Showtime

Chapter 4

In the doorway stood the man who was "Cryptic". His face was no longer concealed by shadows and he could see his features clearly. Definitely not contacts. Was he first thought as he recognized the eyes the moment they landed on him. The smile he was given as "Cryptic" recognized him too told him enough about how very deep in trouble he really was.

"Well, well, well, well! What do we have here now?"

He inhaled sharply as he recognized the voice and speech pattern type. The one that had haunted his dreams for many years prior.

"Bill Cipher." The words left his mouth flatly. Feeling no emotion to the psychopath who had tormented him for so many years.

"Oh it's you Pine Tree! How nice to see you again in person! And may I ask why you're going through my ah~ personal belongings? You know in this world I could have you arrested but..." He smiled bigger one the suited the demon all too well. He stepped inside the door and closed it swiftly.
"Where's the fun in that?"

He shivered with uneasiness as the word were spoken and he took a moment to take in Bill's appearance.
He was about an inch taller than himself with the golden blond hair. His eyes shined with that unnatural yellow and as he looked closer he noticed the specks that resemble stars in the black of his eyes.

The top hat was perfectly balanced upon his head. It seemed to defy gravity and all laws of physics. His outfit was that of a white button up shirt with a yellow petticoat with a brick pattern at the bottom and underneath it was a shoulder vest with yellow triangle buttons. His pants where that of an imposable shade of black with his shoe's of the same color. Around his neck sat a matching bow tie that pulled the entire outfit together in the end.

After his brief analysis of Bill's new appearance he spoke once again.
"Sooo... Better be going now. Got lots to do. Places to go with my Uncle's and sister." He slid past Bill and had a hand on the knob when Bill spoke.
"Do you think i'd let you off that easy Pine Tree?" He froze at the door.
"Okay. What do you want then? A deal? My soul?"

A smile much larger than the one he already held on his face came to replace it.

"I'd love~ to see you dead. But alas it does not work that way my little tree. I want a stage partner. And you seem like my best option."
He gulped at this.

"You want me to shake on it don't you?" The smile turned to a smirk.
"Just because i'm in a good mood right now i'll make it a deal for you. You work with me as my stage partner and I won't lay a finger on your family unless you say other wise. Do we have a deal?"

Bill's hand had lit up with that blue fire he'd come to enjoy seeing in tricks and imately reached out to seal their deal. The fire felt as it had all the years before it was of a cold prickling sensation that spread threw his body numbing him till he pulled away.

"Deal."

Bill smiled genuinely this time.
"Good Pine Tree! Now be at this theater in one week. We have a gig here and then we head to one a few states over. Give your family the excuse that you've been hired by me to manage my trickl selection and practice. That you'll be traveling and gaining life experience. I Can't say they will believe it but I think it's clever enough to get you to the end of the summer don't you think?"

He nodded numbly and gave a short wave of his hand as he backed out of the room. He made it halfway out the hall when the door opened again and his name was called. His real name.
He turned on his heel in a quick motion.

"Yes?"

"Two more things. One not a word you made a deal. Two Your parents are also included in the deal."
The door to the dressing room immediately closed after that. Leaving him in silence. He slid back down the hall and into the alley and went back around front.

At the buildings threshold stood his family. Mable was bouncing around scanning the crowd, Ford was helping her and his parents lazely chatted with Stan. He quickly made his way to them getting shoved a bit too much for his liking. But soon enough he reached them.

"Dipper!! God My Glob was that not just as amazing as last time?!?!!"
He nodded, a forced smile making its way to his lips.

"Definitely! And you'll never guess who I ran into on my way out of the show!" The enthusiasm was evident in his voice some of it real and some of it faked for the sake of his sanity.

"Oh my glob no way!!"

He nodded still upholding the fake smile.

"And you'll never guess what he said!" At this his entire family's attention was now drawn to him. His parent's nervous about what crazy thing they did not want him doing now, and his Uncle's just as nervous but ready to accept whatever it was that he'd been presented with.

"I got offered a job!" His smile was even faker now. All real enthusiasm dieing at this. His act had become too good at this point for anyone to notice it.

"Oh my gosh Dip! Really? Oh my gosh my brother gets to work with a magician!!!" She tackled him in a hug as she rambled on about how he'd have to show her all of "Cryptic's" tricks and how to get that amazing gold fire so they could wow Mystery Shack customers.

His Uncles looked equally happy for him, knowing Dipper had been looking at other job choices just as a backup plan. He was not set to run the shack for the two till they had passed on or decided to retire and it looked to be the early choice as the two loved working together after being apart for so many years. His parents on the other hand, they had disapproving glares directed at himself as he let Mable hug him and his Uncle's smile and congratulate him.

The glare he would receive would burn a hole in his head the entire car ride home. He continued on to how and when he would go out for this job and how in between shows he'd stay and work at the Mystery Shack and how for 2 weeks he'd travel with the show and then come back to the falls to keep his job here going. He was somewhat enthusiastic about the idea of having two jobs and getting to travel, but on the other hand he was worried about what might Bill make him do during this time frame where he did shows with him.