he figured it was about time to take it out.

So, he reached inside his shirt, and took out the object. The object in question, was a memory door, the door that revealed the traitor who opened barrier.

Stan had managed to grab it off of Kill while grappling him, and he stared down at it. With a trembling hand, he opened the door.

What it showed, was Bill talking to someone. The traitor.

But there was more, as the traitor's face was finally revealed. A face...that completely matched Stan's.

The Day Guardian sighed. "I'm sorry about this, kids..."

In an instant, Stan set his hands on fire, burning the memory in the process. He watched the glowing embers float around, as the door in his hands vanished into a pile of ash.

He was overridden with guilt. Something like this was punishable by death, but that was the least Stan was afraid of. No, he was afraid of the absolute disappointment on Dipper and Mabel's faces, if they found out he was the main reason their home was destroyed. He was the reason many died.

He was the reason his brother disappeared...

Stan was taking the cowardly route, by not admitting his crime. But, the fear of everyone hating him was too much.

By Axolotl, what have I done?, Stan asked himself, yet again, no answer presented itself.

❇❇❇

Bill was awoken by a sound.

The sound in question, came from a particular pain in the ass goat. Bill sat up from his bed, and glared down at Gompers, who had been bleating nonstop. Amazingly, Will was still asleep even with Gompers's racket.

"What do you want?" Bill hissed at the animal.

Of course, Gompers didn't answer. Instead, the goat then proceeded to lock his jaws over Bill's sleeve and tug on it furiously. The blond was surprised by the amount of force, and before he knew it, he was pulled out of bed.

Bill yelped when he landed on the floor. He groaned, as the wooden planks knocked against his back. He sat up, and prepared to ran his fists of fury down on the farm animal.

But, before Bill could discipline the goat, Gompers ran out of the room. With the nuisance gone, this would be the time for Bill to go back to sleep. However, he was still angry at that goat, and wasn't sure whether Gompers would try to pull that crap again. Maybe, Bill could tie the animal to the living room table and call it a night. Will would be mad at him in the morning, but Bill was willing to accept any consequences, if it meant he could sleep in peace.

With that decided, Bill stood up from the floor, and made his way out. After descending down the staircase, he scanned the area for signs of Gompers.

"Where are you, you little creep?" Bill demanded.

"Baa!"

Bill whirled around, and saw Gompers standing in the entrance to the hallway. Before Bill made a move to approach him, but like that, the goat bolted down the hall. The blond huffed in frustration, before following the animal.

Bill walked slowly, since it was almost pitch black and he didn't have any source of light. He could always attempt to set his hands on fire, but he might accidentally burn the shack down. The whole time he journeyed down the hall, he called Gompers's name, but there was no response of any kind. Bill sighed, and figured this wasn't worth it, he was going back to bed.

He was about to turn around, when he froze in his tracks, when a beam of green light flashed at the end of the hall. Bill slowly turned back, and he uttered a gasp.

At the end of the hall, was a doorway, emitting an eerie green light. Afraid but curious, Bill gingerly moved forward. Once he was near, the blond peered inside the doorway. What he saw, was a long staircase leading down.

What was this? Was this some kind of basement?

It was weird that neither of the Cipher twins seen it before. Why was it hidden? Bill looked cautiously down the staircase. He knew better than to climb down a spooky looking hatch, but if he didn't find out what was down there, the question might bother him all night.

It's just a basement, Bill told himself.

So, quietly and slowly, Bill crept down the staircase. His footsteps echoed back at him, and he felt a tinge of regret, but continued nevertheless. Finally, he reached the bottom of the stairs, and what he saw definitely wasn't like any average basement.

The room itself was filled with complex machinery. Nearby, there was a desk with a switchboard, beyond the desk, was a large glass screen. Bill's eyes widened, when he noticed something.

All three journals laid on the desk.

That was impossible, Bill was sure he kept both Journal #2 and Journal #3 in the attic, how did they end up here. And how did the extra journal end up here?

Looking back again, Bill saw that all three journals were opened, to reveal a complete blueprint of a machine.

"What is this?" He breathed.

"You'll find out soon."

Bill uttered a yell, and whirled around, unintentionally flinging a ball of blue fire at the one whom spoken. He was horrified to see Gompers in the range of the fire, but what happened next shocked him. Just when the fire was about to hit the animal, it vanished in thin air.

Bill stared dumbstruck. "What just happened?" He asked himself.

Gompers looked back at him. Bill felt a sudden chill, when instead of a blank look, he saw genuine intelligence in the goat's eyes.

"What did you think happened?"

Bill jolted, when he heard the voice in his head. "What was that!?"

Gompers stepped forward, and it appeared that he was narrowing his eyes. "Now now, I'm sure you can figure that out."

Bill's eyes widened in realization. He stumbled back in fear, his back pressing against the desk. He regarded the goat like it was some kind of monster.

"Gompers, you're talking!?"

Gompers tilted his head. "Talking would require me moving my mouth, and I'm not doing that. I'm merely communicating to you telepathically."

"That doesn't make this any less weird!" Bill shot back. "What are you? Also, what is this place?"

"What I am, is unimportant," The goat said. "As for your second question: this is a basement, but also a workplace for the both of us."

"Workplace for what, exactly?" Bill snapped, suspiciously. "Whatever machine is in that blueprint?"

Gompers paused, before nodding towards the glass. "Take a look through that glass, won't you?"

Bill didn't trust the goat. Gompers was already creepy before, but now this was a bit overboard. Yet, he did what the animal asked, just because of his own curiosity. Bill leaned over the desk, and squinted through the glass. He didn't see anything at first, but then his heart paced in his chest, when he made out the impression of a giant machine with a mass of wires and sparking electricity.

"What is that thing?" Bill demanded.

Gompers regarded him seriously. "I'll tell you soon, but right now, we need to repair it."

"What is this we?" Bill remarked. "How can I trust you?"

"I am much more than a mere farm animal," The goat admitted. "I see infinite possibilities where your life will end, but trust me, this machine will fix everything. And in return for helping me, I'll teach you how to control your powers."

Bill stared. He hesitantly looked down at his arms, grimacing at the scars. He looked back at the goat, about to make the biggest mistake of his life.

"OK, when do we start fixing this thing?"

Gompers made a curt nod. "As soon as possible."

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