Reformed

Chapter Two

When the group got back to the Mystery Shack, they rushed into the gift shop and Soos laid the boy on the checkout counter. Ford fetched the first aid kit, as well as some medical items of his own, and worked on patching up the blonde's eye. The others stood by and watched anxiously.

Melody showed up a little after they arrived home and Soos explained the situation to her. She stood by and watched Ford as well, nervously rubbing her baby bump.

Dipper easily noticed how on edge Ford was. Who, or what, did he think this kid was? It made him uneasy and his mind make up all kinds of speculations, and none of them were good.

"There," Ford suddenly said. He took a small step away from the boy. "He should be fine now. He can take some painkillers when he wakes up."

"Good work," Stan complimented him.

"What are we gonna do with him after he wakes up?" Soos then asked.

Ford glanced at the blonde on the counter, and then back at the others. He replied, "If he's just some normal kid, we can take him to the hospital and try to get in contact with his family. If not..."

His words trailed off and he seemed to disappear into his thoughts.

"Why wouldn't he be?'" Melody questioned, bringing Ford back into reality.

Stanford rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked back at the stranger again, before looking down at the ground. He hesitantly explained, "What I wanted to show Dipper... wasn't there. It's gone, but this kid none of us have ever seen before was instead. It's... too convenient."

Dipper raised an eyebrow and impulsively asked, "What do you think he is? Is he what you were trying to show us?"

The older man sighed and stuck one of his hands inside his coat. He searched through one of his pockets, looking for something. He paused when he noticed the blonde on the counter beginning to stir. The others stared at him as well.

He had shifted a bit before letting out a loud, pained groan. He tried to sit up, pressing one of his hands to his forehead. His, now only , eye slowly opened. He stared ahead of himself, and then met eyes with Stanford. His demeanor almost instantly changed.

He snapped right up and growled out, " Sixer ."

Ford immediately lashed out and pinned the blonde down to the counter by his neck with his hands, practically strangling him. The teen shouted obscenities and violently thrashed around, trying to break free of Ford's grasp.

"Jesus Christ !" Stan shrieked. He just stared in horror, unsure of what to do, as did most of the others.

Dipper had jumped back to get farther away from the scene. He stared at Ford and the stranger with wide, scared eyes. He was confused and terrified at what was happening before him. Dipper glanced to his side where he saw Mabel in the same state. He stepped in front of her, and she latched onto one of his arms for comfort.

"Let me go! Let me go !" the blonde shrieked. "I'm going to rip you apart cell by cell with my bare hands if you do not let me go !"

All of a sudden, he bit down onto one of Ford's hands that was holding him down. He dug his teeth deep into his skin, drawing blood. He shook his head like a wild animal that had just caught it's prey, tearing up Ford's hand. Ford managed to keep his grip, despite the fact that he was obviously in pain. The boy once again surprised everyone when he lashed out with one of his hands and scratched Ford's face, knocking Ford's glasses off.

Unfortunately, Stanford lost his grip as the other attacked him. He muttered swears to himself and stumbled back a bit, seemingly shaken up by the boy's aggressions.