While everyone else is screaming, I'm calm.
I mean, hurtling towards the ground just seems terrifying. It actually isn't, it's exhilarating. Besides, I've faced worse, it's not like I'd be permanently dead after this; Bill could always revive me anytime he pleased.
I'm surprised though, to see Rick's terrified expression as the ground grows closer to us at a rapid speed. He's fumbling through his lab coat for his portal gun. He curses when he procured nothing from his pockets.
"RAINBOW CUSHION - INTESTINE - POOL‼!"
And then black.
"...ise a glass to freedom! Something THEY could never take away!"
I groan and shifted to my side. I know that drunken singing well. Rick doesn't shut up when he's drunk. Actually, scratch that, he never shuts up. I pull the blanket over my head to try to block the sound of his annoying voice.
"NO MATTER WHAT THEY TELL YOOOOOUUUUUU."
I jerk violently awake and the world turned upside down as I fell off what I assume is the bed. I fumble to get the sheets off me and I look at the two doing their duet which I seem to have interrupted. Rick is laughing at me whilst Bill is just looking at me with a void expression of infinite darkness and death. I shrunk at the message his look's sending me. It just looks like he's ready to tear me apart.
Bill laughs. OH FOOORDSIE DON'T ASSUME I ALWAYS MEAN HARM TO YOU. Bill's voice reverberated in my head.
But you do, I reply coldly, a bit annoyed he was still able to telepathically communicate with me despite the metal plate installed on my head. You need me to talk and you'd do anything to get that formula.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU'RE USELESS RIGHT NOW.
I'm taken aback. What? I asked with furrowed brows, not exactly comprehending what he had just told me. How am I useless? I got the information you need.
YES, he replies and winks at me. He points to the drunken Rick Sanchez who was humming to himself the tune of Dear Theodosia. AND SO DOES RICK. He points out casually.
I... What? I'm not following.
Bill guffaws at my flabbergast reaction. COME ON SIXER. I KNOW YOU ARE FOLLOWING, YOU JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT! RICK'S BETTER AND SMARTER THAN YOU IN EVERY CONCEIVABLE WAY. IF I REALLY NEEDED THE FORMULA, I WOULD'VE ASKED HIM. BESIDES. DO YOU THINK I'M THAT STUPID TO NOT KNO—
Wait, that was an option all along?! I ask, outraged. My blood boils at the rage I have for this graceless, screeching lunatic! I cannot believe the guts this demon has. He's literally toying with me. He's using me for his entertainment! This sick triangle fuck!
YES.
You're a dick. I cross my arms and look away from Bill.
YES. Bill confirms, leaning back and taking a big gulp from his bottle or bourbon. AND SO ARE YOU. AND RICK. WE'RE ALL THE SAME, THE THREE OF US. DICKS. ASSHOLES. LITTLE FUCKERS. WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANT TO CALL SUPERINTELLIGENT APATHETIC BEINGS. WE'RE OUTCASTS OF SOCIETY BECAUSE WE'RE JUST TOO GOOD FOR EVERYONE ELSE. ALL THREE OF US. There is a quiet pause, then Bill said, YOU KNOW MY OFFER FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF MY GANG IS STILL OPEN.
Jesus fuck, he's bringing that up again? I'd rather die than be your ally, you dipshit.
FINE. WHATEVER. Bill grumbles. He takes a swig from his bottle. STAR WOULD BE REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU TURNED DOWN THE OFFER.
Yeah right. I snarl at him, biting my lip hard. She will too when she finds out what you've-
"HOLY SHIT." I yell, suddenly remembering what happened. Star overdosed, she was going to die! "Star?! Star? What happened to Star?!" I ask in a panic, springing up and pacing restlessly in the room. I put my hand to my head. Shit, shit, shit. God, I hope there's nothing severe that has happened to her!
"Woah, woah, calm down Ford, sheesh, you're over reacting." Rick says, grabbing my hand forcing me to sit beside him on the human skin couch. I shiver as soon as my hand brushed the warm skin of the couch which giggled at the touch. "Calm down, dawg."
"I'm overreacting?!" I ask, outraged. Why the hell are they even so calm?! Am I the only one concerned for Star?! "Why don't any of you seem to care!?"
"Uh, maybe because I already handled it, Fordsie," Bill said lazily. "Don't you remember? Ugh." This time he devours the entire bottle. I have to look away from the grotesque scene and have to block the sickening crunches of teeth pulverising the shards of glass. Bill burps.
"Can't you chill for once?" The demon asks me.
I roll my eyes. As if this was a time to chill. As if I could ever be chill with him. "Fuck you Bill," I hiss at him.
"W-w-wait, Bill?" Rick suddenly pipes up, confused, his monobrow furrowed. Bill's eye widens and then shoots a glare at me. "As in the...?"
I snort. "Yeah. Oh wait, sorry I forgot they called you B-Triangle, right?" I ask Bill, meeting his glare and matching his intensity. I smile triumphantly. Whatever Bill is hiding, I'm going to spill it all out to Rick. "I'm sorry! I forgot you've been busy lying the fuck to them."
"The fuck are you talking about Ford?" Rick raises his voice now. Oh this is so great in an incredibly sarcastic way! I can't believe he's going to back Bill up with this! I can't believe he's protecting the bastard!
"Don't you remember a single thing about what I've told you about Bill Cipher?!" I growled through gritted teeth. I opened up to him about everything Bill did to me years ago and he's backing up the triangle dick who ruined my life! I yell, "Didn't I tell you about this asshole? He's the reason I got thrown out my dimension in the first place!"
Rick looks at Bill, searching for an answer to my accusations but Bill isn't looking at him; his attention is trained on me, full of wrath. Rick sighs after seeing that the triangle isn't going to answer his questions soon. "B's not like that." He says firmly.
"Yes he is!" I tell him angrily. I have first hand experience of how destructive Cipher could get and he's denying it! Why!?
"B, the fuck is Ford talking about?" ARGH! Rick isn't taking this from me for some reason. I clench my teeth. He won't believe me. But maybe he'd believe it if it came from Bill. Rick and I turn to the demon for affirmation.
"Yeah, Bill, the fuck am I talking about?" I repeat the question, raising a brow at the demon. His anger is pinned on me and only me, I know what that glare means. He wants to kill me right here, right now. But for some reason he won't. I grit my teeth. "I'm the only one who seems to know you for the true demon that you are!"
"B is a— B is not a demon." Rick snarls at me, correcting me. "He's not even close to being a demon!"
"Oh yeah? What the fuck is he then?" I retort angrily, gesticulating at Bill exaggeratedly. "Some kind of fucked up god or some shit?"
"FOR THE LOVE OF, UGH, JESUS CHRIST, STANFORD." Rick screams loudly in annoyance. "HE'S A FLATLANDE—!"
"Shut it."
Bill's voice sends a chill down my spine. Fear washes over us and we slowly turn our heads to the demon. I've seen Bill angry on multiple occasions, but this is different. It's not the kind of anger that's shallow and quick to cool down. It's so much more terrifying; it's the kind that's deep and unending and it's... always there just... waiting, simmering, where one wrong move could set off a violent explosion that lasts thousands of eons.
"One more word," Bill hisses menacingly, staring Rick down. His hands turns into sharp claws. He swipes viciously at the couch which screeched in pain. Blood oozes from the tears of skin and I scoot away from the demon, terrified.
"One more fucking word," he says with a low voice, "and I swear I'll slit your throat."
Rick seems to be terrified at the development and avoided Bill's glare. He takes my hand and I shoot a glare at him.
"B, I'm sor—"
"I said shut up, RIGHT?" B yells in an inhumane voice, a deep, distorted chorus of voices whose dissonance rings in our heads. I bite my lip and a metallic taste fills my mouth. I took a sharp breath in.
"The fuck is your problem with Rick?" I ask the demon, struggling to keep my voice firm. "You're friends with him, and now you're threatening him?" I turn to Rick, "is this your definition of a friendship? Manipulation and lies?"
Rick squeezes my hand in warning but I glare at him and withdraw it. "Both of you are fucked up."
"SO WHAT IF WE ARE." Bill yells. "WE'RE SO FUCKED UP. OOOH-WEEE! LOOK AT US INSANE ASSHOLES LIVING A BLISSFUL LIFE TRYNA FUCK UP ANYTHING THAT PULLS US DOWN.
"AND YES, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT FRIENDSHIP IS ALL ABOUT? IT'S ABOUT A PETTY ILLUSION OF COMPANIONSHIP SO YOU CAN EXPLOIT THEM. I MEAN, I WOULDN'T KNOW A SHIT ABOUT IT, RIGHT? BECAUSE DEMONS AREN'T CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING SUCH SHITTY ILLUSIONS THAT IS WHAT YOU CALL FRIENDSHIP."
"That's because you never had any REAL friends!" I retort angrily at him, standing up. A force knocks me back to my seat and the couch cries as I accidentally hit the fresh wounds Bill inflicted on it.
"YEAH. I NEVER HAD ANY FRIENDS," He says bitterly, "BUT NOOOO. NOT YOUU. YOU'RE JUST LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A SUPPORTIVE GROUP OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT STAYS BY YOUR SIDE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU FUCK UP. YOU'RE JUST DIDDLY DARN MCFUCKING LUCKY, AREN'T YOU, TO HAVE PEOPLE WILLING TO RISK THEIR LIVES FOR YOU!
"I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT GUY WITH A FUCKING SOB STORY WHERE EVERYONE GOES AWW AT THE END, BUT, YEAH, I DO HAVE ONE. YOU KNOW. IT'S THE OLD, CLICHÉ, I'M LONELY, NOBODY LOVES ME BECAUSE I'M WEIRD AND SHIT. I DON'T BELONG HERE. THAT OVERLY USED TROPE. AND THEN YOU CUE THE MOMENT WHEN SOMEONE FINALLY CAME INTO MY LIFE WHO ACTUALLY APPRECIATED ME. THEN, YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES, IT TURNED OUT FUCKING FAKE JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, THAT SAME OLD CRAP. AAAALLL THAT SAME OLD SHIT. SO ONE DAY I DECIDED IM NO LONGER TAKING ANY OF THAT 'BULLSHIT FROM ANYONE EVER AGAIN."
I ball my hands into fists, mustering up every ounce of restraint not to tackle the triangle and tear his eye out. "That's the exact same thing you did to me you little motherf—!"
"I KNOW." Bill says with with fake enthusiasm. He grins aggressively at me, crazed. "YOU SEE MY POINT. IT FEELS LIKE SHIT, RIGHT? YEAH IT DOES."
"Fuck you."
"EXACTLY. FUCK ME. FUCK EVERYTHING RIGHT?
"ACTUALLY. NO. FUCK YOU." He hisses at me, his expression turning sour. "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO LEFT ME IN THE FIRST PLACE. JUST TO SET THINGS STRAIGHT SIXER, I DIDN'T USE YOU, YOU JUST WILLINGLY DID WHAT I WANTED YOU TO DO. HECK, I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO THREATEN OR TORTURE YOU TO CREATE THE PORTAL LIKE ALL THE OTHER PUPPETS I HAD. IT WAS ALL YOU. NOT ME. STOP PINNING THE HATE ON ME WHEN IT SHOULD BE ON YOU. WELL. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY?"
I try to find my voice, to say something, find a counterargument to his blatant accusations but I find myself unable to. I cannot face the fact that everything he did say is true, that I had been a blind follower of Bill, thirsty to impress what I had thought was a deity from another dimension. And that fact puts me into shame and into a deep ocean of guilt and regret because everything that's happening right here right now is because of me.
B rolls his eye at me. "YEAH. THATS WHAT I THOUGHT."
A heavy silence descends in the room with the only sound was that of the crackling of the fire in the fireplace and the occasional whimper of the couch.
"B," Rick says quietly and very slowly. The demon's glare finally shifts to the scientist whose expression was unreadable. I almost forgot he was here.
"B, I want to know," he says, trying to find the right words to say. "I, I want to hear it from you." There's something about his tone that doesn't sound... Rick-like. There's a tinge of... empathy and concern, neither of which Rick has any inclination of showing based on my previous experiences with him. "Is Ford lying?"
Bill cackles loudly without restraint, his dissonant chorus of voices harshly reverberating in the room and in our minds as well. Then he abruptly stopped, eyeing Rick. Rick doesn't flinch under the stare of the demon.
"Are you serious?"Bill finally asks in a quiet tone. He rolls his eye. "That's pretty fucking rhetorical. Why the fuck would Ford lie to you?"
Rick's previous fear of the demon disappeared. He stood up, throwing his bottle aside in annoyance. "W-w-why the fuck are you conquering the third dimension?!" He asks him. Bill crosses his arms and lifts himself off the couch. "B! W-w-what the fuck! You know the drastic con-eeughh-consequences of doing just that! You said– y-y-you told me that conquering this dimension is out of the god damn question!"
"WELL IF YOU DIDN'T NOTICE," Bill says in a singsong voice, "I WAS LYING TO YOU. BESIDES. WHY DO YOU GIVE A FUCK? YOU NEVER GAVE A SHIT WHEN I DID WORSE. WHY NOW?"
"Bec-bec-auuugh-ause." Rick said, stammering, "whatever you're doing compromises the safety of my dimension."
"HAHA! I CALL BULLSHIT ON THAT, SANCHEZ."
Something snaps inside Rick, I see it. The way his eyes widens at the way Bill addressed him, the way he's momentarily taken aback and is absolutely speechless, it's something I never thought he was capable of. I always saw Rick as a competent opponent against Bill – slick, confident, and doesn't give two shits about anything as long as he gets what he wants. But for him to show reluctance at the face of Bill Cipher, it just seems so incomprehensible, impossible.
But that shock is swiftly gone. With a loud scream, Rick lunges at Bill and and pins him to the ground. The triangle yelps in surprise but does nothing to counter the attack.
"Stop this, Cipher." He spits out Bill's name like it's poison. He claws at the bottom of Bill's eye, positioning his thumbs so he could easily pop out the eyeball off Bill's socket.
Bill's grin falters.
"YOU KNOW WHAT, PARTY'S OVER."
Before Rick could do any damage to Bill's eye, he's thrown back with such force that he hits the wall of the other side of the room. I stand up to rush to Rick's aid but my feet won't move. Bill glares at me and snaps his fingers and my feet slowly turns to gold. I gasp as I slowly lose my sensations as I'm petrified once again. I look back at the fight unfolding in front of me.
Rick tries to get up but was lifted off the ground with a snap of Bill's finger, thrashing against the invisible force choking the air out of him.
"LOOK, SANCHEZ. FUN'S FUN, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO."
Rick glares at Bill. "I'll leave with Ford."
Bill laughs. "EXCUSE ME, WHAT DID YA SAY THERE SLICK? YOU WANNA TAKE SIXER WITH YOU? I BELIEVE YOU MISUNDERSTOOD. I'M KICKING YOU, AND SPECIFICALLY YOU OUT OF THIS PARTY. YOU LEAVE. SIXER STAYS."
Bill snaps his fingers and Ricks portal gun appears in his hand instantaneously. Rick gasps and squirms even harder, trying to break free from the demon's invisible grip. Bill carefully dials up the coordinates. He does this so casually as if he's used this kind of technology before. When he's done he shoots a portal below Rick.
"BYE SANCHEZ. SEE YA!"
And with that Rick is unceremoniously dropped into whatever dimension it is Bill sent him to, screeching at the triangle curses. Bill chuckles, bitterness lining it.
"OR NOT." He throws Rick's portal gun after him before the portal dissipates.
He turns to face me with a frightful yet forced grin. I could only move my head and I force my stare away from the demon. He grabs me by my chin, claws sinking into my skin. I flinch as I struggle to keep myself conscious.
Bill cackles devilishly.
"WHAT DO YA SAY, SOME FIREWORKS UP YOUR ASS OR DAZZLING FLASHING LIGHTS EMANATING FROM YOUR ELECTROCUTED BODY 'CUZ BOY OH BOY AM I STARVING TO SEE SOMEONE IN PAIN."
Author's Note:
And that's the end of the fic. The events that follow are exactly what's seen in Weridmageddon 3, during the shacktron fight!
Check out Hung Over for the bridge to the actual fic that we'll be following soon!