"Wait a second. Let me think." Dipper replied.
"Take your time." Tad answered.
Dipper pondered to himself, he had an idea of what he wanted from Tad, but he wasn't sure if he should just ask. He had yet to functionally go through the process of making it clear, as foolish as that may sound. Most of this came from the fact that he did not think a number in an out of date phone book would actually work.
Demons never did anything for free.
It was silent on the other end but through that silence, Dipper began to pick out what he could hear. Tad didn't seem to be breathing, if he had been it wasn't very audible. Most demons when they take possession of a living host are in actuality living, as basic as that logic is. They have human limitations and little grasp on their true power and capabilities. This could just mean that the demon who is using the name 'Tad Strange' was inhabiting a dead body. He personally hadn't ever run into a demon taking a corpse as a vessel, nor has it been documented. Objects, dolls, and puppets are wildly popular among their kind when they needed really something.
It was now unnervingly silent Dipper decided. Then, as if reading his thoughts, it wasn't. Faintly he could hear the sound of music on the other end. It was low, very low, but he could almost make it out. It sounded a million miles away and had an echoing quality to it. He began to recognize what it was, the song 'Goodbye Stranger'. Some small clicks could be heard now. Footsteps? The music then got slightly louder and clearer. Dipper leaned back into the chair, bringing one of his hands to the phone wire and twisting it mindlessly with his finger. He was feeling more relaxed as he listened to its lyrics.
"You're humming to the music. Do you like this song?" Tad suddenly asked.
Dipper stiffened for a second before letting out a short breath, he didn't know he was doing that.
"It's alright I guess." Dipper answered.
"It brings back memories for me. I suppose." Tad said simply.
"What kind?" Dipper asked thoughtlessly.
"The good kind... and the bad kind."
Dipper could make out the sound of shuffling now, papers perhaps.
"Tad?"
"Yes?"
"Whats your end game man?"
The sound of paper stopped for a moment. A sudden, short, laugh came soon followed by the sound of something being placed on wood.
"Its not all that grand."
"Tell me."
"I want to go back to being Tad Strange."
There was a reflective quality to the emotionless sound of Tad's voice at that moment. The answer took him aback, as it didn't really make all that much sense to him. This short conversation was humanizing the creature and that made Dipper uncomfortable.
"I want to know why the supernatural is unaffected by the fear of the forest." Dipper said, shaking off his thoughts.
"Hmmm." Tad began, thinking for a moment, "I could come over, we could flip a coin or play a game."
"Uhmm no." Dipper responded.
"Well, there is not a lot I can do over the phone."
"Why is that?"
"I have an 'end game' as you so aptly put."
"Obviously."
"Some information is expensive and has long winded explanations."
Dipper looked out to the window nearby, he saw it was getting darker. He was running out of time and soon his uncle would make him call Ford. Dipper had his reasons for not wanting to call his other uncle, embarrassing ones. He felt someone looking at him, he looked up to see Mabel leaning on the desk.
"Dipper, Grunkle Stan fell asleep."
"Yeah?"
"He has fallen asleep?" Tad said abruptly, having overheard them.
Dipper squinted his eyes suspiciously.
Tad hummed thoughtfully on the other end.
"What?" Dipper asked.
"Nothing. I need to go now. Goodbye."
Tad then hung up and the line went dead. A loud high pitched tone now replaced the static and silence. Dipper took the phone off his ear, he held it in front of his face scowling at it. This call was pointless.
That, Dipper decided, was annoying.