Blind Trust

20

Dipper wasn't exactly sure how to feel. Which he realized was beginning to become a regular thing for him lately.

Regardless, he was conflicted. He wanted to be happy. He had his sight back, Bill still liked him, and he didn't have to worry about Bill trying to kill him or destroy his family since Bill didn't have his powers anymore. But he also realized that he never figured out if Bill truly had cared for him, or if it was all just a clever ruse.

Mabel did have a good point on how if Bill didn't care for him, then Bill wouldn't have given up his powers and memory just to cure his blindness.

But the question would always linger in the back of Dipper's mind...

Did Bill Cipher really change because of me?

Unfortunately, as the days went on at the shack, Dipper was pretty sure there was only one way to find out if Bill cared about or not for sure. Which meant Dipper had to confront Tad Strange.

Ford and him had discussed the idea a couple of times but ultimately Ford didn't want Bill to get his memories back. He had assumed the former demon had been playing Dipper until he could get what he wanted and his planned backfired on him. But Dipper wasn't entirely convinced.

But since Ford wasn't with him, then Dipper knew, facing Tad Strange was something he had to do on his own.

So late one night, Dipper decided to sneak out.

The hardest part was to get out with Bill not noticing. The two had begun to share Dipper's bed and after Bill fell asleep most nights, he unknowingly cuddled with Dipper. Not that Dipper minded, Bill was warm and the attic got cold most nights. Plus he liked human Bill.

Dipper glanced over at the passed out boy to make sure he was asleep, then quietly began to untangle himself from Bill's arms.

Once he was free he grabbed a dark hoodie and his shoes and quietly left the room.

The next thing he needed to do was equally as difficult. He had to sneak down to Ford's lab and snag a weapon incase things got bad with Strange.

He made it to the lab entrance easily enough, but Dipper was worried Ford might still be awake when he got down there.

He decided he would just come up with some excuse if it became a problem and snuck down the hidden staircase to the lab.

He was grateful to find that Ford wasn't in the lab, and even more grateful to find one of Ford's laser-y guns out on a table. Ford had designed it specifically incase Bill had his powers in his human form, so Dipper assumed it would work on a human form Tad as well.

Dipper carefully slipped the gun into his jacket pocket and went to leave when he noticed something else on the table.

It was a device Ford had built to see if Bill had any power left. Dipper thought that maybe if he set the device to a higher frequency then it was possible he could use it to find Tad Strange. He pocketed the device as well and quickly left the lab.

He stepped outside of the shack and quickly went to the treeline so he could hide before pulling out the device. Once he set the device to a higher frequency it picked up a trail of demon magic almost instantly, leading deeper into the forest. Dipper followed the trail, glad it was a full moon, as it was the middle of the night. He had stupidly forgotten to grab a flashlight, but the moon was bright enough to help him see infront of him.

As Dipper continued walking he realized that the frequency was leading him to the top of the cliff that overlooked Gravity Falls. He was confused as to why it would lead him such a place but he figured Tad likely hid up here since people didn't climb up here too often.

Once he came out of the treeline and at the top of the cliff he saw him.

Tad Strange.

Standing out in the open waiting for him.

He wasn't the Tad Strange Dipper had seen so many times before in Gravity Falls, but rather the purple haired, human formed demon he had seen when Bill had made the deal with him. Though he looked almost younger. Like gaining Bill's powers had revered his age a few years. He almost looked like Dipper's age.

He watched Dipper approach him carefully.

"I was wondering when you'd seek me out Dipper Pines." Tad said.

"I want you to give Bill his memories back." Dipper demanded. Tad laughed, floating slightly off the ground for a minute before touching back down.

"Well then, look at you making demands. I'm almost impressed. You came out seeking a demon who has the powers of two demons, by yourself, unarmed, and now your making demands. You really do intrigue me Dipper Pines." Tad said.

He flew up close to Dipper, so that their faces were only 5 or 6 inches apart.

"Now what is it that you intend to do for me?" Tad asked, somewhat mischievously.

"What?" Dipper said, afraid of what Tad was implying. Tad flew back a bit and laughed again, then began circling Dipper, twirling his cane-like umbrella on his finger aimlessly.

"You do understand how dealing with demons work don't you?" Tad asked.

"You don't just make demands. Unless, of course, the demon is under your control, which I assure you, I am not." Tad continued.

He then stopped infront of Dipper, offering his hand.

"You have to make a deal." Tad said. As soon as he said 'deal' his hand lit up with red fire.

Dipper stared down at his hand for a moment.

"What do you want then?" Dipper asked. Tad smirked.

"Well, normally I don't tell people what they must give up completely but, as I said, you do intrigue me." Tad said.

"What do you want?" Dipper repeated.

"Well, I suppose making you blind again isn't quite the direction I want to go this time around. It isn't the same without your burning hatred for someone who didn't cause it." Tad said, not really speaking directly to Dipper.

"Oh! I've got it!" Tad finally said after a few more moments of thinking. He turned back to Dipper.

"I want you to take Bill's powers."

>>>>>>>

Heya, another chapter, would you look at that!

Anyway, I kind of have two directions I want to go with this:

Super angsty then good
OR
A bit angsty then alright.

I'm not going to say which one I decide to avoid spoilers (also because I honestly don't know which one I'll pick until I start writing)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, new chapter soon.