Little Dipper

Nicknames

"Any sign of it?" Dipper asked Mabel as they slowly drove the go-cart down the road.

"Nope. You'll just have to get a new one, brobro." Mabel looked at him. "Sorry."

Dipper sighed. "Rats. I liked that hat, too. Why didn't you hold it on, Bill?"

I was a little too concerned with getting away from the giant gnome monster to worry about your hat. Just get a new one, there's plenty in the shop.

Dipper pouted. "So, are you always gonna be in my head now?"

No, I can come out if you want me to.

"Please." Dipper nodded.

Mabel gasped as a golden orb of light came out of her brother and formed into a floating man. "What in the--?!"

Bill shrank down and sat on Dipper's shoulder. "Relax, Shooting Star. I can be a non-intimidating size."

"It's not the size that freaked me out." Mabel frowned, turning the go-cart and driving back to the Shack. "It's you coming out of my brother like some...I dunno, something!"

Bill grinned. "A wisp? A ghost?"

"Some kind of video game thing!" Mabel parked the go-cart and unbuckled. "C'mon, brobro. Let's find you another hat."

They entered the Shack and Grunkle Stan looked up from counting the register. "Heh, have you been rolling around in the leaves? You've got dirt all over your clothes!"

Mabel glanced at Bill, who was still on Dipper's shoulder. Could Grunkle Stan not see him? "We've had a long day." She said, starting to lead her brother through.

"Oh, hey." Grunkle Stan spoke up. "We, uh, overstocked just a bit. Why don't you kids pick out something from the shop to keep?"

"Really?" Dipper gasped and ran over to the shelves excitedly.

"Are you sure?" Mabel asked.

"Just do it before I change my mind." Grunkle Stan stacked another set of bills on the counter.

"Uhm..." Dipper looked around thoughtfully.

"Hey, kid." Bill gently tugged on the hair in front of his ear and pointed up. Dipper looked up to see a blue-brimmed hat with a blue pine tree on it. "New hat?"

"A new hat!" Dipper stood on tip-toes and Bill flew up to push it off the shelf towards him. Then Dipper adjusted the size to fit his head and put it on. "Alright!"

Bill grinned and flew down onto his shoulder again. "It suits you, Pine Tree."

Dipper looked at him. "Pine Tree?"

"What, you don't like it?" Bill asked.

"No, it's...it's a good nickname." Dipper grinned. "I'm a little pine tree and I'm gonna grow up big and tall, right?"

"Exactly." Bill nodded, smiling.

"And I will have a..." They looked over to see Mabel digging in the boxes and she pulled out something. "Grappling hook!"

The three males in the room all stared at her. "Uh...wouldn't you want a doll or something?" Grunkle Stan asked.

Mabel fired up and lifted herself into the air. "Grappling hook!"

"Sounds good!" Grunkle Stan finished counting the drawer and left the room.

"Your sister's scary." Bill commented to Dipper. Dipper nodded.

That night, the three went over the book together. "So, see, I thought Norman was a zombie, but apparently he was a bunch of gnomes so we still haven't seen any zombies." Dipper said.

"Hm..." Mabel looked thoughtful.

"We should count ourselves lucky, zombies aren't exactly social types." Bill remarked.

"Hmm...." Mabel looked at them, rubbing her chin.

"What's up with you now?" Bill asked.

"Bipper." Mabel nodded firmly.

"Huh?" The other two said in unison.

"That's what I'm gonna call you when you're possessing my brother. Bipper." Mabel nodded. "Bill-Dipper. Bipper."

"You were thinking of a nickname all this time?" Bill laughed.

"Well, you've got a weird name for both of us!" Mabel said defensively.

"Yeah, but I have a reason for that, yours is just--"

"I have a perfectly good reason. If I'm talking to you in public and call you 'Bill', people will get confused. But 'Bipper' is very close to 'Dipper' and won't be confused at all! They might just think they heard the first part wrong, or not even notice!" Mabel nodded, pleased with her reasoning.

"Whatever you say, Shooting Star." Bill shrugged.

"So, why call me that?" Mabel asked.

"Because it's your symbol of destiny." Bill said simply. "Your motif, your..." He looked like he was trying to think of the word. "Special thing that defines you in the cosmos. And this guy's 'Pine Tree'." He grinned at Dipper.

"Whoa, cool! Cosmotic nicknames!" Dipper grinned.

"I...don't think that's the word for it, but whatever." Bill shrugged.

"Do you have a nickname?" Dipper asked.

"I have many names." Bill grinned. "Most of which you can't pronounce. Just keep calling me 'Bill Cipher', alright?"

"Got it!" The siblings nodded in unison.

"Does anyone else have cosmotic nicknames?" Mabel asked.

"Sure, lots of people do." Bill grinned. "Ol' Fez has one, that red-headed chick has one, though it's silly, and even that handyman has one!"

"What about Jeff?" Mabel asked.

"Gnomes don't get cosmotic nicknames. Just humans." Bill shook his head.

"You've got one, though." Dipper pointed out.

"No, I have many names, most of which you can't pronounce, and I gave you one of them to use." Bill hopped off his shoulder.

"Why are you so tiny?" Mabel asked.

"Easier to get a free ride." Bill stuck out his tongue and hopped out of the way of her playful swat.

"Kids, aren't you going to bed yet?" Stan asked outside their door.

"Oh, it's late." Mabel got off Dipper's bed. "Good night, Grunkle Stan!"

"Get some sleep." Stan said, walking away.

"Night!" Dipper giggled and climbed under his covers. "Mabel, can you tuck me in?"

Mabel smiled and took the book off his bed, closing it and setting it on the shelf between their beds before she started to tuck him in. "Do you want anything? Water? Warm milk?"

Dipper shook his head and then reached out to grab Bill with his arms, Bill letting out an alarmed yelp as he was pulled out of the air and next to Dipper's chest.

"Oh, so I'm a stuffed animal now?" Bill struggled to pull away before crossing his arms and giving a resigned sigh. "Eh, whatever. I can live with this."

Mabel and Dipper giggled and then Mabel took off Dipper's hat and kissed his forehead. "Sleep well, little brother."

"You too, Mabel." Dipper smiled as she set the hat next to the lamp and shut it off before climbing into bed.

"Sweet dreams." Mabel smiled at him, the moonlight dimly shining through the window between them.

Dipper snuggled Bill closer and settled down to sleep.

Bill listened as the two drifted off and then sighed. "Maybe tomorrow night." He mumbled to himself. "I've got time."