Author's Notes: And the next chapter is up! Sorry it's so late, I accidentally deleted this chapter before I posted it, and my back up files weren't working so I had to rewrite the whole thing! But no worries it's here now, so please enjoy!
(Back with Dipper)
Dipper groaned in slight irritation as he tried and failed to open his locker. They had just returned from the fieldtrip, and he just wanted to get home. He had to find out what was going on! Why had he gained cheek marks just by picking up Bill's cane? Said marks where gone now, but that did little to eliminate his confusion. From what he understood only members of the royal family were supposed to have them. So why had two red crescent moons appeared on his cheeks?
"Bill! Mabel! Come on!" He yelled. He wasn't trying to be snippy, but he needed to get home and start figuring this out.
"We're coming!" Bill replied. He and Mabel were currently riding on a pink living cloud creature that Bill had conjured up. The cloud stopped just in front of their lockers.
"Thanks, Cloudy. You can let us down here." Mabel said.
"Sure thing!" The pink cloud replies in a high-pitched voice and creates a rainbow letting them slide off.
"Can you two do anything without magic?" Dipper asked as the cloud creature disappeared. He's still struggling with his locker that is until it opens with a wave of Bill's cane.
Dipper gives the blonde an unimpressed look.
Bill then waves his arms around in a teasing manner. "You use too much magic, ah-ah-ah, blah-blah-blah-blah-blah." He finished it off with a raspberry.
Mabel giggles.
Dipper goes to retort but is distracted as Wendy rides by on her board.
"Hey Dipper!" She waves.
"Hey Wendy." He waves back. He was happy she was okay, and thankful it looked like Ms. Skullnick wasn't going to lose her job. Which meant Ford didn't have to know what happened today. A good thing too since Dipper was sure one more incident was all it would take to send his uncles over the edge of sanity.
Wendy continues on her way, only to stop and admire the stubble on Brad's face. "Nice beard." She commented him.
"Thanks, I grew it out just last night." Brad bragged.
Dipper's face fell as he absently touches the stubble that is barely noticeable on his own face. "One night I've been trying to grow my facial hair for weeks. How am I supposed to compete with that? "
"Well do you know what the quickest way to grow a beard is?" Bill asked.
Dipper already knew what the answer was gonna be, still he played along. "Humor me."
"It's magic!" Bill says creating a pink flying horse butler that flew off.
"Thanks, but I'll stick with my peach fuzz." Dipper said as he grabbed his things. "This may not be much, but it's mine. Besides there's a sense of satisfaction in doing things yourself."
"What's the big deal about beards anyway?" Mabel asked. "I think they're gross."
"Wendy doesn't." Bill said. "I think it's because Janna says she has a thing for older men."
"Bill!" Mabel hissed.
Dipper winces at those words, of course he knows they're true. Wendy was a whole year older than them, and girls tended to go for older men. Still, hearing the confirmation come out of Bill's mouth stung.
"Come on Pine Tree, Let me put a beard on you." Bill begged before making a blonde beard for himself. "See I won't even mess up."
"Nope. I'm good." Dipper says and then walks off.
"Let me put a beard on you!" Bill demands as he gives chase.
"Bill! No means, no!" Dipper screams as he makes a run for it.
(The Next Morning...)
Dipper wakes up with a start to find himself sitting at his desk, worse his drool has made several pieces of parchment stick to his face.
He pulls it away and gets up with a yawn. He had stayed up late in the night trying to figure out some answers. Unfortunately, there wasn't much in Ford's research to go on, and a lot of it he already knew. For example, the scrolls sprung out on his desk explained that the cheek emblems were a symbol of the royal bloodline. It separated them from the other noble bloodlines as a mark of power.
Being the direct descendants of Seth, it was no surprise why Hannibal and Tad had cheek marks. Being a part of the family bloodline, they would naturally be born with a mark of their heritage. This would also explain Bill's own cheek marks, his mother Luisa, however, was harder to explain.
So, he combed every scroll he could find and discovered a possible theory, it turns out portraits of her younger years showed Luisa with bare cheeks. Which meant something had happened to allow her to gain her own cheek marks. If Dipper had to guess he'd bet it had to do with marrying into the royal family. When Demons married it was a lot different then what human were used to. Demonic marriage included an eternally binding spell, binding the couple's bloodlines as one.
This would cause magic of Hannibal's bloodline to bleed into his mate thus giving her cheek marks. In short being exposed to Hannibal's magic through eternal bonding had given Lusia her snowflakes.
So how did this explain Dipper's own cheek marks?
Again, he had a theory, but it was flimsy at best. Dipper had been exposed to a great deal of Bill's magic. Whether it was the Monster arm or having his face turned into a butterfly monster, Dipper had been in direct contact, but was it enough? Unfortunately, none of the scrolls talked about the effects of long exposure to the royal family or their magic.
Dipper walks down the hall to the bathroom, flips on the light and screams!
"Dipper!" Mabel runs down the hall. "What's wrong?"
"My face!" Dipper said, pointing to his now full mustache.
"Wow, it looks great." Mabel praised. "Maybe I should rethink my policy, you actually pull that off."
"Mabel this is serious!" Dipper exclaimed. "I've been trying to grow on for weeks and now on just like magic..." He stops as Bill peaks his head in.
"You used magic on my face while I was asleep didn't you?" Dipper growled at the demon.
"Bill!" Mabel gave him a look. "Please tell me you didn't."
"Maybe a little bit." Bill admitted, to which Dipper picked up a razor.
"Oh you come on! You look so good with your little beardy. "Mabel reasoned. "Does really matter if it was cooked up by magic?"
"Look I appreciate it." Dipper said. "But I want to do it my..." He stops as the mustache began to grow into a full beard." What the...!" He cried out in surprise as his beard grew long enough to fill up the entire bathroom and beyond. It keeps growing, hair shooting out of all of the windows pushing everyone but Dipper out.
Mabel, Bill, Stan and Ford all fall to the ground with a grunt.
"What the!" Stan gets to his feet, lost for words.
Luckily Ford isn't. "Is that...hair?" He asked.
"Yes." Mabel and Bill say together.
"Do I even want to know?" Ford asked.
"Dipper wanted to impress Wendy." Bill answered. "So I thought I'd help."
Ford shakes his head. "As thoughtful as that is, there is some satisfaction in doing things on your own."
"So, I've heard." Bill huffed. "But not to worry it's nothing a little magic can't fix." He reached for his cane. "Razor Shaving Mist!" But instead, he pulled out a taquito for some reason. "Oh. That's a taquito. "
"Bill where's your cane?" Ford asked looking around worryingly.
"Ahhh, I must have dropped it in the bathroom when Dipper's beard exploded." Bill answered.
Ford face palms. "I'm getting too old for this." He grumbled.
"I've got an idea!" Stan said as he led the way to the shed out back.
"Stan wait!" Mable warns.
Too late, Stan kicks the door of the shed open to see the unmade bed and empty plate. "Are you...feeding it?" He exclaimed.
"His name is Buff Frog." Mabel corrected him. "And He had nowhere else to go."
"We will discuss this later." Ford said as he grabbed some hedge trimmers and passed them around. "For now, Dipper needs us."
They nodded their agreement.
"We're coming Dipper!" Mabel screamed as they ran back to the house entrance. Ford opens the door only for more hair to pour out.
"Hurry, it's still growing!" Ford advises as they begin to cut their way in through the hair. No one had to be told twice, the longer the hair grew the harder it would be for Dipper to breathe.
(Back with Dipper...)
Dipper screamed as the hair continued to grow, he tried to recite a spell, to make the hair stop growing. It's no use, he can barely breathe let alone form the words of the spell properly! He spats as some of the hair gets into his mouth. All of this, because Bill, just couldn't leave well enough alone!
He didn't have time for this, he needed to get back to his research.
"Dipper, remain calm!" Ford's voice is barely audible from downstairs. "Well get you out of this!" he screamed as they go deeper and deeper.
Bill stops to catch his breath, "Man this would be a lot easier if I had my magic." He looks up to notice the others have pulled further ahead, and the hair is growing back between them like a wall.
"Wait!" Bill exclaims.
Ford turns but it's too late, there is now a wall of hair in between them and Bill. "Bill are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Bill's voice is muffled. "You guys keep going, I'm right behind you."
Ford nods and they press on.
(Back with Toffee…)
"Target acquired." The Septarian mused showing Tad his tracking device. Having seen everything transpire on the feeds from the All Seeing-Eye He had decided it was time to make his next move. "The cane is just inside this house. And it's ours for the taking. "
"That's a house?" Tad asked in disbelief. "It's covered in...Hair..." He looked really creeped out. "Maybe we should come back another time."
"Of course. But it's just that, the wand. Has never been left unattended before." Toffee said.
The monsters around them began to mutter in awe.
Tad looks torn this could be his chance to finally get what he so desired. "Fine! But you idiots are going to carry me." He said climbing up Big Chicken, punching him as he continued to speak. "I don't want a single hair touching me!" He said as they all entered. "Hold still you dumb bird! What are you waiting for?! Hurry up!" Tad commanded his army.
They lead the way followed by Big Chicken with Toffee close behind.
Meanwhile just a bit ahead Bill swings from some hair like a vine. "This isn't so bad." He thought out loud. "I bet I'm all the way to the-Oof!" He lands on the couch dropping the hedge clippers. "I'm still in the living room?!Ugh!" Bill exclaimed in disbelief. Then he turns to notice his clippers are gone! He looks just in time to see it entangled in hair which pulls the clippers away from him as it continues to grow.
Bill goes to ran after them as more hair falls on him from above.
At the same time, Tad and his army are unknowingly closing the gap between them and Bill "Keep moving!" Tad says while swatting away a strand of hair. Suddenly all movement stops, and Tad nearly falls forward. "What's the hold up!?" Tad asked.
The monsters cough, exhausted. The growing hair is making them tired and sweaty.
"Master Tad can we take a break?" Beard Deer asked.
"I'm dehydrated!" The giraffe monster exclaimed also covered in hair.
"No breaks!" Tad says and cringes upon a strand of hair reaching for him that was pushed away by Three Eyed Potato Baby. "This is taking forever! Let's go! Do your job!" He yelled.
"The wand is that way..." Toffee informed his employer and showed it displayed on his device. "Were close." He informed them.
"W- Well, clear the path and move it, you idiots, move it!" Still riding on Big Chicken Tad pushes his way pass the useless monsters.
"Here." Toffee says passing out water bottles which he found along the way. "This will help."
The monsters take them and drink gratefully, moments later they are on their way again.
Further ahead, Ford cuts aside more hair and finds what they have been searching for.
"The stairs!" Stan sighs in relief. "Finally."
"Bill, we found the stairs!" Mabel screamed.
Held in place by several strands of hair all Bill can do is yell. "I'm stuck!" He coughs choking on hair. "Ew gross! Gods I wish I had my..." All of the sudden he hears barking, and he looks to see one of the Laser puppies were caught up in the hair as well.
"Oh, hey there little guy. You stuck here too?" He asked.
"Yes, it is I! Laser Puppy!" The small canine replies taking him by surprise as it began to glow with a red light and floats into the air.
"Okay, the magic in this hair must be making me see things." Bill realized.
"Maybe" The laser puppy said before floating down to him. "But that doesn't matter, you must not give up, Dipper needs you! "
"But it's just soooo hard without my Magic!" Bill replies as the Laser Puppy floats back a bit.
"Let me remind you of a time before your magic." The puppy says as corresponding images appear showing Bill as a kid. "When a demonic preteen got mixed up with monsters, goblins and ghouls."
Bill watches as a younger him is seen standing on a horde of defeated goblins with his Henchmaniacs.
"Elder Gods." Bill exclaimed as he realized the truth. "Pine Tree's right, I do depend on magic too much! I've gotten weak!"
"You never needed your wand before. Why do you need it now?" The laser puppy asked making a point as Bill looks away in thought. "Also, I'm a ywo headed puppy that shoots lasers out of my eyes. The choice is yours Bill Cipher: either rise up and conquer or wither here and die!" The word die echoes a few times.
Bill let those words fuel him as he wrenches a hand free. With a smirk he grabs the little canine and points it at all the strands of hair holding him shooting lasers to get free. He lands on the grounds continuing to use the laser puppy to make a path through the hair.
Finally with one last blast he comes face to face with...
"Tad!" Bill exclaims. He then sees Toffee and his eyes widen, a Septarian! Buff frog had been telling the truth!
"Attack!" Tad orders and his monsters charge.
Bill fires the laser puppy again, the monsters duck and the laser tears through the hair, revealing the stairs and the others.
"Sixer!" Bill screams. "Toffee, he's real!"
Ford turns and sees him and he goes noticeably paler. "Quickly! We must get to Dipper!"
"Don't let them get the wand!" Tad screams, causing the monsters to turn their attention from Bill back to the stairs.
Bill ceases the opportunity He quickly jumps onto a table, then flips off through the air to land at the foot of the staircase. He runs up them, only to be tripped by Toffee's tail as he swings it under his legs. Dear beard grabs one of his legs before he can get up, but Bill kicks some hair back and shoves it into the monsters mouth. He lets go and Bill crawls up the stairs holding the railing for support. He gets pulled again and the two headed monster tries to pull ahead.
The blonde kicks the monster into the railing sending him toppling into the rest of the army.
Up in the far front, Ford and the others have reached the bathroom door, they open it!
Mabel screams as more hair rushes out tangling them up.
Ford struggles to get free as Toffee comes into view. He goes straight for the now open bathroom door.
"You stay away from him you scaly freak!" Stan yells.
Toffee ignores him and walks in, Dipper lets out a muffled scream. He has heard stories about the Septarians. And the monster before him looks at him with soulless eyes that make his skin crawl. He struggles to get away, but he can't move. He then tries to reach for Bill's cane, but it's just out of reach. "Bill!" He screams.
"Get away from him!" Bill yells only to be tackled from behind by Tad's men.
"The wand! Get it!" Tad orders. "Toffee hand me the Wand!"
Toffee stops, his fingers just inches from brushing Dipper's cheek, his target is so close he could touch him. "Master, I would never steal this honor from you." He says, his eyes never leaving Dipper.
Mabel is confused, why is this guy more interested in her brother than the wand! It's right there!
Dipper is thinking the same thing, He searches Toffee's gaze; 'Why?'
Toffee seems to understand the silent question because his mouth forms into a sadistic smile.
Meanwhile, Big chicken tries to push into the room, only to trip on some hair. Tad falls of him landing in the hair.
Tad looks around in horror, he quickly shakes it off before making his way through the hair. He moves forward nervously as inche by inch he moes closer to his prize. All the while Toffee's eyes never leave Dipper's.
It was weird, Dipper could see the darkness in his eyes, the void of nothingness. Worse still, he could feel that same void inside himself.
'You can treat the symptoms, but you'll never cure the Virus.' Could he see it? Could Toffee see the disease inside of him?
Tad inches closer still, the moment of truth was upon him, Tad is reaching for the wand panicking and sweating. And just as it seemed he was finally gonna get it, he breaks down, collapsing into the hair and laughing hysterically.
Toffee's grin gets impossibly wider, and Dipper realizes that he never wanted Tad to get the Wand at all!
Hey! Where'd he go?" Tad's army yells as they notice Bill has disappeared.
He had slipped away, swinging through the hair unseen. He emerges smirking, gripping the cane in his hand. He points it at Toffee.
Toffee holds his hands up in mocking surrender before jumping over Bill and out the bathroom window.
The other monsters retreat as well. Big Chicken who has finally found his footing, picks up Tad as he flees.
Bill points his wand as Ford and the others, releasing them from the hair's hold with a quick spell.
"Dipper are you okay!" Mabel runs to him.
"Hurry, we can't let him get away!" Stan yells as he races after Toffee.
Ford looks after his brother then back at Dipper, then back and forth like he can't decide.
"It's okay." Bill tells him. "We got this."
Ford looks at Dipper. "You, okay?"
Dipper gives the best nod he can, even though it's a lie.
Ford nods and races after Stan.
Mabel takes her clippers and cuts some hair away so Dipper can breathe better. "You okay?"
No! He was not okay, but he couldn't them know that. He was supposed to be the strong one, the experienced one. So he pulls on a brave face and says. "Took you long enough, this hair is really itchy."
"I know." Bill said. "I'm really sorry Pine Tree."
"It's okay, I'll let this one slide. Just as long as you learned your lesson." Dipper said firmly.
Bill smiled slyly as he picked up the tiniest razor he could find. "I did, I learned that I use magic way too much. And for now, one I will start depending on my own abilities."
Dipper sighed in relief.
"And now, I shall shave this beard off of you- with this tiny razor!" Bill chuckles as he does just that. "Just like a normal person. Thank you, Pine Tree for teaching me such a valuable lesson."
"Bill!" Dipper screamed.
(Back In the Void)
"What a pathetic display back there!" Tad said berating his minions despite him being the reason why they failed. "You guys make me sick! No more milkshake privileges for you! "Hearing this made them groan as Tad keeps berating them." I want you to use that time to think about what you've done! "
"Perhaps they should use that time to think about what you've done." Toffee said in a serious tone seizing the opportunity.
"Exactly!" Tad said and realized what he said. "Wait...what?"
"Let me ask you a question." The Septarian went on. "What kind of leader throws you into pit of hair, makes you do all the work, and shows no appreciation for your sacrifices?" He asked before taking Boo Fly and began to pet him.
"Are you talking about me?" Tad asked not realizing what was happening as Toffee continues to address Tad monsters.
"What kind of leader has all the power in the universe at his fingertips...And gets tickled right out of it?" He said mockingly at the last part.
"Toffee what are you doing?" Tad asked. He's so confused. Why had his new adviser suddenly turned against him
"You're soldiers deserve better." Toffee replies with an evil sneer.
It's than that Tad realizes his mistake. "Buff Frog was right about you!" He screams. "You are fired!"
"Let's put it to your soldiers." Toffee said looking back to the monsters "Who's the better leader: Ludo...or me?"
Tad watched in disbelieve as the monsters started to mutter among themselves.
"You guys belong to me!" He yelled." Three Eyed Potato Baby I am like a father to you. Beard Deer, I took you off the streets!" He says before pointing at Toffee. "Are you stupid imbeciles really going to listen to him?!"
With a furious growl Dear Beard punching Tad right out of the castle, He tumbles down the stairs.
"You can't do this!" Tad said as he rushed back to the entrance with Toffee, and his former minions are watching. "This is my castle! Those are my monsters! "
"Not anymore." Toffee replied coldly before slamming the door in his face.
"NO!" Tad screamed, banging on the already locked door.
"I'll take it from here." the Septarian says to his new minions. "You gentleman, deserve some rest."
The monsters depart without hesitation thankfully for the chance to rest.
Toffee chuckles darkly as Tad continues to scream in denial "And now master..." He whispers, "We can truly begin."
-To Be Continued...
