"H-how...how did this happen, Great Uncle Ford?" asked Dipper. Beside him, his twin sister Mabel seemed to have lost the power of speech. She just stood next to him, gripping his upper arm so tightly, Dipper was afraid his circulation was cut off.

The children were rightly shocked, as they went down the stairs that morning and spotted their Grunkle Stan standing next to an enormous mythical creature with a familiar face. Their Grunkle Stanford had turned into a Sphinx. His face seemed to be the same at first glance, but looking closely at it, his nose and mouth seem to be partially morphed into a lion's muzzle and his face was covered in light gray fur. His hair now extended to a fluffy mane of dark gray the same color as his hair. His lion's body was the same shade as the fur on his face, ending in a tufty tail the same color as his mane. His wings were a dark gray, with the feathers becoming lighter in color as they reach the tips.

"I'm not precisely sure, but I have a theory," Ford replied with a twitch of his great wings and a flick of a tail. With large paws, he pushed forward a large book bound in old leather and what looked like bleached bones lining the spine. "Careful in picking it up," he warned as Dipper peeled Mabel from his arm and stepped forward to pick up the tome. "Don't run your fingers down the spine of that thing. That was the last thing I remember doing before I opened the book to a page on Sphinxes."

Dipper reached out and picked up the book. "Dr. Crackpot's Book of the Damned," Dipper read aloud. He looked at Ford wryly. "Really?"

Stan gave his brother a smug look as Ford looked away, his tail twitching erratically. "It was on sale!" he growled. Then he looked at his niece. "Are you okay, Mabel?"

Mabel finally found her voice again, and it was going up several octaves. Ford tensed in alarm.

"KITTYYYYYYY!" Mabel squealed as she launched herself at her Grunkle the Sphinx. Dipper jumped out of the way as his twin collided into Ford's chest, burying her face into his prodigious mane. "GRUNKLE FORD IS SO FLUFFY!" she squealed as she began to scritch the sides of her Grunkle's neck.

Ford started to look equal parts alarmed and delighted with the scritchings. His tail started swishing back and forth lazily.

"Uh-Mabel, Dipper and I need to-oooh, right there, right there!-EHEM, your brother and I need to discuss-GAH, I can't concentrate!"

Stan and Dipper had to jump back as Ford went to lie down on his side with a loud THUD, the floor vibrating a bit from the impact; he was no match against his niece. Mabel moved to sit on Ford's back and continue petting and giving him scritches. Dipper and Stan looked at each other; their twins looked like they were having the time of their lives. The next thing they knew, a loud rumbling sound echoed inside the room. It was as loud as-but more soothing than-a running car engine.

"Ford, are you PURRING?" asked Stan. He was trying hard not to laugh.

"I know lions can't purr, and sphinxes are part lion. Maybe he's the exception," said Dipper, scratching his head. He saw his sister's face. "What is it, Mabel?"

"D-Dipp-err, y-yo-u-u g-go-ot to-o tr-ry-yy thi-is!" Mabel replied, her face transported in glee. Her voice shook with the vibration of Ford's purrs. "He-e-e's li-i-ike a-a ma-assa-age ch-ch-a-ai-air!"

"Yes. Yes I do want to try it!" said Dipper stoically. Then he gave an unmanly squee before he ran a few steps and jumped on Ford. "Y-yo-ur-r ri-i-ight! Thi-i-is i-is co-o-ol!"

"Guess we're not breaking the curse today," shrugged Stan. "Just try not to shed all over the place, Stanford."

"I'm not going to shed," Ford grumbled, but he continued purring as Dipper and Mabel joined forces to scratch his neck and ears, enjoying the attention. Maybe there is no harm in being part-feline for a while...