Dipper Pines stared at the one-eyed demon with pure determination. What he had planned to say to him flew through his mind on repeat.
I'm done playing your games, Bill. I'm done being your pawn, your puppet. Speaking of which, that's reminds me of that little deal we had seven years ago, that you broke. So now you owe me a favor, and I want you send me back to my dimension safely, unharmed and unscathed.
He thought it was alright. Specific, straight to the point. Something Bill shouldn't be able to find a loophole in, but surely would in some way.
"So, Pine Tree... come to beg me to bring you back to your dimension? I surely hope not, you'd only succeed in embarrassing yourself." Bill smiled smugly. Dipper took a deep breath. "I'm done playing your games," He started, a bit more shaky than he would've liked. "I-" "Yes, yes. I get it, that's been pretty obvious since we first met. Just get to the point, Pine Tree." Bill said impatiently, and smiled once again at Dipper's taken aback expression.
But he quickly recovered. "Fine. You owe me a favor, Bill." He replied bluntly, throwing the script aside. Bill's smug smile dropped. "... What?" He asked incredulously.
"You. Owe. Me. A. Favor." Dipper answered, his voice steadily determined. Bill laughed, but it was obviously forced. "And where, exactly, did you come upon this information?" He asked.
Dipper gained confidence from his pained expression and crossed his arms. "From Will. From your own counterpart." He smiled. Bill looked down and cursed under his breath in reverse.
Then he looked back up at Dipper and plastered a small smile on his face. "Well, then I'm going to assume that this favor of yours will be for me to transport you back home." He said. Dipper nodded. "Yeah, I want you to bring me to my dimension, my home, unharmed."
Bill sighed. "You'll always have to be the one to ruin the fun, huh, Pine Tree?" "Guess so." Dipper shrugged. "You don't seem very disappointed in that fact." Bill noted. Dipper shrugged. "I've had bullies say that to me a bunch, it doesn't faze me anymore." "But I'm not a bully, I'm a demon." Bill pointed out. "Is there a difference?" Dipper asked.
"Ouch." Bill said, surprised to be taken aback. "Wasn't expecting that. I'm actually kinda proud, we should hang out more." He smiled. "I'd prefer it if we didn't." Dipper replied. "Also, you're just trying to stall, aren't you?"
Bill groaned. "Fine, I'll send you back to your stupid dimension. Whatever. But just know that this won't stop me from trying to conquer it." "Then my sister and I will stop you, and we'll wipe you out of existence just like we should've done before. And this time, you won't have anything to fall back on." Dipper retorted.
Bill studied him and vaguely wondered if he was talking about the deal he had made with the Axolotl. But that was impossible, right? However, Dipper's expression made him think twice.
Dipper smiled smugly. Little did Bill know that during his time in this different dimension, a little memory from his childhood had resurfaced. It had been erased, and not everything was there, but he remembered a small part of it. The most important part.
Sixty degrees that come in threes
Watches from within birch trees
Saw his own dimension burn
Misses home but can't return
Says he's happy
He's a liar
Blame the arson for the fire
If he truly wishes to shirk the blame
Then he must invoke my name
One way to absolve his crime
A different form, a different time
He had wondered what the poem had meant at the time, and he still did, and he desperately wanted to get answers out of Bill, but he needed patience. When he got back, he'd have to ask Ford about it.
"So, my favor?" Dipper asked, starting to get impatient. He was so close, so close to getting home. He could practically see Mabel and Ford and Stan.
Which reminded him...
Nope. No, shouting that thought down. Dipper shook himself. He'd have to worry about saving Stan later.
Bill sighed. "Fine. Have fun." He snapped, and Dipper fell through the ground, into a swirling vortex of light, screaming the entire way back home.
And... boom. Another chapter for ya.
Sorry it was a bit short.
Man, I love this story. I can't tell you how excited I get when everything just seems to fit together.
And next chapter is the twentieth! Wow, this has come so far. And I have a few fun things planned for that chapter. So... can't wait for that.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading and I'll see ya later entertainers!