Into The Depths [BILLDIP]

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Hey, quick before the chapter starts just wanted to let you guys know that I have a YouTube channel. Above the chapter is my most recent video.

Go check it out. Be warned, I'm still new to this and there is adult humor (I mean, I wrote a stripper AU on my account here so what did you expect)

Anyway, on to the chapter:

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After Bill finished explaining what had transpired aboard the Mystery of the Depths, Dipper interceding at times to add his own side of things, Will shuddered.

"He held you captive? I knew humans couldn't be trusted." Will said, then he looked at Dipper.

"Present party excluded." Will said apologetically.

"Not all humans are bad Will. Just like how not all Mers are good. It doesn't help that I stole part of Ford's soul when he stole mine." Bill said.

Dipper shuddered. He had known what Bill had done to Ford in retaliation to Ford's own misdeed, but hearing him say it so casually was nerve-wracking.

"How do you even steal someone's soul?" Dipper wondered aloud.

"It's complicated. I didn't even really mean to do it, if I'm being completely honest. But when a magical creature loses part of its soul...well you sort of go into a blind rage. I don't really recall what exactly happened, just that he stole part of mine, so I stole part of his. I awoke at the bottom of the ocean with it, in a shell similar to mine, so I hid it." Bill admitted.

"Where did you hide it?" Dipper asked.

"Not far from where we fell in after the confrontation with Ford on the island. I'm sure he could feel it when we got to the island. I imagine he found the location before he got back to your ship when you summoned me. He just couldn't get to it because it's under water. I also placed some magical protection around it so only I can access it." Bill explained.

"So what's our next steps? I need to get back to the ship and warn everyone about how unstable Ford is. But if he catches us, he'd probably kill us." Dipper said.

"One thing at a time Pinetree." Bill said, "We should get my collar off first. Then I can reclaim my soul and with that, my missing powers. Then after that, we'll worry about what's next."

Dipper nodded and grabbed the tools Will had gotten for him and got to work on the collar.

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Wendy

Wendy could tell Captain Ford was hiding something, though anyone on the ship could tell that much. The man practically oozed secrecy.

Something just didn't click with her about Ford's story. She had seen how The Siren had interacted with Dipper and how Dipper had interacted with The Siren.

Bill couldn't have killed Dipper.

Which meant Ford had lied.

But why would Ford lie about that, unless he was hiding a bigger secret?

Wendy knew she had to get to the bottom of it.

So the red head began sneaking around the ship, doing her best to try and figure out what Captain Ford was hiding.

As she snuck out of her room, she crept up the hall towards the stairs, but something stopped her.

She heard faint crying coming from one of the other rooms on the ship.

Her curiosity got the better of her and she peaked into the room, finding Mabel, sitting on the floor of her room, clutching a leather bound journal, crying. Wendy recognized it as one of Dipper's journals.

Her face softened and she entered the girls room.

As she pushed open the door, Mabel looked up.

"W-Wendy? What are you doing up at this hour?" Mabel asked, trying to dry her tears.

"It's um...complicated...How are you holding up?" Wendy asked.

"I just...I can't believe he's gone. He...I..." Mabel stumbled on her words before bursting into tears again. Wendy walked over and comforted the crying girl.

"Listen Mabel...I think..." Wendy tried but Mabel cut her off.

"I'm going to kill that siren for what he's done!" Mabel said, saying the word siren with so much disgust, Wendy was taken aback.

"Mabel...I don't think Dipper's dead...or at least, I don't think it was the siren who did it..." Wendy managed, softly to prevent unwanted ears from hearing.

"Wh-What?" Mabel choked.

"I saw how Bill and Dipper interacted with each other. There's no way he could have killed Dipper. And those cuts on Captain Ford's face seemed too even for claw marks. I...I think Ford may be lying." Wendy said. Mabel's eyes widened.

"But why would Ford..." Mabel trailed off, lost in thought. Then she perked up, as though an idea had struck her in the back of the head.

"The shell! Ford must want the shell! He knew Dipper had to keep it! He must have...oh god...do you think Ford killed my brother?" Mabel asked.

"Either that or Bill saved him. I'm not sure." Wendy admitted.

"So my brother could still be alive." Mabel gasped.

"Yeah." Wendy said, "But we shouldn't let Ford catch on that we're suspicious. If he's willing to try and kill Dipper then who else knows what he's willing to do once he finds out we're on to him."

Mabel offered Wendy her hand.

"Keep it to ourselves?" Mabel offered. Wendy shook the younger girls hand.

"Agreed. At least until we have more evidence." Wendy said.

"I could probably play my grief to our advantage. Maybe get Ford to slip up and let something loose." Mabel said.

"Just in case Ford catches on, leave the spying to me, for now. There's a reason why I know all the ships gossip." Wendy said, winking.

"Gotcha." Mabel said, "Let me know if you find anything."

"Of course." Wendy said, "For all we know others could be involved in the cover-up, though I doubt it. Trust No One."

"Trust No One." Mabel repeated, "For now."

Wendy nodded.

"Alright. I'm gonna see if I can sneak into Captain Ford's cabin." Wendy said.

"Be careful." Mabel warned. Wendy smirked.

"When am I not? Haven't gotten caught yet." Wendy said slyly, before leaving the room.

Mabel sat back against the wall, a hundred thoughts running through her head, though one stuck out.

My brother might still be alive.