Readerdreamer5625on chapter 34 – Haha! I'd like to see a chapter about Richard signing up a small contract with Dipper to attempt and destroy Twin Souls once and for all... and then they find out, apparently when demonic things happen around the actor playing as the aforementioned demon, people start to think that said demon actually agrees and supports the movie.
The filming had been going...okay, ever since Alcor had agreed to stop messing with it so they could just finish the damn thing.
The bi-weekly drink and bitch fests with Alcor (Richard had needed to cut them back, as that amount of drinking once a week was just a bit much for him and his liver at this point) helped more than Richard liked to admit.
At least someone felt the same way he did about these movies.
Richard didn't remember exactly when, but during one of those drink and bitch sessions, he and Alcor began to lament the existence of the series as a whole, and of the fandom in general.
The rants they both went on tended to end up on familiar lines when they got to that point, comparing the fans who wanted to be ravished by the Dreambender to the fans of the movie that continuously bothered Richard.
That seemed like a very bad idea to Richard on a multitude of levels.
So far, it was only Richard and Alcor at these drink and bitch sessions. For the rest of the cast, this movie was either something they had actually wanted to do for reasons beyond Richard's understanding, or something they were able to laugh about – probably because they weren't the main focus of the movie, so they weren't getting all the irrational fans up in their business.
As for the crew...most of them were too suspicious and superstitious to go drinking with a demon. Richard had a feeling a few of the people in the props and costuming department who had to deal with the practical effects of fake wings and the like were beginning to contemplate joining him.
Still, there wasn't anyone outside cast and crew who knew about the sessions he had with Alcor, and of those it was still only the ones who'd been there when he'd agreed in the first place after they'd summoned Alcor to 'de-curse' the movie.
At least, Richard didn't think anyone else knew.
Then, as he was sitting in the makeup chair listening to the artist fuss – there had been a few minor changes ever since they had seen the real Alcor, and apparently, nothing the hairstylist did was getting his hair to be a floofy as the original's, and the contacts were still giving all of them fits – Richard found out otherwise.
"Hey there," Crystal, his co-star, chirped as she leaned her hip on the edge of the makeup counter. She sobered after her customary cheerful greeting, which was odd enough that both Richard and the makeup artist glanced at her. "So...you might want to check this out."
She tossed a magazine into Richard's lap gently. "I saw it this morning – or I should say I was given this this morning."
The makeup artist gave a soft "Oh dear..." when they saw the magazine's cover, while Richard stared at it speechlessly, his mind stuck trying to reconnect to reality with the overwhelming noise of a modem trying to connect to dial up.
FRIENDSHIP BLOOMS BETWEEN DEMON AND ACTOR, the headline proclaimed. In smaller font, it continued, END OF DEMON'S HATRED FOR FAMOUS SERIES?
"Oh, he is not gonna like this," Richard muttered. "What even...how did they...?"
"Better read the article before you freak out," Crystal advised. "That way you won't waste all that anger before you get to the good bits."
"Has anyone shown this to the producers?" Richard demanded, flipping the magazine open to the article in question. "I know they wanted PR from this kinda thing, but rumors about Alcor actually being involved aren't going to help!" He skimmed the first few sentences before flopping back into the makeup chair. "Oh, he is gonna flip out. He hates Twin Souls. More than me."
"And I didn't think anyone could hate it more than you did," Crystal quipped. She shrugged when Richard cracked open an eye to glare at her, unrepentant. "It's not like you made a secret of it. We all know. Hell, anyone who watches the movie's probably going to know...or maybe not, it seems to work on set. Grumpypants," she added, poking Richard's nose with a little "Boop!"
Richard wrinkled said nose, batting her hand away. "I'm serious," he said. "Do you have another copy of this? I think I'd better show it to Alcor before he finds out through somebody else, or he may decide to start messing with the set again to prove he still hates this movie."
Crystal and the makeup artist both winced and Crystal relinquished the magazine without more questions.
They'd all suffered enough for Alcor's hatred of this franchise, no point in poking the mollified demon.
Richard brought the magazine up the next time he saw Alcor, laying it on the table as soon as the demon appeared in his apartment.
"I'm getting the booze," he announced, standing. "You...might want to have a look at that."
He ignored the confused demon in favor of pouring out drinks – Alcor was, surprisingly, an utter lightweight when it came to alcohol, so Richard usually kept it to beer and ales, but considering the contents of that article...he'd felt it best to stock up on a few harder bottles.
Judging from the words coming from his living room, Richard was going to be dealing with one drunk demon tonight. He just really hoped Mizar would forgive him...and knew what to do for a drunk demon because he only knew how to deal with a tipsy one.
Sometime during that evening, the topics of sequels and fangirls came up.
Richard's contract locked him into sequels, should the first movie prove lucrative enough to push through to doing the other books.
And despite – or, perhaps, because of – the controversy surrounding the books, a sequel to this movie based upon the next book of the series was already being adapted from the novel in anticipation.
As for the fangirls...well. Richard was keeping far away from the online talk of the series, but the more outspoken ones hadn't been discouraged by his obvious lack of interest or enthusiasm.
Richard didn't think they'd actually made a deal, but...last night was a bit of a blur. He knew for certain that the sequels had been brought up, and complaining about Twin Souls fans that took things too far was common fare for drink-and-bitch nights, but after that...
Probably not his best idea ever to get actually drunk with a demon, but...well...the demon had gotten drunk first.
Richard had really underestimated how little it would take to get Alcor drunk, despite knowing the demon was a lightweight. He was a demon, shouldn't he be able to handle alcohol better than that?
At least he was decent enough to leave (or drop off before Richard woke up, Richard didn't really care which) Mizar's hangover cure. It was far too brightly colored and glittery for Richard's taste, and he wouldn't have drunk it except...he did have to go in for shooting today, and he was desperate.
...all things considered, the cure was surprisingly pleasant, and efficient.
Though Richard was still a bit groggy and fuzzy headed when he headed in to the studio, it wasn't anything near what he'd felt like when he'd woke up sprawled over his bed with pounding head and scuzzy mouth.
It was nothing a bit of caffeine wouldn't fix.
After awhile, Richard began to wonder if Mizar's hangover cure really worked, since he could have sworn he saw Alcor hanging about in the edges of the shoot now and again out of the corner of his eye.
Except Richard knew he didn't have a hangover the next day, when he kept catching glances of Alcor (or things that looked like Alcor, he hoped they were just shadows that looked like Alcor and not the real demon) out of the corner of his eye as they wrapped up that day's filming.
And again, the day after. And the day after that.
By the time the week was over, Richard was suspicious. By the time the second week was drawing to a close, he was certain something was going on, though given it was a demon, it was hard to tell just what that something might be.
But his coworkers were creeped out (Alcor may have been trying to be unobtrusive, but he'd stepped onto the physical plane a few times too many for anyone to dismiss the shiver on the back of their necks, the certainty that they were being watched, as anything other than his influence) and Richard was fairly sure sooner or later someone off set was going to realize he was being followed by a demon.
It was hard to tell just what would happen when that did, but if the headline that started all this was anything to go by...it was something Richard really didn't need.
The headline that started this had been based in speculation, someone's wishful thinking based on rumors from information somehow leaking out about the summoning to get Alcor to 'de-curse' the movie and his request for drinking nights.
The tabloid hadn't had any evidence to prove Richard had gone through with it, or even that it had really happened. Not that tabloids cared about things like 'truth' or 'evidence'.
Well, no evidence except for a sudden increase in alcohol purchases, but then again, Richard had made his feelings on his current role pretty clear, clear enough to justify a few drinks after work and a sudden increase in said drinking.
Right? Right.
But if Richard, who had the Sight of a rock, could see and sense Alcor following him, then sooner or later someone who could See was going to find him too, and the way his life went, it was going to be some reporter than Saw Alcor first.
Finally, the bi-weekly bitch'n'drink night returned, and Richard set up the usual preparations, but this time finished them early, seating himself on the chair facing the couch Alcor usually materialized above.
Alcor was true to form, appearing sharply at seven as they'd agreed with a little puff of golden glitter that disappeared before it hit the floor and dropping down onto the couch, smiling and relaxed.
He stopped smiling as he got a look at Richard's face, sitting up properly, all hints at relaxation gone.
"We need to talk," Richard said seriously. "Why have you been following me?"
"I...what?" Alcor said, and privately Richard had a moment of disbelief that he was confronting a demon, but squashed it down. He needed to concentrate.
"You've been following me for the past two weeks," Richard repeated, crossing his arms defensively. "You slipped up and I saw you. What's more, so did people on set. So what gives?"
Alcor slid down into the couch cushions, his arms crossed and wings pulled in tight and sulkily. "You were complaining about more fans coming after you lately," he said, pouting. "And how much you were freaking out about the sequels. So I thought if I was hovering around being disapproving...see if I try and be nice again," he added in an undertone.
"Oh. Well, um. Thanks, I guess," Richard said slowly. "I think I get where you're coming from. Not sure it's going to work, but I get it."
"Oh, come on!" Alcor moaned. "What do I have to do to get this thing to stop already?"
"Well, we're just the ground crew," Richard pointed out. "We all got locked into contracts. The people who could pull the plug don't come around the studio unless it's to bitch at us about how long it's taking or how much money we're spending."
Alcor let out a rude noise at that. "I know one of the backers," he said eventually. "She'll never quit. Thinks it's too funny."
"I..." Richard paused, thinking for a second. "Wait a minute, isn't one of the major backers Pacifica Northwest? The one from Gravity Falls?"
Alcor nodded miserably. "We've been pranking each other for years," he confirmed. "This is pretty much her ultimate prank, no matter how much it's costing her. It's not like she's paying for the whole thing anymore, anyway. Not with all these other backers. But she'll keep paying for it even if they all give up."
"You...could still come by the set," Richard offered. "Most of the people that are locked in were there when you got summoned so they know you don't approve but you're not going to try anything. Might still work. Just...ease up on the creep factor, maybe?"
Alcor lit up like a star and Richard passed him a beer. "To further mayhem," Richard proposed, and Alcor raised his can.
"Agreed."
Alcor took Richard up on his offer, though Richard noticed that the aura of doom and impending death was much lighter than it had been, and Alcor was definitely hanging around less often than he had been.
Then again, they were getting into the part of the script where 'Alcor' and 'Mizar' were supposed to be romancing each other, so...probably just too awkward for the real Alcor to sit around and watch.
But afterward...Richard left the studio a week after talking with Alcor to find a young man with familiar brown hair lounging against the wall of the building. If he'd been trying for inconspicuous, he'd missed by a mile, as the long black trenchcoat with its turned up collar and dark sunglasses screamed "Don't notice me!".
Richard paused, debating if he should say something or just run for security, when the man tilted down the sunglasses, and a gold on black eye met Richard's.
"What are you doing?" Richard hissed, grabbing the demon's arm and hurrying him off to the side where they wouldn't be noticed, a small part of his mind filing the action away to freak out over later.
Alcor, thankfully, didn't seem to mind the rough handling, though he seemed a bit put out at the reception.
"Keeping an eye on you," the demon replied, as if it were obvious.
"I...why don't you just hang a neon sign over your head, it'd be just as subtle," Richard groaned.
Alcor honest to goodness pouted, and Richard wondered just when his life had gone so far off the rails.
"This is how people dress for investigating," Alcor protested, and Richard had to fight the urge to face palm.
"In movies, yes, not in reality," he said. He signed, looking at the demon. "Was there a reason you were waiting outside the studio?"
"Oh, right," Alcor said, shifting uncomfortably. "So, there might be a tour coming through soon based around Twin Souls. One that might have been timed so they could meet you. Full of people from the online fandom."
"A tour of Twinners?" Richard echoed, paling.
"Yeah. So, uh...want out of here? I mean technically I'll have to make a deal for that but it can be like, some candy or something," Alcor offered.
Richard dug into his pockets quickly. "Um...would a Snackers bar do?" he asked quickly. "And where? Where are we...?"
"No time!" Alcor gasped, as the sound of giggling began to grow louder. He grabbed the Snackers bar in one hand and Richard's in the other, and there was a sensation of blip.
Richard stumbled as his feet his the ground, clutching his stomach. "What..."
"So, yeah. Sorry about that," Alcor said, rubbing at his arm. "Kinda did that in a rush. The trip home'll be easier."
"Yeah...okay," Richard said. "So...where are we?"
"Well...I kinda promised Pacifica I'd meet her today, so..." Alcor replied, scratching at the back of his head. "Ready to have dinner with a superstar and a demon?"
"Considering the alternative is a possible rabid batch of Twinners, you're looking more appealing by the moment," Richard replied. "Lead on."
Pacifica was waiting in a small diner, much smaller than Richard would have expected, but then, that was probably the point – to find some measure of privacy.
It was also packed with an array of species, which meant Alcor didn't stand out when he sat at the table with sunglasses still in place.
Pacifica had seemed surprised to see Richard tagging along, but hid it well, her expression shifting to an understanding grin after Alcor whispered to her.
Richard was dropped off at his apartment three hours later with the phone number and email of a new ally and possible friend, and a deeper gratefulness than ever that he'd made friends with a demon.
That feeling lasted a week, until the tabloids found out, and the headlines again screamed of Alcor's approval of sequels and anticipation for the movie.
Richard began stocking up on the harder booze. The way things we going, he and Alcor both were going to need it.