Babes And The Beast

Chapter 6: Bonding

The twins woke up late he next morning and went downstairs to find their host waiting for them in the kitchen. He was wearing clean shirt and fresh trousers and had even put on a new cloak. This one was black with a gold chain. He tapped the table expectantly.

"Uh, morning." Said Dipper apprehensively.

"I've got someone here," he held up a book, and the kids recognized it as the journal they had seen on the desk in his room. "Who wants to meet you. But you've gotta promise to be super careful with him."

"Uh, okay."

"I mean it. You gotta promise that if it comes to it, you'll protect him with your life."

"Okay." They crossed their hearts. "We promise to take good care of your... friend."

"And to not let anything bad happen to him."

"Good." Stan held out the book to Dipper, who took it with some apprehension.

"Open him up and introduce yourselves." They did so.

"Uh, I'm Mabel."

"And I'm Dipper"

Just like before, words were invisibly written onto the paper.

Hello Mabel. Hello Dipper. My name is Stanford.

Dipper smacked his forehead. "Oh, I get it. You're enchanted like the others."

"But you can't move on your own? That stinks!" huffed Mabel.

I can see. And I can write. But I can also be damaged pretty easily, so Stan's a bit protective.

Dipper looked back up at Stan. "Is that why you were so mad? You thought we would damage your friend?"

Stan scratched the back of his neck. "Well... yes."

Mabel scoffed. "Well, you don't have to worry about that. Ol' Dip-Dop here would rather eat his own eyeballs than hurt a book."

"Eww! Gross!" He turned back to Stan. "It's true though." Stan chuckled. "Good to know. Well, I'll leave you three to it."

The twins scurried away entranced with their new friend.

"So, do you mind if I ask you a couple hundred questions about the castle and the surrounding woods?" Dipper asked as they left the room.

Stan watched them walk off, apprehension mixing with delight.

"That was decent of you." Said Soos hopping on his shoulder.

"Yeah, well," Stan shrugged. "Ford wanted to meet them. And they deserve a good turn."

"Well if a good turn's what you want to give them, I have a few suggestions..."

####

"How old is this place?"

"How big is the forest?"

"Are there brownies living under your floors?"

"Can you feel us touching you?"

"What kind of drawings can you do?"

"Why are there scratches on your back cover?"

Dipper and Mabel bombarded Stanford with question after question. It was all he could do to write each answer as it came to him. But at the last question, his words stilled then faded. Curling doodles form on his pages as he tried to think of the best way to answer.

"Mister Stanford?" said Mabel out of concern, "Are you alright?"

Call me Ford. And yes, I'm fine.