How To Be A Triangle

Chapter 10 - A break, heart ache, and a risk to take

Things after that were a blur. Dipper felt better than ever, but at the same time, couldn't have felt worse. His new mindset was filled with joy as he realized how he had just pulled that off and made Gideon fall for his plan. It somehow felt so good to have all this power put to use for pure chaos and mischief! However, his normal mindset was panicking in fear as he realized what he had just done and how much joy it was causing him. Bill was right. He had done it. He had managed to keep up his part in Bill's game. But this was the price for that. He had to give Bill what he wanted. He had to stop resisting. 

And even though he hated it, his new mindset was so much more powerful and it made him feel...good. So as he teleported back, his magic started to flicker a bit. He tried his hardest to resist the joy of the new mindset, but he was too tired to do so. So, in the middle of traveling back to the forest, the little triangle closed his eye, and fell asleep.

When he woke up, he was normal again. He was Dipper Pines, form and all, and he jumped up and down with joy. "YES! YES! YES! IT WAS ALL I DREAM! OF COURSE THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN REAL! OH, IVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO WAKE UP IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!"

But the joy didn't last forever. Because only a few moments later, Bill appeared, laughing in the distance. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! SORRY TO BREAK IT TO YA KID BUT IT WAS ALL REAL! AND ITS QUITE THE OPPOSITE ACTUALLY! YOU'RE ACTUALLY ASLEEP RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE IN YOUR MIND, WHICH IS THE ONLY REASON YOU LOOK LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW THAT IN THE MIND, YOU HAVE JUST AS MUCH CONTROL OVER THINGS AS ME. BUT ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS! CAUSE AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP, THE GAME CONTINUES! BUT THAT HAS TO WAIT FOR NOW. YOU CLEARLY NEED A BREAK AND YOU'VE DONE WONDERFULLY SO FAR! PLUS, WHAT GOOD IS A DREAM DEMON THAT CANT FOCUS ENOUGH TO BE HORRIFYING? SO GO AHEAD, ENJOY THIS SHORT REST. BECAUSE WHEN YOU WAKE UP, THE GAME IS GOING TO GET A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING!"

Dipper panicked. "So-so all that deal stuff with Gideon, the yelling at Mabel, and t-the intentionally acting like you...that was all real!??!" Bill nodded happily. "YEP! AND AS I SAID, YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB SO FAR! I KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY PLANNED WHEN YOU MADE THAT DEAL WITH GIDEON! WHICH MEANS THAT YOU GAVE INTO MY MINDSET AFTERALL! AND IT WAS SO SO FUN TO WATCH YOU FREAK OUT AND PROCESS ALL OF IT AFTERWARDS! BUT NOW THAT YOU GAVE INTO IT...ITS TIME TO HAVE SOME REAL FUN WITH THIS GAME!" 

Dipper was horrified. He had brought all of this upon himself. Why did he lie to Ford?! Why did he intentionally summon Bill and not even tell Mabel?! As he was panicking, he was trying desperately to think of a way out of this. And then, it hit him. "W-WAIT! I-I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER DEAL!"

Bill froze. He hadn't been expecting that. Then he smirked. "OH, YOU DO, DO YOU? DO CONTINUE!" Dipper summoned all of his courage and stood as tall as he could. Then he spoke. "You like games right? You like to have fun and watch chaos unfold. And you like watching me struggle against the rules of your games, just for pure satisfaction. But eventually, your game is going to end. If you're right and I give in, what fun will that be? Sure, you'll get some horrified reactions for what you've done to me, but eventually, that's going to end. And then what? If willingly do whatever you say, there wouldn't be much fun in that, right?"

Bill considered this, but stayed focused. "What are you saying Pinetree?" Dipper continued. "I'm saying, let's make this an actual game, so that I have a chance to fight back against you. If you win, you'll get whatever you want either way, and the uh-Oddpocalypse or whatever will still be yours. But if I win, you have to set me free. I don't belong to you anymore and you leave this dimension alone. Forever. But this way, I'll have a reason to keep playing your game. I'll have a reason to want to keep going. And if everything goes your way, I'll have a reason to be devastated when things don't work out. You think it's funny when I try hopelessly right? Well, that's exactly what I'd be doing. Trying hopelessly. And you can laugh and be amused as much as you want. But at least, even if I only have a 1% chance, I have a chance to fight for." Dipper held out his hand. "So...do we have a deal?"